Changes in buffet hours - when did this happen?

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, omahabob said:

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

Correct. 5 am might be the crack of dawn. 9:30 is nowhere near the crack of dawn. Anybody who wants to sleep in that late ought to pay for room service and be done with it. JMHO.

[omahabob]

1 minute ago, ColeThornton said:

 

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.

 

Spoken like a true early riser. My point is that most people on vacations are generally not early risers. You can't logically expect everyone to be like you. The logistics and prep still worked on the previous schedule. I'm sure they have their reasons, but a later opening time instead of earlier closing time would be more advantageous to the customers.

[DCGuy64]

3 minutes ago, omahabob said:

 

Spoken like a true early riser. My point is that most people on vacations are generally not early risers. You can't logically expect everyone to be like you. The logistics and prep still worked on the previous schedule. I'm sure they have their reasons, but a later opening time instead of earlier closing time would be more advantageous to the customers.

Yes, I agree, but what I'm saying is that 9:30 IS the later opening time. I would have thought 7-9 am would be reasonable, so to have it open from 5:30-9:30 AM is generous, in my opinion. On our last cruise, a LOT of people were up before 6 AM, so I wouldn't necessarily agree that MOST people are not early risers. I'd say some are and some aren't. I usually get up around 6 o'clock for work every day, thus for me, 8 am is sleeping in. And I think it's a good idea the cruise line has a couple of hours between breaking down the breakfast setup and serving lunch a mere 2 hours later.

[laudergayle]

54 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

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 ..

I’m thinking this an accurate assumption.  I noticed on past cruises breakfast hours changed based on port or sea day.

[www3traveler]

4 minutes ago, omahabob said:

 

Spoken like a true early riser. My point is that most people on vacations are generally not early risers. You can't logically expect everyone to be like you. The logistics and prep still worked on the previous schedule. I'm sure they have their reasons, but a later opening time instead of earlier closing time would be more advantageous to the customers.

It is NOT going to matter wheather you open or close later, someone will complain.  Buffets often have earlier opening or closing times depending on your ports of call.  If your port of call is saying 6:30 A.M., then the buffet opens earlier and probably closes earlier.  Hours of operation can vary from day to day.

[DCGuy64]

Just now, www3traveler said:

It is NOT going to matter wheather you open or close later, someone will complain.  Buffets often have earlier opening or closing times depending on your ports of call.  If your port of call is saying 6:30 A.M., then the buffet opens earlier and probably closes earlier.  Hours of operation can vary from day to day.

Good points! And there's always O'Sheehan's/The Local for late risers (or room service). My philosophy is that if you go hungry on a cruise ship, it's your own fault. 😂

[insidecabin]

28 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

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.

Maybe that's NCL strategy cut food options for 2 hours in the morning to get people to pay for room service.

 

We don't eat in our room except when we have a cabin with a dining table 

 

There is nothing wrong with a late breakfast/brunch,  just more cutbacks for your convenience.

 

Lunch buffet hours are very short as well no good for those that do mornings and return early afternoon

 

The other day on Dawn breakfast was not open when tenders started 6:30 those wanting to get off very early had no options.

 

[omahabob]

3 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

It is NOT going to matter wheather you open or close later, someone will complain....

 

No doubt. But although NCL often seems to act to the contrary, customer satisfaction is still important to their bottom line. I can't personally attest, but I've seen several comments that the buffet is a ghost town at opening time. Not so at closing. I'm just making a point of logic here. It doesn't really matter a whole lot to me personally. I can eat pretty much whatever, whenever. I don't HAVE to have breakfast food for breakfast. And I never actually saw the buffet on Getaway close during these transition periods. They'd just get lunch started on one side while breakfast was still on the other. When lunch was up and running, breakfast would stop.

[DCGuy64]

13 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

It is NOT going to matter wheather you open or close later, someone will complain

Yeah, that's kind of my view, as well. If anyone thinks 9:30 am is too soon to close, then what ISN'T? 10? 10:30? 11? How about "the breakfast buffet should be open as long as I want it to be." Yeah, that ain't happening.

