Trays

[eddie11]

A couple of threads have comments on the presence or absence of trays and whether there is a need for them or not.  I thought it might make an interesting stand alone thread

 

I have no deep feelings on the matter, though the more I think it through the more I wonder if the negative aspects of tray use outweigh the positives.  Some points

 

 - Walking around, holding trays, and possibly bags, walking sticks, children, makes everyone more clumsy and more of an obstacle to others.

 

 - If tables were set with ‘cutlery rolls’ and staff walked round with water or fetched other beverages, there would possibly be no need for trays.

 

- Pax would need to make 2 trips round the servery to get two courses - could mean more congestion; might not if trips were easier because people aren’t balancing trays

 

MSC use oversized oval plates/platters, which can hold a meal, a bread roll and a dessert bowl.  Slightly undignified - but so is the whole buffet process

 

Slightly muddled first thoughts.  Anyone else?

 

[Harry Peterson]

Never ever use the buffet these days, so I'm no expert on this, but one of the things that originally put us off using it was the sight of trays and tables piled high with food, Mr Creosote-style.  And a lot of that food was just taken out of sheer greed, and not even eaten - just left to waste.

 

I suspect P&O are simply trying to cut down on the wasted food by making people less likely to do it.  An extra walk to the buffet is no big deal, but it will probably cut out some of the waste.

[Adawn47]

34 minutes ago, eddie11 said:

A couple of threads have comments on the presence or absence of trays and whether there is a need for them or not.  I thought it might make an interesting stand alone thread

 

I have no deep feelings on the matter, though the more I think it through the more I wonder if the negative aspects of tray use outweigh the positives.  Some points

 

 - Walking around, holding trays, and possibly bags, walking sticks, children, makes everyone more clumsy and more of an obstacle to others.

 

 - If tables were set with ‘cutlery rolls’ and staff walked round with water or fetched other beverages, there would possibly be no need for trays.

 

- Pax would need to make 2 trips round the servery to get two courses - could mean more congestion; might not if trips were easier because people aren’t balancing trays

 

MSC use oversized oval plates/platters, which can hold a meal, a bread roll and a dessert bowl.  Slightly undignified - but so is the whole buffet process

 

Slightly muddled first thoughts.  Anyone else?

 

Use the MDR?

[AndyMichelle]

Good thread Eddie. 

My first thought was 'oh no, I really need a tray...' 

Then I realised that's nonsense.. 

As mentioned elsewhere, where do you put it? Usually ends up on the floor or beside the table. 

Making a second trip is no issue at all. 

It should eliminate people wandering around every station at once, reducing congestion. 

Harry makes a good point about wasted food. 

Most passengers tend to find a table, get their drinks separately and then get food, so no need for a tray really, as long as the plates are not red hot. 

Andy 

 

[AndyMichelle]

Just now, Adawn47 said:

Use the MDR?

Don't encourage everyone... Shhhh. 

[eddie11]

Well, I agree about the MDR

However, if it was simpler, quicker, more pleasant to pop into the buffet for a quick breakfast or lunch, occasionally, when it suits, wouldn’t that be a win-win?

[Adawn47]

3 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Don't encourage everyone... Shhhh. 

Sorry, mums the word😉.

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, eddie11 said:

Well, I agree about the MDR

However, if it was simpler, quicker, more pleasant to pop into the buffet for a quick breakfast or lunch, occasionally, when it suits, wouldn’t that be a win-win?

The main problems with the mdr are they close too early for breakfast, we sometimes like a bit of a lie in, and the lunch menu is very limited. 

If these improved, we would use it more often. 

Andy 

[Les_ldh]

7 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Good thread Eddie. 

My first thought was 'oh no, I really need a tray...' 

Then I realised that's nonsense.. 

As mentioned elsewhere, where do you put it? Usually ends up on the floor or beside the table. 

Making a second trip is no issue at all. 

It should eliminate people wandering around every station at once, reducing congestion. 

Harry makes a good point about wasted food. 

Most passengers tend to find a table, get their drinks separately and then get food, so no need for a tray really, as long as the plates are not red hot. 

Andy 

 

As a solo traveller I can assure you that making a second trip absolutely is an issue, as when you return from your second trip someone else has pinched your table! 😢

[Adawn47]

I think the main word there eddie is pleasant , and it isn't. 

[AndyMichelle]

3 minutes ago, Les_ldh said:

As a solo traveller I can assure you that making a second trip absolutely is an issue, as when you return from your second trip someone else has pinched your table! 😢

I did think of that, but have saved many solo travellers tables while they pop back for a second pudding. 

Andy 

[Fishgirl01]

My husband is severely visually impaired, so I have to seat him then do all the runs for both of us, so a tray does hep me.  It’s only lunch time as we prefer a lighter lunch.

[molecrochip]

It is as part of a fleet wide initiative to reduce food waste. Majority of food waste is food served up and then not eaten. 
 

If you need assistance carrying then buffet staff should now assist. I’ve seen this working on Britannia.

 

 

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, Adawn47 said:

I think the main word there eddie is pleasant , and it isn't. 

Very pleasant in the buffet for breakfast. If you go there at 7am or earlier which I do for my cereal.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

The main problems with the mdr are they close too early for breakfast, we sometimes like a bit of a lie in, and the lunch menu is very limited. 

