Eating while getting food in the buffet 😖

[Marelaine]

6 hours ago, JennyB1977 said:

I was on the Carnival Fantasy in January (this is in my review). There were two women, I'm guessing in their 60s, that were chatting near the salad bar. As I was rounding the bar (it's in the middle of the buffet in a circle) there were cheese cubes, fruit, etc. at one "end". I watched as one of the women leaned over and took a few cubes with her hands. She then put the cheese into her mouth. At first I couldn't believe it. Then I saw her do it again!  At this point, I went to the closest buffet worker and as I was explaining....she did it again!! GROSS. Luckily, I watched as two of the employees removed the trays (yes plural) of cheese.

 

If the crew sees anyone helping themselves with their fingers, they do speak up. I have witnessed it several times. You don't take a cookie, for instance with your fingers, you use tongs. If no tongs are there, ask the attendant because sometimes they go missing.

 

[fleckle]

18 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

When you don't finish the bread basket in the MDR, do you really think they throw the partial basket of bread away?   I'll bet they just refill and put it out for the next guy.  I'm sorry they did away with the assistant waiter delivering the rolls from a tray.

 

Are they still putting a basket of bread on the table in the MDR?

We always wondered what they did with all the leftover bread.

(Maybe we are better off not knowing. 😉)

 

They didn't do that in Luminae.  Instead someone would come around with a tray of various types of bread and crackers several times throughout the meal and you would just select what you wanted.

  

[davekathy]

14 minutes ago, fleckle said:

 

Are they still putting a basket of bread on the table in the MDR?

We always wondered what they did with all the leftover bread.

(Maybe we are better off not knowing. 😉)

 

They didn't do that in Luminae.  Instead someone would come around with a tray of various types of bread and crackers several times throughout the meal and you would just select what you wanted.

  

Breadbaskets on the tables in the MDR. Both TD and SD. 

[bermadu22]

On 4/16/2019 at 10:17 AM, Fishkillbill said:

You don't touch a number of rolls to find a soft one?

Surely you jest. But I did once see a woman take bread from the buffet serving tray with her hands. I pointed out where the tongs were, in case she didn't see them. She said to me "It's okay dear, I only touch the food I'm taking." There was no use explaining to her that her argument just doesn't hold up, her fingers were touching more than the bread she took. Also it's just gross to see people grab at the buffet food with their bare hands, like it's been days since their last meal.  

[NLH Arizona]

10 minutes ago, bermadu22 said:

Surely you jest. But I did once see a woman take bread from the buffet serving tray with her hands. I pointed out where the tongs were, in case she didn't see them. She said to me "It's okay dear, I only touch the food I'm taking." There was no use explaining to her that her argument just doesn't hold up, her fingers were touching more than the bread she took. Also it's just gross to see people grab at the buffet food with their bare hands, like it's been days since their last meal.  

Something similar happened at my grocery store.  A man was taking bagles with his hands.  I said, there are tissues to use and he said he was only touching the ones he was taking.  When I told the clerk, she told him that everything would have to be thrown away, because he used his hands, which is against health codes.  He swore at the two of us, but ended up buying all the bagles in that particular container.  Hopefully an expensive lesson learned.

[Mike981]

I'm all for being smart and sanitary, but you will not change some people.
The best defense starts before you go on vacation.
Build up your immune system.

[dkjretired]

2 hours ago, fleckle said:

 

Are they still putting a basket of bread on the table in the MDR?

We always wondered what they did with all the leftover bread.

(Maybe we are better off not knowing. 😉)

 

They didn't do that in Luminae.  Instead someone would come around with a tray of various types of bread and crackers several times throughout the meal and you would just select what you wanted.

  

 

The next days bread pudding☺️☺️

[Luvcrusn]

3 hours ago, fleckle said:

 

Are they still putting a basket of bread on the table in the MDR?

We always wondered what they did with all the leftover bread.

(Maybe we are better off not knowing. 😉)

 

They didn't do that in Luminae.  Instead someone would come around with a tray of various types of bread and crackers several times throughout the meal and you would just select what you wanted.

  

I think they left the basket at dinner in Blu, but at breakfast they came around with a tray of croissants and pastries. They were still leaving the basket at dinner in the MDR in December when we dined there one evening.

Edited April 18, 2019 by Luvcrusn

[Stateroom_Sailor]

2 hours ago, Luvcrusn said:

I think they left the basket at dinner in Blu, but at breakfast they came around with a tray of croissants and pastries. They were still leaving the basket at dinner in the MDR in December when we dined there one evening.

 

A bit off topic, but for anyone avoiding white flower, you can ask for whole wheat bread.  We did it tonight, and have it attached to our dining preferences moving forward.

 

As far as the buffet, eating while standing in line is alive and well!

[jan-n-john]

13 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

When you don't finish the bread basket in the MDR, do you really think they throw the partial basket of bread away?   I'll bet they just refill and put it out for the next guy.  

I doubt it.  That would be a gross violation of food safety rules, and why would they take such a chance (I was told by a sous chef on a recent tour that the ships actually carry food inspectors aboard to keep an eye on things; is that really true?).  I think folks sometimes look at throwaways like that and "price" it in their heads as if it were worth what they would have to pay to buy it in their local bakery.  In fact, the ship already has the equipment and personnel in place, so the true cost to them of baking extra stuff is only the raw material costs which are practically negligible (at most few pennies per item).  So they put out a generous bread basket for the positive impact on general ambiance.  The leftover feeds the fish who are doubtless happy with the arrangement.

