What? No maple syrup on HAL?

[SwissMyst]

I've been on 40 HAL cruises since 1992 and don't recall ever seeing real maple syrup, with one exception. The Prinsendam has served it in the little jars, just as has been suggested HAL do. It did run out before the end of the cruise, and we were back to that awful pap.

The syrup they serve doesn't even pretend to be "maple"; it's "breakfast syrup". Frankly, the sugar-free tastes better, although it will never come close to the real thing.

Before the real thing was forbidden to me, I used to bring real maple syrup in a small can. I purchased it in the Vancouver terminal, and just kept refilling it when I cruised. Worked fine.

 

I too would be surprised to learn real maple syrup was routinely available on HAL ships in the past too. We have several bottles of the real stuff and quite frankly I don't see what the fuss is about as there does not seem to be much flavor and its texture is too thin for my own tastes, if I want it to stick to anything. BYO is the best solution as many bring many personal items along if one can't leave home without them.

[SwissMyst]

We have noticed a vast improvement in the HAL cheese plate over the past few years. Before you just got some hunks of cheese, with no finesse. Now you get to order from a fairly extensive separate menu and it is served with very nice accompaniments. Kudos to HAL for this very nice improvement.

[juiceless]

Hi all,

 

I don't know if this is why HAL doesn't have maple syrup on ships right now, but 2012 was a terrible year for maple syrup production:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2013/03/23/ottawa-maple-syrup-producers-hoping-for-good-season.html

[wander]

I am definitely a "true maple syrup" or nothing person (well, butter or maybe peanut butter). Having cruised on HAL since 1985, I have NEVER found true maple syrup onboard, even by asking. I do not believe this to be a change.

 

When we moved from NY to Calif. (many, many years ago) I found that many folks did not like true Maple Syrup. I found this interesting, they said it was too sweet. Even with our west coast houseguests I was never to convince them of the goodness of true maple syrup versus imitations.

[sail7seas]

Hi all,

 

I don't know if this is why HAL doesn't have maple syrup on ships right now, but 2012 was a terrible year for maple syrup production:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2013/03/23/ottawa-maple-syrup-producers-hoping-for-good-season.html

 

 

I saw a news story just yesterday of them boiling the maple syrup and they say this will be a good year. All the cold and wet were good conditions for the trees to produce well. :)

 

[innlady1]

You can buy small bottles of the real stuff on www dot minimus dot biz It's a great place to find all kinds of travel size things.

 

Our last cruise was on the Pdam for the holidays and there were passengers that brought their own maple syrup but they brought the medium size in plastic bottles.

 

Thank you for the link!

[sail7seas]

I've been shopping on minimus.biz for years and have always found them to be very reputable. My order always arrived exactly right and in reasonable length of time. :) I just received a new e-mail ad from them yesterday or today.

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

I never thought there would be much difference until I lived in MA for 6 years back in the 80's. I then found out that the "real" maple syrup was just so much better than the pancake syrup I grew up with. I also learned that "chowda" was white and milk/cream based and not broth based with vegetables (the "Manhattan" kind). I was teased about that, the natives said I didn't know the difference between real chowder and "minestrone" with clams! Ha! Anyway, live and learn.....so count me in with the folks who love the "Real" maple syrup.....there really is no substitute IMHO.

[sail7seas]

The places that do not offer the real maple syrup do not for only one reason......

$$$$

 

[Gamelan1971]

Thanks everyone for all the feedback.

 

I wasn't quite sure whether or HAL ever had maple syrup on its ships, and given that quite a few CC veterans have confirmed it has never been available (with the exception of Ruth's experience on the Prinsendam), it would seem that maple syrup has, for the most part, not been widely available on HAL sailings. It is helpful to know this.

 

Looks like we will be bringing our own maple syrup with us on our upcoming cruise.

 

Tastes and desires change over time, and ten years ago, this was not something I would have cared about in the least. But after becoming accustomed to the real thing, I can't use Aunt Jemimah and Mrs. Butterworth's anymore. I am currently living in Pakistan and have paid dearly for maple syrup- this is how much we love it. And it seems foolish to pay thousands of dollars to go on a trip and to not at least ask why something is not available that we very much enjoy. We often stay in hotels in different parts of Asia, Europe, and North America, and I can't remember the last time that real maple syrup was not available when we stayed at 4 and 5 star hotels in these locations. So somewhere along the way, I think we just assumed that since maple syrup seems to be at all of the hotels we stay at, why wouldn't it also be available on the cruise ship? It must be a matter of money and historic taste preferences. I think real maple syrup has become more widely available and more popular over time than it was 10 or 20 years ago. So in this case it is not a matter of cost cutting, maybe just a change in the times and people's preferences, as clearly, I won't be the only one bringing my own bottle of maple syrup on the ship!!!

