Dining in the Lido

[Rudolph38]

We are sailing on the Nourdam on Feb. 22nd. We have been on 3 other HAL cruises. We always take breakfast and lunch in the Lido, but we have never had dinner there. What is it like to have dinner in the Lido? How crowded? Easy to get tables for 2? Do you just pick your tables like you do at lunch? Any waiter service, or just cafeteria style? What about wine? Do you have to wait in line as long as you often do for breakfast and lunch? Any information you could give me would be appreciated. Thanks. Rudy

[hammybee]

I enjoy the occasional dinner in the Lido. It's buffet for salads and you place your order for the entree as you would at lunch. You will be seated and served your entree by a wiater who can also prvide you with wine or a cocktail, as desired.

 

There is no way to predict crowding because you have know way of knowing what the other 2000 passengers are apt to do on any given night.

From my own experience, the Lido tend to be more crowded early in the evening than say, after 7:00 P.M.

 

Have a fabulous cruise on a fabulous ship.

[WOWJr1]

We are sailing on the Nourdam on Feb. 22nd. We have been on 3 other HAL cruises. We always take breakfast and lunch in the Lido, but we have never had dinner there. What is it like to have dinner in the Lido?

 

I posted this shortly after our Feb 2008 cruise on Westerdam:

We lost interest in formal nights on our 4th cruise (to Alaska) and decided to just skip them for this cruise. We went to the Lido and were quite impressed. The atmosphere with the tablecloths and candles was very nice, actually more intimate than the Vista D.R. The food was very good, with the 4 main entrees being the same as the D.R. was serving. Servers were attentive and we were offered wine.

 

In some ways, we liked the Lido better than the D.R.: [1] MUCH less noisy (we were next to a table of 8 in the D.R.), [2] were able to see sample entrees before ordering, [3] no photographers in our faces, [4] no Parade of Desserts, which gets pretty old after the n-th time, and [5] dined at our pace - we never rushed but were done in an hour.

 

Overall, we were pleasantly surprised. Enough so that we would not hesitate to opt for the Lido whenever the D.R. dress code or schedule doesn't suit us. HAL's casual dining for dinner was the best we've experienced in 5 cruises on 4 lines. I took the time to tell that to the floor manager on duty, complimented them on the comment card, and tipped the server we had on both nights (same person both times).

[Taxguy77]

We are sailing on the Nourdam on Feb. 22nd. We have been on 3 other HAL cruises. We always take breakfast and lunch in the Lido, but we have never had dinner there. What is it like to have dinner in the Lido? How crowded? Easy to get tables for 2? Do you just pick your tables like you do at lunch? Any waiter service, or just cafeteria style? What about wine? Do you have to wait in line as long as you often do for breakfast and lunch? Any information you could give me would be appreciated. Thanks. Rudy

 

On a recent 15 day TA, we ate there all but two nights when we ate in the DR with some CC friends we met on this board. The asst. maitre'd remembered our names within 2 days and usually a waiter carried my wife's tray. Normally we were seated at a 4-top but no one was seated there unless we knew and invited them. The man from the barstaff learned iur preferences quickly and would just confirm if we wanted to change the order for that night or not. Occaisionally we would arrive 5 minutes apart, and 2 or 3 people would tell me where DW was sitting.

[SF49erfan]

We had the same experience as Taxguy77. We had always done the dining room with fixed seating at a large table. One cruise we were assigned something we weren't too fond of so went to the Lido. What a wonderful experience! By the second night they knew our name and preferences. On nights that were not as crowded, some of the staff would come and talk with us. That really added to our enjoyment. We have a picture of us with the whole Lido waitstaff. It was one of our favorite experiences!

 

 

Terry

[Mtierney]

I posted this shortly after our Feb 2008 cruise on Westerdam:

We lost interest in formal nights on our 4th cruise (to Alaska) and decided to just skip them for this cruise. We went to the Lido and were quite impressed. The atmosphere with the tablecloths and candles was very nice, actually more intimate than the Vista D.R. The food was very good, with the 4 main entrees being the same as the D.R. was serving. Servers were attentive and we were offered wine.

