Orchids in Lido Dining Room

[Mrs. Walkinman]

How does Holland America keep all of the orchids on the tables in the Lido Dining room looking so fresh and in bloom? There must be at least 100 plants on every ship. From my little knowledge of orchids, I believe that they only bloom once a year, then need several months of dormant time.

 

Anybody know?

[colonialinnkeeper]

I always love seeing the orchids too. I have several and their blooming period runs between 3 to 6 weeks so they are perfect for long displays. Some orchids bloom more than once a year. I have a pansy orchid right now in bloom and it bloomed about 6 months ago. I have often wondered what the green houses were like.

[serendipity1499]

I asked that same question on our last cruise..

 

If I remember correctly, they said they change them all out once a month.. Also believe they put them in a cooler at night, but I could be wrong about that.. Agree, they are lovely..:)

[Kamloops50]

How does Holland America keep all of the orchids on the tables in the Lido Dining room looking so fresh and in bloom? There must be at least 100 plants on every ship. From my little knowledge of orchids, I believe that they only bloom once a year, then need several months of dormant time.

 

Anybody know?

They receive fresh orchids and flowers on turn around day

I always love seeing the orchids too. I have several and their blooming period runs between 3 to 6 weeks so they are perfect for long displays. Some orchids bloom more than once a year. I have a pansy orchid right now in bloom and it bloomed about 6 months ago. I have often wondered what the green houses were like.

 

If you every have a cruise port stop in Punteranas Costa Rica. Take the orchid tour if it is aviable . Most orchids are actually produced by cloning . The words are from the tour guide not me.

Edited February 2, 2016 by Kamloops50

[RuthC]

I don't know about that bloom once a year part.

When my orchid seems to be fading on one stalk, it is budding on another. It is in almost continuous bloom.

 

I love my little orchid plant. I have taken the grandgirls on a few HAL cruises. They gave me the plant for Christmas one year, as they remembered the Lido has one on every table.

So thoughtful!

[Krazy Kruizers]

They may bring fresh flowers on each turn around day. But orchids -- I am not so sure.

We eat every breakfast and dinner in the Pinnacle Grill and I know that we have had the same orchids at our table for at least 3 weeks. And some were losing their flowers by week two.

[Mrs. Walkinman]

I just wonder what happens to the plants when they go dormant. Does HAC have a greenhouse to store them, or do they just buy new ones? If so, do they throw the old ones out?:(

[RuthC]

I just wonder what happens to the plants when they go dormant.

You're assuming the plants go dormant.

[Cruising-along]

On one of our recent cruises (Statendam?) we saw a flower arranging demo by the one :eek: man who does it all for the ship. He told us how many hours/day it takes just to water all the flowers on the ship, plus everything else he has to do. It was really interesting, he showed us everything from making a simple corsage to an elaborate arrangement.

[gisnered]

I just wonder what happens to the plants when they go dormant. Does HAC have a greenhouse to store them, or do they just buy new ones? If so, do they throw the old ones out?:(

 

Shore-side, many offices, restaurants and apartment houses/condominiums use a service to supply their floral wants. Fresh, blooming plants are supplied on a regular basis; those finished blooming are returned to the grower to recover and, when they bloom again, they are once more delivered to the user for display. One assumes that HAL has contracts with various growers/suppliers around the world for the same kind of service for the ships.

 

The economics of supplying 15 ships with orchids in various parts of the world would not warrant development of a growing and distribution facility for HAL. Much cheaper to contract it out.

[RMLincoln]

We were on a HAL ship in Mexico once in early December and the orchids were being changed out for poinsettias, picked up in either Mazatlan or Puerto Vallarta (I forget which). The on board florist told us that the timing was good as the orchids were at the end of their blooming and a good time to replace them. I didn't hear anything about saving them to go dormant. m--

Edited February 2, 2016 by RMLincoln

[Daisyloo]

We did a floral tour around the Nieuw Amsterdam in December with the 2 men who do all the arrangements and look after all the live plants on board. They are not HAL employees, they actually work for some other firm and are contracted out to HAL. The orchids can bloom for many months. When they are finished blooming they are thrown out because of issues with the agriculture rules in the different countries. :(

[EbayCruiser]

I love the Orchids in the Lido.

 

I really missed them on our last cruise because we had small poinsettia's instead.

[sppunk]

HAL's floral department onboard floral team are AMAZING. They truly are the best in the cruise business IMO, they are world renown.

 

If you are ever in Rotterdam, take a sidetrip to FloraHolland and be amazed. Then you'll understand how and why HAL has such amazing floral treatments/teams. ;)

[ladybird1956]

As a side note, I have always wondered why there are beautiful orchids in the Lido, and rather ho-hum Mums (or something similar) in the MDR. I've noticed this on every single cruise.

[Hlitner]

HAL does have a florist office where the temperatures are kept really chilly. We actually visited the Florist department on the Prinsendam and the full-time florist mentioned that the morgue was next door, only had room for 3 bodies, and if there was an overflow the florist office/shop would be the backup. The line did get a lot of laughs....but then again..... :).

 

Hank

[Caribbean Chris]

As a side note, I have always wondered why there are beautiful orchids in the Lido, and rather ho-hum Mums (or something similar) in the MDR. I've noticed this on every single cruise.

 

I'm no orchid expert, but perhaps the light is better at the Lido, with tables near the windows vs darker center sections of the MDR?

 

I know specific varieties have differing light needs but I believe most do need sufficient light to bloom.

[kazu]

I'm no orchid expert, but perhaps the light is better at the Lido, with tables near the windows vs darker center sections of the MDR?

 

I know specific varieties have differing light needs but I believe most do need sufficient light to bloom.

 

 

You are absolutely right Chris. There is not enough light in the MDR.

 

Lido I'd the perfect spot and PG works as it has more light than the MDR.