Edited April 18, 2019 by jan-n-john

[keesar]

10 hours ago, Luvcrusn said:

I think they left the basket at dinner in Blu, but at breakfast they came around with a tray of croissants and pastries. They were still leaving the basket at dinner in the MDR in December when we dined there one evening.

 

In Blu, they always left the basket of bread  with the hummus  on our table even though we told them we did not eat the bread.  Was not taken away until our entree was finished.  

[Luvcrusn]

7 minutes ago, keesar said:

 

In Blu, they always left the basket of bread  with the hummus  on our table even though we told them we did not eat the bread.  Was not taken away until our entree was finished.  

Thanks for confirming what I thought about the bread basket in Blu. Honestly I thought what you described but bread baskets aren't things I pay a lot of attention to and I wasn't sure. 

[Rob the Cruiser]

45 minutes ago, keesar said:

 

In Blu, they always left the basket of bread  with the hummus  on our table even though we told them we did not eat the bread.  Was not taken away until our entree was finished.  

 

We do the same. The response has always been "if I don't bring a basket of bread I'll get in trouble".

Edited April 18, 2019 by Rob the Cruiser

[davekathy]

23 minutes ago, Rob the Cruiser said:

 

We do the same. The response has always been "if I don't bring a basket of bread I'll get in trouble".

At that time I would politely say we prefer not to have bread tonight and please remove the basket of bread. Which is something we always do and our request is always honored. 

[ipeeinthepool]

5 hours ago, jan-n-john said:

I doubt it.  That would be a gross violation of food safety rules, and why would they take such a chance (I was told by a sous chef on a recent tour that the ships actually carry food inspectors aboard to keep an eye on things; is that really true?).  I think folks sometimes look at throwaways like that and "price" it in their heads as if it were worth what they would have to pay to buy it in their local bakery.  In fact, the ship already has the equipment and personnel in place, so the true cost to them of baking extra stuff is only the raw material costs which are practically negligible (at most few pennies per item).  So they put out a generous bread basket for the positive impact on general ambiance.  The leftover feeds the fish who are doubtless happy with the arrangement.

 

I think everyone sure hopes you're correct, but I've never seen any evidence that you're correct.  I've never seen them actually thrown the bread away or put it with other food that is being disposed.

[Cachecara]

3 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I think everyone sure hopes you're correct, but I've never seen any evidence that you're correct.  I've never seen them actually thrown the bread away or put it with other food that is being disposed.

I have seen evidence. We were docked and could see outside where Celebrity was disposing of a huge amount of bread, fruit and whatever else in huge trash dumpsters. It was mentioned the amounts by speaker. 

[ipeeinthepool]

6 minutes ago, Cachecara said:

I have seen evidence. We were docked and could see outside where Celebrity was disposing of a huge amount of bread, fruit and whatever else in huge trash dumpsters. It was mentioned the amounts by speaker. 

 

Was this sometime recently?   I would have thought that they would have put all of the food waste through some sort of large garbage disposer.

[Cachecara]

36 minutes ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Was this sometime recently?   I would have thought that they would have put all of the food waste through some sort of large garbage disposer.

Yes, within the last few yrs.  

Huge huge dumpsters .  

[jan-n-john]

2 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

Was this sometime recently?   I would have thought that they would have put all of the food waste through some sort of large garbage disposer.

From what I think I heard them say on a recent Behind the Scenes tour on Edge, it's a mixed bag.  Some of it is off-loaded in port, and some is fully ground and screened (to remove any non-organics esp. plastic) then disposed of as fish food, which is OK as long as they are far enough off shore.

Edited April 19, 2019 by jan-n-john

[Locksmth]

On 4/17/2019 at 7:45 PM, Mike981 said:

I'm all for being smart and sanitary, but you will not change some people.
The best defense starts before you go on vacation.
Build up your immune system.

Try having leukemia.  Your idea doesn't work so well.  Better that everyone is a little more sanitary.

[mom says]

17 minutes ago, Locksmth said:

Try having leukemia.  Your idea doesn't work so well.  Better that everyone is a little more sanitary.

Isn't avoiding all buffets (land or sea) a standard recommendation by the various cancer societies? Don't depend on others to safeguard your own health.

[Mike981]

1 hour ago, mom says said:

Isn't avoiding all buffets (land or sea) a standard recommendation by the various cancer societies? Don't depend on others to safeguard your own health.

 

Winner-winner~

[Locksmth]

1 hour ago, mom says said:

Isn't avoiding all buffets (land or sea) a standard recommendation by the various cancer societies? Don't depend on others to safeguard your own health.

I have never been told that.  However, your (or my) immune system can't be built up in preparation for a cruise.  Good hygiene can!

[Locksmth]

13 minutes ago, Mike981 said:

 

Winner-winner~

Loser-loser.  Being a pig in public is never an excuse.

[mom says]

14 minutes ago, Locksmth said:

I have never been told that.  However, your (or my) immune system can't be built up in preparation for a cruise.  Good hygiene can!

Sorry that your health care providers have been lax in educating you on how to protect yourself while immune compromised. It is one of the most common recommendations. And no one here was talking about people with compromised immune systems due to disease or disorder. That's a whole separate subset of the population- one that has to be very careful about even setting foot on a ship,  let alone lining up at a buffet. 

 

PS: for the average healthy person, there are,  in fact, things you can do to boost your immune system. But this is veering way off topic.