Bring your own saltines?

[VMax1700]

On Eurodam last October, there were no crackers.

On Oosterdam in June just gone, the only crackers were mine!  Lots of cheese and bread but no crackers.

I have learned and now they are second thing packed.  First is a tray and then crackers.

 

[micmax]

2 hours ago, tuolumne couple said:

Well. you can order the cheese plate in the MDR. It comes with a selection of cheeses and crackers. You can request additional crackers. I love that with  my wine, and always order it before dinner, but honestly, crackers and cheese are not a game changer for me. I have enough options on board, and am not there for the food necessarily. 

Hi! We are in Sonora! Are you in Tuolumne City or the County? I have a bit of trouble following all these links. We are on the Nov 5, 2023 Volendam cruise. Are you too?

[tuolumne couple]

23 minutes ago, micmax said:

Hi! We are in Sonora! Are you in Tuolumne City or the County? I have a bit of trouble following all these links. We are on the Nov 5, 2023 Volendam cruise. Are you too?

Hi , no we live near Tuolumne Meadows.. I wish we are on that cruise just to meet some fellow locals. Not many people know Tuolumne or can even pronounce it LOL. The Volendam has the thermal suite that we love, and the nicest old fashioned women's bathroom off the MDR. Enjoy your cruise. We sail to Alaska in September. We did go to French Polynesia and Mexico three months ago, and isn't it great to be cruising again? Safe travels, and may we sail together one day.  

[rkacruiser]

Read this issue of "no packaged crackers" or no when some find them available and some don't--depending on the ship--is one more example of the inconsistency of the cruise experience when one sails on a ship of the Holland America Line.  Crackers or not is a most minor issue.  But, as another poster said, I am weary of excuses that don't make sense as Crew News posted regarding what the Environmental Officer said about packaging and recycling.  

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, kazu said:

Go back and read a couple of the LIVE posts like @VMax1700  he even posted pics.  No crackers.  I like nice crackers with my cheese and bread sticks or melba toast don’t cut it.

 

I did.  I agree.   I prefer nice crackers with my cheese plate.  Is it satisfactory with you that such a simple, inexpensive item cannot be included with a cheese plate that you order on a HAL ship?  

[iancal]

Clearly a first world problem.

[kazu]

32 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I did.  I agree.   I prefer nice crackers with my cheese plate.  Is it satisfactory with you that such a simple, inexpensive item cannot be included with a cheese plate that you order on a HAL ship?  

 

You know after the last 7 months I’ve been through a lot worse than crackers 😔  - so I guess I’m flexible right now 😉 

sure I would like crackers on board but at least I read CC and LIVE threads and know they may not be available and will bring them on board with me.

 

there’s a lot worse things in life - I’ll make note on my surveys and will improvise. Flexibility seems to be key travelling these days and for a while I think we all have to be prepared to bend.

[rkacruiser]

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

You know after the last 7 months I’ve been through a lot worse than crackers 😔  - so I guess I’m flexible right now 😉 

sure I would like crackers on board but at least I read CC and LIVE threads and know they may not be available and will bring them on board with me.

 

there’s a lot worse things in life - I’ll make note on my surveys and will improvise. Flexibility seems to be key travelling these days and for a while I think we all have to be prepared to bend.

 

Thank you for your post.  I read a good deal of sadness in what you wrote.  I empathize.  These years since mid-March 2020 have been years of disappointments and loss of friends and relatives for me.  There has been little good to expect.  

 

Crackers or no?  A trivial concern, but, thank goodness we can discuss the "concern" on CC in a friendly manner while we remember "what was once was".  

[jakers]

Thanks to all for the reminder. In order to please my wife I shall endeavor to bring my own crackers. If you see me munching on my private collection onboard the Noordam in two weeks, you will know that I have arrived prepared. 

[chengkp75]

On 7/16/2022 at 9:54 PM, Crew News said:

During my Nieuw Statendam Club Orange kitchen tour in 2019, the Environmental Officer told us that HAL was eliminating individually packaged items to save packaging materials polluting the oceans.  He then told us that the ship does not release non-biodegradable stuff into the ocean but recycles all packaging materials.  I just scratched my head.

What this means is that HAL, and all lines, try not to discharge plastics into the ocean, but just like the woes that Carnival Corp has seen over the past 20 years (when Princess was first cited for dumping plastic with food waste), it is difficult to sort out certain items from the food waste (cracker wrappers, straws, sugar packets).  HAL, and all of Carnival Corp lines are trying to eliminate the possibility of these items being discharged, by removing them from the ships in the first place.

