Why Do Some Cruisers Act Like a Pack of Wolves When Faced with a Buffet?

[KruznKel]

Fries & Gravy ROCK!! Try Fries with Mayo too THAT is my favorite!:p

 

 

Now only if they had poutine :D

[thefish]

I have to say that i drink the milk from my cereal out of the bowl, but the only one who ever sees me do that is my dog, and she doesn't look disgusted at ALL!!;) Seriously, I can't imagine someone actually doing that in front of other people!!:eek:

 

It's quite common in other countries and cultures to drink from the bowl. Try to eat a bowl of egg drop soup with chopsticks. I have no problem with this as long as people don't gargle with it.

 

I remember the first time I worked in Canada many years ago when I was young. I was going through the company cafeteria with a chopped steak and french fries. The lady asked if I wanted gravy and I said yes thinking chopped steak and gravy. When she dumped a load of gravy on my french fries it temporarily set back Texas/Canada relations. Thenl I realiz(s)ed it tasted great aye.:)

[thefish]

I'm sorry but I think the correct spelling is eh, not aye.

[Figtree]

We enjoyed the meals in the dining room for breakfast and lunch. Very relaxing meals. We found the buffet area just too hectic. We went on the cruise to unwind and relax.

 

Dan

 

We did too. Ate all of our meals in the Dining Room on the Glory last week except one in port where there was no Dining Room Service. It's hard to find a clean table during peak times (although the crew is working very hard) and there are tons of people saving tables with no food. The Dining Room isn't formal and is SOOOoo relaxing. I can eat at Golden Corral at home. :) I did enjoy the Deli occasionally and the Oriental buffet. I'm glad there are choices though. When I first cruised years ago, the Dining Room was the ONLY choice and if you were sunbathing, it was a pain to change. I felt like there were abundances of choices for every taste and style.

[KroozNut]

Try to eat a bowl of egg drop soup with chopsticks.

 

 

Are you speaking from experience? My DW is Asian, and actually DOES eat her egg drop soup with chopsticks, of course only the egg drop part. She uses a spoon for the liquid part of the soup. Sorry, no lifting the bowl and slurping. It is still uncouth, even in her culture..

[thefish]

Are you speaking from experience? My DW is Asian, and actually DOES eat her egg drop soup with chopsticks, of course only the egg drop part. She uses a spoon for the liquid part of the soup. Sorry, no lifting the bowl and slurping. It is still uncouth, even in her culture..

 

 

Yes and what country does your DW wife come from? A lot of Asian countries have become more westernized than others. It is still quite common for the Chinese to drink from the bowl especially in the countryside. They eat what they can with chopsticks and then sip, not slurp, the liquid. I have also seen some (various countries) raise a bowl of rice to their mouths and shovel it in with chopsticks cleaning the bowl in an amazing short period of time. A tea or coffee cup is nothing more than a bowl with a small handle and this can also be drunk from without slurping.

 

I was not making an indictment about Asian Countries or any country or region at all for their eating habits. I was just trying to make the point that there are some countries where drinking from a bowl in front of others would not be horrific. Do you have experience otherwise?

 

I believe there would be a considerable amount of people that would be horrified to watch me eat French fries, chicken or fried steak fingers with my fingers. My stepfather, who believed that closing his mouth while chewing his food only interfered with his talking, always insisted on having a saucer with his cup of coffee. This way he could pour the coffee into the saucer and then slurp it loudly.:eek:

[southbayer]

ROLF, stampeed, LOL Well the only way I can explain it is this.... On the rare occasion when I'm really hungry, I have been known to pile it on the tray, only cause the lines are so long, and I figure pile it on now so that I won't have to go back in the long line. That's just my perspective anyhow.... Now go take on the day!:D

I just got back from my 4th Carnival cruise and I enjoyed it(I always do), but I've noticed something that really aggravates me. I'm a fairly young guy, but I've got manners, and apparently this is a rare trait in people these days.

What really aggravated me the most was the people in line for the buffet. I rarely eat buffets, as the food is NEVER as good as when it is served to you immediately, but other than that, I have discovered why people gain 15 or 20 pounds on a cruise. The majority of these people seemed to think the food was going to run out--They stampeded when the buffet line opened, they piled their plates as high as possible(sometimes higher than wasn't possible, hence the spilling of food on the line, the floor, themselves, etc), they were pushy, rude, and crass. My girlfriend and I finally just stepped out of the way, disgusted, and waited till the line died down some. In the future when I miss my seating in the dining room, I will eat from the slim pickings offered on the room service menu rather than to witness the gluttony from the slobs at the buffet(not all of the diners, but a good many...I was very surprised). I actually lose weight on a cruise, because I do not find the food, no matter what dining venue I eat in, all that great. Some of it is good, but I can eat way better at almost any non-chain restaurant in New Orleans. I go on cruises for the relaxation, the visiting of ports, the romantic aspects of it---NOT for the food.

