What Crew Can Eat At Buffet?

[BobbiFlekman]

Occasionally I see ship personnel eating at the buffet. They seem to be officers. Are they the only ones allowed to do this?

[capriccio]

We've seen Cruise Director and entertainment staff including guest entertainers and lecturers.  That has been on Princess but I wouldn't be surprised if different cruise lines have different rules.

Edited March 1 by capriccio

[Aquahound]

I've seen entertainment staff and Cruise Director staff in the dining rooms.  I'm sure there's others I'm not remembering.  

[Philob]

On our last NCL cruise the Captain sat down at the table behind us with another officer. We exchanged hellos, he said he loves curry pointing to his heaping plate of curry over rice. Guessing it was a work dinner, the Executive Chef showed up later.

[clo]

Why wouldn't all the staff be welcome?

[MacMadame]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Why wouldn't all the staff be welcome?

Because they have their own dining room in the crew area?

[clo]

Just now, MacMadame said:

Because they have their own dining room in the crew area?

I understand that. But are they not welcome in the buffet?

[MacMadame]

46 minutes ago, clo said:

I understand that. But are they not welcome in the buffet?

Given how hierarchical cruise ships are, I would be surprised if the behind-the-scenes staff are allowed. Maybe someone who works on a cruise ship will tell us what the actual rules are but I've never seen cruise personal from behind the scenes eating with passengers.

[CDNPolar]

On Viking we see openly the uniformed senior officers and the entertainment crew in the Buffet area. 

 

When we see the entertainment crew they will often interact with the tables around them an chat and mingle.

 

Never the behind the scenes crew.   Coming myself from the hospitality industry originally, this is in line with hotels as well.  You may see "management" in the hotel restaurants and bars for meals but you would never see a housekeeping or maintenance staff person.  It is a lot about fraternizing with the guests that they are looking to prevent. The crew on the ship have their specific duties and are not supposed to be in any area of the ship that is not part of their work duties.  In a large hotel chain, if you were caught in an area that was outside of your duties and where you were allowed to be - such as on a guest floor - you could and would be fired on the spot.

[CDNPolar]

I am also going to say - and this might draw some fodder - that many guests would not want to see the crew (other than officers) in the public dining areas.

[d9704011]

5 hours ago, clo said:

I understand that. But are they not welcome in the buffet?

No, and I believe you're just attempting to cause a mischief or disturbance.  Those locations are for paying customers and some (cruise company) chosen others to eat, mingle and be seen by/with passengers as part of the experience.

 

Shipboard life (not just cruising) is not some type of egalitarian, communal living experience.  Discipline, privacy, communications, and a host of other considerations to keep things running smoothly and accomplish business objectives have always been part of the environment.

Edited March 1 by d9704011

[CruiserBruce]

On Holland America it seems officers and Hotel Management high ranking staff, entertainers and the spa staff are allowed to eat in the Lido.

[MBP&O2/O]

Back in the day we were told from the off that Officers would never socially interact with the crew. The main reason given was that of giving an order to someone who felt that they were your friend and they could then argue the toss, rather than do what they were told.

My last cruise I saw several stripes in the buffet, and also saw some pax who interrupted their meal.

Impolite at worst?

 

[Essiesmom]

I remember a number of years ago hearing the shopping rep talking about eating in the buffet.  He had a degree of ‘rank’, was allowed to eat there, but limited in choices.  He needed another half stripe to be allowed to eat sushi.  I think this was HAL or Celebrity.  EM

[navybankerteacher]

6 hours ago, clo said:

I understand that. But are they not welcome in the buffet?

Ships generally are not classless - they function as non-egalitarian environments.  It probably stems from the old seagoing tradition where it was deemed .necessary for orders to be unquestioningly obeyed.  There remains a differentiation between officers and crew.

 

In the US Navy there are generally three tiers : commissioned officers eat in the wardroom, E1 through E6, in the crew’s mess, and E7 and above in the Chief’s mess.   On one ship I was on there was even a First Class (E6) mess.

Edited March 1 by navybankerteacher

[chengkp75]

6 hours ago, clo said:

I understand that. But are they not welcome in the buffet?

