Dining on Holland America: lots of Qs!

[naiaed]

I will be sailing on the Oosterdam this summber, and have just read up on the As-You-Wish dining system in place on Holland America ships. There are a few points on which I am still a little confused. Can someone help explain them to me please?

- Where options do I have for breakfast and lunch?
- What hours is the Open seating area open for these two meals, if at all?
- Do any of the dining rooms offer buffet-style dining, or are they all sit-down?
- What type of food does the Lido offer?
- Is afternoon tea served?
- Is is possible to have the restaurants pack up a lunch/dinner for us for taking to port (if we choose not to eat there, and have no time to come back to the ship)?

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- how many food venues are there on board? Is it just the fixed/open dining, Pinnacle Grill and the Lido? If there are others, what do they serve, and when?
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Also, any tips and tricks are welcome (eg requesting chocolate-dipped strawberries *ahem*)!

Thanks in advance!

[magictam]

I will be sailing on the Oosterdam this summber, and have just read up on the As-You-Wish dining system in place on Holland America ships. There are a few points on which I am still a little confused. Can someone help explain them to me please?

- Where options do I have for breakfast and lunch? Room Service, the lido buffet or I believe you can go to the dining room for breakfast and lunch. We went to the dining room for lunch on the embarkment (sp?) day. We also wrote in something (eggs benedict) for breakfast on the room service card. It came and my DH was very happy with it.
- What hours is the Open seating area open for these two meals, if at all? Breakfast and Lunch is has been open seating.
- Do any of the dining rooms offer buffet-style dining, or are they all sit-down? The dining rooms are formal seating with menus, no buffet.
- What type of food does the Lido offer? There are 2 sides to the lido buffet. For breakfast there are omlete stations (you can get eggs cooked to order here I believe), waffle stations (wonderful), basic breakfast items, eggs, french toast, bacon, varity of fruit, all sorts of different things.
Lunch has deli stations, full lunch buffet and I think a asian buffet (not sure about this one).
The dessert bar I think is open almost all day long. And the famous bread pudding is available too.
By the lido pool is a taco buffet and a grill where you can grab hotdogs, fries, burgers etc.
- Is afternoon tea served?
- Is is possible to have the restaurants pack up a lunch/dinner for us for taking to port (if we choose not to eat there, and have no time to come back to the ship)?

You'll love the Oosterdam!

[1cruiselvr]

No lunch packing is done by the ship's kitchen. You are on your own when it comes to food off the ship. Happy Sailing!

[O2B@C]

Your confusion is understandable. The AYWD thread only relates to DINNER, but it doesn't say that anywhere!

...
- Where options do I have for breakfast and lunch?
As already noted, Lido is always open for both; dining room is normally open for breakfast, sometimes not for lunch on port days; room service available for either. Pinnacle Grill may be open for lunch some days (esp. sea days) at an extra charge ($20, at last report).
- What hours is the Open seating area open for these two meals, if at all?
Hours for breakfast and lunch in the dining room, Lido (and PG lunch, if available) will be in your daily schedule, and may vary from day to day and venue to venue. All breakfast and lunch venues are open seating.
- Do any of the dining rooms offer buffet-style dining, or are they all sit-down?
Lido is all buffet, except at dinner when it is a semi-buffet (they bring main course to your table; starters and desserts are buffet). All other venues (i.e., dining room and PG) are sit-down.
...
- Is afternoon tea served?
Yes, in the dining room, at least some days - time will be in your daily program - some cruises have a special Indonesian Tea one day.
- Is is possible to have the restaurants pack up a lunch/dinner for us for taking to port (if we choose not to eat there, and have no time to come back to the ship)?
No, and there is a good reason for this, which has been discussed in other threads. Basically, most ports, for environmental and health reasons, prohibit the importation of fresh food from the ship. You can bring packaged snacks ashore (e.g., crackers, cookies, nutrition bars), but those you either have to bring with you onboard or purchase at the ship's gift shop - they are not provided in any of the dining venues. No sandwiches, fruit, etc. may be taken ashore. This is not HAL's policy, it is because of port regulations.
- how many food venues are there on board? Is it just the fixed/open dining, Pinnacle Grill and the Lido? If there are others, what do they serve, and when?
Those you have listed, and room service (free, 24/7), plus the taco bar and the grill by the pool, which has burgers, fries, and the like. Note that the fixed seating and open seating dining are both in the same dining room, just on different levels. HAL ships really only have one dining room per se, in addition to the Lido and the Pinnacle Grill. Hors d'oeuvres are passed in the lounges during cocktail hour, and there may be chocolates available after dinner in the Explorer's Lounge. For suite guests, the Neptune Lounge has continental breakfast in the morning and snacks the rest of the day, but you can't get in there unless you're in a full suite.

Also, any tips and tricks are welcome (eg requesting chocolate-dipped strawberries *ahem*)! IIRC, you can order chocolate-dipped strawberries through the onboard gifts section on HAL's website.

Thanks in advance! You're welcome! Enjoy your cruise!

[Boytjie]

- Where options do I have for breakfast and lunch?

From what I have read - the same as before: Lido buffet or dining room

- What hours is the Open seating area open for these two meals, if at all?

See first answer. Anytime dining is only for dinner.

- Do any of the dining rooms offer buffet-style dining, or are they all sit-down?

The dining room is sit-down only.

- What type of food does the Lido offer?

For which meals? The serve a large variety of foods! There are a number of stations that serve different dishes. For instance at breakfast there is an omelet station. One of the lunch stations is Asian food. At dinner I believe it serves almost everything on the dining room menu, and more.

- Is afternoon tea served?

Yes, served in the dining room . There is also a Dutch tea and an Indonesian tea.

