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No more lobster without paying up?

quack2

By quack2,
in Holland America Line

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aliaschief

aliaschief

Posted
Posted

A few months ago here on CC there was a posting that stated Hal was having a hard time getting a lobster supplier to guarantee so many lobsters per cruise and a onboard chef verified that. Without the guarantee no contract was approved. Whether that still applies remains to be seen. Then one could argue, maybe serving lobsters has become cost prohibitive?

Only saw Prime Rib offered once in recent 14 day cruise! Sign of the times?

Not sure?

Still was nice to be cruising again but one has to expect some changes.

 

 

 

 

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Florida_gal_50

Florida_gal_50

Posted
Posted
31 minutes ago, quack2 said:

I'm too lazy to search for this, but has HAL done away with lobster in the MDR except if you want to pay $20?

Hal hasn’t had free lobster since the start up.  I’m not buying the supply chain excuse. It seems other cruise lines are not having that issue.  This is my opinion and I don’t need to be belittled or told to go elsewhere for having it.

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aliaschief

aliaschief

Posted
Posted (edited)

I will add that on our Nieuw Amsterdam cruise last fall from Seattle to Port Everglades the Head Chef reported he was working hard on getting lobster tails and was sweating whether he received them. We had lobster tails on Gala night that cruise.
Didn’t see offered in our recent Rotterdam cruise.

Edited by aliaschief
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MISTER 67 Great Review Rare

MISTER 67

Posted
Posted (edited)
50 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Hal hasn’t had free lobster since the start up.  I’m not buying the supply chain excuse. It seems other cruise lines are not having that issue.  This is my opinion and I don’t need to be belittled or told to go elsewhere for having it.

We had lobster on 2 Princess cruises in November and December, i was surprised there was a charge on our  Rotterdam cruise a couple of weeks ago. Shrimp Cocktail was free every night on Princess, we had it one night for free on the Rotterdam, the other 6 nights it was $8.50.

Edited by MISTER 67
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Florida_gal_50

Florida_gal_50

Posted
Posted (edited)
32 minutes ago, Overhead Fred said:

We had "free" lobster tails on April 4th on the Nieuw Statendam for the last Gala. Many people ordered two without any issues!

That’s not a 7 day cruise is it?  I think there is a much better chance seeing it on a longer cruise.  Frankly I’m going to save my money to go to sel de mer on the ships that have them.  The lobster was delicious.  I had it in the pinnacle 🤮.

Edited by Florida_gal_50
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KroozNut

KroozNut

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Hal hasn’t had free lobster since the start up.  I’m not buying the supply chain excuse. It seems other cruise lines are not having that issue.  This is my opinion and I don’t need to be belittled or told to go elsewhere for having it.

You need to go elsewhere!

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DarrylR85

DarrylR85

Posted
Posted

I live in Lobster country....So it makes no difference to me rather I can get it on a cruise or not. I have plenty of connections at home. Don't take that as me being an expert in the lobster supply chain, but just based on some casual conversations with lobstering friends, there is plenty of lobster but also plenty of demand. HAL could likely have all the lobster they want, provided they want to pay the price. But then you get into what another comment mentioned, that nothing on a cruise (or anywhere) is truly free. 

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zgscl "Live from...." Rare

zgscl

Posted
Posted

HAL has not had it as an included item on 7 day cruises since the restart. It seems like they are offering it for the most part on longer sailings. I very much agree with @Florida_gal_50. While I don't doubt they have a number of supply chain issues it is surprising to me that their sister companies with presumably the same or similar procurement channels are managing to get it while HAL cannot. I have mostly switched to specialty dining on my sailings and have no regrets. Hopefully over time HAL gets the MDR back to where it was and figures out how to source lobster as reliably as the other CCL companies. 

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bobpell

bobpell

Posted
Posted

We just got off the Rotterdam 3 days ago

The steak and lobster on gala night available in the mdr or delivered to your room was no longer available. Now it is steak and shrimp!!

The lobster migrated to the Pinnacle restaurant at a cost

Another sign HAL is slipping off the Premium cruise pedestal

Bob

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jbhcw

jbhcw

Posted
Posted

When we were on the Rotterdam in Feb...Rudi's didn't have the lobster they said they did not receive any....nor did they have the $20.00 tail in the Pinnacle...they suggested two smaller tails...still 20.00...they were basically inedible...very poor quality....

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albingirl Great Review Rare

albingirl

Posted
Posted

Lobster was always previously frozen and smothered in butter.  In other words, basically inedible for me.  I like them when they are live and kicking before cooking and it's impossible for a cruise line to  please me when it comes to lobster. $20.00 upsell charge is a bargain considering that they are insanely expensive now. 

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grest

grest

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, pmjnh said:

I live in Maine....never had lobster on a cruise that tasted like real Maine lobster, so I am good going without. I would not pay extra.

I once had an issue on a cruise ship with several folks telling me that the lobster they served me, at a surcharge, was Maine lobster.   Being from Maine, I knew this was not the case.   It wasn't until the chef was called in that he affirmed that it was New Zealand and not Maine lobster....oops!   

 

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ShipWalker

ShipWalker

Posted
Posted (edited)
16 hours ago, KroozNut said:

There is literally nothing 'free' on a cruise..

 

14 hours ago, Overhead Fred said:

Do you not understand the use of quotes?

 

46 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

Absolutely, and you of course misused them.

 

Don't even get me started about ellipses...  😀

Edited by ShipWalker
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