HAL Food - What They Promise

[Giorgi-one]

First let me say that I have enjoyed sailing on HAL. I have only been on the Zuiderdam twice which I believe was operated at a low budget family-oriented cruise ship when it was in the Caribbean. The ship was also in need of repairs which it received last December.

 

My major disappointment on the "Z" was the food. It was not very good on our first cruise in 2004 and only slightly better on the second in 2005. It certainly was not in the same class as Celebrity which we have sailed four times.

 

There are some who defend food on all cruise lines saying that it is better than what they get at home and you can't expect good food for 2000 people. The latter excuse obviously does not hold water if you have sailed on Celebrity where they prepare very good food for almost 2000 people. As far as what to expect on HAL, get a copy of the latest HAL brochure. They certainly do not give you the impression that the food will be "better than what you get at home". Some of the language used includes: Elegant dining, choice cuts of meat and seafood of the highest quality, master chefs have brought flavors to perfection, culinary inspiration changes by the day, etc.

 

I have seen numerous posts on this board and others indicating that cruise line food quality has decreased over the last 10 years. That has certainly been my experience. No doubt a lot of this is due to the Carnivore effect where making money has become the number one priority.

 

We are booked on the Westerdam next July. Hopefully, it will be an improvement over the Zuiderdam and much closer to what HAL promises in their brochures.

[dougnewmanatsea]

In the past, I was not especially impressed with HAL's food. It was good, just a bit plain. (I tend to think the same of Cunard's food today - good, but somehow something's missing.) I'd say it was about on par with Princess, not as good as Celebrity but much better than Royal Caribbean.

 

In the past year or so, HAL has completely revamped the entire dining operation and it is now very good in my experience. I have noticed that the number of food-related complaints has dropped precipitously in the past year. They've worked very hard and while there have been a few minor missteps, the I think the overall dining experience is now as good as any other line in the price class, including Celebrity.

 

I do think HAL definitely has an edge in buffets (an area where they have always excelled) and their menus now offer a wider range of choices than Celebrity's (or, for that matter, any others I've seen), but in terms of quality of dining room food I would rate them about equally. I would not hesitate to choose either on the basis of food.

 

On the other hand, there are many other elements of HAL's product that I do prefer to Celebrity (though I wish HAL would adopt Celebrity's "no announcements" policy) and overall I would choose HAL first.

[Giorgi-one]

Doug:

 

Then I am definitely looking forward to the Westerdam next July. Also, I agree that HAL's buffets were very good. We were on Freedom in August and the Windjammer buffet was the pits - lousy food, people walking in every direction and no seats. We also thought that HAL pizza was good and that's saying something since we are from New Jersey where there is an Italian restaurant / pizzzeria in every little strip mall. I still think that Celebrity Millenium class ships are more impressive than HAL Vista class. I really do not like the covered pool on HAL. Even with the cover opened, I get a closed-in feeling. Then again, we rarely use the pool areas since we spend sea days on our balcony - do not like crowds. We are trying Crown Princess in January - mostly for Southern Caribbean itineray and price - minisuite for less than $1100.

[fcorey]

Giorgi-one, thanks for posting your experience with Zuiderdam. I've only been on one cruise, our first HAL cruise is in two weeks. On the first cruise, on Carnival, we were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food. I guess we have high expectations when we plan a vacation and browse the brochures. I agree that serving 2000 people should not be an excuse for poor food or service. I'll be sure to mention the food in the review we post after the trip. I am hoping that the Oosterdam will live up to our expectations and make us HAL regulars.:)

[scott in maine]

I have only been on the Zuiderdam twice which I believe was operated at a low budget family-oriented cruise ship when it was in the Caribbean.

 

Huh????

[polebarn]

We were on the Zuiderdam in late April 2006, and were very pleased with the quality and preparation of the food in the Vista dining room. We were less impressed with the buffet, but it was fine. We had a terrible meal (filet) at the Pinnacle Grill, which was a surprise based on the posts we've seen. We were especially pleased with the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, with interesting and tasty preparation.

