fedexretiree Posted May 12 #1 Share Posted May 12 My friend and I just returned from a cruise on the Emerald Princess. It was WONDERFUL! Ship was in great shape, crew was extremely friendly and in both of our opinions the food in the buffet was much better than on Celebrity. However I do have 1 issue.... PLEASE STOP LICKING YOUR FINGERS AT THE BUFFET THEN TOUCHING THE NEXT SERVING SPOON!! Also eating samples from your plate as you are still in line. You can't possibly be that hungry that you can't wait to sit down to eat. I have never seen so many people doing this as I did on this trip. I know that I could have gone to the main dining room instead of eating at the buffet but I'm not a fan of taking almost 1 1/2 hours to eat dinner. I'm sure that people do this subconsciously but please next time think before you lick!! 19 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare PacnGoNow Posted May 12 #2 Share Posted May 12 I agree! It grosses me out. They are probably also the ones who do not wash their hands upon entry to the buffet. SMH 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memoak Posted May 12 #3 Share Posted May 12 2 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said: I agree! It grosses me out. They are probably also the ones who do not wash their hands upon entry to the buffet. SMH They are the same people and there are tons of them. It is only getting worse This is another reason we will not eat at the buffet 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fedexretiree Posted May 12 Author #4 Share Posted May 12 5 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said: I agree! It grosses me out. They are probably also the ones who do not wash their hands upon entry to the buffet. SMH I also make it a habit to wash my hands as I enter the buffet but more importantly after taking my plate to the table I salt, pepper everything then return to rewash my hands before eating anything. I won't even touch the sugar containers..they are always sticky as well! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cynbar Posted May 12 #5 Share Posted May 12 Reports like this make me glad that Sun Princess has only staff serving in the buffet. Yes, it slows down the line and you can't reach in to get what you want, but it is so much more hygienic . If people would just consider good sense and reasonable safety practices, it wouldn't be necessary. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lady Arwen Posted May 12 #6 Share Posted May 12 We never, ever eat in the buffet. Over the years we’ve seen so much disgusting behaviour. There’s many other places on the ship to eat, so we don’t miss it one bit. People can be so ill mannered! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonit964 Posted May 12 #7 Share Posted May 12 58 minutes ago, fedexretiree said: I also make it a habit to wash my hands as I enter the buffet but more importantly after taking my plate to the table I salt, pepper everything then return to rewash my hands before eating anything. I won't even touch the sugar containers..they are always sticky as well! This is what I do as well, I would rather have clean hands and cold food than to not wash my hands after using the serving utensils. Some people just have no clue. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipndip60 Posted May 12 #8 Share Posted May 12 I always take one disposable glove with me when going to the buffet and I use just the one hand when touching anything while I'm in line, then throw it away before I sit down to eat 14 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teechur Posted May 12 #9 Share Posted May 12 13 minutes ago, tonit964 said: This is what I do as well, I would rather have clean hands and cold food than to not wash my hands after using the serving utensils. Some people just have no clue. I agree with you, but often just use hand sanitizer when I sit down to eat. I also carry thin disposable gloves, but found they are not worth the hassle since I typically go back for something. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahasamatman Posted May 12 #10 Share Posted May 12 53 minutes ago, shipndip60 said: I always take one disposable glove with me when going to the buffet and I use just the one hand when touching anything while I'm in line That's what we do as well, though we also eat in the buffet as little as possible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no1racefan1 Posted May 12 #11 Share Posted May 12 🤢🤮 We avoid the buffet. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outerdog Posted May 12 #12 Share Posted May 12 3 hours ago, memoak said: They are the same people and there are tons of them. It is only getting worse This is another reason we will not eat at the buffet Same. Reserve Class or higher or I ain't going. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memoak Posted May 12 #13 Share Posted May 12 11 minutes ago, Outerdog said: Same. Reserve Class or higher or I ain't going. But even with Reserve class on port days there is no dining room lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay S Posted May 12 #14 Share Posted May 12 21 minutes ago, memoak said: But even with Reserve class on port days there is no dining room lunch. That is true, and I was sad on that cruise. We have been doing HAL for the last couple of years, where they serve you at the buffet, and I must say, I really prefer it. It's not any slower, IMO. I'm glad Princess is going that route on the Sun. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nini Posted May 12 #15 Share Posted May 12 I really liked it when you could only be served buffet items. I don't think it really slowed anything down much. And if so, we did not mind. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare azbirdmom Posted May 12 #16 Share Posted May 12 Yes this happened to us on the Royal Princess last December too. There seemed to be a particularly large tour group from one country that were the prime offenders. And I usually don’t think of nationality when I observe such unhygienic behavior but this was so prevalent among that group it was hard to not notice. I did mention something about it but was met with shrugs. Sadly we all must be overly cautious when dining in the buffet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sunviking90 Posted May 12 #17 Share Posted May 12 This thread should be a sticky. No pun intended. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare JamieLogical Posted May 12 #18 Share Posted May 12 At lunch on one of our port days on the Enchanted this week, I had planned to get some tortilla chips until I saw a woman just grabbing them with her hands and not using the tongs to load up her plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wish_I_was_a_mermaid Posted May 12 #19 Share Posted May 12 1 hour ago, Kay S said: That is true, and I was sad on that cruise. We have been doing HAL for the last couple of years, where they serve you at the buffet, and I must say, I really prefer it. It's not any slower, IMO. I'm glad Princess is going that route on the Sun. I've been on several cruise lines, HAL is my favorite buffet not so much because of their food offerings but because they portion the food and serve it to you on the line. They even make your salad at the salad bar. No handling of utensils used by hundreds before me, some unwashed hands as well. Shipndip60 has the right idea of bringing some disposable gloves in case we go to the buffet on our Enchanted cruise in August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeromep Posted May 12 #20 Share Posted May 12 5 hours ago, fedexretiree said: PLEASE STOP LICKING YOUR FINGERS AT THE BUFFET THEN TOUCHING THE NEXT SERVING SPOON!! Ewww! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Sounds like Sun Princess has a buffet where the food is served to you and the pax don't touch it. I suspect that as we see new builds, and maybe some drydocks, that the buffets will eventually be reconfigured to eliminate self-service. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltd Posted May 12 #21 Share Posted May 12 Many moons ago Princess kept a stack of paper napkins at the buffet along with the utensils. I would always grab a clean napkin and use it to pickup the serving spoon. Once done I would throw it away. Wish they still had the paper napkins. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fedexretiree Posted May 12 Author #22 Share Posted May 12 4 hours ago, shipndip60 said: I always take one disposable glove with me when going to the buffet and I use just the one hand when touching anything while I'm in line, then throw it away before I sit down to eat I love this idea!!! Will try this on my next trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
555 Posted May 13 #23 Share Posted May 13 16 hours ago, jeromep said: Ewww! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Sounds like Sun Princess has a buffet where the food is served to you and the pax don't touch it. I suspect that as we see new builds, and maybe some drydocks, that the buffets will eventually be reconfigured to eliminate self-service. As much as I dislike being served a portion of food, this seems to be a better way to go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lahlah57 Posted May 13 #24 Share Posted May 13 Napkin in hand as I get my food with the questionable utensils! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisyloo Posted May 13 #25 Share Posted May 13 I really dislike the Princess buffet for all the things mentioned by the OP. So many people have no idea about proper hygiene. I much prefer the buffet on Holland America Line. The staff serve most of the food except for a few pre-plated things. And it goes quickly, contrary to what some people say. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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