Buffet trays

[Gettingwarmer]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

No trays on Princess either,  these days.  

 

No but the plates are large oval shape. 

[terrierjohn]

4 hours ago, carlanthony24 said:

Becoming fleet wide like other cruise lines, someone was saying to stop people with food waste etc. I believe you can still ask for one if you would like though.

I bet there's a big queue at the station where you can request a tray!!!

[terrierjohn]

4 hours ago, Cloudyrain said:

P&O are phasing out trays: they are advising customers who need to use trays to ask for assistance in the buffet and staff will carry things. As it was explained to us they don’t have trays available to borrow, just staff to carry things. It’s to reduce food waste apparently.

They are going to need a hell of a lot more staff if that's the new policy, and the serveries are going to become very congested.

Edited May 8, 2023 by terrierjohn

[wowzz]

10 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

No but the plates are large oval shape. 

Round ones on Sky last month. 

[Gettingwarmer]

Just now, wowzz said:

Round ones on Sky last month. 

Just shows how long ago it was that I went to the buffet, most probably 2019. 

[terrierjohn]

14 minutes ago, wowzz said:

No trays on Princess either,  these days.  

 

There never have been, they have these giant sized plates that the Americans then fill with just about everything in the buffet.

[zap99]

Just now, wowzz said:

Round ones on Sky last month. 

Rectangular ones on Azura in February and April. It's a mystery, or to quote Toyah. Itht a mythtery.

[wowzz]

28 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

There never have been, they have these giant sized plates that the Americans then fill with just about everything in the buffet.

I must have missed those. 

[zap99]

38 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

They are going to need a hell of a lot more staff if that's the new policy, and the serveries are going to become very congested.

This is not acceptable. On my next P&O cruise I will take my own tray. Its a good one. Tres bien.

[davecttr]

3 hours ago, showingdiva said:

I understand why trays are being phased out, not just on P&O, but try eating / cruising on your own, sitting down with some cereal and juice, then try getting up to get an omelette or some toast - you either lose your table, the waiters immediately clear the table when you stand up .. or both.

I always take a coat or jacket or fleece into the buffet and drape it over the chair, making it obvious there is someone sitting there. Leave something on the table too. I always use quiet times if possible as well. Avoid the 10am bun fight. I find 6.30 am is the ideal time for breakfast but do so at home as well.

[Yorkypete]

4 hours ago, Denarius said:

A bit of a storm in a tea cup imo. To me it seems natural to go to a buffet for one course at a time. I recently cruised with another line which did not provide trays and I do not recall anyone commenting on their absence; indeed until I read this thread I never even thought about it.

What a stupid idea. My wife used to get a seat and then I would get the breakfast for me first...toast, jam, butter and drinks for both of us.  She would then gets hers. It will mean just more trips  and crowding. Food wastage is a ridiculous excuse. With all the current pull-backs and problems I am glad we are not cruising anymore.

[carlanthony24]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

I bet there's a big queue at the station where you can request a tray!!!

Who knows if its working on other lines then no reason why it won't here.

[lincslady]

7 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

There never have been, they have these giant sized plates that the Americans then fill with just about everything in the buffet.

And then, at breakfast, put everything on them together, fruit, croissants, eggs and baked beans, all mixed up.  Some of them still have that pioneering feeling of take it now or it may disappear and you could starve.

[wowzz]

8 hours ago, Yorkypete said:

What a stupid idea. My wife used to get a seat and then I would get the breakfast for me first...toast, jam, butter and drinks for both of us.  She would then gets hers. It will mean just more trips  and crowding. Food wastage is a ridiculous excuse. With all the current pull-backs and problems I am glad we are not cruising anymore.

Sorry - you get your toast etc and bring it back to your table on a plate. Buffet staff pour your drinks. Why do you need a tray ?

Edited May 9, 2023 by wowzz

[No pager thank you]

Perhaps the trays are needed to store all of the biscuits no longer being delivered to cabins 😉

[zap99]

8 hours ago, davecttr said:

I always take a coat or jacket or fleece into the buffet and drape it over the chair, making it obvious there is someone sitting there. Leave something on the table too. I always use quiet times if possible as well. Avoid the 10am bun fight. I find 6.30 am is the ideal time for breakfast but do so at home as well.

I put the napkin over the back of the chairto stop the server taking it away, but I don't do that at home.

[zap99]

8 hours ago, Yorkypete said:

What a stupid idea. My wife used to get a seat and then I would get the breakfast for me first...toast, jam, butter and drinks for both of us.  She would then gets hers. It will mean just more trips  and crowding. Food wastage is a ridiculous excuse. With all the current pull-backs and problems I am glad we are not cruising anymore.

So trays won't actually bother you much then.

[terrierjohn]

8 hours ago, carlanthony24 said:

Who knows if its working on other lines then no reason why it won't here.

One of the reasons P&O appealed to us over Princess was that they used trays, just like Celebrity did.

I honestly doubt it will reduce food wastage, those passengers who pile it high are not going to change their habits. But on recent cruises we have rarely seen piles of food left in the buffet, and for wheelchair users like us, trays enable me to collect breakfast for both of us at the same time, without trays I am going to have to make 2 trips increasing the queuing time.

[Fionboard]

Back in 2011/2012 when I cruised regularly on Celebrity they did not have trays but did have table service for tea/coffee, etc. Never use the buffet now. Sit in MDR and get served. 

[wowzz]

11 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

One of the reasons P&O appealed to us over Princess was that they used trays, just like Celebrity did.

I honestly doubt it will reduce food wastage, those passengers who pile it high are not going to change their habits. But on recent cruises we have rarely seen piles of food left in the buffet, and for wheelchair users like us, trays enable me to collect breakfast for both of us at the same time, without trays I am going to have to make 2 trips increasing the queuing time.

Haven't been on P&O for a while, but surely they have staff to help carry extra plates etc to your table.

 

1 minute ago, Fionboard said:

Back in 2011/2012 when I cruised regularly on Celebrity they did not have trays but did have table service for tea/coffee, etc. Never use the buffet now. Sit in MDR and get served. 

Princess still serve drinks at your table in the buffet.

[Fionboard]

Walking through buffet on Aurora last month I saw a couple of waiters with tea trolleys serving tables. 

[majortom10]

10 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

There never have been, they have these giant sized plates that the Americans then fill with just about everything in the buffet.

And then leave most of it. They did the same at dinner in MDR where it used to be common to choose 2-3 main courses and pick at all and leave most. That is why they bought in the $10 extra charge.

[majortom10]

38 minutes ago, zap99 said:

So trays won't actually bother you much then.

Not at all as he is not cruising anymore.

[wowzz]

I always considered trays to be both a trip hazard and a hygiene hazard. 

Pleased that they are gone.

[P&O SUE]

I do think it’s a bit ridiculous, I pick up a juice and my breakfast plate, I often get a bowl of fruit and some hot items but I haven’t got three hands! Oh well… not the end of the world but it means loads of people will be going up and down constantly.