Afternoon ("High") Tea?

[Khaos WolfKat]

Howdy folks,

 

I've recently booked my second cruise, aboard the Oosterdam, and am looking forward to getting to a lot more shipboard activities this time, since I'm now accustomed to a daytime schedule (or a schedule at all! LOL). One of the things I'm definitely interested in is the daily, afternoon tea. I've looked around a good deal, but there doesn't seem to be much written about the details. I see that HAL advertises on their website that at least one tea each sailing is a "high tea". I assume that they actually mean a traditional afternoon tea, which is a formal tea, as opposed to actual high tea, which is an informal supper. Has anyone here attended the on board teas who could answer some questions about them?

• What time is it and how long?
• Is it the same time/place every day?
• How formal (or not) were they?
• Was there a theme each day?
• What was your overall impression, thoughts, etc?
• If you've attended afternoon (formal/often mistakenly referred to as "high tea") tea elsewhere, how would you compare the experience?

Thanks much in advance for any answers!

[RocketMan275]

Can't really answer your questions.  But, you may find this interesting.   We did have a high tea on Rotterdam but we choose to have it delivered to our suite which we arranged through the concierge.  It was quite nice.  Finger foods, small sandwiches, pastries, and tea, of course.  We enjoyed it so much we intend to do the same on our next cruise.

[rkacruiser]

Is it a tea similar to what one would be served in the Queen's Lounge on Oueen Mary 2?  No.

 

A selection of bagged teas is offered with individual pots of hot water.  Small, varied sandwiches are offered along with scones, and a nice selection of pastries.  (I think I am leaving out one additional offering, but I'm not sure.)

 

Once upon a time, HAL offered a Royal Dutch Tea which offered a wider selection of items and was almost like a small lunch/supper:  chicken ala king in a pastry shell and one or two more warm items.  Just delicious:  I never ate lunch on those days.  Now offered?  Not in my most recent cruising experience.  

[Krazy Kruizers]

The afternoon tea is usually held from 3 - 4 PM each day.

 

We used to love the Cup Cake teas and the Indonesian teas -- they are now gone.

[RuthC]

HAL discontinued the specialty teas a while back. They used to have a Cupcake Tea, Indonesian Tea, the Royal Dutch High Tea. Now it is a (low) afternoon tea almost every day (embarkation day is definitely out), usually held in the dining room at 3:00 for about a half hour to 45 minutes. It's pretty much as rkacruiser described.
Some ships have it elsewhere, such as in the Ocean Bar, so do check your daily program when you want to go.

[cruising cockroach]

I remember the Royal Dutch tea back in 2012 but seem to think it was gone by 2014 (both 2 week+ voyages).  Service has always been rushed and haphazard mostly and not methodical.  An example, one gets cream and jam but no scones, or have to wait a long time for it, or half the table gets sandwiches and the other half doesn't).  Same thing (level of service) happens on Princess.

 

The self-service tea on Celebrity works nicer in a way though not as apparently elegant.

 

[Khaos WolfKat]

Awww. I'm really disappointed to read that the specialty teas are discontinued! It is still advertised on their website, so I think I might whinge to someone about that. It's one of the things I talked up to my granddaughter, who has attended the tail end of a couple afternoon teas, and has been really looking forward to attending an entire afternoon/formal tea.

 

Ruth, I'm not sure I know what you are saying by "low" tea... Are you using it in the traditional sense, as in, a fancy, semiformal to formal event in the afternoon, generally served at couches, comfy, lounge type chairs, and low tables, or do you mean an informal event where tea and refreshment, perhaps with some simple food is served at a normal luncheon or dining table (traditionally known as "high tea)?

 

Either way, it looks like it is nothing like the events I host and attend locally, which is VERY good to know in advance! I'm sure all the formal dining and other activities will more than make up for it for the kiddo, and I think I have just the thing to do for her birthday coming up in 11 days! Can we say, Formal Tea birthday?? 😄 Very short notice to pull it off, but I think I can do it! 😄

 

Thanks for the replies, folks. I had forgotten how great this forum is!

 

Edited October 21, 2018 by Khaos WolfKat
correction

[RuthC]

2 minutes ago, Khaos WolfKat said:

Ruth, I'm not sure I know what you are saying by "low" tea... Are you using it in the traditional sense, as in, a fancy, semiformal to formal event in the afternoon, generally served at couches, comfy, lounge type chairs, and low tables, or do you mean an informal event where tea and refreshment, perhaps with some simple food is served at a normal luncheon or dining table (traditionally known as "high tea)?

 

I was referring to HAL's daily tea in the sense that it includes light foods, not a substantial meal, not the hot 'supper' foods traditionally served at high tea.

HAL does generally use the high tables, though, since it is in the dining room in most of my experience. I have had it in Explorers Lounge, with the cocktail tables, and have seen it offered in the Ocean Bar, also with low tables.

[Scrapnana]

For those who have had afternoon tea on one of Cunard's Queens, HAL's is nothing like it!  Lukewarm water and a tea bag (I can do that in the Lido with hot water!) put me off a few years ago.  Have not tried another HAL tea since.

[bennybear]

We used to love the Indonesian teas with the lovely loose teas and interesting food items. Now there seem to be two teas,  one where you are served scones, sandwiches and pastries.  Another where you arrive and there is a tiered silver tray with not enough scones for the table😟.  One is classic but not sure which is which. 

 

Scrapnana so true, Cunard’s high tea is to amazing, harps and proper tea, and those scones.  

[Khaos WolfKat]

Well darn. HAL performs so well in terms of formality and tradition in so many areas, I just expected this to follow suite. Ahh well.

[seas are calling]

I did the afternoon tea on the Nordaam it was lovely; nice club sandwiches, pastries little cakes. Tea etc 

was about 2 years ago but I am sure they still do this 

[BJzink]

15 hours ago, bennybear said:

We used to love the Indonesian teas with the lovely loose teas and interesting food items. Now there seem to be two teas,  one where you are served scones, sandwiches and pastries.  Another where you arrive and there is a tiered silver tray with not enough scones for the table😟.  One is classic but not sure which is which. 

 

Scrapnana so true, Cunard’s high tea is to amazing, harps and proper tea, and those scones.  

I went to a couple of both "low" and "high" teas.  The only difference I saw was the "high" tea was with the tiered tray with the sandwiches etc. already on the table.  The regular ones had the staff passing the offerings from trays - seemed like you got a better choice this way.  We did have scones on the ones I attended - plain and raisin, and the "clotted cream" and jam followed.  At first, a bag of black tea was already in each cup, but around the 3rd one, the tea chest was offered.  They did seem eager for it to be over with, but didn't say anything.  I liked it better when it was in the Ocean Bar (summer 2017,  seemed more "cozy".  They probably changed locale to be closer to the kitchen....