Tell me about meal time, experienced HAL cruisers

[startwin]

 

Hi Elle, aka Plantcrone (love that handle btw :) )

 

I'm so excited for you! I think some of those rules were made due to some of the horrid experiences some of us have had in the Lido buffet area of the bigger mega ships. The Lida buffet on those ships can get pretty crowded and some people forget their manners. Case in point, I will never sail Carnival Glory again!

 

However, you should not have any problems on your cruise and those "Rules" apply to the type of person that hogs the chairs by the pool or almost knocks you over to grab whatever they've just replenished on the buffet like they haven't eaten in weeks, I'm sure neither of those are you. It's usually unsupervised children/teenagers I have experienced doing the later.

 

I'd bring some plastic baggies like someone suggested to take snacks back to your cabin. I always venture up the the Lido buffet and grab snacks, a small plate, or whatever throughout the day and enjoy it either in my room, the promenade, or other venues on the ship. They don't mind as long as you don't just leave you plates, cups, etc. just anywhere. I typically return mine to the buffet and save it and place it on the room service tray to get picked up and taken back to the galley. Usually someone comes around and ask to take the plate before you even have to figure out with to do with it -- the service on a cruise is typically that good, you will come home spoiled! You can bring snacks on board like others have suggested, including soy/almond beverages. You can also call and order items from the dinning room menu (not buffet) through room service in addition to the room service menu.

 

We sail on the 16th, 3 days before you. It's my 8th or 9th cruise and I'm just as excited as if it were the first! Enjoy your cruise!!!

 

These things are not unique to Carnival, or to mega-ships. I've seen queue jumpers and very bad manners on HAL ships too - we've seen it on all sailings.:( And chair hogs. It's just rude people. And one other thing that drives me nuts is when you can't find a table in the Lido and there are people not eating but playing cards or knitting.

 

I also take ziploc baggies, and often pick up cheese and crackers to take back to the room. It's definitely not a no-no but perhaps Cruise Critic hasn't heard about that!:rolleyes: Nor is it being a food hog.

[Typhoon1]

Let Ships Services know about your dietary concerns.

 

They will make sure you receive the appropriate foods you are looking for.

[Shmoo here]

These things are not unique to Carnival, or to mega-ships. I've seen queue jumpers and very bad manners on HAL ships too - we've seen it on all sailings.:( And chair hogs. It's just rude people. And one other thing that drives me nuts is when you can't find a table in the Lido and there are people not eating but playing cards or knitting.

 

I also take ziploc baggies, and often pick up cheese and crackers to take back to the room. It's definitely not a no-no but perhaps Cruise Critic hasn't heard about that!:rolleyes: Nor is it being a food hog.

 

While I can agree with you about the knitting in the Lido Restaurant, I'm afraid I'm going to have to defend the card players. There really aren't many places to play cards indoors. Yes, you can play cards on the pool deck, but, if the roof is open and it's windy, the cards do scatter. And, on our recent cruise, playing cards for 2 hours on the pool deck when the temperature is 89 degrees and the humidity is 90% (causing a sauna effect) is very uncomfortable.

 

I will say we did try not to be in there during mealtimes, only when it wasn't very busy.

Edited December 12, 2013 by Shmoo here

[OVgirl]

You can also talk to your dining room manager about maybe getting some of your dinner to take back to your room. I have seen it done a couple of times and while not regularly, I don't see why not since you have a medical issue. Believe me, you won't go hungry.

 

Susan

 

You could ask your dining room steward to have one of your courses sent to your cabin, without you having to carry it. Just explain your situation and the staff will usually work with you.

[bjkrlk]

I'm on this ship as I'm typing. There is no reason that you can't go to the lido and get whatever you want - the menu is huge everyday. All shapes, sizes and description.

The room service menu has been shared. I had gastric bypass. Cruises are perfect

[Plantcrone]

I didn't realize the MDR and the Lido were different things..it's going to be a real learning experience! I thought the primary eating area was buffet and then there were all these specialty cost extra restaurants. I do want to try the buffet some time..I know we are going to one of the specialty restaurants for My son-in-laws father (what does that make jim to me? is there an actual name for him other than s-i-l's father?) anyhow it's his 70th birthday one of the nights were on the ship. It ought to be fun to have a celebration on board.

 

Best wishes everyone

[Plantcrone]

I'm on this ship as I'm typing. There is no reason that you can't go to the lido and get whatever you want - the menu is huge everyday. All shapes, sizes and description.

