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No Dessert Extravaganza on Zuiderdam

BlackJack2

By BlackJack2,
in Holland America Line

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kjw869

kjw869

Posted
Posted
Every one I have been to has been packed with people, so I doubt that is the reason. Maybe it just cost too much for HAL.

 

DaveOKC

 

I agree. I don't think it was the attendance and also think it was the cost. We always went after the crowds died down and there was always mounds of desserts still remaining.

 

It also wasn't on the Zuiderdam in May of this year.

 

I think it was a very expensive photo-op. :eek:

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Appygirl

Appygirl

Posted
Posted

I think they did away with it a year ago. The last time I went to the one on Zuiderdam was 2 years ago and it was packed with people. I agree probably discontinued due to cost and too many leftovers. I see why. At 10:30 at night I'm not too hungry. All I'd take was a couple of strawberries. And I live chocolates and dessert.

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elycelynne

elycelynne

Posted
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I'm now wondering if the reasons that HAL staff/crew give for the disappearance of things are all a bunch of BS and the real reason all boils down to $$$$?

 

For example, I was told by a cruise director that the reason for the discontinuation of the Dam Dollars was that passengers were counterfeiting them and using the counterfeits so much that HAL was losing money. Considering that there aren't very many activities anymore where there's a prize involved, and that the ones that do still exist have crappy prizes like pins or a deck of cards, I wonder if the counterfeiting story was just something that the powers that be were telling cruise directors to say?

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PathfinderEss

PathfinderEss

Posted
Posted
Just off the Zuiderdam. The was no Dessert Extravaganza. Our waiter said that they have done away with this event because no one attended. Is this fleet wide?

 

Sorry to hear that. I have no idea if it is fleet wide, we usually don't go because were not much of dessert people.

The Dessert Extravaganza has always been kind of a tradition, with passengers alway seeming to enjoy it. If true, how sad.

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sammiedawg

sammiedawg

Posted
Posted

None on the Prinsendam this past July. There were several sea days so they cannot blame it on a busy itinerary.

The other thing missing was a gala grilled buffet on the pool deck, they had one small version of it at lunch on a port day, very few attended. Nothing lavish, some grilled chicken, brats, some vegetables. No array of desserts.

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meterman2

meterman2

Posted
Posted

On our recent Nieuw Amsterdam TA, there was not a Dessert Extravaganza. However, they did have a "Galley Lunch" (noon) buffet in the dining room which included a massive amount of desserts. It also had the ice sculptures and carved fruits etc.

 

I didn't go but my DW did. Maybe this is a substitute for the Extraganza...

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Lizzie68

Lizzie68

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Posted

I didn't mind it not being on the Zuiderdam early this year, or on our Alaska cruise last year. There is such a huge amount of waste. It's a just a photo op for many attendees. But I have to say that all the ones we have been too were packed with people.

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cantravel1

cantravel1

Posted
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We were on the Zaandam in October (October 5th to October 27th - from Vancouver to Valparaiso, Chile) and there was a Dessert Extravaganza at the Pool on the Lido Deck. It was towards the end of the cruise. Lots of people there that night! This was a 22 day cruise, so maybe they still have them on the longer cruises?

 

Colleen

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

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I also agree with the lack of taste in most of the deserts at the event, so I just skipped it.

 

I will say that the deserts in the main dining room on the Z last week were very good - much improved from our cruises last year.

 

DaveOKC

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summer slope

summer slope

Posted
Posted (edited)

We were on the Westerdam last year for a B2B. They had the Chocolate extravaganza the first week but not the second. We asked and they said it cost them over $60K for the event and it wasn't very well attended. I bet there weren't 100 people present. Lots of waste.

Edited by dixiefinn
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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
Posted (edited)
None on the Prinsendam this past July. There were several sea days so they cannot blame it on a busy itinerary.

The other thing missing was a gala grilled buffet on the pool deck, they had one small version of it at lunch on a port day, very few attended. Nothing lavish, some grilled chicken, brats, some vegetables. No array of desserts.

 

Wow! We had a number of the gala grilled buffets on the Lido both at lunch at a dinner on a port day where they knew people would be coming back late.

 

They were all delish!

 

Plus the little buffets when we returned from ports reflecting the ports we had been at.

 

And our itinerary was very port intensive - 25 port days out of 30 if I recall correctly.

 

Things shouldn't vary that much on the same ship:confused::(

Edited by kazu
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rkacruiser

rkacruiser

Posted
Posted

I am conflicted over this possible change. While I do enjoy attending the event, the crowds (if they appear) discourage my attendance. Being a 2nd sitting diner, I eat little, but I always enjoy the flambe stations. One poster stated that this was an expensive photo op, and I do agree with that point. Waste of food in all ship venues has concerned me for some time and I do applaud the attempts to limit it.

 

The Midnight Buffet has passed from the cruising scene. Maybe it is time for the Gala Dessert Showcase to go as well.

 

Perhaps, such an event would be more suitable for longer cruises than 7 days.

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Swice

Swice

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I agree, they all "looked" much better than they tasted.

 

The chocolate fountains were always a hit... but all of the cakes were the same basic inside with very little actual taste.

 

We did NOT have one in the Baltics this summer.

 

Maybe if they simply did chocolate fondue fountains with dipped fruit, everyone would be happy. :-)

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Lizzie68

Lizzie68

Posted
Posted
We were on the Zaandam in October (October 5th to October 27th - from Vancouver to Valparaiso, Chile) and there was a Dessert Extravaganza at the Pool on the Lido Deck. It was towards the end of the cruise. Lots of people there that night! This was a 22 day cruise, so maybe they still have them on the longer cruises?

 

Colleen

 

Not on our 22-day Zuiderdam cruise. So maybe even longer than that. I don't miss it anyway.;)

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cbr663 Great Review Rare

cbr663

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Posted

We haven't experienced a dessert extravaganza in a while. I agree with other posters though, the event was well attended but not very successful. Ultimately, food needs to not only look good, but it must taste good. We always found the dessert extravaganza flavour disappointing.

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CowPrincess

CowPrincess

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We haven't experienced a dessert extravaganza in a while. I agree with other posters though, the event was well attended but not very successful. Ultimately, food needs to not only look good, but it must taste good. We always found the dessert extravaganza flavour disappointing.

 

I agree, the flavour of much of what was offered didn't live up to the appearance. Except the crepes Suzette. Those were amazing :D

 

I think it was an enormous waste of valuable/limited resources. I can see the point in discontinuing the dessert extravaganza.

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maxout

maxout

Posted
Posted
I agree, the flavour of much of what was offered didn't live up to the appearance. Except the crepes Suzette. Those were amazing :D

 

I think it was an enormous waste of valuable/limited resources. I can see the point in discontinuing the dessert extravaganza.

 

Agreed, beauty is only skin deep in this case...

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