Multiple MDR Dinner Selections?

[Samanthac25]

We are new to HAL and have had a ton of questions that everyone has been so helpful with answering... So, here’s another one for you 😜

 

We've only ever sailed on RCL and they always allow you to select as many items from the dinner menu as you want to try... Does HAL allow this? Or do they limit you to one? Not that we plan to overindulge regularly but some nights the options look so good that it’s difficult to choose between them. 

[JeffElizabeth]

Holland has always allowed me to do that. Sometimes I order two entrees instead of salad and soup. 

[kazu]

If you just want a taste, you can ask your steward to just give you a tiny portion and not the entire plate (assuming you don’t want two full dinners 😉 ).  

And yes, they are very accommodating when it comes to food.  Hard to go hungry on a cruise 😄 

[DoggyDaddy]

I agree. Sometimes they have two of my “favorites “ and I cannot resist!

 

DD

[DoggyDaddy]

On the second Gala night, it is fairly common to have the steak and two lobster tails. Never had a problem with this. Mrs. DD just orders two tails, no steak or Prime Rib -  o problem there either.

 

DD

[Krazy Kruizers]

Whenever DH saw 2 items that he liked on the dinner menu, he would just ask for a half portion of each.  Never was a problem.

[mommyz]

Our family are a bunch of foodies and we love to try new things.  When we couldn't decide sometimes we would order an extra appetizer and/or entree for the table so we could share and try it.  Never have we had an issue. 

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

Whenever DH saw 2 items that he liked on the dinner menu, he would just ask for a half portion of each.  Never was a problem.

Just did this two weeks ago at the suggestion of my server.  Worked out great!

 

[TAD2005]

In March 2019, HAL ran en experiment on 4 of its ships, where they would charge a guest $10 for a 2nd entree.   On 2 of the ships, the $10 surcharge was on all main entrees.  On the other 2 ships, it was only charged on nights when they had lobster tails.  You could get as many appetizers or deserts as you wanted.  And this surcharge did not apply to the Lido Market, where you could go back as many times as you want for 2nd, 3rd or more helpings.

I was on the Eurodam in March when they ran that trial, and the MDR staff hated it, and the Food & Beverage Manager was not speaking in very positive terms about this policy.

Thankfully, the experiment ended in the first week of April and has never been heard of again.  May that policy, and the moron bean counter in Seattle who devised it, rest in peace.

We have never had a problem getting an extra entree to share with DW on all HAL cruises, even the Eurodam last March.

[RuthC]

For many appetizers, you can ask for a dinner size portion, if it looks especially tempting. 
Conversely, you can also ask for appetizer size portions of some entrées, if that's your pleasure. 

You can always ask what can be done to make your dinner perfect for you. It will generally be accommodated. 

[jb008]

Having seen the galley, it isn't like dishes are generally being made to order per se, so much as finished and dispatched to order.

 

I'd bet that appetizers as entrée portions are just two apps replated

to a single dinner plate, and in general a "half-sized" entrée is made from a portion from a full plate being replated down to a smaller plate. Helpful to do half-sized for portion control, but not sure it helps reduce food waste (unlike in a restaurant where dishes are more likely made to order). 

 

That being said, so far I've never really had an issue on any cruise ordering extra of whatever. I think only once I got pushback on ordering a whole second lobster tail dinner (i think it was on RCL), but they offered to bring an extra tail (which is what I was really looking for anyway).  

 

I did have a tablemate eat most of my beef Wellington as he thought the third entree I'd ordered was more of a family style affair... but by the end of the cruise we were nearly family anyway 😉

[Dunelm]

There is no problem in asking for half portions of different items; however, I hope those who want double entrees finish everything.  I just feel embarrassed when so much is wasted, especially in the Lido.

[TAD2005]

There should be big sign in the Lido Market.

"Take all you want, but eat all you take".

[Judyrem]

I usually try a "primi" portion of the pasta each night.  I always tell them  just a PRIMI bit, but they give me more than I can eat.  I just want to taste a few bites, if it is fab I will ask for more.  Pasta is my true weakness!

[MoyCoy]

On 10/6/2019 at 3:29 PM, TAD2005 said:

In March 2019, HAL ran en experiment on 4 of its ships, where they would charge a guest $10 for a 2nd entree.   On 2 of the ships, the $10 surcharge was on all main entrees.  On the other 2 ships, it was only charged on nights when they had lobster tails.  You could get as many appetizers or deserts as you wanted.  And this surcharge did not apply to the Lido Market, where you could go back as many times as you want for 2nd, 3rd or more helpings.

