Congratulations, Holland America!!

[Losnab]

They weren't evaluating the cruise we were just on--bad in dining room and Pinacle Grill. Lido was loaded with people that just couldn't deal with the dining room. We stuck it out (except for the bad experience at Pinacle), but strolled through Lido to see what was going on, and of course, we talked to people. Breakfast was also very lacking in the dining room. Can't speak about lunch; we just couldn't deal with it and the other two meals.

 

 

 

I am sorry to hear about your crappy dining experience. I hope the line is paying attention and will consider your opinions. I know you explicitly stated this was not a maiden voyage but wonder if it might have been a recent refurbishment.

 

I am leaving in a few weeks on my first Hal cruise. I have been planning and thinking about it since early this year.

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

Pstreet12

Thank you for taking the time to write about all the food problems you had on the Westerdam.

We have quite a few sailing days on the Westerdam and only ate in the Pinnacle on our 21 day cruise in 2016. Food was fine but we did have many other issues on that cruise.

I don't blame you if you decide to sail on another cruise line. All those issues are should never have happened. Did you report all this on your online survey?

[whogo]

I smiled as I read of your main dining room breakfast experiences, Pstreet12. I never understood the need for a computer, either, and breakfast order taking and food delivery has been a comedy of errors.

 

I have been happy with HAL dining, the food is generally better and definitely more varied than what I eat at home. I have no way of knowing how the dining experience compares to other lines. I am skeptical of any ranking published by a company that relies on cruise line advertising to survive. "Hey, we don't have anything for Princess. Let's make them the Best Itineraries winner." I assume that a Cruise Critic editor on a paid junket receives better food and service than the average Joe. Anyone want to guess how many of the editors have cruised on the ten most popular lines on their own dollar in the last year?

[e3g]

I smiled as I read of your main dining room breakfast experiences, Pstreet12. I never understood the need for a computer, either, and breakfast order taking and food delivery has been a comedy of errors.

 

I have been happy with HAL dining, the food is generally better and definitely more varied than what I eat at home. I have no way of knowing how the dining experience compares to other lines. I am skeptical of any ranking published by a company that relies on cruise line advertising to survive. "Hey, we don't have anything for Princess. Let's make them the Best Itineraries winner." I assume that a Cruise Critic editor on a paid junket receives better food and service than the average Joe. Anyone want to guess how many of the editors have cruised on the ten most popular lines on their own dollar in the last year?

 

I had the same thought. The fact that all the major cruise lines got an award makes one wonder. After all, CC is a business not just a public service. (Hope I don't get banned for my candid opinion):D

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

Congrats to HAL also!

We personally like the food in the MDR. Maybe we just aren't "worldly" enough, or we lack the discriminating tastes of some passengers, but we have had nothing but great experiences in the MDR, as well as the Pinnacle, Tamarind, etc. Either that or we are just lucky, don't know!

The food has been wonderful in our opinion. Only one dish on one particular cruise was not necessarily to our taste, but one dish out of many, many meals is not a stain on their reputation in our eyes.

[navybankerteacher]

Congrats to HAL also!

We personally like the food in the MDR. Maybe we just aren't "worldly" enough, or we lack the discriminating tastes of some passengers, but we have had nothing but great experiences in the MDR, as well as the Pinnacle, Tamarind, etc. Either that or we are just lucky, don't know!

The food has been wonderful in our opinion. Only one dish on one particular cruise was not necessarily to our taste, but one dish out of many, many meals is not a stain on their reputation in our eyes.

 

Well said --- I cannot help wondering where all the posters who find HAL food inedible or unacceptable eat while at home.

 

Sure it is not gourmet, but it is generally well prepared, reasonably good quality, attractively presented and well served.

 

My gut feeling is that most of the critics are simply playing at being connoisseurs.

[Pstreet12]

44 cruises completed--that one is the only one that has ever caused me to complain about the food anywhere on the ship; I've never before spoken with the hotel manager on a ship, other than a time he asked us to change staterooms so they could make a major plumbing repair in the ceiling of the one we had been assigned to. I noticed the Westerdam received the award for best refurbishment, and while I haven't seen the others that were in the running, I'd agree that the refurbishment was beautifully done. We were on the Westerdam the first week in December last year, too, and loved the experience: that's why we returned this year. But the food and service turned out to be a very different experience from last year--and a very different experience from any we've had on any other sailing. Recognizing that and writing what my complaints were when posters asked for specifics does not make me a person playing at being a connoisseur; it makes me a person who doesn't wear blinders. I said it was a totally different experience than we'd ever had on HAL before (or on any other line); I did not say food throughout the line was what we experienced on that sailing, though I did say we do have friends whose experience was similar on another ship (and they, too, have spent hundreds of nights cruising). My experience was what it was; I don't know what issues the kitchen did/did not have that made it what it was; that does not constitute an attack on the family honor which requires knights to ride to war.

[iancal]

We believe that your chances of getting an excellent meal, a mediocre meal, or a poor meal are equally good on HAL as they are on Celebrity or Princess. Same for the entire cruise.

 

It is a crap shoot. Inconsistency is the only constant.

 

I recognize that the HAL cheerleaders are reluctant to admit to even the mediocre part but I think that many cruisers, HAL and otherwise, would agree with this.

 

It is just a little foolish to argue with someone about the food or service, or indeed make comments about them -positive or negative, when you were not on the specific sailing.

 

It is the same old same old with some HAL cheerleaders. For some reason any criticisms of the line are akin to a criticism of their first born child. And for a corporate entity no less.

[navybankerteacher]

[quote=Pstreet12;54750478

 

 

But the food and service turned out to be a very different experience from last year--and a very different experience from any we've had on any other sailing. Recognizing that and writing what my complaints were when posters asked for specifics does not make me a person playing at being a connoisseur; it makes me a person who doesn't wear blinders. I said it was a totally different experience than we'd ever had on HAL before (or on any other line);

...

.

 

Still, specifics would help. In what way was the experience "different" - a nebulous term, used three times, and the only expression of what it was that you did not like? Was the service slow, were the servers discourteous, was the food not served hot, was the selection too narrow, was the food over or under spiced, were the meat cuts tough or rubbery?

 

Depending upon what my earlier experiences had been, I might be delighted with a recent cruise offering a "different" experience.

[Pstreet12]

Please read post #11 on this thread.

[navybankerteacher]

Please read post #11 on this thread.

 

Sorry - I had not started at the beginning.

[Flatbush Flyer]

I see in Cruise News that HAL was chosen as the best ocean cruise line in 2017 for dining.

 

Our first cruise on Hal is Jan 28, 2018. Looking forward to it even more.

 

 

 

"Best for food" was a comparison of mass market lines. Check the luxury category and you'll find (as have many other former HAL cruisers) that Oceania has the best food at sea. For a few bucks more (I.e., net daily rate -rather than just cabin cost- for all included amenities -e.g., airfare/air credit), you can have dining experiences that are worlds beyond HAL.

 

 

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[Cruising...our happy place]

Congrats to HAL! And to the other cruise lines for the wins — Celebrity, Disney, MSC, NCL, etc!

 

 

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