A cruise ship expert has shared his top tips for eating in the buffet on a cruise ship — and three things that every cruiser should know before heading to the buffet onboard
A cruise ship guru has shared his list of “buffet rules” and issued a caution to fellow travellers about dining on board.
In his latest video on the Tips for Travellers YouTube channel, cruise connoisseur Gary Bembridge revealed that he’s developed these guidelines over his years of voyaging.
These rules dictate whether he dines at the buffet, how he utilises it if he does, and what he will and won’t consume there. He disclosed that on his most recent voyage aboard the Cunard Queen Anne, he never dined in the buffet restaurant, but on another trip with Holland America, he had lunch there daily.
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Furthermore, on his Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas cruise, he ate “pretty much” all his meals there. In the video, he enlightened fellow travellers on how he formulates his rules. One rule is to avoid using the buffet upon embarkation. Gary observed that seasoned cruisers never hit the buffet “at the wrong time”.
They choose “really carefully” when to use and when to avoid the buffet. He noted: “For a start, smart cruisers generally don’t go to the buffet for embarkation day lunch. Not only is it busy, but there are better options and things that can help you get ahead of the crowds by not eating there”, reports the Express.
Gary, a seasoned cruiser, has shared some insider tips for avoiding the hustle and bustle on board, ensuring a more serene and enjoyable dining experience. He suggests: “There are always better alternatives that are less busy and offer in fact an elevated dining experience. The main dining room, if it’s open, is one. As well as having a calmer atmosphere and a good menu there are several key things that you should do while there on embarkation day to get ahead of the crowds on setting up a better dining experience for your entire cruise.”
He also advises using the main dining room, especially if you have loyalty status, to check for exclusive lunches and menus: “Smart cruises mostly go to the main dining room for embarkation day lunch instead of the buffet for two other key reasons. First of all, to make sure they have a great table if they’re on fixed dining.”
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Additionally, he highlights the importance of sorting out food allergy requirements early on: “The other reason is to get food allergy requirements sorted. The main dining room maître d’ is normally the person handling this and the one you have to speak to at some time.”
Gary emphasises the significance of this step, particularly because “the buffet restaurant could be riskier for passengers with dietary issues. The maître d is there to assist and advise on how to handle all of this so seeing them early on is really important.”
To top off his advice, Gary recommends avoiding peak times at the buffet to dodge the chaos and struggle for tables, noting: “For breakfast that is usually about an hour before the ship gets into port because people want to eat before a port in for excursions or heading out exploring.”
“If open, I always use the main dining room, it’s quieter, it’s less frantic, or if not I order room service. Lunch peaks between 12.30 and 1.30pm when excursions tend to arrive back or people self exploring return to the ship to have lunch.”
“In the evenings, I often eat in the buffet to get more of my evenings on board. Eating in the buffet can take as little as 15 minutes but the main dining room is going to take 75 to 90 minutes.”
