No Complimentary Treats at Explorations Cafe

[Friend100]

To all experienced HAL CC's on this board:

 

In our last Eurodam cruise, we were at the Library. The Exploration Cafe had prices for the drinks and didn't have price for the treats. We asked about how much were the macaroons. We were advised they were complimentary. We were offered a few macaroons. We took them and we liked them.

 

After reading this thread, I suppose our expectation that we could pay for the treat to begin with is not a realistic expectation, as it has to go with a coffee and cannot be purchased or should not be offered as a complimentary as a stand-alone item. I also suppose that our etiquette of asking about price and then being offered for free and then taking the offer from the employee was an inappropriate etiquette as it affects the cruise experience of fellow HAL cruisers and fellow CC members here.

 

Thanks for everyone's clarification. :)

[POA1]

On the Nieuw Amsterdam in November & December, I got a couple of little egg salad sandwiches when I was doing work in the Explorations Cafe. No one asked me to buy anything, nor was there a sign.

[Wakepatrol]

OK.. so NO cookies for you... BUT are their pizza places, a grill to get hamburgers or hot dogs.. any other place to get snacks, food that isn't in the Lido or MDR ???

 

Anything in the wine venue ?

 

 

CC

 

Pizza is in the Lido-

They have a taco bar out by the Lido pool and the dive in which is hamburgers and hot dogs. There's also room service.

Edited February 4, 2015 by Wakepatrol

[sail7seas]

On the Nieuw Amsterdam in November & December, I got a couple of little egg salad sandwiches when I was doing work in the Explorations Cafe. No one asked me to buy anything, nor was there a sign.

 

I like those little egg salad sandwich bites. Lots of mayo but tasty. :)

[curiouscat]

Pizza is in the Lido-

They have a taco bar out by the Lido pool and the dive in which is hamburgers and hot dogs. There's also room service.

 

Thank you.. I also did read the room service menu and it's quite extensive. Rcl, X and Princess have shrunk their room service offerings...

 

 

CC

[Alcarondas]

To all experienced HAL CC's on this board:

 

In our last Eurodam cruise, we were at the Library. The Exploration Cafe had prices for the drinks and didn't have price for the treats. We asked about how much were the macaroons. We were advised they were complimentary. We were offered a few macaroons. We took them and we liked them.

 

After reading this thread, I suppose our expectation that we could pay for the treat to begin with is not a realistic expectation, as it has to go with a coffee and cannot be purchased or should not be offered as a complimentary as a stand-alone item. I also suppose that our etiquette of asking about price and then being offered for free and then taking the offer from the employee was an inappropriate etiquette as it affects the cruise experience of fellow HAL cruisers and fellow CC members here.

 

Thanks for everyone's clarification. :)

 

I can taste your sarcasm, and while I generally enjoy a good dose of snark (and am not shy about dishing it myself), I think yours is a bit out of context.

 

You asked about the treats, even offered to pay, and were given some ("some") for free. This isn't what others in this thread are complaining about. What draws out the dreaded "Free With Purchase" sign is when people abuse the program and start to demand, or simply take, anything that isn't nailed down.

[Mary Ellen]

HAL does have a MUCH better room service menu than Princess. Should HAL 'take a lesson' from Princess on that too? :rolleyes: IIRC cookies are available from room service. We don't get them from room service though as it is so much quicker (and easier) to pop in the Lido, right off the mid-ship elevators/stairs. The cookies are at the ice cream station. For us it is easier than the Explorations Cafe anyway.

 

Wine venue, serve snacks? LOL

 

Things we miss when on Princess are the made-to-order deli and the salad bar. Oops, they are on Lido deck.

[curiouscat]

Mary Ellen.. got the pt about the wine and tapas..NOT !

 

On the topic of food is the MDR open during lunch on port days ?

