High tea?

[0106]

Will be on the Zuiderdam Panama Canal cruise on 2/13.  My friend saw afternoon tea posted on the daily every day at 3.  Has anyone experienced it since the restart.  She said several years ago she went to a “high tea”  on a HA ship and it was an extraordinary event.  Thank you in advance.

[OlsSalt]

High tea in the definition of substantial hot and cold food being served -sweets and savories was best exemplified by the Royal Dutch Tea - but sadly it is no longer.

 

So what you have is a simple tea at three midday break - simple, but still very nice cold snacks and scones. A lot of us miss both the Royal Dutch Tea and the Indonesia tea which was another very grand affair with lots of unusual Indonesian confections. 

 

Be sure to ask for both in your post-cruise evaluation since they were unique signatures for this particular cruise line. 

[rkacruiser]

42 minutes ago, 0106 said:

Will be on the Zuiderdam Panama Canal cruise on 2/13.  My friend saw afternoon tea posted on the daily every day at 3.  Has anyone experienced it since the restart.  She said several years ago she went to a “high tea”  on a HA ship and it was an extraordinary event.  Thank you in advance.

 

"High Tea"?  Unsure what your friend experienced.  But, maybe the most high, "High Tea" that I have experienced was in the Queen's Room of Queen Mary 2.

 

HAL usually has a "Tea"  during the afternoons at sea, but, it would not qualify what QM2 provides.  Once upon a time--in a land far away-- HAL did offer a Royal Dutch Tea and/or Indonesian Tea, but neither meets the definition of a British High Tea.  

[CruiseMGM]

I've had afternoon tea onboard a HAL ship before covid and enjoyed the tea and treats. I was looking forward to afternoon tea on the Koningsdam last month.  Sadly, for us, once was more than enough and we didn't go again during our cruise. There were two reasons:

 

(A) Seated at a table for 6 with 2 lovely ladies that we never got to talk to because the other gentleman (totally opinionated and nonstop talker) at our table utterly monopolized us, with no hint of a break until we could escape. (B) One tower of treats (sweets and savory finger sandwiches) for the 5 of us, passed back and forth around the table.

 

(A) probably could have been avoided had we come early and requested a table for 2. Or if we'd had enough backbone to turn away and engage the ladies. But it honestly felt like we were trapped. (B) could likewise have been avoided with a table for 2. 

 

Regardless, whenever we saw that gentleman again on the cruise, we RAN in the other direction.

 

Unfortunately, we never saw the ladies from our table again and didn't have the chance to apologize to them. I've felt bad about that ever since! I think that afternoon tea may have been my last.

 

Best wishes, hope you have a wonderful cruise and enjoy a fabulous afternoon tea!

[Sea42]

I was very disappointed on our afternoon tea on the NA in November. One tower for our table of 4 which allowed each of us 1 sandwich strip (horribly bland) and one sweet. We did request and receive a second tower but it took quite awhile and really wasn't worth waiting for. One and done for us.

[Cruise Suzy]

On my November NA cruise, we were initially served one three-tier tower for every 2 people at the table. If we asked for an additional tower (or two), it was brought within a few minutes. I went to 5 out of the 6 scheduled for our cruise.

[MarkWiltonM]

Interesting that people are talking about the "tower" for tea. When we were on Koningsdam in 2018, there was a traditional tiered tray that was set down on the table for us. Service was perfunctory: They brought you a pot of tea, set down the tiered tray, and no one came back to check on us. If you wanted more tea you had to go and find a server. Also, the food on the trays seemed to have been plated much earlier and some of it was dried out. Not what you want to see for finger sandwiches made with mayonnaise. Also, on K'dam tea was served in the Queen's Lounge, which is very dark during the day. I'm not sure if K'dam is still doing the tea that way. But the next year we were on Nieuw Statendam and tea was served in three courses in the main dining room. Both food and service on NS were vastly superior to the tea on K'dam. We'll be on Rotterdam in April and we hope tea will be NS style.

