Are buffets self-serve or hands off?

[Imonaboat2017]

Hi All,

 

First time sailing on X, and I have a question about the buffets on Silhouette. I assumed they would be self-serve, but many photos of the OVB and similar areas show staff behind the counters at each station.

 

So, which is it? Are they self serve or by request?

 

Thank you!

[davekathy]

Hi All,

 

First time sailing on X, and I have a question about the buffets on Silhouette. I assumed they would be self-serve, but many photos of the OVB and similar areas show staff behind the counters at each station.

 

So, which is it? Are they self serve or by request?

 

Thank you!

 

All stations are hands off. :D Self serve for the majority of the food selections.

[cruisestitch]

Hybrid....for instance, staff ladle the soups and make the panini, you serve yourself salad. And so on.

 

This is all UNLESS there is noro, then you are served everything by staff.

[lynncarol]

On 'at sea' days Royal Caribbean's main dining room has a great salad bar buffet utilizing a number of tables set up in a big rectangle. Guests stay along the outer edge and just point to what they want. A staff member, standing within the enclosure, puts it on the plate then passes the plate to another staff manning the next section of selections etc. Final staff member puts dressing on, cuts up the salad and then hands it to you. End result is a great salad and I love it done this way!

[davekathy]

On 'at sea' days Royal Caribbean's main dining room has a great salad bar buffet utilizing a number of tables set up in a big rectangle. Guests stay along the outer edge and just point to what they want. A staff member, standing within the enclosure, puts it on the plate then passes the plate to another staff manning the next section of selections etc. Final staff member puts dressing on, cuts up the salad and then hands it to you. End result is a great salad and I love it done this way!

 

Just for clarification as this is the OPs first Celebrity cruise, Celebrity doesn't have that set up in their MDRs. OVC and the WJ are the same as far as buffets go. Agree the tutti salads are good in the MDR on RC.

[Kingofcool1947]

On 'at sea' days Royal Caribbean's main dining room has a great salad bar buffet utilizing a number of tables set up in a big rectangle. Guests stay along the outer edge and just point to what they want. A staff member, standing within the enclosure, puts it on the plate then passes the plate to another staff manning the next section of selections etc. Final staff member puts dressing on, cuts up the salad and then hands it to you. End result is a great salad and I love it done this way!

 

Just curious, what does RCCL have to do with buffet on Celebrity?:o

OP wants to know about the buffet serving policy on Celebrity not the policy on RCCL.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Cruise Junky]

It's really a bit of both. There's staff at the carving stations, Panini, stir fry, pasta, eggs, omelet but then there are tons of other options that are self serve.

[bamelin]

I'm on board celebrity Equinox right now. Self serve.

 

Buffet is fabulous. Better than princess imho

[Kingofcool1947]

I'm on board celebrity Equinox right now. Self serve.

 

Buffet is fabulous. Better than princess imho

 

Interesting observation

So, just curious, in your opinion, why is the Celebrity buffet better than the Princess buffet? Details please.

 

Enjoy your cruise. :)

[mandream]

Wish it were hands off. The things I've seen standing in line..... Ugh.

[keithm]

Hi All,

 

First time sailing on X, and I have a question about the buffets on Silhouette. I assumed they would be self-serve, but many photos of the OVB and similar areas show staff behind the counters at each station.

 

So, which is it? Are they self serve or by request?

 

Thank you!

Most hot food is now in "pots". It was strange seeing it for the first time on the Eclipse, but it makes sense. Less likely for some clod to touch the food & contaminate the entire food station. Being in the food industry, it disgusts me no end watching people touch food with their hands.(frequently doing the finger taste test)Don't EVER be near me & do that! You will be publically shamed for ALL to see! Yes, I have shamed those who deserve it. To those who would say mind your own @#$%^ business, sorry, but my health(and that of my fellow pax)far out weighs your disgusting habits.

[GUT2407]

They will go hands off if there has been a noro outbreak.

[keithm]

Just curious, what does RCCL have to do with buffet on Celebrity?:o

OP wants to know about the buffet serving policy on Celebrity not the policy on RCCL.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Celebrity is owned by RCCL. I know some don't know that. The parent company does set some standards for brands across the company. This is why Celebrity seems to becoming more like RCCL. Which is a shame.

[keithm]

I'm on board celebrity Equinox right now. Self serve.

 

Buffet is fabulous. Better than princess imho

Sorry, but I can't agree with you on that. The best ship buffet we've seen on any line was on the Regal Princess. Outstanding selection. I can't say it's the same across all of Princess, just what we saw on Regal. The Eclipse has a decent buffet, but it has diminished quite a bit from 2015-2017 period.