[southbayer]

Oh yeah, seniors are notorious for that... You sure don't want to have a senior behind you in a buffet line... They will keep pushing thier tray into yours to get you to hurry up, LOL:eek:

I also notice that many seniors act that way, especially from certain European countries.

[thefish]

Yes and what country does your DW wife come from? A lot of Asian countries have become more westernized than others. It is still quite common for the Chinese to drink from the bowl especially in the countryside. They eat what they can with chopsticks and then sip, not slurp, the liquid. I have also seen some (various countries) raise a bowl of rice to their mouths and shovel it in with chopsticks cleaning the bowl in an amazing short period of time. A tea or coffee cup is nothing more than a bowl with a small handle and this can also be drunk from without slurping.

 

I was not making an indictment about Asian Countries or any country or region at all for their eating habits. I was just trying to make the point that there are some countries where drinking from a bowl in front of others would not be horrific. Do you have experience otherwise?

 

I believe there would be a considerable amount of people that would be horrified to watch me eat French fries, chicken or fried steak fingers with my fingers. My stepfather, who believed that closing his mouth while chewing his food only interfered with his talking, always insisted on having a saucer with his cup of coffee. This way he could pour the coffee into the saucer and then slurp it loudly.:eek:

 

 

I am sorry I used the word "westernized" knowing that the use of the spoon is not just limited to western countries. Please except my appology for that stupid slip.

[KroozNut]

Yes and what country does your DW wife come from? A lot of Asian countries have become more westernized than others. It is still quite common for the Chinese to drink from the bowl especially in the countryside. They eat what they can with chopsticks and then sip, not slurp, the liquid. I have also seen some (various countries) raise a bowl of rice to their mouths and shovel it in with chopsticks cleaning the bowl in an amazing short period of time. A tea or coffee cup is nothing more than a bowl with a small handle and this can also be drunk from without slurping.

 

I was not making an indictment about Asian Countries or any country or region at all for their eating habits. I was just trying to make the point that there are some countries where drinking from a bowl in front of others would not be horrific. Do you have experience otherwise?

 

I believe there would be a considerable amount of people that would be horrified to watch me eat French fries, chicken or fried steak fingers with my fingers. My stepfather, who believed that closing his mouth while chewing his food only interfered with his talking, always insisted on having a saucer with his cup of coffee. This way he could pour the coffee into the saucer and then slurp it loudly.:eek:

 

She is from China, and she does not drink from a bowl; she uses chopsticks or a spoon.

 

She does, however eat her rice or noodles in exactly the manner you describe..

[ChefPeg]

I just got back from my 4th Carnival cruise and I enjoyed it(I always do), but I've noticed something that really aggravates me. I'm a fairly young guy, but I've got manners, and apparently this is a rare trait in people these days.

What really aggravated me the most was the people in line for the buffet. I rarely eat buffets, as the food is NEVER as good as when it is served to you immediately, but other than that, I have discovered why people gain 15 or 20 pounds on a cruise. The majority of these people seemed to think the food was going to run out--They stampeded when the buffet line opened, they piled their plates as high as possible(sometimes higher than wasn't possible, hence the spilling of food on the line, the floor, themselves, etc), they were pushy, rude, and crass. My girlfriend and I finally just stepped out of the way, disgusted, and waited till the line died down some. In the future when I miss my seating in the dining room, I will eat from the slim pickings offered on the room service menu rather than to witness the gluttony from the slobs at the buffet(not all of the diners, but a good many...I was very surprised). I actually lose weight on a cruise, because I do not find the food, no matter what dining venue I eat in, all that great. Some of it is good, but I can eat way better at almost any non-chain restaurant in New Orleans. I go on cruises for the relaxation, the visiting of ports, the romantic aspects of it---NOT for the food.

 

Excellent thread title. I wondered that too.

[ChefPeg]

Maybe Carnival should remove the buffet equipment and replace it with cattle feeding troughs....

 

LOL!!! Good one!!

[ChefPeg]

Oh yeah, seniors are notorious for that... You sure don't want to have a senior behind you in a buffet line... They will keep pushing thier tray into yours to get you to hurry up, LOL:eek:

 

Yes, this is true. What's up with that, lol? There really is plenty for everyone:p .

[Dee79]

I dunno.. I still think that there's nothing wrong with someone drinking from a bowl WITHOUT SLURPING!!! :p

 

IMO...:D

[madge57]

OMG!! Its human nature to act like wolves since wolves don't act like human they act better!! People think that if I don't get it now then it won't be there when I want it and then the eat too much and what they thought they wanted goes to waste. i have seen this time and time again. At least wolves eat what they need to sustain their life!!! Have you ever seen and overweight wolf??

[RCCLismyfav]

We have never had a problem like explained on the cruises we were on.

 

We always eat breakfast at the buffet but we get up early adn were usually the first couple of people in.

