Midnight buffet

[joschwin]

I am thinking about taking a Holland AM. cruise in Nov. with 2 teenagers who can eat alot. The food has to be good and must have a midnight buffett. Will I find this to be the case on Holland Am. Line.?

 

Joan

[sail7seas]

HAL has what they call Late Night Buffet. It is in Lido and each night has a different theme. One night might be Mexican, another Italian etc

 

For the first time since we have sailed HAL, we noticed on our Ryndam cruise in April that while they had the usual Late Night Buffet which opens around 11:15 or 11:30 most nights on a few they did not. On the nights when they did not offer the buffet, they passed trays of Light Bites in all the bars and lounges.

 

We just about never go to the late buffet and didn't want any lite bites either so it doesn't mean anything to us personally if they continue to have the buffet. I hope they do continue it as it is a cruise tradition and there seem to be enough people who want it but there is also a lot of waste, I imagine.

 

Perhaps the Lite Bites we found on Ryndam may be a precurser of the end of the nightly buffet??? I don't know.

 

[sail7seas]

We all agree that we want the food to be good. :)

 

Of course, what we will never agree is what is good food??!!! :)

 

What I enjoy and think delicious, someone else may not appreciate and vice versa. ;)

 

We think the food on HAL in recent years has gotten better and better. We find high quality and good selection prepared and served well.

 

[hammybee]

As anyone who arrived a little too late to the HAL chocolate buffet can tell you, it's not a pretty site.

[MBeamTX]

Choose a Vista class ship. They have the Lido pizza and pasta bar, along with the ice cream station, open until 1 am. At least, that has been the case on my Zuiderdam and Westerdam cruises. Another station opens around 11:30 pm with the late night snack on most, if not all, nights. As S7S noted, it has a nightly theme. Then there is always 24-hour room service, with sandwiches and chocolate cake! Even teenagers won't starve.

 

Susan

[tomc]

The "Midnight Buffet" used to be a big thing when I first started sailing HAL about 18 years ago. But, while the spread seems to have stayed approx the same, patronage is way down. On Rotter V, you would wait in line for at least five minutes; now, it's grab a tray and move right along.

 

I spoke to one of the "dressed in whites" about it a few years ago and he was of the opinion that it was a dying tradition with the pax. People just aren't stuffing up the way they were in years past. I just have a couple of light salads and a bun. I would not at all object to seeing leftovers from supper being put out for one last bite.

 

As long as there is !hot! water for tea, I'm happy.

[rkacruiser]

Your teenagers will love the Terrace Grill area: good hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, sausage sandwiches, tacos, and pizza. Opens for lunch time and runs all afternoon.

[Love Cruises]

The "Late Night Snack" on HAL is really great. As Sail7Seas said there is a theme each night. The Oriental and Mexican ones are the best! You will see many of the staff eating here at this time (The Casino staff, stage managers, entertainers, dancers). We have gotten very friendly with many of the dancers/singers and performers on board at these relaxed Late Night Snacks.

 

Besides the nights theme, some of the other selections were things that are on that night's menu (especially, the desserts).

 

I think you will enjoy it!

[missygirl]

We were on the Oosterdam in May and as I remember it started around 10:30. I only went as couple times but hubby was there every night. The only complaint that I had was the desserts, in the Lido, weren't terrific this time for me. They did have a good selection of ice cream.

The main dining room I didn't have any problems with, food was good and plenty.

 

Missygirl:)

[sail7seas]

That's amazingly early for them to have 'late night' buffet. Second seating dinner has just finished. The people at 8:00 and 8:30 seating can't possibly be hungry for more food........could they???!!!$@#@#?

[jhannah]

The people at 8:00 and 8:30 seating can't possibly be hungry for more food........could they???!!!$@#@#?

If they're teenage boys .... YES! :)

[Estella]

Always that wonderful room service in a pinch. Nothing like having a club sandwich (it's the best), chips, a dish of ice cream and chocolate chip cookies. All you have to do is pick up the phone.

[kryos]

Choose a Vista class ship. They have the Lido pizza and pasta bar, along with the ice cream station, open until 1 am.

No, you don't necessarily need to be on a Vista class ship. I was on the Amsterdam in January and they had a theme buffet every night. I think it started at around 11:00 p.m. Also, the dessert station is open even later. I only know that because I like to stop up in the Lido for a cup of java before retiring to my cabin for the night. They always had the dessert selections out ... and I was usually up there between Midnight and 1:00 a.m. most nights. Of course, coffee and tea is available 24 by 7 ... thank God. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Gardyloo2]

We went on a 3 family cruise with several teenage boys and they were in heaven. There were so many foods they liked and all they could eat. When they discovered room service, it didn't get any better until they tried escargot for the first time. The waiters were clearly happy the guys liked the escargot, brought about six orders, and told them they could order it on room service too.

 

To be quite honest, I can't think of a better vacation for a family with teens than a cruise. There are lots of things for all ages to do. And even when you get one of the surly teens, they can sulk in their room while no one else is bothered by it. One of my nephews started out that way, said he'd rather be home with his friends. We all left him alone and didn't push him (after all where's he gonna go?). By the 3rd morning he joined in fully and was pleasant to everyone the rest of the trip.

I can't say that'll work with the emo types, but I think it works with the average teen.

[cruisequeen10]

They have a chocolate buffet on HAL? Really. When, where. We are sailing on the Zuiderdam to Alaska July 8.

 

Have been to the one on NCL and it was fabulous.

[RuthC]

They have a chocolate buffet on HAL? Really. When, where.

Oh, yes. They do. :) It will be listed in the Daily Program exactly when it will be. Usually, it's in the Lido. Sometimes it's at night; other times it's late afternoon.

It isn't as good as it used to be, however. :( It's good, but even I don't get crazy about it anymore.

[MBeamTX]

No, you don't necessarily need to be on a Vista class ship. I was on the Amsterdam in January and they had a theme buffet every night. I think it started at around 11:00 p.m. Also, the dessert station is open even later. I only know that because I like to stop up in the Lido for a cup of java before retiring to my cabin for the night. They always had the dessert selections out ... and I was usually up there between Midnight and 1:00 a.m. most nights. Of course, coffee and tea is available 24 by 7 ... thank God. :)

 

The late-night snack seems to vary some from ship to ship, but I know they all have them. I only meant that the Vista ships, in addition to the usual theme snack section, also have the pizza and pasta bar and it's open even later. My recollection is that both our Westerdam cruises had the snack from 11 or 11:30 pm until about 12 or 12:30 am. (The hours seemed to vary a little on some nights.) But the pizza/pasta and ice cream/dessert stations were open continuously throughout the evening until 1 am. I didn't personally check this out - not every night, anyway :D - but we did snag some early-AM pizza on a few occasions. If continuous food availability is a key requirement, the Vista ships offer more than just room service.

 

Happy cruising,

Susan