 

On 7/16/2022 at 9:54 PM, Crew News said:

The most important thing I learned from the Environmental Officer was that all recycled stuff was sold and the income went into the Crew Fund.

That may be the goal, but not everything recycled can generate funds for the ship, especially plastics.

[chengkp75]

On 7/16/2022 at 8:33 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

Last I’d heard the lithium mining for electric cars was much more harmful than fossil fuels.

Lithium mining is not so much a greenhouse gas worry, as a water pollution problem.  Processing lithium ore requires 500,000 gallons of water for every ton of lithium extracted.  And, this water can leak toxic chemicals into the water, affecting both aquatic life, as well as all animals who drink the water.

[NCTribeFan]

Pretty sure I've had crackers with my cheese plates on each of my sailings since I restarted in November on Eurodam (followed by Nieuw Amsterdam in December, and on a B2B Zuiderdam on 6/1), both in MDR and Pinnacle.

 

I applaud HAL's efforts to cut waste by any means.  Yes, even though sugar packets were paper, it was still waste.  I'm happy with the canned water, too.

[Florida_gal_50]

3 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

Pretty sure I've had crackers with my cheese plates on each of my sailings since I restarted in November on Eurodam (followed by Nieuw Amsterdam in December, and on a B2B Zuiderdam on 6/1), both in MDR and Pinnacle.

 

I applaud HAL's efforts to cut waste by any means.  Yes, even though sugar packets were paper, it was still waste.  I'm happy with the canned water, too.

I'm guessing you are not a water drinker.  Once you open those stupid cans there is no way to reseal them.  Its important to your body to drink water. 

[NCTribeFan]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I'm guessing you are not a water drinker.  Once you open those stupid cans there is no way to reseal them.  Its important to your body to drink water. 

 

Ah, well, on the first two, all the water was the 16 oz bottles with twist caps.  At least, that's what I remember.

 

On Zuiderdam, the 12 oz pop-top cans were included in the drink package, but not the 16 oz cans.  BUT, I also had free drinks in the casino where there's no dollar limit, so the 16 oz cans were included.  What I did was save a couple of those empties, then if I needed water elsewhere on the ship, I'd refill them from the 12 oz cans.  Yeah, a bit of a hassle.

 

I agree.  Can't take the pop-top cans on a tour, or haul around in your tote bag once opened unless you intend to soak everyone and everything around you.  Or if you guzzle 12 oz at a time, which I don't.

[albingirl]

Every time I had saltines on board, they were stale.  Every single time.  But, I'm a boater and realize it's impossible to keep crackers onboard without running into this problem.  It's the damp.

[rkacruiser]

11 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

it is difficult to sort out certain items from the food waste (cracker wrappers, straws, sugar packets).  

 

I have observed what takes place in the "garbage" area and the sorting that the crew try to do.  Is it not practical to try to remove, as well as possible, what is disposed in "trash" and combine that with the trash that is incinerated?  

 

If such separation of such items is not practical, then, what is the purpose of separating trash that will be incinerated from other trash that won't be?  

[chengkp75]

Just now, rkacruiser said:

 

I have observed what takes place in the "garbage" area and the sorting that the crew try to do.  Is it not practical to try to remove, as well as possible, what is disposed in "trash" and combine that with the trash that is incinerated?  

 

If such separation of such items is not practical, then, what is the purpose of separating trash that will be incinerated from other trash that won't be?  

The problem that Carnival and HAL are having is not separating plastic from paper that can be incinerated, it is separating plastics and paper from food waste, which is merely ground fine and pumped over the side.  Most of that trash/food waste comes from the plates and glasses brought into the dishwashing stations in the galleys, where the food is sprayed off into the garbage disposal.  This disposal is connected in a continual loop to a collecting tank in the engine room, where the food waste is stored until it is possible to pump it over.  This trash never gets to the "garbage" area of the ship.  Food waste is the only thing that can be sent over the side, and it must be food waste only.  Even a couple of plastic straws would qualify for a fine up to $5000 just for not reporting it, and up to $25,000 for each occurrence.  The fines are paid to those individuals who are "whistleblowers" for the infraction, or if no whistleblower, then to the "Abandoned Seafarer's Fund".

[rkacruiser]

5 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

it is separating plastics and paper from food waste, which is merely ground fine and pumped over the side.  Most of that trash/food waste comes from the plates and glasses brought into the dishwashing stations in the galleys, where the food is sprayed off into the garbage disposal. 

