Is Food Really that Bad on HAL

[kazu]

I think the problem is the adding of anytime dinning. On a NCL trip at the captians party he said the freestyle deal takes more crew. On the Dawn he said was 200 more than if it was traditional. HAL put it on their ships that do not have a kitchen designed for it and cut the MDR staff at the same time and I bet the kitchen staff is cut also.

 

I think that's a good point. It's much harder to balance free style - people can come and go as they please - whereas on fixed it's much easier to have the tables set and be ready for the 'rush' but then it's just an easy balancing act. I wonder if that is what has affected some of the service in the MDR as a whole - perhaps more have been sent to handle the free style?

 

I don't know about HAL's kitchen but one of our cc friends tried the any time for the second segment of his collectors' cruise. (he was at our table for the 1st segment and unfortunately we were leaving). So he decided to try it. He'll be returning to fixed on his next cruise.

[hypercafe]

Just think about the kitchen, they use the same set of menus week after week and have a extensive data base about what. People order. For fixed dinner they know starting at 6 or 8.30 so many aps will be ordered, so many main course ect. It's all ready and waiting with the kitchen set up for the waiters to come and get them. Anytime dinning using the same kitchen messes this up. Waters are showing up at all times requesting this and that, all planning is shot to hell. There needs to be more cooks to make their stuff as it is ordered. I would expect mixing these two systems together is a real problem trying to keep service and quality up. If you want this and then cut back on staff IMHO is asking for disaster.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Just think about the kitchen, they use the same set of menus week after week and have a extensive data base about what. People order. For fixed dinner they know starting at 6 or 8.30 so many aps will be ordered, so many main course ect. It's all ready and waiting with the kitchen set up for the waiters to come and get them. Anytime dinning using the same kitchen messes this up. Waters are showing up at all times requesting this and that, all planning is shot to hell. There needs to be more cooks to make their stuff as it is ordered. I would expect mixing these two systems together is a real problem trying to keep service and quality up. If you want this and then cut back on staff IMHO is asking for disaster.

 

Not just staff, space, too. The waiters go through the kitchen almost like a cafeteria line, picking up the orders as needed. So fixed dining is easier. Appetizers all all come up early in the process, along with salads, then main courses. By the time they're in the midst of mains, all the appetizers are done and they can start setting up dessert. But for open dining, all courses must be active at all times, and it takes more prep and serving space to do that.

 

When I took the galley tour on Norway, they told us that she could never go freestyle because one kitchen served two dining rooms. The kitchen was (logically) right between the two dining rooms. This meant there was no way to expand in order to change the service.

[styles27]

OP I haven't read all 4 pages but having just sailed on HAL for the first time in May my opinion of the food is, it's no better and no worse than any of the other lines we've sailed on.

 

In the last 20 yrs cruise food has shown a steady decline in quality. We used to look forward to our meals in the MDR's but now we only look forward to the meals in the "pay" restaurants.

 

The dinners we have to pay for now were what the dinners USED to be like in the MDR's 20 yrs ago.

 

I was very much underwhelmed with HAL's MDR and Lido buffet food. It wasn't bad, but it most certainly wasn't what we consider "high end" or "fine dining" and it certainly was not a highlight of our cruise.

 

PG was excellent, however.

 

Since the cruise fares haven't gone up too much in the last 20 yrs we have no problem paying for the outstanding dinners in the "specialty" restaurants.

 

We like to dine, it's a big part of the cruise experience for us and it's a shame that the service and food in the MDR has had to take a hit. But, it is what it is and I'm happy that they have the pay restaurants and that they're so good.

[styles27]

Not just staff, space, too. The waiters go through the kitchen almost like a cafeteria line, picking up the orders as needed. So fixed dining is easier. Appetizers all all come up early in the process, along with salads, then main courses. By the time they're in the midst of mains, all the appetizers are done and they can start setting up dessert. But for open dining, all courses must be active at all times, and it takes more prep and serving space to do that.

 

When I took the galley tour on Norway, they told us that she could never go freestyle because one kitchen served two dining rooms. The kitchen was (logically) right between the two dining rooms. This meant there was no way to expand in order to change the service.

 

What happened to us on Veendam in May at "anytime" dining was both times we ate in the MDR our server brought out our soup, salad and entree at the same time...served us one thing at a time but our dinner sat on the sidebar covered until we were ready for it. By the time I ate my meal it was lukewarm at best.

 

I was so disappointed with the anytime seating on that ship that we only ate in the MDR twice.

We've chosen anytime dining since it's inception on other lines and we never had a server bring all 3 courses out at one time.

[3rdGenCunarder]

What happened to us on Veendam in May at "anytime" dining was both times we ate in the MDR our server brought out our soup, salad and entree at the same time...served us one thing at a time but our dinner sat on the sidebar covered until we were ready for it. By the time I ate my meal it was lukewarm at best.

 

I was so disappointed with the anytime seating on that ship that we only ate in the MDR twice.

We've chosen anytime dining since it's inception on other lines and we never had a server bring all 3 courses out at one time.

 

Wow, that is totally unacceptable! I hope you said something to the maitre d'. I don't think I've ever seen that happen. I know it's a long way to the kitchen from some tables, but that's no excuse. We were about as far from the kitchen as you can get on Maasdam, and each course was brought up on its own.

 

It reminds me of being at a resort for a sales conference at work many years ago. The place was known for waiters bullying guests. They would come out from the kitchen with a tray of dinners. If you asked for something they didn't have on the trays, the waiters would try to convince you to take something else so that they wouldn't have to go back to the kitchen.

[Hlitner]

What happened to us on Veendam in May at "anytime" dining was both times we ate in the MDR our server brought out our soup, salad and entree at the same time...served us one thing at a time but our dinner sat on the sidebar covered until we were ready for it. By the time I ate my meal it was lukewarm at best.

