Please excuse my TRAY question, but.......

[Millie6]

Strange.... Why would it make a difference as to where your cutlery was: on the table or in the buffet line?

Because if it's not on the table, you have to carry it as well as your plate, glass, mug, etc. That's where a tray is handy.

[Millie6]

Copper 10-8,

 

He is obviously checking to see if the bulb needs changing! ;)

 

Rochelle

No he's not - someone told him they hide the trays in the oven!:D

[Copper10-8]

Copper 10-8,

 

He is obviously checking to see if the bulb needs changing! ;)

 

Rochelle

 

Got ya! How many Pipedreams does it take to change a bulb in there?

[Boytjie]

Because if it's not on the table, you have to carry it as well as your plate, glass, mug, etc. That's where a tray is handy.

 

My comment was related to where the cutlery is during a code red an not about trays. :)

 

Sorry for the confusion.

[Taxguy77]

He's solving thr problem caused by cruising.

Why do they make it more difficult?:confused:

 

My view: Love to cruise and love the sea!:)

Love to see new places.

 

Like to drive, and DW is OK now that she can run the GPS while I drive the car. (Most important!)

Answer "See the USA, (even if you don't have a particular car) in tour car!:):)

[cruz chic]

I think the end to all of this is that it is safer to not have the trays. After reading some people's answers, I wouldn't touch a tray if there was one available. Here's my suggestion: Vegas is in desperate need of tourists. None of the buffets here have trays. So, come, spend some money in my fair town, and practice not having a tray. Then, it won't be so bad when you get on the cruise. Take this from an experienced, 32 year vet of the buffet system! :D

I'll be making my annual trip to Vegas this year. My friends was just in Vegas in February and she said it was really busy. I've also heard that Vegas is hurting.

[cruz chic]

For those that are so bored by tray threads why are you reading them? Must be nice to have so much free time on your hands:rolleyes:. Reading of threads are not mandatory.

[RuthC]

Strange.... Why would it make a difference as to where your cutlery was: on the table or in the buffet line?

Beats me, but it was different. Perhaps this is a question DBA could answer?

[fridayeyes]

Here are a few tips from a former plate-slinging pro.

 

1) Carry your platter on the fingertips of one hand. Practice at home; it's easier than you think. This keeps one hand free to serve onto the plate, to carry a glass, to pull out your chair, etc. Also, it is much easier to maneuver through a crowd with a plate on your fingertips above your head than it is holding a tray in two hands. If you are right-handed, hold the plate in your left. If a lefty, reverse that

 

2) If the silver rollups are not on the tables, the you put the rollup in the crook of your palm UNDER the platter. This actually gives the platter a bit more stability.

 

3) The heaviest item, especially a bowl or a glass, goes in the center of the platter. Place that first, then arrange other foods or items around it, e.g. if you know you want soup, get it first and put it in the middle.

 

4) A salad or dessert plate balances really well on your inner arm just above the first. Overlap the rims a bit.

 

Personally, I've always hated the trays. The surface is too slippery, and your plates and glass slide around too much.

 

Cheers!

 

Friday

[lovebug33]

lorekauf: Vegas is still busy, but people aren't spending the money they used to. Does that make sense? So, people are spending less days or not putting as much into the gambling machines, not seeing shows, etc. Kind of like all tourists, I assume. Still going to the place, but not spending money. But, at least you will be able to practice up for your trayless experience on the next HAL cruise! Make your way to Silverton on a Friday night, it's the best.

[cruz chic]

lorekauf: Vegas is still busy, but people aren't spending the money they used to. Does that make sense? So, people are spending less days or not putting as much into the gambling machines, not seeing shows, etc. Kind of like all tourists, I assume. Still going to the place, but not spending money. But, at least you will be able to practice up for your trayless experience on the next HAL cruise! Make your way to Silverton on a Friday night, it's the best.

Yup makes sense to me. The price for 5 days for me to Vegas is the best I've seen in several years. I want to book it right this minute but since I've just come back from a cruise after 2 weeks I guess I should check in and see if I still have a job. I love Vegas! Thanks for the tip on Silverton. I've never heard of it before.

[Two@Sea]

So, let me see if I have this right... I need to sail on Princess, steal a plate/platter, and then make sure to take it on my next HAL cruise? ;)

[mnport]

The tray thread really makes me laugh that's why I read them, especially when pipedreams62 does the pics, makes me laugh out loud!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Make your way to Silverton on a Friday night, it's the best.

 

I have to say the new winner in Buffets in Las Vegas is the NEW M Resort it makes the Silverton look like the Circus Circus buffet on a very bad night :D

Actually I have not been to the Silverton in a few years (we were going to Green Valley Ranch a lot with the daily RJ coupons for buy one get one free ;)) but we have very good friends that were going there weekly till the new M opened up now they only go there as well ;) and they live in Summerlin.