[DCGuy64]

9 minutes ago, omahabob said:

They'd just get lunch started on one side while breakfast was still on the other. When lunch was up and running, breakfast would stop.

That sounds like a good plan, actually.

[omahabob]

It worked for us. More choices.

[MacGuffin3]

59 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Exactly. If you can't get up by 9:30, then... 

Is everybody on a cruise a farmer?  Why would you wake up before 9 on a vacation?
The buffet should be continuously running, with gradual transformations throughout the day.

Edited July 6, 2023 by MacGuffin3

[mking8288]

I am not going to jump into the debate about when or what time one can expect the ship's buffet "should" close in the morning, there isn't a "right" answer that's acceptable or satisfactory to some, no matter what.  

 

Suffice to say, these waves of changes aren't for our convenience, against the once-upon-a-time NCL of "freestyle dining" of whenever, whatever, whenever ... yada, yada.  Covid shutdown and subsequent restart, which devastated the travel & hospitality sectors, hitting the cruise lines hard ... and the restart & long road to recovery ... shortage or whatever, just the ideal backdrop and cover for the finance & accounting to make changes. 

 

On our last 2 NCL cruises (that is 2023) - ships reported basically fully staffed at the level appropriate to actual onboard occupancies and not grossly short of crew members AWOL for duties.  In years past, decades ... actually since we began cruising some 30 years ago ... buffet has been, errr - was, kept open continuously from dawn to dusk, usually with an in-between section available to eat or dine, while other / main sections are closed or roped off for cleaning & transition to luch, tea time, dinner & late dining.  And, gosh, the midnight (not just chocolate) buffet.   

 

What's next, I dunno - maybe, a self-service section right next to The Local & O'Sheehan's - fewer crew needed, for our (in)convenience.  We'll gladly and cheerfully "pay" a reasonable fee for room service, on an as needed basis, i.e when we feel lazy and don't want to get out of the cabin after getting dressed on a sea day morning, but guess what, seldom get a "warm" breakfast delivered - to sit on the bed or that little balcony to enjoy.   Since our early retirement days, we don't set alarms in the morning, unless we have an appointment scheduled or need to be somewhere - we wake up whenever ... unlike the rat race days, sorry for those of you still chasing those dreams - and we don't start dealing with breakfast until 9:30 or 10 in the morning, sometimes.  On sea days and if not going ashore on port days, heck - it's a struggle to run down to the MDR for sit-down breakfast by 8:30 or 9 am, knowing that they close by 9:30 am.  Now, the buffet close at 9:30 in the morning, better not ... at least not on a sea day.  

 

Alas, fewer choices these days - and, that's the bottom line to ponder.  To sail and sustain, and, yeah, for who's convenience, really.  Think about it.  Cheers.

 

P.S.  The other solution, upgrade, book and pay for a Haven suite, then ... just ring the butler & s/he will take care of things, right and they are on standby 24/7 for ya.    😆 😉 🤔

Edited July 6, 2023 by mking8288

[DCGuy64]

30 minutes ago, MacGuffin3 said:

Is everybody on a cruise a farmer?  Why would you wake up before 9 on a vacation?
The buffet should be continuously running, with gradual transformations throughout the day.

LOL. My dad grew up on a farm. He had to get up at 4 AM. I can't wait to call him later today and tell him somebody thinks 9 AM is early, LOL. Thanks for the much needed laughs! 😝 NCL posts the times the breakfast buffet is open. You sleep too late, you miss out. It's OK, I'll eat your bacon for you.... 🥓

[insidecabin]

1 hour ago, omahabob said:

 

No doubt. But although NCL often seems to act to the contrary, customer satisfaction is still important to their bottom line. I can't personally attest, but I've seen several comments that the buffet is a ghost town at opening time. Not so at closing. I'm just making a point of logic here. It doesn't really matter a whole lot to me personally. I can eat pretty much whatever, whenever. I don't HAVE to have breakfast food for breakfast. And I never actually saw the buffet on Getaway close during these transition periods. They'd just get lunch started on one side while breakfast was still on the other. When lunch was up and running, breakfast would stop.