The room service menu has been shared. I had gastric bypass. Cruises are perfect

 

Thanks for this note..I was sure there were others in the same position as I am. I've worked so hard for so long keeping the weight just right I dread gaining or losing too much!

 

Good for your husband!

[Linda&Vern]

While I can agree with you about the knitting in the Lido Restaurant, I'm afraid I'm going to have to defend the card players. There really aren't many places to play cards indoors. Yes, you can play cards on the pool deck, but, if the roof is open and it's windy, the cards do scatter. And, on our recent cruise, playing cards for 2 hours on the pool deck when the temperature is 89 degrees and the humidity is 90% (causing a sauna effect) is very uncomfortable.

 

I will say we did try not to be in there during mealtimes, only when it wasn't very busy.

 

I may be wrong :rolleyes: (it happens) ... but I thought all HAL ships had "Card Rooms." No organized play - you have to organize any card playing yourself. I assumed that anyone could play there.

[nana51]

While I can agree with you about the knitting in the Lido Restaurant, I'm afraid I'm going to have to defend the card players. There really aren't many places to play cards indoors. Yes, you can play cards on the pool deck, but, if the roof is open and it's windy, the cards do scatter. And, on our recent cruise, playing cards for 2 hours on the pool deck when the temperature is 89 degrees and the humidity is 90% (causing a sauna effect) is very uncomfortable.

 

I will say we did try not to be in there during mealtimes, only when it wasn't very busy.

 

We were a Mexican Train group of 6 and we NEVER played in the Lido when it was busy. There just aren't too many places a large group can play though. We were always by ourselves in there and the buffet was closed.

[nana51]

I'm on this ship as I'm typing. There is no reason that you can't go to the lido and get whatever you want - the menu is huge everyday. All shapes, sizes and description.

The room service menu has been shared. I had gastric bypass. Cruises are perfect

 

 

I did also over 2 years ago. Cruises are perfect for me also. The MDR was good about making my portions small, (my husband finished my leftovers). The lido was perfect for getting small little plates of food.

[fionan]

A few more things to add:

If you are going to the Lido (buffet) there are no trays there, but you will find a tray in your room under the ice bucket which can come in very handy :)

 

I have the celiac condition and HAL has always been wonderful in accommodating it. I find it easier to eat in the MDR because I get given the dinner menu for the next night at some point during dinner and I mark it with what I would like to eat the next evening - they then prepare it in the "special diets" section of the kitchen and it is made to order and they tweak the recipe if necessary to make it gluten free - eg substituting rice for couscous or grilling fish rather than coating it in flour and frying it. They would do the same for a dairy free diet - eg by omitting a sauce or using oil rather than butter. (I did a behind the scenes kitchen tour where they showed us the special diets kitchen area and it was separate from the stations where each entree is assembled)

 

Obviously choosing to tip is a personal decision, (and I'm ony mentioning it because you haven't cruised before and are also new to these boards where there is usually a tipping thread on the go with a range of views expressed :)) but because I recognise that it is extra work for the MDR waiters to fetch a menu for me and then process it and also to deal with fetching my special meal that night, I like to give them a few dollars each night to recognise that. Those guys are rushed off their feet just doing their usual job. I have a different table every night so there isn't one guy who takes care of it, but even if I had fixed dining I would probably tip each night - it does smooth the way for efficient menu delivery each night.

 

You can order a second starter instead of a main course, if you fancy smaller plates. You can ask for a side order of steamed vegetables if you want to eat healthy (and specify no butter)- the veg portions included in the entrees can be small, like a garnish.

 

Also, as well as the quite fancy entrees on the menu there is an "always available" section which has plainer food - grilled salmon, grilled chicken breast and grilled steak. If you are finding the menu food quite rich then these can be a nice plainer alternative.

 

Eating at the Lido - you can always ask for help and the server will call the chef to run through the recipes to check you can eat them, but it does take time and can make the people behind you in the line a bit cross. So I tend to only take food that I know can't possibly have any gluten in them and probably miss out on a lot of delicious stuff when there are a lot of people getting their lunch.

 

At lunch time there is a good salad bar in the Lido and also usually a Mexican food station where you can get different plain salad veg and guacamole.

 

I've only travelled on Charters where they arrange a special needs meeting with the Chefs and the Maitre'd. They are very helpful in explaining what they can do for guests, so I'd suggest approaching the Maitre'd on the first day and asking if you can talk to someone from the kitchen as well.

