Can you really carry food from International Cafe around ship?

[MissDiva1]

May I suggest grilled panini at the IC? While many love chicken & shrimp salads, IC offers several pressed sandwiches that are delicious.

 

I thought proscuitto and mozzarella panini were especially good. Pressed on a Foreman-like grill for a minute so its quick, warm and tasty. Wrap it in a napkin, then tote and munch wherever you please - standing, sitting, lying, break dancing atop Explorers Bar.

 

As for others' trash, my point is simply Princess was sadly understaffed. Insufficient staff to handle the volume of trash accumulating in Horizon and public areas. So, for me, as a personal choice, I removed my trash & cleared our table when finished b/c other pax were anxiously looking for a place to sit and eat. Particularly on foul weather days when most were roaming inside.

 

But, hey, that's me. I appreciate others feel its not their problem if trash sits atop a table, in a corner or in the elevator. Personally, I am bothered by the lack of consideration and believe it is courteous to remove trash when others want the use of your table once available and a Princess staffer is nowhere in sight to bus the table.

 

Next time you see plates of food in the elevators you can really help out the staffers by picking it up for them and of course others who might be using the elevator right after you.......if of course it does indeed bother you that much. This sort of thing is not just inclusive of cruise ships....... I found that most of this behavior comes with being teenagers who are left to roam the ships with their groups......however I have never experienced it every day of my vacation anywhere. If I do come upon a empty table with trays I simply move them myself......no biggie, no stress, no bother.......

Now back to the IC.....I love love love the chicken salad and mushrooms.......we usually stop there every day for lunch.....yes that is lunch for us.....we eat to live not live to eat:D

[farsight]

we eat to live not live to eat:D

 

I'm somewhere in between eating to live and living to eat. I do love to eat! However, I do cruise to eat!:D:D:D

[wizard-of-roz]

Thanks Roz. DH would like to go but agreed to this for the friend. He will be staying in Clearwater, FL w/my folks and going to Tampa Bay Downs w/my dad. I think he will not miss me much. LOL ;-)

 

Sounds like he'll be very busy with his own fun stuff. You, enjoy your friend and don't forget to stop in the IC and get a croissant stuffed with yummy chicken salad. My mouth is watering as I write this!

[farsight]

Elevators I can understand, and I hate seeing dirty dishes outside cabins in corridors. But if you grab a slice of pizza while watching something on MUTS in the afternoon, should you really have to walk down to the HC to clean up your plate? Usually I set it under my chair, and someone comes around and cleans it up long before the movie is over.

 

I don't believe you would have to go all the way to Horizon Court as I think there are trays close to the pizza and grill. I had something different in mind other than leaving a pizza plate, hamburger basket or drink glass. I don't see any problem leaving these at one of the lounge tables. Besides, the attendants are pretty Johnny on the spot about clearing them.

[wizard-of-roz]

Watching a highly trained Service Dog, like my Brenda, walk right past those food-filled trays left out in the hallways, lends new meaning to the words "leave it!' :rolleyes:

[wristband]

Roz - I don't get what you meant. Do you mean your dog eats food left on plates left in hallways by passengers? Is your dog fed by such a large amount of food left out for so long?

 

I must admit I was surprised in the narrow hallways on Caribbean P. how many plates sat for long to which I had to carefully avoid when walking back to my cabin. Lots of wasted food on display for all to see and harumph about!

[PescadoAmarillo]

Next time you see plates of food in the elevators you can really help out the staffers by picking it up for them and of course others who might be using the elevator right after you.......if of course it does indeed bother you that much. This sort of thing is not just inclusive of cruise ships....... I found that most of this behavior comes with being teenagers who are left to roam the ships with their groups......however I have never experienced it every day of my vacation anywhere. If I do come upon a empty table with trays I simply move them myself......no biggie, no stress, no bother.......

Hmmmm, I just can't bring myself to do that. Not because it's work, and I'm on vacation, but because of germs.

