Any special buffets anymore?

[irishayes]

I heard that Celebrity has dumped both the chocolate buffet and the lunch buffet in the last sea day. True?

 

Is there any other special buffets that they still have? Really enjoyed the chocolate buffet... :(

 

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[SoBe2010]

Sadly, there are no more special events around the food on board.

Compared to early days like 5 to 10 years ago, they axed a lot of it.

[jelayne]

The Grand Buffet was discontinue awhile ago. On one of the sea days there is an enhanced buffet in the Oceanview. They have the ice sculptures and some food items that are not normally available at the buffet.

[lola2013]

We had a chocolate fountain in the Oceanview Café on two sea days a few months ago on Solstice. Nothing like the "special" buffet we had on Equinox a couple of years ago...but hey, it was chocolate...it was a fountain...lots of treats for dipping. I was a happy cruiser.

[karena1]

When we were on Silhouette in Dec, on our last sea day they had a Mexican station set up in the buffet. I had fresh, made to order Fajitas and boy were they good!!

[Baron Barracuda]

Have seen a cake buffet on last few sailings with many different varieties of cakes. Usually included chocolate fountain.

 

Also saw a number of themed nights at the buffet featuring different types of foods. These included caribbean, italian and asian nights. Pretty good, but unfortunately most folks eat dinner in mdr and aren't aware of these.

Edited July 27, 2016 by Baron Barracuda

[TeaBag]

We had a chocolate fountain in the Oceanview Café on two sea days a few months ago on Solstice. Nothing like the "special" buffet we had on Equinox a couple of years ago...but hey, it was chocolate...it was a fountain...lots of treats for dipping. I was a happy cruiser.

 

Quote button not working so I cut and pasted!Yes, lola 2013, chocolate fixes a lot. Why don't they know this?

 

I have seen enhanced buffets in the oceanview and also themed ones in the last year.

[Banjo]

I used to like that last sea day buffet in the MDR. It's a shame don't have it.

[CYNSport]

We had a chocolate fountain on the Constellation in May. They had it staffed so servers got the chocolate for guests, which kept the area much nicer and cleaner for everyone and prevented people from diving headfirst into the fountain :D

 

Don't remember an ice sculpture.

[cruisestitch]

US Public Health laws forbid having a buffet served on a carpeted floor -- so the alternatives have included some special dinner buffets (on recent British Isles cruise there was an Irish themed night and a Scottish themed night) and a special lunch, which might include a chocolate fountain and a cotton candy machine, even.

 

Not quite as elegant as having a buffet in the MDR, to be sure.

[FeelingCruisy]

I believe they do.. last 2 cruise (last year on Celebrity) there was a day (depends on when the head chef deem the day should be) where they have a lot of great food, including the choc. fountain, and lots of seafood, everything.. oh and the roast turkey arrive in a cart, and you can smell it in miles.... yum

[A Sixth?]

US Public Health laws forbid having a buffet served on a carpeted floor -- so the alternatives have included some special dinner buffets (on recent British Isles cruise there was an Irish themed night and a Scottish themed night) and a special lunch, which might include a chocolate fountain and a cotton candy machine, even.

 

Not quite as elegant as having a buffet in the MDR, to be sure.

 

I have read that here before but can you provide a link because this is what I found:

6-201.14 Floor Carpeting, Restrictions and Installation.

 

(A) A floor covering such as carpeting or similar material may not be installed as a floor covering in food preparation areas, walk-in refrigerators, warewashing areas, toilet room areas where handwashing lavatories, toilets, and urinals are located, refuse storage rooms, or other areas where the floor is subject to moisture, flushing, or spray cleaning methods.

 

(B) If carpeting is installed as a floor covering in areas other than those specified under ¶ (A) of this section, it shall be:

 

(1) Securely attached to the floor with a durable mastic, by using a stretch and tack method, or by another method; and

 

(2) Installed tightly against the wall under the coving or installed away from the wall with a space between the carpet and the wall and with the edges of the carpet secured by metal stripping or some other means.

 

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/RetailFoodProtection/FoodCode/ucm188092.htm

[morechances]

We had a chocolate fountain on the Constellation in May. They had it staffed so servers got the chocolate for guests, which kept the area much nicer and cleaner for everyone and prevented people from diving headfirst into the fountain :D

 

Don't remember an ice sculpture.

 

Chocolate fountain this week on the Constellation.

[rolfecms]

In its quest for trendiness Celebrity has thrown tradition overboard and the abandonment of the grand/chocolate buffets are one more example. Not sure who their target demographic is but it's certainly not us.

