Desserts

[rozndon]

I think the food on HAL is exceptional considering the amount of people they are feeding at one time. I always marvel that a steak can be ordered and arrive exactly done to perfection - not always an easy task. But I wonder why the desserts are not better. They always sound so good, but with the exception of the ice cream, almost always disappoint. This goes for the chocolate extravaganza as well. Everything looks so good, but there's not much taste there. I've figured that they just don't do desserts well. I wonder why?

[mrsltg]

I agree, and I don't know why?!? I remember thinking, "Betty Crocker makes a better cake!!!" while eating something from the dessert extravaganza. I just don't get it? However, I do really like the cream puffs they sometimes have in the Lido and the creme brulee in the Pinnacle.

[sparky-elpaso]

While I'm still waiting for our first HAL cruise - 40 days (or something like that)!!! - I'm wondering WHY people say the desserts aren't very good.

 

Is it that they're not as sweet as the average American dessert? We spent 4 years in Germany and I got used to the desserts there which aren't nearly as sweet as ours. In fact, I usually cut down on the sugar by about 1/4 if I bake from scratch because I find a lot of recipes are too sweet.

 

So, might HAL be using European type recipes that don't use so much sugar?

 

I'll test my theory once we're on the Westerdam.

[mrsltg]

While I'm still waiting for our first HAL cruise - 40 days (or something like that)!!! - I'm wondering WHY people say the desserts aren't very good.

 

Is it that they're not as sweet as the average American dessert? We spent 4 years in Germany and I got used to the desserts there which aren't nearly as sweet as ours. In fact, I usually cut down on the sugar by about 1/4 if I bake from scratch because I find a lot of recipes are too sweet.

 

So, might HAL be using European type recipes that don't use so much sugar?

 

I'll test my theory once we're on the Westerdam.

 

It's got nothing to with the sweetness for me. Rather, they're fairly bland. I have found this on most cruise lines I have sailed. They just don't have flavor. HAL has NO problem adding sugar to lots of recipes! The ice cream is good as is the bread pudding.

[sparky-elpaso]

It's got nothing to with the sweetness for me. Rather, they're fairly bland. I have found this on most cruise lines I have sailed. They just don't have flavor. HAL has NO problem adding sugar to lots of recipes! The ice cream is good as is the bread pudding.

 

I'm looking forward to the bread pudding - it's one of my favorite comfort food desserts. And the chocolate croissants everyone raves about.

[catl331]

The ice cream is good as is the bread pudding.

On the Noordam last month the ice cream was not as good as on our other cuises. There was a lot of ice crystals in it, as if it had been partially thawed and re-frozen. The chocolate was like a poor-quality sherbet, and there weren't very many unusual flavors as in the past. :(

[JennyandJoeS]

We have had the same feelings about the desserts. They look and sound completely than they taste. They are made to look so beautiful and elaborate, but when you taste them, they are just mediocre. But the bread pudding on Holland American can't be beat, it's a winner everytime.:D

[Willsot]

A few years back it seemed HAL offered different variations of creme brules almost every dinner. On our cruises last spring and summer I don't recall any being in the dessert choices.

[Mpowered]

On the Noordam last month the ice cream was not as good as on our other cuises. There was a lot of ice crystals in it, as if it had been partially thawed and re-frozen. The chocolate was like a poor-quality sherbet, and there weren't very many unusual flavors as in the past. :(

 

The peach ice cream I had the first night was like that (Zuiderdam). After that, it was its usual tasty yumminess - especially the banana.

 

Joan

[Australian family]

The coconut ice cream is really good.

 

The dessert extravaganza looked so good, but it was all too sweet for my likings. Some of the desserts you could actually crunch the sugar. They need to really cut back on the sugar content. The crepes were really good.

 

I found quite a few of the desserts in the MDR & Lido to be really sweet. I never tried the sugar free ones, because they would have to use some form of sweetener in them which would be artifical.

[Pokeynose]

I had the Creme Brulee in the Pinnacle 3 times last Sept. on the Westerdam. I could barely eat it all, there were 3 compartments full of CB and all were delish. Can't wait for it next week.:) I don't eat any of the other desserts other than the bread pudding.

[Jemima]

The desserts aren't moist enough and many don't have enough flavor. Usually we stick to ice cream for dessert.

[SwissMyst]

There is little flavor in the desserts, though the Oosterdam cookies at least tasted like they used a little butter. Another cruise line known for its expense and its gourmet reputation also had completely flavorless desserts, cookies and ice cream. And to top it off, really lousy bread and baked products as well.

 

This seems to be a cruise ship malady. Or not, if the desserts were really as good as they looked (and they often do look extremely good) they would probably be eaten out of house and home.

 

But the fresh breads is one area where HAL really shines - the quality and exceptional flavor of its fresh baked breads. The best, for which I forgive any deficiencies in the "sweets" category. We will even fly Air France with the hardest seats in the world, though perfectly awful CDG airport just because they still offer some very fine fresh baked breads with their inflight meals.

 

Love to know what the fresh breads are like on Celebrity and Princess for comparison. They are lousy on Crystal and they don't seem to care; just make excuses that this is as good as it can get. Hal gets it right, They do not on this matter.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I agree -- the desserts have really gone downhill the last few years.

 

We rarely order them anymore.

 

Even the ice cream for dinner on our last cruises arrived at the table half melted!!

[sail7seas]

Are they baked on board or purchased frozen? I've wondered.

 

[janmcn]

I figure it's best not to complain about them...if they were good, I'd eat them and gain weight! I leave my calorie consumption for the breakfast raisin buns and pastries...those, they've got down!

7 more months!