[caribill]

Roz - I don't get what you meant. Do you mean your dog eats food left on plates left in hallways by passengers? Is your dog fed by such a large amount of food left out for so long?

 

I am not Roz, but I read it to mean that her dog is so well trained it passes by all that food and ignores it.

[cdamion]

In June, I was amazed to see large plates of food from IC toted round the ship, passengers walking and eating, food smeared on their faces, dropping scraps on the carpet.

 

 

I'm telling you, it's just that good!

 

(luckily I never witnessed this - don't know why it is just so hard to just eat it when you get to your destination)

[cdamion]

But I guess what really boggles my mind from this thread is the expectation that I should be bussing and cleaning my own table in the buffet. :confused: Normally the crew is right there picking up our plates as soon as we finish. As a paying customer I would not expect to bus and clean my own table on a cruise anymore than I would at a restaurant at home. I mean this isn't McDonalds! That is what my cruise fare and tips are for. And I rarely, if ever see dirty plates lying around as the crew are quick to turn the tables over. A table needs not just to be cleared of dishes, but wiped down and freshened with new table settings. I don't think that is the job of the passengers.

 

While I don't like seeing plates and glasses scattered everywhere on the ship (elevator floors, planters, etc. - yes I've seen this on Carnival RCI and our beloved Princess). I have no problem leaving dishes at the table in the buffet, or even at a bar if I am eating it there. It is their job to bus the tables. I am not in a cafeteria. I do not bus my table at a land-based buffet and Im not going to on a ship. Also, I do not really see an issue leaving room service plates in the hallway - just like a hotel. My IC late lunches every day, I just left the plate in the cabin and my room steward picked it up.

[cdamion]

 

As for staff clearing tables on a cruise, I agree with the sentiment that we are on holiday. Yet it was obvious Princess was absurdly and intentionally understaffed. With 3,000+ passengers the inability to obtain service - poolside drinks & towels, clearing of tables, absurdly long waits and a 3 Stooges Service in the Crown Grill & dining rooms for lunch/dinner -reflected an unacceptably understaffed ship.

 

I attribute this to Princess bone cutting cost imperative. Minimal staffing = minimal service = tables with trash. I do say staff worked hard. BUT insufficient staffing can not adequately address the needs of 3,000+ guests. So painfully obvious. Cabins were wonderfully cleaned. But public areas, especially food areas, were most unpleasant to deal with.

 

What? Have you been on Carnival/NCL/RCI???? Admittedly, I have not been cruising that long, but jeez, if Princess is dropping the ball, what would your opinion be on the mass market lines.

[wristband]

What relevance is the staffing issue on RCL or NCL to Princess? I fail to see the point.

 

The issue here is simple. There are insufficient numbers of staff to adequately service 3,000+ passengers on this specific ship. Especially foul weather days when pax are inside, trash in Horizon or Atrium is not a pleasant sight.

 

So...as a personal choice, I bussed my table, returned my pizza plate, tossed out my coffee cup when finished. I did so as a courtesy to other pax desiring to use my spot due to limited available space. If I did not remove my trash, it would have remained. Others feel otherwise.

 

I chose courteous behavior b/c of inadequate staffing on this ship and b/c I felt it was the "right thing" to do for my fellow passengers who wanted to enjoy their plate.

[shofer]

Sounds like he'll be very busy with his own fun stuff. You, enjoy your friend and don't forget to stop in the IC and get a croissant stuffed with yummy chicken salad. My mouth is watering as I write this!

 

Sounds so yummy, I think that will be our first stop after we board the ship!

[MissDiva1]

Hmmmm, I just can't bring myself to do that. Not because it's work, and I'm on vacation, but because of germs.

 

Neither would I..........just suggesting it to some that continually harumph about it:D

 

What? Have you been on Carnival/NCL/RCI???? Admittedly, I have not been cruising that long, but jeez, if Princess is dropping the ball, what would your opinion be on the mass market lines.

 

Last I heard Princess was a mass market line:confused:

[wizard-of-roz]

I am not Roz, but I read it to mean that her dog is so well trained it passes by all that food and ignores it.

