cruise food

[mappa2]

we have been on 8 cruises, 5 different cruise lines, and while there has
been some variations in food quality, i always thought the food was
just fine. we have just booked hal (westerdam) and i have been reading
posts about "awful" food and service. i dont believe it!.......
i think some people are not happy unless they are complaining.
would love to hear some opinions on this.


larry

[bepsf]

This is a very subjective one...

HAL service/food in the main dining room isn't Denny's-dreadful, but it isn't "Michelin star-quality" either. Like it or not, it's rarely much more than nicely-decorated hotel-banquet food.

However, I'd rate the Pinnacle as a very respectable "2-star"

I think alot of it also has to do with how one is accustomed to dining and what their expectations are. Some folks think it's the best thing they've ever experienced & some folks don't.

...and some folks are just picky eaters.

[Pilot70D]

we have been on 8 cruises, 5 different cruise lines, and while there has
been some variations in food quality, i always thought the food was
just fine. we have just booked hal (westerdam) and i have been reading
posts about "awful" food and service. i dont believe it!.......
i think some people are not happy unless they are complaining.
would love to hear some opinions on this.


larry

Please look at a thread I started titled "Live From The Volendam - Dialy Report". In this thread is a complete picture of the food and the service we experienced while on the Volendam. This thread is recent as our cruise finished December 16th.

Don B.

[jhannah]

i think some people are not happy unless they are complaining.I think you are right. Bepsf is also correct that food is such a subjective thing, and expectations sometimes are too high. So far as we're concerned, we seldom dine at multi-star establishments. So the ambiance, presentation, and the food itself are just fine with us. While service lags a bit sometimes, since I'm not cooking or cleaning up, I won't complain too loudly.

[dakrewser]

The dining room would be called "locally popular" in a Zagat's or Fodor's rating - reasonalbe food prepared "en masse". The Lido buffet would get a star or 2 in the Mobile Travel Guide while the Pinnacle Grille would match one of the better "reservations required" restaurants in almost any town (at least, most towns of less than a million population excluding Yountville, CA and Washington, VA).

[gooselace]

This is a very subjective one...

HAL service/food in the main dining room isn't Denny's-dreadful, but it isn't "Michelin star-quality" either. Like it or not, it's rarely much more than nicely-decorated hotel-banquet food.

However, I'd rate the Pinnacle as a very respectable "2-star"

I think alot of it also has to do with how one is accustomed to dining and what their expectations are. Some folks think it's the best thing they've ever experienced & some folks don't.

...and some folks are just picky eaters.
Okay, I admit to being a picky low-carb eater, but on the Westerdam (12/5-12) I could always find acceptable menu choices, and the waiter was reasonably accommodating when I asked for a different vegetable or for no sauce on my meat. My primary complaint, and I wasn't alone in this, is that foods that should have been hot, including soups and meats, were served lukewarm and vegetables tended to be either under or over cooked. A couple of items were awful by nearly any measure. Unlike on other cruises, and most decent restaurants, the server never asked if anything was wrong when everyone at our table for eight who ordered the pate, for example, left it uneaten after a tiny bite. Did they not notice my cabinmate (who has been on some 27 cruises including 6 or 7 on HAL) sawing away at the prime rib trying to find a tender bite? We both enjoyed the Pinnacle, however and would have gladly paid the premium to eat there other nights if we could have gotten reservations.

[Krazy Kruizers]

WE have sailed HAL many, many times and only once was the food bad. About 3 years ago on an Alaskan cruise on the Ryndam - new chef - he didn't seem to have his act together. We were on that ship 2 years later - different chef - great food.

[peteres]

Boy --do I Agree With You--isn't Anybody Happy With The Food

[peteres]

we have been on 8 cruises, 5 different cruise lines, and while there has
been some variations in food quality, i always thought the food was
just fine. we have just booked hal (westerdam) and i have been reading
posts about "awful" food and service. i dont believe it!.......
i think some people are not happy unless they are complaining.
would love to hear some opinions on this.


larryBOY--DO I AGREE WITH YOU--ISN'T ANYBODY HAPPY WITH THE QUALITY OF THE FOOD OR SERVICE

[WindyCity]

We just got off the 12/12 sailing of the Westerdam and I must say that the food was very good (our entire table agreed on this), special orders were accomodated with a smile and procured. Service was very good. Our dining steward was Endro - always with a smile, assistant steward, Darwin, always with a smile also. They kept a good eye on our table - our drinks, including water, were never empty, as soon as everyone finished a course, the plates were removed and the next course was served. Endro did chat with us when we initiated the conversation, but he did not start any conversations, although he was very pleasant and greeted us each evening.

Personally, I would say the food was very good especially as I did not have to shop for it, cook it or clean up!

[the2ofus]

Also just off the Westerdam 12/12 - 12/19 and I agree with Windy City. the food in the Vista dining room was mostly very good and the service was also prompt and gracious.

We had a table for two. Our waiter, Erman and assistant waiter Rathman were both very efficient, but usually too busy for casual chit-chat. Erman offered suggestions when I asked about the entrees. The beef that I was served was tender and flavorful. I did notice that there were not as many selections of entrees, 5 as opposed to 7 in years past. There was not as much fish on the menu either, which disappointed me as I like to try new things.

We really liked the various stations on the Lido, as lines were not long anywhere, unlike on the S class ships. There were a lot of great choices on the Lido for breakfast and lunch.

We ate in the Pinnacle Grill the first night. The food was very good and the petit filet of beef was outstanding; by far the best piece of beef this country girl has eaten anywhere in any restaurant. We were disappointed in the service though. At least half of the tables in the restaurant were empty. We had a table for two at 7 p.m.. The meal took two and a quarter hours! There were long waits between courses and we had to wait a while for our empty plates to be removed after each course. We had coffee with our dessert but never were offered a second cup of coffee and didn't bother to wait and request more. This was not a fine dining experience in terms of service.

[DFD1]

I think Brian has it right.

Your opinion of the food depends on your frame of reference. If you live in an environment of generally high quality gourmet dining, the food in the HAL dining rooms might seem ordinary to you.

If, on the other hand, your lifestyle provides for less selective dining, eating on the run, not being especially interested in food during your daily life, then the food on HAL might seem outstanding.

For us, it's not always great, but certainly not anything to complain about....especially considering that they are cooking for 1,300 of us three or four times a day.