What happened to the late night themed buffets?

[sailandcruise]

On my three previous HAL cruises, the Lido had a "themed" buffet for the late night snack every night from 11pm to midnight -- e.g., American, French, Dutch, Italian, etc. :) On the recent Zuiderdam partial transit Panama Canal January 6-16, the Lido was open every night during this hour for "Late Night Snack" (except the night of the Dessert Extravaganza) but there were no themes to the menu. :( Instead there were just some composed salads, appetizers, a soup, a couple of entrees, pizza, and desserts. :( The quality seemed lower than in the past. Is this an example of recent HAL cutbacks? Is this something that has occurred on all ships in the fleet?

[Typhoon1]

Another example of Carnivalization?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just another cut back -- so few people go to the late night buffet as compared to years ago that it sounds like they figure there really isn't a need for a theme buffet anymore.

[MissShelllly]

The Volendam had themed buffets late at night during our collectors cruise that finished earlier this week. The menu was usually posted around lunchtime.

[kazu]

The Volendam had themed buffets late at night during our collectors cruise that finished earlier this week. The menu was usually posted around lunchtime.

 

as ddi the Prinsendam on our 20 day. perhaps it varies from ship to ship? or length of cruise:confused:

[CruiserBruce]

The N. Amsterdam had them as well, in December.

[KirkNC]

Just another cut back -- so few people go to the late night buffet as compared to years ago that it sounds like they figure there really isn't a need for a theme buffet anymore.

 

Thats us, haven't been to one in years, I can't stay up that late :(.

[FrankNJ]

Wow , they still have those ? I'm fast asleep ( assuming no accordion players are booked next door ) That was the #1 stupid cruise question the cruise director joked about , "What time is the midnight buffet ?"

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thats us, haven't been to one in years, I can't stay up that late :(.

 

 

Same here.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Volendam had themed buffets late at night during our collectors cruise that finished earlier this week. The menu was usually posted around lunchtime.

 

Maybe I missed them -- but I never saw a menu posted for the themed buffets on any of the ships that we have sailed on.

The daily program -- now called Explorer -- would just merely list it as Dutch night -- Italian night, etc.

[jbpinkie]

The Volendam had themed buffets late at night during our collectors cruise that finished earlier this week. The menu was usually posted around lunchtime.

 

I am booked on Westerdam on 3/4 and hear people calling it a collector's cruise too. I'm not familiar with the term, can you explain what that means? Glad you had the theme buffets, as I always thought they were fun

[3rdGenCunarder]

Same here.

 

And us, too. Geez, are we living up to the reputation for HAL's demographic, or what???

 

I'm normally a night owl, but on vacation, I become an early bird--don't want to lose any time in port.

 

One good thing about cutting back on the midnight buffets is the reduction in waste. I can remember on my early cruises seeing people with plates piled high and wondering how anyone could eat so much that late in the day, and how they'd get to sleep after stuffing themseles. (My visit to the buffet was usually for one more dessert and a glass of milk) Then one night, I went in toward the end and saw so many plates of food abandoned on tables. The waste was truly sinful. Just because someone paid a lot of money for a cruise, he/she doesn't have to grab every morsel in sight.

[kazu]

I am booked on Westerdam on 3/4 and hear people calling it a collector's cruise too. I'm not familiar with the term, can you explain what that means? Glad you had the theme buffets, as I always thought they were fun

 

It's two cruise segments combined also sometimes called a back to back. there is a discount in price (normally) because you booked the two together.

 

ie. our cruise in 2013 - some people will be on the Transatlantic, some will be on the Baltic cruise and for those on both, they are on the 'collectors' cruise'. Enjoy:D

[jbpinkie]

It's two cruise segments combined also sometimes called a back to back. there is a discount in price (normally) because you booked the two together.

 

ie. our cruise in 2013 - some people will be on the Transatlantic, some will be on the Baltic cruise and for those on both, they are on the 'collectors' cruise'. Enjoy:D

 

Thank you so much! This makes perfect sense, have just never heard it referred to that way. Very much appreciate the response!

[RuthC]

Thank you so much! This makes perfect sense, have just never heard it referred to that way. Very much appreciate the response!

Not all back-to-back cruises are Collectors' Cruises. Any two consecutive cruises are back-to-back. Sometimes HAL has special, reduced, pricing if you take both. In that case it's a Collectors' Cruise.

[adrift@sea]

Maybe I missed them -- but I never saw a menu posted for the themed buffets on any of the ships that we have sailed on.

 

The daily program -- now called Explorer -- would just merely list it as Dutch night -- Italian night, etc.

 

 

I recall seeing menus for the late night buffet posted outside the Lido near the aft stairs/elevators near the hand-sanitizers. It was posted next to the Lido Dinner Menu. I don't remember if we saw them recently on the Eurodam, but did see them on the Ryndam, Maasdam and Westerdam within the past year or so.

[sail7seas]

We haven't been near a Lido late night buffet in at our last 50 or more cruises. There had to be so much waste what is the point of putting out all that food so few people go there?

 

We have 8 P.M. dinner so are never looking for food again so soon after.

 

[Hawaiidan]

Its a good move to cut some of the waste so as to concentrate on better things than eating 24/7... good lord, how much food do you need in a day?

 

There is such an total spread from 0630 to 10.... thats line 17 hours of food/eating available...... and they are stopping it for only 6 hours a day , rather than 3 hours!!! Then there is 24 hour room service too!!!

 

I mean, all you can eat sounds great when your 18-20 but at 40 and you will be sick !!! Either that or you soon be buying 2 airline seats to fly. There is eating for pleasure and then eating our of obsession

 

The Lido does offer a 10:30 to 11:30 a theme food selection on the buffet /lido on the Niew Amsterdam 3 or 4 items and some salad... But

 

When my wife I cruise, we do dinner or Lunch not both. Way too much food.

[Vic The Parrot]

It used to be a novelty when I first started cruising.

 

Then, I only went to take photos of the neat displays they had going.

Now it's something I avoid completely ... unless it's a chocolate lovers/dessert theme.

 

It's something I'm always asking myself ... "How much food can anyone actually take ??" :eek:

 

 

As long as I get 3 square meals a day, I'm happy. The midnight snack isn't really necessary anymore.

[Aruba]

They had them every evening on the 11-day Maasdam Caribbean cruise I just took. I only went to one and that was just because I was curious about the theme: Canadian. :rolleyes:

[Vic The Parrot]

They had them every evening on the 11-day Maasdam Caribbean cruise I just took. I only went to one and that was just because I was curious about the theme: Canadian. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

You're kidding, right ?? :D

[Aruba]

No, I'm not kidding...the theme one night was Canadian! I honestly could not tell just what made it Canadian. They did offer salmon in a maple syrup glaze as one of the choices. Not that maple syrup makes it Canadian but it was my only guess!

[Vic The Parrot]

Interesting!

 

 

I was expecting you to say that the selections on offer were; hockey pucks (Canadian bacon), and moose burgers ... LOL ;)

[Typhoon1]

Thats us, haven't been to one in years, I can't stay up that late :(.

 

I think all of us are getting old. :eek::eek:

[jkrislc]

They had them on the Oosterdam New Year's Eve cruise and I agree with others that they weren't well attended. However, I think this was partially the result of the time that they were offered, 10:30-11:30 p.m. We ended up not being able to make it there because of the late night shows (e.g., comedian) who didn't end until 11:30. Thus, the only option for us was pizza (yuck) or waiting for room service, which we really didn't want to do. I think if they went until midnight or a little later, they might work better.