Are lobsters back on gala night?

[bobpell]

Got off Rotterdam on April 10 and one of the big disappointments was shrimp were substituted for lobster . Lobster was available at a substantial cost in the Pinnacle!!

Anyone just off a HAL ship experiencing a change?

Bob

[VMax1700]

Nope!

No change.

[Florida_gal_50]

I’ve found the steak and shrimp on every cruise I’ve been on for the longest time so I don’t think it’s a substitution.  I’ve been on the koningsdam for a month since November and the only lobster was for purchase.  It has not been on menus for the most part since the start up with very few isolated cases.  I know some feel it’s a supply chain issue but the other carnival corporation lines don’t seem to be having the same issues. 

[terrydtx]

@VMax1700 who posted above is currently on the Oosterdam and he has posted menus every day on his live CC thread and there was not a lobster on either of the Gala Nights MDR menus. Last night was the second Gala night and the menu had a Tenderloin with grilled shrimp for the surf and turf offering. I personally would prefer the shrimp over the lobster as in all of our cruises I have never had a lobster tail that was that good anyway. We will be on the Oosterdam in August with the same itinerary as the current sailing. I think for now free lobster is dead on HAL, unless you are willing to pay a substantial addon upcharge.

[Mary229]

On my 21 day cruise there were two lobster nights - gala nights with free lobster. May 2022

[Seasick Sailor]

Rotterdam has lobster/shrimp in Tamarind and lobster in Pinnacle Grill. For a fee of course. 

[LJProk]

We did 7 nights on Noordam this month and the gala night was steak and shrimp. They did have lobster on there but it was an upcharge (I don't remember when, may have been gala night in MDR or we did one gala night in Pinnacle).

[terrydtx]

6 minutes ago, LJProk said:

We did 7 nights on Noordam this month and the gala night was steak and shrimp. They did have lobster on there but it was an upcharge (I don't remember when, may have been gala night in MDR or we did one gala night in Pinnacle).

I have seen it a couple of nights on the MDR menu in the Navigator app, for our August Oosterdam cruise, but it is an upcharge of $12.50. However it was not available on the menu last night  for the second Gala Night on the Oosterdam.

Edited June 23, 2022 by terrydtx

[SilvertoGold]

Koningsdam in May - upcharge only

Zuiderdam in June - upcharge only

[MISTER 67]

We sailed on the Rotterdam in April and lobster was only available as an upcharge, shame on HAL.

We sailed with Princess twice last fall and Celebrity last week and we had 2 lobster tail dinners on all 3 cruises.

[terrydtx]

7 minutes ago, MISTER 67 said:

We sailed on the Rotterdam in April and lobster was only available as an upcharge, shame on HAL.

We sailed with Princess twice last fall and Celebrity last week and we had 2 lobster tail dinners on all 3 cruises.

Not only is lobster an extra charge on HAL but the jumbo shrimp cocktail is as well $8.50.  Celebrity has both free lobster in MDR and the jumbo shrimp cocktail is available every night in MDR and from room service. I will say the lobster tails we had last on Celebrity were nothing to write home about, warm water tails that were so small they could pass for large crawfish, but the jumbo shrimp cocktails were excellent.

[SilvertoGold]

The $8.50 shrimp cocktail looked, to me, the same as the free one on Formal Nights.  Those were very good!

[RobTheGob]

18 days on Koningsdam in April - 3 Gala Nights, only the last one had lobster for no extra charge.

[CruiserBruce]

40 minutes ago, RobTheGob said:

18 days on Koningsdam in April - 3 Gala Nights, only the last one had lobster for no extra charge.

That would be normal, pre-Covid.

[mahi mahi]

Just got off Zuiderdam this week and only lobster available was for upcharge.  We ate in Pinnacle the first gala night and have to say would not waste my money again - very disappointing.  My husband's NY strip was "chewy" as he put it (he eats anything) and my halibut was just ok.  We ordered 3 sides "to share" which was a joke.  Maybe a half cup of mushrooms, 2/3 cup of mashed potatoes and a couple of baby beets cut small.  In contrast the main dining room was wonderful!  I had the daily salmon 5 times, different each time.  The culinary council dinner was the 2nd gala night and the halibut I had put the Pinnacle to shame.  Prime rib was excellent too.  We both had the shrimp cocktail in Pinnacle which consisted of 3 shrimp in an artful presentation.  They were good but the one in the main dining room on 2nd gala night was the traditional presentation and there were 4.

 

The cruise was fabulous all round!  Passenger count was only 1200 and although there were signs everywhere saying masks were recommended I'd say maybe about a third complied.  We did not hear anything about covid and despite there being rumours beforehand of deck 6 forward being used for quarantine of covid positive passengers we did not encounter any locked areas (we were deck 6 near the midship elevators) and I think we walked every deck during the week.

 

The staff were amazing and clearly happy to be back, as were we!

[Mary229]

If the meat is chewy then send it back.  My husband had a chewy filet one night and I insisted he send it back.  The second one was excellent.  Sometimes you just get a trim cut.  

[terrydtx]

15 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

If the meat is chewy then send it back.  My husband had a chewy filet one night and I insisted he send it back.  The second one was excellent.  Sometimes you just get a trim cut.  

Cruise ships tend to also way over cook fish which I have sent back when over cooked, and then get back a fillet of fish cooked perfect. 

[SilvertoGold]

1 hour ago, mahi mahi said:

Just got off Zuiderdam this week and only lobster available was for upcharge.  We ate in Pinnacle the first gala night and have to say would not waste my money again - very disappointing.  My husband's NY strip was "chewy" as he put it (he eats anything) and my halibut was just ok.  We ordered 3 sides "to share" which was a joke.  Maybe a half cup of mushrooms, 2/3 cup of mashed potatoes and a couple of baby beets cut small.  In contrast the main dining room was wonderful!  I had the daily salmon 5 times, different each time.  The culinary council dinner was the 2nd gala night and the halibut I had put the Pinnacle to shame.  Prime rib was excellent too.  We both had the shrimp cocktail in Pinnacle which consisted of 3 shrimp in an artful presentation.  They were good but the one in the main dining room on 2nd gala night was the traditional presentation and there were 4.

 

The cruise was fabulous all round!  Passenger count was only 1200 and although there were signs everywhere saying masks were recommended I'd say maybe about a third complied.  We did not hear anything about covid and despite there being rumours beforehand of deck 6 forward being used for quarantine of covid positive passengers we did not encounter any locked areas (we were deck 6 near the midship elevators) and I think we walked every deck during the week.

 

The staff were amazing and clearly happy to be back, as were we!

This is disappointing!  The Zuiderdam was having problems getting a full compliment of crew, especially chefs.  Our 3 dinners there were excellent, but the lunch was disaster: lukewarm and/or undercooked food.  Not much prep being done, seemed like a new or substitute chef with no help in the kitchen. Waiter Mohanraj was outstanding. The meal was comped by the Manager who was visibly upset with the situation.

Agree that the MDR was great and the fish excellent!

[Mom39]

There was lobster on my 7-night Christmas 2021 Mexican Riviera cruise on the Konigsdam.  No free lobster in MDR on my 14-night r/t Copenhagen June 2022 cruise.  Not a big deal to me as the lobster isn't wasn't the best.  They had escargot and creme brûlée on both cruises. And, I learned that the creme brûlée is often available if you request it even when not on the menu.  Salmon was yummy.

[terrydtx]

The Navigator app for our Aug 21 Oosterdam cruise shows the lobster and filet on second Gala night is a $30 upcharge supplement. 🥵 That is highway robbery.