Princess Buffet Food ?

[magicnelly]

Been on a lot of cruises with different lines and it all comes down to the fact that someone else is preparing and serving ME food! Every day! Every meal! I can always find something I like - and something I don't ;) - but the choices are all so wonderful that I can always feel well fed and content.

 

On one cruise we went on, each night after dinner I would go back to the room and order room service to fill in the holes left behind by the really limited menu. But, the room service food was pretty durn good!

 

So, if you don't like one place, go to another. Don't like one food, try another. Eat on shore. Try the pizza. Eat a burger. Eat a little here, a little there. Try different things.

 

Just enjoy. It's a cruise!!!!

[snowman]

Award winning Chefs at Sandals??????????? Not in my lifetime and I have been there 3 times, and we hoped the food would change, but alas, it hasen't.

[TuxedoMan]

DW and I have been on 9 or 10 Princess cruises and 3 or 4 RCI cruises. The food is pleantiful on both, but do you think Princess will ever change the Horizon Court to include a more interactive way of getting your food? On RCI several of the ships have a sort of "cook station" where you gather what you want to be cooked and then present it to the chef and in a matter of a few minutes you have your "personal" dish. It seems like Princess keeps coming out with the same old design for the Horizon Court.

[kooljamming]

Award winning Chefs at Sandals??????????? Not in my lifetime and I have been there 3 times, and we hoped the food would change, but alas, it hasen't.

 

Did I say who the award came from:confused:

Next time try the 'cow cod soup'. It's a known and proven aphrodisiac. We all enjoy our meals for different reasons...don't we;) It's clear how much we enjoy the meal comes down to what we order. I wish all chefs came as good as the ones at Sandals. Since this is a thread about HC, what is your preference there? My reference was a mere base for comparison for others to know.

 

I am sure your palate is not not the standard for good dining so even an award winning chef might not prepare food to your liking......just a thought.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I'm just curious, based on a couple of recent experiences posted in this board, about your comment. I would've thought that if you have food allergies, it would make more sense to eat in the MDR than at the buffet because you can go over the menu with the head waiter to determine the ingredients used, whereas you are completely on your own at the buffet. You can't always tell by looking at some items what they contain or how they have been cooked.

 

:confused:

 

I would not eat at buffet if I had some problem with one kind of food or another to many little kids (and big kids) are allowed to use the buffet that dont take care of what spoon or fork can from what tray and all of it is in another tray at sometime.

 

I have an allergy to shellfish so I almost had a problem at the Horizon on our last cruise. I served myself a plate of stir fry and was about to take my first forkfull when I saw some little pink things. Realized it was shrimp which would make my throat close up. I made sure to note on the comment card that the items in the buffet need to be better identified, just in case someone is terribly allergic. At least in the dining rooms, you can check with the waitstaff. And if you have traditional dining, it's even better as many waiters are great about noticing your preferences and will help you as they are placing the menu in your hands.

 

My hubby says he prefers the buffet on Princess to Carnival. He even likes the made-to-order omelets at breakfast that he can get in the Horizon. On our last cruise, we went to the traditional dining room 14 out of 15 nights, and the buffet on one night. Didn't go to the MDR for breakfast or lunch at all. We found the chicken sandwiches at the outside grill to be excellent. Our girl absolutely loved the pizza on the Island Princess.

 

I ended up eating about twice as much on the cruise as I eat at home (and I'm a picky eater), but didn't gain weight (had mid afternoon salads at the buffet, worked out in the gym, and took the stairs at lot). But since then I've been diagnosed for acid reflux so can't get horizontal for a few hours after eating (which makes post-meals cuddling difficult:rolleyes:), can't have anything too spicy (so bland is good), or anything fatty (so low fat is good). But I'm sure from past experience on Princess, that I'll be able to find something to eat at every meal.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

The buffet food is pretty good, but the thing that I don't like about the Horizontal Court is having to eat laying down.....and crawling in a lineup is hard on the knees. Don't you just hate having to drink using the corner of your mouth?....and reaching that shrimp sauce is sometimes just too difficult.

