Midnight buffet?

[plasticmaster]

I sailed on Harmony last week.  This was my first cruise in 15 years.  I remember midnight buffets with beautiful ice sculptures from cruises 15 and 20 years ago (Majesty and Explorer).  They did not have the midnight buffet on Harmony. Is this something that cruises don't do anymore?  Just wondering. 

[KristiZ]

I haven't seen a midnight buffet in forever. I think the last ice sculpture I saw was in about 2009...

[FManke]

3 minutes ago, plasticmaster said:

I sailed on Harmony last week.  This was my first cruise in 15 years.  I remember midnight buffets with beautiful ice sculptures from cruises 15 and 20 years ago (Majesty and Explorer).  They did not have the midnight buffet on Harmony. Is this something that cruises don't do anymore?  Just wondering. 

I think they went the way of The Love Boat!

[rtread]

We sailed on Rhapsody back in 2004 and they did the ice sculptures. I remember thinking "how on earth did they find the time to do the ice with all the cooking and cleaning they do" so I'm thinking the crew wasn't  too unhappy when it faded out....

[fonemanbob]

Along with mints on your pillow.

[ChessE4]

1 hour ago, plasticmaster said:

I sailed on Harmony last week.  This was my first cruise in 15 years.  I remember midnight buffets with beautiful ice sculptures from cruises 15 and 20 years ago (Majesty and Explorer).  They did not have the midnight buffet on Harmony. Is this something that cruises don't do anymore?  Just wondering. 

Like @rtread said in 2004, we had a buffet on the Voyager, which had the ice sculptures.  My wife claims there was a late buffet in the Med in 2011 (Brilliance of the Seas), and on a New Year's sailing from Baltimore about 2013 (Grandeur), there was a small chocolate buffet in the Centrum -- the line went down the starboard hallway all the way to the bow.  Since then we haven't seen anything remotely similar.  So as everyone else has stated, the late buffets seem to have disappeared.

[FManke]

Although the midnight buffets are gone, would like a late night food option beyond current options, especially on smaller ships.

[Lovetocruise2002]

The last midnight buffet I had was on Brilliance in 2005...

[Snowchaser]

3 hours ago, fonemanbob said:

Along with mints on your pillow.

Oh man, I had forgotten this one!

 

Our last cruise on the Independence of the Seas in May was the first time we didn't have lobster tail on the menu (non up-charge that is) offered during a formal night.

[CGTLH]

Last experience of a midnight buffet was on Radiance for an Alaska sailing back in 2014. Also the last time I recall seeing a live ice carving demonstration.

[4ensic]

3 hours ago, ChessE4 said:

Like @rtread said in 2004, we had a buffet on the Voyager, which had the ice sculptures.  My wife claims there was a late buffet in the Med in 2011 (Brilliance of the Seas), and on a New Year's sailing from Baltimore about 2013 (Grandeur), there was a small chocolate buffet in the Centrum -- the line went down the starboard hallway all the way to the bow.  Since then we haven't seen anything remotely similar.  So as everyone else has stated, the late buffets seem to have disappeared.

But Sorrentos is open late. Isn't that just as good as a midnight buffet? /sarc

[Traveler]

All they need to do leave WJ open few more hours ... 

Sadly now the midnight buffet in many ship is the room service ...

[ChessE4]

6 hours ago, 4ensic said:

But Sorrentos is open late. Isn't that just as good as a midnight buffet? /sarc

Yes, one thing we've got to admit, we don't go hungry...

[Pima1988]

5 minutes ago, ChessE4 said:

Yes, one thing we've got to admit, we don't go hungry...

Just got off the Adventure.  We typically always eat late.  Our earliest dining was the Chef's table.  We traveled with my husbands family, 1st time cruising for some, but for all 1st time with Royal, except us.  At 6 on the 1st night I went up to the WJ and made what Italians call an anti pasta plate to eat on the balcony while we got ready, our cabins were connected, the next thing I know is the plate I made for the 2 of us was being devoured by his siblings.  They all asked where did you get this?  WJ!  

Big mistake on my part because for the next 7 nights I became the waitress.  Lesson learned was I would make my late night sandwiches in the WJ, plus the desserts on a separate plate and put it in the fridge b4 they showed up.  (Nothing like a Prosciutto with cheese sandwich at midnight with a small bowl of pasta salad)  

One time I was on the elevator (crowded) and passengers remarked that are you having dinner in your cabin since I had 2 plates.  I said, no.  This plate is for cocktail hr on our balcony, and this 1 is for midnight so I don't have to wait in line at Sorrentos with their minimal selection.  All of them were 1st time cruisers, and 1 turned to me and said, OMG you HAVE to be a veteran, because nobody that is a 1st timer would think to do that.