 

You are brilliantly correct. She can be off-leash and ready to go to her potty box [which is always around the corner from our cabin] and I can give her a "key command" to ignore the "garbage" left on the the trays and plates, on the floor and she will waft her nose in the air and just keep on walking!!!!!

[Maraprince]

What relevance is the staffing issue on RCL or NCL to Princess? I fail to see the point.

 

The issue here is simple. There are insufficient numbers of staff to adequately service 3,000+ passengers on this specific ship. Especially foul weather days when pax are inside, trash in Horizon or Atrium is not a pleasant sight.

 

So...as a personal choice, I bussed my table, returned my pizza plate, tossed out my coffee cup when finished. I did so as a courtesy to other pax desiring to use my spot due to limited available space. If I did not remove my trash, it would have remained. Others feel otherwise.

 

I chose courteous behavior b/c of inadequate staffing on this ship and b/c I felt it was the "right thing" to do for my fellow passengers who wanted to enjoy their plate.

 

 

Take from someone who has sailed on other lines mentioned, Princess and this ship are not the only ones with reduced staff. This is happening on all the lines as part of cost containment.

 

Princess does a superior job in making sure there are available tables in the Horizon Court. If we found a recently vacated table, within less than a minute someone came by to clean it off and replace the napkins and silverware. Or, if they saw us looking around for a table, they asked how many and if we wanted to share and joined in looking for a table and even asked other passengers if seats were available.

 

The IC is hard to get a seat only because of the limited number of tables for 2 and the fact that there is entertainment provided at various times. Some passengers never move from a table once they settle in. Seriously! You can pass by at 10 AM, 2 PM, 4 PM and see the same passengers at the same table!

 

MARAPRINCE

[wristband]

Mara you right! I passed by the Atrium area any number of times and would see the same folks plopped in the same chair staring blankly into space. Were they bored? Were they lonely? Were they enjoying the passing scene of people walking to and fro?

 

If they were reading or chatting, I could understand. But just sitting there for such a long stretch puzzled (and saddened) me.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We have often carried small plates of food to other areas of the ship from the International Cafe if there is no place to sit and enjoy it there. And no, we don't eat it while we are walking or on the elevator and I must say that is something I have never seen. I don't have a problem seeing people carry food as long as they are being careful and considerate of others. Seats are often at a premium around the IC, especially thanks to those that park themselves there to read and/or play games and cards at tables that really should be reserved for people who need to sit and eat. But that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish.

 

But I guess what really boggles my mind from this thread is the expectation that I should be bussing and cleaning my own table in the buffet. :confused: Normally the crew is right there picking up our plates as soon as we finish. As a paying customer I would not expect to bus and clean my own table on a cruise anymore than I would at a restaurant at home. I mean this isn't McDonalds! That is what my cruise fare and tips are for. And I rarely, if ever see dirty plates lying around as the crew are quick to turn the tables over. A table needs not just to be cleared of dishes, but wiped down and freshened with new table settings. I don't think that is the job of the passengers.

 

Yes, yes and yes!!!

 

I have bused my own table in the Lido before. However, there should be no expectation of such and no glaring down ones nose at those who don’t. In addition, this quote from above, “A table needs not just to be cleared of dishes, but wiped down and freshened with new table settings.”, is one of the best reasons not to clear your own table. If you clear the table, the attendant may have no easy indicator that a table needs to be wiped down. Then those who tend to complain will have their knickers in a twist about the attendants not cleaning the tables before they seated themselves.

 

 

When we're at a restaurant, we're not expected to bus our own tables, are we? In fact, there isn't a place like your McDs or Panda Express, where you can throw away your disposables in a trash can and then put your empty tray on top. And that's because Princess (as well as restaurants) expect the bus persons to do this...they take care of the uneaten food, the silverware and plates to be sent to the kitchen for cleaning, etc. There isn't a place to for passengers to put used items inside the Horizon or even in the pool area -- unlike empty trays that can be stacked, you can't do that with plates that have forks on top. I know my family tries to clean up after ourselves at many locales that are more of the food court type, but I know of at least two food courts (maybe Roz and Mary have visited Topanga Plaza since the major renovation or Century City mall) here in Southern California that do not have trash cans available for busing your own trays -- the food service managers want their staff to do it for you as part of the ambiance of the place.

