What has happened to the Seafood Extravaganza?

[techappl]

Well, that's what I call it anyway. It is an exuberant spread of lobsters, prawns, mussels, scallops etc, with an amazing array of delicious gateaux, chocolate fountain, etc etc. Do you get the idea?

I attach a couple of pictures.

We enjoyed it on Boudicca in Orkney in 2016. And again on a Norwegian cruise on Balmoral on an At Sea day on 18 August 2022. Not, unfortunately, on Bolette in April 2023 on a cruise to Amsterdam and Antwerp. Naively, I thought that might have been due to it being only a 5 day cruise. But on an 8 day Scenic Irish Isles and Cities cruise last week on Borealis, I was very disappointed that there was no Seafood Extravaganza! I searched for it hopefully every day in the daily news sheet and in the menus, but it was not to be.

Does it exist on other Fred cruises? Does anyone else miss it? Is it now consigned to history due to cost cutting?  So disappointing!!!

[teenieleek]

It was held on the Balmoral towards the end of the cruise we just got off on Thursday.  It was fifteen nights.  It looked just like your photo.

[techappl]

Thanks teenieleek!  Seems I was on the wrong ship!

The Boudicca and Balmoral cruises I mentioned earlier were only 7 days, but still did the Seafood Extravaganza, so I am guessing they don't do it on the 2 newer bigger ships, Bolette and Borealis.

What a shame!

[Eglesbrech]

On 8/6/2023 at 12:33 PM, teenieleek said:

It was held on the Balmoral towards the end of the cruise we just got off on Thursday.  It was fifteen nights.  It looked just like your photo.

We didn’t have in on the 10 night cruise on Balmoral in June. Perhaps because it was shorter (or because of the health restrictions in place on that cruise for the entire duration of the voyage).

[teenieleek]

I’m remembering now that we didn’t have it on the Borealis in February and that was eighteen nights but I was quite unwell so it may not have registered with me if it was there. 
The seafood offered last week was excellent and I had lots!  For me the desserts looked better than they tasted but my partner happily scoffed his.  
This was a good trip and maybe I should do a review to balance my poor one for the earlier trip.

[Colin_Cameron]

Borealis and Bolette don't have the buffet setup in the main dining rooms the way the previous ships did to allow them to display the chilled seafoods..

[techappl]

Thanks Colin, I didn't realize this. As we only ever get offered late dining, which is far too late for us, we only eat in the buffet. (The sooner Fred comes into the modern world and adopts open dining, the better.)

I can see that not having the buffet hardware would be a reason for not serving the Seafood Extravaganza. But would it be so difficult to have it fitted, to extend this option to Borealis and Bolette passengers?

[ighten]

still held on Borealis at the end of the Greenland Cruise a cpl of weeks back...They always use the buffet though but usually the waiter will tell you in the MDR the night before.. Best way to find out is to ask your waiter to let you know what lunch time it will be served.

 

 

[Goingtraveling2012]

I had something that looked remarkably like that on a sea day on Bolette in February on a 6 day cruise.

I was so happy!