Cafe Caribe - Horizon Court

[Kenswing]

We'll be sailing on the Ruby later this year and I was wondering what, if any difference there is between Café Caribe and Horizon Court.

 

I know Horizon Court is a buffet. Is Café Caribe also?

 

Thanks..

[Times Prince]

Café Caribe is a buffet as well, but in my opinion it is more appealing. There are prepared dinner salads (Caesar and one other), soup and pasta offerings, carving tables for meat and poultry, veggie and fruit offerings, and a nice selection of desserts which are cut and served to you.

 

The tables are usually decked out nicer with either placemats or tablecloths, there is wait staff to bring you drinks.

[klenklen]

The previous post nailed it well though the CC usually has themed dinners and is where we've eaten most of our dinners on two Ruby cruises. You can even eat outside on the tables overlooking the aft terrace pool and the ships wake.

[more cruises]

It was only open limited times on our last couple cruises on the Ruby. We did notice a few themed lunches (Asian and Mexican) back there but it closed down early - like around 2pm

[Woobstr112G]

I'm not a big HC fan, but on past voyages (Emerald/Ruby) I have enjoyed some good themed meals in Cafe Caribe.....:):))

 

Bob

[Pia1913]

Café Caribe is a buffet as well, but in my opinion it is more appealing. There are prepared dinner salads (Caesar and one other), soup and pasta offerings, carving tables for meat and poultry, veggie and fruit offerings, and a nice selection of desserts which are cut and served to you.

The tables are usually decked out nicer with either placemats or tablecloths, there is wait staff to bring you drinks.

 

Cut and served to you by whom? :confused: And on which ship did you have a tablecloth?

Edited February 25, 2014 by Pia1913

[4cats4me]

Caribe Cafe was not our favorite. We have always been fans of the Horizon Court, but caribe Cafe was a little area in the back of the ship with long lines at dinner. Didn't like the themed thing they had going on very much. Salads were little and pre-plated. We much prefer going to the HC and making our own salad from salad bar, but the HC was closed many evenings since Caribe was the buffet portion that was open. This was on the Emerald

We felt that the selection was rather limited, and compared to buffets on other

Cruise lines , the Caribe was a joke. Sorry. Just my honest opinion.

[Trish Ahoy]

do they place the theme (German, Italian, or Mexican) of the meal in Café Caribe in the Princess Patter? as one who can not eat certain types of food, it is important that I can see the theme and compare it to what is in the dining rooms. thanks for any input on Café Caribe on the Ruby.

[chrysalis]

Cut and served to you by whom? :confused: And on which ship did you have a tablecloth?

 

 

Served by staff behind the counter......it has always been like that on the Emerald.....and always set with a tablecloth at dinner

[AryMay]

At breakfast the CC serves a scaled down version of the buffet in the Horizon Court.

[Pia1913]

Served by staff behind the counter......it has always been like that on the Emerald.....and always set with a tablecloth at dinner

 

Then Emerald is doing something not being done on the other ships. It's been a while since we've done Emerald (just had to cancel Feb.), but last month Ruby and December Crown, neither of which served desserts nor had tablecloths.

[klenklen]

I think they now use place mats though the table is set and the staff come by for drink orders, water, lemonade, coffee etc.

I usually make an early run through the ÇC and take a plate of appetizers back to our balcony.

[Kenswing]

Thanks for the great information, everyone..

[yoyosma]

Just a note to add, some things you can ask for in Horizon Ct. are not available in Cafe Caribe. Like my papaya at breakfast. And I think I recall this is where the Emerald offered the crab shack, but I may be wrong about that. Not sure when/if Ruby will be doing Crab Shack. I do not believe Ruby offering it in January when I was on board.

Still trying for that last work. :-) Old habits die hard.

[serene56]

Cut and served to you by whom? :confused: And on which ship did you have a tablecloth?

 

I have sailed the Caribbean Princess and the Crown. and on both cruises we ate in the buffet area because of the way it was set.

 

The only difference between here and the main dinign room is I get my own food. Tables were set with table clothes. and waiters getting our drinks for us. So nice.

[Pia1913]

I have sailed the Caribbean Princess and the Crown. and on both cruises we ate in the buffet area because of the way it was set.

 

The only difference between here and the main dinign room is I get my own food. Tables were set with table clothes. and waiters getting our drinks for us. So nice.

 

We were on the Crown in December; never went to DR once. No tablecloths in CC.

[RNGALNG]

We were on the Crown in December; never went to DR once. No tablecloths in CC.

 

We were on the Crown the last week before she started her trip around South America. We too never saw table cloths or servers serving us desserts. And, we too never made it to the MDR on this cruise!

 

My only complaint with the food is that I like to choose small servings of a few desserts and found the serving size on the Crown to be very large! I had to try and cut a sliver of each one I wanted to try instead of wasting a full piece. On our Hawaiian cruise the year before, all the desserts were behind a glass patrician and there was someone to help serve you. They also had smaller servings so I could take a couple of them back to my table. But if that was my only complaint. . . why complain, right?

[crackupforlaughs]

Last week (2/15 cruise) on the Caribbean Princess, Cafe Caribe had servers plating desserts and cheese offerings (the latter outside of the buffet line). Some salads were pre-dressed, some were not. The themes I remember are mexican night, bavarian, italian and the crab pot, the latter for $20 and apparently sells out quickly (we went to the other three, but not the crab pot or crab shack --forget what it is called and I lent out our Patters!). The Patter did say what the theme for the night was going to be. No tablecloths, though, although maybe placemats on embarkation night? The dessert servings were much larger than the HC or the IC (they were good! and I don't have a sweet tooth).

[Times Prince]

Cut and served to you by whom? :confused: And on which ship did you have a tablecloth?

... what Chrysalis said.

 

Served by staff behind the counter......it has always been like that on the Emerald.....and always set with a tablecloth at dinner

Emerald had tablecloths on formal nights, placemats on others on our cruises. Maybe they've discontinued the tablecloths by now. Crown Princess last year only had placemats.

 

What I like about the salad and desserts being prepared by the kitchen staff and served to you on the buffet is that there is less possibility for contamination from other passengers. It feels nicer too.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Times Prince

[Trish Ahoy]

thanks for the info about the theme of Café Caribe on the Patters. That is good news.

[caribill]

The themes I remember are mexican night, bavarian, italian and the crab pot, the latter for $20 and apparently sells out quickly (we went to the other three, but not the crab pot or crab shack --forget what it is called and I lent out our Patters!).

 

Called Crab Shack. Here is the menu.

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

Café Caribe is a buffet as well, but in my opinion it is more appealing. There are prepared dinner salads (Caesar and one other), soup and pasta offerings, carving tables for meat and poultry, veggie and fruit offerings, and a nice selection of desserts which are cut and served to you.

 

The tables are usually decked out nicer with either placemats or tablecloths, there is wait staff to bring you drinks.

 

On my last couple of cruises on the Golden (2010/11 and 2012/13), which doesn't have the Caribe, there was at least a night or two in which there was a table of cakes and pies but just outside the serving area. But you would cut and serve yourself.

[Thrak]

On my last couple of cruises on the Golden (2010/11 and 2012/13)' date=' which doesn't have the Caribe, there was at least a night or two in which there was a table of cakes and pies but just outside the serving area. But you would cut and serve yourself.[/quote']

 

Wow. Great way to spread infection. I'd much rather not have passengers fiddling with the food others will be eating.

[plattwear]

Does anyone know if the Crab Shack is offered on the GOLDEN in 2014? Thank you