 

I was so disappointed with the anytime seating on that ship that we only ate in the MDR twice.

We've chosen anytime dining since it's inception on other lines and we never had a server bring all 3 courses out at one time.

 

That is totally unacceptable and needs to be handled at the time! Did anyone at your table send the cold food back? Did anyone talk to the waiter or ask to see the supervisor?

 

Hank

[styles27]

Wow, that is totally unacceptable! I hope you said something to the maitre d'. I don't think I've ever seen that happen. I know it's a long way to the kitchen from some tables, but that's no excuse. We were about as far from the kitchen as you can get on Maasdam, and each course was brought up on its own.

 

It reminds me of being at a resort for a sales conference at work many years ago. The place was known for waiters bullying guests. They would come out from the kitchen with a tray of dinners. If you asked for something they didn't have on the trays, the waiters would try to convince you to take something else so that they wouldn't have to go back to the kitchen.

 

I didn't say anything, I don't like to make a fuss. I did write about it on the comment card at the end of the cruise though.

 

We were at a window table all the way aft and the waiter did have quite a long walk to the kitchen.

 

I also noticed that they tried to fill a section of the dining room at a time so that the waiter could take everyone's orders together. So because they did this, one could sit for nearly 15 minutes before having water poured and bread brought to the table.

 

I felt sorry for the waiters which is why I didn't say anything...they work very hard, and it's not their fault that there have been cutbacks and changes in policies.

 

lol That sales conference dining experience sounds interesting! :D

[styles27]

That is totally unacceptable and needs to be handled at the time! Did anyone at your table send the cold food back? Did anyone talk to the waiter or ask to see the supervisor?

 

Hank

 

One evening we dined at a table for 2 and the other night we were at a table for 6 and yes, one lady made quite a big deal about it.

 

The head waiter did come over, but she didn't let him get too many words in.

 

She didn't go about it correctly and she made the rest of us at the table feel very uncomfortable, including her husband (or friend, not sure).

 

The head waiter just kept saying how sorry he was and he did offer to get all of us new entrees. A couple of people took him up on his offer.

[IRL_Joanie]

... the food on any cruise line is only as bad as your taste buds.

 

Every person perceives food and its taste differently. As an example, hubby loves the lamb shanks and I cannot stand the taste. He loves Cooked Cabbage, I cannot even stand the smell, let alone the taste. So if I were served either of those, of course I'd say the food was terrible. However, hubby would be in 7th heaven and raving about how great the food was.

 

I depends upon your likes and dislikes and what your taste buds perceive as good or bad.

 

Do not let anyone convince you the food is great or that it is horrible. Just go and try it for yourself and then you tell us what you thought of it.

 

Joanie

[pdmlynek]

Well, I have been just on one cruise, so I can't compare the food on my cruise (Statendam, Alaska, July 2012), to other cruises, but we've dined mostly in the MDR. We found our food to be wonderful. I can't imagine it being better. The taste, texture, presentation, etc., wonderful.

There were only two problems: a number of times, in our party of 12, we've gotten flatware, glasses or other items that were not cleaned well. Food on silverware, lipstick smuges on glasses, dirty drinking water. The waiters took care of these problems right away.

The only other problem, which has been commented on other threads, and it is generally agreed among posters on Cruise Critic, is that pizza that is served on the Lido Deck is typically of poor quality, something akin to high school cafeteria pizza. The other food on Lido was fine.

[hypercafe]

I really think it is a whole dinning experience, the food and the service and the atmosphere of the room. I think the. Service is poor because the staff is stretched to thin and the room is mich to noisy.

[innlady1]

I have been reading some other threads, and I am really confused about what the issue is re: HAL meals. Is it 1) lack of choice or 2) poor quality of food or 3) poorly cooked food or 4) poor service coupled with one or all of the above? I am getting the impression from some posts the MDR meals almost equate with fast food cafes as opposed to medium/high range restaurants. I guess we hoped for a minimum equivilent of a medium priced land based restaurant. Coming from western Canada, my husband does like his steaks..one poster indicated their steak could not be cut even with a steak knife. We are neither "gourmets" nor "gourmands" but as we are on an 18 night cruise, we were anticipating some well prepared food with acceptable cuts of meat. Are we expecting too much??:confused:

 

We have many gourmet restaurants here on Nantucket...one next door to our inn, American Seasons, is very very gourmet, so we're used to fine dining. Having said that, I much prefer the Pinnacle Grille! And the MDR is more than fine...taking into consideration all the meals they must prepare on a daily basis. We can pay $200 for dinner here in one of the nicer restaurants...therefore, we consider crusing a wonderful value.

[styles27]

I agree hypercafe...that's why we enjoyed our meals in the PG so much more.

 

It was a nice manageable size room with relaxed service, yet they were very attentive. Everything that was supposed to be hot was served at the correct temperature.

 

I like to dine, not just "eat" my meal, and PG on Veendam delivered that to us with an A+ all around.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to eat there again and recommend it to others.

[Yodalicious]

You will never get your reginal food any where else. you won't get Philly cheese Steak any where but Philla, you wont get a NYC pizza or cheese cake any where but NY or NJ . And a chicago Pizza is only there.

[BonVoyage1]

Innlady1 has it right. She called cruising a "wonderful value".

 

For me, that's the way I look at it. The food on HAL is fine considering what it cost me. If I want gourmet (sp) food, I know where to find it and what it costs.....It costs a good deal more than what I pay HAL.

 

Keeping things in perspective is important. For me, HAL is good value....better value than most of the other cruise lines I have sailed. So, I keep going back.

 

IMO