[Giorgi-one]

Huh????

 

Zuiderdam fares were among lowest in Caribbean during summers of 2005 and 2005. The ship was in very poor shape. Concrete floors under rugs were cracked with holes in several locations. Food was not very good and there were numerous physical problems. I was not the only one who reached this conclusion.

[duckman715]

First let me say that I have enjoyed sailing on HAL. I have only been on the Zuiderdam twice which I believe was operated at a low budget family-oriented cruise ship when it was in the Caribbean. The ship was also in need of repairs which it received last December.

 

My major disappointment on the "Z" was the food. It was not very good on our first cruise in 2004 and only slightly better on the second in 2005. It certainly was not in the same class as Celebrity which we have sailed four times.

 

There are some who defend food on all cruise lines saying that it is better than what they get at home and you can't expect good food for 2000 people. The latter excuse obviously does not hold water if you have sailed on Celebrity where they prepare very good food for almost 2000 people. As far as what to expect on HAL, get a copy of the latest HAL brochure. They certainly do not give you the impression that the food will be "better than what you get at home". Some of the language used includes: Elegant dining, choice cuts of meat and seafood of the highest quality, master chefs have brought flavors to perfection, culinary inspiration changes by the day, etc.

 

I have seen numerous posts on this board and others indicating that cruise line food quality has decreased over the last 10 years. That has certainly been my experience. No doubt a lot of this is due to the Carnivore effect where making money has become the number one priority.

 

We are booked on the Westerdam next July. Hopefully, it will be an improvement over the Zuiderdam and much closer to what HAL promises in their brochures.

 

My one trip on Celebrity (Galaxy last October to Med) I found the food to be a serious disapointment. Varies from ship to ship & cruise to cruise I believe. I have had both good & bad on the same line.

PS Making money has always been the number one priority. Only the emphasis as to how best do it varies - cut cost vs improve service/product. That's not just a cruise thing, it's in all business lines

[Vic The Parrot]

I agree with Doug (Host Doug)

 

 

The food on HAL is better than it was a year ago. When I think about it, the last time I enjoyed each dinner was back in 1998. When I returned to HAL in 2005, I felt something was wrong .... the meals in the main restaurant were somewhat dull and unsatisfying.

 

But, I have to say when I sailed on QE2 two years ago, every dinner course was superb. (I spent 19 days on that ship, and each meal was Heaven!)

 

So I doubt if "Carnivore-ization" has anything to do with it. The chefs on QE were, well .... much better ...

[Krazy Kruizers]

Only one time can I say that we had really bad food on HAL. It was in 2001 and the Ryndam had just gotten a new chef. If there was a way to destroy food -- he did it!!

 

But I do have to say that we have noticed a big improvement the last couple of years on HAL concerning the food.

[Vic The Parrot]

plain. (I tend to think the same of Cunard's food today - good, but somehow something's missing.)

 

 

 

 

Now don't tell me it's gone downhill in 2 years ...

 

 

As I mentioned before (look above) the food on Cunard was better than what HAL offered on Oosterdam in Feb2005. A 1 month gap between those two voyages, so I very much remember the quality between the two.

 

:confused:

[Krazy Kruizers]

Since the all the ships have almost the same menus, I think that a lot depends on the chef and how he has his crew prepare the various dishes.

[Vic The Parrot]

HAL should get Gordon Ramsey to do the menus.

 

At least everything will be up to snuff. Can you imagine what that galley will be like???

 

 

Gordon: "I told you to @#%$*&! baste that before you put it in the oven!! .. you stupid #$%&*@@!

 

 

 

:D

[peaches from georgia]

HAL should get Gordon Ramsey to do the menus.

 

At least everything will be up to snuff. Can you imagine what that galley will be like???

 

 

Gordon: "I told you to @#%$*&! baste that before you put it in the oven!! .. you stupid #$%&*@@!

