What is new/different on HAL from several years ago???

[AV8rix]

In fact, maybe HAL would get even more business if they took out the MDR entirely. Times changes and long sit down meals may be the way of the Passenger Pigeon.

 

OK, this is a joke, right?

[navybankerteacher]

OK, this is a joke, right?

 

Sadly, no. There is a generation of people who grew up in houses (or apartments) without dining rooms - who see meals as nothing more than belly-stoking - as well accomplished at McDonalds or Burger King - and only moving up to Olive Garden for special events.

[iancal]

The declining quality of the food, the food prep, and most especially the service levels in the MDR are reducing the number of times we opt for the MDR. We used to skip it on formal evenings....now it is more frequently. Happy to dine elsewhere on the ship. On several cruise lines.....there is not a great deal of difference any more.

Edited December 4, 2016 by iancal

[OlsSalt]

This thread is about what has changed on HAL over the years. Many people have been posting that they do not like these changes. My point is that many people like the changes and we cruising because of these changes. I only started cruising in 2013 and, for the most part, I like what HAL has to offer. I find long meals to be a chore. There are many other things that I can be doing on a cruise (or on land) than eating for two hours. Perhaps, this is why I prefer eating at the Lido? In fact, maybe HAL would get even more business if they took out the MDR entirely. Times changes and long sit down meals may be the way of the Passenger Pigeon.

 

Our MDR (fixed late(reg) seating) recently have been under an hour for three courses. All very efficiently delivered. There was a transition in service delivery a few years ago where meals did take much longer.

 

Combining the appetizers and soup courses into a single choice helped this a lot. But if you still want an appetizer and a soup course, the four course meal will take longer.

 

So I hope this enduring myth about two hour meals, unless one requests more courses, soon fades away. HAL listened and they now have a very good system ....... according to our own experiences at our chosen fixed dining time.

[dee2673]

The industry must change as folks used to cruising the old way are either no longer able to cruise or no longer with us. It's not just cruises but any service organization. It has to constantly attract new customers to stay in business. So while there may be what is considered a decline, I choose to see it as a necessary change.

 

We cruised once in 1998 and didn't cruise again until 2015! We had a wonderful time both times. I thought the food was better this time than 1998. The portions were smaller. But let's face it, you will never starve on a cruise. I would bet they had a lot of waste.

 

I don't even know if they had The Pinnacle Grill in 1998. So don't know if that changed.

I did notice the Captains Cocktail Party was missing. In 1998, it was pretty fantastic. Photos with the ships officers, really nice appys and lots of good champagne. We didn't receive an invitation in 2015 so cannot comment. Maybe there isn't an invitation anymore..[emoji33]. Anyway, it didn't ruin our cruise. We are cruising Dec 10 again in a NS, which we love. As I understand it , the party is not what is used to be anyway.

I hope you have a great time on your cruise, OP, as I fully intend..change or no change. It would take an awful lot to ruin it, for us

 

 

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[Tennessee Titan]

The declining quality of the food, the food prep, and most especially the service levels in the MDR are reducing the number of times we opt for the MDR. We used to skip it on formal evenings....now it is more frequently. Happy to dine elsewhere on the ship. On several cruise lines.....there is not a great deal of difference any more.

While I disagree (see post #66), I used almost word-for word the same comment about Princess.. I would not go back there just in the dread it will happen again.

Just proves that food is an individual thing, perception of taste, surroundings, service etc. So this discussion will go on forever.....

[iancal]

We are not really complaining. We are certainly paying less, on a real inflation adjusted fare, than we were 15 years ago. Hence we have no real issue with an up charge for a specialty dining venue.

 

I suspect that if we took our fares from 15-20 years ago, adjusted them up for inflation, that those real dollars would buy us equiv. passage on Azamara or some other premium line.

Edited December 4, 2016 by iancal

[navybankerteacher]

We are not really complaining. We are certainly paying less, on a real inflation adjusted fare, than we were 15 years ago. Hence we have no real issue with an up charge for a specialty dining venue.

 

I suspect that if we took our fares from 15-20 years ago, adjusted them up for inflation, that those real dollars would buy us equiv. passage on Azamara or some other premium line.

 

This is it in a nutshell - HAL's fares of 15-20 years ago adjusted for inflation would today purchase passage on a premium line. That HAL's fares today are no longer sufficient to buy passage on a premium line makes it clear that HAL is no longer the premium line it once was. This is not to say that HAL isn't superior to other mass market lines - I believe it is vastly superior to NCL, very superior to Carnival, somewhat superior to Royal Caribbean and Princess, and essentially on a par with Celebrity ( except for the fact that Celebrity's ships lack the classic appearance, inside and out, of HAL's ships).

[sassy~one]

No dam $

[EDLOS]

While I disagree (see post #66), I used almost word-for word the same comment about Princess.. I would not go back there just in the dread it will happen again.

Just proves that food is an individual thing, perception of taste, surroundings, service etc. So this discussion will go on forever.....

 

Speaking of food. 47 days on Maasdam, 12 on Osterdam, and 15 on Eurodam this year and the Eurodam by far was the best food. If you ordered beef, lamb, duck, pork cooked to your taste (medium rare) it came out to perfection every time.

Maybe one out three times on Maasdam or Osterdam it would happen.

Great Pizza station on Eurodam with pizza made just the way you wanted with ingredients you wanted and with Mozzarella Cheese. On Oosterdam Pizza was was premade with Cheddar, yes Cheddar Cheese. The Eurodam offered premade AND made to order sandwiches, no on other two ????

My point is, why such a significant difference from one Dam ship to another Dam ship ?

[navybankerteacher]

While I disagree (see post #66), I used almost word-for word the same comment about Princess.. I would not go back there just in the dread it will happen again.

Just proves that food is an individual thing, perception of taste, surroundings, service etc. So this discussion will go on forever.....

 

Of course, your mention of Tamarind, Canaletto, Dutch Cafe as well as Sel de Mer and Pinnacle (in post #66) specifically addressed the topic of this thread : changes on HAL. - those are all alternate dining venues - for additional cost - and neither such venues or such additional costs existed on HAL 15 to 20 years ago. And of course one would expect good quality (matching that which was previously included in basic fare) when one is paying a premium additional price for such quality.