That's the way it should work, you wind down the stations to meet the reduced demand and get them ready for the lunch usually around 11:30, once lunch opens shut the last breakfast line.

[MacGuffin3]

2 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

You sleep too late, you miss out. It's OK, I'll eat your bacon for you.... 🥓

If you go to bed early on vacation you REALLY miss out.
And nobody better touch my bacon or there will be problems.

[insidecabin]

1 hour ago, omahabob said:

 

Spoken like a true early riser. My point is that most people on vacations are generally not early risers. You can't logically expect everyone to be like you. The logistics and prep still worked on the previous schedule. I'm sure they have their reasons, but a later opening time instead of earlier closing time would be more advantageous to the customers.

Even as an often early riser 4-6 I don't eat till 10-11 unless unless doing things early.

 

Later opening times can be a big problem for early port arrivals the buffet is often already under capacity for the numbers wanting to eat, people can't get tables.

 

Compression of hours just makes it worse as some of the later eaters just have to come at an already busy time.

 

 

[JGmf]

2 hours ago, minabruuke said:

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

 

Sailed on Princess (for the first time) two weeks ago. Prima and Encore this past winter/spring.  Princess kicks NCL butt to the curb on availability and quality of food* through the morning, day, and night.  Sorry, O'Sheehan's (or room service) doesn't cut it.

 

(Only exception is Indulge Food Hall for quality - well done NCL!).

[bkrickles1]

I just found a whole week of dailies from June 11-18 on Joy.

Breakfast at the buffet is 6:30 - 10:30, 7:00 - 10:30 or 7:00 - 11:00. It appears to be dependent on whether you're at sea or in Bermuda.

Lunch is always 12- 3PM and Dinner is always 5- 9:30PM

Obviously there are differences from ship to ship but as far as the Joy is concerned, I think these hours are sufficient for breakfast and lunch and maybe a little lacking in the evening, but not a deal breaker.

[ColeThornton]

1 hour ago, MacGuffin3 said:

Is everybody on a cruise a farmer?  Why would you wake up before 9 on a vacation?

 

The last time I slept in til 9 I was sedated and in a hospital bed.   I start my morning workouts by 6 at the latest and trust me I'm not boring and definitely no stranger to the neighborhood watering hole.  lol

 

Best thing about early morning NCL buffets?    Coffee and warm chocolate filled croissants.

[omahabob]

Spent too many years in the military getting up at 0 dark thirty. Now, absent an appointment or something, we usually get up between 10 and 12. But, as I said, I'm pretty flexible as far as food is concerned. And sex. The schedule is ALWAYS flexible for sex! Gotta have your priorities.

[DCGuy64]

I think because my wife and I like to see the ports and do excursions, we tend to go all day and by 10:30-11 pm, we're exhausted. I sleep 8 hours on average so for me, even on vacation, I'm up by 7. My wife likes to sleep later, but she knows rules are rules: if breakfast stops at 9:30, IT STOPS AT 9:30. If you want to complain about that, go right ahead, but when the cruise lines states the opening times in the Daily Planner, that's what matters. If later opening hours are that big of a deal, fill out the survey at the end of the cruise and see what happens. Or find out which cruise lines let you eat breakfast later and take your business to them. As for me, I'm fine with NCL's schedule.

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, MacGuffin3 said:

And nobody better touch my bacon or there will be problems.

Well then get your hiney to the buffet on time and you'll have your bacon! But as the saying goes, "if you snooze, you lose." 😉

[GORDONCHICK]

3 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Yes, I agree, but what I'm saying is that 9:30 IS the later opening time. I would have thought 7-9 am would be reasonable, so to have it open from 5:30-9:30 AM is generous, in my opinion. 

So you think feeding a couple thousand people in a 2 hour time span in an area that only holds a few hundred is reasonable?  Your idea of reasonable and mine are very different!

[DCGuy64]

Just now, GORDONCHICK said:

So you think feeding a couple thousand people in a 2 hour time span in an area that only holds a few hundred is reasonable?  Your idea of reasonable and mine are very different!

OK