 

Sitting upright in the dining room (unless one suffers from vertigo) is much more comfortable, and easier on the digestive system.

 

You gave me my laugh for the day....... thank you. :D

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Mmmm, hmmm. I'm with Sox and Wows . . . I don't like buffets at all (whether vertical or horizontal) -- not even on land. They go against my #1 rule: don't do myself what someone else can do for me. Why should I have to shlep my own plate, and keep jumping up to fetch three courses, and grind pepper over my own food, when there are friendly waiters downstairs just waiting to handle all that for me?! And I prefer to select my food based on a written menu description, not by squinting at a serving pan, trying to figure out what the dish is and what unpleasant surprise unnamed ingredient might be lurking in it.

 

Mate I'm with you....... dining room for all meals! I like to get waited on!

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

This I like: omelet made to order with ham, bacon, sausage, onions and tomatoes

Biscuit and gravy, corn beef hash, bacon, French toast, fresh salsa, salmon

 

I have enjoyed the MDR on 8 other cruises (6 RCCL and 2 Carnival)

plus dining experience at resorts like Sandals with award winning chefs. For the price I need the meal and the appropriate palate to enjoy it:p

Bacon can't be bland so when you add it to anything it makes it better:D

 

 

Beef shank in gravy not sauce, yummy mashed potato, fried fish (of some kind) rice with every meal when possible, plus some sweet fried cream filled entrée. Try the cookies even if you don't like cookies. Don't forget to try some fresh fruit and a cup of tasty soup. I am a dinner buffet convert.

 

OMG Pauline, I don't even recognise some of these foods!

 

I'm glad you like them but I'm sorry, if someone put that in front of me I would turn a little green. Too many fried foods for me, that would sit on my stomach for the whole day. I hope there are different foods like salad, fish, seafood and steak available as well as vegetables - not just fried food.

 

I will stick to the dining room I think!

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

By the way Pauline,

 

I think I have commented in the past about your wonderful photos and how you seem to have a photo to answer any question. I for one appreciate them so keep up the good work and Pooh Pooh to all the "knockers" :D

[Stinkerbelle]

Going on my first Princess cruise next year so, Kooljammin - thank you for taking the time and trouble to post the pics. I appreciated them. I also want to say that your personal pics in your signature are really nice. You have a nice family.

 

On the ship, can I decide on the day where to eat lunch? Thing about buffets, I like to have a look around and see what takes my fancy but by the time I've gone back to the beginning the whole world and his wife have formed a massive queue. It doesn't always follow that you will get exactly the same in the dining room as the buffet, there must be more choice in the buffet. Am I right?

 

Regarding comments about not knowing what you're eating from the buffet, you're kidding aren't you? Hasn't everything got a label ? I'd ask someone with a white uniform on ! You wouldn't catch me eating anything if I didn't know what it was.

 

Enjoying reading all the posts.

[TuxedoMan]

On the Saphire in June this year DW and I ate in the HC every night. We weren't in the mood to "dress up" on this cruise. It was nice for AK since the sun was still WAY up in the sky during dinner. We did miss the dressing up a little though. Food is similar to what the menu is in the MDR, so you don't miss a whole lot except the awesome service

[TuxedoMan]

Going on my first Princess cruise next year so, Kooljammin - thank you for taking the time and trouble to post the pics. I appreciated them. I also want to say that your personal pics in your signature are really nice. You have a nice family.

 

On the ship, can I decide on the day where to eat lunch? Thing about buffets, I like to have a look around and see what takes my fancy but by the time I've gone back to the beginning the whole world and his wife have formed a massive queue. It doesn't always follow that you will get exactly the same in the dining room as the buffet, there must be more choice in the buffet. Am I right?

 

Regarding comments about not knowing what you're eating from the buffet, you're kidding aren't you? Hasn't everything got a label ? I'd ask someone with a white uniform on ! You wouldn't catch me eating anything if I didn't know what it was.

 

Enjoying reading all the posts.

We decide each meal time where/what we want to eat. We often find ourselves on the open deck eating the hot dog/bratworst/hamburger/pizza by the pool for lunch. I think it' just because we so enjoy the open air and people watching.

