Why was the buffet closed at night?

[Live2vacation]

We were on the Century 2 night cruise (12-14 Jan). Both nights the buffet was closed at dinner time. The pasta/salad/pizza bar by the pool was open, however. I thought the buffet was open for all 3 meals every day (according to the info I've read on the X site). My only explanation is that the main dining room had "casual dining" at dinner time both nights.

 

Just curious, what is the opinion of all you experienced X cruisers?

 

BTW...2 nights was really tooooo short.

[flashdog_1]

Read it again. It is clearly stated that the dining room is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sometimes there is a formal tea there on sea days..nice! Some days the restaurant is closed at lunch for rug cleaning.

 

The buffet is open for breakfast and lunch only. But you may have a casual dinner there with reservation (although I've heard walk ups can be seated). The menu is not as extensive as in the dining room, however.

 

The buffet beverage stations are open 24/7.

 

Tea time (sandwiches and desserts) are available 3-4, sushi at 6 p.m. in the buffet.

 

The pizza/pasta has varying hours in the buffet and at the pool grill, and is available on room service.

 

If you;re on an M class ships, the Aqua Spa is open until 8 p.m. which is a casual venue.

 

Another clarification. If the evening dress code is casual in the dining room that is still a little dressier than grabbing a burger by the pool in a coverup. Casual in the buffet is shorts and tee shirts which are never allowed in the dining room at night even if the dress code for dinner is casual. See what I mean?

 

So if you want to be in shorts or your bathrobe and not miss the better dinner food in the dining room, just order it from room service thru your steward. He will give you a menu to look at. Be very speciic in ordering from room service. The condiments may be missing if you do not ask for . Likewise, specify sugar, butter etc.

 

Hope that clears it up.

 

Wasn't the Century 2 nighter fun? I had a blast but was exhausted from trying to fit everything into two nights.

[dkjretired]

buffet for dinner fleetwide since their inception.

[Live2vacation]

Thank you both for the response. I "assumed," and you know what happens when you assume. After going back and re-reading the info, I see that it really doesn't list the buffet as a dinner time choice...but it does say casual dining is available at the pasta bar by the pool.

 

However, in my defense, when I was planning this trip I called Celebrity and asked the rep the question "Is the buffet open for dinner?" She answered in the affirmative. So you see why I assumed it would be open.

 

On another note, we prefer not to eat all our meals in the Main Dining Room because of the extra time it takes. We really don't care to sit at a dining room table for such a long time (even though we do enjoy meeting and talking to new people). We'd rather spend our time wandering around the ship and checking out what's going on in all the other areas.

 

We completely understand the "dress codes" and we happily adhere to the rules. I too am not fond of people that take the attitude of "if they don't follow the requested rules, I don't have to either." Rules are rules.

 

And flashdog 1...YES it was a fun time. But it was an exhausting trip too. No sooner than we unpacked, it was time to pack again. The fun was just beginning. Won't take a shorty cruise again. Plus, we flew from Baltimore just for the cruise, then came right back home.

 

Anyway, thanks again.:)

[hajekfam]

The century has never had a buffet dinner but they do have alternative casual dinner dining like all Celebrity ships. On most Celeb ships, it is held where the buffet area is. When we were on the Century (2004), I also thought they didn't have it as I didn't see it in the buffet area when I went for sushi. After reading my daily, I noticed that on the Century it is listed as being held in the Sky Bar - deck 12 aft (one deck up). It is not a buffet - but a sit down casual dinner with menu and waiters.

[canderson]

We were on the Century 2 night cruise (12-14 Jan). Both nights the buffet was closed at dinner time. The pasta/salad/pizza bar by the pool was open, however. I thought the buffet was open for all 3 meals every day (according to the info I've read on the X site).

I'd imagine that there'd never be enough interest in the buffet on an X cruise to even go to the expense of setting one up at night. People enjoy the dining room. There are just enough other options already that would further reduce interest in a buffet at dinner.

[canderson]

 

However, in my defense, when I was planning this trip I called Celebrity and asked the rep the question "Is the buffet open for dinner?" She answered in the affirmative. So you see why I assumed it would be open.

As wonderful as their onboard experience tends to be, their land based support runs counter to that -- sometimes very counter. It's Celebrity's biggest weak spot. You're more likely to get a straight answer to questions about shipboard life here from those that have actually be ON a Celebrity ship as you'll get over the phone from a Celebrity customer service rep.

[hajekfam]

Did you go up to deck 12 aft where the alternative casual dining for the Century was? This is the deck above the buffet area. Celebrity does not have a true buffet dinner - but does offer casual dining.

Were both your nights casual? If so, then there would be no reason to have the alternative casual dining open on a 2 night.

[Live2vacation]

Truly, I did not know about the deck 12 Sky Bar dining. I sure wish the X phone rep would have clarified that the alternative dining wasn't in the buffet area. Like you all said...I should have come to the experts on CC and not bothered to make that phone call.:)

 

Yes, both nights on board were casual dining. We did eat in the main dining room the first night, and the food was excellent. The dinner just took much longer than we cared to spend at a dining room table. The second night we ate at the pasta bar, and it was also very good. I have no complaints about the food quality.

 

This cruise was just too short to have time to learn everything you might want to know about the ship. I know never to go on such a short cruise again. This was my DH first cruise, and he preferred not to go on a long one (in case it wasn't his cup of tea). Well, he's ready to cruise again (but longer). I went on a 7 night Alaska cruise on Zaandam last Sept., so I already knew that cruising was a wonderful thing to do.

 

What can I say? Live and learn. We did.