 

In some ways, we liked the Lido better than the D.R.: [1] MUCH less noisy (we were next to a table of 8 in the D.R.), [2] were able to see sample entrees before ordering, [3] no photographers in our faces, [4] no Parade of Desserts, which gets pretty old after the n-th time, and [5] dined at our pace - we never rushed but were done in an hour.

 

Overall, we were pleasantly surprised. Enough so that we would not hesitate to opt for the Lido whenever the D.R. dress code or schedule doesn't suit us. HAL's casual dining for dinner was the best we've experienced in 5 cruises on 4 lines. I took the time to tell that to the floor manager on duty, complimented them on the comment card, and tipped the server we had on both nights (same person both times).

 

On the whole I can agree. We do not like packing fancy duds and I think we overeat in the dining room environment. However, do you in any way feel "cheated" in that you did not take advantage of the whole dining room experience? Does the Lido - which we use for breakfast and lunch - get a little tiring when you go to dinner as well? Do you feel you received less "value" in the food?

[hammybee]

HAL's casual dining for dinner was the best we've experienced in 5 cruises on 4 lines. I took the time to tell that to the floor manager on duty, complimented them on the comment card, and tipped the server we had on both nights (same person both times).

 

I agree. None of the others compare favorably to HAL's Lido dinner service and choices. We enjoy it.

[caribbean girl]

We also enjoyed the ocasional evening meal in the Lido on our Noordam cruise a couple of years ago. The service was very good and the atmosphere almost more relaxing (no crowds) than the main dining room...especially since we like to eat a bit later than most. You will enjoy candle light and a cozy, casual atmosphere. This is particularly relaxing after a day in the sun.;) We never had any trouble finding a table for two. Also, if I'm not mistaken, you will have the good fortune of meeting one of the best, most personable floor managers we've even encountered, Sekon Pujianto.

 

Noordam is a beautiful ship with a wonderful crew...enjoy the anticipation and have a wonderful vacation!:)

[TCF]

Last October we spent five weeks on the Veendam and the Lido for dinner became a favourite for us.

We skipped the first formal night between Vancouver and San Diego and "discovered" the Lido for dinner!

I know it sounds ludicrous, but honestly the fine dining and service of the DR seven nights a week for five weeks can get a bit much....so a couple or three times a week we found ourselves enjoying the Lido for dinner. Same food, casual atmosphere, great service, wine steward, table cloths, candles and waiters. It was great!!

[kalliekae]

On the whole I can agree. We do not like packing fancy duds and I think we overeat in the dining room environment. However, do you in any way feel "cheated" in that you did not take advantage of the whole dining room experience? Does the Lido - which we use for breakfast and lunch - get a little tiring when you go to dinner as well? Do you feel you received less "value" in the food?

 

 

On our last cruise, we ate in the dining room only twice. There were very few people who had dinner in the Lido on our cruise so the atmosphere was intimate with great service. The Lido at night is totally different from the hustle bustle of the breakfast and lunch crowds. Our cruise was very port intensive and by evening, we were just plain pooped at times. :D We certainly did not feel like getting dressed up for the dining room every night plus we felt the dining room on the Noordam was noisy and the waiters rushed us. The Lido has exactly the same food that they serve in the dining room each evening so you do not receive less "value". I am sure we will do the same on our next cruise.

[kryos]

We are sailing on the Nourdam on Feb. 22nd. We have been on 3 other HAL cruises. We always take breakfast and lunch in the Lido, but we have never had dinner there. What is it like to have dinner in the Lido? How crowded? Easy to get tables for 2? Do you just pick your tables like you do at lunch? Any waiter service, or just cafeteria style? What about wine? Do you have to wait in line as long as you often do for breakfast and lunch? Any information you could give me would be appreciated. Thanks. Rudy

I ate in the Lido several times during my Statendam cruise last year ... 35-days in length. I loved it. They've expanded the service there, and it now runs for a good two ... two and a half hours. Also, you have almost the same identical food offers there as what is being served in the dining room that night.