 

 

 

:D

Another Hell's Kitchen fan. My favorite show. Not insulting Rudy, but I wish Gordon was directing HAL's kitchens.

[fb0075]

Just off the Noordam, and it was the best in many,many years!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FRANK

[HeatherInFlorida]

If Doug is right, and I sincerely hope he is, then I am looking even more forward to our Prinsendam adventure in December.

 

One of my biggest complaints about HAL has always been the food. But we've not cruised with HAL since November 2004 so it's not fair.

 

But Giorgi-one, I am in 100% agreement with you on this. Based on my experience with both lines, Celebrity wins over HAL in M-class vs Vista hands down. Their dining room food also wins by a landslide.

 

I worry sometimes that I have such high expectations for our Prinsendam cruise. They'll be hard to live up to.

[HoneyGV]

I believe that as far as food goes..it depends on one's tastes. To me, some things taste great and other things seem to me to be just pedestrian food given a fancy name on the menu.

There are some things that are served that the best chef in the world could have prepared that I wouldn't eat. I don't care for lamb...no matter who prepares it...and others just love it.

So, it's a matter of taste.

As far as the food tasting better than you can get at home...there is NO ONE in the world who could cook as good as my mom...IN ANY LANGUAGE! God rest her soul. We just recently celebrated her life after she had been gone for one year now. I'd give ANYTHING for some of mom's stuffed cabbage and perogies! :)

[helenp2]

Sorry you didn't enjoy the Zuiderdam as much as would have liked. I must preface my remarks by saying I am very loyal to HAL and find their product to be far superior to most cruiselines. I have however sailed on Celebrity a few times. My first cruise was on the Horizon many yrs ago and we loved it. Second cruise was on the Mercury during it's inaugural yr and we thought it was also excellent. Then we took the Infinity and didn't enjoy it very much. Finally, we sailed for 12nts on the Summit and hated it. We were in a CC cat rom and quite frankly it was dirty, beds were the worst imaginable. In all fairness, the service in the Dining Room was excellent, BUT..... the food was inedible and by far the worst we have ever had on a ship. Celebrity's menu choices leave a lot to be desired. Pave of Congrio???? Thai Noodles??? Chicken Chiquita (chicken stuffed w/bananas)???? Buca alla con Gremolata???

These are the entrees that were offered on one night of that cruise. Lido offerings weren't much better. To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement.

 

My experience with Celebrity left me thinking I had better stick with HAL where I know exactly what it is that I am eating.

[HeatherInFlorida]

HoneyGV, I love that you said you just "celebrated" you mother's life recently rather than what most people say ... the anniversary of someone's death. That's a wonderful thing to do and I sure hope one day someone is celebrating mine!

 

Your remark reminded me that I rarely, if ever, eat better on a cruise than at home. We love my cooking and that may be why we only go out to dinner once a week just for a change of scene.

 

And I will say I have, on rare occasion, eaten better in a restaurant on land ... or had something I don't have the inclination to prepare at home. I love that I don't have to prepare and wash the dishes on a cruise, but we never go to eat better than at home:) .

 

Helenp2, I don't know when you were on the Summit but our experiences are like night and day. I found the Summit last October so far superior to the Vista class ships. Our bed was great, the cabin immaculate and the food delicious ... not to mention the ship so much more attractive and open. Different strokes!:D

[Giorgi-one]

Sorry you didn't enjoy the Zuiderdam as much as would have liked. I must preface my remarks by saying I am very loyal to HAL and find their product to be far superior to most cruiselines. I have however sailed on Celebrity a few times. My first cruise was on the Horizon many yrs ago and we loved it. Second cruise was on the Mercury during it's inaugural yr and we thought it was also excellent. Then we took the Infinity and didn't enjoy it very much. Finally, we sailed for 12nts on the Summit and hated it. We were in a CC cat rom and quite frankly it was dirty, beds were the worst imaginable. In all fairness, the service in the Dining Room was excellent, BUT..... the food was inedible and by far the worst we have ever had on a ship. Celebrity's menu choices leave a lot to be desired. Pave of Congrio???? Thai Noodles??? Chicken Chiquita (chicken stuffed w/bananas)???? Buca alla con Gremolata???

