Buffets on Riviera not self service?

[pinotlover]

We choose an empty table, in the Terrace, and I sit at the table and allow my wife to go through the buffet line while I wait at the table. When she returns, I go through the line. While she is gone, I order the appropriate drinks we want so that hopefully they are there shortly after she arrives back at the table and starts eating. No hassle, No drama, with the table, and I've never collapsed from exhaustion and lack of food waiting for her return! Never needed to hold her hand either while she decides what she wants to eat! Then it's my turn!

[cbb]

Pinotlover,

 

we too took turns, especially at breakfast. I'd have my first cup of coffee while waiting then it was my turn. Worked out beautifully!!! No drama that way!!!

[Harters]

we had a non-North American couple who would shove the utensils, napkins, sweaters, books aside and assume a table.

We non-North Americans can be so stupidly rude at times.

[ChucktownSteve]

We non-North Americans can be so stupidly rude at times.

 

And sometimes so can North Americans be as well. :D

[happy cruzer]

We choose an empty table, in the Terrace, and I sit at the table and allow my wife to go through the buffet line while I wait at the table. When she returns, I go through the line. While she is gone, I order the appropriate drinks we want so that hopefully they are there shortly after she arrives back at the table and starts eating. No hassle, No drama, with the table, and I've never collapsed from exhaustion and lack of food waiting for her return! Never needed to hold her hand either while she decides what she wants to eat! Then it's my turn!

 

This is what we do on the mass market lines. Even sometimes one gets food for two and an extra plate so that we can eat together. Hoped that would not be necessary on a small ship. We do enjoy a hot meal together.

[billlkay]

i just talked with friends who have recently returned from their first sailing on Oceania, I think it was the Regatta (??). They commented, positively that in the buffet line you could not serve yourself. Is this true on the Riviera? It would be a plus for me as I am on a gluten free diet and would be able to ask the necessary questions and not just guess or assume.

When are you going on the Riviera? I am going on 9/18

[LHT28]

Hoped that would not be necessary on a small ship. We do enjoy a hot meal together.

You will probably fine if you follow some of the tips above

 

Take a sweater or something to leave on the chair while you are both away from the table

[cbb]

tipsygirl,

 

In Terrace you can ask one of the staff if you can speak with one of the chefs and he/she will come out and go through each food item with you re: gluten.

[happy cruzer]

You will probably fine if you follow some of the tips above

 

Take a sweater or something to leave on the chair while you are both away from the table

Good advice that is how we will start. On our other O cruises we had tables away from the windows usually, no one took those :) Once on Celebrity we had someone move our books and sunglasses over to the next table. We got to dine looking right at the lady and her three kids at our previous table.

[njhorseman]

This is what we do on the mass market lines. Even sometimes one gets food for two and an extra plate so that we can eat together. Hoped that would not be necessary on a small ship. We do enjoy a hot meal together.

 

Unfortunately we found the behavior of some passengers on Oceania, whether in the buffet or elsewhere on the ship, to be just bad as some passengers' behavior on the mass market lines. In some ways it seemed worse on Oceania because I had the apparently unrealistic expectation that people who were well-traveled might be a little more polite and considerate, but alas that was not the case.

[Mura]

What gets into some people's heads, anyway??!! :(

[LHT28]

What gets into some people's heads, anyway??!! :(

Maybe they are part of the ME ME generation :)

 

It is all about ME or they are old & think " I can do as I please "

[Paulchili]

Unfortunately we found the behavior of some passengers on Oceania, whether in the buffet or elsewhere on the ship, to be just bad as some passengers' behavior on the mass market lines. In some ways it seemed worse on Oceania because I had the apparently unrealistic expectation that people who were well-traveled might be a little more polite and considerate, but alas that was not the case.

 

Just to play the devil's advocate - did you ask these people if they were Oceania "old timers" or "newcomers"?

Obviously, they could be either as there are plenty of both.

Just sayin ':D

[bitob]

A ship is a microcosm of the population in general. You will find all kinds on all ships

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[njhorseman]

Just to play the devil's advocate - did you ask these people if they were Oceania "old timers" or "newcomers"?

