Our Recent Cruise on RCI Got me Thinking, Has This Ever Happened To You?

[LAFFNVEGAS]

As many of you know Tom and I were just on the RCI Mariner this past week and it had been since 2003 since we sailed with them. Numerous things stood out of being so very different than all the other cruise lines we cruised on this past year but the one that stood out the most was something that appears happens extremely frequently on all RCI ships and that is in the Main Dining Room the Dining Room Steward will bring out mulitple entrees even though you did not order it and mulitple desserts :confused:

Now if you read several of the reviews people will talk about how wonderful their Dining Room Steward was and that they "Spoiled them to death" because they would bring them mutilple entrees and desserts for them to sample. I noticed thru the week this would happened every night for us. I got to the point of asking not to bring me out anything extra but it would still happen :o As we would walk out of the Dining Room we would see plenty of tables with lots of left over dishes of desserts. I have a few ideas as to why this occurs with the number one reason is that RCI does not do an auto Charge for tips and the Stewards are still given envelopes of money the last night and the amount RCI says is only a suggested amount which currently is only $9.75 PP per day but they are going to start suggesting higher next year. The Stewards do this thinking they are impressing the passengers in hopes for higher tips or being tipped at least the requested amount.

Has anyone ever experience this before? I know we have never on HAL unless we asked to try something but we seldom would ever consider doing this. Do you think this is a good thing or do you think this just encourages over eating.

I have to admit rather than being flattered that my Dining Room Steward was doing this I was actually a bit turned off and was one of the many reasons we chose to dine in a Specialty Restuarant the last night.

It is no secret that both Tom and I were not impressed with the food and now think Princess was pretty darn good over all and and NCL rates even higher:D

[mechcc]

We have never seen extra, unasked for food show up at the table on the RCL cruises we have taken and it would not appreciate it. If we ask for an extra is one thing but to just bring it unasked for is just plain wasteful.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Maggie, of the 5 nights we ate in the MDR there would be at least 3 extra entrees brought to be shared between the 6 people and usually at least 4 extra desserts. Sometimes at least two different appetizers.

I heard it mentioned several times about how people just loved their Dining Room Steward because he would bring them extra food to sample.

[Jemima]

I wouldn't appreciate or want the extra entrees or samples. Several years ago I received an extra entree on HAL, felt obligated to eat it and left the MDR stuffed. I'd missed dinner the previous evening due to a late excursion. Our steward had on his own ordered me something on the vegetarian menu, but didn't tell me when I ordered the next night. I ended up with the veg entree on the regular menu and the veg entree special ordered by my steward. He meant well and I didn't want to hurt his feelings by not taking the second entree.
RCI's practice seems wasteful. I'd also think the table would get crowded.

[Nancyquilts]

I can't remember which cruise line, but I liked the one where the servers would bring out a tray of desserts to show the table, so you would know what your choice would look like.

[Cruisin'Lady]

Our very first cruise was on the Cunard Princess back in '83. We would order our dinner but then we were inidated with more food being brought without asking. The waiter said he had to give out as much as he could because they made too much in the kitchen. This was every night. My hubby was in high heaven because he would order a steak almost every night and would get 3 or 4! Oh to be that young again!

I told him he was going to make me a widow on my hunnymoon the way he downed those steaks nightly. I am glad that HAL doesn't do that...I would be afraid he would have a coranary now if he tried such a stunt now!:D

[Pam in CA]

Lisa, I've seen that happen on my RCCL cruises and I personally hate it. I don't want all that food there and if they bring it, it won't tempt me. I'm sure it appeals to a lot of people but not me. I've gotten to the age where I now tend to speak my mind and I would tell them that if they want a tip, don't bring the extra food.

[sapper1]

Lisa, I've seen that happen on my RCCL cruises and I personally hate it. I don't want all that food there and if they bring it, it won't tempt me. I'm sure it appeals to a lot of people but not me. I've gotten to the age where I now tend to speak my mind and I would tell them that if they want a tip, don't bring the extra food.
Ha---that's the crux of what I was going to say, but since you have already said it I won't have to. I'll just second it.:)

[kazu]

Haven't sailed on this cruise line, but on all the others I have been on, I have never seen this done. I wouldn't like it either. I hate waste.

if we all want to 'try' something, we will ask. Otherwise don't bring me food I didn't order. I agree with you.

