Changes in buffet hours - when did this happen?

[JanetAtSea]

:Long time NCL cruiser (platinum).  I’m currently on Escape - oddly enough I was on the exact same cruise 3 months ago.  The buffet hours have changed - they are only open until 9:30!  The only place to grab a bite after a show is O’Sheehan’s - which to no surprise has a long line since it’s the only food available.

 

Just noticed when we got up - breakfast buffet ends at 9:30, and reopens at 11:30.  

 

One of my great silly joys of a cruise is an ice cream cone after a show and before bed.  Also I’ve skipped sit down and specialty dinners in the past to catch a specific show thinking “I’d rather see the show, I’ll grab a bite at the buffet after” and that’s no longer an option!

 

 I’m traveling with my three nieces this trip and it’s been a pain trying to get shows and meals juggled.  Am I crazy or is this a big change since March?  Since I don’t see anything about it on the boards, I’m guessing it happened July 1.  I figure it’s on all the ships - anyone else cruising now?

 

I still love everything else on this cruise but this is a real bummer!  

[www3traveler]

The change was made several months ago and there has been a lot of discussion about it.  From what I read, it is fleet.  Hours for O'Sheehan's have been changed also.

[BirdTravels]

14 minutes ago, JanetAtSea said:

:Long time NCL cruiser (platinum).  I’m currently on Escape - oddly enough I was on the exact same cruise 3 months ago.  The buffet hours have changed - they are only open until 9:30!  The only place to grab a bite after a show is O’Sheehan’s - which to no surprise has a long line since it’s the only food available.

 

Just noticed when we got up - breakfast buffet ends at 9:30, and reopens at 11:30.  

 

One of my great silly joys of a cruise is an ice cream cone after a show and before bed.  Also I’ve skipped sit down and specialty dinners in the past to catch a specific show thinking “I’d rather see the show, I’ll grab a bite at the buffet after” and that’s no longer an option!

 

 I’m traveling with my three nieces this trip and it’s been a pain trying to get shows and meals juggled.  Am I crazy or is this a big change since March?  Since I don’t see anything about it on the boards, I’m guessing it happened July 1.  I figure it’s on all the ships - anyone else cruising now?

 

I still love everything else on this cruise but this is a real bummer!  

The evening closing time change was made on most ships in late November. I remember that it happened to us between our October 2022 and December 2022 cruises. There were a lot of posts here on CC about it. 

 

wrt breakfast, in May on the Escape, turnover was between 10:30 and 11:30. 

Edited July 6, 2023 by BirdTravels

[JanetAtSea]

Thanks for the info.  I really don’t remember it being this way last time but maybe I fell asleep early!

[JanetAtSea]

Anyone know if it’s similar on other cruise lines?  I’m obviously an NCL junkie but this is really a downer.

[Cruising Lynne]

30 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

The change was made several months ago and there has been a lot of discussion about it.  From what I read, it is fleet.  Hours for O'Sheehan's have been changed also.

I knew they took away late night snack, but this is the first I have heard of breakfast in the buffet closing at 9:30. I feel like it should be open for breakfast until at least 10:00.

 

Usually turnover is much later. One side usually has breakfast available until almost lunchtime, while the other side turns over to lunch. When we are up too late for the MDR we like to go to the buffet for a quick breakfast. I may actually end up losing weight on my next cruise! Missing meals on a cruise may not matter much for people who cruise very often, but for others the availability of a quick bite to eat is important to the overall enjoyment of their cruise. I would like to hear from others currently cruising what time the food venues are open? We are on Joy in a couple of months and would like to know ahead of time what is going on.

 

Too many cutbacks on NCL is pushing me to try other cruise lines. I am Sapphire on NCL, but I am going on Holland America this fall and MSC next spring to see what they have to offer. They may have a lot of cut backs as well, but I will find out for myself and report back. 

[shof515]

1 hour ago, JanetAtSea said:

Anyone know if it’s similar on other cruise lines?  I’m obviously an NCL junkie but this is really a downer.

i cruised on carnival last month and they too start closing the buffet at around 9-930pm at night. late night food on carnival is limited with the deli closing at around 11 and then only pizza until like 4am or so 

[bkrickles1]

29 minutes ago, Cruising Lynne said:

I knew they took away late night snack, but this is the first I have heard of breakfast in the buffet closing at 9:30. I feel like it should be open for breakfast until at least 10:00.

 

Usually turnover is much later. One side usually has breakfast available until almost lunchtime, while the other side turns over to lunch. When we are up too late for the MDR we like to go to the buffet for a quick breakfast. I may actually end up losing weight on my next cruise! Missing meals on a cruise may not matter much for people who cruise very often, but for others the availability of a quick bite to eat is important to the overall enjoyment of their cruise. I would like to hear from others currently cruising what time the food venues are open? We are on Joy in a couple of months and would like to know ahead of time what is going on.

