Get rid of the buffets already!...

[clo]

52 minutes ago, evandbob said:

Imagine if the buffet was replaced by MickeyD's?  YIKES!

 

(I would avoid that at all costs - I had my last Big Mac in 1967, don't go to fast food joints at all, but I am in a tiny tiny minority).

We do drive-thru McDs when on the road and just trying to get from point A to point B. It's the quickest and least messy.

[SuiteTraveler]

13 minutes ago, clo said:

Don't most now have different "stations" within the buffet space? So I can get salad in one area, a burger somewhere else, etc.?

Yes, there are different stations on many ships but what I would prefer is an evolution of that to small individual restaurants.  

[SuiteTraveler]

38 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

At what price?

$2700 for a five night cruise in an inside?

Is that what you want?

If you look the 5 nights are as low at $650pp in an inside, all restaurants and beverages are included.  

[RocketMan275]

34 minutes ago, clo said:

Don't most now have different "stations" within the buffet space? So I can get salad in one area, a burger somewhere else, etc.?

That's not the same thing as replacing the entire buffet with multiple restaurants providing artisanal cuisine.  

[RocketMan275]

16 minutes ago, SuiteTraveler said:

If you look the 5 nights are as low at $650pp in an inside, all restaurants and beverages are included.  

most appeared significantly more costly.

The one I saw was $2500 for five nights for the cabin.  That's $1250 pp for an inside.  

 

[clo]

2 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

That's not the same thing as replacing the entire buffet with multiple restaurants providing artisanal cuisine.  

Oh I know but as you said where would they find the space and pay for it and get the extra staffing.

[RocketMan275]

1 minute ago, clo said:

Oh I know but as you said where would they find the space and pay for it and get the extra staffing.

And, the artisanal cuisine is more expensive and OP wanted higher quality too.  

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, SuiteTraveler said:

Richard Branson's Virgin Voyages cruise ship has been designed like that.  So...yes, there is enough room on a cruise ship to do it and it can and has been done.  

That it can be done from scratch is not the same as that it can be done as a conversion. 

[Ashland]

19 hours ago, DarrenM said:

Can we just leave our magnificent cruise ships as they are? Ta.

After many years of cruising RCI & X we prefer the buffet. We would be very upset if they were discontinued just because a few of you don't like them....No reason to take options away !!!

[ed01106]

19 hours ago, DarrenM said:

Can we just leave our magnificent cruise ships as they are? Ta.

I wish that had been the attitude of the cruise lines before they began speciality restaurants and you could get top tier meals at the MDR.  

[RocketMan275]

6 hours ago, ed01106 said:

I wish that had been the attitude of the cruise lines before they began speciality restaurants and you could get top tier meals at the MDR.  

The lower quality in the MDR has everything to do with cost savings and nothing to do with specialty dining.  Eliminating the specialty dining would not improve the quality of the food in the MDR.  

The average passenger would have to be convinced that an improved MDR is worth an increase in fare price which is very unlikely.

[sail7seas]

On 2/14/2020 at 5:13 PM, klfhngr said:

Obviously the buffet quality sucks on most cruise lines, so much food and money is wasted, flu's, noro, etc. shared with everyone!

 

Isn't it time for the buffets to go away and have smaller eateries (food courts)? So much space is wasted in the buffet area! More free food options, smaller portions=saved money by the cruise lines.

 

IDK, it's been on my mind and wondering if I'm the only one that feels this way!

 

If you don't care for the buffet, fine,,,,,,,, don't go there but  don't take it away from everyone just because You don't like it,  IMO

 

 

[AF-1]

I like buffets for the variety they offer and it's all in one location.  If you sail on Princess newer royal class ships;  their buffet's are very good.   I say keep em.  

[lindsay0526]

Buffets are the easiest way to feed a lot of people quickly, and therefore cruise lines, hotels with breakfast included, and weddings will often have them. The end.

[gerryuk]

I think at the present time cruise lines should have staff positioned at all doors into the buffet. All customers entering the buffet must be seen to sanitise their hands at the entrance and also the same when leaving, anyone refusing when gaining entry should be refused entrance. 