[NJ Fred]

A salient point is raised here. In fact, this is a vivid illustration why arguments, pro and con, concerning prepaid gratuities can be mustered.

I agree that the waiters were motivated by there need to insure your tip was generous. They simply employed tactics they feel work for them by showering you with a cavalcade of calories.

The begging question is where was their supervisor? I would think RCI would police this to help control costs. Certainly a manager must have noticed what was going on if several waiters were doing the same thing.

I fully appreciate that tips are a major source of income for the crew as they are for waiters in your friendly neighborhood restaurants at home. The staff will do what they must to get you in a "giving" frame of mind.

Kudos to you for asking it be stopped. Waste is waste is waste no matter what the reason.

[GarySuzy]

The last time we were on RCCL, and it has been awhile, the first night multiple entrees showed up at the table. However, once we explained about my allergies to certain foods this did not happen again.

On our one Carnival cruise multiple deserts were brought to the table each, but I think this was because we were part of a group of 30 traveling together and some of the younger ones requested it.

[Pete Jackson]

Seems nonsensical to me - if you wanted more than one entree or dessert, you can order it from the menu, even on HAL (please correct me if I am wrong). Or you can cruise the buffet all day long!:eek:

Seems to me if they have too much food on board, they could just dispose of it right out of the refrigerator or freezer without wasting the energy and personpower to cook it and serve it.

[Taxguy77]

Many years ago I ordered the cheese plate for dessert, and again the second night. I told the steward which of the cheeses I prefered and which I didn't care for and each night I received just what I wanted. Nights I ordered a desert off the menu, he brought my cheese plate in addition.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We did 1 RCI cruise many years ago -- never had any extra food brought to the table.

To me this just sounds wasteful.

[Route6A]

I can't remember which cruise line, but I liked the one where the servers would bring out a tray of desserts to show the table, so you would know what your choice would look like.
Celebrity used to do this as recently as 2009, but no longer. On our recent Equinox cruise, the dining room stewards needed roller skates to keep up with the pace, probably due to staff reductions. This was in Celebrity Select dining, which is like Anytime Dining on HAL.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I can also say we did not experience this on Celebrity but the food quality far exceeded the food on RCCL.

My opinion is if they started doing auto tips, then this would stop, then their need to order so much food that is wasted would also stop and then maybe they could order a higher quality of food.

Another place I saw so much waste was in their Wind Jammer aka Lido. Every single day you would see many plates of uneaten food just left on the table. Sadly I have to admit we left a few plates ourselves due to the fact that the food was not very good :(

Over all the part that amazed me in talking with people when you went to breakfast and lunch in the Main Dining Room and would sit with new people is how they would rave about how great the Steward was because he did keep bringing them extra food. I was good and kept my mouth shut :D but to me this just turned both Tom and I off.

The begging question is where was their supervisor? I would think RCI would police this to help control costs. Certainly a manager must have noticed what was going on if several waiters were doing the same thing.


Our Dining Room Manager came to our table frequently and one time while our server was bringing us all this extra food and telling us he wanted us to sample the other entrees so I do think this is something that they probably encourage. On RCCL they too want tips. One of the phrases he would use when he came to our table is asking if we were being "Taken Care of"

[rafinmd]

Lisa, did the same thing happen in the MDR at breakfast and lunch. I would think if tips was the issue, the stewards would concentrate this practice on dinner where you have the same ones every meal so tips would come more into play. This practice is a real surprise to me since I never saw it back in the days before auto tipping became standard. Is this more a question of RCI managements assessment of their customers wishes?

Roy

[whogo]

I did not see extra, unasked for food brought out on my Legend of the Seas transatlantic two years ago. This was my favorite cruise yet with Royal Caribbean being every bit as good as Holland America. A table mate was brought out a special request shrimp cocktail every night.

I have only sailed on Royal Caribbean's smaller ships and consider them the equal of Holland America. Royal Caribbean's food has been as good as HAL's with other pluses and minuses evening out between the two. They are both better than average mass market cruise lines.

If a diner lets any cruise line waiter see that they can't decide between two options, they are liable to receive both.

[Crazy Gramps]

on HAL never happened to me or saw it happen.

Gramps

[startwin]

We've never had this happen on an RCI cruise and I'm sure my DH would have been quite happy to be offered multiple desserts:D And our tips are always automatically charged to our onboard account so on the last night you just put coupons into the envelopes provided.

I enjoyed your review of your RCI cruise, but I love the Mariner so my experiences have always been positive. However it's definitely not HAL:)

[CanuckCruizer]

Thanks, Startwin - you beat me to it talking about the automatic tipping. RCCL has had automatic tips for YEARS - next time, LaffinVegas, read your "Compass" - on RCCL - you have to "opt in" for the automatic tipping as in you fill out a form onboard unless you have booked My Time Dining in advance - then you are charged for the tips ahead of time. As a matter of fact, we seem to be one of the few people left that still tip in cash at the end - most passengers we have talked to on RCCL do the automatic tipping.

Canuck

[Lizzie1213]

It seems dreadfully wasteful. I agree with you. If i wanted a particular dish, then I would order it.

[tjcletsgo]

I've been on 9 cruises and this has never happened to me. I think the waiters believe (rightfully so) that the majority of passengers order way too much food, just so they can "have a taste". I myself have been guilty of this. I shame myself by the amount of food I waste on a
cruise:eek:.

I noticed on my next cruise with Disney, they now have a dessert option each night called "sweet temptations", which is 3 very small portions of that nights most ordered desserts. This is such a good idea, and solves my problem of "what to order";)

Unfortunately, I'm afraid the cruise staff thinks most of us are gluttons!:D

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Lisa, did the same thing happen in the MDR at breakfast and lunch. I would think if tips was the issue, the stewards would concentrate this practice on dinner where you have the same ones every meal so tips would come more into play. This practice is a real surprise to me since I never saw it back in the days before auto tipping became standard. Is this more a question of RCI managements assessment of their customers wishes?

Roy

Roy, No this did not happen at all for Breakfast or Lunch in the Main Dining Room as a matter of fact twice one of us did not receive what we even ordered and everyone was done eating at the table and we had to ask for our entree. This seems to only be happening for Fixed Dining.

Thanks, Startwin - you beat me to it talking about the automatic tipping. RCCL has had automatic tips for YEARS - next time, LaffinVegas, read your "Compass" - on RCCL - you have to "opt in" for the automatic tipping as in you fill out a form onboard unless you have booked My Time Dining in advance - then you are charged for the tips ahead of time. As a matter of fact, we seem to be one of the few people left that still tip in cash at the end - most passengers we have talked to on RCCL do the automatic tipping.

Canuck

Canuck, I actually pre paid my tips with RCCL about 5 weeks prior to the cruise since they have that option even though we had Early fixed Dining. RCCL and Celebrity requires you prepay tips with Final payment if you select their Open Dining but allows Fixed Dining passengers to also pre-pay at any time. I did the same thing for our Solstice cruise in March this way we have a smaller credit card bill to come home to ;) I actually wish HAL would allow prepaying of the tips :o It was nice on the Solstice not seeing that daily charge of the gratuities.

[CanuckCruizer]

Canuck, I actually pre paid my tips with RCCL about 5 weeks prior to the cruise since they have that option even though we had Early fixed Dining. RCCL and Celebrity requires you prepay tips with Final payment if you select their Open Dining but allows Fixed Dining passengers to also pre-pay at any time. I did the same thing for our Solstice cruise in March this way we have a smaller credit card bill to come home to ;) I actually wish HAL would allow prepaying of the tips :o It was nice on the Solstice not seeing that daily charge of the gratuities.

Maybe I am confused:confused: but I thought you said that you wished RCCL would have automatic tipping twice in earlier posts......I just wanted to let you know that they do:)

We did a B2B on the Mariner and actually had the Captain's waiter and asst. waiter and we never received extra dishes without asking. I have seen that happen in the past on Princess and sometimes on RCCL and on Celebrity as well but it is my feeling that the waiters are just trying to make us happy and give us choices - it does not offend me in any way.

We thought the Mariner had the best food of any RCCL ship we have been on and it actually blew away the food on our recent Oasis cruise (which was terrible). But this conversation should probably be on the RCCL board, so I will stop talking now....:)

Canuck

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Maybe I am confused:confused: but I thought you said that you wished RCCL would have automatic tipping twice in earlier posts......I just wanted to let you know that they do:)

We did a B2B on the Mariner and actually had the Captain's waiter and asst. waiter and we never received extra dishes without asking. I have seen that happen in the past on Princess and sometimes on RCCL and on Celebrity as well but it is my feeling that the waiters are just trying to make us happy and give us choices - it does not offend me in any way.

We thought the Mariner had the best food of any RCCL ship we have been on and it actually blew away the food on our recent Oasis cruise (which was terrible). But this conversation should probably be on the RCCL board, so I will stop talking now....:)

Canuck
It is not the same, if you prepay your tips you are still given envelopes to hand out to everyone except then you are given a sheet of paper with coupons to tear off to place in each envelope and then it is repeated and stressed with the instructions that you can add money to this amount:mad: They still expect you to go around and hand out your envelopes the last night. I did not do this ( mostly because we ate in Portofino's the last night) I just left my envelopes and my coupons in our cabin when we disembarked. They do not treat the prepaid gratuities the same as the other cruise lines.

[ccruisequeen]

I can't remember which cruise line, but I liked the one where the servers would bring out a tray of desserts to show the table, so you would know what your choice would look like.

sounds like Celebrity.

If I didn't order something I would send it back. I would resent someone ordering for me based on previous orders.:eek:

[CanuckCruizer]

I know on Princess they do it the same - slips to put in the envelopes on the last night. I do not know about HAL's automatic tipping as I have never been on HAL - have two cruises booked coming up. But, we usually like to tip in cash anyways. We tip for service received - we do not believe in "pre-tipping" as we did do that on one occasion and we found the service to be lacking.

Canuck

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I know on Princess they do it the same - slips to put in the envelopes on the last night. I do not know about HAL's automatic tipping as I have never been on HAL - have two cruises booked coming up. But, we usually like to tip in cash anyways. We tip for service received - we do not believe in "pre-tipping" as we did do that on one occasion and we found the service to be lacking.

Canuck
We were on the Crown Princess this past January and never saw an envelope or slip of paper. Just the daily amount added to our bill each day. Our experience on Princess as for tipping was absolutely identical to HAL. We had fixed early dining. Perhaps it has been more than a year since you were on Princess and it has changed :rolleyes:

[CanuckCruizer]

We were on the Caribbean Princess last year and our friends do at least two Princess cruises per year and they just got off the Emerald and told me that they had slips to give in envelopes on the last night. However - like I said before - this thread belongs on RCCL - not the HAL board - or maybe now the Princess board:)

Canuck

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We were on the Caribbean Princess last year and our friends do at least two Princess cruises per year and they just got off the Emerald and told me that they had slips to give in envelopes on the last night. However - like I said before - this thread belongs on RCCL - not the HAL board - or maybe now the Princess board:)

Canuck
No, it belongs right here because this question was asked to Holland America Cruisers there opinion. In the past 12 months I have cruised on Princess, RCCL, Celebrity and NCL and this had never occured prior and I wanted to know if any others have had this happen and what their opinion was of it.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We were on the Caribbean Princess last year and our friends do at least two Princess cruises per year and they just got off the Emerald and told me that they had slips to give in envelopes on the last night. However - like I said before - this thread belongs on RCCL - not the HAL board - or maybe now the Princess board:)

Canuck
In doing a little reserach it appears that you must have opted out of the Auto Gratuties of which case yes you were given envelopes to encourage you to still tip the crew. If you leave you auto tip on with Princess like 90% of all passengers do then you never see an envelope.

[mfanderso]

We were on the Mariner in November on the transatlantic crossing. They brought us out additional dishes a couple of times. I guess they had to have some way to get rid of their food because it was HORRIBLE!

[CanuckCruizer]

In doing a little reserach it appears that you must have opted out of the Auto Gratuties of which case yes you were given envelopes to encourage you to still tip the crew. If you leave you auto tip on with Princess like 90% of all passengers do then you never see an envelope.

Wow - you have way too much time on your hands:D When we opted out - yes - of course, they gave us envelopes. But my friend has always told me that they have the slips/coupons (whatever you want to call them) in envelopes for the employees on the last night and they also add additional cash to them. I have not interrogated her about this - lol - so I do believe what she is saying as they have been on well over 100 cruises.....:)

My point of posting on this thread was to let you know that you were wrong in your statement when you said that RCCL did not have automatic tipping.

Canuck

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Wow - you have way too much time on your hands:D When we opted out - yes - of course, they gave us envelopes. But my friend has always told me that they have the slips/coupons (whatever you want to call them) in envelopes for the employees on the last night and they also add additional cash to them. I have not interrogated her about this - lol - so I do believe what she is saying as they have been on well over 100 cruises.....:)

My point of posting on this thread was to let you know that you were wrong in your statement when you said that RCCL did not have automatic tipping.

Canuck
Well obviously my version of Auto Tipping your yours is completely different and I do not feel I am wrong :rolleyes: Enough said......

[CanuckCruizer]

...Now if you read several of the reviews people will talk about how wonderful their Dining Room Steward was and that they "Spoiled them to death" because they would bring them mutilple entrees and desserts for them to sample. I noticed thru the week this would happened every night for us. I got to the point of asking not to bring me out anything extra but it would still happen :o As we would walk out of the Dining Room we would see plenty of tables with lots of left over dishes of desserts. I have a few ideas as to why this occurs with the number one reason is that RCI does not do an auto Charge for tips and the Stewards are still given envelopes of money the last night and the amount RCI says is only a suggested amount which currently is only $9.75 PP per day but they are going to start suggesting higher next year. The Stewards do this thinking they are impressing the passengers in hopes for higher tips or being tipped at least the requested amount.



I can also say we did not experience this on Celebrity but the food quality far exceeded the food on RCCL.

My opinion is if they started doing auto tips, then this would stop, then their need to order so much food that is wasted would also stop and then maybe they could order a higher quality of food..."

All I want to say is - that by reading the above posts by you - which are quite clear that you say that RCCL does NOT have automatic tipping - I just wanted to let you know that they do - that is all. But then you went on to say that you know that they do because you pre-paid your tips - which is very weird to me - as in how could you say that they don't have automatic tipping when you actually did it... Anyways - just wanted you to understand where I was coming from.:)

Canuck

[ccruisequeen]

HAL is the first cruise-line that hasn't asked for pre-paid tips when requesting Any Time/As you Wish/My Time dining

[LAFFNVEGAS]

All I want to say is - that by reading the above posts by you - which are quite clear that you say that RCCL does NOT have automatic tipping - I just wanted to let you know that they do - that is all. But then you went on to say that you know that they do because you pre-paid your tips - which is very weird to me - as in how could you say that they don't have automatic tipping when you actually did it... Anyways - just wanted you to understand where I was coming from.:)

Canuck
:mad: Again my version of Auto Tipping is NOT the same as what yours is or at least what you are trying to refer to. Auto tipping is when the cruise line charges your you on board account daily a gratuity. RCCL DOE NOT do this, you are given envelopes. all other cruise lines do this including Celebrity unless you prepay your tips.

[CanuckCruizer]

:mad: Again my version of Auto Tipping is NOT the same as what yours is or at least what you are trying to refer to. Auto tipping is when the cruise line charges your you on board account daily a gratuity. RCCL DOE NOT do this, you are given envelopes. all other cruise lines do this including Celebrity unless you prepay your tips.


As I said in one of my previous posts - RCCL does have automatic tipping where they charge your onboard account BUT you have to "opt in" as in - you fill in a form that is delivered to your stateroom. On Princess, for example, you have to "opt out" of automatic tipping if you wish to tip in cash where you fill in a form as well. You obviously did not see the form on the Mariner or read about it in your Compass as it advertised that you must "opt in" for the automatic tipping. I totally agree with you that yes, RCCL, gives you envelopes in your cabin for tipping BUT you can do automatic tipping by filling in the form.

Canuck

[menajr8]

I can't remember which cruise line, but I liked the one where the servers would bring out a tray of desserts to show the table, so you would know what your choice would look like.

Think that is Celebrity. I liked that as many times the deserts weren't quite what I thought they were. I like to see and then decide.

[lorekauf]

Wow - you have way too much time on your hands:D When we opted out - yes - of course, they gave us envelopes. But my friend has always told me that they have the slips/coupons (whatever you want to call them) in envelopes for the employees on the last night and they also add additional cash to them. I have not interrogated her about this - lol - so I do believe what she is saying as they have been on well over 100 cruises.....:)

My point of posting on this thread was to let you know that you were wrong in your statement when you said that RCCL did not have automatic tipping.

Canuck
I've never seen envelopes on Princess and have sailed with them several times. The last time I saw envelopes was on Celebrity.....and that was several years ago. Never sailed RC, and really don't care to.

[lorekauf]

Think that is Celebrity. I liked that as many times the deserts weren't quite what I thought they were. I like to see and then decide.
They used to do it on HAL as well several years ago. They said they stopped it because it was wasting food. Really I think it's because their desserts suck and they don't want anyone to know ahead of time:D.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

They used to do it on HAL as well several years ago. They said they stopped it because it was wasting food. Really I think it's because their desserts suck and they don't want anyone to know ahead of time:D.
:D Oh I have to agree with you on this, Yes HAL use to have that dessert cart but 99% of the time it stayed right up by the entrance to the dining room and was never brought around. Not sure why they considered one cart to be a waste.

