Buffet Breakfast Limited?

[DougandEric]

We're going on the Diamond Princess 11-18-2007 to Hawaii for our first Princess cruise. I've been reading this board since booking the cruise several weeks ago. One thing that keeps popping up in posts and reviews is the fact that breakfast is 'limited', 'very limited', 'gets old fast', etc in the buffet area. Every cruise that I've been on (30+ of them on many different lines) has a breakfast buffet and you have MANY MANY choices - fruit, cheese, yogurt, breads/muffins/rolls/croissants/etc, meats - sausages,ham,bacon,HAL has kippers, eggs in numerous ways, grits/hash browns/potatoes/etc, cereals both hot and cold, pancakes/waffles and other stuff as well. What is so limited about a Princess buffet - do they offer only stale cornflakes and curdled milk? I am being facetious but I can't understand how this selection can be considered 'limited' by anyone on this planet! What do these people eat every day at home? What is missing that should be there, what should change daily to please these people? Someone enlighten me please!

[CruisinCoach]

We're going on the Diamond Princess 11-18-2007 to Hawaii for our first Princess cruise. I've been reading this board since booking the cruise several weeks ago. One thing that keeps popping up in posts and reviews is the fact that breakfast is 'limited', 'very limited', 'gets old fast', etc in the buffet area. Every cruise that I've been on (30+ of them on many different lines) has a breakfast buffet and you have MANY MANY choices - fruit, cheese, yogurt, breads/muffins/rolls/croissants/etc, meats - sausages,ham,bacon,HAL has kippers, eggs in numerous ways, grits/hash browns/potatoes/etc, cereals both hot and cold, pancakes/waffles and other stuff as well. What is so limited about a Princess buffet - do they offer only stale cornflakes and curdled milk? I am being facetious but I can't understand how this selection can be considered 'limited' by anyone on this planet! What do these people eat every day at home? What is missing that should be there, what should change daily to please these people? Someone enlighten me please!

 

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I have never been disappointed with the buffet. It pretty much has everything you mentioned and that you should expect in a "buffet" style breakfast.

[lake5298]

What do these people eat every day at home? What is missing that should be there, what should change daily to please these people? Someone enlighten me please!

 

 

You won't find Kedgeree.:(

 

You may not find exactly the same cereal as you have at home. :confused:

 

Horror of Horrors... the milk might come from a different dairy. :eek:

[-Lew-]

I have not cuised on the Diamond Princess, but since you asked about Princess in general, I'll relate what I know. We have cruised on both the Crown and Star and find the breakfast buffets in Horizon Court comparable.

 

There is everything you mention and more... My wife and I feel Princess does an excellent job with their breakfast buffets.

 

If a cruiser prefers to be served in the restaurant, or doesn't like the way Horizon Court is set up...some don't...we love it, then the buffet is not for them.

 

Lew

[dbdave]

All of those things are normally available at the buffet and you can also go to the dining room for most of those along with made-to-order things such as omelettes, poached eggs, etc. Anyone that cannot find something they like is just too picky IMHO!

[spongerob]

People sometimes complain that there isn't much variation from day to day, and they're probably right. But when it comes to breakfast, just how many different things can you make anyway? I think the selection is decent but generally recommend going to the dining room instead.

[Toto2Kansas]

Honestly not sure what these people are looking for. The breakfast buffet has so many offerings it is hard to choose. Some like to complain no matter what is offered though. I wouldn't worry, there is always a large selection and something for everyone!

[mii]

We have never been disappointed of the selection at the buffet. There is many , many choices there. Is there a certain thing you are hunting for? I must say there is a variety of food available.

 

Marilyn

[Coolmama_1]

Isn't it amazing what people will complain about! There are so many choices that I never have any trouble finding something to eat! I guess that is another issue all together!:D

[Vanilla]

We found the buffet to be full of choices for both breakfast and lunch. We didn't eat dinner there,because we prefer the dining room for dinner, but talked with others that did and they were happy with their choices. I had no problem with the buffet food - it was delightful - and what a view!!

[DougandEric]

We have never been disappointed of the selection at the buffet. There is many , many choices there. Is there a certain thing you are hunting for? I must say there is a variety of food available.

 

Marilyn

 

Hi Mayilyn,

 

I'm not concerned about the buffet or looking for anything special just curious if the general consensus was that the buffet was less than other lines had. We usually eat at the buffet for breakfast and sometimes lunch (if not grab a burger by the pool) and dinner in the dining room. I honestly can't understand how anyone would not find something to eat anywhere on the ship but then again, some people aren't happy if they can't complain about something!

 

Thanks for the replies!

 

Doug

[windango]

I've NEVER had a problem with the breakfast buffet and I always ended up taking way more food than I really needed. I think the selections are wonderful and it seemed to me there was a few different things each day. I usually stuck with the usual stuff, but it was nice to have grilled tomatoes (made me think I was cancelling out the cholesterol from the all the bacon!) and a few other things that you wouldn't normally see on a buffet. I also like my bacon crispy (can't stand it when the ends are that uncooked gray slimy stuff, and the bacon was always great) If the bacon had been cooked otherwise, I would have just had sausage (actually, I had that as well : )

 

I am pretty easy to please but I never had a complaint.

[Colo Cruiser]

I have never had a problem with supply in the buffet area either, although I prefer the dining room whenever possible. :)

[Casshew]

We usually do the dining room for breakfast, I overeat when I go to the buffet!

[negc]

This complaint is not unique to Princess' and I have read it on the boards for other cruiselines as well, but I have never seen anyone who made that complaint explain what they meant, or what they found lacking. It seems to me that most cruiseline breakfast buffets provide an extensive variety of offerings and I would be hard pressed to come up with something that isn't available. Perhaps someone who feels that the buffet is always "the same" can expand on their complaint and suggest what might be done to improve things.:rolleyes:

[Fuzzzy]

I wish I had the same limited buffet at my home. After I come home for a cruise I have breakfast buffet withdrawals.

 

I wake up and think I feel like eggs benedict today or how about a nice bowl of fresh cubed fruit. No, I think I want sausage. But, do I want the sausage links or italian sausage. It's just too much to decide. I better have the oatmeal. Perhaps, with some steamed tomatoes and sauted mushrooms on the side.

 

Wait, pastries. I must have pastries too.

[scampi]

The breakfast is bountiful & nobody mentioned yet that you can also have omelettes or just eggs cooked just the way you like them. I alternate that with lox, cream cheese with capers & bagels. If they aren't displayed, you just ask someone & they'll go into the kitchen & bring you some.

[Pam in CA]

As always, food is very subjective. There is a wide variety of food options available in the buffet every day and some of these are changed daily. For instance, you might find poached eggs one day, prepared eggs Benedict the next. There is also a wider variety on the longer cruises with sea days, particularly at lunch.

 

You won't be disappointed.

[willysgrandma]

All of those things are normally available at the buffet and you can also go to the dining room for most of those along with made-to-order things such as omelettes, poached eggs, etc. Anyone that cannot find something they like is just too picky IMHO!

 

I agree!

[MercedMike]

The buffet on Princess for breakfast is always great. I have no problem finding what I like, and finding different things each day. All the items the OP listed are there.

 

Having said that, I will say that I think the "limited" characterization is probably in comparison to, say, the Radiance class ships on RCI or the Vista class ships on HAL. Those ships have the most stunning, knock your socks off, wide-ranging buffets afloat! They have many stations, and offer lots of different things for breakfast like oriental specialties, fried rice, omelettes completely to order with many different stuffings, fruits of all types at a fruit bar, hot cereals of various kinds, European selections like baked beans, and so on and so on and on. By comparison, even the Grand and Jewel classes on Princess have smaller, more "limited" buffets.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[sonomaphil]

I agree food is subjective. I've never had a problem at the buffet for any meal so many I'm not as picky as some. I tend to discount those reviews that say they couldn't find "anything" to eat all week. Makes me wonder what the heck they eat!