I also think that all the food on the trays should be divided by plastic screens and the serving utensils should be on a chain and can only be used for that tray of food. I have seen on many occasions people use the same utensils for serving hot meats then cold food near by, this cannot be right.

[Roger88]

11 minutes ago, gerryuk said:

I think at the present time cruise lines should have staff positioned at all doors into the buffet. All customers entering the buffet must be seen to sanitise their hands at the entrance and also the same when leaving, anyone refusing when gaining entry should be refused entrance. 

I also think that all the food on the trays should be divided by plastic screens and the serving utensils should be on a chain and can only be used for that tray of food. I have seen on many occasions people use the same utensils for serving hot meats then cold food near by, this cannot be right.

Finally some smart thoughts here. In the current condition I would prefer all food in the buffet to be put in plastic boxes as well. And sanitation at the entrance should be mandatory as well as the over all cleanliness of the place inside. There should be supervision all over the place

[klfhngr]

19 hours ago, sail7seas said:

 

If you don't care for the buffet, fine,,,,,,,, don't go there but  don't take it away from everyone just because You don't like it,  IMO

 

 

Ok, thanks for that!

[mrneva]

We usually go to the buffet only when we don’t like the MDR’s menu that day.
We’re the kind who like to sit at a pleasant environment and be waited on. Yeah sometimes the MDR could be loud and service could be slow but we still like it. It’s a personal preference. With concerns about the corona virus, we’ll definitely eat at the MDR.


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[SuiteTraveler]

On 2/24/2020 at 1:01 PM, ontheweb said:

That it can be done from scratch is not the same as that it can be done as a conversion. 

I have been doing remodeling for years and yes, a cruise ship, including a space like the buffet could be remodeled to create additional restaurants.  It's really not that complicated.  Carnival remodeled their buffets into individual cuisine centric stations  with their 2.0 upgrade.  What I'm suggesting would take this type of remodel a step further.  I actually think it is inevitable that this will happen.

[cruizergal70]

23 hours ago, mrneva said:

We usually go to the buffet only when we don’t like the MDR’s menu that day.
We’re the kind who like to sit at a pleasant environment and be waited on. Yeah sometimes the MDR could be loud and service could be slow but we still like it. It’s a personal preference. With concerns about the corona virus, we’ll definitely eat at the MDR.


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Having a sit down meal won't stop the transmission of COVID-19. You're still in a room full of people where the staff is going from table to table.

 

Haven't you seen a passenger cough as they pass your table?

Edited February 28, 2020 by cruizergal70

[JMorris271]

On 2/14/2020 at 6:11 PM, klfhngr said:

Great idea! How many times have you walked by an empty table only to see plates of half eaten food! Smaller plates=smaller servings=less waste!

Smaller plates mean more traffic at the buffet islands due to people making a 3rd trip for a 3rd plate because they didn't get enough in their earlier 2 trips.

Edited February 28, 2020 by JMorris271

[mrneva]

Having a sit down meal won't stop the transmission of COVID-19. You're still in a room full of people where the staff is going from table to table.
 
Haven't you seen a passenger cough as they pass your table?

Of course it won’t but to me the chance of getting virus or germs from the MDR is less than from the buffet. The buffet is also full of people and passenger could still cough as they pass your table in this case, multiple times. They could also cough as they get their food.


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[DarrenM]

On 2/27/2020 at 1:29 PM, lindsay0526 said:

Buffets are the easiest way to feed a lot of people quickly, and therefore cruise lines, hotels with breakfast included, and weddings will often have them. The end.

Amen to this.

[wowzz]

On our recent P&O cruise,  no trays were available in the buffet, as part of a trial. Seemed to me to have lots of positives - no trays lying around on the floor or spare tables, and a lot less food wasted.

[clo]

27 minutes ago, wowzz said:

On our recent P&O cruise,  no trays were available in the buffet, as part of a trial. Seemed to me to have lots of positives - no trays lying around on the floor or spare tables, and a lot less food wasted.

Oceania has no trays and you don't serve yourself. And there are always staff around wanting to carry your plate. Seemed quite 'civilized' to me.