Late Night Buffet?? Do you care About It?

[the2ofus]

On our cruise in 1993 we would go every night just to check out the theme foods for the evening. Usually ended up with ice cream and a couple of cookies with our late night decaf coffee. Since then, we have rarely attended the midnight buffet and usually had just coffee or cookies and ice cream if we did. I understand that the crew and performers do need a full meal during their shift, but doubt a large number of pax actually partake.

 

If I am hungry late, it is just as easy to call for cheese & crackers or cookies along with a pot of tea in my cabin. Plus, there is always the fruit bowl to provide a snack.

 

I don't even really need a big dessert extravaganza any more, but it is fun to see how creative the culinary artists are.

[kakalina]

The only time we were up for the late buffet was to take pix of the dessert extravaganza. We are the early to bed early to rise types so we are rarely up. In fact, when we took pix of the dessert night we set our alarm to wake us up to go see it ( it was our first cruise).

[Bill S]

• We would not miss it either! If eliminating late night buffets saves other amenities, we won't object

  
  

[Bucky3]

WE never partake of the midnight buffet - DH goes to bed at 10 just like at home. When our daughter cruises with us, she and I usually visit the casino - love those penny machines - and after our pennies are gone, we like to go up to the lido area for a light snack, piece of pizza, or something like that. We never would have another plate full after dinner. No midnight buffet would be fine with me.

[bepsf]

I think I've seen the late night buffet on HAL only once - I'm usually busy doing other things (like crawling into my comfy bed!) We just stood there and watched: it just seemed obscene observing all these morbidly obese people gleefully loading up their plates with pre-Diabetic abandon...

 

I've never been a fan of Melon Carving and Eiffel Towers made of Cheese either - seems like such wastefulness when food isn't served and eaten.

 

Sign me up for the little bites or nibblies similar to what's served during High Tea or in the Neptune. Something light and yummy - not too spicy and won't cause heartburn. Mmmmm - what I wouldn't give for a couple Chocolate-dipped, Creme-filled Pastry Puffs right about now...

...with a Decaf Cappuccino

;)

[StanandJim]

 

- not too spicy and won't cause heartburn..... ...with a Decaf Cappuccino

;)

 

Dear Delicate Flower.....er.....Brian-

 

Perhaps, if you overindulge in midnight spiciness (of a culinary nature) or caffeine, you could stumble back to your cabin for an hour of relaxation with your "tub overflow thingy"! ;)

 

 

BTW, What is up with the '07 reunion cruise?? One needs time to get ones truss in order!

 

I'm simply dieing for a smart cocktail.

 

Jim

[RevNeal]

You must have enjoyed seeing him in February on Noordam? He's great, isn't he???!!!!

 

Oh, absolutely. ABSOLUTELY. :D

[gizmo]

For the first time in our memory on an HAL cruise, there was no Late Night Buffet every night on Ryndam. Many nights they had the usual Buffet listed in the daily program but on at least 3 or 4 nights, they had what they called "Light Bites" passed around in all Lounges. Stewards had trays of nibbles they passed around in lieu of the late night buffet.

 

 

Do you care if they discontinue it?

 

I love this idea of "Light Bites". :)

 

A long time ago they did this on the Norway. I can't rememer if they still had a midnight buffet but they came around to the lounges and casino with trays of food. I believe X does this also. I am very glad to hear Hal may be doing this.

 

Once on the Ryndam I recall them doing this in the Crows Nest. That was the only time I saw it on Hal. That was maybe 9 or 10 years ago.

 

I really don't care about the midnight buffet. I would vote to drop it and go with the Light Bites. ;)

[Willsot]

My wife and I likewise have no interest in late-night buffets (do any actually occur at midnight anymore?). We always choose the 8:00 or 8:30 p.m. seating for dinner so have no need.

 

I would prefer that HAL put the same resources into say, the Explorations Library/Cafe to make the speciality coffees complimentary. Maybe throw in some chocolate-covered strawberries!

[herb]

When we first started cruising, the late night buffet was exciting.... not anymore.

 

Unfortunately many of the things offered by cruises, such as professional photos, ice carving demonstrations, galley tours, napkin folding demonstrations,port lectures, etc. are things that we looked forward to doing when we were "newbies" to cruising, but now we just pass on these things and just relax :)

[Stevesan]

Princess has the "light bites" concept. The buffet, Horizon Court, is open 24 hours. Late night, 11PM - 4AM, the buffet is lightly staffed with snack type offerings.

This works out well for late night partiers who like to dance and whoop it up a bit, and thus work up a bit of an appetite in the midnight hours. That may not be necessary on HAL.;)

[mountainmare]

The one time we had early seating because we were traveling with people who had to eat early I used the late buffet often. We eat late every night and I just wasn't hungry at 6pm, but by 11 I was starving.

 

I always go up at around midnight for some coffee or hot chocolate and if there is something light take it back to the balcony to enjoy in the moonlight.

The way I look at it is that it is part of tradition that we are so fond of. New cruisers have heard stories of the midnight buffet--its part of cruising. I'm on vacation, I don't need to be in bed by 10 or up at 6AM.

