Welcome back to Byte Size Cruises! If this is your first time here, we are a small travel agency out of Philadelphia, PA and we specialize in ALL things cruises. If you enjoy cruising or if you're interested in learning more about cruise vacations, you are in the right place! Our goal here is to give you the best and most up to date information about cruise vacations so you can have an amazing time sailing the high seas. Today we are going to cover a topic that is constantly on our minds when our team in cruising: BUFFET ETIQUETTE. There are a lot of mixed feelings about the buffet on cruise ships and we are here to clear the air and share our 10 RULES for eating at the buffet. If you'd like to watch this post on our YouTube channel, click here. Let's get into it!
1. WASH YOUR HANDS. You would think this would be a no brainer, but based on our experience it unfortunately is not. Before you go to the buffet, please wash your hands! It doesn't take a long time - literally 20 seconds if you follow the CDC guidelines - and it seriously reduces the risk of spreading germs in a shared eating area.
2. USE THE UTENSILS. Again, you would think this would be common sense, but here we are. Please use the utensils provided for serving food onto your plate from the buffet area. Just because you washed your hands (hopefully) it doesn't mean it's appropriate for anyone to reach in there and grab the bacon with their fingers.
3. ONLY TAKE WHAT YOU PLAN TO EAT. There is plenty of food at the buffet and you can always go back for seconds, thirds, even fifths if you want. There will never be a shortage of a lack at the buffet while you are on a cruise ship. That being said, be respectful and put on your plate what you plan to eat. There is no reason to pile your plate high with all sorts of stuff. The staff will constantly be refilling stations and there will always be more than enough.
4. DON'T SKIP THE LINE. All right everyone. We know it's difficult, but everyone needs to wait their turn. Don't be that person who is so impatient they have to skip the line. It's just rude. If you have your children with you, monitor them and don't allow them to run all over and skip the line either; this causes chaos and everyone here is just looking to enjoy and have a good time.
5. If you are sick, STAY AWAY! Sometimes things happen on vacation and you wind up not feeling so well. If you aren't feeling great, just stay away from the buffet. This is a GREAT opportunity to take advantage of room service and relax and recharge in your room. Be kind to others and make an effort to not spread illness while on a cruise ship.
6. Be MINDFUL of others. To say it bluntly - it's not all about you all the time. Everyone on a cruise is wanting to enjoy themselves and have a good time and in order to make that happen we all need to be mindful of the people around us. Be aware of the volume you're speaking at, be aware of your children, etc. and make an effort to both enjoy yourself and create an enjoyable experience for everyone else. It only takes one person to ruin the fun for everyone. Be respectful, be nice, and be kind.
7. CLEAR YOUR PLACE. Don't leave your dirty dishes everywhere. The staff is there to clear your place and help them out. If you are eating at a peak time during the day, another cruiser will most likely be wanting to take your seat after you leave, so help everyone out and stack your plates, etc. and do your best to make the transition smooth.
8. BE NICE TO THE STAFF. This is a big one and overall we believe needs to be talked about more. Cruisers don't often appreciate just how hard the staff on cruise ships work to make sure your vacation is as fun and relaxing as possible. Remember, the staff is most likely working 14 to 16 hour days and they are not on vacation like you; they are AT WORK. So, be nice. Be understanding. And always keep in mind that they are most likely doing their absolute best to get you what you need as fast as possible.
9. DON'T SAVE SEATS if the dining area is busy. Now, if it's quiet, an off time, or early in the morning, etc. no problem, save seats for your group. If it's peak lunch time, don't save 10 seats for everyone in your party. Just don't. Most likely someone already at the buffet with food in hand will eat and finish before the rest of your group comes down. If you really want to eat all together as a group, be sure to all arrive together or wait until a non peak time to save tables.
10. ENJOY!! Enjoy the company of your fellow cruisers. Maybe meet some people, say hi, and spread the good energy around. You are all there to have a good time and enjoy your vacation, so make a friend or two!
THOSE are our 10 RULES for the cruise buffet. Whew. What do you think? Have you been on a cruise before? Would you add anything to our list? Comment below! We would love to hear from you.