Lido: How to make your own cold-cut sandwich ...

[Slarty]

As most of you now know, HA for-the-most-part stopped doing make-to-order deli sandwiches. (Yet another reduction of service levels). Instead they provide a sample of pre-made sandwiches, with soggy bread, limp lettuce -- think 9-11 gas-station quality and freshness level.

 

But with a little walking, you can likely create your own ... from scratch.

 

First grab a plate and grab your favorite bread (for me that is their mini-baguette bun). Ask them to cut it, and butter it (if you wish), toast it, etc -- whatever floats your boat.

 

Then, go to the salad station, and ask for some lettuce, tomato, onion, etc. on the side, to be sandwiched later.

 

Next, find the cheese station and raid it, slice it, as required. Some stations also offer slices of provolone, etc.

 

Next to last, most often near the salad station, choose your cold cuts, but also make sure you check out their hot meat carvery stations -- sometimes there is fresh turkey or pulled pork, etc.

 

Finally, somewhere there are 3 pumps for ketchup, mustard, and mayo; if you wish, re-visit the salad station for a vinagrette/italian oil/vinegar combos. Some stations will also "panini it" it you wish.

 

Le voila!

Edited October 2, 2017 by Slarty

[Lizzie68]

I got custom made sandwiches every day on our NA cruise - right next to where the pre-mades were. Choice was limited to what meats were on the hot buffet or cheeses, ham etc but they did it willingly.

 

Sent from my SM-J320W8 using Forums mobile app

[DAllenTCY]

Yes....very good info. For many years my wife and I have saved OJ and crisp bacon from breakfast to use later in the day.

 

Plan ahead.

 

David

[sail7seas]

That is very close to what did in Vendam's Lido, this summer. I knew in advance of boarding, ,after reading here on CC abou t the ready made sandwiches, that is the way to be sure I could have a sandwich would enjoy. :) All of the 'fixings; are available,. One must gather them and, as you say, voila. !! :)

[Katie333]

Oh no! It's been a while since we sailed HAL, and one of the things I loved on the NA (sailing her again), was the freshly made sandwiches. In fact, I had a chicken salad sandwich as lunch multiple times. I just cannot bring myself to make chicken salad at home (DH hates it), so I've always associated it with cruising or eating a diner lunch. It's not the type of sandwich that survives pre-made because it can be goopy and would make bread and veggies go very limp. :(

 

Lizzie, you mention you could still get this on the NA, any chance one of the limited options was chicken salad??

[SilvertoGold]

Reminds me of a long cruise on the Zaandam several years ago, way before the advent of the pre-made sandwiches.

 

The Ocean Bar bandleader, a long time HAL employee, made his lunch this way in the Lido, every day we were up there. Bread or bun, a huge, thick slice of whatever roast was on the carving board. Two a day for lunch with coffee.

 

He knew what he liked!

[idiebabe]

I also get a Wrap from the Mexican station and make a Wrap with the cold cuts! ;)

[ppmanusa]

Funny post thought I was the only insane person that put meals together from multiple venues.

 

One of my quirks would order a burger at Dive Inn no bread go up to Ny Deli get a side salad and the guy would toast rye go back down assemble my sandwich

 

 

 

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Forums mobile app

[Lizzie68]

Oh no! It's been a while since we sailed HAL, and one of the things I loved on the NA (sailing her again), was the freshly made sandwiches. In fact, I had a chicken salad sandwich as lunch multiple times. I just cannot bring myself to make chicken salad at home (DH hates it), so I've always associated it with cruising or eating a diner lunch. It's not the type of sandwich that survives pre-made because it can be goopy and would make bread and veggies go very limp. :(

 

Lizzie, you mention you could still get this on the NA, any chance one of the limited options was chicken salad??

 

Not that I recall, but chicken salad was on the pre-mades.

 

I was pleasantly surprised to be able to get a sandwich made exactly to my liking - not a lot of "stuff" on it.:D But I could get the hot meats or, as mentioned, the ham and cheeses, plus fixings. Then I just added one of the packets of chips that were provided and I was happy!

[Hlitner]

The sandwich situation is simply abysmal. Why HAL decided to eliminate the sandwich bar (with a cook) in favor of pre-made soggy sandwiches makes no sense. We were critical about this change as soon as it was announced....since DW and I relied on the sandwich bar for many of our HAL lunches. The hot buffet is boring and not very good. The salad bar is decent. But we really loved having our sandwiches made to order. So on a recent Rotterdam cruise I often made the best out of bad situation. On some days I would take 2 or even 3 of the pre-made sandwiches and grab some extra cold cuts, cheese and perhaps a few other items. Then I would turn all that food into a single sandwich only using the ingredients (and the quantities) that best met my taste. It was not as good as when HAL had a real cook who made sandwiches on demand...but it was OK. On the other hand, the amount of waste was unreal. I would throw away 2 or 3 rolls with a lot of the stuff that was on those rolls. In the end, by taking some ingredients from different sandwiches and supplemented by other things on the buffet...I would reconstruct a decent sandwich. And I was not the only one on our cruise to build their own sandwich from many other items.

 

For HAL this meant I wasted enough food to feed 2,3 or even 4 other folks. Does this make me a happy HAL cruiser? Hell no! And it is totally unnecessary. When HAL had a cook making sandwiches...we would get exactly what we wanted with little waste. What we have to do now makes no sense.....but I guess it is the HAL way!

 

We will give kudos to HAL for adding the pizza place to the Rotterdam (and other ships). HAL used to have the worst (by far) pizza at sea....but now...the made to order pizzas are pretty decent. They are not in the same class as Princess....but they are good. But I do feel sorry for the Filipino cooks who work out in the exposed pizza place.....which can get pretty chilly when north of the Arctic Circle.

