Buffet etiquette

[Shmoo here]

15 minutes ago, K32682 said:

It has never been mentioned by the crew that this was not acceptable.

And chances are, even if it were, it wouldn't be mentioned.  They're not going to risk their tips by alienating you.

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I cut in line all the time.  Not really "cut in" but often the line moves really slowly because some people take forever to decide what and how much of each item they want when I know exactly what I want.  I am polite about at and I say "excuse me" but a just quickly go in, grab the one item that I want and then get out of line.  Nobody ever says no when  I do this.

 

DON

I would never think of saying "No."  But I might say, "you are excused and you can now go to rear of the line."     A few years ago I was in line at the eggs benedict station on a HAL cruise when a sweet elderly lady (just about everyone in the line were seniors) cut in front of me and said, "its OK, I am old."  My instant response was "the place for old people is at the back of the line!"  The sweet lady turned beet red (as others in line behind me clapped) and did go to the end of the line.  And yes, I am also "old."

 

Hank

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, KroozNut said:

 

Just because you happen to say 'excuse me' prior to cutting in line doesn't 'excuse' the behavior, it is still rude IMO.

If it were me that you cut in front of, I would 'politely' ask you to get in line like everyone else. Doesn't matter that you 'know exactly what you want'. So do many of the other folks patiently waiting their turn in line.

 

If the line is moving I don't cut in. However if someone is taking forever to decide if they want 1 or 2 pieces of potato and they are holding up 10 people before they can make a decision, I will cut in. 

 

Don 

[NLH Arizona]

If someone is holding up the line and I want something beyond them, I'll go around without holding anyone up, but I would never ask someone to reach in between them and another, as I would consider that to be very rude.  I've had folks just reach between me and another and I will say..."I'm sorry am I in your way and BTW the line starts in the end".

[KroozNut]

4 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

If someone is taking forever to decide if they want 1 or 2 pieces of potato and they are holding up 10 people before they can make a decision, I will cut in.

I'm sorry, but that is still wrong, no matter how entitled you may think you are!

Edited October 22, 2018 by KroozNut

[Dancing Shoes]

8 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I cut in line all the time.  Not really "cut in" but often the line moves really slowly because some people take forever to decide what and how much of each item they want when I know exactly what I want.  I am polite about at and I say "excuse me" but a just quickly go in, grab the one item that I want and then get out of line.  Nobody ever says no when  I do this.

 

DON

I did this on my last cruise.  People were in line for ice cream. The cookies were next to this.  I only wanted a darn cookie.  I said excuse me,  and I just want a cookie.  If people are moving slow from the egg station to where the bacon/sausage is and there is a gap, I don't see a problem with going in fast for a few slices of bacon.   I doubt that Don is actually cutting in on people waiting for the omelette guy.  

[westcoastcruiser]

1 hour ago, KroozNut said:

I'm sorry, but that is still wrong, no matter how entitled you may think you are!

 

Totally and completely agree with you!  99% of the people in line likely know what they want but follow proper etiquette and wait their turn.  

[cruising cockroach]

12 hours ago, evandbob said:

As for card or game  players monopolizing a buffet table, don't most cruise lines have a set aside card/game room or library where they can play?

 

Some have complained that common areas once dedicated for this have been converted to revenue-generating venues.

 

I read last year about contentious usage of pool deck grill tables on the Celebrity Millennium (which  I was about to sail on) because the former games/card room had been so converted.

[cruising cockroach]

On 10/20/2018 at 6:49 PM, Hlitner said:

 

As to taking it "outside" to eat that is a silly issue.  Many ship buffets have overflow seating areas outside of the immediate buffet area.  For example, on all the HAL vessels there are tables set up at the pool area where folks can sit after bringing food out of the buffet. 

 

Some people who me on a HAL cruise a few years ago said they didn't like either the Eurodam or the Nieuw Amsterdam as not only did the buffet not have enough seating but overflow poolside seating was reduced compared to the sister ship because space had been converted to pay-to-use cabanas.

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, Dancing Shoes said:

I did this on my last cruise.  People were in line for ice cream. The cookies were next to this.  I only wanted a darn cookie.  I said excuse me,  and I just want a cookie.  If people are moving slow from the egg station to where the bacon/sausage is and there is a gap, I don't see a problem with going in fast for a few slices of bacon.   I doubt that Don is actually cutting in on people waiting for the omelette guy.  

