Please help - Tea's ?

[tiki2278]

This is my first post and I need advice. Would someone advise me as to the tea service and times on Holland America Lines. It is my understanding that an afternoon tea is served daily and High Tea, along with a Dutch High Tea. Are reservations necessary for any and are the High Tea's formal ? Would someone share their memories of the tea and sweets/foods offered? Where are they held on the MS. Maasdam and is there any advice that you can offer for a first timer?

Thank you.

[Lovebirds]

Check this thread for some info:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=80805

[staufj22]

This is my first post and I need advice. Would someone advise me as to the tea service and times on Holland America Lines. It is my understanding that an afternoon tea is served daily and High Tea, along with a Dutch High Tea. Are reservations necessary for any and are the High Tea's formal ? Would someone share their memories of the tea and sweets/foods offered? Where are they held on the MS. Maasdam and is there any advice that you can offer for a first timer?

Thank you.

 

 

Here are some pictures of high tea on the Westerdam a few weeks ago. Its a pretty casual event, some people line up in front of the door till it opens, some people arrive late, some even 5 or 10 minutes before it ends just to grab some snacks.

Basically, you walk past a buffet table of snacks, pick your poison, and they lead you to a table. Waiters come by and pour tea, and offer cream and sugar.

 

http://photo.jimmyland.com/Westerdam/CIMG2693

 

http://photo.jimmyland.com/Westerdam/CIMG2695

 

http://photo.jimmyland.com/Westerdam/CIMG2697

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Here are some pictures of high tea on the Westerdam a few weeks ago. Its a pretty casual event, some people line up in front of the door till it opens, some people arrive late, some even 5 or 10 minutes before it ends just to grab some snacks.

Basically, you walk past a buffet table of snacks, pick your poison, and they lead you to a table. Waiters come by and pour tea, and offer cream and sugar.

 

http://photo.jimmyland.com/Westerdam/CIMG2693

 

http://photo.jimmyland.com/Westerdam/CIMG2695

 

http://photo.jimmyland.com/Westerdam/CIMG2697

staufj22, I hope you don't mind that I viewed all your Westerdam photos. They are so good. We will be on the Westerdam in March and it reminds me so much of the Oosterdam and Zuiderdam that it brought tears to my eyes. Looking at your High Tea pictures just reminded me why I like HAL cruising so much:) It looks like you had a very good time. Thanks so much for sharing.

[bepsf]

Here are some pictures of high tea on the Westerdam a few weeks ago. Its a pretty casual event, some people line up in front of the door till it opens, some people arrive late, some even 5 or 10 minutes before it ends just to grab some snacks.

Basically, you walk past a buffet table of snacks, pick your poison, and they lead you to a table. Waiters come by and pour tea, and offer cream and sugar.

Hmmm - such a different course from High Tea/Russian Tea on Amsterdam.

We seated ourselves in the Explorer's Lounge to tables pre-set w/ linen tea-napkins, flatware and tea china. At the appointed time, the Pinnacle waitstaff served tea from large silver pots and brought out great silver trays of open-faced tea sandwiches and bite-sized pastries - serving us individually w/ long silver tongs, and coming by more than once to make sure that everyone had plenty.:)

This was a fairly formal affair, and on-time! At 15 minutes past the hour, the waitstaff had finished serving and were clearing service items.

It was interesting sitting there chatting w/ other passengers afterward - witnessing the confusion of folks walking in at 15-20 after, asking where Tea was...:rolleyes:

One thing that does occur to me now is that we may have experienced more formal service due to the Norwalk outbreak on our cruise - we were not permitted to serve ourselves ANYTHING after the 3rd day - the staff did it all for us. Personally, I preferred the service this way - was much more conducive to my style...

[elmorejj]

I hate to have to put everyone straight re High tea and afternoon tea, (I`ve done this a few times before on these boards!) BUT there is a vast difference between the two. Afternoon tea is served anywhere from 3-4pm and consists of finger sandwiches, pastries, scones, cookies etc along with tea. High Tea is served around 6pm and is a knife and fork meal, usually consisting of cold meats and salads, grilled fish, perhaps an omelette, or other savory items. It is followed by dessert, trifle, fruit and finally cakes. Afternoon tea was a repast to carry upper classes till dinner time, usually 7pm or later, High tea was more an evening meal for working class people. Of course, things are changing in the UK now, as there is less class separation, but the two terms still exist. Hope this clears up any mis concept.

HAL serves afternoon tea, whether its in the Explorers lounge, or the Royal Dutch tea in the Dining room.......jean :cool:

[Lisa63]

elmorejj is correct -- HAL's Dutch High Tea is more like British afternoon tea than British high tea. It was held around 4:00 and while it was a bit more formal than the other daily teas, we were told that the Dutch referred to high tea as a between-meal snack rather than an evening meal. I guess the Dutch and British do things differently. :)

 

It also sounds like there may be differences between how each ship runs the Dutch High Tea. On Maasdam, it was held in the main dining room and we were served items from a short buffet table that was set up near the entrance. Waiters behind the table did the serving. I was then escorted to a dining table (which I shared with a lovely couple from Scotland), and waiters came around with the tea.

[staufj22]

I hate to have to put everyone straight re High tea and afternoon tea, (I`ve done this a few times before on these boards!) BUT there is a vast difference between the two. Afternoon tea is served anywhere from 3-4pm and consists of finger sandwiches, pastries, scones, cookies etc along with tea. High Tea is served around 6pm and is a knife and fork meal, usually consisting of cold meats and salads, grilled fish, perhaps an omelette, or other savory items. It is followed by dessert, trifle, fruit and finally cakes. Afternoon tea was a repast to carry upper classes till dinner time, usually 7pm or later, High tea was more an evening meal for working class people. Of course, things are changing in the UK now, as there is less class separation, but the two terms still exist. Hope this clears up any mis concept.

HAL serves afternoon tea, whether its in the Explorers lounge, or the Royal Dutch tea in the Dining room.......jean :cool:

 

On the Westerdam, the Afternoon Tea is served in the Vista Lounge, where the nightly shows take palce, while the High Tea is at the dining room. The food/snacks are the same, with the exception that for afternoon tea at the vista lounge, the waiters come by with a plate, and you pick what you want, and at the high tea in the dining room, you walk by a buffet type table. The only additional items I find at the High Tea, that wasn't at afternoon tea, was the scones.

If I remember correctly, Afternoon tea was at 3:45pm, and the 1 day that they had high tea, it was at 4pm.