Noordam Vista Dining Room Menus Posted

[happycat Bainbridge Is]

First of all, huge thanks to Sakedad for sharing thoughts, tips and menus!

 

Would love to see dailies too when you get home. Also so glad you and your Mom had a wonderful time.

 

On the menu debate - according to the HAL press release, wild salmon will be offered every night on Alaska cruises:

 

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/070517/sfth031.html?.v=100

 

So fishy lovers, don't dispair!

 

I see no reason why you shouldn't order an appetizer, salad, soup, entree and dessert if that's what you want! It shouldn't make any difference that the first three are lumped together - I can't imagine any HAL server batting an eyelash at that.

 

Although I don't mind a very leisurely pace to dining, clearly from these boards there are a lot of people who want to eat on a much more American timetable, so perhaps this menu steers them in the direction of ordering slightly less to finish more quickly? A 5 course meal is not really designed to served and consumed in under an hour, IMHO.

 

The greater flexibility in entree sized choices is going to be welcomed by many people, I think. It doesn't take a ton more time to plate a salad for me on a small plate (to go with 5 courses) and a dinner salad for someone else on a dinner plate. Now if only I can get escarot as an entree .... :D

 

Can't wait to try out the new seating and menu changes myself, but in the meantime, I look forward to reading over the ones that Sakedad has provided!

[dcdave]

Thank you Sakedad for posting the menus and pictures. You took some great ones and I'm looking forward to seeing the others. I also can't wait to take my cruise on the Noordam on June 24th.

 

One question. You mentioned you didn't have pictures of all the menus. Do you remember which nights the menus you posted were from? (I'm assuming the two formal nights are Monday and Friday.)

 

Thanks again and keep those great photos coming.

[mamaofami]

Oh, those escargot were heavenly, weren't they? You can always order two portions. YUM!

[JoeysMama]

sakedad thankyou, your pictures are very nice. I liked looking at the menus. We were last on Holland over Thanksgiving with the whole family both sets of parents. The menu looks a bit dfferent to me, this will be the first cruise in a while that it will be both my husband and me only instead of the kids and parents. We have early dinner so I do not know anything about this other dining. We normally are seated in the lower level but the documents my husband gave me shows Upper.

 

I think the new salads look very good, hopefully you can post more of those menus.

[BILLP1]

I noticed a recomended wine that was selling for $72.00

on the posted menus We just had the same wine locally for $24.00 . Now that is some markup... A Pinot Grigio for $72.. PLEASE

[SDHALFAN]

Well maybe the answer is because we have never been on the Noordam:confused: but I will say that my most recent cruises on the Oosterdam and the Zaandam did not have items in the Starters section that could be served as an Entree, there were no salads that could be whole Entrees and I have never seen the title of Greenhouse Spa Cuisine before nor the entrees they represent. .

 

Hi Lisa:

 

I'm wondering if you and Judy (Sail) have been sailing on the same cruiseline as I have since 1986? I'm not saying that this is on all cruises and on all ships, but I remember very well that often (and I mean very often) an appetizer (usually a Pasta I think) is offered and there is a notation that this can also be ordered as an entree. As far as I remember it is pretty standard on the menus. It may be that there was an asterisk, or parentheses, and that you missed it. The Dinner Salads are a new one to me though and I am not a salad eater so usually just skip over that one;).

 

The new "Greenhouse Spa" offering: didn't I read somewhere recently that The Greenhouse Spa is going to be replacing the current Spa? Maybe this is one way that HAL is preparing everyone for the changeover. Google The Greenhouse Spa and you will find out that it is a world-class Spa and, I hate to say this, but the prices will probably be even more jaw-dropping, but the experience might well be worth it.

 

 

I noticed a recomended wine that was selling for $72.00

on the posted menus We just had the same wine locally for $24.00 . Now that is some markup... A Pinot Grigio for $72.. PLEASE

 

Hi BILLP1:

 

I posted a while ago about a lovely lady on the Amsterdam's GWV who loved her wine and became enamored of a wine called "4 Emus". I happened to overhear the wine steward in the Ocean Bar quote her a price of $US44.00 a bottle, and if memory serves correctly she ordered several bottles to enjoy during the cruise. Well: cheapo moi (and since I was going to be in Sydney for a couple of days and spending loads of time with my brother and his wife) decided to check it out. Whoah: no surprise here: although none of the three wine shops I visited had it in stock they all knew it well and said it would sell for about $AU10.00-12.00 a bottle. Now, that's a money maker. Needless to say I stocked up on another (and superior) brand and saved a ton of money.

