Some small Koningsdam dining updates

[InTheWASide]

Just saw this interview. It recaps the options we already know are there but there's also some additional little bits and pieces.

 

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-magazine/feature-magazine-articles/67-articles/12785-summer-2015-foodbeverage-koningsdam-offers-more-choices.html

 

When Holland America Line’s new Koningsdam enters service next March she will have some familiar and some new dining venues and eateries, Michael Smith, senior vice president, guest experience and product development, told Cruise Industry News. “It comes down to offering our guests more choices,” he said.

 

Among the new venues will be Sel de Mer (salt of the sea), a French brasserie, serving a classic selection of French seafood – with a “contemporary twist” – from fresh oysters, to chowder, salt-crusted whole fish and bouillabaisse.

 

The 44-seat restaurant will serve fresh dishes à la carte and prepared à la minute, which Smith described as mid-priced.

 

Also new will be the Grand Dutch Café, overlooking the atrium, reflecting the cruise line’s heritage and serving Dutch specialties. Foods will be complimentary; guests will only pay for specialty coffees and other beverages.

 

The Culinary Arts Center, a concept that was first introduced by Holland America, will convert into a 78-seat restaurant at night called Dinner at the Culinary Arts Center. With a show kitchen and individual cooking stations, during the day the center will be used for cooking demonstrations and hands-on classes.

 

The Koningsdam will also feature Holland America’s other alternative restaurants that carry a cover charge. The Pinnacle Grill will highlight Northwest cuts of beef and seafood dishes; Tamarind, Asian fusion; and Canaletto, Italian dishes.

 

“Canaletto will have a dedicated and distinct space in the Lido area,” said Smith, “and look like an upscale Italian restaurant. We are rolling the (revised) concept out on the other ships.”

 

In the main dining room Smith expects more passengers to opt for As You Wish Dining, while number of tables will be made available for traditional seating.

 

The Lido has been reimagined with themed food stations and will have a bakery serving fresh breads and pastries.

 

Other venues include the traditional grill by the pool, which with extended hours, becomes a casual dinner option as well.

 

There will also be the New York Deli and Pizza serving individual nine-inch personal pan pizzas made to order in addition to Italian desserts. That concept, too, was being tested on other ships.

 

And there will be complimentary room service, and guests can order à la carte from the Pinnacle and Tamarind menus. “It enhances our room service choices,” Smith commented.

 

So what will it take to deliver? “It takes a dedicated team, working with (Master Chef) Rudi (Sodamin),” Smith answered. “And it comes down to being able to offer guests choices and the best and freshest products we can source. We are partnering with Carnival Global Sourcing, enabling us to find the best purveyors and benefiting from being able to leverage the scale of the Carnival Corporation.” Meanwhile, for the Koningsdam, under construction at Fincantieri, there is staff training underway, such as preparing a whole fish under salt for the Sel de Mer brasserie.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the information.

When pictures were posted (by you I think), I looked at the chairs in the Culinary Arts Center and mentioned that there would be no way I could sit in them for any length of time -- especially for dinner.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

One thing I have heard from a good source is that Sel de Mer will offer locally Fresh Fish from the Ports it is going to. I find this quite exciting.

[InTheWASide]

Thank you for the information.

When pictures were posted (by you I think), I looked at the chairs in the Culinary Arts Center and mentioned that there would be no way I could sit in them for any length of time -- especially for dinner.

 

Yeah and from various angles, etc I'm having a hard time telling if it's a cushioned seat, kind of a wicker or faux wicker or if it's like a canvas material (think like a "directors chair")

 

 

For a farm to table concept I would have loved to have seen either more of a bench style seat or a mix-up of various wood chair styles. Something a little more rustic.

 

Also good news that they plan on making Canaletto feel like more of a permanent concept. I hate what they did with it on the S/R/Vista ships. Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Prinsendam on the other hand are beautiful (though Prinsendam can do without the venue name/logo on every single tabletop)

Edited July 8, 2015 by InTheWASide

[qsuzi]

Thanks for posting this information. Some very good new choices there. Hope the pizza testing results in a better tasting pizza with better dough and sauce. How can HAL pizza be just passable yet the rest of their food is above average?