[GmaPajama]

I must be too easy to please, as I have no problem at all with the desserts offered on HAL. We don't eat dessert at home, so maybe it's just the idea of dessert that pleases me so. I've been perfectly happy with the daily selections, and all have been to my liking. I do opt for ice cream when there's just no more room, but even that has been very good. Sounds like I'm one of the lucky ones.

[SilvertoGold]

We have watched the desserts go downhill for the past 5 years.

 

I do think many, if not most, are frozen.

 

My husband loves pie and this has been his one complaint about HAL. I mean, I can make a better pie and that is saying a LOT! Twice on one cruise a few years ago in the dining room for lunch he was served a piece of pie that was still frozen in the middle. Had a "blueberry" pie once that was more of a hard set piece of gelatin colored blue. The mixes they use for the panna cotta, creme brulee and "mousse' really need to be tossed out.

 

I hate to say this about HAL, but they really are dropping the ball on desserts. I would appreciate it if HAL forced the Hotel Managers and the Culinary Ops Managers to sit down and actually eat a few of these pies.

 

Once in a while we take a chance and are pleasantly surprised by a dessert. Some cruises are better than others, but a bit of consistency would be nice.

 

At the very least, HAL should upgrade their dessert supplier. There are lots of retail frozen desserts that are much better than HAL's supply of substandard commercial desserts.

 

SilvertoGold

[Krazy Kruizers]

Zuiderdam

We always book an SA that has access to the Neptune Lounge.

This ship was the first one that had pies offered in the Neptune Lounge -- they were terrible -- frozen -- crust thick as a board and when it defrosted -- UGH!!

[elycelynne]

Our sailing didn't even have a dessert extravaganza.

 

With the exception of the chocolate volcano cake in the Pinnacle and the flourless chocolate cake on Master Chef's night, none of the desserts really knocked my socks off. That being said, what they lack in desserts is more than made up for in morning pastries (chocolate croissants!!!!) and some of the cakes they have at tea time (the marble cake was excellent).

[cruz chic]

I must be too easy to please, as I have no problem at all with the desserts offered on HAL. We don't eat dessert at home, so maybe it's just the idea of dessert that pleases me so. I've been perfectly happy with the daily selections, and all have been to my liking. I do opt for ice cream when there's just no more room, but even that has been very good. Sounds like I'm one of the lucky ones.

I'm the same....I don't eat sugar at home. When I'm on a cruise a want a decadant dessert. HAL doesn't generally measure up in that dept. They used to be so much better then they are now.

[Typhoon1]

Desserts seem to have been going downhill in the past few years. The most obvious example of this has been the chocolate dessert extravaganza.

[Firefly012]

I was on the Eurodam in October. I too didn't think the desserts at the dessert extr. were very tasty, beautiful but not so tasty. I am guessing it's because they add some sort of gelatin or other ingredient to make the structure more stable for viewing. I noticed that all 5 bites I tried (different desserts) had a similiar taste, also weak flavor. I also felt that the desserts from the lido were not so hot- gelatin type texture all cut into small squares, cookies didn't have a lot of flavor as well. The icecream I tried here on 3 ocassions was somewhat crystalized.

In the main dining room I had much better luck with the desserts. I rarely eat desserts at home so when traveling I prefer gourmet type desserts and I felt that at least 75% of the time these desserts were good to excellent. Icecream, sorbet, and funky sundaes were good in the MDR.

My favorite desserts were: pina colada cream brulee (and I am not usually a fan of cream brulee) lemon mousse cake, chocolate souffle, and mango sorbet. I could have eaten these desserts B, L, and D.

A dinner dessert I did not like was the carmel choc toffee.

 

Happy cruising all and hope you get a few good desserts!

[Kay240]

Ahh, dessert!!:D

Well, I no longer have three desserts each with lunch, with dinner, and for an afternoon snack, but I still DO EAT DESSERT! :D I agree that many times the same basic cake is just decorated differently...and tastes the same, but I'm pretty sure I have experienced this on several cruise lines through the years. There are still many yummy desserts on HAL, but it is a very personal thing. The VOLCANO at the Pinnacle Grill, much loved by many, failed to "erupt" when we ate it.:(

I used to go to daily TEA, until I realized it was always the same...and why were there no cookies? The "CHOCOLATE BUFFET" has been disappointing on more than one cruise line.:mad: In December we were on the Statendam and I suggested some additional items for their buffet such as mini chocolate eclairs, chocolate mousse, chocolate "egg creams", chocolate cookies, chocolate candy, (hot chocolate/ chocolate martini??).

I realize that some people do not, or can not eat chocolate, so something else needs to be available. Here's an additional thought: We used to line up @ 11:30 PM, so that we could go into the MDR to see (and photograph) the buffet, before it was devoured. There were two lines to get your "chocolate fix" and it took a long time! (Again, multiple cruise lines.) Now, we have a buffet set up on the Lido Deck with at least three "stations", so the wait is very brief. If they have to make enough to put in three different stations, maybe they want to limit the variety?

Just some thoughts... as we are getting ready for a 33 day cruise in March, I need to practice my "dessert eating technique";)....

Karen

[SwissMyst]

Here is a thought. Drop the yucky dessert buffets, stick with a few things that are simple and honest and then bring back the trays.

 

I wonder how much of their food budget is spent on these flavorless desserts or how much of their waste is written off for just marketing show. Maybe they already know this.

 

However, as long as HAL excels with the breakfast baked goods and the fresh breads with each meal, they keep me as a happy camper. I would far rather see their powder sugar donuts 24/7 than those silly flavorless gelatin things. They get eaten once and then passed by for the rest of the cruise(s). Hmmmmm maybe that is HAL's plan. Maybe they are the exact same ones after day three because they know no one will still eat them.