Windjammer Serve Yourself???

[Palm Tree Mike]

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.

[brianj]

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. 

[Mike.s]

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.

[CrimsonCruiser]

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!

[TXcruzer]

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

[CrimsonCruiser]

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.

[SpeedNoodles]

It sounds like some of the ships are seriously understaffed.  I wonder if this has any part of it.

[Pooch]

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.

[Moby Dick]

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.  

 

[CrznTxn]

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.

[Pooch]

Oh I would put good money down that the servers are cleaner than a great many buffet users.

[Moby Dick]

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!

[2ball]

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]

timely post on the main page: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/03/22/spotted-cruise-ship-passengers-serving-themselves-buffet-again

[Bean79]

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]

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

[Bean79]

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.

[Matt]

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.

[RWDW1204]

[Moby Dick]

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)!  

[Moby Dick]

11 minutes ago, RWDW1204 said:

That's what I'm talk'in bout!

[Palm Tree Mike]

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.

 

[YellowBrickRoad]

I just got off Anthem a couple of days ago and was not self serve in the Windjammer

[Reigert2008]

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.

[EmptyNestTravels]

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.

[EmptyNestTravels]

Was very happy to see this post by @Matt "Hochberg of the Seas" this afternoon.

     "UPDATE: Royal Caribbean crew members continue to serve guests at Windjammer across the fleet. While there was self-service on some ships today, crew will be serving guests tomorrow again in Windjammer."

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/03/22/spotted-cruise-ship-passengers-serving-themselves-buffet-again

[USCG Teacher]

8 minutes ago, EmptyNestTravels said:

Was very happy to see this post by @Mattthis afternoon.

     "UPDATE: Royal Caribbean crew members continue to serve guests at Windjammer across the fleet. While there was self-service on some ships today, crew will be serving guests tomorrow again in Windjammer."

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/03/22/spotted-cruise-ship-passengers-serving-themselves-buffet-again

 

[Linda R]

7 hours 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!

I agree, I wanted to keep that the staff served you.  I thought it was cleaner.  But sometimes you do have to wait a bit to get served.  There can be 2 servers and 15 waiting for food.  Self serve was faster, but cleaner when you are served.

[jticarruthers]

I can go either way, but if they do want to stick with crew served buffet then there needs to be a significant increase in the number of crew assigned to the job.

[Moby Dick]

Just info:

https://www.verywellhealth.com/covid-19-transmitted-through-food-5100840

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/Can-I-get-sick-with-coronavirus-COVID-19-from-touching-food-the-food-packaging-or-food-contact-surfaces-if-the-coronavirus-was-present-on-it

As stated earlier, I don't care which serving method Royal uses.  I'm happy either way.  There are pro's and con's either way.  We and Royal need to make decisions based upon facts.

[Lexster]

I'm fine with it either way. It's more frustrating how gross and selfish people are. I couldn't imagine picking up food and then putting it back. Yet, the funny thing is, you never meet anyone who will admit to doing it. They know what they do is gross, but they do it anyway.

[ihaoan]

Staff served portions in Windjammer on Adventure this week

[silenttuba]

On 3/23/2022 at 11:11 AM, jay1021 said:

Just info:

https://www.verywellhealth.com/covid-19-transmitted-through-food-5100840

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/Can-I-get-sick-with-coronavirus-COVID-19-from-touching-food-the-food-packaging-or-food-contact-surfaces-if-the-coronavirus-was-present-on-it

As stated earlier, I don't care which serving method Royal uses.  I'm happy either way.  There are pro's and con's either way.  We and Royal need to make decisions based upon facts.

Other illness, like norovirus, still exist, and *can* be spread through shared utensils and surfaces. Not having guests serve themselves is something that probably should have been done long before covid.

[CruisingNewb]

On 3/22/2022 at 1:42 PM, jay1021 said:

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)!  

In a typical buffet, the chef de cuisine and/or upper management sets par levels based upon past day/month/year diner counts and then makes projections.  Most good buffets are efficient.  That doesn't mean that there aren't left overs.  It also doesn't mean zero food waste.  However, much of the food that they prepare are repurposable, have at least a one to two day shelf life, and/or can be served to crew members for crew dining.  Most chefs and managers of a restaurant get some type of incentive based upon labor productivity, food waste, and profit margins.  Over-prepping food is not a normal occurrence.

Having lived in Vegas half of my life, I have been to more buffets (and more often) than most people.  The amounts of food that most people plop on their plates are egregious and indeed wasteful.  I am willing to bet that the consumer waste is higher than the kitchen staff food prep waste.  

[Moby Dick]

15 minutes ago, CruisingNewb said:

In a typical buffet, the chef de cuisine and/or upper management sets par levels based upon past day/month/year diner counts and then makes projections.  Most good buffets are efficient.  That doesn't mean that there aren't left overs.  It also doesn't mean zero food waste.  However, much of the food that they prepare are repurposable, have at least a one to two day shelf life, and/or can be served to crew members for crew dining.  Most chefs and managers of a restaurant get some type of incentive based upon labor productivity, food waste, and profit margins.  Over-prepping food is not a normal occurrence.