These are the entrees that were offered on one night of that cruise. Lido offerings weren't much better. To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement.

 

My experience with Celebrity left me thinking I had better stick with HAL where I know exactly what it is that I am eating.

 

I have never seen any of those dishes on a Celebrity menu. Was this a European or Meditteranean cruise? I have been told that food quality on European / Mediterranean cruises is not up to quality on Caribbean cruises. We will be on our first Med cruise next July on HAL, and I hope that what I heard is wrong.

[helenp2]

I have never seen any of those dishes on a Celebrity menu. Was this a European or Meditteranean cruise? I have been told that food quality on European / Mediterranean cruises is not up to quality on Caribbean cruises. We will be on our first Med cruise next July on HAL, and I hope that what I heard is wrong.

 

 

No, they were on a 12nt Caribbean Thanksgiving cruise. Truthfully, we had a difficult time finding anything on their dinner menus that appealed to us. Even lunch in the lido was disappointing - just not up to HAL's quality. One day I decided to just get a burger out on the pool deck for lunch. UGH!!!! Everything is pre-cooked and all the burgers are then placed in some kind of brown liquid type oil to float. Just awful. Even the food in their Spa pool area lost it's appeal when I had to ask to have cigarette ashtrays removed from this area. Supposedly this is a "no smoking" area. However, after seeing these same filled ashtrays for 3 straight days, I came away with not so good feelings regarding Celebrity's housekeeping. But, it was more than just the food that did it for us. On our first day boarding we were really looking forward to our CC cat aft suite. Cabin was just out and out dirty. In putting our luggage away (under the bed) DH found a half filled baby bottle. God only knows how long that was there. Aft veranda is quite deep and large. We asked our cabin steward to please vacuum this area and clean it up as there were used dishes out there and crumbs on the floor. No problem he said. When we returned the dishes were gone but crumbs still out there. By the 3rd day, I contacted the head of housekeeping who assured me it would be taken care of. On the 6th day they finally cleaned that veranda.

Trust me, we are not picky people. BUT.....I just couldn't help myself from comparing these flaws to what I have experienced on HAL. We have sailed on Regent, Silverseas, RCCl, Celebrity, NCL, etc. NOTHING out there from the top to the bottom can compare to the cleanliness that HAL offers. Everyone of their ships is spotless and for me this works.

[newmexicoNita]

First let me say that I have enjoyed sailing on HAL. I have only been on the Zuiderdam twice which I believe was operated at a low budget family-oriented cruise ship when it was in the Caribbean. The ship was also in need of repairs which it received last December.

 

My major disappointment on the "Z" was the food. It was not very good on our first cruise in 2004 and only slightly better on the second in 2005. It certainly was not in the same class as Celebrity which we have sailed four times.

 

There are some who defend food on all cruise lines saying that it is better than what they get at home and you can't expect good food for 2000 people. The latter excuse obviously does not hold water if you have sailed on Celebrity where they prepare very good food for almost 2000 people. As far as what to expect on HAL, get a copy of the latest HAL brochure. They certainly do not give you the impression that the food will be "better than what you get at home". Some of the language used includes: Elegant dining, choice cuts of meat and seafood of the highest quality, master chefs have brought flavors to perfection, culinary inspiration changes by the day, etc.

 

I have seen numerous posts on this board and others indicating that cruise line food quality has decreased over the last 10 years. That has certainly been my experience. No doubt a lot of this is due to the Carnivore effect where making money has become the number one priority.

 

We are booked on the Westerdam next July. Hopefully, it will be an improvement over the Zuiderdam and much closer to what HAL promises in their brochures.

