Dutch Dinner?

[lovingwife1229]

Could someone please tell me what the Dutch Dinner is? I have noticed that a lot of people want to book the special restaurants on those nights...so is it something to be avoided?

[sail7seas]

It isn't anymore. We just returned from two weeks on Maasdam....... No Dutch dinner. We miss it. We loved seeing the hats and the striped banner on the table and the bami goreng and dover sole. It may still exist on other ships but it's been a while since we have seen it.

 

[mickeyfitz]

Apparently its optional with each ship. We had it on the Westerdam in May. I know that some people say that they avoid it, but I really don't understand that since my wife and I love it. There are some special Dutch and Indonesian menu items, themed decorations and Dutch hats you can put on if you wish.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On our Maasdam cruises they had what they considered Dutch night. It has been a long time since the dining room was decorated in Dutch colors and they had the hats.

On some of the ships, Dover Sole is offered. But it wasn't on the Maasdam. Instead they had Pan Fried Halibut. This was the night for the Dutch Pea soup and and what they called a Dutch Favorite: "Brisket of Beef with Hodge Podge".

[RuthC]

We had the full-blown Dutch Night on my recent Prinsendam cruise. There was Dover Sole, the hats, most of what I remember.

 

No Dutch Tulip for dessert, though. :( Just a basket with a tiny dollop of chocolate mousse.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Another evening there were some Indonesian food:

Indonesian Lumpia Goreng (Vegetable Spring Role)

Soto Ayan Madura (Chicken Noodle Soup)

Nasi Goreng Rijsttafel (haven't seen Bami Goreng in a long time in the dining room for dinner. But a while back did see it offered for lunch in the dining room.)

 

Rice Pudding Gula Jawa.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I have never personally experienced HAL's Dutch Dinner on any of the ship's I've been on (Zaandam, Amsterdam, and Noordam). However, in June I was on the Noordam in Juneau, which was docked stern to stern with the Statendam. Standing on one of the aft decks of Noordam, and looking through Statendam's rear windows, I could see many heads throughout that ship's dining room wearing the traditional white caps. So I assumed that Dutch Night was alive and well on the Statendam this past June.:)

 

Karin

[booboo29]

We had it last year on the Westerdam and I certainly hope they have it on the Veendam in November. I LOVE Dutch night and wouldn't miss it!:D

 

Jennifer

[peaches from georgia]

Did anyone here wear the hats? :D

[sail7seas]

On our Maasdam cruises they had what they considered Dutch night. It has been a long time since the dining room was decorated in Dutch colors and they had the hats.

 

On some of the ships, Dover Sole is offered. But it wasn't on the Maasdam. Instead they had Pan Fried Halibut. This was the night for the Dutch Pea soup and and what they called a Dutch Favorite: "Brisket of Beef with Hodge Podge".

 

:D Yes..... OUR Maasdam cruise did the same. ;)

 

That isn't Dutch Night IMO

 

No hats were given nor worn.

 

We used to enjoy Dutch Night and miss it.

 

 

[Suitegurl]

No Dutch Tulip for dessert, though. :( Just a basket with a tiny dollop of chocolate mousse.

 

Too bad, for me the Dutch Tulip is my favorite dessert....:(

[RuthC]

Did anyone here wear the hats? :D

Always. :) 'course, I wear it a la Veronica Lake style, but I do wear it.

[Cruising-along]

Did anyone here wear the hats? :D

 

Always :D

[bermuda triangle]

Did anyone have their hats embroidered with the ships name and ports? I know in the past their would usually be a crew member who would do this for a minimal fee...

 

Laura

[dmlee1990]

We were on the Amsterdam recently and we did have Dutch Night in the Dining room......no hats though. Here is the menu:

 

Starters:

Dutch Sailor's Fruit Cocktail with Yukon Whiskey

Quenelles Buffalo Mozzarella

Baked Macaroni with Ham and Chese

Dutch Pea Soup with Smoked Pork

Alaskan Fisherman's Pot

Chiffonade of Bibb Lettuce with Tuna

 

Entrees:

 

Oriental Chicken Salad

Pan Sauteed Alaskan Sole Fillet

Nasi Goreng Rijsttafel - Indonesian fried rice feast with juicy pork sate, spicy chicken drumstick, beef Sumatra, scallions and julienne of omelet. Served with pickeled cucumber, crisp prawn crackers and crisp-creamy fried banana.

Dutch Favorite - Brisket of Beef with Hodge Podge

Southwestern Style Cheese Manicotti

 

I had the Alaskan Sole and my husband had the Nasi Goreng. Both entrees were very good.

[eh2zed]

We always wear the hats when the dinner is held. Intermittent now. Zuiderdam in March didn't have it but the rotterdam in May did. Always looked forward to it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We always wore the Dutch Hats as well when they used to be at the tables on Dutch night.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We never got embroidered in the dining room on Dutch night. But we used to get them at various bars and in the Lido by various staff members. Many had the ships name and ports as well as the crew member(s) who gave them to you.

[sail7seas]

We have a wonderful collection of painted Dutch hats. The stewards and bartenders used to do beautiful art work on them. Some truly are works of art. It was one of the very charming things we so enjoyed in our earlier days of sailing HAL.

 

All of our hats have our names, date of our cruise and ship..... in addition there are all sorts of painting/drawings beautifully done. I don't have any embroidered with threads. Ours are all painted or drawn with art pens.

 

BTW......we never paid anyone any kind of fee to paint all of those hats for us. They were gifts. I'm surprised to hear some folks paid for them. I never heard that before .....

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

We also never had to pay for those wonderful painted hats. And we also have quite a collection of them.

Sure do miss them!!!

[RetiredMustang]

Did anyone have their hats embroidered with the ships name and ports? I know in the past their would usually be a crew member who would do this for a minimal fee...

 

Laura

 

Laura,

 

Actually, we have several of the ladies' hats (not the gents' black ones) that have been embroidered with that liqud embroidary pens of my childhood (if that doesn't reveal too much of how long ago that was. :rolleyes: )

 

But, we did not pay for any of them. They were presented to us by the staffs of the bars we had frequented most. One cruise, we got one each from the Crows Nest and the Piet Hein :o !

 

Sadly, that custom seems to have fallen out of favor, although the bar staff is still quite clever with the origami flowers, etc.

 

Dave

[hammybee]

I have never personally experienced HAL's Dutch Dinner on any of the ship's I've been on (Zaandam, Amsterdam, and Noordam). However, in June I was on the Noordam in Juneau, which was docked stern to stern with the Statendam. Standing on one of the aft decks of Noordam, and looking through Statendam's rear windows, I could see many heads throughout that ship's dining room wearing the traditional white caps. So I assumed that Dutch Night was alive and well on the Statendam this past June.:)

 

Karin

 

Too funny. We too had an aft cabin and watch dutch on on the Statendam, before our dinner. Did you also have the Peal rock wall in your face, elsewhere?

[JimVrhovac]

Last two cruises they have gone away from the full dutch menu. There are American dishes on the menu these nights.

 

Look outside the dining room at lunchtime as the dinner menu is posted...

 

Ruth & Jim

[dobiemom]

I wear the hat but not my DH.

 

I hope the Oosterdam still has Dutch Night. I am travelling with 2 newbies and I want them to have the experience (and the Baked Alaska Parade!). :D

[crazy4cruisn]

The Rotterdam had Dutch night with the hats this past January.