Complimentary drinks?

[tidygirl]

I have never been on Holland but sailed numerous times on other lines. What beverages do they have complimentary? Ice tea, lemonade, punch?

How would you compare Holland to RC, Carnival or NCL?

Do they have free ice cream?

[PathfinderEss]

I have never been on Holland but sailed numerous times on other lines. What beverages do they have complimentary? Ice tea, lemonade, punch?

How would you compare Holland to RC, Carnival or NCL?

Do they have free ice cream?

 

Yes the ice cream is free. Ice tea, coffee, milk and juices are also complimentary.

[Hlitner]

Free Ice Tea is always available in the Lido (when it's open) but it is made from some kind of concentrate and does not taste anything like real ice tea. They also will usually have lemonade in the Lido, but often you will have to ask one of the staff since its not always in the self-service dispensers. I cannot recall seeing any kind of punch. As to ice cream that is almost funny on HAL. They do have free ice cream in both the Lido buffet and the MDR. When we recently spent 38 days on the Oosterdam (crossing the Pacific) they only had vanilla, chocolate and strawberry in the Lido for all 38 days with no other regular ice cream flavors (they also had a sugar free and sometimes a yogurt). In the MDR they also had the usual (and boring) vanilla, choc, straw, plus one more flavor which varied from day to day.

 

HAL ice cream is OK. Not great, but OK. Nothing like the homemade ice creams (made onboard the ship) we find on Celebrity.

 

Hank

[Crew News]

Yes the ice cream is free. Ice tea, coffee, milk and juices are also complimentary.

 

Juices ordered through the Bar Service are not free as indicated on the following Bar Menu, so stick to the Lido Restaurant and Room Service Breakfast for the free juice.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Bar-Menu.pdf

 

Lemonade is usually available in the Lido Restaurant during meal hours. Hot water and tea bags are available 24/7 at the Lido Restaurant Beverage Stations.

 

Bottled water and sodas are not free but you are welcome to bring your own when you board the ship.

[POA1]

Check both sides of the Lido. Sometimes the flavors on the port and starboard side are different.

[sapper1]

If they could just find some way to keep the ice cream hard instead of semi soft it would be such a treat.

 

It's always a race to get back to the table to eat it because in addition to it being soft, they usually serve it in a dish that is still hot from the dishwasher. If you ask for a cold dish the server looks at you like you have two heads.

 

This comment applies to all the HAL ships we have been on so it is not a failing of one particular ice cream counter.

[Hlitner]

I should have also mentioned that something we really like about HAL is the availability of free fresh squeezed orange juice in the Lido. But they usually also have the typical lousy canned juice, so if getting juice in either the Lido or the MDR.....ask the staff to point out the fresh juice (in the Lido) or your waiter for "fresh" in the MDR.

 

Hank

[POA1]

I should have also mentioned that something we really like about HAL is the availability of free fresh squeezed orange juice in the Lido. But they usually also have the typical lousy canned juice, so if getting juice in either the Lido or the MDR.....ask the staff to point out the fresh juice (in the Lido) or your waiter for "fresh" in the MDR.

 

Hank

Very good tip.

[take us away]

Yes the ice cream is free. Ice tea, coffee, milk and juices are also complimentary.

 

and also hot tea

[elycelynne]

I seem to recall that they also have packets of hot chocolate in the Lido. Am I correct?

[cruz chic]

I wonder how I missed the so called delisious ice cream on celebrity on my cruises with them. They did have excellent gelato that came with a hefty price tag.

[SilvertoGold]

I seem to recall that they also have packets of hot chocolate in the Lido. Am I correct?

 

Yes, and they are terrible.

The explorations Cafe has great, but not free, hot chocolate. My fav, however, is the white hot chocolate

[Laurie22]

I remember the ice cream on both Eurodam and Westerdam (in the Lido) were very good and lots of flavours. Also, they had various toppings so you could make a pretty fancy bowl of calories. There were definitely more than just chocolate, vanilla and strawberry!:D

[sppunk]

2 of the last 4 ships haven't had any juices at lunch or dinner, so don't necessarily take it for granted.