 

And as a side note, I like smoked salmon and balsamic vinegar too (but not at the same time). :-) I don't want to see those items (or others that we take for granted) cut from the cruise ships. The reason I used those as comparison is because we felt just as outraged that maple syrup was not available just as someone would who wants plain balsamic vinegar on their salad everyday but has found it is not available (but is expecting it to be there). In fact, I love balsamic vinegar and hope I don't see the day where we have to pack two bottles to take with us on a cruise! :-)

 

Swissmyst- I too was looking forward to the more expanded version of the cheese plate, as you describe it. That cheese plate was available on the Alaska cruise I took in 2010, but was not available on the Volendam from Singapore to Hong Kong last month. I assumed the improved cheese plate had thus been cancelled all together, but I hope I am wrong. I'll check this out on our upcoming cruise.

[TiogaCruiser]

Interesting thread. If its been available its gotten past my maple radar. I've never seen it in restaurants, either. But then were in California.

 

The current price appears to be around $34 for half a gallon (which is pretty much what we've been paying the last couple of orders.

 

I was able to get small containers from several sugar houses/ distributors for favors for my folks 50th anniversary. I did a search on Vermont & maple syrup. The selection of grades was limited to A (A in the old system as opposed to the coveted "Fancy" or first run under the old system. (The later is no longer available to us as family members who used to sugar don't do so anymore). It's nice to see Combs is available locally.

[SwissMyst]

Swissmyst- I too was looking forward to the more expanded version of the cheese plate, as you describe it. That cheese plate was available on the Alaska cruise I took in 2010, but was not available on the Volendam from Singapore to Hong Kong last month. I assumed the improved cheese plate had thus been cancelled all together, but I hope I am wrong. I'll check this out on our upcoming cruise.

 

 

It was in full force on our last Rotterdam cruise just a month ago. There were missing choices on an earlier Oosterdam cruise but it was also the last cruise before drydock so we assumed they were not replenishing the larder at that point and just eating down the rest of the stock. But for the last three cruises, including the Maadsam TA, this was the new HAL cheese offering and a wonderful improvement, though there was nothing wrong with what they served before, this has more choice and presentation.

 

We also had very extensive choices in the Lido which I don't remember having on the other ships at lunch but may have overlooked. We also had about 50% Dutch passengers on this last cruise so perhaps this was an added Lido feature because they knew there would be a higher demand and indeed the line stretched out every lunch time as we hacked our way into the chunks and wheels of that day's choices, along with some great crispy breads and crackers.

[pepsigirl64]

:D I enjoyed the conversation about the maple syrup, I also prefer the real stuff and now, thanks to this thread I may have to add some real stuff to my packing list for our upcoming cruise. There are two things that are always on my list... real mayonaisse, I am very picky about the stuff, so "Best Foods/Hellmans" always comes on our trips. Also Pepsi, is a must.

[SwissMyst]

.....

 

What was noticeable on this trip was the cost cutting. ..... The cheese plate, one of my favorite after dinner desserts, was definitely not as good as I remembered. .....

 

What I found surprising was that when we went for our first breakfast in the dining room, there was no REAL maple syrup to be had, none period. .....

 

But my question stands- is there no maple syrup available on HAL? where does the cost cutting stop? .....

 

And will we see a point when those things and other luxuries start to disappear, not to mention what has already been lost???

......

I like the HAL product very much, but the cost cutting is starting to make me consider other lines.

 

Regards,

 

Valerie

 

If something was never there, is it cost-cutting when it "disappears"? :cool:

[lovetocruise2020]

Lido was out every day on the eurodam. They only filled a 12 oz bowl ever. Always empty. Was never real.

[erin_cruisers]

As a (backyard hobbyist) Maple Syrup Producer, obviously it has to be 100% REAL! :D

I know most cruises and restaurants try to pass off the flavoured corn syrup as the real McCoy, but there is no substitute.

It IS more expensive, but isn't that the case with many other "real" foods?