Obviously, they could be either as there are plenty of both.

Just sayin ':D

 

The last thing thing I would do is engage that type of person in a conversation.

 

We were Oceania newcomers ourselves That didn't somehow mean that we had to learn about what was proper behavior for an Oceania cruise. It was no different than proper behavior anywhere under any circumstances.

[pinotlover]

On our just departed cruise, 82% of the passengers were repeat O cruisers. Anywhere from second cruise to #70 & 74. Over half the ship was over 80, for the remaining there were more in their 70s than younger. Many had the attitude of "I'm old and will do as I please!"

 

I rarely take O tours and this cruise reinforced why. Numerous geriatrics signed up for tours they were obviously not in physical condition to take. Some had trouble just getting on and off a bus. When they brought tours to multiple stops to allow them to catch up or rest, their attitude was they expected/demanded to be facilitated at all times! Some pouters on here rail against children, but most parents wouldn't take their children on tours inappropriate for their children's abilities, plus it wouldn't be tolerated by the others if they did. A lot of diapers (adult style) on a couple of those tours crying for a potty stop every 30-45 minutes! At least mothers will change their young ones diapers when needed!

[Paulchili]

 

We were Oceania newcomers ourselves That didn't somehow mean that we had to learn about what was proper behavior for an Oceania cruise. It was no different than proper behavior anywhere under any circumstances.

 

You are speaking for yourself - as you should - and I obviously was not speaking about you. Your high standards may not apply to everyone.

I know that our last several of 20+ O cruises were different from our earlier ones (since 2006).

Why this is the case I can only speculate and I am sure it is due to multiple factors. Maybe it is us - we ourselves and our expectations have changed over the years.

That said, Oceania is still our preferred cruise line with all its pros & cons (even when compared to luxury lines like Seabourn that we cruised on this year).

[St Paul Girl]

You will probably fine if you follow some of the tips above

 

Take a sweater or something to leave on the chair while you are both away from the table

That's why we almost NEVER do buffets for dinner. Not our kind of atmosphere for an evening meal.

We have done 5 Star all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and when they did their weekly "buffet", we would both be escorted to a table as we arrived, seated and drinks ordered and then at our leisure go and get what we wanted to eat. No table problems and very civilized.

Hopefully Oceania can come close.

[LHT28]

That's why we almost NEVER do buffets for dinner. Not our kind of atmosphere for an evening meal.

We have done 5 Star all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and when they did their weekly "buffet", we would both be escorted to a table as we arrived, seated and drinks ordered and then at our leisure go and get what we wanted to eat. No table problems and very civilized.

Hopefully Oceania can come close.

I dislike buffets but sometimes I do not feel like a long drawn out affair in the GDR

You will unlikely be escorted to a table ..yes they will take your drink order

 

Most of the time there is no problem but there are some people that just do not understand that someone may be sitting at the table & just gone for food

 

The napkin on the back of the chair or on the arm of the chair drinks on the table are some clues :halo:

[njhorseman]

You are speaking for yourself - as you should - and I obviously was not speaking about you. Your high standards may not apply to everyone.

I know that our last several of 20+ O cruises were different from our earlier ones (since 2006).

Why this is the case I can only speculate and I am sure it is due to multiple factors. Maybe it is us - we ourselves and our expectations have changed over the years.

That said, Oceania is still our preferred cruise line with all its pros & cons (even when compared to luxury lines like Seabourn that we cruised on this year).

 

We don't think of ourselves as having high standards. Both my wife and I were simply raised to be polite and respectful of others, without an overblown sense of entitlement.

[sandbag7]

On our just departed cruise, 82% of the passengers were repeat O cruisers. Anywhere from second cruise to #70 & 74. Over half the ship was over 80, for the remaining there were more in their 70s than younger. Many had the attitude of "I'm old and will do as I please!"

