Bringing a folding tray

[gottahavefun]

Ok so would I be a total dork if I brought a tray with me?;)

 

I went solo with NCL and I found that carrying food, trying then to get your drink and then finding a place to sit was darn near impossible(only got 2 hands lol).

If you get your drink, you can't carry your food. And trying then to get something else.. Well if you leave your table and/or food to go get something else, it has been gone when I got back and "my" table occupied by others.:eek

 

Just wondering what other solos do.

 

Thanks!

[MissRabbit]

Ok so would I be a total dork if I brought a tray with me?;)

 

I went solo with NCL and I found that carrying food, trying then to get your drink and then finding a place to sit was darn near impossible(only got 2 hands lol).

If you get your drink, you can't carry your food. And trying then to get something else.. Well if you leave your table and/or food to go get something else, it has been gone when I got back and "my" table occupied by others.:eek

 

Just wondering what other solos do.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Aren't there attendants that could help you carry things?

[crew mom]

I always have a book with me so even if I have left the table to go back to the buffet, my book being there shows that someone is still there.

[dfwguy62]

I usually use the "leave a book" approach to mark my spot. But if you're not a book reader, rather than bringing a bulky tray with you, maybe a "I'm still here!" sign might be easier to carry. :-)

[garycarla]

Unless you are traveling alone, then a space should not be an issue.

 

Even then, I have been alone and just left my food sitting there looking like somebody is there. Never had a problem.

[Habubabu]

I plan on bringing a couple of trays from the dollar store with me on my November cruise. I thank those on CC who have suggested bringing plastic trays. Trays have been available on all of my previous cruises

 

I am sailing with my father who has a slightly shaky right hand and is concerned with tipping his plate or cup and spilling stuff on an unsuspecting person. Better to look dorky with a tray than to be mortified about spilling stuff. :eek:

 

I am aware that assistance might be available but there are others who are in greater need of this help.

[NMLady]

I always find a place to sit FIRST and place a book there. Then I carry a plate of hot food and a salad plate or plate of cold food to the place marked. I usually ask one of the servers to bring a glass of ice tea for me, or I go get it myself. With two full plates of food and a book at my place, there's no question that someone is there.

In 15 cruises of eating lunch this way (4 of them on NCL), I've never had a problem. Only once has someone moved my book and they simply moved it to a place further from the window (Yes, I said something to the person when I sat down).

[Vyhanek]

I couldn't agree with you more. It's just RUDE to not provide a tray.

 

Now imagine yourself cruising with 2 or 3 children who need help with their plate, drink, silverware AND then you're traveling with your senior citizen in-laws that also need some help.......All with no trays!

 

I'm an exhausted mess after running around for all these people. I make no less than 10 trips back and forth to the table. All those trips back and forth have to add up to me congesting the buffet area. If I had a tray, I could load it up with one trip and be done. No, instead I'm making 10 trips conjesting the buffet.

 

I think it's a great idea. BYOT and then on the bottom with marker I will write........."It's so RUDE not to provide trays in a buffet area!"

[JohnIreland]

Room service comes on a tray.

 

Hint hint.

[Elluminate]

As hinted at above, I used a room service tray in the buffet & also at the grill. This was actually provided to me by my room steward, who happened to see me carrying back a cheese plate & drink from the buffet to have on the balcony. He opened the door to the cabin for me, then returned about 10 mins later with the tray. Certainly made it easier to carry around plates and drinks! Nobody said a word, or even looked at me funny for doing so either!

 

Hope this helps,

Ell

[GigCrusier]

Room service comes on a tray.

 

Hint hint.

Sometimes there is a tray under the in-room Ice bucket too.

[Raindrops27]

Never sailed NCL. So, there are no trays at the buffets?

[Globaliser]

Never sailed NCL. So, there are no trays at the buffets?

No. They contributed to a vast waste of food, so they were removed. Of course, with the advantages of doing that come some disadvantages.

[OceanDreaming2]

I always seem to take way too much food if I have a tray, Besides, I prefer my cold foods cold and my hot foods hot. I get a single plate and get the course I want, then if I'm still hungry, go back for more. I usually spill more, too, when using a tray. Plates, cups, glasses all slide around - trays tip and there goes a plate or two! :eek:

 

Silverware and napkins are at the table. Servers will bring you a beverage.

[nona0541]

No. They contributed to a vast waste of food, so they were removed. Of course, with the advantages of doing that come some disadvantages.

 

The main reason for 'no trays'--- germs!!

[Dr. Jack Daniels]

The main reason for 'no trays'--- germs!!

 

I think an earlier poster had it right when they said it was the waste of food (read $$) that is the main reason for the elimnation of trays. I think it is a good idea. I did not find find it all that inconvenient not having a tray.

