Buffet on Princess

[nimiq]

Hello all,

 

We just had a little 2 day cruise on the Sapphire Princess and thought the buffet in the morning and for lunch was a little bit boring and without any taste. Can you tell me was it becaise it was on ly a 2 day cruise or has Princess change as I dont recall such a lame buffet on our previous cruise a few years ago.

 

sea ya

Eric

[oskidunker]

Because, in my opinion, the food quality is much better in the dining room.

[Loonbeam]

See my comments in another thread, but the quality of the buffet is most likely driven by the Buffet's Chef manager more than anything else. Quality can vary from ship to ship within a line even from cruise to cruise on the same ship.

 

That said, when cooking institutionally, seasonings will often be kept to the lighter end.

[oskidunker]

I think the food in the Dining room is always very good.

[Pam in CA]

One thing that I like about the buffet for breakfast is that you can always ask for an omelet or eggs prepared any way you want and they will make them for you. Sometimes it's set up as a station, sometimes you just ask.

[zoncom]

Guess I am a contrarian. On recent Ruby TA I found MDR food/menus boring. Really enjoyed the evening theme buffets at Cafe Caribe, a section ofmain buffet upstairs. Interesting selections plus excellent deserts.

[Pam in CA]

Guess I am a contrarion. On recent Ruby TA I found MDR food/menus boring. Really enjoyed the evening theme buffets at Cafe Caribe, a section ofmain buffet upstairs. Interesting selections plus excellent deserts.

It's a good thing we have so many options. :) We went to the seafood theme in the Cafe Caribe and it was awful. I had no interest in the lobster but my sister had some tiny claws. No tails. The shrimp were breaded and dry. Yuck. I would never go to one again nor could I recommend it to anyone.

[sultan_sfo]

I always find the buffets on Princess excellent with very good choices of hot dishes, salad items, and fruits. On many cruises there has been theme (German / Indian / Italian) days with buffet items set up outside near the pool.

[nctraveler54]

Recently off the Crown. Ate at the buffett 95% of the time. Only did the dining room thing one meal.

[KruzPrincess]

I usually find the buffet food is fine. Some days better than others. I usually just order something off the hang card in the room for breakfast. I get big salads a lot and I love that I can do that in the buffet. At night, they usually have a carving stations with a different meat every night. It's good. I love that I can see what I'm getting before I choose it. I personally don't like spending hours in the dining room every day. I just want to eat and get on to other things. I think Princess does fine with that. I'm not a foodie. I love food, though. LOL. I've never gone hungry.

[Bowie MeMe]

I am on the Crown now and we have eaten DR for lunch and dinner and in the buffet for breakfast lunch and dinner. I find the buffet on this ship to be fresh with many choices and attractively displayed. Anytime dining is a bit of a disappointment because they took one DR and made it into the early traditional. With most on this cruise an early crowd you end up eating at 5:15 or not until close to 8PM. Thus we ate twice at the buffet for dinner and each time (German and Italian themes) the food was delicious and well prepared. It only takes about 30 minutes to eat. The only bad part is I tend to want a sample of everything and end up eating too much. Often go to IC for desert -- great things there. Buffet good but DR pretty hurried and usually a wait.

[Katie333]

We predominantly eat at the buffet and enjoy the comfort and convenience. Yes some nights are better than others, but there is always lots of options. Most of the time, the meals in the buffet mirror some of the offerings in the dining room (i.e. you are eating the same food).

 

The food can be bland, but again that's subjective.

 

Overall, we have found the buffets comparable or better to land based buffet restaurants.

[Whimsy]

I think the food is a little different on the short cruises. I didn't think the food was as good when we did a short cruise in May 08. I noticed things scaled down a bit but it was all good in October of 08 on our 10 day cruise.

[nimiq]

I think the food is a little different on the short cruises. I didn't think the food was as good when we did a short cruise in May 08. I noticed things scaled down a bit but it was all good in October of 08 on our 10 day cruise.

 

Great thanks that what i thought also will have to see on our 7 daycruise on the Ruby in November.

