Premade sandwiches, no more baggie???

[MogeyMan]

I used to grab a couple of them to take to the cabin for a late nite snack when I didn't want to wait for room service. And they used to come in a little paper/cellophane bag. No more bag??? Last cruise I wrapped them in napkins, which was OK, I guess. Anyone else notice this??

[oakridger]

Yes.  The last two weeks on Oosterdam they weren't in bags and the bags of potato chips were gone too.  The potato chips were in a large bowl to help yourself onto a plate or bowl (with tongs).  I don't ever eat the premade sandwiches because I don't like all the ingredients, but it seems like they would dry out really fast sitting there uncovered!!  I wonder if the thinking on this goes along with the elimination of all the single serving sugar packets, etc.?

 

~Nancy

[Wehwalt]

It was the same on Volendam. The chip bowl was usually empty. When I commented to the Lido manager, he said it was to cut back on packaging. So I guess it's similar to the elimination of sugar packets, toothpicks, eyes for the towel animals, etc.

Edited December 22, 2019 by Wehwalt

[Krazy Kruizers]

For what it is worth, when HAL began these pre made sandwiches, we didn't care for them.  They were too soaked in sauces and were terrible.  I would like to see them gone forever.

[ski ww]

We much preferred the made to order sandwich station, which is now gone.

[kazu]

I can’t help but wonder how sanitary the sandwiches will be left out with no packaging or how quickly they become stale?

 

 

[0bnxshs]

2 weeks ago you could still get a sandwich made to order on NA right next to the pre-made sandwich stations, all you had to do wass ask.  I will say the choices of meats and fixings were more limited than before, but they were still there.

Edited December 22, 2019 by 0bnxshs

[Hlitner]

The last time we were on HAL I grabbed 3 of those bagged sandwiches and some extra cheese (elsewhere on the buffet) and took it all over to a nearby table.  I was in the process of "disassembling" the 3 sandwiches (in order to make 1 decent sandwich) when the Lido manager stopped by our table.  He watched as I worked and started to laugh.  He told me that HAL's thinking was that the pre-made sandwiches would reduce waste and save food (they put less on their pre-made sandwiches then many would get at the old custom made sandwich station).  Or course by "deconstructing" 3 sandwiches I was wasting 2 rolls and a lot of other unwanted stuff that were on the original sandwiches.  I told the manager that I was born in NYC, raised at NYC Deli's, and what HAL called a "sandwich" would not even be suitable for our pets.    We were recently on a Princess cruise where we actually spotted an even worse sandwich.  They had a platter of Reubens which consisted of two very thick (about 1 inch) rye toast.  Between the toast was 2  paper thin slices of corned beef (you could not even see that beef until you opened up the sandwich) and a decent amount of sauerkraut.  They could have called that sandwich a "sauerkraut special."

 

Hank

[DeeniEncinitas]

Sanitation to me is big time!! 
First I don’t like the premade  sandwiches when they first came out. Good idea if you wanted to grab one for your stateroom for later But I want to see the ingredients while it is made fresh.

With them made up ahead of time with out bags, People walking by touching or sneezing, and coughing,

just the idea does not appear good to me. 
I guess saving on paper bags🙄 

What is with potatoe chips now in a bowl with tongs?? Sorry, not for me.

I will go and have a sandwich made to order.

Denise😊

[DaveOKC]

9 hours ago, MogeyMan said:

I used to grab a couple of them to take to the cabin for a late nite snack when I didn't want to wait for room service. And they used to come in a little paper/cellophane bag. No more bag??? Last cruise I wrapped them in napkins, which was OK, I guess. Anyone else notice this??

I had one of those non-cellophane sandwiches and I think it was what made be sick that evening.  I do not think about it at the time, but will now for sure.  This was two weeks ago

 

Edited December 22, 2019 by DaveOKC

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

The last time we were on HAL I grabbed 3 of those bagged sandwiches and some extra cheese (elsewhere on the buffet) and took it all over to a nearby table.  I was in the process of "disassembling" the 3 sandwiches (in order to make 1 decent sandwich) when the Lido manager stopped by our table.  He watched as I worked and started to laugh.  He told me that HAL's thinking was that the pre-made sandwiches would reduce waste and save food (they put less on their pre-made sandwiches then many would get at the old custom made sandwich station).  Or course by "deconstructing" 3 sandwiches I was wasting 2 rolls and a lot of other unwanted stuff that were on the original sandwiches.  I told the manager that I was born in NYC, raised at NYC Deli's, and what HAL called a "sandwich" would not even be suitable for our pets.    We were recently on a Princess cruise where we actually spotted an even worse sandwich.  They had a platter of Reubens which consisted of two very thick (about 1 inch) rye toast.  Between the toast was 2  paper thin slices of corned beef (you could not even see that beef until you opened up the sandwich) and a decent amount of sauerkraut.  They could have called that sandwich a "sauerkraut special."

 

Hank

 

Oh yeah, nothing like a good NYC deli! Gotta say, the quality exists here in the 'burbs, too. 

 

I don't usually eat a large lunch, so on the rare occasions where I take one of the premade sandwiches, I deconstruct it and move the contents to one end and make it a half sandwich. Yes, it wastes the bread, but those sandwiches are a joke. The mini sandwiches in the Neptune Lounge have the same amount of contents on a smaller roll/bread. 

