HAL Eurodam -thin steak filet, missing nuts

[JeansGene]

:)We sailed ms Eurodam 28-Nov thru 5-Dec-2009, and overall our voyage was very nice: Clean ship, fine entertainment, grand piano bar and fine strings group, good weather, great port calls, and good adherence to itinerary.

Most meals were delicious and well presented. A disappointment was the micro-thin steaks:( offered as filets with the "Land and Sea" and in an earlier selection my wife had chosen. They could not have been much over 1/2" thick, certainly not even 5/8" as I compare to a ruler now. They were usually cooked somewhere close to ordered doneness, which is quite amazing. But this was not a problem on our November 2008 cruise on Westerdam, else we would remember. :)Friday night I took the 10-oz. NY sirloin strip, and it was reasonable thickness, well-prepared as I ordered, and delicious.

:mad:Also missing, by comparison to last year, were the fine mixed nuts offered in the Lido buffet area: we never saw such in the whole week aboard. It looks like HAL is doing some cost-cutting and hoping we won't notice. Did anyone else notice?

If the other "high-grade" lines are managing better dining offerings, we would be interested in hearing.

Most of our cruise was great, but we do not expect HAL to cut corners on the menus!;)

-JeansGene
1977 Carnival Festivale
~1980 Carnival Carnivale
~1992 Big Red Boat (Disney tie-in) with two sons
2004 HAL Zuiderdam
2008 HAL Westerdam
2009 HAL Eurodam

[Sunshine91]

A disappointment was the micro-thin steaks:( offered as filets with the "Land and Sea" and in an earlier selection my wife had chosen. They could not have been much over 1/2" thick, certainly not even 5/8" as I compare to a ruler now.

Did you bring a steak home with you for comparison? ;):D


:mad:Also missing, by comparison to last year, were the fine mixed nuts offered in the Lido buffet area: we never saw such in the whole week aboard. It looks like HAL is doing some cost-cutting and hoping we won't notice. Did anyone else notice?

Oh, Mr. Gene, many on this board have been be-moaning the loss of our be-loved "good nuts" for some time now. On rare occasions they might make an appearance on formal night or at a cocktail party.

If the other "high-grade" lines are managing better dining offerings, we would be interested in hearing.

Most of our cruise was great, but we do not expect HAL to cut corners on the menus!

If you're interested in knowing what other cruise lines offer, you might want to check out their CC boards or websites. And food IS an area where a line will trim the budget, just like a restaurant would. Prime steaks can be downgraded to choice. Smaller lobsters can be substituted. Cheaper cod can be offered instead of flounder or tilapia. Three soups instead of 4 choices. Only 5 jumbo shrimps in the cocktail instead of 6. Absolutely the menu is where cutting will occur. JMHO, but I'd rather see that than crew layoffs.

BTW, welcome to Cruise Critic. :)

[wannabatsea]

JeansGene ~ I have a good idea that you are the spouse of a regular CC poster. It was AWESOME to meet both of you on this wonderful cruise!

Sunshine ~ I can tell you that JeansGene comment is correct...EXCEPT...at our table, I had a regular filet, about an inch and a half thick with my wonderful lobster tail. The reason it was so noticable is that everyone else at our table of 10 had the thinly sliced filet JeansGene received. Really...it was a noticable difference. We all laughed and wondered why I was the lucky one to get a "normal" filet. I was guessing someone just forgot to butterfly my filet so it could be shared with someone else. There is no doubt that the majority of people were served a "slice" of filet with their lobster. On the postive note, the lobster tail was a regular tail that was delicious. MUCH better than what I've had on other cruise lines in the past two years.

JeansGene ~ I think there are cutbacks across the board. Had you been at our table, you could have had my filet. I couldn't finish it! :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Concerning the thin steaks -- we have seen these thin steacjs for the last couple of years in the dining room on various ships -- not new.

As for the mixed nuts in the Lido -- I have never seen them in the Lido -- there used to be peanut and/or cashew pieces by the ice cream -- but they are gone.

Mixed nuts -- rarely have seen them anywhere on the ship the past couple of years since HAL now does the Mariner brunch and doesn't do the award ceremony on many of the ships. We have seen them once in a while at the VIP parties.

[WhansaMi]

Mixed nuts -- rarely have seen them anywhere on the ship the past couple of years since HAL now does the Mariner brunch and doesn't do the award ceremony on many of the ships. We have seen them once in a while at the VIP parties.

I wonder if they are being phased out, because of the increasing frequency and severity of nut allergic reactions?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Good point!!

There are many people who are alergic to nuts.

But then in some of the lounges they still put out the peanuts.

[Tricia724]

At the risk of getting shot by a diehard Celebrity traveler, I have to say that the steaks on Constellation in September were also something less than wonderful. Actually, most of the beef came up short....so perhaps this isn't just a HAL thing; it may just be a sign of cruiselines trying to cope with difficult economic times.

Having said that, a tough or flavorless piece of meat is nothing that affects my enjoyment of the cruise. It was simply an observation and not a complaint. It would bother me if all of the meals were low quality or poorly prepared, but for me that hasn't happened yet on any cruiseline.

[sail7seas]

:confused: Other than chopped nuts at the ice cream bar, I don't recall seeing mixed nuts in Lido. When? Where? At lunch? Dinner? At the dessert section? I cannot remember ever seeing mixed nuts there.