[mbisson]

It's just RUDE to not provide a tray.

 

I think we may have to disagree on the meaning of 'rude' ;)

While I may prefer having a tray, I don't know I'd call it rude not to

[cruzmaven]

If buffets are too physically challenging to you without a tray, or you have a gaggle of small children or elderly to deal with, aren't there full service alternatives available to you? Or room service?

[Sailplan]

I usually bring a blow up which fits in my suitcase. When I go to the buffet I blow it up, and put it under the table. If I go back for more food I place the blow up doll in my seat. After I eat I deflate the doll. Seems to work fine.

[mbisson]

I usually bring a blow up which fits in my suitcase. When I go to the buffet I blow it up, and put it under the table. If I go back for more food I place the blow up doll in my seat. After I eat I deflate the doll. Seems to work fine.

 

Well, if that's 'all' you use the doll for, no problem ;)

And if that's not all, then it's TMI! :eek:

[Sauer-kraut]

I usually bring a blow up which fits in my suitcase. When I go to the buffet I blow it up, and put it under the table. If I go back for more food I place the blow up doll in my seat. After I eat I deflate the doll. Seems to work fine.

 

At first I thought you found a blow-up tray and I was thinking how cool is that! You can use it as a pool toy too. And then I got to the chair sitter doll and I laughed, but then I thought what a more fantastic way to be a lounge chair hog at the pool! Nobody is gonna move it and you can always use her a float lounger in the pool too! :D

[Mooder]

I usually bring a blow up which fits in my suitcase. When I go to the buffet I blow it up, and put it under the table. If I go back for more food I place the blow up doll in my seat. After I eat I deflate the doll. Seems to work fine.

 

At first I thought you found a blow-up tray and I was thinking how cool is that! You can use it as a pool toy too. And then I got to the chair sitter doll and I laughed, but then I thought what a more fantastic way to be a lounge chair hog at the pool! Nobody is gonna move it and you can always use her a float lounger in the pool too! :D

 

ROFL. I thought he meant a blow up tray too and I'm trying to imagine how sturdy it could be. :confused:

 

But then I realized. His idea and yours for the pool loungers remind me of safety man. When I was young and driving a lot alone at night she tried to convince me to get Safety man. http://www.autochic.com.au/news/whatshot/BlowUp-Safety-Man/

 

ROFL, when I googled for him, that is NOT the pic I expected to find! :eek: The ads I remember had perfectly respectable photos of a fully dressed safety man sitting in the passenger seat of a car. :D

[LOWTYD]

ROFL. I thought he meant a blow up tray too and I'm trying to imagine how sturdy it could be. :confused:

 

But then I realized. His idea and yours for the pool loungers remind me of safety man. When I was young and driving a lot alone at night she tried to convince me to get Safety man. http://www.autochic.com.au/news/whatshot/BlowUp-Safety-Man/

 

ROFL, when I googled for him, that is NOT the pic I expected to find! :eek: The ads I remember had perfectly respectable photos of a fully dressed safety man sitting in the passenger seat of a car. :D

 

Holy crap! It's a Shim! :eek: Too funny.

 

I don't mind not having trays. It does keep me from taking too much food and the tables aren't crowed with tray bumpng up against tray. If the buffet doesn't suit you, the MDR, BLue Lagoon or one of the outdoor grills are always avaiable. There is always an option. You just need to look for it.:)

[mypleasure]

It's just RUDE to not provide a tray.

 

 

More of an inconvenience to you surely. Rude is the wrong word to use for this circumstance.

[RickinNYC]

I couldn't agree with you more. It's just RUDE to not provide a tray.

 

Now imagine yourself cruising with 2 or 3 children who need help with their plate, drink, silverware AND then you're traveling with your senior citizen in-laws that also need some help.......All with no trays!

 

I'm an exhausted mess after running around for all these people. I make no less than 10 trips back and forth to the table. All those trips back and forth have to add up to me congesting the buffet area. If I had a tray, I could load it up with one trip and be done. No, instead I'm making 10 trips conjesting the buffet.

 

I think it's a great idea. BYOT and then on the bottom with marker I will write........."It's so RUDE not to provide trays in a buffet area!"

 

Wow. Your definition of rude and mine are not even remotely close. How in the world is not providing trays rude? Inconvenient for those that need it, sure, I guess. But rude???

 

Frankly, if you're an exhausted mess from a meal, perhaps room or table service is a better option for you. I can't imagine a buffet being any easier for you if you were suddenly given trays. How does the implementation of trays help you when you're dealing with 2 or 3 children and apparently a couple of fragile seniors?

 

And not for nothin', but writing such a blatant comment such as you described is rude, if not a little obnoxious to the staff and guests.