On my last cruise, Cunard Queen Anne, I never ate in the buffet restaurant, on a recent Holland America cruise I ate lunch in there every day and on my Royal Caribbean Symphony of Seas cruise I ate most meals there. Why? It’s because I have a set of cruise buffet rules that I’ve developed over time that determine when I eat in the buffet, how I use it if I do, and what I will and won’t eat in there. After talking to other regular cruisers, I found they also follow a similar approach that I want to share with you.
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ABOUT TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS: If you want to get cruising right, Tips For Travellers makes it easy to plan and have the incredible cruise experiences you dream of every time. All my Tips For Travellers advice, tips and tricks tips draw on everything that I have learnt on the 101 cruises I have done to date.
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When in the buffet, I've seen so many people licking their fingers and hands as they fill their plates and handling the tongs, spoons, and other utensils. Yuck!
Just got off Celebrity Eclipse. I saw so many people place the whole tong set in the food, rather than laying the hand side out.
Gary, love your channel and the tips. If only everyone would wash their hands before eating in the buffet the risk of illnesses would drop dramatically. I have seen so many cruisers just walk in without any attempt at hand washing or sanitising.
I never liked the gel. liquid is better, because you can wipe it of your hands with a tissue and simulate washing. or wet cleanisng wipes. because you wipe away things. even the old fashioned lemon refresher wipes or turkish lime colognes are better then gels. good to have tissues on hand. ship or no ship
Gary, you should correct one fact about Crystal： it has only 600+ and 700+ passenger capacity, not 1000. In one of your previous video you mentioned , because of the above, is not luxurious cruise line. If quoting you, Crystal is certainly an ultra luxury cruise line. You have been on any Crystal cruises? Go and then give it a review. Thanks a lot for your dedicated good job. Yours truly
Ugh. I just HATE it when I'm served food in a buffet line. I can never get the portions as small as I want them, and it all just seems like a big hassle. I'd rather serve myself.
It would be a good idea to wear gloves-if you wash, go to buffet and then eat, still at risk because those who don’t wash, already contaminated your serving utensils! Need to wash again, before eating. How about those filling their water containers straight from the water tap, and ice? Gross!!! There are signs, not to do this, but they don’t care!! I’m a RN and try to stay away from buffets, because of this!! I wish the crew would serve everyone- kids go unsupervised too, drop serving utensils and put them back into food. Sit and observe how disgusting people are and don’t care!!
You mentioned hand washing and Neurovirus. On our last cruise out of Southamption we embarked the ship and got in our car for a 4hr drive home ,an hour later I felt ill and was violently sick at the wheel of the car , it happened within seconds , i lost control of the car ,veered off the motorway up a 30foot embankment rolled the car my wife had to be cut out and sustained a broken back, ,I had multiple injuries turns out we had both had Neurovirus which apparently we picked up on the ship which caused the sickness.The moral of the story is use sanitizer and hand-wash at every opportunity, I wouldn't want our experience to happen to anyone else ,thank you for the video.
Breakfast for us always rm service. Did dinner buffet 1time last year on RC wound up disappointed in offerings.
Buffet only for lunch.
Washi washi first.. If i had to touch anything i keep hand sani on me at all times & make hubby do same.. also put large napkin under my dish so I've got a clean area to put utensils & rest my arms..
My first cruise, Norwegian, I made the mistake of only going to the buffet to eat breakfast. Unless you got to the buffet before 8am it was busy and got ridiculous after the cruise director wake up announcement at 9:30AM.
Not washing my hand evert time I go to that buffet or using hand sanitizer. I wash them same as I did before Covid.
And not a chance in hell am I going to let a utuber tell me when to eat.
I assume no one will wash or sanitize. I clean hands before I go in, then I sanitize my hands (yes I carry sanitizer for this) after sitting down before I start eating. It's not perfect but I feel better. LOL This is not the rare occasion I actually eat at buffets. It's just not my thing. :0)
I just finished the cruise on the celebrity reflection. The buffet was so good. I didn’t need to go anywhere else.
You have an awful lot of rules!
My family is in the hotel business, my father who was an hotel manager for decades NEVER ate at a buffet, reason, fear of contamination and disease. I follow the same rule, to many people, not sure about all the health status of different people, trying to serve themselves or touching food. The dining room is my choice always.
I dislike being around crowds of strangers (e.g., I do not shop in person between Thanksgiving and Christmas) so will probably never cruise on a large ship. If I did though, it would be useful if the ship had an app that showed activity at each venue so I could choose the least occupied.
On Carnival I head for Guys Pig and Anchor BBQ
Ridiculous pretentious entitled attitude and demands. This guy is what makes cruises annoying having to deal with idiots like him.