Yes on our recently Celebrity cruise they did bring out on a tray the desserts and were their desserts ever good ;) And what was even better we were dining in Blu because we had Aqua Class and if we did not see anything we liked on the tray in Blu I ordered their wonderful Creme Brulee' from the main Dining Room. That was some of the best I have ever had. I could have had that every night :)

[menajr8]

They used to do it on HAL as well several years ago. They said they stopped it because it was wasting food. Really I think it's because their desserts suck and they don't want anyone to know ahead of time:D.

I have to tell you I was a total Celebrity fan and decided to try HAL. My sister and I agreed within minutes that Celebrity ships were prettier. Then we went to eat and the deserts were no where as good as Celebrity. (we were comparing Infinity to Zaandam) BUT, I just got back from a cruise on Oosterdam. The deserts were hands down superior!! The service was awesome as well. So next cruise I will be happy with either line. The deciding factor will be itinerary and price!

[menajr8]

:D Oh I have to agree with you on this, Yes HAL use to have that dessert cart but 99% of the time it stayed right up by the entrance to the dining room and was never brought around. Not sure why they considered one cart to be a waste.

Yes on our recently Celebrity cruise they did bring out on a tray the desserts and were their desserts ever good ;) And what was even better we were dining in Blu because we had Aqua Class and if we did not see anything we liked on the tray in Blu I ordered their wonderful Creme Brulee' from the main Dining Room. That was some of the best I have ever had. I could have had that every night :)

I agree with your opinion of the Cream Brulee'. Celebrity's is the best I have ever had, any where. I don't like HAL's CB. But their Fruit Crisps (different fruit each night) were delicious! My favorite was the rhubarb. The next day I saw a small cup of the crisp in the fridge next to where you get the ice cream...just as yummy cold!

[wwcruisers]

Sorry, never sailed HAL, so I don't have that as a comparison. But, in our 14 RC cruises, we've rarely had a server bring food that we did not order. Sometimes though, when DH is clearly torn between two entrees -- both will magically appear! :p
What has been a little frustrating is when you just want the entree itself (eg: a lobster tail), and they insist on bringing the whole extra plate (sides and all).

[phreddiem]

I've never seen this happen, but granted I've only been on six cruises, four of them on RCCL. The only time I've seen extra food brought to the table is when someone ordered it. I agree, it would disturb me to see even more food go to waste than we already see on cruises. People try to get their "money's worth" by over-ordering, just because they can.

PS - to the Celebrity Creme Brulee lovers... they will bring it to you every night, whether it's on the menu or not. Trust me. :D

[Jade13]

Canuck, I actually pre paid my tips with RCCL about 5 weeks prior to the cruise since they have that option even though we had Early fixed Dining. RCCL and Celebrity requires you prepay tips with Final payment if you select their Open Dining but allows Fixed Dining passengers to also pre-pay at any time. I did the same thing for our Solstice cruise in March this way we have a smaller credit card bill to come home to ;) I actually wish HAL would allow prepaying of the tips :o It was nice on the Solstice not seeing that daily charge of the gratuities.

I like this too and wish HAL would do the same.

[lorekauf]

I have to tell you I was a total Celebrity fan and decided to try HAL. My sister and I agreed within minutes that Celebrity ships were prettier. Then we went to eat and the deserts were no where as good as Celebrity. (we were comparing Infinity to Zaandam) BUT, I just got back from a cruise on Oosterdam. The deserts were hands down superior!! The service was awesome as well. So next cruise I will be happy with either line. The deciding factor will be itinerary and price!

