Get rid of the buffets already!...

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, ed01106 said:

Not necessarily.  I have found lines with manned stations often move quicker as there is less indecisiveness, picking thru the entire bowl, or issues of having problems operating salad tongs and holding a plate at the same time.

My experience as well.  It is amazing how long it can take some people to decide which carrot slice they want - or to squeeze all the soft rolls to find the one that is just right.

[ontheweb]

5 hours ago, SRF said:

 

And remember, staffing it not just about cost.

 

Where do you PUT the extra staff? 

HAL has already been doing it so it seems that this is not really a problem.

[RocketMan275]

18 hours ago, jsn55 said:

Very good point ... buffet dining in whatever form it takes will be wildly different.  Much slower too.  When the buffet lines are long, more pax will do the sit-down option, so it will all even out ... sort of.

Have you paused to consider how 'social distancing' would affect the 'sit-down' option?  The MDR would be greatly reduced in seating capacity.  Other consideration would slow service.   

[AF-1]

I see a future where the buffet lines on cruise ships will look like a cafeteria;  you walk up to the serving line and the employees serve you the food;  there will be marks on the floor that are six feet apart; and when you walk thru the line and get your food; you will then head for a table.  The tables will be cleaned by extra staff who make sure everything is sanitized.  This should satisfy everybody.

[sverigecruiser]

17 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

My experience as well.  It is amazing how long it can take some people to decide which carrot slice they want - or to squeeze all the soft rolls to find the one that is just right.

 

It's even worse if they first take the time to decide which carrot slice they want and then they have to explain which one they want for someone who shall give it to them!

[Roger88]

Bufets have to stay. Its very frustrating when you want to it and there is no place around where you could go eat. Moreover, some people become very anxious when they cant find the place to sit and eat. Doing time tables is not a way out. It will make people more depressed and it will make them watch the time everytime ... people dont wont to follow time on this type of vacation. Prove me wrong.. if I am wrong 

[AF-1]

Roger88; you are correct. People go to the buffets on cruise ships for at least three reasons

1. Time;  they don't want to wait in dining rooms where it can take  two hours to eat

2. they have small kids and its quick and convenient to take family to buffet; 

3. Don't have to dress up to eat; and buffet offers lots of variety of food choices and it's quick

Edited May 28, 2020 by AF-1

[clo]

2 hours ago, AF-1 said:

Roger88; you are correct. People go to the buffets on cruise ships for at least three reasons

1. Time;  they don't want to wait in dining rooms where it can take  two hours to eat

2. they have small kids and its quick and convenient to take family to buffet; 

3. Don't have to dress up to eat; and buffet offers lots of variety of food choices and it's quick

Do you folks not get that the buffet (serve yourself) will turn into a cafeteria (you are served and your plate is given to you)?

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, AF-1 said:

Roger88; you are correct. People go to the buffets on cruise ships for at least three reasons

1. Time;  they don't want to wait in dining rooms where it can take  two hours to eat

2. they have small kids and its quick and convenient to take family to buffet; 

3. Don't have to dress up to eat; and buffet offers lots of variety of food choices and it's quick

 

4. They want to choose exactly what they shall eat and plate it themself. 

[sverigecruiser]

23 minutes ago, clo said:

Do you folks not get that the buffet (serve yourself) will turn into a cafeteria (you are served and your plate is given to you)?

 

We don't know that.

 

The buffet is not important for me so I don't care much if it's removed. 

[mammajamma2013]

14 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

4. They want to choose exactly what they shall eat and plate it themself. 

5. They may be too tired from a shore excursion to dress up sufficiently for the MDR and prefer something fast and easy.

[mammajamma2013]

14 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

The buffet is not important for me so I don't care much if it's removed. 

The buffet is important to us so we do care. 😊

[clo]

49 minutes ago, mammajamma2013 said:

5. They may be too tired from a shore excursion to dress up sufficiently for the MDR and prefer something fast and easy.

 

1 hour ago, clo said:

Do you folks not get that the buffet (serve yourself) will turn into a cafeteria (you are served and your plate is given to you)?