[VMax1700]

I believe this is what is referred to as 'the Tower'.  This was from Eurodam in October 2021, served in the MDR.  It was pretty good.  The worst experience was on Koningsdam where the items were served individually from a large tray.  Unfortunately they started by serving the pastries, then came round with the scones and finally with the finger sandwiches.  🤪  I kept asking for additional plates and kept my pastries and scone until after the sandwich had been served.  The supervisor asked if everything was ok, which drew a somewhat quizzical look from me, and the question asked was 'Do you start your dinner with desert?'.  Unfortunately the nuances of this question floated above her head.  When I pointed out the order it should be served, her answer was the usual 'this is the way we do it onboard'.    

[FlaMariner]

We enjoyed the 3pm tea time a few times since the unpleasantness.

 

On the Rotterdam TA (October 2021) it was at BBKings and the piano was playing.  Very nice.  Table for two, tablecloth, gloved waiters, tower full of goodies and tea from a pot....

 

On the NA (December) we enjoyed tea in the MDR.  Very nice with our family at the table.  Plenty of goodies and again, tea from the pot (not a tea bag!)

 

We've always gone at least once during our cruises.....All nice, good and fun.

[Chickadee910]

On the Eurodam in early November on the transatlantic,we went on sea days at three. Tier of finger sandwiches and sweets. Hot tea. About 4 or 5 tables of 4 to 6 guests. Nice quiet chatting with fellow guests. 

[rkacruiser]

Whatever HAL now considers as "tea" does not compare to the Royal Dutch Tea or the Indonesian Tea. 

[dchip]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

Whatever HAL now considers as "tea" does not compare to the Royal Dutch Tea or the Indonesian Tea. 

I am so happy we were able to experience those wonderful teas on past cruises. 

[BigMattT]

We try to go to a tea whenever we travel. Afternoon tea on the Koningsdam in October 2021 was not worth attending.

 

Everything they served was boring and old tasting, and there was a better selection of teas from room service than at tea. (Weirdly, decaf black tea is available at room service but not lido or MDR). 

 

We made the best of it— our giggle fits over the absurd music playlist was the most memorable thing though.

[LumeyJrs]

We will be on this cruise with you and we are very much looking forward to tea time. Being in a Neptune suite has the perk of having tea delivered to your room, which we may do, but we are very social. A table for six sounds like a blast and a wonderful way to meet new people. Just a few more days now, see ya on board! 

[LuvSpooky]

I think some people are confusing high tea and afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is typically served at 3 or 4 pm and it originated from the upper class. Served with sandwiches, pastries and cheeses. High tea originated with the lower class and is generally served in the early evening and is several courses of a more substantial meal, think of it as supper with tea. Afternoon tea is the more formal of the two. I’m sailing on the K’dam in a few weeks, hoping I’m not disappointed in the afternoon tea! 

[SargassoPirate]

6 hours ago, LuvSpooky said:

I think some people are confusing high tea and afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is typically served at 3 or 4 pm and it originated from the upper class. Served with sandwiches, pastries and cheeses. High tea originated with the lower class and is generally served in the early evening and is several courses of a more substantial meal, think of it as supper with tea. Afternoon tea is the more formal of the two. I’m sailing on the K’dam in a few weeks, hoping I’m not disappointed in the afternoon tea! 

Yeah.  Some folks think "high" tea is posh because it sounds high falutin' but it's really the plowman's evening meal of meats and cheeses served at a high table.

 

 

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Yeah.  Some folks think "high" tea is posh because it sounds high falutin' but it's really the plowman's evening meal of meats and cheeses served at a high table.

 

 

Yes, the high in high tea is the height of the table, not the level of poshness. (But I do love a good plowman's)

 

I went to tea on Eurodam last winter. The tea was stewed, not steeped. I don't mind a strong cuppa, but this was way too strong in proportion to the delicate sweets. I'm told you can ask for a specific kind of tea, but I don't know how I would have done that in the chaotic service. I was at a large table that filled gradually, and it was difficult to flag down a waiter for more goodies as people joined our table. Still, it was better than on American Queen Navigator, where the scones were served with little packets of jam like you get at a diner. Sugar free grape jelly????????? 

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by 3rdGenCunarder