I would never cut into the omelette line, the pasta line, the carving line, the waffle line or any other line where a person is preparing custom orders for people.

 

DON

[NLH Arizona]

7 hours ago, Dancing Shoes said:

I did this on my last cruise.  People were in line for ice cream. The cookies were next to this.  I only wanted a darn cookie.  I said excuse me,  and I just want a cookie.  If people are moving slow from the egg station to where the bacon/sausage is and there is a gap, I don't see a problem with going in fast for a few slices of bacon.   I doubt that Don is actually cutting in on people waiting for the omelette guy.  

To me there is a big difference in sticking one's hand between two people and getting something and going around a person who is holding up the line, because you want something further down the line.

[Beachdude]

I agree that playing cards during meal time is inconsiderate, but at least they are using the whole table. More common are the single book readers taking up a whole table. It was refreshing to watch Royal Caribbean last year ask folks who weren't eating to find seating in non-eating areas.

 

Burt

[Thisisgood]

23 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

If the line is moving I don't cut in. However if someone is taking forever to decide if they want 1 or 2 pieces of potato and they are holding up 10 people before they can make a decision, I will cut in. 

 

Don 

Hey Don,

Pretty sure this is cutting...

[sloopsailor]

18 minutes ago, Thisisgood said:

Hey Don,

Pretty sure this is cutting...

 

Absolutely is. Never mind the person taking their time making a choice, he would be cutting in front of 9 other people who have the decency to patiently wait. Cutting in front of the first person is also cutting in front of everyone behind that person.

[Thisisgood]

Well said. Though i might be inclined to do this to save time so I can go chair hog a deck chair, ha ha.

[ldubs]

Isn't it kind of common sense.  If the place isn't crowed and someone is taking a long time in front of the chicken surprise, then pass by and continue on.  If crowded, then suck it up and wait.   

[mom says]

17 hours ago, ldubs said:

Isn't it kind of common sense.  If the place isn't crowed and someone is taking a long time in front of the chicken surprise, then pass by and continue on.  If crowded, then suck it up and wait.   

 

Now don't go ruining a good ol' CC squabble with common sense.

[MicCanberra]

Perhaps they were referring to taking food from the buffet  and off the ship. Many people do this to save buying lunch, they take pastries, boiled eggs and fruit mainly but I have seen others with chicken pieces as well, which means they took them from the night before.

[KroozNut]

6 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Perhaps they were referring to taking food from the buffet  and off the ship. Many people do this to save buying lunch, they take pastries, boiled eggs and fruit mainly but I have seen others with chicken pieces as well, which means they took them from the night before.

 

And this practice is strictly forbidden on most lines..

[julie3fan]

Just now, KroozNut said:

 

And this practice is strictly forbidden on most lines..

 

I don't think it's so much that the cruise line forbids it, rather it's the law of the country you're entering.

[MicCanberra]

6 hours ago, KroozNut said:

 

And this practice is strictly forbidden on most lines..

Agreed, the lines are warning people not to take food ashore as there can be huge fines for risking the Bio security of a place, that said, very few places have bag searches or scanning when entering the port.

6 hours ago, julie3fan said:

 

I don't think it's so much that the cruise line forbids it, rather it's the law of the country you're entering.

Also true, the lines are doing the bidding of the respective country /port.

[ldubs]

Someone brought a boiled egg into Australia and now look what happened - platypus, kangaroos, & wallabies all over the place.  

[K32682]

16 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Perhaps they were referring to taking food from the buffet  and off the ship. Many people do this to save buying lunch, they take pastries, boiled eggs and fruit mainly but I have seen others with chicken pieces as well, which means they took them from the night before.

Yes, there is nothing that makes a shore excursion perfect like having a day-old piece of cold chicken that was smuggled off the boat for lunch. 

[dkjretired]

On 10/20/2018 at 10:18 PM, Shmoo here said:

I'll admit we're ones who've played cards in the Lido buffet.  But we've always made sure there were lots of tables (not at mealtime).  The point being, there's not a lot of tables available that are "card playing height" except in the buffet for individual players (not organized bridge players).  We're kinda limited where we can play.

I’ve seen groups on embarkation day playing cards until the cabins opened. Agree with Hank, rude, rude, rude

[julie3fan]

This was on the tables in both the International Cafe and buffet last May on the Emerald Princess.  First time I'd seen that, and I haven't cruised since.