Current Buffet as third MDR

[travelplus]

Would repurposing the current Buffet into a third MDR with extended hours and unique options that differentiate it from the MDR more like a Breeze Cafe with create your own dishes with ingredients provided on the menu, a Brazilian Rodizio one night, Surprise Creations another night, Guy Fieri's night etc would draw in people.

 

I envision large accordion windows that are on all sides that can open with a retractable roof along with music and special drinks. Late night options can be Midnight Surprise, Passenger creations night and Crew creations night whereby a contest is held and the winning menu makes its way here.

 

You could have Flexible options here with a center Fountain and Rotating floor that turns with each course 

 

Thoughts?

[joeyancho]

Your imagination is in overdrive.   

[scpirate]

10 minutes ago, travelplus said:

Would repurposing the current Buffet into a third MDR with extended hours and unique options that differentiate it from the MDR more like a Breeze Cafe with create your own dishes with ingredients provided on the menu, a Brazilian Rodizio one night, Surprise Creations another night, Guy Fieri's night etc would draw in people.

 

I envision large accordion windows that are on all sides that can open with a retractable roof along with music and special drinks. Late night options can be Midnight Surprise, Passenger creations night and Crew creations night whereby a contest is held and the winning menu makes its way here.

 

You could have Flexible options here with a center Fountain and Rotating floor that turns with each course 

 

Thoughts?

No thank you.we did the mdr our very first carnival cruise.we eat at buffet on any cruise line since.my wife refuses I'm not going into the details but mdr is a no go.as crowded as the buffet is the mdr must not be as poplar as you think.

[firefly333]

I just read on another thread about them turning the buffet into a grab and go. Maybe something from the cdc. Instead of being enhanced will be not as good.

[Purvis1231]

Where is the scientific evidence that COVID is spread by more at the buffet when compared to other food service options? I think people want the option of the buffet. 

[BlerkOne]

21 minutes ago, Purvis1231 said:

Where is the scientific evidence that COVID is spread by more at the buffet when compared to other food service options? I think people want the option of the buffet. 

The cattle start lining up long before the venue opens. If socially distanced, they would wrap around the ship a few times. They like to graze as they grab more - can't do that with a mask on. Covid may be primarily in the air, but it can also be spread via contact with contaminated surfaces.

[Purvis1231]

20 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

The cattle start lining up long before the venue opens. If socially distanced, they would wrap around the ship a few times. They like to graze as they grab more - can't do that with a mask on. Covid may be primarily in the air, but it can also be spread via contact with contaminated surfaces.

Where is the scientic evidence that Covid can be spread at the buffet? CDC recently said infection by surface contamination is unlikely.

[teknoge3k]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

I just read on another thread about them turning the buffet into a grab and go. Maybe something from the cdc. Instead of being enhanced will be not as good.

 

Hopefully this will be short lived. Buffets are already open again here. In fact, they were opened back up last summer places where we traveled. 

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, Purvis1231 said:

Where is the scientific evidence that COVID is spread by more at the buffet when compared to other food service options? I think people want the option of the buffet. 

I don’t know about scientific evidence but on my last cruise I saw a kid sneeze into his hand and then pick up the tongs with that hand. How many people touch the same spoons and tongs as thousands of other people then don’t think twice eating with their hands? How many times do spoons or tongs end up laying in the food? I don’t know about spreading COVID.

but they definitely spread germs. I hate buffets.

[cruisingguy007]

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I just read on another thread about them turning the buffet into a grab and go. Maybe something from the cdc. Instead of being enhanced will be not as good.

 

Grab and go isn't bad as it sounds, they use it in Vegas a lot now even at the higher end buffets (kind of an oxymoron I know). It's not so much grab-and-go but more like single serve bowls and plates where the item is already portioned out in individual servings. You are free to get as many as you want but it keeps thing sanitary and and clean. One person can oversee many dishes and wipe up and remove any dishes that someone touches or if some other bad behavior is spotted. It also helps cut down on bad behavior because someone is watching. Cuts waste as well I'd imagine. It's also only for like one half to one third of dishes. It coupled with self serve (salads and such) and also enhanced service (meats and mains). 