- Is is possible to have the restaurants pack up a lunch/dinner for us for taking to port (if we choose not to eat there, and have no time to come back to the ship)?

No. Usually you are not allowed to take food items into other countries. (Some prepackaged items are apparently OK)

- how many food venues are there on board? Is it just the fixed/open dining, Pinnacle Grill and the Lido? If there are others, what do they serve, and when?

The Pinnacle Grill, of course. There is also pizza and snack food like burgers and hot dogs available. And then there is always room service.

[Williebill]

No matter where you eat, you will certainly enjoy the food. Most of us enjoy it a little to much.:D

Bill

[rochelle_s]

I sail with Hal for the first time in two weeks, so please people don't flame me if I am wrong but I do believe that there will also be food available late night in the Lido....I think I read 11 o'clock....each evening has a different theme.

Hope this information is correct. Hate to put something on here if it is wrong but I didn't see any other reference to this food service.

Rochelle

[jrzebird]

I sail with Hal for the first time in two weeks, so please people don't flame me if I am wrong but I do believe that there will also be food available late night in the Lido....I think I read 11 o'clock....each evening has a different theme.

Hope this information is correct. Hate to put something on here if it is wrong but I didn't see any other reference to this food service.

Rochelle


You heard correctly, Rochelle. And, one of those nights is a dessert extravaganza! Bring your camera.

[terrydtx]

- Is is possible to have the restaurants pack up a lunch/dinner for us for taking to port (if we choose not to eat there, and have no time to come back to the ship)?!

I noticed nobody really answered this question, so I will try. Many countries and their port custom’s authorities do not allow non prepackaged food to be brought off the ship especially fruit and vegetables. For this reason the ship will not provide a box lunch for shore excursions, if a particular shore excursion provides a lunch it is produced by a food provider in the port city for the excursion operator. My wife usually brings along a supply of prepackaged Granola bars to tide us over until we get back to the ship on longer excursions where no snack is provided. One exception is for stops at HAL’s private Island Half Moon Cay, the lunch served at the beach is provided free by HAL and served by the ships wait and serving staff.

[hammybee]

Breakfast Options:
1) Main Dining Room
2) Lido
3) Pinnacle Grill ( if you are sailing in a deluxe suite)
4) Room Service

Most passengers opt for the Lido

Lunch Options:
1) Main Dining Room
2) Lido
3) Grill/ Taco area in the Lido Pool
4) Pinnacle Grill ( $15 surcharge and usually open for lunch, only on @ sea days
5) Room Service

Most passengers opt for the Lido and Pool grill

When in port, passengers may return to the ship for lunch, have a late lunch upon their return or buy their own lunch, in port

Dinner options:
1) Main Dining Room: Sit down menu enviornment
2) Lido: Quasi-buffet, casual dining with most of the choices, available in the Main Dining Room
3) Pinnacle Grill: Reservations only, $30 surcharge applies
4) Room Service: If you pre-order early enough, the menu choices are the same as in the main dining room

[cage keeper]

I noticed nobody really answered this question, so I will try. Many countries and their port custom’s authorities do not allow non prepackaged food to be brought off the ship especially fruit and vegetables. For this reason the ship will not provide a box lunch for shore excursions, if a particular shore excursion provides a lunch it is produced by a food provider in the port city for the excursion operator. My wife usually brings along a supply of prepackaged Granola bars to tide us over until we get back to the ship on longer excursions where no snack is provided. One exception is for stops at HAL’s private Island Half Moon Cay, the lunch served at the beach is provided free by HAL and served by the ships wait and serving staff.

This is correct, including here in the US. I had flowers delivered for DH's birthday and had to leave them. You can't take them off the ship.

[boards]

I can tell you one thing for sure you will never have problem somewhere, something to eat on a Hal cruise. We have never been disappointed in the food or the location of where we had a meal.

[LindaJ+]

That's a great summary, hammybee.

So I guess on days when the port call starts at 7 a.m., the dining room or the Lido is open correspondingly early?? (Ugh - hate setting the alarm on a vacation! :D )

[hammybee]

I tend to be a very early riser and often roam the ship and enjoy having it to myself. Coffee is always available and continental breakfast is often set up before 6:00 AM.

Arrival in port is not always the driver. It's the time of shore excursions that jump starts the ship.

The Lido has sandwiches and salads as well as some deserts available most of the afternoon. The grill area is open till 5:00 and you will see plenty of people lined up to chow down after they return from excursions.

As Willibill said, it's impossible to go hungry.

[naiaed]

thanks, everyone! that helps a lot.

are there certain types of prepackaged food that we aren't allowed to bring to port? I need to carry food with me, and it would be helpful to know in advance.

does the explorer's lounge serve anything special? those late night specials in the lido sound fun! I anticipate having to go on a diet after the cruise.

[rochelle_s]

thanks, everyone! that helps a lot.

are there certain types of prepackaged food that we aren't allowed to bring to port? I need to carry food with me, and it would be helpful to know in advance.

does the explorer's lounge serve anything special? those late night specials in the lido sound fun! I anticipate having to go on a diet after the cruise.

I don't know where you are headed on your cruise but if it is to Alaska this is very important as some foods will attract wildlife....as an example bears are attracted to peanut butter. :eek: You would also need to be very careful about disposing of your garbage for this same reason not to mention the environment.


Rochelle

[terrydtx]

That's a great summary, hammybee.

So I guess on days when the port call starts at 7 a.m., the dining room or the Lido is open correspondingly early?? (Ugh - hate setting the alarm on a vacation! :D )

Yes, the Lido and even room service full service will start early. On our last cruise to Panama Canal because of the early entry into the canal the Lido buffet started serving at 5:30am and I think the same for the morning in Costa Rica because some of the shore tours disembarked before 8am.