Has MDR food improved since February 2013 ?

[iflyrc5]

We feel the quality of the food varies a lot depending on the chef and ship. This past Jan we were on the Maasdam for 21 days and the food was OK. We walked across the pier when returning to FLL and got on the Noordam for 21 days. The food was much better on the Noordam. We have noticed a decline across the board in service because of cuts in staffing.

[navybankerteacher]

Actually Prinsendam is not always costly - the Nov. 4 trans-Atlantic had some serious price reductions - verandah cabins for about $100 per person/day - insides at about $600 for 16 days.

 

But the interesting thing about food comments generally concerning all mass market lines is the dismissive attitude expressed by the disappointed gourmets - referring to "banquet food". HAL's MDR food is not gourmet, but I have always found it well prepared and well served - and one whole lot better than what is found at mass market restaurants at home.

[bert425]

When we cruise on HAL now, we have lower expectations. We know that overall, the food won't wow us. It will be okay or good. We don't expect "wow" from HAL's food anymore.

 

 

That's disappointing to hear, as we are on Noordam in less than a month.

 

My parents are treating us (me/partner, and Brother/SiL) on a cruise where they splurged and booked us all suites.

 

My Partner and I are foodies, and we've only sailed on X in the past, and loved their food.

 

my Mom insisted that she wanted us to sail on HAL, and that the food is "amazing" and that we will be "blown away"

 

so it's disappointing to hear that we won't be getting upscale food. . tho honestly, I'll be happy if it's decent, or at least slightly better than average.

 

I know the "best" solution is to eat as many meals as possible in the Pinnacle (and we do have one night planned there, that was gifted to my Parents by the Travel Agent). . but my Dad's *one* request for us to go on the cruise with them is that we meet as a family every night in the MDR to discuss our day. As it's a request we can easily meet, that is what we are going to end up doing.

 

I see from some posts here that apparently HAL doesn't even do the afternoon tea anymore? (I hope that's not true, as my Mom has been talking about those for MONTHS now).

[TravelRabbit]

We sailed on the Eurodam in Sept---New England/Canada cruise (which was wonderful by the way). I was expecting only "adequate" food, but was very pleasantly surprised! (We had sailed the Volendam to Alaska in August 2011 and found the food generally disappointing----it all rather tasted alike.) Anyway, the food on the Eurodam was good to mostly very good and occasionally excellent! We have traveled to many places over several decades with fine dining/food being on our short list of how we entertain ourselves and how we judge our vacation.

Eurodam's MDR was very good in most respects. Fish isn't their forte, although the salmon I had one night was quite good. (I think they don't do white fish very well).

The escargot was the best we have ever eaten anywhere. We mostly ate in the MDR, but on one occasion had a hamburger at the Dive In---it was quite good. Also ate one evening in The Pinnacle Grill---my filet mignon was perfect, and I am especially picky about steak. Can't comment on desserts as we usually skipped them or opted for the wonderful vanilla ice cream instead. As in many restaurants we frequent at home and while traveling, we usually find the appetizers/soups/salads much more interesting than the entrees. Anyway, that's my two cents worth---and since food tastes are so subjective I guess reasonable palates can differ.

[sunviking90]

That's disappointing to hear, as we are on Noordam in less than a month.

 

I see from some posts here that apparently HAL doesn't even do the afternoon tea anymore? (I hope that's not true, as my Mom has been talking about those for MONTHS now).

 

They did afternoon tea every day on our cruise last week:)

[cruz chic]

That's disappointing to hear, as we are on Noordam in less than a month.

 

My parents are treating us (me/partner, and Brother/SiL) on a cruise where they splurged and booked us all suites.

 

My Partner and I are foodies, and we've only sailed on X in the past, and loved their food.

 

my Mom insisted that she wanted us to sail on HAL, and that the food is "amazing" and that we will be "blown away"

 

so it's disappointing to hear that we won't be getting upscale food. . tho honestly, I'll be happy if it's decent, or at least slightly better than average.