I am responding to you without reading any other replies,as for the "Z" as a TA I can guarantee you most of my HAL cliants would disagree with your assessment a million times over; I have never had anyone come back and say the ship was in poor condition or there were cracks under the carpets (how did you see under the carpet btw)? I have I have heard some say HAL doesn't use many spices so the food is very basic. Maybe that is what their cliantelle wants: I do hope to find it a little on the gourmet side. Now, as for Celbrity over HAL, I haven't sailed HAL for many years (will in about 8 weeks) if Celebrity's food is so superior to HAL I will be really disappointed. Food is subjective, but Celebrity, in my opinion isn't even a tad bet better than most other lines; (meats being the exception) Cruise lines have cut back, how can they not? Prices haven't increased in years; some cases they have actually decreased. I hope you find your next cruise on HAL to your liking, but my gut feeling is you will not!!!! Why, because you may be looking for something that does not exist or so taken by Celebrity that nothing will satisfy you. AS for me, I can't wait to sail on the Amsterdam. BTW: what is with the low budgeted line: HAL is just about the opposite!!!!????? Our first cruise on Celebrity was over Thanksgiving on the Connie about 3 years ago: Why the Connie? Because she had by far the lowest prices for a balcony cabin. We needed 3; decided to try her, had a great time and certainly never thought of her as a bargain line. Any line at any time may have the best rates out there. I have seen Carnival higher than anyone from time to time. We are paying more for HAL than we would have for Princess the same dates (about) and similar itinerary except Princess did the whole canal; We choose to spend the extra few hundred dollars so we could fly in and out of the same port. It really isn't realistic to ever put HAL in the budget catagory. NMnita

[Giorgi-one]

I am responding to you without reading any other replies,as for the "Z" as a TA I can guarantee you most of my HAL cliants would disagree with your assessment a million times over; I have never had anyone come back and say the ship was in poor condition or there were cracks under the carpets (how did you see under the carpet btw)? I

NMnita

 

There must have been at least 100 posts on this board last year talking about the cracked floors and poor condition of the Zuiderdam. Do a search and I am sure you will find them.

[dougnewmanatsea]

But, I have to say when I sailed on QE2 two years ago, every dinner course was superb. (I spent 19 days on that ship, and each meal was Heaven!)

In which restaurant?

 

This past January, the food was good (in Caronia), but with rather limited menu choice. I certainly wouldn't say it was bad - it was fine, just not really "special".

 

I thought the food aboard ROTTERDAM a few months earlier was really excellent, and considerably better than anything I'd had on a mass-market line in several years.Frankly, it was better than I expected from HAL.

 

I have never had anyone come back and say the ship was in poor condition or there were cracks under the carpets (how did you see under the carpet btw)?

It's pretty easy to see if the surfacing under the carpet isn't smooth.

 

The issue here is, for lack of a better word, "potholes" in the surfacing beneath the carpet.

 

This was a very well-documented issue with ZUIDERDAM that I believe was repaired in a recent drydock.

 

I sailed in ZUIDERDAM when she was a mere four months old and frankly, she wasn't in great condition then... Mostly because she had a lot of quality issues as delivered from the yard. I suspect she is better now.

 

It really isn't realistic to ever put HAL in the budget catagory. NMnita

I've seen some HAL cruises for around $450 per person for seven days, including port taxes. That's pretty "budget" to me... As low as any other mass-market line.

 

The truth is, HAL's price class depends greatly on destination and itinerary. Some of their Caribbean 7-day cruises are very cheap. Of course, the same goes for Celebrity. In reality they are both mass-market lines, perhaps excepting some of HAL's long cruises (World Cruises and Grand Voyages - which don't exist on Celebrity).

[Vic The Parrot]

In which restaurant?

 

 

 

 

Hi Doug

 

 

I was in Caronia as well. But each time I've been on that ship, I never had any problems with food in all restaurants.

 

That's why I cringe at some of those posts on the Cunard board that are always bashing the Mauretania restaurant. They just don't know what they're missing.

 

:)