just off Eurodam, are dining expectations realistic or unrealistic?

[carolcp]

"Horrors - having to only get two pieces of salmon at a time.". I thought you were just being funny, but are you serious?

This and the chocolates seems pretty picky, so I thought you were joking around til I got all the way thru what you wrote.

And, if other people bother you, shouldn't you choose a more private cruise than on a major cruise line?

 

 

I was only posting what I noticed, I usually only ate two pieces of salmon so it was great. Just another plate to juggle.

 

Again, the chocolates were just what I saw. Didn't really care one way or the other, just didn't eat the milk chocolate, there is plenty of other choices around.

 

I have learned the hard way not to try to be funny on these boards because people will rip to shreds thinking you are serious. Just the facts.

 

As for people bothering me, I did state it was when I was trying to find a quiet place to work on sea days, you did not understand what I wrote. Some of us still have to horrors work to pay for the cruising. I was trying to be out of the cabin to allow the stewards access for their work.

[iancal]

Having our expectations met does not mean that we occasionally send an MDR meal back because it is poorly prepared, cold, not as advertised, whatever. This can happen in any restaurant. It is when it becomes the standard rather than the exception when we object.

 

What we certainly object to is deceptive menus. Cuts of meat or varieties of fish that are absolutely contrary to the menu description. We will also send back something that is obviously a pre-prepared frozen, third party commercial portion that is passed off as something else on the menu.

[cruiseJMO]

Having our expectations met does not mean that we occasionally send an MDR meal back because it is poorly prepared, cold, not as advertised, whatever. This can happen in any restaurant. It is when it becomes the standard rather than the exception when we object.

 

What we certainly object to is deceptive menus. Cuts of meat or varieties of fish that are absolutely contrary to the menu description. We will also send back something that is obviously a pre-prepared frozen, third party commercial portion that is passed off as something else on the menu.

Very justifiable. 😊

 

Speaking of frozen, my first cruise was a shorty Carnival out of Tampa. It was all I could squeeze in because of my work schedule. Could have turned anyone off from cruising. Even in the MDR, breakfast was so bad that I wished I had frozen Jimmy Dean breakfast to nuke for myself.

 

That's when my mom told me we were booking HAL as soon as we got home. Sure enough, the entire experience and especially dining were so wonderful!

I'm a seafood lover. So far, no disguises/substitutions there and the staff is so sweet, attentive and on point. I just love it.

[cruz chic]

Same here. We have reasonable expectations based on pricing and the current offerings of the mass market lines.

 

As long as the ship is in reasonably good condition, our cabin is clean and everything in it works, the food is reasonable, and the service is good we are happy. Our expectations are exceeded 95 percent or more of our cruises. But we are careful in the selection of ships/cruise lines.

 

We tend to book late. We certainly do not buy the most expensive cabins. I sometimes wonder what the expectations are, especially of the MDR, of those who are paying considerably more that we do. Price can be one of the attributions of expectation. If we pay $1400 for a last minute verandah gty and others have paid $2800 for the same type of cabin does this imply that we have different expectations? Or even more for a mini suite or suite that have the same on board benefits. I do not know.

 

I guess this is the challenge for cruise ships and why they are trying so hard to differentiate product...especially in the dining environment.

 

I'd love to see a cruise for $1400 or even $2800 would be a deal for me and I have the lowest balcony guarantee. I think it's certain that if you pay more you expect more. I know people often trot out that it's a different product further out. It's not in my case. I take a guarantee and I have open dining. Both options are available close to sailing 95% of the time.

[Diver2014]

Same here. We have reasonable expectations based on pricing and the current offerings of the mass market lines.

 

As long as the ship is in reasonably good condition, our cabin is clean and everything in it works, the food is reasonable, and the service is good we are happy. Our expectations are exceeded 95 percent or more of our cruises. But we are careful in the selection of ships/cruise lines.

 

.

 

Yep....same here. Only once we were disappointed on a HAL cruise and it was due to a lack of communication and a series of mishaps rather than the cruise itself. We still enjoyed the food, the atmosphere, the cabin etc but things just kept happening that made us wonder 'what's next?'. All in all, I'd choose HAL over most other cruise lines because they offer a product we enjoy for the price we want to pay.

Now if I really wanted to sound like a cruise complainer, I'd whine about having to drive 25 miles to Port Everglades because HAL doesn't sail out of Port of Miami.....but that's only if I had to think of something to whine about. :D

 

Prunes: seems like only HAL ships have our prunes in the Lido every day. We've found some on other ships but we had either scour the entire buffet, ask for them and just not have them. Always right there center front on HAL ships. We like our prunes!

 

"I try VERY hard to remain civil in most any situation. Sometimes it requires some additional creativity. Thankfully, I was raised in the South, so I am well equipped for such things".

 

LOL! I get your meaning!!! Heh, heh, heh!

 

Edited July 12, 2015 by Diver2014

[sofietucker]

(snip)

"I try VERY hard to remain civil in most any situation. Sometimes it requires some additional creativity. Thankfully, I was raised in the South, so I am well equipped for such things".

 

LOL! I get your meaning!!! Heh, heh, heh!