 

I think if you bring back a plate to the cabin every time you see something in the Lido that you fancy for later in the day, and order from room service you will be absolutely fine. I hope that you love your cruise and that you will ask HAL to take care of your needs, because they really will look after you well, so long as they know what you need. I remember breakfast waiters insisting on bringing me special gluten free pancakes because they could see I was only ordering boring safe stuff and not letting them spoil me with all the things that they could do for me.

[Boytjie]

I may be wrong :rolleyes: (it happens) ... but I thought all HAL ships had "Card Rooms." No organized play - you have to organize any card playing yourself. I assumed that anyone could play there.

 

And IIRC there are tables in the Crow's Nest. We used a big one to play Bananagrams.

[Shmoo here]

And IIRC there are tables in the Crow's Nest. We used a big one to play Bananagrams.

 

On our recent cruise the "card room" was one of the meeting rooms. And it was taken over every day at 2:00 by the bridge club. We were able to squeeze in a quick card game there one day before the bridge players arrived. And it was used by other groups at other times. So, yes we could play there, if no one else was there.

 

In the crow's nest, as far as I remember, the tables were cocktail tables. Short, small ones. Not tables you actually could sit at.

Edited December 12, 2013 by Shmoo here

[take us away]

Had dinner years ago with a couple where he had a similar issue about eating several times a day (and night). The waiter presented him with a wrapped small meal at the end of every dinner so he could take it to his cabin, they would make and wrap up a half sandwich in the Lido, etc. He also had a bowl of peanut butter with crackers in his cabin as his issue was he also needed extra protein.

 

Bottom line - all you have to do is ask!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I didn't realize the MDR and the Lido were different things..it's going to be a real learning experience! I thought the primary eating area was buffet and then there were all these specialty cost extra restaurants. I do want to try the buffet some time..I know we are going to one of the specialty restaurants for My son-in-laws father (what does that make jim to me? is there an actual name for him other than s-i-l's father?) anyhow it's his 70th birthday one of the nights were on the ship. It ought to be fun to have a celebration on board.

 

Best wishes everyone

 

 

Happy Birthday to your son-in-law father.

Just a list of places on the Nieuw Amsterdam for meals:

Main dining room for breakfast and dinner -- open some days for lunch.

Lido buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner and late night snacks as well as other snacks during the day.

Terrace Grill -- lunch and late afternoon food -- also the taco stand is here.

Pinnacle Grill -- open for lunch ($10 per person) some days. Always open for dinner ($25 per person). I am not certain what cabin category you are in, but all PS and Neptune Suite passengers can have breakfast here every morning.

Tamarind -- lunch (free) everyday and dinner ($15 per person) everyday. We love eating here.

Canaletto -- open only for dinner ($10 per person) -- even though it is located in a section of the Lido, it is separate from the Lido and not a buffet.

HAL does not have as many restaurants as other cruise lines.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I may be wrong :rolleyes: (it happens) ... but I thought all HAL ships had "Card Rooms." No organized play - you have to organize any card playing yourself. I assumed that anyone could play there.

 

You are right -- all ships do have a card room.

Anyone can play and card or board game, etc. in there. But on a few cruises I have noticed that the un-organized bridge players would take over the card rooms. One person would arrive early and set up all the tables.

[Krazy Kruizers]

And IIRC there are tables in the Crow's Nest. We used a big one to play Bananagrams.

 

On our recent cruise the "card room" was one of the meeting rooms. And it was taken over every day at 2:00 by the bridge club. We were able to squeeze in a quick card game there one day before the bridge players arrived. And it was used by other groups at other times. So, yes we could play there, if no one else was there.

 

In the crow's nest, as far as I remember, the tables were cocktail tables. Short, small ones. Not tables you actually could sit at.

 

 

 

Not all ships have larger tables in the Crow's Nest.

Only those ships that have the Explorations Café, library and internet café in the Crow's Nest have some larger tables there.

