Craft Beer on HAL? (and a few dining questions)

[jules815]

We'll be sailing on NS next year and wondering (for my husband, although I enjoy beer sometimes too) what beers they have on board? We both enjoy cocktails too, but sometimes a beer tastes good at the end of a port day. This will be a transatlantic (our first time sailing with HAL) and we have whatever the high end beverage package is.  Are there bar menus available somewhere online? Restaurant menus?

 

Also, we get Club Orange access with our room, but it looks like it's breakfast and dinner only. I know there are other food options around the ship (burgers and NY deli, the buffet) but will the MDR be open on sea days and would we have access to that as well?

 

As far as specialty dining goes, I know it's probably best to reserve in advance, but if we didn't, do you think we'd have a problem reserving specialty dining once we're on board? Our only other transatlantic experience was on a RC ship (Harmony of the Seas) and we didn't book any of our specialty dining until we were on board, sometimes not until the day of, and never had a problem.

 

I'm very much a planner when we travel, but for some reason I hate having our dining locked in so early. (What if we don't feel like having Italian on Wednesday??)

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

[Mary229]

Here is where you can find some bar and food menus 

 

https://halfacts.com/general-info/

 

https://rogerjett-photography.com

[Mary229]

I have never had a problem booking specialty dining onboard and like you book only after I have considered the day’s menus elsewhere on the ship .  The only one I book early is the first night, the specialty dining is usually much quieter the first night. 

[jules815]

44 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I have never had a problem booking specialty dining onboard and like you book only after I have considered the day’s menus elsewhere on the ship .  The only one I book early is the first night, the specialty dining is usually much quieter the first night. 

Exactly! We're not lovers of seafood, so if the MDR menu for that night is leaning in that direction, that would be a good night to go to a specialty. Does it matter that we have dining credits? You can still book on board with those?

 

[CruiserBruce]

24 minutes ago, jules815 said:

Exactly! We're not lovers of seafood, so if the MDR menu for that night is leaning in that direction, that would be a good night to go to a specialty. Does it matter that we have dining credits? You can still book on board with those?

 

Every night with have 5 to 7 entrees...a beef, a chicken or a pork, or both, a pasta, a seafood,  frequently 2, a vegetarian dish, maybe one other. The menus don't lean much...they tend to take a "one of each of these categories " path.

 

As to craft beers, they can offer a local beer or 4 or 5 if the ship is in any area for a while. But cans or bottles. Rarely on tap.

[Mary229]

29 minutes ago, jules815 said:

Exactly! We're not lovers of seafood, so if the MDR menu for that night is leaning in that direction, that would be a good night to go to a specialty. Does it matter that we have dining credits? You can still book on board with those?

 

Yes, you can

[Heidi13]

17 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Every night with have 5 to 7 entrees...a beef, a chicken or a pork, or both, a pasta, a seafood,  frequently 2, a vegetarian dish, maybe one other. The menus don't lean much...they tend to take a "one of each of these categories " path.

 

As to craft beers, they can offer a local beer or 4 or 5 if the ship is in any area for a while. But cans or bottles. Rarely on tap.

 

When I checked the bar menus the only beers were mass produced.

 

Based on your post, am I correct in assuming they may also bring on additional local, quality beers that are not listed on the bar menus. Since I wouldn't drink any of the ones listed on the bar menus and have booked the 133-day pole to pole, do they accept requests for craft IPA's, stouts, etc.

[CruiserBruce]

1 minute ago, Heidi13 said:

 

When I checked the bar menus the only beers were mass produced.

 

Based on your post, am I correct in assuming they may also bring on additional local, quality beers that are not listed on the bar menus. Since I wouldn't drink any of the ones listed on the bar menus and have booked the 133-day pole to pole, do they accept requests for craft IPA's, stouts, etc.

Correct. I wouldn't expect any specialty beers on that fantastic sounding cruise. Never heard of them accepting requests for specialty beers to be put on board.

[Heidi13]

1 minute ago, CruiserBruce said:

Correct. I wouldn't expect any specialty beers on that fantastic sounding cruise. Never heard of them accepting requests for specialty beers to be put on board.

 

Thanks. Having the potential for additional beers is great news. I figure it won't hurt to ask, if they will get some craft beers, as the bar menu choices are dreadful.

[wandrr]

36 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Thanks. Having the potential for additional beers is great news. I figure it won't hurt to ask, if they will get some craft beers, as the bar menu choices are dreadful.

