Food quality Higher on Alaska voyages?

[chicopaige]

Is it a coincidence that the best food we have had on cruise ships (not just Holland) has been on Alaskan voyages? We have cruised on several Mexico and Carribean cruises and the food just doesn't seem as good. Hve others had the same experience?

[fsdj1097]

I think food is so subjective, it might be difficult to get a consensus. That being said, we have sailed to Alaska 5 times over the past 5 years on 3 different HAL ships. We have also sailed the Caribbean and Mexico iteneraries.

 

We found that the food on HAL seems to be consistently good in all locales. We probably had the best food from day 1 to day 7 on the Amsterdam this past Alaska season. We had 10 in our group and everyone agreed that the food was outstanding.

 

A couple that we cruised to Mexico aboard the Oosterdam with in 2007 cruised to Alaska in 2008 aboard the Westerdam. They complained that the food on that cruise was not nearly as good as the food on the Oosterdam Mexico cruise.

 

A co-worker who sailed to Alaska this past August also complained that the food aboard the Westerdam was not what they expected.

 

My theory is if you don't like what they bring you, send it back and ask for something else. I have found the crew aboard HAL ships will go above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that you are happy.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have had varying experiences.

Some Alaskan cruises -- food was great.

Then on our recent Noordam cruises -- first 10 days the food was great -- second 10 days -- average.

On our 21 repositioning cruise on the Westerdam -- this was absolutely the best food we have had in years.

So you never can tell.

[CowPrincess]

We did Ryndam to Alaska in May/08 and the food was okay.... it never got past "good to very good". We did Ryndam to Sea of Cortez in Nov/Dec 08 and the food was excellent generally, never below "very good" and often "outstanding".

[cruzn single]

And, on our first Alaskan cruise, the food was the worst we have ever had on HAL. At that time ('98) no salmon at all for 7 days!!!!!! (Let them know on the questionnaire at the end). That cruise was our second on the Maasdam.

 

Our Sea of Cortez on the Ryndam was the best food. So, we can hope on our Ryndam cruise next year to Alaska, can't we?

[chicopaige]

Thanks all--since our next cruise is on the Oosterdam November 21st I love what you have told me. Food is the most important thing on a cruise for my husband, if he's happy with the food, we will cruise more frequently-and I do love to cruise!

[Assateague Island Princes]

I guess we can't give a good comparison, because we've only ever sailed to Alaska - twice - and both times on the Oosterdam, the food was outstanding. We were never disappointed, never had a meal we didn't thoroughly enjoy! Luck of the draw, I suppose! Or maybe its just the brisk Alaskan air that gets everybody salivating for meals - whatever - works for us!:p

[Pete Jackson]

Maybe if you brought a fishing rod aboard and threw some casts off the bow, they would have gotten the message!:D

 

 

And' date=' on our first Alaskan cruise, the food was the worst we have ever had on HAL. At that time ('98) no salmon at all for 7 days!!!!!! (Let them know on the questionnaire at the end). That cruise was our second on the Maasdam.

 

Our Sea of Cortez on the Ryndam was the best food. So, we can hope on our Ryndam cruise next year to Alaska, can't we?[/quote']

[trophy_23]

I have found the food to be great on all three of my HAL cruises. Ryndam 2x to Alaska the food was great and Eurodam Canada/New England food was fantastic. If I had any complaints it was more that the food was not really my thing (I wanted to try something different now and then), not that it was of poor quality.