[cruisingguy007]

I really hope the buffet doesn't go away for a main dining room add on. That's a terrible idea. 

[cruisingguy007]

34 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

I don’t know about scientific evidence but on my last cruise I saw a kid sneeze into his hand and then pick up the tongs with that hand. How many people touch the same spoons and tongs as thousands of other people then don’t think twice eating with their hands? How many times do spoons or tongs end up laying in the food? I don’t know about spreading COVID.

but they definitely spread germs. I hate buffets.

 

Concur 100% (some folks are filthy and have no basic manners) except for the last sentence. The buffet is convenient sometimes. Great when you're in a hurry, want a variety, or even don't feel like eating much and want to graze on a little bit of a variety of items and also if you only want something specific, like a salad or some dessert. But yeah, people suck sometimes and ruin the communal experience with uncouth behavior(s).  

[bdever]

This is merely pure speculation as when reading the "Requirements Relating to the General Components of a Simulation and Simulated Actives" as released today by the CDC for the guidance on simulated test voyages the only mention is thus: "The cruise ship operator must modify meal service and entertainment venues to facilitate social distancing during the simulated voyage."

 

On the cruise lines sailing out of Europe that I have been following the buffet is handled differently depending on the line. some opt to change the buffet to a set menu, some have closed the buffet altogether while others have roped off the counter area to the buffet and drink stations with a crew member standing by the roped sections and you walk up to them tell them what you want and they get it for you (including drinks).

[cruisingguy007]

1 hour ago, bdever said:

while others have roped off the counter area to the buffet and drink stations with a crew member standing by the roped sections and you walk up to them tell them what you want and they get it for you (including drinks).

 

This is similar to Vegas except you grab the items as someone watches over. This is workable as long as the employee isn't handling each plate but rather, grabs single served portions item(s) to place on passengers plates (or some other type of method) without handling the plates. It kind of defeats the purpose if passengers are touching plates and then the employees are then touching each of those plates and passing germs. I guess they could keep clean plates at the stations for only employees to handle, serve, and then hand off as well. It'll be interesting to see how this works, especially considering how small the buffet areas on on cruise ships.  

[pc_load_letter]

4 hours ago, scpirate said:

No thank you.we did the mdr our very first carnival cruise.we eat at buffet on any cruise line since.my wife refuses I'm not going into the details but mdr is a no go.as crowded as the buffet is the mdr must not be as poplar as you think.

 

We're the opposite. We do the MDR as many times as we can....breakfast, dinner, sometimes lunch.

 

Regarding the OPs post, I would be down with that.

[oakridger]

Holland America Line has been doing a version of the buffet for several years which would comply with CDC and just plain better sanitary standards.  Keep the buffet and let the staff serve all food and drinks that the passengers ask for.  Has worked for HAL and the passengers still get a wide variety.

[firefly333]

4 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Grab and go isn't bad as it sounds, they use it in Vegas a lot now even at the higher end buffets (kind of an oxymoron I know). It's not so much grab-and-go but more like single serve bowls and plates where the item is already portioned out in individual servings. You are free to get as many as you want but it keeps thing sanitary and and clean. One person can oversee many dishes and wipe up and remove any dishes that someone touches or if some other bad behavior is spotted. It also helps cut down on bad behavior because someone is watching. Cuts waste as well I'd imagine. It's also only for like one half to one third of dishes. It coupled with self serve (salads and such) and also enhanced service (meats and mains). 

I really liked building my own salad. Preplated isnt the same as putting all the ingredients together. I can see it for meats and desserts but not the salads. I might have seen the pre playing on the ben and David bloggers video about how the cdc managed to not come out and require vaccines but is getting the cruiselines to do it. They went thru all the things the cruiseline must do to do the mock cruises. Well some of them. This way the cdc isnt the one requiring vaccines.

 

Not sure where I saw the grab and go thing in the buffet., I had expected maybe they would dish it out like they already do with the bacon, but not pre made servings. The Mdr pre plates, that's how I always get broccoli I never eat with my meat. Going to be more wasted food with pre plating imo.