[elmorejj]

When we first cruised in 1982 I wouldn`t have missed a midnight buffet for the world! But that was in the days when we closed down the discos and clubs! In fact our first cruise was on the old Carnivale and they had the midnight buffets and then at 2.30am had more food stations around the ships........serving omelets, crepes etc. Now, I never go to the buffets late at night, but might be interested in a few nibbles in the lounges late at night.........jean:cool:

[Joanandjoe]

We. too, are early birds. However, on our one of our two HAL cruises (possibly Rotterdam in 2002), they had an Asian buffet after the crew show. The food was great, and we had eaten a light supper to leave room for it. We'll go for Indonesian food any time, any place, even if it means going to sleep early, then setting an alarm for when the Nasi Goreng, gado-gado salad with peanut butter dressing, and satays (meat-on-a-stick) are served.

 

For regular food, we'll pass on the buffets, even the dessert one.

[Randyk47]

We're by no means early birds. If we're in our cabin by 11 PM then one of us is not feeling well or we've got a really early excursion the next morning. I know we've closed way, way more lounges than we've made visits to the late night buffet. I think the fact we eat at the 8 PM dinner seating certainly has an impact on that. After two or three we have also stopped going to the dessert extravaganza.....been there, done that. Seems to me that the wait staff in the dining room used to push the dessert show more than they do now or, maybe, I just don't pay much attention to it. Can't say it was always this way.....first couple of cruises we were in the "we paid for it, we're going to do it/try it/eat it" mode. :o

[gizmo]

Elmorejj,

You reminded me of our first cruise. It was on the Norway. We had early seating and decided to go see what the Midnight buffet was all about.

LOL, You would have thought these people hadn't eaten in 24 hours. The were lined up outside the dining room and it was a real mob scene. I am being kind when I say "lined up". I couldn't believe the amount of food that was laid out. Ice carvings, and all kinds of food. It was a real feast. These people attacked it like it was going to be their last meal. :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

[B]All right HAL - are you listening???[/B]

[B]It seems that the majority of the people here say: "do away with the midnight buffet".[/B]

[B]Waste of time, food, and money.[/B]

[Krazy Kruizers]

[B]Over the last couple of years I have talked to a couple of people who have gone to the midnight buffets, and they have told me that many of the items that aren't eaten there are served the next day at lunch.[/B]

[B]Can anyone confirm or deny that?[/B]

[bluegrass grannie]

I've been "lurking" but not posting for awhile, but this caught my attention. I have to say that eating at midnight has no appeal to me but having heard about these extravaganzas for years, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

On the X Infinity to Hawaii in 2004, the Midnight Buffet was totally awesome. Pax lined up for over an hour waiting--not to eat, necessarily, but to take photos. It was announced that at midnight, pax could walk through the buffet area to take their photos, then exit the dining room--no eating until all photos had been taken. If you wanted to eat, you had to get back in line.

It really was spectacular to see--ice carvings of all kinds, every kind of food carved into animals, flowers, statues, buildings etc. It was a complete buffet with meats, cheeses, veggies, fruit etc. I had never seen anything like it. Our assistant maitre d" had let us into the dining room early as a favor (I guess because she liked our table) and it was really fun to watch everyone walk through and comment on it. We never did eat anything but it surely was fun to see and those who have seen our photos comment more on that buffet than on the sights in Hawaii!!

We stayed up to see the Chocolate Dessert Extravaganza on the Ryndam this past February, but it didn't compare in any way to that X experience.

I'm glad to have seen one such spectacular Midnight Buffet, but think such things over tax the crew and certainly are wasteful when most of the food isn't eaten. Do you think they really do serve the food the next day?

By the way, Sail--nice photos of you and DH in the online Mariner magazine.;)

[elmorejj]

Gizmo, that scene sounds exactly like what we saw on the Carnivale!!:cool:

[elmorejj]

KK, can`t confirm it but it would not surprise me, I have managed or supervized many food facilities in my time as I owned a catering co. and you never waste food! someone is going to get it either as is or gussied up in some way, if not the pax then certainly the crew..........jean:cool:

[michmike]

[quote name='bepsf'][FONT="Garamond"][SIZE="4"]I think I've seen the late night buffet on HAL only once - I'm usually busy doing other things (like crawling into my comfy bed!) We just stood there and watched: it just seemed obscene observing all these morbidly obese people gleefully loading up their plates with pre-Diabetic abandon...

Brian - Certainly nothing judgemental is THOSE comments eh?? Seems kind of surprising considering.....

[gizmo]

Anyone remember that gigantic chocolate dragon they had on the Veendam for that chocolate night ? It was Nov/Dec 2001.

[Scrumpy]

We have never been to the midnight buffet and wouldn't miss it. We went to the Chocolate Extravaganza and were actually disappointed. I think Choco-holic DH and his Choco-holic Mum had something, but I don't remember having anything myself. I admit I am a poor eater and a cruise is about the only time I get two or three "real" meals a day, but I think they might save a lot of money eliminating or severely curtailling midnight buffets. We walked through the area a few times and saw only a few people. They looked pretty dedicated to eating, but lighter options would serve them well, too.

[gizmo]

Scrumpy,

Why were you disappointed ?

I just thought of something. ;) By any chance have you only cruised on a Vista ship ? If so, that might be the answer. I have seen magnificent displays on the other ships.