HMC Cabana Butler Service deal

[Ziggy7]

Hi Everyone,
My parents (Grover Kids) are back from their Rotterdam cruise. As some of you already know they had the butler service and now I have the scoop for you all!
The butler arrived in the am to escort them off the ship (carrying everything, bags, cameras, you name it he carried it!) and onto the tender, then to the little tractor ride to the cabana. Where he stayed at or near by all day at your service. With this package you get your own chef off the ship from the Pinnicle Dinning room, he prepares your lunch on HMC and brings it to your cabana, I will list the menu below :)

Exclusive VIP Cabana HMC Luncheon Menu

Champagne toast on the beach with exotic fruit skewers with photo

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Mini Lobster Club Sandwich
On toasted sour dough with Baby Mache and Cherry Tomatoes

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Gazpacho (served in frozen pineapple) with Caribbean Twist

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Brochette BBQ Jumbo Prawns
Or
Brochette Citrus Chicken Breast on Traditional Full Leaves Caesar Salad with Giant Croutons

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5oz Cajun Sterling Silver Filet Mignon with grilled Asparagus, rolled Eggplant and Yellow Tomato
or
Chicken Breast Mignonette with Mango Salsa, grilled Asparagus, rolled Eggplant and Yellow Tomato

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Our Famous Zuiderdam (yes, its really called that) Drunken Whale
Drunken fresh fruit in Myers Rum
or
Chocolate Cake with Rasberry Coulis


Every section was served as stated unless there was a choice. The chef signs the menu and presents it to you.

Unlimited bar drinks all day, snorkel gear, floating mats were also provided. At the end of the day the butler helped pack you up, carry and escort you to the tenders, no waiting in line either, then to your cabin on the ship.

All in all my parents said it was a really nice once in a lifetime splurge. They are here at my house till monday am so if you have any questions fire away!

During this holiday weekend I will be helping them write a review to post. They are sorry they missed all the cc'ers on the other at HMC as they didnt know you were there at the same time too.

Review later this weekend! Happy Thanksgivving everyone! :)

[Burnsey]

Were all the cabanas up and running? We have the green one booked for Feb.

[FlorenceItaly]

Fabulous information. I will be anxiously awaiting your review.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours :).

Marie

[localady]

Ziggy-

My DH and I leave early Tuesday morning to fly to Florida to board the Rotterdam on Thursday. Would love to hear any tips they have for the ship and the itinerary. Thanks in advance. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!:cool:

[elmorejj]

The menu sounds absolutely yummy!! How much does a cabana cost with butler service?.......jean :cool:

[sail7seas]

Thanks for sharing the info.


I don't want to be the 'wet blanket' but as fabulous as that lunch sounds, I'd enjoy that menu far more seated in Pinnacle some day at lunch time than on the beach. For me.....the treat of having ribs and burgers on the beach is fun. I never eat ribs anyplace but HMC as that is a treat I don't allow myself often. To get all messy with barbeque sauce when in a swimsuit is perfect. Burgers seem to be few and far between as well.

I also don't want to spend that much time eating that much lunch when I could be swimming/playing in the gorgeous turquoise water or walking the soft sand of the beach.

I'm happy for those who want to spend their beach time dining. Great thing to have choices ....something for everyone.

[sail7seas]

Ziggy.....


I'm excited for you. I think you will love Rotterdam. She is a gorgeous ship IMO A true World Cruiser (too bad she no longer does the WC. I hope you have a great time.

[Ziggy7]

Ziggy-

My DH and I leave early Tuesday morning to fly to Florida to board the Rotterdam on Thursday. Would love to hear any tips they have for the ship and the itinerary. Thanks in advance. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!:cool: My parents asked me to tell you, that they have cruised on HAL many times and this by far was their best yet, they loved the Cruise Director Peter Dames and said the staff was very friendly and attentive. Also they were not limited to servings in the dinningroom, eat as much as you like! :)
They also said to wish you a wonderful cruise and Happy Thanksgiving!

Debbie :)

[Ziggy7]

Thanks for sharing the info.


I don't want to be the 'wet blanket' but as fabulous as that lunch sounds, I'd enjoy that menu far more seated in Pinnacle some day at lunch time than on the beach. For me.....the treat of having ribs and burgers on the beach is fun. I never eat ribs anyplace but HMC as that is a treat I don't allow myself often. To get all messy with barbeque sauce when in a swimsuit is perfect. Burgers seem to be few and far between as well.