[Cruise Junky]

Sorry, but I can't agree with you on that. The best ship buffet we've seen on any line was on the Regal Princess. Outstanding selection. I can't say it's the same across all of Princess, just what we saw on Regal. The Eclipse has a decent buffet, but it has diminished quite a bit from 2015-2017 period.

Only Regal/Royal & Majestic have that size and selection on the buffet. The rest of the fleet are pretty small compared to Celebrity both S and M class.

[dkjretired]

Celebrity is owned by RCCL. This is why Celebrity seems to becoming more like RCCL. Which is a shame.

 

Been hearing that since the merger in 1997, hasn't happened yet.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Most hot food is now in "pots". It was strange seeing it for the first time on the Eclipse, but it makes sense. Less likely for some clod to touch the food & contaminate the entire food station. Being in the food industry, it disgusts me no end watching people touch food with their hands.(frequently doing the finger taste test)Don't EVER be near me & do that! You will be publically shamed for ALL to see! Yes, I have shamed those who deserve it. To those who would say mind your own @#$%^ business, sorry, but my health(and that of my fellow pax)far out weighs your disgusting habits.

.

When did they start that again? Haven't seen it on any of our recent cruises on either S or M class.

[davekathy]

...Being in the food industry, it disgusts me no end watching people touch food with their hands.(frequently doing the finger taste test)...

 

You don't need to be in the food business to be totally disgusted by the hands on line samplers.:mad:

[GUT2407]

Celebrity is owned by RCCL. I know some don't know that. The parent company does set some standards for brands across the company. This is why Celebrity seems to becoming more like RCCL. Which is a shame.

Actually no.

 

Celebrity is owned by Royal Caribbean International, (RCI)

 

The company also owns Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL).

 

Pedantic?? Maybe, but accurate.

[keesar]

What do you think of the common practice of people going thru the buffet line for a 2nd or 3rd time with the same plate and touching the plates with the serving utensils?

[Kingofcool1947]

Most hot food is now in "pots". It was strange seeing it for the first time on the Eclipse, but it makes sense. Less likely for some clod to touch the food & contaminate the entire food station. Being in the food industry, it disgusts me no end watching people touch food with their hands.(frequently doing the finger taste test)Don't EVER be near me & do that! You will be publically shamed for ALL to see! Yes, I have shamed those who deserve it. To those who would say mind your own @#$%^ business, sorry, but my health(and that of my fellow pax)far out weighs your disgusting habits.

 

Being in the food industry, what do you say to those kind of PAX’s who do not or refuse to use the sanitizer stations before entering the buffet?

And, have you ever had an offending PAX threaten to knock you out when publically shame and call them out?

Enjoy your cruise.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Kingofcool1947

[dkjretired]

Being in the food industry, what do you say to those kind of PAX’s who do not or refuse to use the sanitizer stations before entering the buffet?

And, have you ever had an offending PAX threaten to knock you out when publically shame and call them out?

Enjoy your cruise.

 

You should say nothing to those who don't use the sanitizer stations because some people like myself are allergic to many of those sanitizers. Do you know which people they are... I wouldn't threaten anyone but I would politely tell you I am allergic and if you did not like it too bad. Remember this is an anonymous board, people can say anything.

 

I take the poster with a grain of salt, has a history on this board of making threatening comments about people who don't dress properly, have so called fake service dogs, just check the history. I do agree about people who touch food at the buffet, that is disgusting.

Edited December 6, 2017 by dkjretired

[Alakegirl]

I bring my own non-aLcohol-based sanitizer because tge alcohol-based ones irritate my skin. So I never stop at tge hand sanitizer stations. If anyone ever stopped me to ask why I wouldnt accept their squirt I would be happy to explain why mine is superior.

[gerelmx]

Hi All,

 

First time sailing on X, and I have a question about the buffets on Silhouette. I assumed they would be self-serve, but many photos of the OVB and similar areas show staff behind the counters at each station.

 

So, which is it? Are they self serve or by request?

 

Thank you!

 

I have seen several videos and photos of the OVB and the vast majority is its self service, very few spaces are hands out.

[Algebralovr]

You should say nothing to those who don't use the sanitizer stations because some people like myself are allergic to many of those sanitizers. Do you know which people they are... I wouldn't threaten anyone but I would politely tell you I am allergic and if you did not like it too bad. Remember this is an anonymous board, people can say anything.

 

Yes! You are not the only one.

It is a simple matter to dash into the restroom on the way in and wash your hands with soap and running water, which does more than sanitizer.

 

Then, fill up the plate, and set it on the table. Wash hands again before eating using the hand sink next to the beverage station (on the S-Class ships). Love that hand sink. We try to sit near it so that it is easy to use and come back to the table. We rarely see it used, sadly.