Dining on HAL

[overthesea]

Have never sailed on HAL, looking to book a cruise on Veendam and have a couple of questions on dining. We eat dinner early at home and only late seating is available on this cruise. Wondering about other dining options for dinner. We both have to eat a low fat diet due to health reason and would like to know if HAL offers multiple options at the meals for low fat items. Thanks.

[NHBob]

Have never sailed on HAL, looking to book a cruise on Veendam and have a couple of questions on dining. We eat dinner early at home and only late seating is available on this cruise. Wondering about other dining options for dinner. We both have to eat a low fat diet due to health reason and would like to know if HAL offers multiple options at the meals for low fat items. Thanks.

You don't say when you plan to cruise, but HAL will introduce their "As You Wish" dining concept on Veendam's 4/06/08 sailing, so if you're sailing after that date should be able to choose the open seating option. See Stickys in this forum for lengthy, very lengthy, discussions of this concept.

If you are cruising before April, make sure your TA wait lists you for early seating and then check with maitre d' as soon as you board. In my experience they can usually accomodate such requests, although in my case I've wanted to move from early to late seating.

I've never paid much attention to special diet options, but I'm pretty sure I've seen various special suggestions - low fat, vegetarian, low sodium, sugar free, etc on the menus. I'm sure somebody else will post more information.

Also, on most nights I believe HAL offers informal dining, with table service, in Lido, but I've never tried it.

Hope this helps.

[O2B@C]

Here's a link to a recent thread on low fat and vegetarian options on HAL:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=628252

Lots of info there - I think you will find it reassuring.

Enjoy your cruise!