 

Hank

[oceanmom]

So sorry many of you had problems with the pre-made sandwiches on your cruises. I was very happy with the ones we had on the Rotterdam this summer. Had one of the daily special salads which was often not a full-size salad but more a 2/3 size one, pick up one of the pre-made sandwiches (a good variety each day), a little bag of the chips, go to the pool area and order a drink from the bar. Perfection.

[haladdict]

I enjoy being a little creative and designing my own sandwiches. A little bit here, a bit from there. Besides, I can walk off a few extra calories, going from food station to food station.

Sandra

[jenp123]

I have recently been on 3 ships....koningsdam, eurodam and rotterdam. (I have sailed them since all of the talk of only pre made sandwhiches)

THEY ALL STILL HAVE CUSTOM MADE SANDWICHES.....the station is right beside the pre made ones and may not have as many options as it used to but it is there. There is a crew member manning the station and will make you exactly what you want with the ingredients they have.

 

I am not sure why this myth of only having accrss go premade sandwiches s always is being perpetuated

[kazu]

I have recently been on 3 ships....koningsdam, eurodam and rotterdam. (I have sailed them since all of the talk of only pre made sandwhiches)

THEY ALL STILL HAVE CUSTOM MADE SANDWICHES.....the station is right beside the pre made ones and may not have as many options as it used to but it is there. There is a crew member manning the station and will make you exactly what you want with the ingredients they have.

 

I am not sure why this myth of only having accrss go premade sandwiches s always is being perpetuated

 

I was delighted to find the sandwiches made to order on the Rotterdam, but... the choices were limited compared to what was available in the past and no paninis. Nevertheless, I was a happy camper ;) since I have been on ships where there were only premade sandwiches (ie. Westerdam)

 

Sadly, it's not a myth. Just seems to vary from ship to ship.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we were on the Eurodam in 2015 and the Westerdam in 2016, there were only the soggy pre-made sandwiches.

Thanks to many of us complaining, some of the ships have now gone back to making sandwiches for people or least having cold cuts where you could make your own sandwiches. There weren't even any cut cuts on our cruises. There was the carving board. I tried to make my own turkey sandwich but the turkey was too over seasoned for my taste.

[sail7seas]

For those like me who like a salad at lnch, how do yo manage to have a small reasonable size salad? I had a few 'made to order' and they were good bt ridiclously large. Thouugh we request what we wna tin it, the amont they puut is way too much. I cold not convince fhem I rreally only wanted a tiny few black olives or whatever. Igot way too mch salad by the time they were finished.

[leonidas]

For those like me who like a salad at lnch, how do yo manage to have a small reasonable size salad? I had a few 'made to order' and they were good bt ridiclously large. Thouugh we request what we wna tin it, the amont they puut is way too much. I cold not convince fhem I rreally only wanted a tiny few black olives or whatever. Igot way too mch salad by the time they were finished.

 

 

Hello,

 

I had the same "problem" and got myself a smaller bowl, where they normally serve the ice cream in and took that to the salad station to get my wanted amount of salad😀

 

Kind regards,

Gina

[Lizzie68]

I have recently been on 3 ships....koningsdam, eurodam and rotterdam. (I have sailed them since all of the talk of only pre made sandwhiches)

THEY ALL STILL HAVE CUSTOM MADE SANDWICHES.....the station is right beside the pre made ones and may not have as many options as it used to but it is there. There is a crew member manning the station and will make you exactly what you want with the ingredients they have.

 

I am not sure why this myth of only having accrss go premade sandwiches s always is being perpetuated

Perhaps you are not aware that there used to be a dedicated sandwich station with many choices and fixings and types of bread, and the option of panini. What is available now is nothing like that.

 

Sent from my SM-J320W8 using Forums mobile app

[janmcn]

Check around the Lido...on the last 3 cruises (O'dam, Z'dam, and A'dam) found that there was often a small area for getting made-to-order sandwiches. It wasn't obvious sometimes.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Boytjie]

I have had a number of pre-made sandwiches on HAL and have never had a soggy one. I have had some great pre-made sandwiches on board; the first time onboard with that option, the sandwich was so good I ate a second one at the same meal.

[rkacruiser]

Hello,

 

I had the same "problem" and got myself a smaller bowl, where they normally serve the ice cream in and took that to the salad station to get my wanted amount of salad😀

 

Kind regards,

Gina

 

Another good idea that I have not thought of! Like Sail and you, a visit to the "new" Salad Bar always results in a salad that is far more than I care to consume. I was of the impression that the Salad Bar crew member "had" to only use that ridiculously large plastic salad bowl. Thank you!

[rkacruiser]

Another vote for being certain that one checks the Carvery Station at the Lido Buffet. I'm recently seeing a pre-made carvery meat du jour on display that the crew member will be pleased to prepare for one.

 

The freshly made pizzas are also delicious on those ships that have the New York Pizza Station. Great improvement for those of us who enjoy pizza!

[Lovely other]

I really like the pre made sandwiches :D but then I hate asking for things so it's ideal for this introvert. I can just grab a sandwich or two and go back to my quiet corner to eat . I also love the big bowls of salad, although I do wish they had a fat free dressing ....now if only they had those giant bowls for my watermelon :confused:

[jenp123]

Perhaps you are not aware that there used to be a dedicated sandwich station with many choices and fixings and types of bread, and the option of panini. What is available now is nothing like that.

 

Sent from my SM-J320W8 using Forums mobile app

 

I am fully aware of this as I stated "it may not be as many choices as there used to be" in my comment. My only point was that on every cruise in the last 3 years there has been some sort of sandwich bar so you could avoid pre made sandwichds. I never said it was as good as the old choices but there are some options

[waterbabyfish]

Do they still do the lamb burgers at the grill, on the kdam.

 

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Forums mobile app