Asking is certainly a good idea. Ask the bartenders, ask the beverage manager, ask the hotel director, ask the captain, ask via the Navigator app, and then after the cruise, ask AGAIN when you do your email survey. I have done all of that on every previous cruise (including some very long ones) and got a bit of sympathy, but no concrete results. The on-board beer choices remain atrocious. Keep complaining, all fellow beer aficionados! The wino's on board get all sorts of "local" or special wines from the areas cruised through. Why not beer?  🤬

 

On one previous long cruise, the beverage manager put on an extra-cost craft beer tasting, supposedly comparable to all the Wine Tastings on every cruise. The "craft" beers were advertised as representative of some of the various countries we had sailed past. The choice he made for a Canadian craft beer was Molson Canadian, of all things. Fellow Canucks should be aghast at the silliness of that choice. For our southern neighbours, Molson Canadian is pretty close to the Budweiser of Canada, about as far from a craft beer as you can get. I blasted the bar staff and the beverage manager for doing such a ridiculous tasting. They just shrugged. I definitely mentioned this foolish attempt in my post-cruise survey.

 

Still, ask away! The more bitching they hear, the better. Maybe someday we will get some quality beer.

[renee00]

2 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Based on your post, am I correct in assuming they may also bring on additional local, quality beers that are not listed on the bar menus. 

 

On the Koningsdam last Friday, they had a special craft beer in the MDR for dinner that we didn't see anywhere else on the cruise. Definitely not on any bar menus. It was a scotch ale out of Seattle. Nice beer.

[OlsSalt]

OP:  You have chosen to sail on a middle market, mainline cruise line. Might want to readjust your expectations about highly individualized personal service and on board product demands.  

 

Best to know this ahead of time, and be pleasantly surprised rather than setting up so many early personal taste expectations that may well not be met. This cruise line, even with this fabulous itinerary, may not suit you.

 

A cruise line like SilverSea is better known for accommodating to those personal preferences up front; not HAL

 

Can you take a shorter HAL cruise before this major pole to pole cruise commitment and see if HAL will work for you?

[Dobby36]

I’ve seen Alaska Brewing Co beers offered on Alaska sailings, and once a Caribbean beer or two on sailings out of Florida but that’s the extent of any craft offferings I’ve seen, and even those were nothing to write home about.  I’d suggest scouting them out and enjoying onshore during port days when you can instead of expecting you’ll be pleasantly surprised onboard.  

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

OP:  You have chosen to sail on a middle market, mainline cruise line. Might want to readjust your expectations about highly individualized personal service and on board product demands.  

 

Best to know this ahead of time, and be pleasantly surprised rather than setting up so many early personal taste expectations that may well not be met. This cruise line, even with this fabulous itinerary, may not suit you.

 

A cruise line like SilverSea is better known for accommodating to those personal preferences up front; not HAL

 

Can you take a shorter HAL cruise before this major pole to pole cruise commitment and see if HAL will work for you?

 

I wasn't the OP, but I posted earlier that we are booked on the Pole to Pole. Appreciate the information, but having worked in the industry, I am well aware of the standards of most cruise lines. In booking HAL, I can assure you we have significantly downgraded our expectations, which were again downgraded last week when reading the cabins don't even have a fridge. However, they will rent you one for $2/day.

 

Having worked for P&O/Princess prior to their purchase by Carnival and then cruised as a pax I have experienced how the Carnivalisation process reduced standards. Since HAL was purchased in 1989, I expect the Carnivalisation of HAL, is comparable to that of Princess and have set our expectations accordingly.

 

Based on the bar menus, I have already accepted that I will not be drinking beer onboard. Therefore, if they bring on some good craft beers, it will exceed my low expectations.

 

Viking is our preferred cruise line, but we booked this entirely due to the brilliant itinerary and will enjoy the cruise regardless, even if the standards are as low as Princess.

[Mary229]

50 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

expectations, which were again downgraded last week when reading the cabins don't even have a fridge

That is not a downgrade.  Some of the older ships don’t have (and never have) them except the suites.  If it is important to you read the ship description prior to booking.  

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

That is not a downgrade.  Some of the older ships don’t have (and never have) them except the suites.  If it is important to you read the ship description prior to booking.  

 

Might be older tonnage, but it was built in the 1990's, not the 50's or 60's. Every other 1990's built ship I have sailed on had a fridge in the cabin.

 

You may not consider it a downgrade, but having sailed with a fridge in every cabin for about 25 yrs, for me, it most definitely is a downgrade.

[OlsSalt]

2 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Might be older tonnage, but it was built in the 1990's, not the 50's or 60's. Every other 1990's built ship I have sailed on had a fridge in the cabin.