 

I think is what gets me the most is when parents have their kids there and I mean kids ranging from 3-10 they allow them to dish their own food on their plate. But I have seen kids pick up bread and then put it back. I have seen kids pick food up with their fingers and eat it right there and go back again while in line and their stupid parents are right there watching. Whats up with that?:eek:

[Leo Jay]

Wolves don't shove, slurp from bowls, or overeat. I don't understand the slander.

[thefish]

She is from China, and she does not drink from a bowl; she uses chopsticks or a spoon.

 

She does, however eat her rice or noodles in exactly the manner you describe..

 

What part of China is your wife from? As you know there are a lot of different customs and practices across China. I have been in parts of the USA where they actually ate fried chicken with a knife and a fork and eat French fries with gravy and mayonnaise.

 

The so-called traditional Chinese dinners that I have had were a communal meal, big plates with different things and a small plate for each person. You would reach across the table and grab what you wanted to eat at that time with your chopsticks. If soup was served it was served in a big bowl. Each person would eat what they could with their chopsticks and then use their flat bottom ceramic spoons to sip the liquid. Each person had a spoon but still shared the same bowl. I have also been in restaurants in China where no spoons were used and the soup was served individually. You could probably asked for a spoon and got one but I and everyone else, including Chinese ate what we could with the chopsticks then sipped the liquid.

 

Besides observing it I have also read in travel books that sipping soup from the bowl is a common thing around China. I am sure your wife is from a cultured family that uses their spoons and have been taught that it is good manners to do so.

 

I was taught that wearing a hat in a restaurant is bad manners but it is common to find hats worn in just about every diner.

 

Thanks -

[KruznKel]

Now only if they had poutine :D

 

and eat French fries with gravy and mayonnaise.

 

Thanks -

 

 

Now poutine is French fries with gravy and cheese curds (yummy):D

[GoinCruisin]

Wow... now this is a thread where people are arguing about how people in Asia eat :p You know, a slob is a slob is a slob, most people have enough common sense to determine whether it is a cultural difference or a filthy slob :rolleyes:

[French_Fry]

The point was that she should have used a spoon like most civilized people do. It's not a choice of either slurping it out of the bowl or leaving it in the bowl, there are utensils designed for this purpose..

 

And if she had poured the contents into a glass or coffee cup and drank it, then it would be ok?

 

And I'm sure she DRANK it, not slurp or lapped it down from the bowl.

 

UNREAL!:mad: :mad: :mad:

[French_Fry]

The behaviour definately isn't limited to cruise ships.

 

DH and I were at Shoney's one Saturday morning for breakfast. There was a large group of people from a convention there. We stood in line at the buffet for over 15 minutes trying to get something to eat. Every time they would bring a dish from the kitchen they would all jump up from their tables, run to the buffet and push and shove each other until the plate was empty. We finally gave up and sat at our table, drinking coffee, and decided to "wait them out" and eat when they left.

 

The manager saw what happened and came to our table. He was as appalled as we were. He told us to order whatever we wanted from the menu and then wouldn't let us pay.

 

Sorry, I would have grabbed the ring leader or whoever was running the convention around the neck/collar and in an extemely LOUD tone told them to get out of my and my family's way until we were done as we were here first! And if he (figuring it was a he) protested he would have felt an extremely painful sensation in his nether region! That's a guarantee!

[French_Fry]

People band into food clickes on board and actually become a type of food club. Food clubs compete. Most often the club members are the most aggressive of the bunch. Generally older passengers will stay in small cliques made of many family members. The older groups are not as fast or organized. A food clubs goal is to move quickly thru a line as they grab and go. They are literally sitting at the table before they know what they picked up. One such gentlement was elated when he uncovered BBQ ribs on his plate. He had no idea ribs were on the buffett. Tensions run high when someone moves to slow thru the line. I was behind an elderly lady who was trying to pick a piece of fried chicken from the buffet. There were 4 pieces remaining and she had the tongs in hand prodding and looking at each piece FTLOG take a piece my blood pressure was 180/123. Just as she took the tongs to grab a piece of chicken a cook brought a new entire basket of chicken and dumped it into the serving pan. We waiting several more minutes as she made a new choice.Don't ever get behind the elderly in a buffet line.

 

 

You actually were able to..........

 

1- Hold your plate.

 

2- Hold your and start your stop watch or look at your watch

 

3- put the blood pressure gizmo on your arm, pump it up, etc to take your BP........

 

All at the same time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Wow you are really talented!

 

Do you do children's parties!

[Mikel1733]

You actually were able to..........

 

1- Hold your plate.

 

2- Hold your and start your stop watch or look at your watch

 

3- put the blood pressure gizmo on your arm, pump it up, etc to take your BP........

 

All at the same time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Wow you are really talented!

 

Do you do children's parties!

 

Thats a good idea......I'm always looking for ways to earn money for more cruises:)

[French_Fry]

Thats a good idea......I'm always looking for ways to earn money for more cruises:)

 

 

Cool, no charge!