[WriterOnDeck]

Just got off the Maasdam on Friday -- we had plenty of trays in the Lido, FWIW....

[lovebug33]

Thanks for the tip, Lisa. I think I'll try the new M. We are not huge casino people, so we usually stick to our two favorites, Silverton and Red Rock. That Friday Silverton fish buffet with all you can eat crab is hard to beat, though.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Thanks for the tip, Lisa. I think I'll try the new M. We are not huge casino people, so we usually stick to our two favorites, Silverton and Red Rock. That Friday Silverton fish buffet with all you can eat crab is hard to beat, though.

 

We will have to try that because we love the all you can eat crab as well which is usually at the Green Valley Ranch. The M's Sea Food nights are Friday and Saturday but I do not recommend it right now. We got there at 4:15 last night and did not get seated till 7 PM seriously. I will never do that again. They calimed the wait later on was 4 hours :eek: and was that Friday night. They also have all you can eat crab legs but they already cut in half. But the rest of the food is amazing including free all you can drink beers wines and this fantastic peach cider ;) We have been going Friday's for lunch at about 11:30 and the wait is only a few minutes and still the free drinks and amazing desserts :D

[DizzyDallasDi]

Here are a few tips from a former plate-slinging pro.

 

1) Carry your platter on the fingertips of one hand. Practice at home; it's easier than you think. This keeps one hand free to serve onto the plate, to carry a glass, to pull out your chair, etc. Also, it is much easier to maneuver through a crowd with a plate on your fingertips above your head than it is holding a tray in two hands. If you are right-handed, hold the plate in your left. If a lefty, reverse that

 

2) If the silver rollups are not on the tables, the you put the rollup in the crook of your palm UNDER the platter. This actually gives the platter a bit more stability.

 

3) The heaviest item, especially a bowl or a glass, goes in the center of the platter. Place that first, then arrange other foods or items around it, e.g. if you know you want soup, get it first and put it in the middle.

 

4) A salad or dessert plate balances really well on your inner arm just above the first. Overlap the rims a bit.

 

Personally, I've always hated the trays. The surface is too slippery, and your plates and glass slide around too much.

 

Cheers!

 

Friday

 

I have great respect for servers who can do this...I can't, I've tried. Both of my kids have been servers and they get the biggest kick out of trying to teach me how to juggle the plates and watching me drop them. I don't care if trays have been removed, I'll make do...no problem. I'm just saying some of us (me :D ) are simply too clumbsy to carry more than one thing firmly placed in each hand.

 

At least I entertained my kids...

 

Diane

[lovebug33]

Obviously, we won't be trying the M for dinner for a while:eek:! We're off for Spring Break, so maybe we will do a lunch during the week!

[Down-Unders]

I think the end to all of this is that it is safer to not have the trays. After reading some people's answers, I wouldn't touch a tray if there was one available. Here's my suggestion: Vegas is in desperate need of tourists. None of the buffets here have trays. So, come, spend some money in my fair town, and practice not having a tray. Then, it won't be so bad when you get on the cruise. Take this from an experienced, 32 year vet of the buffet system! :D

 

 

 

 

:):):):):)

[RuthC]

Here are a few tips from a former plate-slinging pro.

 

1) Carry your platter...

 

2) ...UNDER the platter. This actually gives the platter ....

 

3) ...the center of the platter.

 

What platter would that be? HAL uses plates. Smallish plates. :rolleyes:

[fridayeyes]

Hi, Ruth,

 

One of the posters said that on her cruise (which was Princess, I think, not HAL) when the trays went away, the plates were replaced with larger, oval platters. ;) Plate/platter, tray or not - just give me my cruise!

 

Cheers,

 

Friday

[MrsMuir]

My sister Ginny was on the Grand Princess with you. She's a beautiful 66-yr-old. She's very outgoing in social situations but is shy when it comes to Cruise Critic. Her review was very positive, but she sent it just to her two sisters. I hope you enjoyed your cruise as much as she did.

[English_in_Spain]

What temperature are the plates for hot food? If they are hot (as they should be) they will be difficult to carry.

 

What happens when someone is dining alone? How do you go back to get your roll/drink/salad or whatever to go with your meal? Isn't the table likely to be cleared?

 

What happens for the mobility impaired passengers - not in a wheelchair but just unable to keep walking back and forth?

[mrsbooger]

Just back from the Eurodam. I saw this post and had to chime in. I had never even read the 'trays' post. One of the biggest complaints we had on this cruise was the buffet line. First it was BEYOND slow, second the design of the area was poor (not enough walkway space and not enough tables), third people walking with trays just stopped dead in their tracks all the time. It was dangerous at times. The food was very good but the overall flow and design of the buffet really need to be revamped.