I also don't want to spend that much time eating that much lunch when I could be swimming/playing in the gorgeous turquoise water or walking the soft sand of the beach.

I'm happy for those who want to spend their beach time dining. Great thing to have choices ....something for everyone.Sail, my parents agree with you, however this was a once in a lifetime splurge :) It would take the mood away if this was done often. Also they live very close to the beach and enjoy it often (living in California weather), so for them it was not as much of a beach thing for them (although they did swim, snorkel, and walked the beach). It was very expensive and dont think they will do it again, but for something totally different, they say it was wonderful! :)

[sail7seas]

Debbie.....


That is sooo nice of your Mom to send me such nice greetings. I always feel so good when I hear someone else enjoyed "My" :) Maasdam. I think her such an elegantly beautiful ship and we have such incredible memories of many, many weeks (months) aboard her. Please thank her for her good wishes for our upcoming cruise. Sadly.....it's still about 5 something weeks til we again bound across a gangway.

That "splurge" sounds out of this world. The extra pampering is such a treat. We should all be so lucky to 'once in a lifetime' feel like we are sooo special. Good for them. I happy to hear they had such a good time with it.

WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING. Sounds like you have a lovely family, Ziggy. I look forward to (hopefully) having the good luck to sometime meet you all aboard a "dam" ship someday.

[Ziggy7]

Were all the cabanas up and running? We have the green one booked for Feb.They were all up and running but one and there will be no more canvas sides in any of them they were told by ship staff. However I believe the Oosterdam reported 2 were not working. As this was the first time my parents have been to HMC with the cabanas up, they are not certin which cabanas were missing. I'm sure they will be all up and running by the time you get there though :) Hope this helps!

[Ziggy7]

The menu sounds absolutely yummy!! How much does a cabana cost with butler service?.......jean :cool:It was very expensive,
$219.00 for the cabana and another $280.00 for the butler service. As part of the unlimited bar, that includes good champagne. My Dad did this for my Mom and called her Queen for the day, and she just gleems with joy telling everyone about it! To me to see that kind of sparkle in her eyes was worth every penny :) Pax on the beach thought they were VIP people hehehe. The food was wonderful and they would love it if they would serve lunch in the Pinnicle everyday! Also the chef gave them his email and asked them to keep in touch with him, we thought that was exceptional as well! :)

[Ziggy7]

Ziggy.....


I'm excited for you. I think you will love Rotterdam. She is a gorgeous ship IMO A true World Cruiser (too bad she no longer does the WC. I hope you have a great time.I think Sail meant this for you localady! I wish it was me but alass its you hehehehe :)

[localady]

My parents asked me to tell you, that they have cruised on HAL many times and this by far was their best yet, they loved the Cruise Director Peter Dames and said the staff was very friendly and attentive. Also they were not limited to servings in the dinningroom, eat as much as you like! :)
They also said to wish you a wonderful cruise and Happy Thanksgiving!

Debbie :)
Debbie-

Thanks for the wonderful report!!:D
The most festive of Thanksgiving to you and your folks too!!:cool:

[Ziggy7]

Debbie-

Thanks for the wonderful report!!:D
The most festive of Thanksgiving to you and your folks too!!:cool: Thank You, and to you and yours as well!

[Brandis]

We were on HMC on Nov. 19 with the Prinsendam and had rented the Pink cabana. It seems it was still in the original location, the third from the far end of the beach. It seems the fourth cabana was not rebuilt yet as only the patio part and some chairs were visible there. And one of the cabanas in the middle was being built on the day we were there.

We didn't take the butler package, but the cabana boy was still all the time in our cabana and took care of everything. I guess it was because two ships were there that day (Prinsendam and Zandam (I think)). It seems that each ship provides their own staff for the cabanas of their guests and I think we were the only from the Prinsendam who rented a cabana, so he had nothing else to do. The Asst. F&B Manager, who came to our suite the evening before to ask what kind of soda we would like in the cabana was austrian and the chef german. They both awaited us at the pier on HMC and escorted us to the cabana. During the day, they both came over several times to make sure everything was ok.

Excellent service and a beautiful day spent on HMC! I want to go back!

Marc