 

The Lido is more elegant at night. They put white tablecloths on all of the tables ... flickering candles (well, actually "imitation" candles) on all of the tables.

 

You go through the buffet line to get your salad, soup, and starters. Then you come upon the entree section, where you tell the person behind the counter what you want. Either it will be brought to you if it has to be cooked to order, or it will be plated immediately, with a cover put over the plate to keep it warm. You will then be approached by one of the stewards waiting there, who will take your tray and escort you to a table. I saw plenty of tables for two every night I was there, so I doubt you'd have any problem whatsoever getting one. In fact, there were so many available tables that our group of three often sat at a full sized table for six ... without inconveniencing anyone else in the slightest.

 

There is also some tableside service offered. Stewards will come around with beverage refills and will even offer to go up and get you second helpings of something if you want it.

 

I personally think HAL is trying to encourage more people to use the Lido at night, and because of that they are trying to do everything possible to make it an appealing option. Perhaps it is because the dining room is often overworked at the dinner hour, and they are trying to lighten the load on those servers? I do know that at the very beginning of the Lido line, where you get your tray, the steward will request your cabin number so that he can enter it into his computer there. So HAL must be keeping track of the usage in each of their dining venues.

 

As I am sure everyone here on CC knows, I am not into the "formal night thang" ... so I made great use of the Lido on this past trip. And, I had very, very good experiences each and every time.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kakalina]

Being somewhat the opposite of Rita I ate in the DR on formal nights and in the Lido the other nights on the 33 day cruise.

My DH never eats in the DR. He just loves the Lido and prefers to eat there.

[ZuzuT]

Could anyone tell me if any of the other "stations" are open during dinner time in the Lido? My 13 year old son will be travelling with us and he is a very picky eater. :( I was hoping that, by dining in the Lido, he would be able to find some of the things that he likes (pizza, pasta, etc.) and we would be able to enjoy the dining room entrees.

[LindaKE]

Am I understanding correctly that the menu is the exact same as the menu in the didning rooms? On Pricess and NCL, the Lido dinner buffet was very limited, so we never ate there. Having to do formal dining has been a factor in keeping us from cruising HAL until now, but we think we're going with HAL for our next Alaskan cruise (waiting for schedules to book).

[WOWJr1]

Am I understanding correctly that the menu is the exact same as the menu in the didning rooms?

 

It's not exactly the same. The appetizers, soups, salads, and desserts may be different. (Sometimes better, IMO. One night the Lido offered a very good Black Bean Soup which was not on the MDR menu.) But the entrees which are served are identical to the MDR except they are cooked-to-order in the Lido, which tends to keep them fresh and hot.

 

The other difference is that - at least in my experience - the formal night "specials" (like lobster) are not on the Lido menu. Not a problem for us - we are not that fond of lobster, the other selections were more than satisfactory, and the intimate, quiet Lido atmosphere more than made up for it.

[WOWJr1]

However, do you in any way feel "cheated" in that you did not take advantage of the whole dining room experience? Does the Lido - which we use for breakfast and lunch - get a little tiring when you go to dinner as well? Do you feel you received less "value" in the food?

 

Did we feel "cheated" out of the "MDR experience"? No way! The MDR on our last HAL cruise was generally bright and noisy. (We had a table for 2 but we were sitting next to a very rambunctious table for 8.) In our view, formal nights would have been worse: photographers, dessert parades, etc. Just not our style. For us, the "Lido experience" was actually superior!

 

Does the Lido get tiring? We only used it for dinner twice: on formal nights. The atmosphere is very different: table cloths, candles, dim lighting. Nothing like breakfast and lunch. For us, eating there is what probably kept the MDR from getting tiring!