I only eat things that are served by the workers and not the self service things. Last HA cruise I was on 2 years ago, I watched a man take food on a used plate, change his mind and scoop the food off the plate and back onto the buffet! The staff was around and no one took the food off. I never liked buffets before because some people don't have manners in food care, but watching guy that solidified my choice to only eat what isn't self service.
Spot on….
Great advice
Buffet window shopping also gives you idea of restaurants menu
Dining room great for breakfast, you can order anything in fact
Dining room you can order whatever you like, 2 mains, or 3, you not constrained by menu.
Cruises big mistake eating more than necessary.
Food always available, 24/7.
Taught kids what you put on plate you eat as have seen lots of waste.
They could go back 2,3,4…..times but they ate what they had on plate. Me too.
Another tip, if you see alot of Indians onboard a Cruise, you're f*cked. I was onboard such a Cruise Ship so filled with Indians, I thought I was in Bombay. Everything was just Curry and the Toilets were flooded with Vomit and Diarrhea 😂😂😂
flying in a metal tube full of people, going on a cruise full of people, and eating at salad bar style buffets full of people…..my 3 no no's
Agreed on Alfredo’s!! Delicious anytime of a princess cruise.
I prefer dining room for all meals but port days mean you usually have to eat buffet lunch at the least. I hate touching the tongs after hundreds of hands touching them. If our tour starts early we go to buffet breakfast at 5.30 am before all the unwashed masses. I much rather be served.
In the buffet, I use a large paper napkin to handle the serving utensils or wear a disposable glove….
Truthfully, we have always cruised where we have our own table. I once asked about the Indian buffet meals on one line and was told ….. Just tell the chef exactly the food you would like and he will make freshly for you. Also, if you are cruising say in a Cunard Grill, then you can request any meal that you would like and it doesn't have to be on the menu.
I'm 65 and considering my first cruise. Your channel has really opened my eyes for both the positive, and the negatives of cruising. I'm on the fence, but I know if I go it will be for just a few days. Lots of information here, so thank you for that.
Fill half your buffet plate with vegetables.
I love going to the buffet on embarkation day for lunch. I don't mind the crowds; I like the people watching. My last couple of Royal Caribbean cruises, I got The Key and enjoyed a steakhouse lunch in the MDR and that was fantastic, though. They have reduced that menu, in recent years, though. There are good tips here, especially about Norovirus, which I got for the first time on my last (and 27th) cruise and it was not fun!
The timing of your info about Nero virus was spot on, @11:53 you show someone handling food with his hand and putting it back on the buffet.
My main complaint about the buffet – they have lousy deserts.
Where is the best place to cruise in October?
its pronounced BooFay in british english
"Smart Cruisers" is a contradiction in terms. Why anyone would want to board one of these floating petri dishes is beyond me! Let the hating begin…sticks and stones…
Just went on P&O Adventure from Sydney to cairns & return & it’s ruined my want to cruise again. Food was crap ( unless in paid restaurants) 2 shore excursions in 9 days, terrible onboard activities.
Positive was staff are brilliant but this companies options are so outdated so convince me if I should cruise again
I bring surgical gloves to touch serving utensils. I avoid the ice cream dispenser bc parents let their children run wild with it. Children are notorious for bad hygiene. If I want ice cream, I get the served scoops by staff. I try to select anything from the top shelves for this reason and reach a little further back just in case someone touches the plate or bowl. I dont eat at the buffet daily. I might about 3 times the entire cruise. I prefer a served meal. I wish people would wash their hands after eating, too. Buttons on elevators and door handles are another hit spot for norovirus. I use a napkin to touch those. I try to go to my cabin to use the bathroom more than the public restrooms. I think that helps reduce the risk of norovirus. I take the stairs as much as I can, avoid touching the railing if I can. I wash my hands as soon as I enter my cabin. I know it sounds overkill but I am willing to do it because vomiting and crapping myself for days sounds worse.
You can also arrange tour plate in a (relatively) healthy way if you do it yourself. Like myplate. 1/4 fruit, 1/4 veggie, 1/4 protein, 1/4 grain.
I definitely prefer the peace and relative quiet of the main dining room for breakfast and lunch. I have ample time to think my thoughts. When there is no main dining room lunch, then and only then will you find me in the buffet.
I’m not a fan of buffets. Let’s say the person before you happen to sneeze. Not enough to need a tissue. So they just rub their finger across their nose. Then they line up and put those germs on the utensil they use to dish out the food. Then you come along and use that utensil and pick up those germs. Then you deposit those germs on your mucus membranes and get sick.
It is really true that there are all types of human beings! 🙃