 

 

CC

[Mary Ellen]

I've never known a HAL MDR to be open on port days. Sometimes the Pinnacle Grill is open and we'll go there. With our Mariner discount, it's the best $5 meal we've ever had.

 

My point on the HAL 'wine venue' is that it is nothing like what I've seen on Princess. Expect to be disappointed.

 

Another thing we miss when on Princess, getting a discount at the speciality restaurants. I hope HAL doesn't follow Princess' example there.

Edited February 4, 2015 by Mary Ellen

[curiouscat]

Thanks.. well in the olden days the MDR was always open on all lines.. I really really do not care for buffets... there doesn't seem to be many options while in port..

 

I've been to all the ports in the Caribbean multiple times so I often opt to stay on board.. does Domino's delivers...LOL

 

CC

[Mary Ellen]

I wouldn't call the made-to-order deli a buffet. You tell the crew member what you want and it is prepared while you wait. The other side often has a similar setup for Asian foods. They are however part of the Lido.

[TiogaCruiser]

During the baking demo the baker told us he made 24 cinnamon rolls each day and they went to the Explorations cafe. I never did see them in the lido that cruise.

[sammiedawg]

I find someone walking into a private party to take food very strange. To me that's just bad manners. If you think that fine, then so be it. Frankly, I've never been that hungry on a cruise.

 

I've been on cruise ships and more than once accidently walked into some type of private gathering, I didn't see the sign. There are two entrances to the Crows nest, sometimes the meet and greet is held in a bar area like the Mix without defined entry and exits. People walk in innocently and do not recognize there is a party going on. The last couple meet and greets I attended were very informal and there was more than one thing going on in the same space.

[cruz chic]

I've been on cruise ships and more than once accidently walked into some type of private gathering, I didn't see the sign. There are two entrances to the Crows nest, sometimes the meet and greet is held in a bar area like the Mix without defined entry and exits. People walk in innocently and do not recognize there is a party going on. The last couple meet and greets I attended were very informal and there was more than one thing going on in the same space.

 

If it was casual, that is totally different. The one meeting I noticed this on there was only one way to get it, right past the sign. It was in a corner and there was no other way to get in. Impossible to miss the sign.

[ithaca gal]

I can taste your sarcasm, and while I generally enjoy a good dose of snark (and am not shy about dishing it myself), I think yours is a bit out of context.

 

You asked about the treats, even offered to pay, and were given some ("some") for free. This isn't what others in this thread are complaining about. What draws out the dreaded "Free With Purchase" sign is when people abuse the program and start to demand, or simply take, anything that isn't nailed down.

 

This is exactly the case. It is perfectly fine to ask for a treat or two without buying coffee -- at least that is the case most of the time in the Explorations Café. However, once the policy is ABUSED -- by people apparently wanting to make lunch out of their stop -- the sign comes out. Seems like a reasonable solution to me.

[sail7seas]

Whenever I've gotten a coffee at Exploration, I've never seen any pastries in the case that would put me in a swoon. Most of them are available in Lido and/or Neptune. They're okay but maybe all the wonderful pastries disappear really fast so in all my cruises never saw them. Maybe some people know just what time the ones to 'grab' are put in the pastry case? ? :D

[ithaca gal]

Are we certain that this is an honest to goodness policy change? It's entirely possible that it's a way to get an annoying, complaining passenger on a particular voyage to shut up.

 

Explorations Cafe Employee: "There's a gentleman here who is upset that we're out of pistachio macaroons to go with his $2 coffee."

 

Manager: "Think a little sign might shut him up?"

 

Employee: "Couldn't hurt."

 

Manager: "OK. Sign it is."

 

Second Customer: "I would like some cookies. I cannot possibly travel the (one to five) decks to the Lido. Hand them over. I have a Cruise Critic login and I am not afraid to use it."

 

Don't know if it would be considered a policy change, but the sign is a metal, pre-made sign that they seem to put up when there is a problem -- not a temporary handmade sign for the moment.

