The Midnight Buffet

[shipshape78]

Around twenty years ago I sailed on my first and only cruise on Royal's Viking Serenade. I remember something that must have been the midnight buffet. From what I understand this is a tradition that no longer happens on modern ships. I remember caviar and ice sculptures among other fancy stuff.

 

I'll be sailing on the Allure in July. Is there anything anymore where they even serve caviar on board? Are ice sculptures ancient history?

[Clarea]

Don't know about Allure, but some ships have one late night buffet on the pool deck with an ice carving or two.

[jebl]

Caviar is a rarity on RCI's ships now days. In the Diamond Lounge they sometimes have canapes with about 3 little caviar pieces on them.

 

But that's about all I ever see. Used to be offered as an appetizer in the dining rooms. Came with little toast points, chopped onion and egg. DH ordered it every chance he got.

 

Haven't seen ice sculptures either lately but then I wasn't looking.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

I miss the Gala Buffet, never ate anything, just loved the ice carvings, fruit carvings, desserts that were so beautifully decorated and all the other displays that took so many man hours to create such a beautiful buffet.

 

***

[jhnsnfamily]

Just off the Allure today. No midnight buffets and no ice carvings. Didn't see caviar on the main dining room menu but the specialty restaurants may have some ... Enjoy your cruise. She is a beautiful ship!

[LMaxwell]

The midnight buffet is a long gone relic of cruising past. There is absolutely nothing done that even comes close to the old Gala Midnight buffets. I remember lining up outside locked MDR doors then you could tour, NOT TOUCH OR TASTE, the intricately made fruit, bread, ice carvings. Then they'd lock up the MDR again and prepare for service and let everyone back in and stay open until 1AM.

[cruiseguy1016]

On our last several cruises (out of San Juan) they have had what they call a late night buffet on the pool deck. It's nothing like the grand buffets they used to have. It's more of a barbeque. As for the ice sculptures, they quite often have them in the windjammer during meal times. They did have one or two at the late night buffet. I have also seen ice carving demonstrations during the day on the pool deck.

[ehfl]

Majesty still has the midnight buffet, but Allure does not.

[LMaxwell]

Majesty still has the midnight buffet, but Allure does not.

 

RCI doesn't do midnight buffet anymore.

[shipshape78]

Thanks for the replies. I didn't think they did the midnight buffet anymore, but I'm a little surprised they did away with the fancy stuff like ice sculptures, etc. Well, glad I got to experience it when I did. I'm sure I'll still have an amazing time on my cruise!

[Ashland]

RCI doesn't do midnight buffet anymore.

RCI ships all but Oasis/Allure (due to the limited outdoor pool area I believe) still do one midnight (or day time) pool party buffet...our recent Alaska did one during the day..so it may depend on the RCI itinerary you're sailing on.

[Ashland]

Around twenty years ago I sailed on my first and only cruise on Royal's Viking Serenade. I remember something that must have been the midnight buffet. From what I understand this is a tradition that no longer happens on modern ships. I remember caviar and ice sculptures among other fancy stuff.

 

I'll be sailing on the Allure in July. Is there anything anymore where they even serve caviar on board? Are ice sculptures ancient history?

Sailed many many times on the Viking Serenade Mexico cruise and I too loved those midnight buffets they had every night with a gala one on one night.

 

The best ice sculpture we have seen (watched being done) recently was on our recent ROS Alaska cruise when they carved one from a piece of the ice berg some of the crew fetched in the water near Hubbard Glacier.

[LMaxwell]

RCI ships all but Oasis/Allure (due to the limited outdoor pool area I believe) still do one midnight (or day time) pool party buffet...our recent Alaska did one during the day..so it may depend on the RCI itinerary you're sailing on.

 

The midnight buffet of the past is long dead. They stopped the Gala Buffet 6 or 7 years ago. The pool party with snacks isn't anything remotely close to what the Gala Midnight buffet used to be. They used to re-open the MDR around 11PM - 11:45pm and you could walk through and photograph and see all sorts of carvings of ice, bread, fruit, carved into exotic animals, scenes, ships. Desserts would be absolutely endless. Then they'd lock you out and prepare for service from midnight - 1am. That's the old type of cruise food people raved about. Notice all the ice carvings? They were ALWAYS doing ice carving demo's by the pool. Now? Maybe 1 a cruise. MAYBE.

 

Anyone who started cruising after 2007 or 2008 will probably never see anything like this.

 

 

This is a Midnight Buffet! (Random shots from Google)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LMaxwell]

 

The best ice sculpture we have seen (watched being done) recently was on our recent ROS Alaska cruise when they carved one from a piece of the ice berg some of the crew fetched in the water near Hubbard Glacier.

 

That would be really cool to see!

 

Sounds like you saw some of the "old days" too and what a big difference it is now. It used to be not just food...it was genuine entertainment. You'd look and go 'That's food?!?!"

[Philly Steve]

It's a shame to see this cruising tradition gone and I'm glad I have video to keep memories alive. On the other hand, I had always imagined there was a lot of food waste when it was said and done.