 

 

[SFO Peter]

I make my own sandwich...

1.  Get two slices of whole wheat (or?) bread from breakfast in Lido and keep for lunch.  This avoids lunch line.

2.  At Lido for lunch get either Roast Pork, Beef, Fish fillet from hot station.  Roast Pork sandwich is nice!

or you can get Tuna or Egg Salad from the sandwich area.

3.  Add cheese, Mayo and other condiments.

4.  Assemble sandwich.

 

 

[VMax1700]

When I was full time working a  sandwich was the usual lunch food.

Now, when I go cruising the last thing I want is a sandwich. 😅

[cruisemom42]

Just now, VMax1700 said:

When I was full time working a  sandwich was the usual lunch food.

Now, when I go cruising the last thing I want is a sandwich. 😅

 

I was thinking the same thing. With so much variety available I wouldn't choose a sandwich unless it was something special or featured, perhaps....

[ChinaShrek]

HAL may be encouraging people to eat in the Lido and not take food with them (to their room or off the ship). In the long run, it could reduce food waste and not just packaging (which is bad too).

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, SFO PETER said:

I make my own sandwich...

1.  Get two slices of whole wheat (or?) bread from breakfast in Lido and keep for lunch.  This avoids lunch line.

2.  At Lido for lunch get either Roast Pork, Beef, Fish fillet from hot station.  Roast Pork sandwich is nice!

or you can get Tuna or Egg Salad from the sandwich area.

3.  Add cheese, Mayo and other condiments.

4.  Assemble sandwich.

 

 

This is WAY to much work for me!  However, after my latest episode I guess I will have to do it (it was tuna by the way - I should know better!).

[MISTER 67]

8 hours ago, ski ww said:

We much preferred the made to order sandwich station, which is now gone.

It wasn't on the Nov 30 sailing on the NA.

[Roz]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

This is WAY to much work for me!  However, after my latest episode I guess I will have to do it (it was tuna by the way - I should know better!).

 

Dave, I've quit eating tuna anywhere but at home.  The combination of tuna and mayo seems to be deadly. 🤮

[DaveOKC]

40 minutes ago, Roz said:

 

Dave, I've quit eating tuna anywhere but at home.  The combination of tuna and mayo seems to be deadly. 🤮

Almost was for me!

 

[Taters]

On my last cruise on Zuiderdam in April/May, 2019, I grabbed a bagged sandwich to take to my cabin.  When I opened it up there was ONE thin slice of ham between 2 large slices of bread, 1 soggy lettuce leaf and that was it.  I did not eat it.  Previous to that there were at least 4 slices of meat within the sandwich, the bread was fresh and it was pretty good.  No more pre-made sandwiches on HAL for me.

[old mike]

4 hours ago, SFO PETER said:

I make my own sandwich...

1.  Get two slices of whole wheat (or?) bread from breakfast in Lido and keep for lunch.  This avoids lunch line.

2.  At Lido for lunch get either Roast Pork, Beef, Fish fillet from hot station.  Roast Pork sandwich is nice!

or you can get Tuna or Egg Salad from the sandwich area.

3.  Add cheese, Mayo and other condiments.

4.  Assemble sandwich.

 

 

exactly what  I do. I also love fresh roast pork in a sandwich, even better if there is a side of crisp crackling!!!

[knittinggirl]

I discovered the custom made sandwich station the last sea day of our Voyage of the Vikings, but we  didn't spend much time in the Lido.  I was also a fan of deconstructing and rebuilding my sandwiches.  The last trip, we spent a lot of time with Dive-In Burgers.  But I guess it depends on what we discover first, and where DH wants to spend his time.

 

It does pay to scout the Lido market.  Last summer, I found some wonderful Norwegian strawberries at the far end.  A nice man saw me at one of the fruit stations, and directed me to the strawberry bowl.  The only time they had those strawberries on the whole trip.

 

Before cutbacks, Royal Caribbean used to have several trays of cold cuts, and different types of bread, and I made sandwiches on several cruises.  Before that, they had a sandwich chef making those long bun sandwiches that would be cut in several smaller chunks.  We cruised Royal Caribbean through several cut backs before  switching to HAL.

Edited December 22, 2019 by knittinggirl

[cruisinteach2]

Made to order sandwiches were quite popular on recent Volendam Amazon cruise. Enjoyed that I could tell the server exactly what I wanted!

[SempreMare]

5 hours ago, Taters said:

When I opened it up there was ONE thin slice of ham between 2 large slices of bread, 1 soggy lettuce leaf and that was it. 

 

On Glacier Bay day, my room service lunch of chicken salad sandwich had at most 2 teaspoons of chicken salad.   TEAspoons. Maybe they ran out or were closely budgeting their proteins.

 

However, the french fries were awesome and sandwich bread was excellent.   High carb lunch...

Edited December 23, 2019 by SempreMare

[RuthC]

What surprises me is how many people (mentioning different ships) have posted they were able to get made to order sandwiches. Other than on last year's World Cruise, I haven't seen that in years! It wasn't available on the Maasdam this summer. 

Could HAL be reintroducing this service slowly? Do I dare hope?