amsterdam

[shellybe]

My husband and I have just returned from an
Alaskan cruise on the Amsterdam. The ship was beautiful, clean and comfortable. Our stateroom, catagory B with a balcony, was everything we expected. The weather was warm and sunny and I came home with a great tan from relaxing ouside on the Lido deck. My only negative was the food - Although the descriptions on the menu were mouth - watering, and the presentation and service were supurb, the actual food was tasteless. Everything was bland and tasted like cafeteria food. Since this was our first cruise, I wonder if blandness is a necessary result of preparing so many meals to be served at the same time. Since our cruise was, in all other ways, so wonderful, I would like to continue cruising but seek a more interesting dining experience. Any ideas?

[doone]

Glad you enjoyed the Amsterdam, she is my favorite ship in the HAL fleet so far. I sailed her in August 2001 and found her to be spacious, service to be excellent and I found the food, then, to be excellent. I am not a fussy eater and am happy when I don't have to cook and clean up, maybe that's the difference. Is there a Pinnacle Grill onboard? If so, did you try it? We tried the Pinnacle on the Rotterdam and I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful it was. Am looking forward to the Pinnacle again on the Zuiderdam and Volendam in March.

[jhannah]

Food is a real challenge for any chef. We passengers are all so different in our tastes for food. Salt or other seasonings "just right" for me might be too much for someone else. I haven't had a bad food experience on HAL. I agree with Doone in that even if something isn't to my exact liking I'm just happy I'm not having to prepare it or clean up after myself.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

We have also been on the Amsterdam - 2002. Our food was great. Think it really might have something to do with the chef.

On our back-to-back cruises on the Ryndam in 2003, we had bad food - husband even complained and he eats everything. We had sailed on the Ryndam several other times - food was great. But we had a different chef.

Just because we had food that wasn't to our liking on one cruise, hasn't stopped us from cruising HAL.

:)

[garydm]

We have had a like experience twice on Amsterdam. Try Statendam. We have found their food in the dining room to be outstanding. Did the Pinnacle and then wondered why, as the dining room was just as good and the service was actually better. But, as pointed out, the chefs and crew change, so who knows what to expect next time.

Gary