[BillOh]

Caviar is a rarity on RCI's ships now days. In the Diamond Lounge they sometimes have canapes with about 3 little caviar pieces on them.

 

But that's about all I ever see. Used to be offered as an appetizer in the dining rooms. Came with little toast points, chopped onion and egg. DH ordered it every chance he got.

 

Haven't seen ice sculptures either lately but then I wasn't looking.

 

As far as ice sculptures, I've seen them sporadically. Usually if there is a poolside bar tender/demo/show, I've seen them there.

[EmpressofPurple]

I wonder if they'll bring these back for cruises in the Asian market...

 

I miss these, too. Yeah, changing eating and sleeping patterns have made a difference in consumption and waste... but what a cool tradition that only existed in cruising and no where else! They even had a gala midnight buffet like these, with photos at 11:30 and eating at midnight on the old 3-night, child-focused Big Red Boat cruises!!

 

On recent rci sailings, the"midnight" buffet was at 10:30 and was basically tacos and ice cream on the pool deck... by the time I went up (thinking I was early at 11:30) the food was mostly gone.

 

Late seating lets OUT at 10:30, how can they move up the buffet so early? Ah well, as I said, midnight snacks in general are a thing of the past. As a kid I remember if I woke up in the middle of the night I'd find my parents having some amazing midnight meal, Apple fritters, fried bananas, beignets, something... While we're told not to eat after 6 pm, not to eat anything fried, etc, etc... plus I get up at 6 for the 7 am stretch class, it's tough to go to sleep right after a taco at midnight...

 

Sigh, another cruising tradition bites the dust. And yeah, they did used to have ice carving demonstrations on the pool deck ask the time, amazing birds in flight, etc. Now you're lucky to get a crown and anchor carving at a welcome back pay once on the ship. Boo hoo.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Forums mobile app

[loubetti]

Ohhhhh... midnight buffets were great! On most ships they would first open them for photo ops (no touching allowed), and then the formal opening for eating. Even the little Regal Empress put on a superb one in the MDR, and QE2 did theirs on the lido (enclosed).

 

Sometimes I would eat a bit, and sometimes I would just take advantage of the photo op.

 

I even remember ice carving demonstrations on deck during the day, where after the carving was done, it would be put in the freezer to later appear at the buffet. The demo was always well-attended.

 

These expensive spreads would obviously not likely survive in the cruise lines current business model.

[JasonV1]

These will never come back, too wasteful in an era where every expense is carefully controlled in order to keep fares low (or maximize profits, if you wish).

 

I've been cruising since '95 so I've seen my fair share of midnight buffets. This thread is going to force me to bust out the old photos to see what pics I have.

[dlbaqua]

My first cruise was in 1995 on the Norway, what a grand ship. It was quite a magical experience. They had wonderful midnight buffets and I think they also had an all chocolate buffet but that may have been on my next cruise the following year on Holland America.

A lot of the "grand" traditions are gone but cruising is still the best way to travel in my book.

[39august]

I have gotten caviar on ships with a Champagne bar at happy hour when buying a drink there in the past. Are any ships still doing this? NOS is my latest cruise and she has no Champagne Bar now, so no free caviar on her. I remember Oasis did this two years ago. Seems like I remember Indy doing this as well.

[George C]

Around twenty years ago I sailed on my first and only cruise on Royal's Viking Serenade. I remember something that must have been the midnight buffet. From what I understand this is a tradition that no longer happens on modern ships. I remember caviar and ice sculptures among other fancy stuff.

 

I'll be sailing on the Allure in July. Is there anything anymore where they even serve caviar on board? Are ice sculptures ancient history?

 

Almost all lines have done away with midnight buffet , which I do not miss, but I do miss the free cavair, used to order a double portion. I have not seen free cavair on any lines in years, unless as said I tiny tiny bit of a appitizer

[ged1967]

My first exp of midnight buffet was about 1993/4 on Cunard Princess. It was mindblowing! The pics above give you an idea.

 

Later I cruised Airtours & Thomsons (same ship) Sunbird/Destiny, Formerly RCI Song of America. This was around 2004 & 2008. Both had a Gala Midnight buffet and a chocoholics midnight Buffet. Again they were fantastic. I miss them but they must have been a lot of waste.

 

Gx

[nelblu]

I miss the Gala Buffet, never ate anything, just loved the ice carvings, fruit carvings, desserts that were so beautifully decorated and all the other displays that took so many man hours to create such a beautiful buffet.

 

***

 

If interested in ice carvings, some ships that I've been on have ice carving demos by the pool. With some of the venues being open 24 hrs a day and able to order room service, the midnite buffet became history. I remember my 1st cruise on the "Oceanic" made the 12:30 am buffet every nite and went through a large bottle of "Brioschi" to alleviate indigestions.LOL

[beffiebear]

I used to love the midnight buffets. On Carnival they also had the late night dessert crepe buffet, at like 1:30 am, AFTER you filled up on the midnight buffet. That was awesome!!