Having lived in Vegas half of my life, I have been to more buffets (and more often) than most people.  The amounts of food that most people plop on their plates are egregious and indeed wasteful.  I am willing to bet that the consumer waste is higher than the kitchen staff food prep waste.  

Having worked for Marriott-In-Flight Service, no longer in business as Marriott decided to go virtually entirely Hospitality, I know a little bit about food service.  Marriott-In-light Services was, at one time the nations leading food preparation and transportation company in the U.S. for Airlines at airports around the world. I did learn a little about the business.  I think there is a lot more regulation in dealing with "repurposing" food than many know.  Food can only sit on a steam table, under a light, a hot plate/counter for a, I don't remember the time frame but it wasn't long.  I've also toured the Crew's Mess and their menu looked a lot different than the one in the Windjammer.  Is it possible that some ingredients were use to make some of the ethnic/culturally appropriate foods in the Crew's Mess, I guess so.  But, I think there is a lot more waste than some people think.  But, I also think that they do a good job of limiting the waste.  But, I don't think repurposing food is as big a deal as we think.  If I don't eat all my diner and I throw away a few ounces of peas or pork chop, I don't feel like I'm causing the starvation of anybody else elsewhere in the world.  The amount of food is planned for and cooked/prepared well in advance of the first person sitting down to eat it.  What isn't eat is discarded.  Also, I'm sure they don't scrape the food I don't eat off of my plate and send it to a "repurposing" station or to the Crew's Mess. Once again, do I think they do a good job of limiting waste?  Yes.  But, it ain't perfect!

JMHO, your milage may vary.

[Moby Dick]

37 minutes ago, silenttuba said:

Other illness, like norovirus, still exist, and *can* be spread through shared utensils and surfaces. Not having guests serve themselves is something that probably should have been done long before covid.

Yes, that is 100% true.  But, we survived.  I survived growing up without a bicycle helmet as a kid.  I rode in the back of Pick-Up trucks. When I got hurt, which I did and I did seriously (lost a finger once), I'm still here and better off for it.  I got sick and got better.  But, it's not all about me, I think we all did the above and survived.  Yes, some don't survive.  But, the very very very vast majority do, just like we have learned what to do with COVID, now.  Far fewer people are getting really sick and or dying from COVID, like it used to be.  

But, I have to go back to one of my original statements, I really don't care which way Royal or other buffet serves or doesn't serve it's customers.  Asl long as it looks and tastes good, I'm happy.

BTW, once they found out what "Legionnaires Virus" is/was, they learned how to deal with it and stop/limit it.  

[CruisingNewb]

19 minutes ago, jay1021 said:

But, I also think that they do a good job of limiting the waste. 

Yes.

20 minutes ago, jay1021 said:

If I don't eat all my diner and I throw away a few ounces of peas or pork chop, I don't feel like I'm causing the starvation of anybody else elsewhere in the world.

I am certain that you are NOT one of those (many) that pile on 12 inches of shrimp or whatever else is popular on their plate.  MOST of those people, and trust me when I say this, do NOT eat all that they take and waste way more than a couple of bites.

 

22 minutes ago, jay1021 said:

Also, I'm sure they don't scrape the food I don't eat off of my plate and send it to a "repurposing" station or to the Crew's Mess.

You are (hopefully) correct.  That is not what I meant as "repurposing."  Let's say someone made five 400 sized pans of mashed potatoes and only 3 pans were eaten by the diners.  You can repurpose the remaining mashed potatoes by making croquettes, potato soup, empanada filling, etc.  Left over peeled bananas are certainly good to repurpose as pie filling.  

Ultimately, my point is, Royal C staff serving me smaller, more manageable portions, surely makes an impact on food waste produced by glutinous diners.

[Moby Dick]

7 minutes ago, CruisingNewb said:

Yes.

I am certain that you are NOT one of those (many) that pile on 12 inches of shrimp or whatever else is popular on their plate.  MOST of those people, and trust me when I say this, do NOT eat all that they take and waste way more than a couple of bites.

 

You are (hopefully) correct.  That is not what I meant as "repurposing."  Let's say someone made five 400 sized pans of mashed potatoes and only 3 pans were eaten by the diners.  You can repurpose the remaining mashed potatoes by making croquettes, potato soup, empanada filling, etc.  Left over peeled bananas are certainly good to repurpose as pie filling.  

Ultimately, my point is, Royal C staff serving me smaller, more manageable portions, surely makes an impact on food waste produced by glutinous diners.

And I think you know what I meant!  But, we really aren't far off of being on the same sheet of music.  

[TracyRevell]

In recent cruises I have found this has improved the Windjammer. I really don't like the place generally, it's full of people who can't wait in a queue for 30 seconds and all they are interested in is piling plates as high as possible. With the crew serving, I found it far more relaxed and it was managed much better. If self service is back, I will probably have to find one of the other more sophisticated venues again.