Funny thing is we got back so tired and still full that I usually never ate what I brought back for us alone.  Usually is the key word.  I HIGHLY recommend that the night they have Mongolian, go and get it.  To me left over cold Chinese food is great.  I converted it from the plate to 2 bowls and placed it in the fridge.  My husband and I came back to the room @ midnight opened the fridge, went on the deck and ate it.  He made me laugh because he said I love you soooo much.  My response was WHY, thinking it had something to do with the ambiance of the moon and the ocean.  NOPE..  His answer was because only you could think 6 hrs ahead of time to know exactly what would make this trip even better...cold lomein to absorb all this alcohol.  

[Lovetocruise2002]

57 minutes ago, Pima1988 said:

I HIGHLY recommend that the night they have Mongolian, go and get it. 

Haha!  My husband would agree with you 100%!

[Zacharius]

1 hour ago, Pima1988 said:

made what Italians call an anti pasta plate

Technically they would call it antipasto or antipasti, depending on if it's before a meal or just a plate of meats/cheese/veg. Many Italians tend to be very pro-pasta.

[Pima1988]

@Zacharius  I tried to write antipasti but auto correct just kept changing it, so I decided to leave it alone.  Even now it keeps placing the red squiggly line.  

I laugh because we live in VA, but NJ/NY raised.  Proscuitto to us is pronounced proscuitte ---no O.  Calamari is pronounced Calamar, no I. Mannicotti, is mannicott, no I, and they are crepe shells. There is no such thing as sauce, it is gravy.  If you are a true Italian, you know that meatballs are made with multiple types of ground meat.  A true parmigiana is done on lone heat for hrs.  Christmas eve is 7 fishes.  You are also a pro at stuffed artichokes.

My husband and I are unique.  He is 50% Italian.  His mom was jewish.  I am 50% polish.  My kids were raised with all 3.  Lox and cream cheese smeared on an everything bagel or bialy is heaven for breakfast.  Kielbasa and sauerkraut for dinner on a summer night is perfection.  OBTW in the Polish world kielbasa is  actually called in my family kielbas.  My Mom is 100% polish, her folks were 1st generation.  Manicotti, bresciole, sausage and meatballs that has stewed for a day in the gravy makes them smile until that manicotti filled with 4 different cheeses hits their stomach like a 10 lb weight.

During the fall I do not make dinner on Sunday.  Instead, my coffee table is filled with sopressetto, prosciuitto, salami, cheese, olives, and home made focaccia, stuffed artichokes, and of course balsamic and olive oil while we watch football.  

Not trying to be offensive.  Just saying that most people that don't have that background will pronounce it in a  certain way, which as a society we accept as the norm.

Back on topic.

[Matt]

5 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Haha!  My husband would agree with you 100%!

[ChessE4]

4 hours ago, Pima1988 said:

@Zacharius  I tried to write antipasti but auto correct just kept changing it, so I decided to leave it alone.  Even now it keeps placing the red squiggly line.  

I laugh because we live in VA, but NJ/NY raised.  Proscuitto to us is pronounced proscuitte ---no O.  Calamari is pronounced Calamar, no I. Mannicotti, is mannicott, no I, and they are crepe shells. There is no such thing as sauce, it is gravy.  If you are a true Italian, you know that meatballs are made with multiple types of ground meat.  A true parmigiana is done on lone heat for hrs.  Christmas eve is 7 fishes.  You are also a pro at stuffed artichokes.

My husband and I are unique.  He is 50% Italian.  His mom was jewish.  I am 50% polish.  My kids were raised with all 3.  Lox and cream cheese smeared on an everything bagel or bialy is heaven for breakfast.  Kielbasa and sauerkraut for dinner on a summer night is perfection.  OBTW in the Polish world kielbasa is  actually called in my family kielbas.  My Mom is 100% polish, her folks were 1st generation.  Manicotti, bresciole, sausage and meatballs that has stewed for a day in the gravy makes them smile until that manicotti filled with 4 different cheeses hits their stomach like a 10 lb weight.

During the fall I do not make dinner on Sunday.  Instead, my coffee table is filled with sopressetto, prosciuitto, salami, cheese, olives, and home made focaccia, stuffed artichokes, and of course balsamic and olive oil while we watch football.  

Not trying to be offensive.  Just saying that most people that don't have that background will pronounce it in a  certain way, which as a society we accept as the norm.

Back on topic.

Thanks for the cultural note!  Not to disparage other cruise lines, but I saw a video from another line with a coffee card that spelled out "cappuccinos" instead of "cappuccini".  Now my Italian is really weak, but even I took notice....
 

[SweetHomeLady]

I had a head waiter tell me that they stopped doing the midnight buffets because lots of people came to take pictures of the ice sculptures and fancy foods, but no one ate very much.  Of course, nowadays people take lots of food photos.  I do it, myself.

[FManke]

I think since there are more food options to cruisers today opposed to the past,  the concept of a midnight buffet although wanted by some is no longer needed or wanted by all. 

[twangster]

Empress has a late night Windjammer feast.  It isn't a full dinner spread but it's more than just burgers and hot dogs that Marner and Navigator feature late night.

No ice sculptures though.

[sk8erguy1978]

In 2013 we sailed Adventure and it had a late night buffet thing on the pool deck. That was the first one I'd seen since we first started cruising in 2007 and the last.