[RWolver672]

6 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Grab and go isn't bad as it sounds, they use it in Vegas a lot now even at the higher end buffets (kind of an oxymoron I know). It's not so much grab-and-go but more like single serve bowls and plates where the item is already portioned out in individual servings. You are free to get as many as you want but it keeps thing sanitary and and clean. If they did that, they better bring back the trays.  I can't imagine juggling a separate plate for everything in a meal.  One person can oversee many dishes and wipe up and remove any dishes that someone touches or if some other bad behavior is spotted. It also helps cut down on bad behavior because someone is watching. Cuts waste as well I'd imagine. It's also only for like one half to one third of dishes. Separate dishes for each serving would take many more dishes, not less.  It coupled with self serve (salads and such) and also enhanced service (meats and mains). 

See above in red.

[crewsweeper]

11 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

Where is the scientific evidence that COVID is spread by more at the buffet when compared to other food service options? I think people want the option of the buffet. 

 

10 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

The cattle start lining up long before the venue opens. If socially distanced, they would wrap around the ship a few times. They like to graze as they grab more - can't do that with a mask on. Covid may be primarily in the air, but it can also be spread via contact with contaminated surfaces.

Not sure how grab n go would work or how seating would be worked out once full capacity cruises are in place.  But social distancing for fully vaccinated people makes little sense. However, Carnival isn't requiring 95% or more vaccinated.  

What limiting the buffet and grab n go can do is reduce the spread of Noro and other viruses that linger on surfaces and have been the scourge of cruises in the past.  Masks will help, as long as people with colds and flu like symptoms wear masks. 

For the next year or so, cruising will certainly be totally different from the past, not sure if those "old normal" days will ever return.

[asalligo]

Nothing in the CDC rules eliminates the buffet. You just cannot serve yourself. The buffet will be there just like it was before. You will just have to ask someone behind the counter for what you want. 

 

• Dining
  • Eliminate any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations. This limits the use of shared serving utensils, handles, buttons, or touchscreens and helps customers to stay seated and at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart from people who do not live in their household.

[asalligo]

Double post

Edited May 6, 2021 by asalligo

[Joebucks]

If you've ever been to a foreign country or even just watched it on tv, it's comical to see the way we act around food service vs them. You'll have bare, unwashed hands, touching food, in big bins. Yet we panic over a spoon handle. It's even more comical that people will complain about said spoon, but disregard the world around us that has fecal matter everywhere.

 

The buffet will not go away. If anything, they'll modify it. I guess the spoons will probably only be accessible to the staff. Even though that has nothing to do with COVID.

Edited May 6, 2021 by Joebucks

[asalligo]

19 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

If you've ever been to a foreign country or even just watched it on tv, it's comical to see the way we act around food service vs them. You'll have bare, unwashed hands, touching food, in big bins. Yet we panic over a spoon handle. It's even more comical that people will complain about said spoon, but disregard the world around us that has fecal matter everywhere.

This is why I hated shaking hands long before Covid. Spend just a few minutes in a men's bathroom and you will see multiple examples of just doing their business and walking out of the room. No sink touched. 

[Saint Greg]

2 hours ago, asalligo said:

Nothing in the CDC rules eliminates the buffet. You just cannot serve yourself. The buffet will be there just like it was before. You will just have to ask someone behind the counter for what you want. 

 

• Dining
  • Eliminate any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations. This limits the use of shared serving utensils, handles, buttons, or touchscreens and helps customers to stay seated and at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart from people who do not live in their household.

 

See that kind of buffet would be fine with me. That's not what I consider a buffet. That's more like a cafeteria. As long as the general public doesn't have access to my food I'm good with it.

[teknoge3k]

2 hours ago, Joebucks said:

The buffet will not go away. If anything, they'll modify it. I guess the spoons will probably only be accessible to the staff. Even though that has nothing to do with COVID.

 

I have been to 2 different types of buffets since May. The first, is where the staff is serving you at each station. They give you whatever you want, you just ask. Although on Carnival, I can see the bacon police being in full force there. 

 

The second type is where you still serve yourself, you just wear a glove. At the beginning of the buffet once you get your plate, you get a disposable glove to handle the buffet utensils with. I personally prefer the latter but either way has been working for a year now.