?(No) Trays in Lido

[GeriatricNurse]

Did anyone ever beat you over the head and force you to use one? If you don't want one, fine, but let those of us that do want them have them.:p

 

 

 

Well said!

[GeriatricNurse]

I actually did not mean see over it as much as I meant not seeing the floor. I know that even when I have just a few items on the tray I am extremely leary of walking very far and I have no mobility problems. I am always so very thankful if a Lido Steward does come to my rescue. Like I said I hate those trays and have on more than one occaision felt that walking to find a table when the Lido is extremely crowded was extremely dangerous. Then heaven forbid if someone bumps you or you run into a chair or have to stop suddenly because someone walked in front of you everything on you tray slides or like I have had on one occasion spilled grapefruit juice. I have learned to now go to my table take the plates off the tray attempt to find a place to get rid of the tray then walk back up to get my juice. Without the tray I could carry my plate, stop to grab a tea or juice that is already sitting waiting to be picked up then walk to my table sit down and enjoy :) Less steps less problems ;)

 

 

Just wondering why it is necessary to take the plates (and everything else) off of the tray upon reaching the table? I don't. It saves time, keeps everything in place and, I would guess, makes it much easier and faster for the Lido servers to clear the table(s)!

[MadManOfBethesda]

I don't mind if you prefer to make many trips and stand in line many times, why should it bother you that I prefer not to? If you don't want to take a tray there is no reason that you need to. If I want a tray there is no good reason I can see it should not be available to me.

 

If you prefer not to stand in lines, then you should be happy that HAL is getting rid of trays. The trays CAUSE the lines! People are standing in line because the people in front of them are loading up their trays with five courses of food instead of just filling up a single plate with the course that they are going to eat next.

 

Without the trays there would be no long lines. Have you ever had to wait in a long line multiple times in a regular buffet restaurant as you described in your post? Of course not! When you've finished your main course you go get your dessert. There aren't 15 people standing in line ahead of you trying to get a piece of cake. That's why buffet restaurants have no trays.

 

It's really not a difficult concept to grasp.

[sail7seas]

Funny how the tray system has worked so well for HAL since they day they created the Lido concept for the cruise industry. What's that , hmmmmm??? Forty something years, maybe!! :rolleyes:

 

To say that people who wish to retain the trays are doing so because they oppose all change is not accurate IMO I am one who thinks many of the changes are just fine. I don't think this one is. Can't we be selective and independly decide for ourselves which changes we find appealing and which we do not.

 

I have done the Princess buffet with the platter/plate so I am not oppossing something in advance of trying it. I tried it there and disliked it. I have no reason to think I am going to like it any better now.

 

[SeaMatesNYC]

why it is necessary to take the plates (and everything else) off of the tray upon reaching the table?

 

I can't speak for the poster, only for myself. On the rare occasions that I take a meal in the Lido, I do the same thing, as I don't care to feel like I am eating in a cafeteria or fast-food restaurant. It is not my job to make it "faster or easier" for the Lido bus staff to clear, rather to enjoy my meal in a manner that suits my preferences. As far as a tray keeping everything in place, I am not in the habit of sweeping items off the table with an errant elbow.

[catl331]

--we're just saying that, if HAL does get rid of trays, hey, it's really not that awful! :)

... change before we have even tried it.

We HAVE tried it ... on RCI. It was chaos, with a crowd milling around the self-serve stations every which way, bumping into each other with their plates of food. At least a tray line forces some organization.

 

And the no-tray self-service is unsanitary. Do you think it's bad when someone on HAL "paws" several items with their fingers before selecting the one they want? On our one RCI cruise we saw a person drop a serving spoon on the floor, then pick it up and put it back in the food!! :eek::eek:

 

After that we never went back to the buffet.

[SeaMatesNYC]

At least a tray line forces some organization.

 

Isn't this what the dining hall monitors are supposed to do?

 

And the no-tray self-service is unsanitary. Do you think it's bad when someone on HAL "paws" several items with their fingers before selecting the one they want? On our one RCI cruise we saw a person drop a serving spoon on the floor, then pick it up and put it back in the food!! :eek::eek:

 

After that we never went back to the buffet.

 

And how exactly do trays keep these things from happening? Swatting the offender upside the head with the tray??

