EASTER SUNDAY BRUNCH – APRIL 21ST

From our experience, there’s a tradition about Sunday brunches on the World Cruise.  On many Sundays when we’re at sea, the maître d’ arranges a feast for the guests and this past Easter was no exception. 

An incredible display of chocolate Easter eggs (I believe I was told there were 30 around the ship) appeared out of nowhere one day in midship.  Then, on Sunday, we were treated to a vast array of Easter decorations throughout the dining room and Panorama Buffet, all prepared the night before by the crew.  The crew in the galley normally work 24 hours a day so I have no idea how they’re able to put together these brunches.  We were informed there were 350 lbs. of crab legs and 350 lbs. of lobster tails prepared for the Easter festivities.

Although we enjoy taking photos of all the decorations, we rarely eat in the dining room during these Brunches and prefer a quieter atmosphere in the Buffet.  First of all, it seems as if everyone on the ship is in the dining room all at once.  (There are two seatings for dinner onboard:  first at 5:30 and second seating is at 7:45.)  However, during the brunches, people seem to be coming and going from 10:30 to 1 p.m. while its available.  The main reason I don’t go is because of an incident that occurred early on during the 2016 World Cruise.  We observed a man getting up from the table.  Now, common courtesy or, at least, common sense, dictates that if you plan to return to your seat, you put your napkin on the seat, you tilt your chair forward or you tell the person next to you, “I’ll be back.”  The man did none of these things.  A woman came and sat down in his seat.  A few minutes later, the man returned to find the woman in “his” seat.  He started yelling at her about why she was sitting in his chair, so much so that this woman actually began to cry.  First of all, there are dozens of empty seats which he could’ve occupied having noticed someone sitting where he sat, BUT he never bothered to do any one of the three things that would let someone know the seat was occupied.  After experiencing that mob scene and rudeness surrounding “food,” we, literally, lost our appetite and seldom, if ever, enjoyed ourselves at one of these brunches.  

MICHAEL’S OBSERVATIONS:   As a follow up to Leona’s comments, I find it very uncomfortable to sit and relax for brunch during these events.  There is a frenzy atmosphere surrounding the wonderful food and decorations; not everyone, but enough people pile their plates to overflow so they can eat as many crab legs and lobster tails as they can before they leave.  The piles of food, desserts, cookies, etc. make me nauseous and, sadly, the results of these eating frenzies show on the waistbands of the participants.  It makes me want to go to the gym and work out, something I never think about doing the moment I wake up.