Palm Tree Mike Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 Just saw where someone on Allure posted that the Windjammer was now serve yourself! Guess Royal is no longer worried about Covid, the flu; colds or the Norovirus coming back. Liked being served by the crew up there and will have to give some thought to where I will be eating lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianjjtorpey Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 Hope this comes to all the ships. I personally hate being served, makes you feel very self conscious. Other buffets at resorts like Disney have returned to normal. I hope the trend continues. VirtKitty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike.s Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 Oh good, a return to people picking food up and putting it back, plates pilled high and left uneaten, I'm struggling to see the benefits of a return to self serve. Vancity Cruiser, SPS, Chris Fish and 3 others 4 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonCruiser Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 I'm really hoping the person you're referencing either misunderstood what was happening (perhaps was thinking of areas with pre-plated items that we as guests are free to grab), misused "self-serve" or is just plain lying because....I don't want self-serve back. I thought I would have an issue with being served and having to talk to staff regularly but honestly it was great; I never felt shafted on quantity and no one tried to rope into a long conversation. Plus...the buffet was so much cleaner! ellcee, egd207, Bean79 and 7 others 8 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXcruzer Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 7 minutes ago, CrimsonCruiser said: I'm really hoping the person you're referencing either misunderstood what was happening (perhaps was thinking of areas with pre-plated items that we as guests are free to grab), misused "self-serve" or is just plain lying because....I don't want self-serve back. I thought I would have an issue with being served and having to talk to staff regularly but honestly it was great; I never felt shafted on quantity and no one tried to rope into a long conversation. Plus...the buffet was so much cleaner! reports from more than one ship in the fleet returning to normal buffet procedures VirtKitty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonCruiser Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 8 minutes ago, TXcruzer said: reports from more than one ship in the fleet returning to normal buffet procedures Where are these reports? I only use these forums and a few FB groups but haven't heard anything yet and wondering where I'm not looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 It sounds like some of the ships are seriously understaffed. I wonder if this has any part of it. ellcee and jticarruthers 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 Not self serve on Harmony last week. I wish there were a few more preplated items. Also it’s very noisy in there, often had a hard time making my requests heard. Portions were often small and it was difficult to make the server understand the concept of more. Example, cold peel & eat shrimp. Gave me 4, can I have more? Sure, gave me 1. But no matter, it was still preferable to self service. Fmarincasallas and ellcee 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suite Snob Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 I personally don't care one way or the other. So, don't think that I am taking sides. There are pro's and con's to either way to serve. Back to self serve: Yes, there is a mess. Yes, some ignorant people taste and put back. But, how do you know that the server is any cleaner than the person that was ahead of you in the buffet line? Staying at Crew Serve: Excess staffing hours for the already over worked crew and less time spent for meal prep. Crew Serve probably didn't hurt too much because capacity was lowered as well, less meal prep and ancillary activities, less people to serve, lines not long, and the crew wasn't as stressed. I'm sure that there are many many more pro's and con's for either way. These are just a couple/few that I can think of off the top of my head. You can decide which is best for you. But, it really doesn't matter, the buffet industry, including Royal's Windjammer, will do what they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrznTxn Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 The true self serve is one indication of getting back to where we were before the COVID restrictions. On our cruise last week the crew was still serving us but there was usually only one server for both sides of the line so it sometimes took a while until they moved to the opposite side. This caused a big backup during rush hour and the folks were getting testy. The person servicing and replacing the trays was still there as always but they did not serve anyone. In the Diamond lounge they stopped serving you and you went and served yourself from the small food selection. That said, the CDC loosened their restrictions and are now allowing the cruise line to decide for themselves if they want to have crew serve or you serve yourself at the buffet. Sign of the times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 Oh I would put good money down that the servers are cleaner than a great many buffet users. Riley, egd207, CrimsonCruiser and 3 others 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suite Snob Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 9 minutes ago, Pooch said: Oh I would put good money down that the servers are cleaner than a great many buffet users. I wouldn't debate that with you, for the most part! Pooch and CrimsonCruiser 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ball Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 I’m on allure right now. We are in Puerto Rico. The first 3 days we were served at the buffet. Today some stations stilled served, but most were self serve. I’m not sure if the self serve was because today was also the first time since Covid that the crew were allowed to get off the boat, so the remaining crew were short staffed. CrimsonCruiser 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonCruiser Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 timely post on the main page: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/03/22/spotted-cruise-ship-passengers-serving-themselves-buffet-again Matt and Bean79 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bean79 Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 7 minutes ago, CrimsonCruiser said: timely post on the main page: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/03/22/spotted-cruise-ship-passengers-serving-themselves-buffet-again You beat me to it! CrimsonCruiser 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonCruiser Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 33 minutes ago, jay1021 said: Staying at Crew Serve: Excess staffing hours for the already over worked crew and less time spent for meal prep. Crew Serve probably didn't hurt too much because capacity was lowered as well, less meal prep and ancillary activities, less people to serve, lines not long, and the crew wasn't as stressed. I can definitely agree with the stress on the workers and I guess Royal has to decide if people like and want it enough to justify hiring more dining or rotating staff to meet growing demand as the numbers get higher Suite Snob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bean79 Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 I can debate both sides. I like the food waste savings and less chance of spreading Norovirus. I think it will slow down the traffic at peak times and increase the amount of crew needed, or at least add to their already stressed jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 I prefer the crew serving simply for sanitary reasons. Also, I always overserve myself, but that's a secondary issue. Of course, it never stopped me from going to Windjammer pre-covid. Traveler, Carlos A., ellcee and 2 others 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWDW1204 Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 Mike.s, PPPJJ-GCVAB, ellcee and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suite Snob Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 22 minutes ago, Matt said: I prefer the crew serving simply for sanitary reasons. Also, I always overserve myself, but that's a secondary issue. Of course, it never stopped me from going to Windjammer pre-covid. Question, yes this is just a question, no agenda attached: If you over serve yourself and wind up throwing some/much of it away, doesn't the unused food that was not put on a plate, eventually, get thrown away anyway? While we can say that we helped not waste food, isn't a lot of it being wasted/thrown anyway eventually, anyway? Doesn't the Galley prep based upon the number of passengers that are expected to eat in each venue, regardless if you eat it all or not? Seriously, it's just a question(s)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suite Snob Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 11 minutes ago, RWDW1204 said: That's what I'm talk'in bout! Chmusar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palm Tree Mike Posted March 22 Author Report Share Posted March 22 Wife got off of Harmony last weekend and the crew was still serving in Windjammer but looks like fleet going back to the pre-Covid days. Don't think required vaccination is going away too soon thought since soo many islands still require it. Pooch 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowBrickRoad Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 I just got off Anthem a couple of days ago and was not self serve in the Windjammer EmptyNestTravels 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reigert2008 Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 1 hour ago, Matt said: I prefer the crew serving simply for sanitary reasons. Also, I always overserve myself, but that's a secondary issue. Of course, it never stopped me from going to Windjammer pre-covid. I agree, I’m a big fan of AYCE buffets and before COVID, it was the trade off of going to the buffet and taking a chance or not enjoy8ng what I want to eat. I always figured “that’s how buffets work”, but with COVID, we’ve see it is possible to have a great buffet experience while being served. It’s still AYCE and can take as many trips as you like. TL;DR I’m not a fan of self serve coming back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmptyNestTravels Posted March 22 Report Share Posted March 22 I also I favor the crew permanently serving the buffet food for health and sanitary reasons. Do NOT want to get Norovirus (and who knows what else) from the buffet courtesy of dirty hands and cross-contamination by fellow passengers. Carlos A. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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