Sea ya

Eric

[1 HappyCruiser]

Great thanks that what i thought also will have to see on our 7 daycruise on the Ruby in November.

Sea ya

Eric

 

If the same chiefs are on the Ruby as last year the buffet food was probably the best of all the Princess ships. Their prep of food in the buffet was even better than the DR and it was hard to fault even one thing wrong.

[cs4225]

We enjoy the buffets on the Princess cruise. We do the anytime dining and we check the nightly menu at the dining room to decide were to eat. If there's nothing that interest us we go to the Horizon Court. We treat the buffet like we are at at tapas restaurant. Small portions of a variety of selections. We usually end up at the buffet 50% of the time.

[cruzinchris]

One thing that I like about the buffet for breakfast is that you can always ask for an omelet or eggs prepared any way you want and they will make them for you. Sometimes it's set up as a station, sometimes you just ask.

 

DH and I usually prefer to have breakfast in the dining room, but go to the buffet on mornings when we've slept in. On our CB cruise last week, my eggs were never quite right in the dining room: If I ordered them over medium, they were too hard. Over easy were too runny. Turns out that I found perfect eggs in the buffet both times that we ate there :) Too bad we had such difficulty finding seats because my just right eggs were cold by the time I finally got to enjoy them :(

 

Bon Appetit!

Chris

[Clutterlady]

We also use the buffet for dinner around 50% of the time. Ships vary as to selection and the way certain foods are cooked, but for the most part we've been more than satisfied. In fact I think most of the seafood at the buffet surpasses the DR:)

[Cruiserkenn]

I have found the buffet on the Sapphire to be just great, on seven day cruises.

 

It has a wide variety of foods, something for everyone.

 

What I like best, though, is that one is able to eat healthy food at the buffet. I usually have fish. They offer two or three kinds, most of the time. They always have tasty vegetable options, fixed in Moroccan or Indian styles. Very tasty!

 

One can always have fresh fruits and vegetables, including brocolli and tomatoes.

 

The breads are great!

 

I usually say I have two pieces of fish, two scoops of vegetables, two pieces of bread, and fresh fruit for dessert, and I am good to go!

[2little time]

Hi Eric,

I have always found the buffets on all cruises to be a bit bland. I try to be understanding of the fact that the items on the buffet have to please the old and young as well as those with special diet needs. I definately agree with the other postings about the food being better in the MDR. I think cruise trips used to be all about the food. Now it seems less about the food and more about the other activities on the ship. Hope this helps!:o

[CENS]

hi everyone....I like to eat in the dining room as I tend not to pig out. The only thing is, it is nice to eat on the open deck. After saying that....The food I find is good all around...maybe it being a short cruise the usual fancies do not come out.

[spyro1952]

DH and I usually prefer to have breakfast in the dining room, but go to the buffet on mornings when we've slept in. On our CB cruise last week, my eggs were never quite right in the dining room: If I ordered them over medium, they were too hard. Over easy were too runny. Turns out that I found perfect eggs in the buffet both times that we ate there :) Too bad we had such difficulty finding seats because my just right eggs were cold by the time I finally got to enjoy them :(

 

Bon Appetit!

Chris

 

Cruzin, I totally agree with you about the eggs. I like my eggs the same way, over easy but not hard or runny. I have found I can get eggs just about perfect at the buffet in the mornings. Although I used to be a hard and fast promoter of the MDR for breakfast, I'd rather slept later and hit the buffet about 9 or 9:15.

 

The thing about eating at the buffet is to find seats first and go up one at a time. :)

[1 HappyCruiser]

Cruzin, I totally agree with you about the eggs. I like my eggs the same way, over easy but not hard or runny. I have found I can get eggs just about perfect at the buffet in the mornings. Although I used to be a hard and fast promoter of the MDR for breakfast, I'd rather slept later and hit the buffet about 9 or 9:15.

 

The thing about eating at the buffet is to find seats first and go up one at a time. :)

 

At 9:15 AM I can understand that.

That's about the time I start thinking about early lunch. :p