[ithaca gal]

2 of the last 4 ships haven't had any juices at lunch or dinner, so don't necessarily take it for granted.

 

On our cruise in January on the Nieuw Amsterdam, I had free cranberry juice in the MDR.

[Vict0riann]

I do like the HAL ice cream, but I can't afford it too often!:D So I have to restrict myself to only the very best. I do look every day, but only eat it if it has something to do with chocolate or other yummy stuff. On the Maasdam a few times there was coconut (not toasted), which was amazing!

[shuttlebuggy]

I had a question along the bottled water subject. How much, in what quantity may I bring - I have a condition requiring that I drink at least 4 bottles daily.

So at minimum need to bring 28 (a case)

Will this be a problem?

 

Secondly I need to bring almond/cashew milk (no soy - no dairy). 2 small cartons should suffice. Will this be a problem? And how to keep cold in no refrigerators in room? We are in a semi obstructed ocean view cabin.

 

Last beverage question - I need mint tea nightly to calm my stomach. Are the tea bags in the Lido inclusive of this flavor?

 

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!:)

[Caribbean Chris]

I wonder how I missed the so called delisious ice cream on celebrity on my cruises with them. They did have excellent gelato that came with a hefty price tag.

 

Celebrity also has very good free ice cream in one section of the Ocean View cafe. Just look for the line every afternoon, as it is very popular.

 

I have no complaints with HAL ice cream, either, and have seen a variety of flavors offered, changing throughout a cruise.

[Crew News]

I had a question along the bottled water subject. How much, in what quantity may I bring - I have a condition requiring that I drink at least 4 bottles daily.

So at minimum need to bring 28 (a case)

Will this be a problem?

 

Secondly I need to bring almond/cashew milk (no soy - no dairy). 2 small cartons should suffice. Will this be a problem? And how to keep cold in no refrigerators in room? We are in a semi obstructed ocean view cabin.

 

Last beverage question - I need mint tea nightly to calm my stomach. Are the tea bags in the Lido inclusive of this flavor?

 

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!:)

 

Bring as much water as you wish. I bring sodas in a duffle bag that I check at curbside. Tap water on board is probably more pure than what you can buy in a bottle though. Just bring a bottle and keep refilling it with tap water.

 

Every room has a minibar chiller that is not as cold a refrigerator but cold enough to keep milk. You can also have as much ice as you wish so you can just sit the cartons (in a plastic bag) in an ice bucket.

 

I have photographs of the Lido Restaurant Beverage Station's box of teas and they do have herbal mint tea (organic).

Edited March 5, 2015 by Crew News

[nana51]

Also my favorite tea pg tips. They keep it in a glass canister since it isn't in bags.

[shuttlebuggy]

Thank you SOOO much Crew News - I appreciate that helpful advice & info!

And Nana - that is one of my favorites too! I just need the mint for tummy issues.;)

[shuttlebuggy]

Thank you SOOO much Crew News - I appreciate that helpful advice & info!

And Nana - that is one of my favorites too! I just need the mint for tummy issues.;)

[HealthyTouch101]

My friend, who drinks crazy amounts of iced tea, made her own by making a lovely cup of PG Tips and taking a glass of ice then adding it together at her table. At dinner the waiters knew to bring her both. Everyone was happy, even if it was a little DIY.

[Koali]

On our last cruise in Feb on the Veendam, they had almond milk in the lido at breakfast.

 

 

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[peug]

What is available depends on which ship you are on. On NA in January there was lemonade and punch and ice tea. On the Maasdam last year there was only ice tea. Juice is available at breakfast only. Any other time DH had to go to a bar and pay to get juice. The orange juice was labeled fresh squeezed. For hot beverages there is tea coffee and hot chocolate packages.