For a great steak, try Pinnacle. They're outstanding. (But I do 'get' your point.;))

[JeansGene]

Thanks for the many comments.

It appears that I'm not the first to notice slim steaks, but then we had not sailed for a year. I don't recall skinny steaks on Westerdam in Nov-2008, but it's just possible that my memory is not perfect!:confused: And the meats were cooked to order on Eurodam, but my better half was enough disappointed in the skinny serving to leave half of her steak, which she usually loves.

As for nuts, I do recall getting the mixed nuts on Westerdam in Nov-2008, even took some to our room for an afternoon gathering. I think we found them in the fruit section(s) at fore/aft ends of the Lido buffet area in the afternoon and evening. I guess if we want them badly enough in the future, we have to bring a can aboard!

Host Anne, you are quite right, you have me pegged! And we did much enjoy our cruise with you, especially appreciating your leadership on the St John-Trunk Bay excursion! We wish you all the best!

And Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all!:)

[RuthC]

Oh, Mr. Gene, many on this board have been be-moaning the loss of our be-loved "good nuts" for some time now. On rare occasions they might make an appearance on formal night or at a cocktail party.
I think you'll enjoy this little tale, Susan.

On my recent Rotterdam cruise the "good nuts" didn't even appear at most of the formal nights; that's when the plain peanuts showed up. Most nights candy-coated peanuts, like found in Cracker Jacks, was offered.
One night I asked if there were plain peanuts instead. The darling cocktail stewardess was sympathetic that no, there weren't, but she could get me mixed nuts, if that was all right! :D

[Mary Ellen]

On our last cruise we found the HAL cuts of meats inconsistent. The first night, 3 at our table order the pork selection. One was served a beautiful piece of pork. The other two had inedible cuts. Yes, that beautiful piece was Ruth's. Not only does she get the 'good nuts' with her pre-dinner drink, she rates at dinner too.

[pris993]

If you don't find something you want at the Lido, ask for it.

We do, if they have some in their supplies they will get it for you.

We have gotten nuts, also whole grain bread which often is not out unless requested.

[Y's Owl]

On my recent cruise, we were almost always given the honey roasted peanuts in a small glass carafe in the cocktail lounges. We received the mixed nuts towards the end of the cruise, but usually only after we finished off the peanuts first and ordered the third drink. Maybe the OP needs to drink more on their cruise:D:D:D

[Krazy Kruizers]

On our last cruise we found the HAL cuts of meats inconsistent. The first night, 3 at our table order the pork selection. One was served a beautiful piece of pork. The other two had inedible cuts. Yes, that beautiful piece was Ruth's. Not only does she get the 'good nuts' with her pre-dinner drink, she rates at dinner too.

Oh - this is too funny!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Many of the bars are now serving Gold Fish.

[wannabatsea]

In the Crows Nest, where we went for pre-dinner drinks most evenings, there was usually a container of the mixed snacks. Some nights there were regular peanuts; others the honey roasted and on formal nights, the mixed nuts with cashews/almonds, etc. Didn't see a goldfish cracker on our cruise.

All in all, I'd say the beef on our cruise was better than the beef on Celebrity ships in the past year except for Celebrity's specialty restaurants. I can't recall a cruise where we've had just bad food. Most have been very good.

[penguinchick24]

I agree with you Gene that there was some cost cutting in regards to the food. My biggest dissapointment was the size of the bagels in the Lido. In the past at breakfast they have always had normal sized amazing bagels. However this time they had little mini bagels (1/4 the size of a normal bagel) that were stale and tasted terrible. I'm not sure if this was a cost cutting move or what, but it was a big dissapointment to me. Please send my regards to Jean! Miss you both!!!!

[cruiseman111111]

Cost cutters are cutting to the bone.

[sail7seas]

Opps.. Sorry for double. I've been having computer problems. :(

[sail7seas]

If cruisers are cutting the price they are willing to pay to the bone, what are the cruise lines forced to do?

We have to pay if we want a maintained quality IMO

We think the Chefs are doing an amazing job, for the most part, with their provided ingredients. With less luxurious and extravagant offerings, their real talent sees them through to still producing outstanding offerings. We think they are doing a great job with what is delivered for them to cook.

We had sliced veal loin entree on Westerdam that we have never noticed on the menu before but it was outstanding. Lean veal roast, well cooked to right tenderness, more than ample portion plated beautifully. It was an outstanding meal produced from mid range cost ingredients. Good job, Chef! Thank you.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Hopefully the food that is served in the dining room for dinner on our next cruise will be better than what we had on the Zuiderdam.

We ended up eating in the pinnacle quite a few times.

[RuthC]

My biggest dissapointment was the size of the bagels in the Lido. In the past at breakfast they have always had normal sized amazing bagels. However this time they had little mini bagels (1/4 the size of a normal bagel) that were stale and tasted terrible. I'm not sure if this was a cost cutting move or what, but it was a big dissapointment to me.
Yet, on the Rotterdam from 10/15-11/18, the bagels were the full 4 oz. I expect.
Perhaps yours was a supply problem?

[Krazy Kruizers]

On the Zuiderdam from Oct 24 - Nov 13 we also had the large bagels.

The small ones -- halves were used to make the tea sandwiches in the Neptune Lounge -- like we have seen on all HAL ships.