Edited July 8, 2015 by qsuzi

[InTheWASide]

One thing I have heard from a good source is that Sel de Mer will offer locally Fresh Fish from the Ports it is going to. I find this quite exciting.

 

I think that's actually been in previous news releases about the ship, but yes very exciting... especially if the ship ever gets to Alaska :)

[frankc98376]

I wonder if rolling the "revised concept" Canaletto includes a new menu?

We are not fans of the current Buca di Beppo style menu. We each have separate tastes and don't need pounds of food in front of us to have what each likes.

 

Hopefully if so they could start soon :)

Edited July 8, 2015 by frankc98376

[sppunk]

Confirmation Dive In's hours are expanding through dinner is good news.

 

What I'm still trying to figure out is the NY Pizza & Deli. It almost sounds to me in prior information you won't be able to make your own sandwich and they'll all be "to go" and premade. I don't see that being true but that's what I have inferred from the promo materials to date.

 

Also it's worth shouting: FREE STROOPWAFELS!

[InTheWASide]

Confirmation Dive In's hours are expanding through dinner is good news.

 

It is. I never really understood why they didn't always have it open through dinner time.

 

What I'm still trying to figure out is the NY Pizza & Deli. It almost sounds to me in prior information you won't be able to make your own sandwich and they'll all be "to go" and premade. I don't see that being true but that's what I have inferred from the promo materials to date.

 

Also it's worth shouting: FREE STROOPWAFELS!

 

I've never had issues with buying stroopwafels, but not having to buy them is that much better!

 

[InTheWASide]

One thing no one has really mentioned is Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind as room service... obviously at a cost and the article doesn't hide that fact... but would be interesting to see how well they can execute it. Unless the room service staff is in a dead RUN to the room the quality of what is being delivered could suffer.

 

It also raises the question of how much would a PG steak be delivered via room service if the full experience including all courses and the less populated environment goes for $29 per person... AND if available through room service will HAL also go the way of Royal Caribbean and offer PG steaks as a "markup" in the main dining room...

[Moriah]

This is great! I agree the Dive-In and formally the Terrace closing at 5 PM was always a curiosity to me! I'm very happy with the announcement of the Dive-In's extended hours!

[sppunk]

One thing no one has really mentioned is Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind as room service... obviously at a cost and the article doesn't hide that fact... but would be interesting to see how well they can execute it. Unless the room service staff is in a dead RUN to the room the quality of what is being delivered could suffer.

 

It also raises the question of how much would a PG steak be delivered via room service if the full experience including all courses and the less populated environment goes for $29 per person... AND if available through room service will HAL also go the way of Royal Caribbean and offer PG steaks as a "markup" in the main dining room...

 

Tamarind room service would work excellent if you could order the sushi, since it's served not hot. I would definitely pay for eatable sushi as a in-cabin app.

[frankc98376]

One thing no one has really mentioned is Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind as room service... obviously at a cost and the article doesn't hide that fact... but would be interesting to see how well they can execute it. Unless the room service staff is in a dead RUN to the room the quality of what is being delivered could suffer.

 

It also raises the question of how much would a PG steak be delivered via room service if the full experience including all courses and the less populated environment goes for $29 per person... AND if available through room service will HAL also go the way of Royal Caribbean and offer PG steaks as a "markup" in the main dining room...

 

It did say "and guests can order à la carte from the Pinnacle and Tamarind menus".

 

My guess is that each item will be individually priced for room service- just as in a hotel.

[InTheWASide]

It did say "and guests can order à la carte from the Pinnacle and Tamarind menus".

 

My guess is that each item will be individually priced for room service- just as in a hotel.

 

Exactly. And they mention for room service but other lines let you get the steakhouse steaks in the main dining room at a cost. WOndering if that might be the next step.

[frankc98376]

My gut feeling is that the cruise lines are trying to move toward a more à la carte environment. Lower fares are forcing them to look for new sources of revenue.

