What constitutes a "good" breakfast buffet?

[House_Atreides]

Scrambled eggs that are not watery!!!!

Bacon that isn't swimming in grease.......

Sausage links not patties oh yuck.......

GREAT coffee.......with real cream.........

Fresh juices from concentrate not that junk sweetened with SUGAR!

 

Most of the time I've been able to find these things----Carnival was the only line I had problems with regarding the eggs!

 

Mary:D

[KroozNut]

Reading this thread really drives the point home about people's opinions, and what constitutes 'good' or 'bad' cruise ship food. If a cruise line or ship tried to accomodate just the different ideas in this thread into their buffet offerings, the entire ship would have to be one giant buffet line! : )

 

If you multiply the relatively few different opinions in this thread by the number of cruisers on any given ship, it's easy to see why there is never any agreement in discussions about food quality on a given ship or sailing, and why we sometimes see comments like 'the dining room food was horrible', or the buffet food was innedible', etc., etc. EVERYBODY will have their own, highly subjective opinions on this topic. This is exactly why I tend to discount most comments about food quality in ship reviews, and wait until I sail to form my own opinions along these lines.

 

I will admit though, that discussions along these lines sure make for very lively and entertaining reading! : )

[erby2283]

Cynthia - I don't like runny egss! And I agree with the poster about real hash browns and not the fast food kind!

 

Now "make it so" for our Nov Jewel cruise!

[newmexicoNita]

Cynthia - I don't like runny egss! And I agree with the poster about real hash browns and not the fast food kind!

 

Now "make it so" for our Nov Jewel cruise!

Erby, you will have no problem with the eggs; that is no problem if you go to the omelette bar and get them made to order. Otherwise they will be runny. As for the hash browns, I don't know what any of us can do about that: maybe start a campaign!!! NMnita

[GoHuskies!]

LOL and was that just on the tip of your tongue ? ;)

Could very well have been. Some people actually pay attention in the 7th grade! :p

[Seago2]

Scotia677: The breakfasts I had on my trip to Scotland (Fall of 2001) were honestly the best I have ever had. The tea alone was sooooo good. I love Scottish food. I love Tennants, too. I am going to drag DH to Scotland next. Edinburgh is such a beautiful city! Don't know if I can get him to read Irvine Welch or watch EastEnders with me but he will definitely go for the Speyside Wisky and Tennants!

[GoHuskies!]

About that coffee--assuredly the coffee that is served to you or found in the inside buffet is mediocre. However, the coffee stations/machines in the outdoor buffet, at least on the POAm, have one setting that will grind, brew and pour a single cup each time. That turned out to be so good that I only used our brought-from-home grinder and Starbucks beans for morning coffee on the balcony. I sure hope other NCL ships have these machines, especially the Sun for our September cruise. Anybody know?

[scotia677]

carla i,m glad u are one of the converted

 

our breakfast as with all good food are so filling and good:), but sooo bad for u:mad:

 

i hope u come back and enjoy u're self and our glorious weather (minus 5 tonite chilly)

[tony@stanton19.freeserve.]

Tony, Tony, Tony, where do I begin? Runny egg and haggis? And you go on and on about our disgusting American breakfasts? Have you ever thought of what a pile of baked beans, a broiled tomato, and a black circle of mystery meat looks like to us first thing in the morning? How about white toast served in a toast holder for maximum cool-down effect?

 

YUCK.

 

Why don't you spare us the criticism of our breakfasts and move on to our beer. I'll drink mine room temp and you can drink yours cold and that way we can have a peaceful cultural exchange. Breakfast is too hot an issue.

 

I am gagging on your post, Tony!

 

We don't normally have beer with breakfast:D :D

 

As for the beer, there is no such thing as a bad beer, American or British, German,Czech or any other nationality. Just those you like and those you don't like as much.

You don't seem to export your best beers, everyone thinks of Budweiser, Coors, Miller Michelob etc (which should ALWAYS be cold) but we never see your "brown" beers and pale ales. Your micro brews are excellent, Loved the Sam Adams and the Alaskan Amber etc.

 

But seriously, why do they only serve crispy streaky bacon? What happens to the middle and back bacon? In NYC I tried ordering ham & eggs and got an omelette with sliced ham.

I have always been knocked out by the vast range of choice available on American breakfast buffets. Far more than is expected over here but obviously a response to the diverse market expectations.

 

One thing you can say about Americans is that they know what they like and expect to get it.

Maybe that's why we like coming to visit. :cool:

 

PS Glad you enjoyed the food in Scotland. Edinburgh is one of my favourite cities, Absolutely fabulous. Good beer too!