The desserts were better on the Ryndam in Oct.2010 then I've had in many years. I hope this is showing the HAL is stepping up to the plate in this area. Their desserts used to be so good, but in the last few years they've not been good. I'm the type of person that wants something really good when I eat dessert so I'm somewhat picky. I'm a very good cook so maybe I expect a little more. I've only sailed Celebrity once but thought it was so so. I think I may give them another try in 2012 but I hope the prices come down a bit.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

The desserts were better on the Ryndam in Oct.2010 then I've had in many years. I hope this is showing the HAL is stepping up to the plate in this area. Their desserts used to be so good, but in the last few years they've not been good. I'm the type of person that wants something really good when I eat dessert so I'm somewhat picky. I'm a very good cook so maybe I expect a little more. I've only sailed Celebrity once but thought it was so so. I think I may give them another try in 2012 but I hope the prices come down a bit.
Well amazingly it has been since June 2009 since my last HAL cruise and the desserts were just so-so, ....so I am thrilled to hear the good news that they have improved since we are returning to HAL for all our cruises in 2011. I am definitely looking forward to our return. It will feel like coming home :)

[lorekauf]

Well amazingly it has been since June 2009 since my last HAL cruise and the desserts were just so-so, ....so I am thrilled to hear the good news that they have improved since we are returning to HAL for all our cruises in 2011. I am definitely looking forward to our return. It will feel like coming home :)

I'm quite happy with HAL again. My last few cruises with them have been really good. I wouldn't have said that about the time period from about 2005 to 2008. I thought my last cruise in 2008 would have been my last with HAL but they've redeemed themselves. It also helps being a 4 star now:).

[Pam in CA]

We were on the Caribbean Princess last year and our friends do at least two Princess cruises per year and they just got off the Emerald and told me that they had slips to give in envelopes on the last night. However - like I said before - this thread belongs on RCCL - not the HAL board - or maybe now the Princess board:)I've sailed over 20 times on Princess and have never seen a "slip of paper" to put in an envelope. Like HAL, you can pick up envelopes at the Passenger Services Desk to hand out. But then I've always left the auto-tip on. Regardless, if you tip in an envelope, the recipient must turn it in to their Supervisor who determines whether the auto-tip was left on or not. If they've been left on, they get to keep the tip; otherwise, it's put into the pool. Just wanted to clarify. :)

I remember my first cruises on RCI back in the 80s. I was a lot younger and skinnier then. If I didn't order, and finish, every course, the waiter told me that his boss would think he wasn't doing his job. One night, I just didn't feel like much and refused to order an entree and dessert. He was practically in tears, asking me to order something.

[dobiemom]

BUT, I just got back from a cruise on Oosterdam. The deserts were hands down superior!! The service was awesome as well. So next cruise I will be happy with either line. The deciding factor will be itinerary and price!

I agree with your opinion of the Cream Brulee'. Celebrity's is the best I have ever had, any where. I don't like HAL's CB. But their Fruit Crisps (different fruit each night) were delicious! My favorite was the rhubarb. The next day I saw a small cup of the crisp in the fridge next to where you get the ice cream...just as yummy cold!
I was on the same cruise (sorry I didn't meet you) and the only disappointment with the desserts was that HAL does not know the difference between hot fudge (which I love!) and chocolate sauce. They described the dessert having hot fudge, but the one I had ( and then a couple GF had later) tasted like they were made with Hershey's chocolate sauce - bleh!

I agree with you about the fruit crisps but I didn't get a chance to have one until the last night. Very yummy!

[TiogaCruiser]

Or have the desserts changed?

I've got to admit I was not imprEssed with the desserts on our 2 volendam trips ( sept08 & June 09). But that was the only thing I was not impressed with. They all seemed to taste fairly the same and were way too sweet for me- except for a chocolate cupcake I met in the lido the first day.

However. On our 14 day Amsterdam the desserts were out if this world- just awesome. We had incredible fresh blueberry and fresh blackberry or raspberry cobblers and pies that were so good. And several of the cakes, I must have had 2-3 small servings in the lido per lunch and dinner. (and the scale verified it :(. The bright side is very few things now are as interesting...... So it's easier to skip dessert.

[menajr8]

[QUOTE=dobiemom;27151579][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Purple"]I was on the same cruise (sorry I didn't meet you) and the only disappointment with the desserts was that HAL does not know the difference between hot fudge (which I love!) and chocolate sauce. They described the dessert having hot fudge, but the one I had ( and then a couple GF had later) tasted like they were made with Hershey's chocolate sauce - bleh!

I was disappointed that I didn't get a chance to meet you either! I appreciated your kind concern with my on going stress with my DS.....who BTW did well at state competition. He made it to semi finals and finals but didn't place, but his team got 3rd. It was something he had to do or he would have never known....anyway another cruise another day :)
So the chocolate sauce,totally agree on that. It wasn't hot fudge. But my boys had a "hot fudge sunday" every night at dinner as well as some of the other fabulous deserts.