 

I think that we will someday see several levels of pricing for a cruise; each level offering more inclusions. P&O Australia is changing the S Class MDR's into 3 or 4 venues on two separate levels. I really feel that we will see more of that happening in the future.

[InTheWASide]

My gut feeling is that the cruise lines are trying to move toward a more à la carte environment. Lower fares are forcing them to look for new sources of revenue.

 

I think that we will someday see several levels of pricing for a cruise; each level offering more inclusions.

 

I think Celebrity's new pricing structure is brilliant. It simplifies everything tremendously and I think HAL would be good to follow in their footsteps in this instance... but that might be a discussion for another thread ;)

[sail7seas]

I've been suggesting here on CC for years that HAL (likely most main line cruise companies) are working toward a la carte dining. They may offer the buffet as included but likely it won't be much more. I actually don't hate that idea, totally.

 

I like many of the changes coming with Koningsdam that we are reading about lately.

Edited July 8, 2015 by sail7seas

[TiogaCruiser]

The comment about the Dutch Cafe offering treats at no additional cost and specialty coffees for a charge brings up the question discussed here several months back ( relating to Explorations) as to whether drink purchase is expected (are the treats meant only to be available with purchase)?

 

Also, would all items from PG be charged? I'm thinking cherry Garcia baked Alaska with cherries jubilee. Am guessing yes.

[sail7seas]

I wonder if they will let you order only dessert or if you order a whole meal or not at all?

[InTheWASide]

The comment about the Dutch Cafe offering treats at no additional cost and specialty coffees for a charge brings up the question discussed here several months back ( relating to Explorations) as to whether drink purchase is expected (are the treats meant only to be available with purchase)?

 

Also, would all items from PG be charged? I'm thinking cherry Garcia baked Alaska with cherries jubilee. Am guessing yes.

 

If it's similar to the way other cruise lines have implemented their specialty dining a la carte items (and I've never seen this for room service before so I'm referring to my knowledge when it's done in the MDR) it has been a selection of "guest favorites"

 

It will definitely be interesting to see how HAL implements this on the ship. It can be done in a way that is fantastic, or done in a way that would be very off-putting.

Edited July 8, 2015 by InTheWASide

[Mary Ellen]

The comment about the Dutch Cafe offering treats at no additional cost and specialty coffees for a charge brings up the question discussed here several months back ( relating to Explorations) as to whether drink purchase is expected (are the treats meant only to be available with purchase)?

A few months ago I was talking to a HAL Hotel Director about the Dutch Treat Café. I asked if it was going to be like the International Cafés on Princess. He has also worked on Princess and said it would be very similar. Unlike the current HAL Explorations Café, the International Café has the food served by different crew/different counter than the (extra charge) beverages.

 

At the International Café I have no problem asking for food there. I have not done so without a beverage purchase at the Explorations Café and would not be comfortable doing so.

[sppunk]

Princess' International Cafe is a GREAT addition on any ship. If the Dutch Cafe is close to that (which I too think it will be, same cruse line ownership and all now) most everyone will be happy.

 

IC provides a very nice light lunch option.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yeah and from various angles, etc I'm having a hard time telling if it's a cushioned seat, kind of a wicker or faux wicker or if it's like a canvas material (think like a "directors chair")

 

 

For a farm to table concept I would have loved to have seen either more of a bench style seat or a mix-up of various wood chair styles. Something a little more rustic.

 

Also good news that they plan on making Canaletto feel like more of a permanent concept. I hate what they did with it on the S/R/Vista ships. Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Prinsendam on the other hand are beautiful (though Prinsendam can do without the venue name/logo on every single tabletop)

 

 

The back of the chairs have absolutely no support.

I am presently wearing a back brace and could not sit in those chairs or on a bench.

[InTheWASide]

The back of the chairs have absolutely no support.

I am presently wearing a back brace and could not sit in those chairs or on a bench.

 

The good news is chairs can always change. I've seen numerous renderings for HAL ships in the past where seating was different in drawings vs reality

[Typhoon1]

Thanks for the update.