 

You may not consider it a downgrade, but having sailed with a fridge in every cabin for about 25 yrs, for me, it most definitely is a downgrade.

 

Since you are used to Viking prices, why not upgrade yourself to a cabin that does have a refrigerator? 

[Blackduck59]

The idea that someone, anyone would use "Craft Beer" and Molson Canadian in the same sentence is laughable. I'm not sure "Craft Beer" is going to be on any Cruise ship considering the small production of true "Craft Beer" breweries. We have several breweries in our town and the cruise ships do stop here but I would be shocked to find any of their offerings on a cruise ship.

[Heidi13]

11 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

 

Since you are used to Viking prices, why not upgrade yourself to a cabin that does have a refrigerator? 

 

DW is susceptible to motion of the ocean, so we only book lower deck cabins m'ships. We booked the best cabin available meeting those criteria. I believe a fridge is only available in suites, which are of no interest, even if they had some on lower decks.

[Heidi13]

10 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

The idea that someone, anyone would use "Craft Beer" and Molson Canadian in the same sentence is laughable. I'm not sure "Craft Beer" is going to be on any Cruise ship considering the small production of true "Craft Beer" breweries. We have several breweries in our town and the cruise ships do stop here but I would be shocked to find any of their offerings on a cruise ship.

 

Enjoyed a hand-pulled pint of bitter at Spinnakers last time we were over in Victoria. As one of my Victoria regular haunts, we will definitely be heading back when we are over again in July.😁

[OlsSalt]

2 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

DW is susceptible to motion of the ocean, so we only book lower deck cabins m'ships. We booked the best cabin available meeting those criteria. I believe a fridge is only available in suites, which are of no interest, even if they had some on lower decks.

 

Depending on the  HAL  ship, the "term suite" gets attached  to regular verandah cabins. But naturally verandah are not located on the very lowest decks. Sorry you are starting out with so many early disappointments. Hope this does not ruin what could be a great  cruise - itinerary wise.

 

Being able rent an optional refrigerator for your lower deck cabins that do not have them. Seems like a win-win solution for those who require them, but by choice need to pick a lower deck cabin.

 

HAL offers cabins at various price points, which is a real boon for many who like to cruise to the wonderful itineraries HAL offers but have a limited travel budget. That is a bonus quality for HAL; not a down grade. 

[Blackduck59]

2 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Enjoyed a hand-pulled pint of bitter at Spinnakers last time we were over in Victoria. As one of my Victoria regular haunts, we will definitely be heading back when we are over again in July.😁

 

I haven't been to Spinnakers in some time. I used to have a personal mug behind the bar back in the day. They don't make my prefered brew anymore it was called Mt. Tolmie dark. 

If you wanted to get together when you're over let me know. 

 

[iceman93]

On my Nieuw Statendam cruise from Sydney to Singapore at the beginning of the year, the ship had a truly wonderful selection of local beers from Australia, New Zealand, and the broader south Pacific.  They were on display at every bar, as I suspect they were wanting to use up this inventory before proceeding to Japan and eventually Alaska cruises.

 

I wouldn't call them microbrews since they came from larger producers, but am comfortable using the term "craft beers" as they were definitely not the standard, mainstream beers one can get anywhere in the world.  Even though there were some I only tried once, I found a few new favorites and definitely enjoyed experiencing a bunch of new beers I wouldn't have been able to otherwise.

[CruiserBruce]

9 minutes ago, iceman93 said:

On my Nieuw Statendam cruise from Sydney to Singapore at the beginning of the year, the ship had a truly wonderful selection of local beers from Australia, New Zealand, and the broader south Pacific.  They were on display at every bar, as I suspect they were wanting to use up this inventory before proceeding to Japan and eventually Alaska cruises.

 

I wouldn't call them microbrews since they came from larger producers, but am comfortable using the term "craft beers" as they were definitely not the standard, mainstream beers one can get anywhere in the world.  Even though there were some I only tried once, I found a few new favorites and definitely enjoyed experiencing a bunch of new beers I wouldn't have been able to otherwise.

N. Statendam sailed from Sydney to Singapore? I don't think so. She has stayed in Europe and the Caribbean.

[Torquer]

This February on the Noordam, while cruising New Zealand and Australia, they had a nice selection of local beers from both NZ and Aus available in the MDR beverage menu.  I wouldn't call them "craft beers", but they were definitely beers I had never tried before and I don't believe any are available in the US.  I tried them all (on different nights) and, in general, they were very good and one I liked especially I had on several times in the MDR.  I don't know if any bars had these beers.  In addition, there were the "standard beers" that are available on all HAL ships in the MDR.