 

Too many cutbacks on NCL is pushing me to try other cruise lines. I am Sapphire on NCL, but I am going on Holland America this fall and MSC next spring to see what they have to offer. They may have a lot of cut backs as well, but I will find out for myself and report back. 

Someone on here is doing a live review next week on Joy and has promised to post dailies. We'll get to see what's really going on!

17 days till Joy for me!!!

[insidecabin]

These are Dawn today

 

 

There was early tender which probably accounts for the early breakfast start.

 

I had not noticed the short breakfast hours.

Big issue is it will just make venues more busy.

We often have late buffet breakfast10-10:30 to avoid the crowds when not in a hurry, O'Sheehans does not have a big enough selection.

 

[Liljo22]

On both my Royal cruises last year, the buffet closed at 9 pm.  Sorrento's was the only place really open afterwards and it was always slammed.  

 

I don't think there was a gap between breakfast and lunch buffet and if there was, it was very short.  

[UKstages]

what’s interesting about the change to breakfast buffet hours is that they could just as easily have adjusted the opening time. instead of opening at 5:30 AM, they could decide to open at 6 AM instead and keep the buffet operating till 10 AM. it seems like the somewhat late risers are taking one for the team, whereas the very early risers are not.
 

if seven people onboard really need eggs that badly at 5:30 am, they can go to the local or o’sheehan’s. that’s my story and i’m stickin’ to it.  i would think that the buffet would be much busier from 9:30 am to 10 am than it would be from 5:30 am to 6 am.

 

heck, you could probably make the same change to the dinner hours, especially since some other venues are open at 5 pm. open the buffet at 5:30 pm, but close at 10 pm. 
 

#MakeItHappenNCL 

[bkrickles1]

I just saw a daily from June 17th on Joy, and while it's cut off a little, I could see buffet hours for morning and afternoon. They were 7:00 - 11:00am and 12:00 - 3:00pm

I'm not sure why there's such a discrepancy between ships, but I saw this on Facebook.

[www3traveler]

1 hour ago, Cruising Lynne said:

I knew they took away late night snack, but this is the first I have heard of breakfast in the buffet closing at 9:30. I feel like it should be open for breakfast until at least 10:00.

 

Usually turnover is much later. One side usually has breakfast available until almost lunchtime, while the other side turns over to lunch. When we are up too late for the MDR we like to go to the buffet for a quick breakfast. I may actually end up losing weight on my next cruise! Missing meals on a cruise may not matter much for people who cruise very often, but for others the availability of a quick bite to eat is important to the overall enjoyment of their cruise. I would like to hear from others currently cruising what time the food venues are open? We are on Joy in a couple of months and would like to know ahead of time what is going on.

 

Too many cutbacks on NCL is pushing me to try other cruise lines. I am Sapphire on NCL, but I am going on Holland America this fall and MSC next spring to see what they have to offer. They may have a lot of cut backs as well, but I will find out for myself and report back. 

Almost every cruise line has had cut back issues and will probably be that way for awhile.  REASON: none of the cruise lines can not hire enough qualified staff in any position not just hotel, housekeeping, food and beverage.

Edited July 6, 2023 by www3traveler
correct spelling

[mking8288]

OP's ship itinerary, if I'm not mistaken, showing Tortola, BVI as their port of call with 6:00 AM arrival and departure at 1 PM (all abroad 12:30 PM) - perhaps, just perhaps - it was adjusted for this day/date only to reflect the likely # of pax going to the breakfast buffet after 9:30 AM ... that, O'Sheehan's otherwise will suffice.  However, NCL usually have a light breakfast section open somewhere up there, often by the pool and outdoors area ... and at the least, access to coffee, hot water & water station should be maintained during the daylight hours and not entirely roped off & closed; errrr, for our convenience & their monetary savings, however minor 😁 🙄 😆 

 

As for the evening buffet hours, last (Spring & Fall) year - a lighter, late night buffet was usually open onboard from 9:30 PM to 11:30 PM, as we sometimes stop by after a show for fruits or a light snack.  Not anymore come January 2023 and the one & only option has been The Local or O'Sheehan's ... with one of the MDR open until 10 PM (true for Specialty Dining too, usually)   

 

Of course, for your convenience 😟 😕 😬 room service and/or using the SWIFT (QR coded for smartphone ??  never "tested" it for full functionality) app/system onboard, cheerfully delivered, AYCE as ordered for a nominal fee of $9.95 + 20% to one's cabin, stateroom & club balcony suite, non-Haven suite, or studio, etc.

 

Waiting for one of the nieces currently onboard the Cunard QM2 for a direct report  / update on their onboard experience this week ... their embarkation last week was a mess too, due to an unplanned medical emergency onboard (cardiac diverted, unable to call in medivac due to heavy fog).  Sad to realize & acknowledge, the grass isn't necessary greener elsewhere at sea.  The good news, egg prices are down to its normal prices again and not rationed onboard ... hopefully, they aren't counting pieces of bacons dished out or out of tomato juices.  Cheers & pack lots of humor (sarcasm) when traveling (flying) these days.  