 

For this reason, when we have it, I take my own Maple Syrup on the cruise.

(I only make 40 - 60 liters of Syrup a year)

I've also packed it in small 100 ml bottles and brought them on the cruise to give away at the Meet & Mingles.

 

Last year was a bad year for producers in Ontario and Quebec as another poster pointed out. Quebec manages the Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve,

and sits on approx 20 million kilos of bulk Syrup at any one time, and its pupose is to look after peaks and lows in supply and demand.

 

So in other words, if HAL decided to make a deal with one of our Canadian suppliers, I'm sure it could be done. :p

 

I enjoy making Maple Syrup just as a hobby (here in southern Ontario, you better enjoy doing something in the winter. LOL)

Thought you might enjoy a couple of pics of my "operation"

 

^ I'm old school - collect the sap in aluminum buckets

 

^ A look inside the sugar shack at my wood-fired & direct-air-injected evaporator.

 

^ My main pan at full boil. I boil for 8 hours to end up with approx 10 liters in one day.

The other pan at the right of picture is the supply pan and constantly drips fresh sap into the main pan.

I also have a smaller gas fired finishing pan that I use near the end of the operation. (visible far left in the 2nd pic).

 

Anyway, wherever and however you enjoy real Maple Syrup - Enjoy!!

[serendipity1499]

For the past few years, I've been bringing small bottles of maple syrup...I've bought them in restaurants when all that's served is the fake stuff and they charge for these small bottles. I take home the bottle and refill it.

 

Ruining French toast, waffles or pancakes with the fake stuff is not my thing.

 

We've been cruising HAL since '07, and I don't recall ever seeing real syrup.

 

I'd like to know if real maple syrup is served on the Grand World Voyage?? I did a couple of segments of the GWV in 2010 but I can't remember if real maple syrup was served or not.

 

Oh My, It never dawned on me that HAL does not have Pure Maple Syrup..On the Prinsendam we had French Toast about once a week & usually had breakfast in the Lido..We had either the small bottles of pure Maple Syrup or occasionally the staff served the small white cups filled with the syrup..I would be lost without my pure Maple Syrup..:(We've been purchasing the 32 oz pure Maple Syrup (Dark Amber) in either Sam's or B.J's in the past.. Hope they still have it..

I'll put pure Maple Syrup on my next list..

erin_cruisers...Thanks so much for posting your interesting pics of your Maple Syrup operation.. Hopefully, you will have a better crop this year..

Cheers...:)Betty

[brainyblonde]

I grew up In Wisconsin where we love our churned butter, cheese curds and real maple syrup. Had my first taste of the fake stuff when I went to college in California, (and they think they are the Golden State).

 

Loved this thread. Hope HAL reads it!

[WeRockChalkKU]

Erin cruisers - loved the photos and explanations. CC is educational in so many ways!!

[TheEmerson]

I will bring maple syrup for sure. If they stop having HP Sauce, I will riot for sure.

[innlady1]

erin cruisers, thanks so much for the education and the photos.

[sail7seas]

Erin,

Thanks so much for the photos and your post.

Really interesting.

[babyorca]

Wow after reading this post, I think I"ll be having some pancakes with real maple syrup for dinner! :D

[foodgirl]

Cracker Barrel gives you little bottles of the warm real stuff. I never saw the little bottles sold though. New Englanders unite!!

 

They sell the little bottles in the Cracker Barrel stores here. I buy them sometimes to put in gift baskets. Makes for a nice treat.

[SwissMyst]

..... Had my first taste of the fake stuff when I went to college in California, (and they think they are the Golden State).

 

Loved this thread. Hope HAL reads it!

 

Actually, today we are the Fools Gold State. :(

 

BTW: After our Rottersam Indonesia cruise, I got hooked on ABC Kecap Manis and they had better keep having that available too. But I suspect half the crew would mutiny if they ever ran out so I am safe. Try just a tiny drizzle with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and one just created a very tasty salad dressing for virtually zero calories.

 

BTW2: We have now tried our Indonesian "poo brew" (Kopi Lembok) twice and it is one delicious cup of coffee. Served it to our DIL while our 10 year grandson was making all sorts of faces thinking we would all be immediately spitting it out. On the count of three, we all tasted it together and each of us at the same time were stunned how very rich, smooth, robust and divine it was. Anyone heading down to Indonesia, be sure to give it a try.