[cruisestitch]

Some time ago when this came up I found this information and posted here on Cruise Critic, so quoting my own post:

 

"The ships, on the other hand, are governed by the US Public Health laws, specifically the The Vessel Sanitation Program. VSP operates under the authority of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Section 264 Quarantine and Inspection Regulations to Control Communicable Diseases). VSP is part of the National Center for Environmental Health's Division of Emergency and Environmental Health Services.

 

You can see their operations manual here:

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/operatio...manual2011.pdf

 

Here is one relevant part of the manual:

 

7.4.1.1.9 Nonfood-contact Surfaces

NONFOOD-CONTACT SURFACES of EQUIPMENT that are exposed to splash, spillage, or other food soiling or that require frequent cleaning must be constructed of a corrosion-resistantm nonabsorbent and SMOOTH material

 

(emphasis theirs)

 

And here, not from a Celebrity ship, is a citation from a ship's report:

 

Item No.: 33

Site: Dining Room-Ballindalloch Dining Room

Violation: The mobile breakfast pastry buffet stations were placed on the carpeted-area of the dining room between the main buffet and the aft waiter station during the breakfast service.

Recommendation: Ensure decks in food areas are constructed and maintained for easy cleaning. Do not use carpet in these areas.

 

Similar citations occur throughout the VSP reports."

 

The ship which was found to be in violation was not a Celebrity ship, I want to make that clear, as you can see from the name of the dining room.

 

This is the vsp regulation generally referred to when discussing the buffet problem.

[NordicPrince]

OMG. I ate at the Lunch Buffet in the MDR so for many years. I must have caught many many diseases of which I am unaware of. I should be dead by now.

 

This goes with the "no more having the diners wave their napkins around for a waiter's parade due to concerns over germs being spread."

 

How have I survived so long?

 

I'm going to lock myself in my cabin the next time around so I don't get exposed to anything at all.

 

Something has happened to common sense along the way.

Edited July 27, 2017 by NordicPrince

[Alakegirl]

In the intervening year since this thread began, there have been many theme buffets seen on Celebrity. There is the "pie lunch" with sweet and savory pies, the cupcake day, various ethnic meals, including Portugese, Greek, Indian, Peruvian (these latter seen at night). All were served in the Oceanview Cafe.

[NLH Arizona]

In its quest for trendiness Celebrity has thrown tradition overboard and the abandonment of the grand/chocolate buffets are one more example. Not sure who their target demographic is but it's certainly not us.

What lines still have a grand, midnight and dessert buffets in the MDR, like Celebtrity use to do?

[ClaudiaB]

n/a

[Cruisegoer]

US Public Health laws forbid having a buffet served on a carpeted floor -- so the alternatives have included some special dinner buffets (on recent British Isles cruise there was an Irish themed night and a Scottish themed night) and a special lunch, which might include a chocolate fountain and a cotton candy machine, even.

 

Not quite as elegant as having a buffet in the MDR, to be sure.

 

What do you US Public Health laws have to do with anything in International waters? As long as they aren't doing in a US port that's not the reason.

[cruisestitch]

As long as a Celebrity ship sails within US waters they abide by USPH laws, even when not within those waters. Other lines may do it differently but that's how Celebrity operates.

[Alakegirl]

Cruisegoer, the U.S. Public Health laws are relevant and being in international waters has nothing to do with it.

 

(Also the ships, no matter where they are sailing, comply with U.S. Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act).

[bunnyette]

OMG. I ate at the Lunch Buffet in the MDR so for many years. I must have caught many many diseases of which I am unaware of. I should be dead by now.

 

This goes with the "no more having the diners wave their napkins around for a waiter's parade due to concerns over germs being spread."

 

How have I survived so long?

 

I'm going to lock myself in my cabin the next time around so I don't get exposed to anything at all.

 

Something has happened to common sense along the way.

 

 

 

Like you, I must have a stomach of cast iron...agree on all points.

 

 

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[Fish Lover]

What do you US Public Health laws have to do with anything in International waters? As long as they aren't doing in a US port that's not the reason.

 

Because they sell their product to US citizens. Also, they do stop in US ports and these ports are also used for embarkation and disembarkation points.

[mek]

OMG. I ate at the Lunch Buffet in the MDR so for many years. I must have caught many many diseases of which I am unaware of. I should be dead by now.

 

This goes with the "no more having the diners wave their napkins around for a waiter's parade due to concerns over germs being spread."

 

How have I survived so long?

 

I'm going to lock myself in my cabin the next time around so I don't get exposed to anything at all.

 

Something has happened to common sense along the way.

 

It's the mentality that buys into "we must be protected from everything in life that might harm or upset us", that has killed common sense.