Details about the Spirit buffet

[happy cruzer]

Hi, I have been reading the reviews of the Spirit. Many complain about the buffet.

 

Can someone please tell what the buffet is like on the Spirit? Is there a grill area? sandwich? specialty? pizza?

 

What kind of beverages are provided?

 

I don't usually care for buffets but if I can find one item like a stir fry or baked fish I usually do fine.

 

What are the alternatives for lunch besides the buffet?

 

Thanks.

[CrusinGrandmaF]

i haven't been on the Spirit yet (May 2012) but I have been on the Sea, Star,Sun, and Jewel. The buffets have been similar on them all and seem like a buffet you would go to anywhere .....salads, soups, cheeses, breads, fruit, a variety of meat, poultry, fish. The Star offered cultural choices too and I am sure they all do. There are pizzas, hotdogs and burgers available. Usually whatever is being served in the main dining rooms will be available either the same or next day. Breakfast buffet offers all kinds of breakfast items including made to order omelettes.

[dasmonkey]

Like "Grandma" said, it's a buffet.

 

I have been on the Spirit 3 times this year and didn't find it to be any better/worse than any of my other 25+ cruises on any of 5 lines.

 

They do have a good stir fry station. I remember seeing baked fish as well.

 

The MDR is also open for lunch as well as Blue Lagoon and on the sea days they are grilling outside.

I always saw better options so never bothered with the pizza.

Drinks weren't extensive. I remember seeing iced tea, hot tea, coffee, and milk.

[glorialagos]

Went on the Spirit in July. We ate at the buffet every day for breakfast - very good, usually had them fry up a couple eggs at the omelet station. You can get juice at breakfast but the rest of the day, I believe, drinks were water, tea, coffee, milk (only breakfast maybe?)

 

There was always soup. There was a neat section where you made your own soup with fresh vegetables and they added broth. Seemed to always be a section with some kind of carved meat. I believe I saw baked fish every time we went. There was another buffet area by the pool area - burgers, hot dogs, and mashed potatoes and gravy, among other things.

 

Believe me, you will not go hungry. The buffet was fine. But, we did prefer Blue Lagoon (excellent) and the dining rooms. We were very pleased with the food options on Spirit.

[Toyz711]

breakfast: besides the pre-cook eggs, they have an "any way you want it" egg stations, also eggs benny, pastries, hot and cold cereal, etc. juices were usually orange and grapefruit, but sometimes apple. milk, tea (Hot and cold, but the ice tea is awful) , coffee and water.

lunch: some hot items, salads and a "made to order" salad area. pre-made sandwiches and a made to order sandwich. soups...some juices, teas, coffee, water.

mid-day: they put out more sandwiches (usually)

dinner: many salads, made to order salad, veggies, some pasta dishes, a carving stations, a few indian dishes, pasta stations (pre made and made to order), crepe station (dessert), ice cream station (hard pack, limited selection) desserts (some cakes and other stuff...desserts were not that great in the buffet area, other then the great fresh crepes) hot/cold tea, coffee, juice, water

breakfast, lunch available in the windows dining room. dinner in both dining rooms. limited menu available for breakfast, lunch and dinner at the blue lagoon.

[happy cruzer]

Wow, sounds very nice. Especially the soup, stirfry, fish, and carved meat.

 

Thanks for the reassurance; it sounds like some reveiwers wanted the buffet to be more than a buffet.

 

Plus having Blue Lagoon as an option should be great.

 

Thanks to everyone who took the time to provide some details.

[RYMOMA]

i wanted to take the omlette station chef home with me...

 

by the second day he knew what i wanted and remembered for the rest of the cruise...

 

and i was the yummiest omlette EVER~!!!!

[Abear2]

In three weeks, I will be on the Spirit for the fifth time ! Oh and the sixth time will be in February ! It can't be that bad, right ? LOL :p The buffet to me is just like any other buffet on other ships. I promise you will not starve. I did go to teh buffet for breakfast every morning. I love that they fix eggs any way youwould like them. When I would come back from a port around lunch, I would go to the Blue Lagoon. I love that place. I always ate at night either in the main dining room or specialty restaurants. The latter are definitely my favorites. If you want the lobster without paying extra in the specialty restaurant, then you need to go eat in the main dining room the first night of the cruise. This is the only night it's served in the main dining room. They do have a grill outside on deck 11 that they fix hamburgers/hotdogs as well. They also have a bar-b-que one day outside on the deck. I don't remember what day it is, but it will be in your daily that is delivered to your room each evening for the next day's activities, shows etc... The Spirit in my opinion has the best crew/officers of any of the ships I have ever been on. I will definitely miss her when she leaves in April to go to Europe ! :( The Star will take it's place and I have been to Alaska on that ship as well, so it really won't be so bad. Have a great cruise and you will love the Spirit !

[happy cruzer]

Anyone care to describe the made to order salads or the deli sandwiches? The website lists the sandwiches as New York style deli sandwiches, does that mean special bread, toppings, meats??

 

Still doing my research.

 

Thanks.

[housepeepers]

The selection of bread/rolls is phenomenal; all are yummy. There is roast beef, ham, turkey, tuna salad etc with tomatoes, greens, mustards, mayo etc. Everything you need to make a sandwich, but there are usually so many other things for lunch at the buffet that I think I have only made a sandwich once in all my cruises.

[Bars7816]

You should certainly know everthing there is to know about the Spirit! Has it been refurbished since 2008? Are the carpets and furnishings in good shape? Does it still have a Spinnaker-type viewing area? Does the Spirit have Epic-type entertainment, or just the usual shows? Tell all!:)

[russianmom]

Anyone care to describe the made to order salads or the deli sandwiches? The website lists the sandwiches as New York style deli sandwiches, does that mean special bread, toppings, meats??

 

Still doing my research.

 

Thanks.

 

The salad bar is one of the best I've seen. Lots and lots of choices. They usually had mixed greens, field greens and my favorite lolla rossa lettuce. Lots of fresh veggies etc. They also have a person mixing Caesar salad to order.

[newmexicoNita]

Hi, I have been reading the reviews of the Spirit. Many complain about the buffet.

 

Can someone please tell what the buffet is like on the Spirit? Is there a grill area? sandwich? specialty? pizza?

 

What kind of beverages are provided?

 

I don't usually care for buffets but if I can find one item like a stir fry or baked fish I usually do fine.

 

What are the alternatives for lunch besides the buffet?

 

Thanks.

 

Where in the devil are you reading all these reviews that complain about the Spirit buffer? I am guessing maybe you have read a couple of complaint, but I can assure you, of all the cruises we have taken (close to 30) the Spirit has as good if not better buffet than any other ship regardless of the line. They have fresh salads for lunch, made to order ceasar salad, carving bar; made to order sandwhiches, veggie bar for those who prefer to consume a vegetaraian diet or just want to enjoy some unusual lunch entrees, fish, yes stir fry, fresh fruit and much more. We are not huge buffet eaters either, but the Spirit has a buffet worth visiting.

 

If you want something else, normally there is one MDR open for lunch, plus Blue Lagoon and the Great outdoors, plus the Beer Gardens. YOu will have no problme finding something to eat at lunch.

 

Nita

[Bloodhound 1]

Just got off the Sprit recently. Ship looks brand new after the dry dock. Ate at the buffet every breakfast except one. It was way better than expected and the omlette station will also prepare eggs over easy etc.

 

Went to the buffet for lunch and it was just ok. Never went for dinner.