 

I rarely take O tours and this cruise reinforced why. Numerous geriatrics signed up for tours they were obviously not in physical condition to take. Some had trouble just getting on and off a bus. When they brought tours to multiple stops to allow them to catch up or rest, their attitude was they expected/demanded to be facilitated at all times! Some pouters on here rail against children, but most parents wouldn't take their children on tours inappropriate for their children's abilities, plus it wouldn't be tolerated by the others if they did. A lot of diapers (adult style) on a couple of those tours crying for a potty stop every 30-45 minutes! At least mothers will change their young ones diapers when needed!

 

Wow! No punches pulled! I avoid ship tours for these reasons, and based on the Roll Call for my upcoming cruise I expect it to have similar demographics to your cruise and be filled with barely walking geriatrics who consider snorkeling EXTREME, don't swim and "just want to relax" meaning take a bus ride for a faux visit to a local village; this in areas of the Carribean where the remaining coral and fish are disappearing/dying and may soon be gone altogether. I'd like to see them at least once again before they are gone.

[Mura]

Just to be a tad contrary ...and maybe we were lucky!

 

We have long concentrated on independent tours but with oLife we HAVE used some ship's tours. On our upcoming tour in November we will not because we are meeting friends and family in several ports, so we didn't feel that the oLife options were worth it. With the OBC we will have, we can buy ship's tours if necessary.

 

But we have NOT discovered the problems some are speaking about people with mobility problems who expect everyone to wait for them. I'm not discounting reports of problems people have had with those who have mobility problems! But I'm just now sure how often that really occurs. (We've encountered more people who just ignore the time when they are supposed to be back at the bus -- and that hasn't happened all that often -- than we have had with people who want constant potty breaks or who can't keep up with the group.)

 

Since my knee surgery 10 years ago it's difficult for me to get in and out of a van, but I don't have a problem keeping up with the group. Often I'm ahead of many people because I find it hard to walk SLOWLY.

 

But I *have* seen people who ignore the advice about mobility. On our first Renaissance cruise we took a ship's tour to the Alhambra from Malaga. It was clear that mobility was an issue, and yet someone joined the tour who was in a wheel chair. I really don't know how he got through that whole time ...

 

OTOH, I've booked private tours with people who were taking private tours precisely because they had mobility problems and did not want to handicap other guests.

 

Not everyone is inconsiderate, and just because SOME are doesn't mean that if you take a ship's tour you will encounter problems.

 

It's a risk, of course, but any group tour may be! Even a private tour ...

 

Omigosh, I just noted that this thread was about the buffet and somehow we drifted to private tours ...

[LHT28]

WOW PINOT & SANDBAG

I do hope you never get old or have mobility issues

 

We are not beach people & do not snorkel or scuba dive ...just not something we do even in my 20's I would not do it

 

Our upcoming cruise to the Caribbean is JUST TO RELAX so do hope we geriatrics do not inconvenience other passengers by doing what WE feel like doing

When you pay for my cruise then you can tell me how to spend MY time

JMO

[sandbag7]

WOW PINOT & SANDBAG

I do hope you never get old or have mobility issues

 

We are not beach people & do not snorkel or scuba dive ...just not something we do even in my 20's I would not do it

 

Our upcoming cruise to the Caribbean is JUST TO RELAX so do hope we geriatrics do not inconvenience other passengers by doing what WE feel like doing

When you pay for my cruise then you can tell me how to spend MY time

JMO

 

LOL LHT/JMO; I knew that was coming; don't give it if you can't take it.

I understand about getting old and immobile; my mother cruised into her nineties though she was never too old to try something new. Some in their twenties NEVER will have that sense of adventure.

I am 66 and not yet infirm; I understand some are; I prefer to have SOME mildly adventuresome people on my cruises and hope to find some on the next cruise; otherwise I know I can find kindred souls on Star Clipper, but the food isn't as good. :confused:

[Go-Bucks!]

WOW PINOT & SANDBAG........Our cruise to the Caribbean is JUST TO RELAX so do hope we geriatrics do not inconvenience other passengers by doing what WE feel like doing

When you pay for my cruise then you can tell me how to spend MY time

JMO

 

Ditto!! Maybe a Carnival cruise might suit them more.....plenty of youngsters! :cool: