Buffet on Balmoral, tables for two?

[Ergates The Ant]

Just seen an interesting itinerary on Balmoral. We have never sailed with Fred Olsen before, mainly put off by the smoking policy. 
We usually eat in the buffet for all our meals, as we prefer to eat at a table for two, and to choose where we sit.

What are the arrangements in the buffet on Balmoral? I thought I’d seen somewhere that passengers would be seated by staff at the buffet. Is this the case? I do enjoy choosing where I want to sit, ( preferably by a window!) and have never had to share a table in the buffet for dinner. Is it going to be very different from our usual lines ( Celebrity, RCCl and a few P and O)?
Thanks for any input.

[July morning]

We were on Balmoral at the end of May and used the buffet (Palms Cafe deck 7) for breakfast and lunch and never shared a table.  Most of the tables are set for four but it wasn't a problem just said we didn't want to share.  If you don't like the choice of table then just say you'd prefer a window  

 

We like FO set up in the buffet, tables already set and being shown to a table takes the hassle out of using it. They had cards to place on tables if you were on your own as well.

 

We also used the Spey restaurant on deck 10 for lunch which was very nice and tables for two were never a problem and by the window 🙂 you have a menu on the table which you can order from via the waiter or there's also a buffet area you can mix taking some from the menu and some from the buffet if you want.  The day they had the fish/seafood menu was especially nice but busy.  It get busier (may have a short wait) as the cruise progresses and people find out about it

[July morning]

Meant to mention we booked Colours and Taste restaurant and booked before we went £10pp (£15 when on board) before when we have booked pre cruise  they phoned to confirm and you had to pay then but this time you could pre book via your booking account and were charged to the cabin so if you have OBC that can be used

The meal and service were excellent

[Gnoelj]

On 8/17/2024 at 11:16 AM, Ergates The Ant said:

Just seen an interesting itinerary on Balmoral. We have never sailed with Fred Olsen before, mainly put off by the smoking policy. 
We usually eat in the buffet for all our meals, as we prefer to eat at a table for two, and to choose where we sit.

What are the arrangements in the buffet on Balmoral? I thought I’d seen somewhere that passengers would be seated by staff at the buffet. Is this the case? I do enjoy choosing where I want to sit, ( preferably by a window!) and have never had to share a table in the buffet for dinner. Is it going to be very different from our usual lines ( Celebrity, RCCl and a few P and O)?
Thanks for any input.

 

Although the waiter/waitress will show you to the table at Palms Cafe (Buffet restaurant on the Balmoral), you will usually not have to share tables, even if you are two persons seated in a table for four. On the Balmoral, often, for breakfast and for lunch, they also serve buffet at the other more pleasant looking restaurants, the Balindaloch, the Avon and the Spey. These restaurants also have a sit-down lunch menu in addition to the buffet. The Palms Cafe, in our views, looks somewhat dark,  old and tired , and somewhat depressing. Sorry to be frank!

 

Please do not expect too much from their buffet table especially at tea-time, lunch time or dinner time. Their dishes are quite uninteresting, and often quite predictable. The lunch/dinner choices for main course dishes could seem like a "mix and mash", and even cooked "without love". For their desserts, it's almost always their jellies, cups of fruit cubes, unimaginative sponge cakes, and a dessert with watery custard. We don't believe we've seen real dairy cream in their desserts. Tea-time offerings, are often a bit of a joke, we are afraid to say.  The buffet breakfast, on the  other hand, is quite wonderful, often with smoke salmon, good sausages, spinach, cold meat, etc. They have probably one of the best breakfast buffets on any cruise lines including comparing to some of the more up-market ones.

 

If going to the lunch or dinner buffet is a make or break for a cruise, we would avoid Fred Olsen. We would go on it because it is one of the few, if only cruise line that offers cruises from regional ports. For us, it is Rosyth (Scotland), and we did not have to trek all the way down to Southampton to take the ship.

 

Edited September 4 by Gnoelj