 

I know the "best" solution is to eat as many meals as possible in the Pinnacle (and we do have one night planned there, that was gifted to my Parents by the Travel Agent). . but my Dad's *one* request for us to go on the cruise with them is that we meet as a family every night in the MDR to discuss our day. As it's a request we can easily meet, that is what we are going to end up doing.

 

I see from some posts here that apparently HAL doesn't even do the afternoon tea anymore? (I hope that's not true, as my Mom has been talking about those for MONTHS now).

Has your mom sailed on hal before? I've sailed on celebrity and didn't find their food any better than hal, many times worse.

[bert425]

They did afternoon tea every day on our cruise last week:)

 

that's wonderful to hear! (thank you!)

 

I hope that remains true for our Nov 3 sailing :)

[bert425]

Has your mom sailed on hal before? I've sailed on celebrity and didn't find their food any better than hal, many times worse.

 

Yes, she's sailed HAL 3-4 times prior.

 

with Celebrity, it might have more to do with the ship.

We prefer Century, which is a smaller ship (about the same size as Noordam actually, from what I can tell).. although Century is on it's last 6 months :(.. we'll have to find a new favorite X ship :)

 

Century has only one specialty restaurant, and only one theater (tho two "clubs", and another "bar"), but we have always found the food on Century to be 4-star in main dining room, and 5-star in the upcharge restaurant (Murano).

[Landlubber54]

I don't know if sunviking90 cruised with us, but afternoon tea was served every day last week on the Statendam.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Landlubber54
To correct.

[cruz chic]

Yes, she's sailed HAL 3-4 times prior.

 

with Celebrity, it might have more to do with the ship.

We prefer Century, which is a smaller ship (about the same size as Noordam actually, from what I can tell).. although Century is on it's last 6 months :(.. we'll have to find a new favorite X ship :)

 

Century has only one specialty restaurant, and only one theater (tho two "clubs", and another "bar"), but we have always found the food on Century to be 4-star in main dining room, and 5-star in the upcharge restaurant (Murano).

 

My cruises were on the millennium and the now gone Mercury. I hope you'll be happy with hal.

[legalslave]

Maybe we have been lucky. All of the food we have eaten on HAL ships for the past 5 years has been just fine with us. My husband was raised in Iowa and is very pickey about his beef. He has never been disastified with any of the steaks or prime rib he has been served on the Zuiderdam, Noordam or Westerdam. I only eat appetizers, seafood, lamb and hot soups in the MDR. In the Pinnacle, it's always Steak Tartare, Lobster Bisque and lamb. We like the Lido for lunch and breakfast because of the variety. Also love those raisin rolls that are at all eating places at breakfast. We enjoy the munchies in the Neptune. My aunt owned a restaurant in St Louis and at an early age, I was fortunate to eat at many of the best restaurants in the St Louis area. I learned to eat all varieties of food. I am sure not all dishes are perfect but they have been for us on HAL. Hope to some day sail on a ship that has Tamarind.

 

As of this past May, there was afternoon tea every day.

 

Diane

[sapper1]

I have rarely had a meal that I didn't care for on HAL. Overall we are quite happy.

[mickey89]

 

OP's question is impossible to fairly answer.

 

 

People who have cruised with HAL more than once surely can make a comparison. Has it improved or not? No one is asking is it 5 star, just has is changed?

I will agree that it's a personal opinion and it varies a lot, but the majority of posters say NO change, that will do for me !

Edited October 9, 2014 by mickey89

[RuthC]

People who have cruised with HAL more than once surely can make a comparison. Has it improved or not? No one is asking is it 5 star, just has is changed?

It has not improved, although it has changed.

Gone are the days when I had to choose from 2-3 delicious entrées. Now, there are many times I have to resort to the "always available" menu---even to the point of a few days in a row. :(

[nana51]

It has not improved, although it has changed.

