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Se De Mer popup on Oosterdam

leerathje

By leerathje,
in Holland America Line

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oakridger

oakridger

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Yes, on the December 7, 2019 cruise.  I had been to Sel de Mer once before on Oosterdam in 2018 and twice on Noordam in 2019 and all three visits were excellent!  This last time was bad, really bad, as the kitchen did not prepare any of my three courses properly. I waited 20 minutes after being seated before being greeted by the waiters although the wine steward had already brought my wine so I wasn't bothered too much.  I then told the assistant manager about the first course being dried out and crumbly (Fois Gras Torchon) and she conferred with the kitchen to remake it and it was good.  The entree was incredibly salty and the lobster was the same small size as the main dining room serves on gala night. (The MDR lobster was delicious though) Previously the Sel de Mer lobster tail was much larger and excellent!  The dessert soufflé was a thick gloppy mess and inedible!  The manager Paul tried to write it off as just "not to my taste" but the previous three I had were wonderful and fluffy!!!  His offer of a free after dinner drink had no value to me since I already had the beverage package.  Huge Fail this time!!! 

 

That all said, I'm going to assume it was just somehow a really bad night for the kitchen and will definitely give Sel de Mer another try on my next cruise.  The Pinnacle Grill dinner the previous week was great...same kitchen!  Good luck and I hope you have as good a meal as my previous three!

 

~Nancy

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detroit70

detroit70

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On 1/11/2020 at 12:40 AM, oakridger said:

Yes, on the December 7, 2019 cruise.  I had been to Sel de Mer once before on Oosterdam in 2018 and twice on Noordam in 2019 and all three visits were excellent!  This last time was bad, really bad, as the kitchen did not prepare any of my three courses properly. I waited 20 minutes after being seated before being greeted by the waiters although the wine steward had already brought my wine so I wasn't bothered too much.  I then told the assistant manager about the first course being dried out and crumbly (Fois Gras Torchon) and she conferred with the kitchen to remake it and it was good.  The entree was incredibly salty and the lobster was the same small size as the main dining room serves on gala night. (The MDR lobster was delicious though) Previously the Sel de Mer lobster tail was much larger and excellent!  The dessert soufflé was a thick gloppy mess and inedible!  The manager Paul tried to write it off as just "not to my taste" but the previous three I had were wonderful and fluffy!!!  His offer of a free after dinner drink had no value to me since I already had the beverage package.  Huge Fail this time!!! 

 

That all said, I'm going to assume it was just somehow a really bad night for the kitchen and will definitely give Sel de Mer another try on my next cruise.  The Pinnacle Grill dinner the previous week was great...same kitchen!  Good luck and I hope you have as good a meal as my previous three!

 

~Nancy

I was just about to book the Sel de Mer for my upcoming Eurodam cruise, boarding 1/26.  Has anyone else had a recent experience with this dining option?

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

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7 hours ago, detroit70 said:

I was just about to book the Sel de Mer for my upcoming Eurodam cruise, boarding 1/26.  Has anyone else had a recent experience with this dining option?

 

We enjoyed our Sel de Mer dinners.  Ours were on the Prinsendam and the quality was quite good. 🙂. 

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CabinBoy2020

CabinBoy2020

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I was on the Oosterdam last month and enjoyed dinner at Sel de Mer.  It was a fun change from the regular Pinnacle Grill and MDR menus.  I could have made a meal of the delicious appetizer (shown in pic) they brought out at the start of the meal.  I enjoyed the tuna salad Nicoise and whole dover sole.  The waitress was delightful.  I agree with oakridger that the maitre'd was a bit officious.  But overall this was a positive experience and I wouldn't hesitate to go again.  Enjoy your cruise!

 

A7C913EA-A2B2-43AE-ADD9-D72870AA4083_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.67e8a1ac1826918a83aa8d37ea64c5c9.jpeg

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Petronillus

Petronillus

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10 hours ago, leerathje said:

It is $49.00 US, PP with a set menu you order from.  We have booked on our cruise leaving on the 29th.  The pop-up is on the 3rd, when we are in Puerto Vallarta.

 

L.

 

 

This is great to hear. I remember the Sel de Mer display on the Koningsdam last February and at that time the charges were all a la carte -- and eye-popping. By my calculations, one could easily expect to be set back $150-$200. Way beyond, in my humble estimation, a reasonable upcharge from the already-baked-in MDR standard of comparison.

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

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47 minutes ago, GreenValleyDogWalker said:

 

What is the dress code at the Sel de Mer ??

 

Thank You

 

Dress code is the same as in the MDR.  Gala night is Gala night at Sel de Mer.  Same for smart casual.  However, you may find some dressed up a bit on even smart casual night (ie a sports jacket on) but nothing serious 😉 

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leerathje

leerathje

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4 hours ago, detroit70 said:

I’m just back to my cabin on the Eurodam after the Sel de Mer dinner and it was incredibly good!  The escargots were the most plump and tastiest I’ve ever had,  and the lamb was simply amazing!  I’d go back tomorrow if I could!

 

So happy to hear this!  Appreciate you reporting back.

 

L.

 

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CabinBoy2020

CabinBoy2020

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40 minutes ago, john2003 said:

Do u know how popular it is? For our upcoming Noordam cruise we have a lot of OBC. Will we still be able to book when we get onboard?

 

I made a reservation onboard, but you could book on the website ahead of time to be certain of getting a table.

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oakridger

oakridger

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john2003,

You are correct, if booking online you will pay up front.  What you could do if you think it possibly might be very busy is book online ahead of time to guarantee a reservation then book a reservation when you board.  If there is space, then just cancel the online booking.  They will refund the fee to your folio/credit card.  Enjoy!

 

~Nancy 

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

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52 minutes ago, DiveVision said:

We will be on the Oosterdam in March/April for 28 days and would like to go to Sel de Mar both times it is offered. I have one question. WHERE do they hold the Sel de Mar dining experience?

 

It’s in the Pinnacle Grill.

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

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7 minutes ago, existentialtraveler said:

I talked with the HAL customer service rep. this afternoon. The Mariner discount does apply to onboard reservations, but not to online reservations.

 

Well, that is technically right, but misleading.  Seattle at it’s best.  You pay the full price if you book on line.  But then once on board, you should receive your loyalty discount.

It’s the same as if you book the Canaletto or PG in advance.

 

I suggest you not waste time with HAL reps and contact the Mariner Society if my post is in doubt.  

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detroit70

detroit70

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1 minute ago, kazu said:

 

Well, that is technically right, but misleading.  Seattle at it’s best.  You pay the full price if you book on line.  But then once on board, you should receive your loyalty discount.

It’s the same as if you book the Canaletto or PG in advance.

 

I suggest you not waste time with HAL reps and contact the Mariner Society if my post is in doubt.  

That’s exactly how it worked for me last week. When I boarded the Eurodam, I had a credit on my account for my mariner discount. 

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