Hot hors d’oeuvres during the cocktail hours

[Protseq]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

The only thing I liked about Oceana was the late afternoon tea in the crows nest where they served petit but hearty sandwiches.  A little early for cocktail hour but close enough to serve the purpose 

I have to agree with you.  Our last cruise was on Oceania Nautica doing French Polynesia itinerary earlier this year.  Surprisingly, it wasn't well attended.  The strings quartet was excellent.  Towards the end of the hour food service, the staff was offering sarcastic  'buy one, get one free' comments. 😄

[DFWGUYZ]

 They are gone, period. It is an unfortunate play by HAL, imo, it was one of the differences that provided that "above and beyond" experience onboard. We've traveled with HAL for many years and have watched the "above and beyond" experiences deplete. We'll remember how it was and now do more land-based vacations. Let the new get less for more.

[shipshape sam]

I would think that feature would be a benefit to HAL( even nuts/etc. just promote them).  We like to have a drink before dinner and do ask wait staff for nuts/etc if they have them.  Not sure going too far afield on this might change many eating habits for MDR or other restaurant.  I know I could over indulge in hors d'oeuvres  and even eating my full meal, be stuffed. Back 0n the nuts, we eat some as I do not like to drink without eating something .

 

On Celebrity Captains Club, we did enjoy some very nice hors d'oeuvres and I basically skipped most of it unless it was shrimp, then all bets were off. 😀 

 

Captains Club was not available to most passengers too, so not as much cost to provide that benefit.

Edited August 18 by shipshape sam

[oakridger]

On 8/17/2024 at 6:47 PM, Will_Dieterich said:

The 2 for 1 prices for happy hour still happen.

 

@atexsix, although to be clear, they are 50% off drinks at Happy Hour.  You only need to get one drink to get the discount.  That's a little different than needing to get two drinks for one price.  I, personally, have never been to any Happy Hour on land or sea where I only had one drink though!  😁

 

~Nancy

[atexsix]

12 minutes ago, oakridger said:

 

@atexsix, although to be clear, they are 50% off drinks at Happy Hour.  You only need to get one drink to get the discount.  That's a little different than needing to get two drinks for one price.  I, personally, have never been to any Happy Hour on land or sea where I only had one drink though!  😁

 

~Nancy

Especially when you can barely taste the booze, some cruise lines are worst than others on this.

[syesmar]

ANYONE ON BOARD RIGHT NOW?

 

If anyone is currently sailing, I’d be curious if you could get them in one of the lounges upon request. I’ve seen reports over the years that they are no longer served, but no one has told me they specifically asked for them and were denied. (Even pre-pandemic, on some sailings I was on, they were not readily available everywhere and sometimes only available in a couple lounges. But if I went to those and asked for them, they were provided.). 

I would try the Crow’s Nest or Ocean Lounge first.

[syesmar]

On 8/17/2024 at 9:03 AM, Lido deck main said:

…They used to have a 5:00pm glass of wine and a hot appetizer of the day in the Ocean Bar each day for I think it was $5.00 they don’t even do that anymore even at a higher price….

I remember those. A Party Planner (that term is going way back😀!) told me that the food itself was complimentary to guests, though it wasn’t advertised, it was the beverage that was being purchased. She encouraged our lanyard-making group to try the appetizer even if we didn’t buy the drink. From time to time over the years I would stop by these events and I was never denied the appetizer-only upon request.

[Cruisedutchie]

On the Rotterdam, Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam you can get hot "bitterballen", "vlammetjes" and "cheese souffles" at the grand dutch cafe. They go perfect with a nice cold beer in the afternoon.

[madera1]

On our last cruise we would go to the pool bar outside of the lido and get a few small hot appetizers from the buffet to enjoy pre dinner with our cocktail.

[vivalas]

We have a Westerdam Cruise coming up in October and I had not heard of the appetizers available during happy hour.  We have taken one other HAL cruise to Alaska two years ago.  And we did do cocktails during Happy Hour.  So I chatted with someone on HAL site, and they referred me to email them at a address they gave me and ask.  I did so and here was their response:  

 

"Good Day,

 

Thank you contacting the Holland America Line, we look forward to welcoming you aboard.

 

We do have hors d'oeuvres available in the bars during cocktail hour. Waiters will walk around the bar areas asking if you would like some.

 

If you need further assistance, please contact Ship Services Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:00pm PT at 800-541-1576.

 

With Warm Regards,

Ship Services

1-800-541-1576

450 Third Avenue West, Seattle WA 98119

www.hollandamerica.com"

 

Don't know if it really happens, but maybe you do need to ask your waiter or bartender and they will get someone to bring some or take an order for some. We are going to check out the accuracy of the response when we cruise.

[foodsvcmgr]

Very interesting, I would have sworn they were eliminated by 2018.

I suspect you need to ask, probably if you frequent the same bar nightly and get to know the servers they may be offered after that.

[Haljo1935]

7 hours ago, vivalas said:

We have a Westerdam Cruise coming up in October and I had not heard of the appetizers available during happy hour.  We have taken one other HAL cruise to Alaska two years ago.  And we did do cocktails during Happy Hour.  So I chatted with someone on HAL site, and they referred me to email them at a address they gave me and ask.  I did so and here was their response:  

 

"Good Day,

 

Thank you contacting the Holland America Line, we look forward to welcoming you aboard.

 

We do have hors d'oeuvres available in the bars during cocktail hour. Waiters will walk around the bar areas asking if you would like some.

 

If you need further assistance, please contact Ship Services Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:00pm PT at 800-541-1576.

 

With Warm Regards,

Ship Services

1-800-541-1576

450 Third Avenue West, Seattle WA 98119

www.hollandamerica.com"

 

Don't know if it really happens, but maybe you do need to ask your waiter or bartender and they will get someone to bring some or take an order for some. We are going to check out the accuracy of the response when we cruise.

Having seen the empty app cases for 16 days on K'dam and having been offered many bowls of peanuts during happy hour, I'm betting that's what they're referring to. I would really like to be wrong, so I hope you'll come back and update us on your findings.

 

Safe travels- enjoy your cruise!

[Mary229]

The only appetizers besides nuts and my own cocktail glass salad is during the occasional sail away party which might occur once on a 2 week cruise and usually at the lido bars.  Whoever sent that letter is clearly out of touch.  Maybe that is the issue - so many in Seattle have never sailed a typical sailing. It should be a requirement 

[syesmar]

17 hours ago, madera1 said:

On our last cruise we would go to the pool bar outside of the lido and get a few small hot appetizers from the buffet to enjoy pre dinner with our cocktail.

@madera  Good to know they were to be found on your sailing! 

14 hours ago, vivalas said:

…I did so and here was their response: “…We do have hors d'oeuvres available in the bars during cocktail hour. Waiters will walk around the bar areas asking if you would like some. …"

Don't know if it really happens, but maybe you do need to ask your waiter or bartender and they will get someone to bring some or take an order for some. We are going to check out the accuracy of the response when we cruise.

@vivalas  It had gotten to where I indeed had to ask, and sometimes not giving up after asking in one lounge if that one didn’t have it, as it was limited to only a couple lounges. I do recall the waiters telling me which ones had them. I hope you’ll come back here and share your experience after your cruise. Good luck!

Edited August 20 by syesmar

[leafsnation]

A lot has changed since start up after covid. Saving the $$$.

Also a lot less crew than before! 

Remember the show buffets in the 70s with ice sculptures and butter sculptures.

Bob