Gone are the days when I had to choose from 2-3 delicious entrées. Now, there are many times I have to resort to the "always available" menu---even to the point of a few days in a row. :(

 

Oh Ruth, me too. Last cruise on Ms."O" they had so many weird offerings I had to eat from the always available menu 3 out of 7 evenings. I know they want to make the menu more exciting, but more exciting doesn't always mean better.

 

This is my 1,000 post!

Edited October 9, 2014 by nana51

[Lizzie68]

You are so right. And thank goodness for the "always available" menu - chicken breast or steak was my regular stand-by the last few cruises.

[POA1]

Oh Ruth, me too. Last cruise on Ms."O" they had so many weird offerings I had to eat from the always available menu 3 out of 7 evenings. I know they want to make the menu more exciting, but more exciting doesn't always mean better.

 

This is my 1,000 post!

 

Congratulations on your one thousandth post! In honor of this momentous occasion, I have changed my avatar so that it salutes you. :D

[jaguarstyper]

I have cruised 11 times on HAL since 2002 and I have seen a decline in the MDR food with every single cruise. I'm not going to say the food is horrible, but I also won't say it is great. But it has definitely been in steady decline since my first HAL cruise. Combine that with the atmosphere in the MDR that I don't care much for (brightly lit, loud, frantic and rushed), We rarely even dine there any more. The last couple cruises, we ate there twice, in my upcoming cruise, we will not eat there except for maybe the embarkation lunch. We will stick with the PG, Tamarind, and dare I say it, the Canaletto. Yes, I do prefer Canaletto over the MDR. More because its quiet and peaceful than for the food.

Edited October 9, 2014 by jaguarstyper

[Jade13]

For the cost of approx $100.00 per person per day and up (depending on cabin choice) you can't expect premium cuts. JMO.

 

That is really cheap. Are these last minute cruises out of Ft Lauderdale?

 

If we paid that I would have lower expectations but we pay considerably more.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Jade13

[nana51]

Congratulations on your one thousandth post! In honor of this momentous occasion, I have changed my avatar so that it salutes you. :D

 

Well thank you kind sir.................wait a minute!!

[cruz chic]

That is really cheap. Are these last minute cruises out of Ft Lauderdale?

 

If we paid that I would have lower expectations but we pay considerably more.

 

Same here. Must be talking inside rooms as well.

[taxmantoo]

With all the choices available to us, it continues to amaze me why people go on a cruise line where they do not like the food :rolleyes:

[MaisonRose]

I must just throw this in....thought the food on Celebrity not any different, except for the ice cream, but the service not nearly as good as HAL. IMHO.

SUSAN

[navybankerteacher]

With all the choices available to us, it continues to amaze me why people go on a cruise line where they do not like the food :rolleyes:

 

I suspect that it more a matter of liking to complain than actually disliking the food. Sure, there have been certain cuts in quality, but how else can the fares be so affordable ?

 

Bottom line: in my experience HAL's food has regularly been on a par with that on Celebrity, Cunard, and Princess, slightly better than that on Carnival and Royal Caribbean, and significantly better than that on NCL. Service on HAL is on a par with that on Cunard, and noticeably better that that on the other above listed lines.

 

Because I prefer to sail frequently, I am not inclined to limit my travel by paying premium fares for premium food - while most of the rest of the experience would be the same. In any event, for the occasional really special meal, it makes sense to have it while at home and not try to needlessly blend travel with haute cuisine.

[bert425]

Oh Ruth, me too. Last cruise on Ms."O" they had so many weird offerings I had to eat from the always available menu 3 out of 7 evenings. I know they want to make the menu more exciting, but more exciting doesn't always mean better.

 

 

see, THIS actually excites us. . (as I noted we're foodies).

 

so something that others might see and immediately head to the "always available" menu?. . that will get us ordering it in a second. We like to try anything that sounds interesting -- particularly in a situation (such as a cruise), where if you DON'T like it, you can replace it with something else, but you've gotten to try it.

 

I only hope the quality of the food is decent.

 

(as I said earlier in the thread, I don't have to be blown away, I just don't want sub-par food on a vacation trip) :)

Edited October 9, 2014 by bert425