 

I took a photo of the sign but am not sure how to attach it -- will work on that later! :)

[Danni3ll3]

Most Princess ships have an International Café, located adjacent to the coffee bar in the Piazza. In the morning, they have pastries and later shift to soup, paninis, salads, and desserts. There is a charge for gelato ($1.50 for three scoops).

 

It's very nice to be able to grab a quick snack, and it's something we miss when we cruise HAL (which has been less and less lately).

 

Well, I sure missed out! I thought that there was a charge for all of those items!

[POA1]

During the baking demo the baker told us he made 24 cinnamon rolls each day and they went to the Explorations cafe. I never did see them in the lido that cruise.

They were in the Lido every morning on the Nieuw Amsterdam when we were on in December. I know because I had to work very hard to avoid them. ;) The staff was resupplying them regularly. Perhaps it's a ship by ship thing.

[curiouscat]

Well, I sure missed out! I thought that there was a charge for all of those items!

 

Most folks do.. and across in Vintages is free sushi and tapas.. there u have to buy a drink..but then again twist my arm to get a glass of wine...

 

I love the IC on Princess... I guess my diet will be intact on HAL>..:D

 

This reminds me of the difference between going to my German grand mom,food on schedule and small amounts, and my Jewish Grand mom, food all the time in large amounts....LOL.. This is the German cruise !!!

 

CC

[jayisgerman]

I have never stopped at the Explorer Cafe, so I do not know what the goodies are up there.

 

I suppose my question is only - how does the person complaining know who took their preferred goodies? :confused: I mean, it could be that 24 people came to buy a coffee and took those "limited edition cinnamon buns"? The end result would still be the same, in terms of the original complainant being out of luck.

 

I just don't know what to make of this, but I have seen my share of discourteous passengers, and food seems to bring out the worst in some people. :eek: We even had a comedienne on board once who joked: "yes, we know who you are - lady who comes to the Lido at 5:00 AM in her nightgown, but with her purse - and then 48 muffins are missing when you leave!" :p

[Wakepatrol]

I have never stopped at the Explorer Cafe, so I do not know what the goodies are up there.

 

I suppose my question is only - how does the person complaining know who took their preferred goodies? :confused: I mean, it could be that 24 people came to buy a coffee and took those "limited edition cinnamon buns"? The end result would still be the same, in terms of the original complainant being out of luck.

 

I just don't know what to make of this, but I have seen my share of discourteous passengers, and food seems to bring out the worst in some people. :eek: We even had a comedienne on board once who joked: "yes, we know who you are - lady who comes to the Lido at 5:00 AM in her nightgown, but with her purse - and then 48 muffins are missing when you leave!" :p

 

 

You should see what happens when they're showing a movie on the ship. The guy comes in with a plate of popcorn bags, and people lose their minds. They're falling over each other to get a bag of popcorn .

 

My dog acts like this when I break out the

Licorice

[Krazy Kruizers]

whenever i've gotten a coffee at exploration, i've never seen any pastries in the case that would put me in a swoon. Most of them are available in lido and/or neptune. They're okay but maybe all the wonderful pastries disappear really fast so in all my cruises never saw them. Maybe some people know just what time the ones to 'grab' are put in the pastry case? ? :d

 

 

7 am!!

[Lizzie68]

I guess this is also where RCI has HAL beat hands down. They have the Cafe Promenade which is open 24/7 and well stocked with sandwiches, croissants, desserts and pizza. No requirement to purchase anything. People don't act anything like what has been described above. If I ever see that kind of behaviour I don't think I would cruise HAL again.

[Krazy Kruizers]

They were in the Lido every morning on the Nieuw Amsterdam when we were on in December. I know because I had to work very hard to avoid them. ;) The staff was resupplying them regularly. Perhaps it's a ship by ship thing.

 

 

Are you talking about the cinnamon buns with the icing on top or the sticky, gooey caramel buns that are warm?

There is a difference.