 

Did we feel we received less food value? It would have been nice if the Lido menu mirrored the MDR menu 100% - including the formal night "specials". That said, the food that was available was more than acceptable. It always included at least 4 entrees identical to the MDR selections but cooked-to-order (a plus). Sometimes the appetizer, soup, salad and/or dessert selections were actually superior to those in the MDR, in our opinion. (Almost everything involving food is inevitably a matter of personal taste and opinion!)

 

Everything I've written is something about which reasonable people may differ. Bottom line for us is that we have been very happy with dinner in the Lido and are glad it's available as an alternative.

[Ship's Wake]

We ate in the Lido for dinner one evening recently on the Volendam. They are strict in adhering to their posted dining hours - the serving lines close promptly at the posted closing time. Had we been another minute late we would have had to order something from room service for dinner.:eek:

 

Joe

[sylteach]

Unless I misunderstood what I read, the Lido restaurant on the Ryndam is only open in the evening for an hour and a half. So if you don't get there towards the opening time there is no way you can eat there!! If you get there 15 minutes before the closing time are you still able to eat there? If a restaurant closes at 9pm we wouldn't even think of going to it after 8:30 pm.

[Kabana]

Could anyone tell me if any of the other "stations" are open during dinner time in the Lido? My 13 year old son will be travelling with us and he is a very picky eater. :( I was hoping that, by dining in the Lido, he would be able to find some of the things that he likes (pizza, pasta, etc.) and we would be able to enjoy the dining room entrees.

 

Yes the pizza/pasta station is open for dinner.

[nchank]

Unless I misunderstood what I read, the Lido restaurant on the Ryndam is only open in the evening for an hour and a half. So if you don't get there towards the opening time there is no way you can eat there!! If you get there 15 minutes before the closing time are you still able to eat there? If a restaurant closes at 9pm we wouldn't even think of going to it after 8:30 pm.

 

Do you remember the hours the Lido is open on the Ryndam? We will be on her March 15.;)

[terkatz56]

How do you find the Lido dining hours on Holland ships? The Westerdam is the one I am interested in knowing about. Does anyone know if the evening shows are at 6:30 and 8:30 or if they are posted somewhere on the Holland site?

[HVLcruiser2]

The other difference is that - at least in my experience - the formal night "specials" (like lobster) are not on the Lido menu......

 

Really...? Oh, darn ! While I was reading this thread... I was getting excited about trying the Lido for dinner on our 15 day Hawaii cruise, since DH doesn't want to bring a suit for formal nights. And I LOVE lobster. :(

 

Is lobster only served in the MDR on all ships?

[kakalina]

Really...? Oh, darn ! While I was reading this thread... I was getting excited about trying the Lido for dinner on our 15 day Hawaii cruise, since DH doesn't want to bring a suit for formal nights. And I LOVE lobster. :(

 

Is lobster only served in the MDR on all ships?

 

My DH eats only in the Lido and there is always lobster served there on formal nights ( in our experience, I can only speak for cruises we've been on ). One can always order it in from room service also.

They only started doing this in the last 18 months or so. We just love it.

[hammybee]

My DH eats only in the Lido and there is always lobster served there on formal nights ( in our experience, I can only speak for cruises we've been on ). One can always order it in from room service also.

They only started doing this in the last 18 months or so. We just love it.

 

No doubt this happens on your voyages. I do not think this is the case on shorter cruises. Or at least I have not seen it.

[MadManOfBethesda]

Unless I misunderstood what I read, the Lido restaurant on the Ryndam is only open in the evening for an hour and a half. So if you don't get there towards the opening time there is no way you can eat there!! If you get there 15 minutes before the closing time are you still able to eat there? If a restaurant closes at 9pm we wouldn't even think of going to it after 8:30 pm.

 

The Lido on the Ryndam operates dinner service for 2 1/2 hours, not 1.5. The hours are from 5:30 until 8:00. On a related note, you seem to be confusing serving hours with opening and closing times in a regular restaurant. You can arrive at the Lido at 7:55 p.m., get your food, and then take 3 hours to eat if you choose. The Lido does not "close" at 8:00 p.m., in fact, it is open 24/7, so your analogy is not quite on point.