 

Bless their hearts.

 

(Re; Flower Power Cruise--how did we miss that!?! Enjoy)

[sofietucker]

Someone on these boards pointed out awhile back--think it was in regard to Pinnacle--the reason cruise food tends not to be as "gourmet" as we expect:

 

Land-based restaurants serve fewer guests at a given time & so can afford better cuts of meat, freshest fish, baby veggies, etc. which will taste gloriously delicious. But they have fewer staff so don't tend to go all-out in creative meal design (barring the Michelin-starred places). That's why you'll find wonderfully consistent steak houses, for instance.

 

Cruise ships have to serve 1000s of meals every day & so must buy lesser cuts of meat., veg. with a longer shelf life. But they have plenty of staff to take the time to create intricate meals from these items.

 

Bottom line: do not order a plain steak or "basic" dishes on board. It will taste just okay. (I even find this in Pinnacle, except during Le Cirque.) Get the stuff that's done in a creative way--often something you won't find at home. Makes for a more satisfying (and fun!) experience.

[vinodoc]

I stand corrected. You have now made it abundantly clear that neither I, nor the majority of posters in this thread will ever be your equal. It is probably best that you steer clear of HAL in the future, lest you be sullied by the plebeian masses. Luckily for you, this won't be a problem, as you can recognise and afford true quality, whilst leaving the likes of us, with our sheltered and uncultivated tastes, to our coarse, low brow fare. I have truly been put in my place, and thank you for your wise and timely correction.

 

PS:

I wonder if there will be a barn dance on my upcoming HAL cruise. I can hardly wait! I even mended last year's overalls and turned them into a gown for Gala Night!

 

 

We just got off this same cruise and LOVEd IT! I will do a more detailed review later this week when I have more time.

 

BUT, how dare you called me a peasant! I am a physician! I am a GOD! I know excellence! I know EVERYTHING! We docs are KNOW IT ALL! OK, I hope you know I am just kidding ;)

 

Food is just too subjective, but I did enjoyed the peasant food.

Did I get excellent services from every staff on board: YES! They treated me like a king!

Did I have a good time: YES

Was I entertained: YES

Yup, sounds like signature of excellence to me anyway.

 

It's more than just about the food. It's about whom you shared the food with.

It's more than just about the entertainments. It's about whom you watched the entertainments with.

It's more than just the cruise. It's about whom you were cruising with.

It's more than just the bed. It's about whom you are going to bed with. :D

 

Oh, I still resent to be called a peasant! You peasant! :D

 

Kevin

[cruiseJMO]

 

did i get excellent services from every staff on board: Yes! They treated me like a king!

Did i have a good time: Yes

was i entertained: Yes

yup, sounds like signature of excellence to me anyway.

 

 

☺😊😀😁😃😄😆😉😎👍

[Khaos WolfKat]

BUT, how dare you called me a peasant! I am a physician! I am a GOD! I know excellence! I know EVERYTHING! We docs are KNOW IT ALL!

Maybe so, but ya'll still can't write legibly to save your life! :P

 

Food is just too subjective, but I did enjoyed the peasant food.

Did I get excellent services from every staff on board: YES! They treated me like a king!

Did I have a good time: YES

Was I entertained: YES

Yup, sounds like signature of excellence to me anyway.

 

Sounds that way to me, too. Of course, that could just be my "sheltered" palate talking.

 

Oh, I still resent to be called a peasant! You peasant! :D

 

HELP! HELP! I'M BEING REPRESSED!

[Jameseric]

HELP! HELP! I'M BEING REPRESSED!

1) A great Holy Grail moment, Eric Idle the serf philosopher.

 

2) Let's lighten up on grammar and usage; be glad people are at least communicating. And

 

3) Pheasant is a MDR item I have missed on Holland America. (Note, ya need to say the abbreviated words, not just the shorthand letters; else would I have used "an" there. But you knew that.)

[Khaos WolfKat]

1) A great Holy Grail moment, Eric Idle the serf philosopher.

Quite!! :D

 

2) Let's lighten up on grammar and usage; be glad people are at least communicating.

 

Ummm... I'm not sure it you're referring to my comment about legibility or not, but if so, mine was a dig about the legendary, unreadable handwriting for which doctors are so famous (purely in the spirit of light hearted banter - in case that isn't absolutely clear).

I AM a "bit" of a grammar/spelling/punctuation nerd and a pedant to boot, but I usually try to be nice about it, unless someone is already being a jerk to others. Then they're fair game, IMO. ;)

[vinodoc]

Maybe so, but ya'll still can't write legibly to save your life! :P

 

]

 

Thank God I don't have to write on cruise critic, and HAL only interested in my signatures. Haha

[Moriah]

 

My motto is that "It's hard to have a bad day on cruise ship." So I rarely hear complaints ...

 

I haven't finished reading this thread but I wanted to jump in with some appreciation for everything RMLincoln said. Well put, and that's my motto too! (well, one of my mottoes anyway! :))

[Khaos WolfKat]

Thank God I don't have to write on cruise critic, and HAL only interested in my signatures. Haha

I bet they want your autograph cause you're so almighty and stuff. :p