[twinkletoes4445]

I also do not want anyone to suffer I just think many are convinced like this board likes to do and make decisions that we will not like this change before we have even tried it. Sadly so many are just so positive that any change is wrong, I am willing to always be in the wait and see. I was leery of the Dine as You Wish like so very many of you that are sure they will miss their trays. But I did say I will have to wait and see how this plays out. Well, I think it is working fine with many coming back reporting that they actually like it.

 

On our first cruise on Carnival, they didn't have trays in the Lido. We hated it. It was much easier with a tray. So "I've" tried it, thank you very much, and didn't like it.

 

Again, if you don't want to use a tray....then don't. I'm not trying to force you to use one, so quit trying to force those of us to not use one. If they take the trays away, I'll use a room service tray. This is just my personal preference and it's not going to change.

 

Not sure at all why anyone would care if I use a tray or not. I sure as heck don't care if people don't want to use one and I sure as heck wouldn't try and beat people over the head to "just try a tray and you may end up liking it."

[ninkb]

Funny how the tray system has worked so well for HAL since they day they created the Lido concept for the cruise industry. What's that , hmmmmm??? Forty something years, maybe!! :rolleyes:

 

To say that people who wish to retain the trays are doing so because they oppose all change is not accurate IMO I am one who thinks many of the changes are just fine. I don't think this one is. Can't we be selective and independly decide for ourselves which changes we find appealing and which we do not.

 

I have done the Princess buffet with the platter/plate so I am not oppossing something in advance of trying it. I tried it there and disliked it. I have no reason to think I am going to like it any better now.

 

 

. . . and I haven't liked dining in the casual restaurants on other ships that have discontinued trays. I do not take more than I will eat; I return to the dessert area for that course. But I can not carry beverages and plates/bowls at the same time.

 

I think eliminating the trays will slow down the service, cause spills, and overcrowd the dining room at breakfast and lunch.

 

HAL, you have a wonderful product. Don't ruin it!!! I was so glad to have the trays on our recent Rotterdam trans Atlantic.

 

:) ninkb

[twinkletoes4445]

We HAVE tried it ... on RCI. It was chaos, with a crowd milling around the self-serve stations every which way, bumping into each other with their plates of food. At least a tray line forces some organization.

 

And the no-tray self-service is unsanitary. Do you think it's bad when someone on HAL "paws" several items with their fingers before selecting the one they want? On our one RCI cruise we saw a person drop a serving spoon on the floor, then pick it up and put it back in the food!! :eek::eek:

 

After that we never went back to the buffet.

 

I agree completely with you, catl331.

 

It was chaos on Carnival. People couldn't carry very much, so they kept coming back and cutting in line. It hosed up the flow. The buffet on HAL moved quiet nicely and we didn't see this happening at all there.

 

I saw someone on Carnival grab a handful of rolls, but they couldn't carry them all so they tossed half of them back in the bowl!!! Had they had a tray, it they could have tossed them on the tray.

 

I'm just puzzled why anyone would give a hoot if I want a tray or not. If some don't want to use them, then don't. This is one of the more bizarre threads that I've seen on this board and I'm sure the other boards are getting a good chuckle over this....Look at those people, they're fighting over using a tray in the Lido!

 

Don't use the stupid tray if you don't want to. I want it and I will use it! Pretty simple.

[SeaMatesNYC]

This is one of the more bizarre threads that I've seen on this board and I'm sure the other boards are getting a good chuckle over this....Look at those people, they're fighting over using a tray in the Lido!

 

Not chuckling, just losing the will to live!:eek:

[twinkletoes4445]

Funny how the tray system has worked so well for HAL since they day they created the Lido concept for the cruise industry. What's that , hmmmmm??? Forty something years, maybe!! :rolleyes:

 

To say that people who wish to retain the trays are doing so because they oppose all change is not accurate IMO I am one who thinks many of the changes are just fine. I don't think this one is. Can't we be selective and independly decide for ourselves which changes we find appealing and which we do not.

 

I have done the Princess buffet with the platter/plate so I am not oppossing something in advance of trying it. I tried it there and disliked it. I have no reason to think I am going to like it any better now.

 

 

This is exactly how I feel! Why not let us choose what we want?