If these improved, we would use it more often. 

Andy 

That's a big issue for us, as a wheelchair user my wife needs a much longer time to get prepared in a morning and we are rarely ready for breakfast before the MDRs close; and I collect both of our breakfasts which means a tray is very useful if I am not to make repeated visits to the buffet. 

But I did manage without a tray last year on Independence OTS, so I guess we will survive if they are gone when we are on Ventura in April.

[Vampiress88]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

It is as part of a fleet wide initiative to reduce food waste. Majority of food waste is food served up and then not eaten. 
 

If you need assistance carrying then buffet staff should now assist. I’ve seen this working on Britannia.

 

 

I’m confused. Am I correct in thinking you don’t get a tray at the buffet? 
 

My main issue would be when/if we have to do buffet we go get seats. I go up get mine plus one child then I come sit at table with kids while hubby does same. Suppose I could take the 4 or 5 year old with me so they can carry their own stuff but I would see that as more of a hindrance to most people. And it’s not the carrying two plates to the table but as it’s mostly self serve it’s spooning stuff into the plate. 
gosh I’ll have to go back to putting two plates in one hand like we used to when waitressing how fun. 
 

also we usually sometimes had three plates. One of hot food each then pastries. 
only food we left was the food that wasn’t nice. Like snotty eggs which I left in the mdr too

[daiB]

Have I missed something when I have been cruising?? No trays?

Is this because they are all on Ventura.

Well they were on Thursday morning. Is this another non story?

[grapau27]

10 hours ago, eddie11 said:

A couple of threads have comments on the presence or absence of trays and whether there is a need for them or not.  I thought it might make an interesting stand alone thread

 

I have no deep feelings on the matter, though the more I think it through the more I wonder if the negative aspects of tray use outweigh the positives.  Some points

 

 - Walking around, holding trays, and possibly bags, walking sticks, children, makes everyone more clumsy and more of an obstacle to others.

 

 - If tables were set with ‘cutlery rolls’ and staff walked round with water or fetched other beverages, there would possibly be no need for trays.

 

- Pax would need to make 2 trips round the servery to get two courses - could mean more congestion; might not if trips were easier because people aren’t balancing trays

 

MSC use oversized oval plates/platters, which can hold a meal, a bread roll and a dessert bowl.  Slightly undignified - but so is the whole buffet process

 

Slightly muddled first thoughts.  Anyone else?

 

I like having a tray.

RC don't have trays and I have to go back for my coffee and flavoured water and food is getting cold while I am getting my drinks.

Maybe smaller plates would be an answer to stop people taking to much food

[grapau27]

10 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

The main problems with the mdr are they close too early for breakfast, we sometimes like a bit of a lie in, and the lunch menu is very limited. 

If these improved, we would use it more often. 

Andy 

Personally we always get room service breakfast and eat it on our balcony.

[grapau27]

10 hours ago, Les_ldh said:

As a solo traveller I can assure you that making a second trip absolutely is an issue, as when you return from your second trip someone else has pinched your table! 😢

Good point.

One of us always sits at the table while the other gets their lunch and vice versa.

[Josy1953]

9 hours ago, molecrochip said:

It is as part of a fleet wide initiative to reduce food waste. Majority of food waste is food served up and then not eaten. 
 

If you need assistance carrying then buffet staff should now assist. I’ve seen this working on Britannia.

 

 

How does not having a tray reduce food waste ?  Surely people only put food on their plate that they think they will eat regardless of whether they carry the plate on a tray or not.

Edited February 10, 2020 by Josy1953

[peteukmcr]

Can’t remember having a tray on any cruise line (RCI, Celebrity, Carnival, Cunard, NCL, MSC). We get a seat, one of us goes for juice, invariably staff are serving coffee (RCI) or we get that too so food isn’t getting cold as that’s next. 
 

For us no tray means we don’t overindulge as returning for bread rolls (too many carbs), pastries and or desserts is extra work (or at least we can use the excuse it means more exercise 😀). 
 

NCL have cutlery wrapped in napkins on the tables and are replenished regularly which is good. 
 

On every line I’ve seen staff assisting guests who need help in serving themselves from the buffet. 

[the english lady]

Cunard do not have trays.

For us...if we go to the buffet, OH leaves a hat on the table, I leave my around the ship bag on a chair..just has cruise card and possibly camera in there, so its obvious somebody is at that table. Then we each get our drinks, come back, then go off and get our cereals, after that is eaten if  either want to finish off with something hot, we each go off and get them. Never come back from any of these expeditions to find someone has taken our table. Same as I wouldn't sit at a table that had someones personal belongings on it.

Would we miss the try, not really..just as easy to carry a plate as a tray. If someone if taking tons of food they will take it ,if its just on a plate ,or on a plate on a tray.

[Adawn47]

10 hours ago, davecttr said:

Very pleasant in the buffet for breakfast. If you go there at 7am or earlier which I do for my cereal.

I'm only beginning to surface at that time.

[bee-ess]

8 hours ago, daiB said:

Have I missed something when I have been cruising?? No trays?

Is this because they are all on Ventura.

Well they were on Thursday morning. Is this another non story?

I don't know it if it is fleet wide or not but they stopped using trays on Britannia halfway through the Caribbean TA in October. Don't know if that is still the case or not.