 

I would imagine that the cruiselines would rather have the passengers just get up when finished and let the staff take care of the plateware, glasses, silverware, and the cleaning up. In fact, that's a good point that farsight made. The only downside is when someone gets up to get something else from the buffet, and the waiter mistakenly believes the passenger is finished.

 

As for whatever that one poster is complaining, I have never seen people pigging out while carrying food in the elevator. Just sounds snarky to infer that people who are carrying off food from the Horizon or the IC are stuffing themselves on the way to a table. And if passengers are sitting around the piazza, it's because they are listening to whatever musical group is performing or sitting with friends. Maybe Princess should think about re-configuring the space to fit more seating.

 

And I wouldn't say it's just teens or kids leaving behind cups in the elevators -- many of the youngsters onboard the ships are from families that expect a certain level of behavior whether it's on a ship or at school. Some adults need to learn better manners, IMO.

[farsight]

The chairs, tables, etc. in the atrium/piazza are pretty much the same as before the IC was installed during the refurbish or on ships that don't have an IC. Whatever one wants to do in those chairs, whether it is read, people watch, space out, enjoy the ambiance and maybe even doze off (think someone advanced in years or with low blood sugar) or for how long they occupy the chair is really no one's concern. In the buffet which has a specific purpose of being an eatery, I can understand why someone might get upset with someone just sitting for extended periods of time doing something other than eating provided tables were at a premium.

 

What I really don't get is why someone just vegging would sadden someone else. If they were laying on a lounge chair (maybe even for a 10 hour stretch) by the pool with their eyes closed and mindlessly drifting, would that be reason for being "saddened".

[DMRick]

Isn't Princess also a mass market line?

What? Have you been on Carnival/NCL/RCI???? Admittedly, I have not been cruising that long, but jeez, if Princess is dropping the ball, what would your opinion be on the mass market lines.

[farsight]

Isn't Princess also a mass market line?

 

I would have to say yes, and I love Princess. It just is what it is... To some, the term mass market is some big bugaboo. Just like to some, the term commercial is a reason for scorn. But if something that is commercial or mass market gives you happiness/pleasure/enjoyment/fulfillment then I say damn the naysayers. Not that anyone eluded to it in the relative posts >>just a mini rant from hearing these terms bandied about with scorn<<.

[caribill]

Isn't Princess also a mass market line?

 

Well, many passengers have plenty of "mass" at the end of a cruise.

[Cruisin' Chick]

The chairs, tables, etc. in the atrium/piazza are pretty much the same as before the IC was installed during the refurbish or on ships that don't have an IC. Whatever one wants to do in those chairs, whether it is read, people watch, space out, enjoy the ambiance and maybe even doze off (think someone advanced in years or with low blood sugar) or for how long they occupy the chair is really no one's concern. In the buffet which has a specific purpose of being an eatery, I can understand why someone might get upset with someone just sitting for extended periods of time doing something other than eating provided tables were at a premium.

 

What I really don't get is why someone just vegging would sadden someone else. If they were laying on a lounge chair (maybe even for a 10 hour stretch) by the pool with their eyes closed and mindlessly drifting, would that be reason for being "saddened".

 

And if someone is just hanging out in the Explorer's Lounge, it's time to call in security.:D

[farsight]

And if someone is just hanging out in the Explorer's Lounge' date=' it's time to call in security.:D[/quote']

 

Yep, you get it.

[MandD]

And if someone is just hanging out in the Explorer's Lounge' date=' it's time to call in security.:D[/quote']

 

No, no, you do as Henry Stanley did, and you say, "Doctor Livingstone, I presume?" :o