 

And the more I thought about the bigger platter, the more I don't think I'd like to see this at the Lido. If the plate is big, I am just going to fill it. We make one trip through the Lido. We get what we want and that's that. If we go back, we end up eating more than we should. It's all about pacing yourself and being careful when it comes to the food on a cruise. Food is everywhere!

[twinkletoes4445]

Not chuckling, just losing the will to live!:eek:

 

LOL...That's probably true. Most people are trying to figure out how they're going to put food on the table, and here we've got a heated discussion going on about how we're going to get our food "to" the table.

 

Not sure why anyone would care if I used a tray or not, unless I used it for a weapon (which is become a possibility at this point.). :)

[twinkletoes4445]

I don't think any of us are saying that the rest of you should suffer and do without your trays--we're just saying that, if HAL does get rid of trays, hey, it's really not that awful! :)

 

If they do get rid of the trays, you're right, it's not the end of the world. But for those that like to use them, it's a disappointment. And something that HAL doesn't need to do.

 

And the ones that don't use the trays are the ones saying that's it's not that awful.

 

How about this...

 

I'm a non-smoker. How about HAL do away with smoking? How about I say to a smoker..."Hey, it's really not that awful."

[SeaMatesNYC]

How about this?:D

[MadManOfBethesda]

I'm just puzzled why anyone would give a hoot if I want a tray or not.

 

You keep repeating this over and over in each one of your responses. NO ONE CARES IF YOU WANT TO USE A TRAY! I, for one, have just been trying to explain the rationale for not having them at a buffet.

 

If you want to schlepp a room service tray back and forth from your cabin to the Lido, by all means, knock yourself out.

[jtl513]

I, for one, have just been trying to explain the rationale for not having them at a buffet.

And I, for one, have tried to explain to you why your rationale will not work in a cafeteria without a specific server assigned to your table, as in most land buffets.

[MadManOfBethesda]

And I, for one, have tried to explain to you why your rationale will not work in a cafeteria without a dedicated server assigned to your table, as in most land buffets.

 

Thanks, but it's not my rationale.

[pipedreams62]

You keep repeating this over and over in each one of your responses. NO ONE CARES IF YOU WANT TO USE A TRAY! I, for one, have just been trying to explain the rationale for not having them at a buffet.

 

If you want to schlepp a room service tray back and forth from your cabin to the Lido, by all means, knock yourself out.

 

 

Let me at least get my camera

 

[navybankerteacher]

Wow -- some would like to have trays -why can't the nay-trayers let them express their view?

 

Similarly, the tray folk should let the plate people elect their balancing act without casting aspersions.

 

This all seems to indicate that everyone has gotten their Thanksgiving preparations completed early and have nothing to do or think about beyond challenging the rationale behind the preferences of others.

[goody1]

My wife and I are going on our first HAL cruise next August on the Eurodam and to be honest I couldn't care less if they remove the trays from the Buffet or not. It won't make one iota of difference to our enjoyment of what we hope to be a great cruise.

[SeaMatesNYC]

Wow -- some would like to have trays -why can't the nay-trayers let them express their view?

 

Similarly, the tray folk should let the plate people elect their balancing act without casting aspersions.

 

This all seems to indicate that everyone has gotten their Thanksgiving preparations completed early and have nothing to do or think about beyond challenging the rationale behind the preferences of others.

 

Hey, come on! Don't come sweeping in here playing all "can't we all just get along" and sing "Kumbaya" together! We were just beginning to have some fun!

 

(P.S., I am leaving the prep/cooking to the chef at the tray-less, non-buffet, dining establishment I will be visiting tomorrow.:D)

[SeaMatesNYC]

Has anyone else made the connection between "the step" on Eurodam and the removal of trays? Coincidence? I think not...

[Copper10-8]

If they do get rid of the trays, you're right, it's not the end of the world. But for those that like to use them, it's a disappointment. And something that HAL doesn't need to do.

 

And the ones that don't use the trays are the ones saying that's it's not that awful.

 

How about this...

 

I'm a non-smoker. How about HAL do away with smoking? How about I say to a smoker..."Hey, it's really not that awful."

 

Attention please! This board can only handle one hot topic at a time! Next thing you know, someone will come up with a dress code thread:eek:

[pipedreams62]

Always a Showoff in the "Lido"