For dinner we usually do 2 nights in the MDR and the rest in the HC buffet.

Dw always "checks out" all the options before deciding what she is going to eat. Me, on the other hand, just grab a plate and load it up with whatever and shovel it in. I'm usually halfway done eating by the time she makes her decision and gets her food and returns to me. Then I am really mad I didn't do it her way, cuz she ALWAYS has the best looking plate of food:p

Buffet has good choises; however, DW calls it "normal buffet food"...pleantiful but just ok.:( She says the MDR food is like "banquet food".:( I think the MDR and buffet have similar food choices for the meals. That being said, MDR is fixed closer to the time you eat it than the HC.

Buffet has mostly labeled dishes, but most things you can figure out if they are not marked.

When food is accessible all the time I enjoy "grabbing a bite" It gets me in trouble though, by end of 7 day cruise I usually have gained 5-9 lbs. DW never gains.

For breakfast, DW orders room service by writing in her request on the door hanger card (she just ignores the pre-printed items). I head up to the HC and "load up". Food is hot and pleantiful.

 

I get the soda card. She just drinks what is free.

 

When food is accessible all the time I enjoy "grabbing a bite" It gets me in trouble though, by end of 7 day cruise I usually have gained 5-9 lbs. DW never gains.

[Stinkerbelle]

Interesting post Tuxedoman - thanks !

 

Can't help but think that next time maybe you need to take tips from your other half and do what she does ! :D

[TuxedoMan]

Interesting post Tuxedoman - thanks !

 

Can't help but think that next time maybe you need to take tips from your other half and do what she does ! :D

 

Been telling myself that for 14 cruises.:mad:..maybe next time:rolleyes:

[kooljamming]

OMG Pauline' date=' I don't even recognise some of these foods!

 

I'm glad you like them but I'm sorry, if someone put that in front of me I would turn a little green. Too many fried foods for me, that would sit on my stomach for the whole day. [b']I hope there are different foods like salad, fish, seafood and steak available as well as vegetables - not just fried food.[/b]

 

I will stick to the dining room I think!

 

Absolutely. Check out the special buffet outide of HC starting at 11:30.

What I do and can eat is on a level from most 'normal' people.

Princess was the first cruise I chose to eat dinner in the buffet and was please with the result....more weight though :-(

[sultan_sfo]

Please Please stop posting those appetizing pictures! I just start craving for the food -- but fortunately it is only 5 weeks for our next cruise. I am a buffet person because I enjoy the seascape go by and watch people. I can eat anytime in a restaurant on land.

 

Absolutely. Check out the special buffet outide of HC starting at 11:30.

[Stinkerbelle]

These pictures are fabulous. Everything is presented so beautifully. I go to restaurants on land but the cuisine is not like this ! It just feels so special being waited on in the MDR, but I know the buffet is great too for having a bit of this and a bit of that.

 

TuxedoMan - after 14 cruises, you have got yourself into a pattern there. It's just so tempting and irresistible isn't it? ;)

[toberman]

No she is NOT. Do you have any pics of anything less scary to SHARE.

A lot of thought went into taking the pics and a lot of guts into posting them. All this hoping to help someone going for the FIRST time.

 

Please check out what a lot of work went into, many obstructed view cabin from Golden Princess at the end of my cruise. We all have opinions and digital cameras, maybe we can use both to help someone going for the first time. We can agree to disagree on opinions but let the viewers decide on the best pic, angle or view. In the meantime please don't discourage others from doing something you have failed to do on this thread......share a picture.

 

kooljamming, thanks for taking and sharing your pictures. I think they will definitely help a first-timer.

 

Janette

[deckslug]

I, too, am informal and do not enjoy dressing up. I was on the Star Princess in July to Alaska and chose anytime dining. I and my travel companions wore black jeans and nice shirts even on formal night. You see all sorts of dress at dinner. Whether you are in the dining rooms or horizon buffet, there is so much choice you will find food you enjoy. A vacation is for enjoyment - be comfortable.