Dinner buffet and late starting times on Star Breeze, etc

[stromer]

We just got off the Star Breeze and loved it except for the late dinner starting times - 7pm and no dinner buffet.  I have sailed most of the main line cruise lines and they all have dinner buffet and start dinner as early as 5:30 pm.  Even luxury lines I have been on - Regent and Oceania have a modified dinner buffet where you can get appetizers,  etc first and order the main course from a menu or grill and finish in 30 to 45 min or so vs almost 2 hours in the main no reservation restaurant.  I bet they do this because they don't think luxury cruise passengers want a buffet dinner.  Also the ship is small and they might want to have a specialty restaurant where the lunch buffet is for dinner.  However, this is contradicted by the above 2 lines that do this modified dinner buffet.

Also, they could make the dinner menu high quality like the others do.  Room service is not an option because the quality menu starts also at 7 pm.

So, does anyone have any opinions on why Windstar does this or is it a waste of time to discuss because no one cares.  My wife wants to eat earlier and not sit around eating bread for hours waiting to be served.

Rick 

[6rugrats]

I went on my first Windstar cruise in 1988, and they have never had a dinner buffet to my knowledge.  

[SailMaine]

No buffet at dinner is precisely why we choose Windstar as our luxury option. It’s just our preference. So I guess it’s good there are other luxury lines that offer that venue for those that prefer the buffet option.

[Pudgesmom]

Larger ships have more dining venues. Windstar converts the buffet from breakfast/lunch to a sit down steak restaurant. I suppose if enough requested it, they might make a change. 

It works for us, but I understand you don’t care for the timing or lack of buffet. We usually have a cocktail and canapés in the lounge before dinner, and go in right at 7. It’s very possible to eat in the dining room in an hour, not two. Just tell your waiter what your preference is. 
 

On a personal note, my husband likes buffets and I can’t stand them. I don’t like the thought that the food has been sitting around for an undetermined amount of time. Also, I fix plates and carry food around at home. When I travel, I like having someone plate and carry it for me. 

[RlyLvn]

How many passengers were on your cruise?

[3kidslater]

I personally do not like buffets. Too many people hovering over the food, too many hands touching the serving spoons etc. To each his own, but during this pandemic, I believe buffets are a bad idea.

[stromer]

Thank you for all the replies.  The current Covid requirements mean that the servers give you the pre main course food like they do in breakfast and lunch.  No one ever touches the food.  Veranda/Candles could remain the same but start earlier and make it a non specialty restaurant with no reservations like Regent does in the La Veranda/Sette Mari does and Oceania does in the Terrace grill.

The boat was about half full with about 160 passangers.

[RlyLvn]

Thanks. Was the Grill open outdoor in the evening?

[stromer]

The Star Grill was open for lunch 12:30 to 2:30 or 3:00 pm (varies) and burgers from 3-4 pm and reopened a few days as the Cuadro 44 specialty restaurant under the stars from 7-9 pm.  

Note: Veranda/Candles was open most nights from 7-9 pm with the Chadron 44 open sometimes with all restaurants closed during the special BBQ on the Bora Bora motu.   

Rick

 

[Strenz]

Thankfully no dinner buffet on WS. I can not stand them. Even breakfast and lunch will not eat the buffet. In December I had the waiter make me a salad for lunch because you could do it your self, that was good fir me, breakfast the menu is great. I do not like food standing around. My least favorite meal is the deck barbecue. I am definitely in the minority on that one. I do think menu food is outstanding on WS Cruises. Happy Sailing

[RlyLvn]

Good to hear the Star Grill was being utilized in the evening!

[Petoonya]

Crummy for those who are used to dining earlier. We're usually so full after all the fare at other meals we push dinner to 8pm, even though used to dining much earlier. Can see why it might have put a damper on your cruise Stromer. Everyone's biological clock is different.

Stromer- I like the Terrace Grill on Oceania too. Except the food is too good. Just like WS.

 

[milepig]

Feel free to put your ideas on the post-cruise evaluation form. Personally, I run from any dinner buffet that ever existed and think that a 7 pm start time for dinner is perfectly fine. If you require something earlier there are plenty of other cruise lines to select, as you suggest. WS, in over 20 cruises has always been seated dinner starting at 7pm and it seems to work for them.

[cherdon]

We just got off the Breeze on February 10th and love Windstar. I do agree that between 4 & 7 there should be something besides room service or Yacht club. Maybe in the veranda front cold section or one side of the Star Grill. Cheese, hummus, veggies just some little snack items. 
Sometimes when you get back on board 

you need a little something besides peanuts to go with your cocktail.

Yes, we could go to the yacht club

( and we did) but prefer to be on deck.

Otherwise we think the dining options are great, loved Amphora & Cuadro 44, did not try Candles this trip.

[LTCOP]

Pre-Covid on the sailing ships, they always offered a nice 4:00-5:00 snack in the bar by the pool.  There was always an assortment of small sandwich bites, cookies, and other hors d'oeuvres.  It was hard to not eat too much and ruin my dinner:-) 

 

Hopefully, I will back on the Surf in March to check out if they still do that!

 

Pam

[milepig]

On 2/12/2022 at 10:57 AM, cherdon said:

We just got off the Breeze on February 10th and love Windstar. I do agree that between 4 & 7 there should be something besides room service or Yacht club. Maybe in the veranda front cold section or one side of the Star Grill. Cheese, hummus, veggies just some little snack items. 
Sometimes when you get back on board 

you need a little something besides peanuts to go with your cocktail.

Yes, we could go to the yacht club

( and we did) but prefer to be on deck.

Otherwise we think the dining options are great, loved Amphora & Cuadro 44, did not try Candles this trip.

We stop at the Yacht Club get some nosh and take it on deck - it's all of 20 steps away, so really not a burden. We've also found that when there are late tours they keep the burger bar open - not the full buffer, but they're making burgers, etc.

[Redtravel]

Never go hungry on WS.  Yacht club is great for snacks. Room service is fabulous anytime. You can ask room service for anything and have it delivered anywhere on the ship.  Room service menu is good. If you want something not on that menu, just ask.  If they have it, you can order it.  WS EATS!

[Redtravel]

On 2/12/2022 at 11:57 AM, cherdon said:

We just got off the Breeze on February 10th and love Windstar. I do agree that between 4 & 7 there should be something besides room service or Yacht club. Maybe in the veranda front cold section or one side of the Star Grill. Cheese, hummus, veggies just some little snack items. 
Sometimes when you get back on board 

you need a little something besides peanuts to go with your cocktail.

Yes, we could go to the yacht club

( and we did) but prefer to be on deck.

Otherwise we think the dining options are great, loved Amphora & Cuadro 44, did not try Candles this trip.

You are on a small ship. Food is available.  Room service caters to your desires. Unlike the big ships, room service menu are just suggestions. Want something else, just ask.  

[buhbyenow]

Ditto Redtravel.  Any Windstar ship is more yacht than cruise ship.  Every time, I have found that my wish was their command. Last cruise one of the bar waiters even brought a plate of goodies from the yacht club to our table on deck while we were playing cards during happy hour!  Room service has never turned down any request of mine. A couple we met on Star Breeze had room service bring their early dinner to them on deck. I personally hope they never have a dinner buffet.  This is the reason why there are different kinds of cruise lines; different strokes for different folks.  

Edited February 22, 2022 by buhbyenow