[Thebes]

This is the current cabin room service menu -- there should be a copy of it your cabin inside what appears to be an open book with all kinds of ship information -- sitting usually on the cabin desk:

Available 24 hours:

 

Smoked Atlantic Salmon - pickled red onion, capers & cream cheese

 

Mesclun Garden Greens - tomato, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts & blue cheese crumbles

 

Triple Decker Club Sandwich - sliced turkey, ham, bacon, tomato & lettuce served on toasted bread of your choice

 

All American Hamburger - broiled 1/4 pound beef patty on a sesame bun with dill pickle & coleslaw - add cheddar or Swiss cheese

 

Open faced Omelet - ham & cheese or vegetables

 

Selection of assorted cheese with crackers

 

Apple tart with whipped cream

 

Chocolate cake with raspberry sauce

 

A plate of chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk

 

Fruit salad - selected fruits in season

 

 

Available from 12 noon until 10 PM:

 

Appetizers & Soups:

Bay shrimp cocktail with cocktail sauce

Smoked Atlantic Salmon

French onion soup baked with Gruyere cheese

Soup of the day

 

Salads:

Mesclun Garden Greens

Chef salad - mixed greens, ham, salami, swiss cheese, turkey, hard boiled egg - choice of Italian or blue cheese dressing

Caesar salad - tossed with Caesar dressing, croutons & parmesan - add bay shrimp or grilled chicken breast

 

Sandwiches & Burgers:

All are served with a choice of potato salad or potato chips

 

Triple decker club sandwich

Broiled California chicken breast sandwich on multi=grain bread with avocado & honey mustard sauce

Grilled tuna melt - tuna salad & Swiss cheese on rye bread with pickle spears

Thai Vegetarian wrap - eggplant, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts & cilantro rolled with rice & green curry sauce in a tomato tortilla

Steak sandwich - sirloin steak on sourdough bread sauteed with onion & bell pepper

All American Hamburger

 

Entrees:

Seared salmon steak - dill-lime fusion, broccoli florets, carrot batonnet & country mashed potatoes

Penne Primavera - tossed in marinara sauce with Italian roasted vegetables - add grilled chicken breast

Pizza:

margarita (tomato sauce & cheese)

Pepperoni

Vegetarian (mushroom & bell pepper)

 

Desserts:

Apple tart

Chocolate cake

Creme caramel surrounded in berry compote

Fruit jello

fruit salad

Vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce

Selection of assorted cheese with crackers

 

Thank you very much for listing this KK :):)

Have u tried any of the items btw ?

How do u rate the burger ? And the salmon, which is on the first line ? Is that an entree or sandwich ?

Not many people commented on this menu but many have commented on the PG, tamarind and MDR menus.

Edited December 12, 2013 by Thebes

[wander]

Good questions for a new cruiser!

 

I just returned from several months on a HAL cruise ship. For medical reasons I eat relatively little volume and need to carefully ensure my nutritional intake. NO Problem on the ship - so much to chose from in both the main dining room and the Lido (buffet). At all meals there are many protein choices on the Lido. Also numerous choices at dinner, but I frequently just had a shrimp cocktail and maybe another appetizer along with a green salad for dinner. I also took along some protein powders, an appropriate size drinking bottle and crystal light packets. I mixed these myself and always had one in the cooler in my cabin. I also kept 1-2 containers of yoghurt (from the lido) in my cooler if needed. You can always get a glass of milk (regular, 2% or non-fat), soy milk or one other type in the morning and mix that with your protein powder, keeping it in the cooler.

 

About losing weight - I realize you do not want to do so, but I did want to and managed to lose 4 lbs. Not alot but a clear victory for me - and I never felt deprived - always lots of good stuff I could eat - just had to chose wisely (No sticky buns for me).

 

If you take it literally, there actually no doggie bags available on board. HOWEVER, folks take food back to their cabins from the Lido all the time. Be it uneaten food from your used plate or new food, simply put it on a plate, perhaps cover with a napkin, and take it with you. If you pick wisely, there will be no uneaten food, so just take a new plate and what you want for your next minimal. I also see folks taking something back to a cabin mate or friend who is not feeling well but needs some soup or such. Of course, for them room service is another option. The same can be done from the Lido in the evening or breakfast. Then too, our recent cruises have had a light meal available about 10 pm in the lido, primarily meats/fish and deserts.

 

From the main dinning room I have seen people leaving with a small plate covered with a napkin. I do not know what kind(s) of food they carried out.

 

I am sure there are other ways to do what you want that others may mention.

[RuthC]

Be it uneaten food from your used plate or new food, simply put it on a plate, perhaps cover with a napkin, and take it with you.

If you ask for plastic film covering, they will get it for you. Or, this is a good time to put that unused shower cap to good use. ;) Either way is better than a napkin that is likely to slide off.