[UKstages]

7 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

REASON: none of the cruise lines can not hire enough qualified staff in any position not just hotel, housekeeping, food and beverage.

🤔 i agree that there are staffing issues.  but I’m pretty sure that the people working in the buffet at 9:30 am can also be working at 10 am. in fact, i’m confident in saying that those same people will break down the breakfast buffet and set up the lunch buffet.

 

are you suggesting that fewer people means a longer turnover time is required, so therefore they must reduce operating hours?

 

it just seems to me that if you are open fewer hours, you can serve fewer people and less food is consumed and you thereby reduce costs. and that’s likely NCL’s angle here.
 

but maybe i’m just a cynic.

 

 

[www3traveler]

2 minutes ago, UKstages said:

🤔 i agree that there are staffing issues.  but I’m pretty sure that the people working in the buffet at 9:30 am can also be working at 10 am. in fact, i’m confident in saying that those same people will break down the breakfast buffet and set up the lunch buffet.

 

are you suggesting that fewer people means a longer turnover time is required, so therefore they must reduce operating hours?

 

it just seems to me that if you are open fewer hours, you can serve fewer people and less food is consumed and you thereby reduce costs. and that’s likely NCL’s angle here.
 

but maybe i’m just a cynic.

 

 

The takedown and setup people might be entirely different shift.  Some buffet workers come on duty at 3 or 4 A.M.  Some of them probably have a 2nd shift somewhere later in the day or evening.  I have forgotten how many hours are required between shifts-- it was 6.  I am assuming that it is much easier and faster to be able to throughly clean, take down breakfast and set up lunch without deal with customers.  It takes a lot of work and person power to keep a ship clean.

 

On some ships (those sailing in Europe and POA-- food, beverage and supplies are shipped from Miami.  I would not want to guess how expensive that is.

 

Lots of reasons why costs keep going up.

 

[Greener123]

9:30 is too early for breakfast to close, especially on a sea day (if that’s the case) and then 21:30 is too early to close for the evening… but given that O’sheehans is available negates that slightly, while on MSC Virtuosa the buffet was open until 2am for snacks (Pizza, sausages/hotdogs, sandwiches, cookies and cakes) 

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, insidecabin said:

These are Dawn today

 

 

There was early tender which probably accounts for the early breakfast start.

 

I had not noticed the short breakfast hours.

Big issue is it will just make venues more busy.

We often have late buffet breakfast10-10:30 to avoid the crowds when not in a hurry, O'Sheehans does not have a big enough selection.

 

Wow, 9:30 is awfully late IMHO. We usually eat breakfast around 8 or 8:30 max. I'm actually surprised they're open THAT late. Maybe you could get room service to deliver a late breakfast if 9:30 is too early.

[UKstages]

4 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

Lots of reasons why costs keep going up.

that’s all well and good… but the issue was: why are buffet hours being reduced?

[minabruuke]

2 hours ago, JanetAtSea said:

Anyone know if it’s similar on other cruise lines?  I’m obviously an NCL junkie but this is really a downer.

 

Princess closes the buffet around 10:30pm most of the time.  Sections of their buffet are open continuously from breakfast opening through dinner closing.  They do not close down between breakfast and lunch nor between lunch and dinner. They usually seem to have Alfredo's pizzeria (on ship's that have this) open until 11pm.  Their International Cafe is open 24/7. 

[www3traveler]

14 minutes ago, UKstages said:

that’s all well and good… but the issue was: why are buffet hours being reduced?

Probably staffing.  Staff can only work a certain number of hours and then have to have a period time off between shifts.  Scheduling has to be a nightmare.  Fewer and fewer employees to do the same amount of work.

Next time you are onboard a ship go to "The How To Run A Floatin Hotel" and ask your question.

Edited July 6, 2023 by www3traveler
add words for clarity

[ColeThornton]

13 minutes ago, Greener123 said:

9:30 is too early for breakfast to close....

 

What time should it close?  That's not far away from lunch.  It's breakfast!   lol

[DCGuy64]

Just now, ColeThornton said:

 

What time should it close?  That's not far away from lunch.  It's breakfast!   lol

Exactly. If you can't get up by 9:30, then... well never mind, whatever I'm about to say will get me either flamed or flagged so 'nuff said. LOL 🤣

[omahabob]

Most people don't get up at the crack of dawn, or earlier, when they're on vacation.

[ColeThornton]

Just now, omahabob said:

Most people don't get up at the crack of dawn, or earlier, when they're on vacation.

 

No doubt but 0930 is hardly the crack of dawn and definitely not an unreasonable time to expect people to eat breakfast.  I think many people aren't putting much thought into the logistics and preparation of changing meals for 4k plus passengers.