 

Thank you for your answer to my questions.  It is possibly a productivity/efficiency  issue why what I am going to suggest could not be done.  Either the Steward who brings the dirty dishes/food waste to the dishwashing area or a crew member working in that area separate the trash from the food waste before the spraying of the food waste into the garbage disposal system.

 

I envision that this separation could start at the Steward's station.  I have seen plates being scraped onto one plate.  A sugar packet, a cracker wrapper could be removed and placed in a different location at the station.  (At least on HAL, waste baskets in the staterooms have two areas:  one for recyclables and one for trash.  Is this not possible at the Steward's stations?)

[chengkp75]

22 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

Either the Steward who brings the dirty dishes/food waste to the dishwashing area or a crew member working in that area separate the trash from the food waste before the spraying of the food waste into the garbage disposal system.

While many have done galley tours, they never see what a madhouse it is when meal service is in full swing.  There is almost a constant line up at the counter dropping off bus pans full of dishes, and the dishwashing crew are in constant movement just trying to get the dishes into the machine in the proper orientation for cleaning, and sorting out the silverware, etc.  And, these are the "dirty hands", these people are not allowed to touch the dishes that come out of the machine, there are those who have only touched clean dishware to do that.  Then, the bus staff have to wash their hands before going back on the floor.  Putting a couple of more people standing there to separate out trash would clog things up completely.  

 

Even though I was required to be touring the galleys during meal services (not every day), to see how USPH standards are being maintained, and to see how the equipment is working, I really had to work at not being an intrusion on the dishwashing staff, as these guys were going full out for the entire meal service, and then had to tear down the machine for cleaning.

 

27 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

I envision that this separation could start at the Steward's station.  I have seen plates being scraped onto one plate.

Do you see these waitstaff standing around with time on their hands?  I haven't.  So, taking the time to sort out the trash, and they already try their best to do so, would require again more personnel to make it happen.

[rkacruiser]

Anyone who has visited the Galley, and particularly during the sometimes offered Behind the Scenes Tours and have had a chance to speak with the Executive Chef and others in the Galley, has to understand the "madhouse" (as you correctly describe it) that takes place.  From the beginning of the dining service to its end, working in a small area, the job has to be most stressful.  

 

That is one of the reasons that I fully support the cruise lines' concept of an automatic gratuity applied to the guest's account.  A bit of that gratuity goes to these men and women whom, as guests, never see, and, unfortunately for many new to cruising, never think about.  

 

Thank you, Chief, for your thoughts and insights!  

[cccole]

I can't even imagine waitstaff in the MD, or any dining area, going thru passenger's garbage to separate recyclables. If a passenger wants their sugar packet or cracker wrapper put in a recyclable bin, maybe they can do it themselves.   Yikes...how much responsibility for the passengers can the staff take over.  Isn't it up to all of us? JMO. Cherie    

[aliaschief]

This whole discussion of crackers just “cracks ”me up. I’m sure the people of Ukraine and other deprived countries are shaking their heads about this.

Sometimes life doesn’t always “crack up to be what it cracks up to be.”

Tis times our different.  Me thinks,I can accept and graciously accept and be so so fortunate to be on a cruise and cherish a saltine if available.

 

[cccole]

18 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

This whole discussion of crackers just “cracks ”me up. I’m sure the people of Ukraine and other deprived countries are shaking their heads about this.

Sometimes life doesn’t always “crack up to be what it cracks up to be.”

Tis times our different.  Me thinks,I can accept and graciously accept and be so so fortunate to be on a cruise and cherish a saltine if available.

 

Everyone should bring onto their cruise whatever is important to them.  And, if you don't... just don't worry about first world problems.  As said above, others in the world are trying to save their lives not their crackers.  Some things are important to us and we should be responsible for having them.  JMO. Cherie   

[chengkp75]

8 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

Anyone who has visited the Galley, and particularly during the sometimes offered Behind the Scenes Tours and have had a chance to speak with the Executive Chef and others in the Galley, has to understand the "madhouse" (as you correctly describe it) that takes place.

And even those "inside a cruise ship" shows on TV that show the organized chaos of the meals being prepared and carried out to the passengers, you never see the dirty side, the pot washing stations, or the dishwashing stations.

 

Hand hygiene is critical.  In addition to not allowing the same person to work both ends of the dishwashing machine, if waitstaff has touched a dirty (used) plate, bussing it off the table and back to the galley, they need to either wash hands or re-glove before touching the next course going out.  Rinse and repeat.

[Dunmore2]

It’s reassuring to know that they take hand hygiene so seriously. There are many things that go on behind the scenes and I appreciate that you bring them to our attention.