Sun Princess Buffet

[antsp]

Can anyone give a good reason you would put the buffet on deck 9, and to add to the madness, locate International cafe next to the buffet. What am I missing!!! 

[MissP22]

6 minutes ago, antsp said:

Can anyone give a good reason you would put the buffet on deck 9, and to add to the madness, locate International cafe next to the buffet. What am I missing!!! 

Maybe they had many comments that having it located on deck 5, there wasn't any room to sit down?

[cruzsnooze]

I love the idea of deck 9 for the buffet. It's a middle deck of the ship so those on lower decks have easier access. 

[antsp]

24 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

I love the idea of deck 9 for the buffet. It's a middle deck of the ship so those on lower decks have easier access. 

But why stick International cafe at the entrance 

[snoozecrooze]

1 hour ago, antsp said:

Can anyone give a good reason you would put the buffet on deck 9, and to add to the madness, locate International cafe next to the buffet. What am I missing!!! 

Every time the head designer person has spoken about it in the seminars about the ship, he's mentioned that it was meant to allow for more al fresco dining by dovetailing the buffet with the outdoor promenade (deck 9). Leaked deck plans also indicate a little "Eat Street" section out there, which means a few additional dining options or outlets (for pay or free, we don't know yet). I'm imagining a small-scale version of what NCL has done with "The Waterfront" or what Carnival has done with the "Lanai" -- both are similar walkable outside concepts with al fresco areas for eateries.

 

Of course, there are probably logistical reasons that the designer guy is also likely not telling us about. The MSC Seaside/Seaview are the most recent vessels to "debut" this lower buffet concept. That ship was also built by Fincantieri and they share a pretty similar silhouette, so I'm pretty sure they also share a few bones in the design here and there, as much as the designer guy insists that the Sphere-class is built all-new from the ground up.

[PrincessBuffy]

No insider knowledge here - just a theory.  This design centralizes the main galley areas to deck 6 - 9 and that might help consolidate culinary operations and eliminate duplication of some aspects of both the food preparation and dish washing/waste management functions.  Side note - Never understood while sitting in the buffet why the whole area vibrates so much - did that have something to do with having the large exhaust systems in the galley that close to the top of the ship. If so moving down to a more central location might create a more comfortable experience.  Just thinking out loud...

[antsp]

It was the international cafe and the buffet next to each other that puzzles me

[DHP1]

2 hours ago, antsp said:

Can anyone give a good reason you would put the buffet on deck 9, and to add to the madness, locate International cafe next to the buffet. What am I missing!!! 

Good question. I having been asking the same thing. I enjoy sitting around the pool and going in the buffet and bring back my lunch out to the pool. Now I have to go down to deck 9 😒. They did this so they can accommodate more luxury cabins. 

[PrincessBuffy]

15 minutes ago, antsp said:

It was the international cafe and the buffet next to each other that puzzles me

Although the buffet and the IC - as well as Alfredo's are adjacent they don't look like they are adjoining. They appear to only be accessible from the piazza not from the buffet - expect that one door from Alfredo's which I would guess may be "crew only".  Again I go with my consolidation of the galley theory.

[PacnGoNow]

37 minutes ago, PrincessBuffy said:

No insider knowledge here - just a theory.  This design centralizes the main galley areas to deck 6 - 9 and that might help consolidate culinary operations and eliminate duplication of some aspects of both the food preparation and dish washing/waste management functions.  Side note - Never understood while sitting in the buffet why the whole area vibrates so much - did that have something to do with having the large exhaust systems in the galley that close to the top of the ship. If so moving down to a more central location might create a more comfortable experience.  Just thinking out loud...

Definitely consolidation of the galleys will help to streamline the dining services.  I just can’t imagine how massive this area will be now.  😳

 

As to the vibrations in the Aft, that also happens on deck 6 aft MDR, on some of the older ships.  Engine issues on some.

 

 

[PacnGoNow]

18 minutes ago, DHP1 said:

Good question. I having been asking the same thing. I enjoy sitting around the pool and going in the buffet and bring back my lunch out to the pool. Now I have to go down to deck 9 😒. They did this so they can accommodate more luxury cabins. 

Yes, about half are cabins on 17, Lido.  There are some eating places, pizza,

the grill, tacos, salads?, maybe other areas for eating? We don’t know

for sure.

 

 

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, antsp said:

But why stick International cafe at the entrance 

Puts all of the major food areas relatively close together. Should bring more efficient from a food prep/storage.

 

It make the buffet the 4th level in the various levels of the MDR immediately below, getting more casual as you go up each level.

 

Mskes the IC area more like a food court.

 

Should be in interesting experiment

[dreaminofcruisin]

1 hour ago, antsp said:

It was the international cafe and the buffet next to each other that puzzles me

 

It will make it nice if DH wants to go the buffet and I want to go to the IC......

 

Of course, if DH wants to go to the buffet and I want pizza or a burger....not so much...🤷‍♀️

[startedwithamouse]

Maybe to alleviate lines at the IC?  

 

IMO, IC should be for drinks only, the food clogs up the area. Hopefully it will be a beverage only place, and move the food to a grab and go area at the buffet. 

[PacnGoNow]

4 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Maybe to alleviate lines at the IC?  

 

IMO, IC should be for drinks only, the food clogs up the area. Hopefully it will be a beverage only place, and move the food to a grab and go area at the buffet. 

Or, make a bigger area for the coffee.  We like the light lunch offerings at the IC,

 

What is coffee currents?  Maybe that will take some of the coffee crowds away from the IC?

[Guest ldtr]

4 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Maybe to alleviate lines at the IC?  

 

IMO, IC should be for drinks only, the food clogs up the area. Hopefully it will be a beverage only place, and move the food to a grab and go area at the buffet. 

Will probably make IC more crowded, though there is Coffee Currents down on 7 and coffee and cone up on Lido.