[calmac]

Scotia677, I must agree with you on the fried tattie scones and add

 

fried cloutie dumpling - my favourite :D

[cberg]

Breatfast. What is breakfast? I don't think that I am ever up in time to eat that meal on a cruise ship.

 

Paul, haven't you heard? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Until, in my case, age 16, when coffee became the most important meal of the day. :cool:

[Rumncoke]

Reading this thread really drives the point home about people's opinions, and what constitutes 'good' or 'bad' cruise ship food. If a cruise line or ship tried to accomodate just the different ideas in this thread into their buffet offerings, the entire ship would have to be one giant buffet line! : )

 

Very well said.

 

Wow, thanks everyone for your contributions here. Very interesting thread.

 

Erby, I agree with Nita. Don't scoop the eggs in the steam table, have them scrambled at the made-to-order egg station. You can make it so in November.

[TG2005]

one that you enjoy, everyone has different tastes

[brooklynphil]

L O X

[EileenN]

A DONUT !!!!! MY SOUL FOR A JELLY DONUT!!!! Not a danish, not pound cake, A ROUND SUGAR COATED RASBERRY FILLED DONUT!!!! ll day cruise without a Dunkin Donut was tough. I brought my own Dunkin Donuts Hazelnut-French Vanilla Coffee, but NO DONUTS....

[jetact]

This has been an intersting read, being we were just on the Star in Feb. I do have an opinion. A spicy bloodymary was always the first thing I grabbed. Lox and bagels were next. Those 3 are a must. Like everyone else said good scrambled eggs not the watery ones they had. Crisp bacon and good french toast would be nice.

[roxette]

This was a good thread. :)

A question about this, on the Dawn, is smoked salmon allways available for breakfast? The best way to start the day, a bagel with salmon!

[Barb Nahoumi]

Anything which I don't have to cook or clean-up after myself.

 

Barb

[Pisti]

About that coffee--assuredly the coffee that is served to you or found in the inside buffet is mediocre. However, the coffee stations/machines in the outdoor buffet, at least on the POAm, have one setting that will grind, brew and pour a single cup each time. That turned out to be so good that I only used our brought-from-home grinder and Starbucks beans for morning coffee on the balcony. I sure hope other NCL ships have these machines, especially the Sun for our September cruise. Anybody know?

Shoreguy: Are you reading this post and do you know if the Dawn has the coffee machine mentionned in the quote? Or does anyone else know?

[seahorse]

Shoreguy: Are you reading this post and do you know if the Dawn has the coffee machine mentionned in the quote? Or does anyone else know?

 

The Dawn has no outdoor buffet...and, no coffee machine like that anywhere on the Dawn except in the Java Café and you have to pay for it.

[coka]

Seven months late with an answer, but I would be ecstatic to taste REAL maple syrup. It is usually the only airport purchase I make at home before boarding the plane to a cruise ship. They make great gifts and I keep a few for my buffet breakfasts...

Coka

[MrRetro]

I would like to see a variety of FRESH juices, not from concentrate that have been watered down well beyond recommended levels. Honestly the juice on the Spirit recently was so bad that if I didn't see what color it was, I couldn't tell what kind of "juice" I was supposed to be drinking!! I remember on the HAL Zaandam they had this funky automatic orange juicer machine station where a worker dumped in baskets of oranges and it sliced and juiced them automatically. That was REAL orange juice and quite a site to see in action.

 

I would have preferred to see a variety in the baked goods, like muffins during the week. It seems they had a yellow flavor mix and a brown flavor mix, and that was it. A plain old corn muffin was nowhere to be found, and neither was a donut of any kind!

[luv2snorkel]

... agreed retro. i'm generally pretty happy with the buffet variety, certainly not 5 star fair, but overall it's good. however, i'd trade my firstborn for a variety of pastry that actually tastes different!!! NCL usually has a broad selection, but everyone i've tried tastes exactly like the one before it. apparently they make one batch of pastry and just spin it into different shapes. why bother? i think someone earlier mentioned a good, gooey, dripping cinnamon roll. i'd love that... or the jelly donut mentioned earlier too. take note NCL...

 

luv2

[refman]

hot oatmeal with warm milk

real scrambled eggs

cold orange juice

fresh bacon

and pancakes that dont double as a frisbee

[shoreless]

I like brunch buffets in Mexican restaurants. Scrambled eggs taste better with a spicy cheese sauce and maybe some salsa.

 

Doughnuts and fresh berries would also be good.