 

Valerie:)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

.........

The new "Greenhouse Spa" offering: didn't I read somewhere recently that The Greenhouse Spa is going to be replacing the current Spa? Maybe this is one way that HAL is preparing everyone for the changeover. Google The Greenhouse Spa and you will find out that it is a world-class Spa and, I hate to say this, but the prices will probably be even more jaw-dropping, but the experience might well be worth it.

 

.......

 

Valerie:)

 

Valerie, now you have me confused!:) As long as I've been cruising HAL (all the way back to last August;) ), there has been a Greenhouse Spa onboard, and a very nice one it is. Love that Thermal Suite! Now apparently, they are re-naming the lighter, healthier cuisine on the menu as a "Greenhouse Spa offering", I guess because the idea of "spa cuisine" has a trendy cachet. In any case, I've always managed to get my daily intake of all the basic food groups, and then some, on a HAL ship.:)

 

Ain't life grand, that we can spend hours and hours discussing the delights of the table?

 

Karin

[sail7seas]

Yes..... it has been Greenhouse Spa since SOE.

 

[SDHALFAN]

Valerie, now you have me confused! As long as I've been cruising HAL (all the way back to last August;) ), there has been a Greenhouse Spa onboard, and a very nice one it is. Love that Thermal Suite! Now apparently, they are re-naming the lighter, healthier cuisine on the menu as a "Greenhouse Spa offering", I guess because the idea of "spa cuisine" has a trendy cachet. In any case, I've always managed to get my daily intake of all the basic food groups, and then some, on a HAL ship.:)

 

Ain't life grand, that we can spend hours and hours discussing the delights of the table?

 

Karin

 

 

Oops: I'v been "outed":o . Can you tell that I never go anywhere near the Spa - it's just not my thing at all: in fact if you are looking for me you will likely find me in the Library (or the casino - but that's another story:eek: ).

 

I thought that I had heard somewhere that one of the cruiselines was replacing their spa with another, and now that I think about it it was the Golden Door Spa that was going to be introduced.

 

Maybe on my next cruise I will actually walk by the Spa just so I can say that I have been there. Did that with the Gym one time when I went there looking for someone and then I proudly told anyone who would listen that I had been to the gym that day - yeah, it's true: I have no shame.

 

Valerie;)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Hi Lisa:

 

I'm wondering if you and Judy (Sail) have been sailing on the same cruiseline as I have since 1986? I'm not saying that this is on all cruises and on all ships, but I remember very well that often (and I mean very often) an appetizer (usually a Pasta I think) is offered and there is a notation that this can also be ordered as an entree. As far as I remember it is pretty standard on the menus. It may be that there was an asterisk, or parentheses, and that you missed it. The Dinner Salads are a new one to me though and I am not a salad eater so usually just skip over that one;).

Val, I have only been cruising on HAL since our first one in April 2003, since then we have had 11 HAL cruises. I know there has been pasta dishes but I have never seen them present under Appetizers/Starters they have all been listed under an entree.But then I will admit all my cruises have been 7 day with the exception of our 10 day this past November and a 4 day repo cruise that was part of a 34 day cruise on the Veendam. I have never been told and seen written that you could have the pasta dish as a small appetizer. I just find the whole concept different, not saying I do not like it I just find it a bit unique and I may have to try it. Some times I feel like past but not a large dish of it so this might actually be perfect.

[hammybee]

Oops: Did that with the Gym one time when I went there looking for someone and then I proudly told anyone who would listen that I had been to the gym that day - yeah, it's true: I have no shame.

 

Valerie;)

 

I HAVE got to cruise with you, one day. :)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Me, too. I will not have lived thoroughly until I've cruised with Valerie from San Diego.:)

 

Karin