 

[richstowe]

5 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Have you paused to consider how 'social distancing' would affect the 'sit-down' option?  The MDR would be greatly reduced in seating capacity.  Other consideration would slow service.   

Excellent post . The changes to the non-buffet options will be massive. These changes might be greater in terms of the customer experience . Full masks and shields for all staff . This wouldn't bother me in the buffet but would certainly harm the MDR experience . Cruise lines may go back to strictly assigned seating times, perhaps in 3 shifts to facilitate full social distancing with only small tables of solely family units . Not keen on eating at 5 or 9 PM . Maybe 4:30 and 9:30 to facilitate extensive cleanup between shifts .

So YES , people are much too concerned with possible buffet changes . The changes required to the sit-downs will be greater and more disruptive . And if all this happens, it will happen without me . 

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, clo said:

Do you folks not get that the buffet (serve yourself) will turn into a cafeteria (you are served and your plate is given to you)?

We still thought of it as a buffet on HAL when they had servers.

 

Call it what you want "it's still rock and roll to me.".

[clo]

1 minute ago, ontheweb said:

We still thought of it as a buffet on HAL when they had servers.

 

Call it what you want "it's still rock and roll to me.".

LOL. I called it a "buffet" until this thread.

[ontheweb]

7 minutes ago, clo said:

LOL. I called it a "buffet" until this thread.

I don't think the cruise lines will start calling it a cafeteria. A buffet sounds like something that has been on cruise lines; a cafeteria sounds like the unpleasant way they served food back when you were in school.

[XBGuy]

37 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

I don't think the cruise lines will start calling it a cafeteria.

 

Of course not, it'll be the mess hall.

 

🤣

[ed01106]

8 hours ago, AF-1 said:

Roger88; you are correct. People go to the buffets on cruise ships for at least three reasons

1. Time;  they don't want to wait in dining rooms where it can take  two hours to eat

2. they have small kids and its quick and convenient to take family to buffet; 

3. Don't have to dress up to eat; and buffet offers lots of variety of food choices and it's quick

All of which will still be available.  Only difference is a cruise employee will be holding the serving spoon.  

 

Maybe this change will upset some people.  But folks didn’t stop flying because you are no longer allowed to bring a Cosco size bottle of shampoo on airplanes after 9.11 and this won’t be a big deal either.

[TNcruising02]

I look forward to servers.  I will only have to sanitize my hands once.  As it was, I sanitized my hands before touching the utensils and then again after getting my food, but before eating.   With servers, I will only have to do it once.  Plus, I think the lines will go so much faster.  Some people are very slow when it comes to self serve.

[ilikeanswers]

It would seem a lot of River Cruises are now ditching buffets:

River Cruise Lines Start Outlining Onboard Health and Safety Changes

[cruizergal70]

19 hours ago, ed01106 said:

All of which will still be available.  Only difference is a cruise employee will be holding the serving spoon.  

 

Maybe this change will upset some people.  But folks didn’t stop flying because you are no longer allowed to bring a Cosco size bottle of shampoo on airplanes after 9.11 and this won’t be a big deal either.

I must admit I'm a bit put off by this. It's more interacting with crew, which I generally avoid. 

[richstowe]

4 hours ago, cruizergal70 said:

I must admit I'm a bit put off by this. It's more interacting with crew, which I generally avoid. 

Next thing you know they'll want to be treated as equals. 😳

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by richstowe

[AF-1]

On 5/28/2020 at 11:51 AM, clo said:

Do you folks not get that the buffet (serve yourself) will turn into a cafeteria (you are served and your plate is given to you)?

Clo please read my post 330;  it is exactly what I said.  I guess you passed that post

[cruizergal70]

1 hour ago, richstowe said:

Next thing you know they'll want to be treated as equals. 😳

 

Huh? When I vacation, I like to get away from people as much as possible. Other passengers and crew alike. It has nothing to do with looking down on anyone.