Just as you as a passenger are not allowed in crew areas, off duty crew are generally not allowed in passenger areas.  And, even during working hours, if a crew member's duties do not require them to be in passenger areas, then they are not allowed in those areas.  Permission to go to passenger areas while off duty, or to eat in passenger venues, even while on duty, is based on rank.  Generally, only supervisors (those in whites, many of whom are not "officers" but hotel supervisors) are allowed to eat in places like the buffet.

 

It is generally not until the crew member is of "three stripe" rank that they can eat in passenger areas without permission from their department head, and on a limited number of times per month.  Some staff, like cruise director staff, don't wear whites, but have "assimilated" ranks just like the ones wearing whites.  Entertainers are generally given more freedom, and some guest entertainers are granted "passenger status" and live in passenger cabins.

 

Would you consider it normal to be allowed as a passenger to eat in the crew mess?

[Musigurl]

Friends who work on ships tell me there is a difference between "staff" and "crew". Staff can eat in the buffet during "off" hours, while crew cannot. 

[Hlitner]

Having cruises with 17 different cruise lines, we know that the answer to the OP question varies by cruise line.  They each have their own rules.  On many lines, the so-called staff, which include entertainers, the folks who work in the shops, photographers, etc. can dine in the Lido buffet.  On some ships, these folks are also allowed in the main dining room (with restrictions).  In face, Seabourn (a good example) lets many of the staff take their turn "hosting" tables in the dining room (we have dined with many of their staff).  

 

As to officers, that also seems to vary.   On all of our ships the 3 stripers (and above) can dine in the Lido and on many ships they will have their favorite table which is usually at an out of the way location,  On some ships we have seen 2 stripers in the Lido (we know this because we have chatted with a few).  

 

We also recall talking to an entertainer (i.e. staff) on a ship who told us they can ONLY dine in the passenger areas (Lido and MDR) and was not permitted to dine in the crew mess.  This happened on the new Explora Journey 1.  The entertainer, who told us about this policy, was a guest entertainer (singer) who was treated like a passenger in nearly all respects.   We eventually became friends and she joined DW and I for a few meals.  She even had access to the reservations-only restaurants (there are two).

 

Hank

[9tee2Sea]

I always see show performers and officers in the buffet.  My observation is that when staff is not working, they must where their name tag  so people know they are affiliated  with the cruise line.

I dont think that applies to bus boys , servers, bar tenders,,stewards, etc .    

[*Miss G*]

My last few sailings on Holland America there was a section in the Lido Market reserved for staff.  It had a sign saying “Crew Area Only”.  I like that they are doing that, now, instead of them having to spend their little time off searching for seating.

[clo]

3 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Would you consider it normal to be allowed as a passenger to eat in the crew mess?

Ooh, I've read that some of their food is awfully good...but no it wouldn't be normal nor probably appropriate.

 

I just tossed this out so that someone like you could weigh in. Thanks.

[clo]

4 hours ago, d9704011 said:

No, and I believe you're just attempting to cause a mischief or disturbance.

Not in the least.

[sparks1093]

3 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Ships generally are not classless - they function as non-egalitarian environments.  It probably stems from the old seagoing tradition where it was deemed .necessary for orders to be unquestioningly obeyed.  There remains a differentiation between officers and crew.

 

In the US Navy there are generally three tiers : commissioned officers eat in the wardroom, E1 through E6, in the crew’s mess, and E7 and above in the Chief’s mess.   On one ship I was on there was even a First Class (E6) mess.

We had a First Class mess on the USS Eisenhower and we took our food there after going through the regular chow line. We did have some geedunk (snacks) available that was purchased from our dues, as I recall. 

[cruisemom42]

35 minutes ago, clo said:

Ooh, I've read that some of their food is awfully good...but no it wouldn't be normal nor probably appropriate.

 

HAL have started putting a "crew dish of the day" on their MDR menu. Often Indonesian, which is usually tasty.

 

[clo]

3 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

HAL have started putting a "crew dish of the day" on their MDR menu. Often Indonesian, which is usually tasty.

 

Oh yum. Now you're talkin'.