I was on the Eurodam in March when they ran that trial, and the MDR staff hated it, and the Food & Beverage Manager was not speaking in very positive terms about this policy.

Thankfully, the experiment ended in the first week of April and has never been heard of again.  May that policy, and the moron bean counter in Seattle who devised it, rest in peace.

We have never had a problem getting an extra entree to share with DW on all HAL cruises, even the Eurodam last March.

Does HAL serve lobster in the Lido Market on Gala Night

[TAD2005]

7 minutes ago, MoyCoy said:

Does HAL serve lobster in the Lido Market on Gala Night

Usually, if it's on the menu in the MDR, you will find it in the Lido Market.   No guarantees, but on all HAL cruises I've been on, it was on the menu when offered in the MDR.   One tail per customer, but you can come back for seconds.

[JeffElizabeth]

On one cruise, we were at a fun table of eight people. The table would order all the different desserts so people could sample all the ones they wanted. The waiters found it funny. 

[DaveOKC]

16 hours ago, TAD2005 said:

Usually, if it's on the menu in the MDR, you will find it in the Lido Market.   Ngo oo guarantees, but on all HAL cruises I've been on, it was on the menu when offered in the MDR.   One tail per customer, but you can come back for seconds.

It was not offered two weeks ago on the Amsterdam

[erewhon]

On 10/9/2019 at 11:36 AM, TAD2005 said:

There should be big sign in the Lido Market.

"Take all you want, but eat all you take".

 

Totally agree.

[FetaCheese]

On 10/6/2019 at 6:29 PM, TAD2005 said:

In March 2019, HAL ran en experiment on 4 of its ships, where they would charge a guest $10 for a 2nd entree.   On 2 of the ships, the $10 surcharge was on all main entrees.  On the other 2 ships, it was only charged on nights when they had lobster tails.  You could get as many appetizers or deserts as you wanted.  And this surcharge did not apply to the Lido Market, where you could go back as many times as you want for 2nd, 3rd or more helpings.

I was on the Eurodam in March when they ran that trial, and the MDR staff hated it, and the Food & Beverage Manager was not speaking in very positive terms about this policy.

Thankfully, the experiment ended in the first week of April and has never been heard of again.  May that policy, and the moron bean counter in Seattle who devised it, rest in peace.

We have never had a problem getting an extra entree to share with DW on all HAL cruises, even the Eurodam last March.

Was on that Eurodam hawaii cruise -- it was the 1st time for the $10 extra entree charge, buried in fine print at bottom of menu.  Was really put off by it.  You could eat all you wanted at Lido, and even waste food, but no extra charge.  We were travelling with good friends, real foodies, who sometimes got 2nd entree.  They were 4 star but did not get the 50% discount.  Happy to hear the test was dropped.

[TAD2005]

On 10/11/2019 at 12:01 PM, FetaCheese said:

Was on that Eurodam hawaii cruise -- it was the 1st time for the $10 extra entree charge, buried in fine print at bottom of menu.  Was really put off by it.  You could eat all you wanted at Lido, and even waste food, but no extra charge.  We were travelling with good friends, real foodies, who sometimes got 2nd entree.  They were 4 star but did not get the 50% discount.  Happy to hear the test was dropped.

It was on the Eurodam, 28 day March 9, 2019, San Diego, Hawaii, Tahiti, Marquesas, San Diego cruise.   We spoke with the Food & Beverage manager on the cruise, and he said that they always have plenty of steaks and chops.  It's the lobster tails that they only order a limited supply of.   But he personally didn't like the $10 policy.

[sevenseasnomad]

The $10 for a second entrée was a trial which floated across a few of the ships.  It failed miserably.  Not only did passengers revolt, but the wait staff disliked it as well.  It sounded as if some Seattle bean counter considered it a good idea, which was deflated fairly quickly in practice.  Thank heavens HAL realized what a mistake it would be taking it fleet-wide.

 

 

[bamelin]

@sevenseasnomad I remember reading about it on cruise critics ... there was a huge amount of negative reaction (with good reason imho).  All you want to eat food is the last bastion of indulgence on mainstream cruises imho.   It’s a formula cruise lines trifle with at their peril.