Fries and Kids Menus for Main Dining Room

[straychicken]

We cruised the Zaandam Northbound to Alaska on June 19. We had a great cruise (here is a link to my review http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2376460) but had one issue that would make us reluctant to cruise with HAL again until our kids are older.

 

On the first night I dined in the main dining room with my husband and two kids ages (3 and 6). The kids ordered from the kids menu and my daughter (age 3) wanted chicken nuggets but not fries. I asked to substitute for a fruit or vegetable and expected it to be no problem (I mean even fast food places do this now!). The waiter said no if she wants something beside fries this she needs to order something else for her main dish. I pressed a little more and after discussion with his supervisor, she did finally get a few slices of cucumber.

 

This was not the only issue we had at that dinner. Service was slow (waiter seemed overwhelmed) and the kids were given kids menus which were coloring pages. I asked for crayons to go with the kids menus and was told to go the kids club and get some. Why give coloring pages without crayons or expect parents to leave to go get crayons in the middle of dinner?

 

After that we ate most of our dinners in the buffet (which was good and we could get exactly what our kids liked). One evening we decided to order room service from the main dining room. This time both kids wanted chicken nuggets. So I asked again to substitute for fruit, broccoli, cucumbers or any other vegetable. They ended up with fries again.

 

We have only cruised once before. We took a 3 day Bahamas cruise and our experience in the main dining room was night and day different. When our waiter learned that our kids liked broccoli he brought some out as soon as we were seated every evening.

 

Why was our experience with HAL so different? It sees like such a minor thing, but I don't see why kids should have to have fries when they want something that happens to be healthier. And why no crayons? Does this happen commonly on HAL? On other ships? I mentioned it in my post cruise survey.

 

I should say that besides the main dining issue, my kids were treated very well. They LOVED the kids club and wanted to be there every chance they could.

Edited July 24, 2016 by straychicken

[janmcn]

We just cruised on the Nieuw Amsterdam with our grandkids 3 1/2 to 16...the wait staff in the MDR went over the top to make sure the littlest ones had what they wanted to eat....even PBJ! One night the littlest was tired, so the waiter made up a bed of two chairs at the table...even put some napkins over her as a blanket. They were AWESOME!

 

Yes, our kids, too, though being among only a few children on board LOVED Club HAL...one night it was too early to get there, but our grandson said, "That's OK, I can stand in line and be first in when they open!" I would never hesitate to take young children on a HAL cruise.

[straychicken]

We just cruised on the Nieuw Amsterdam with our grandkids 3 1/2 to 16...the wait staff in the MDR went over the top to make sure the littlest ones had what they wanted to eat....even PBJ! One night the littlest was tired, so the waiter made up a bed of two chairs at the table...even put some napkins over her as a blanket. They were AWESOME!

 

Yes, our kids, too, though being among only a few children on board LOVED Club HAL...one night it was too early to get there, but our grandson said, "That's OK, I can stand in line and be first in when they open!" I would never hesitate to take young children on a HAL cruise.

 

Wow that sounds so different from our experience. Did you have fixed dining? We booked late (about 5 weeks before sailing) and got an awesome deal but could only get open dining. If we hadn't had the same experience when we tried to order room service, I would think it was just a bad waiter. Maybe its just the way they handle things on Zaandam?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry that you have a bad experience with your children concerning food.

We don't have children but have seen children in the dining room and the crew were doing their best to get what they wanted and to keep them happy.

[janmcn]

Yes, we had fixed, early dining, so the waiters all learned about the children fast!

[straychicken]

Yes, we had fixed, early dining, so the waiters all learned about the children fast!

 

Since we had the open dining we originally made reservations for the same table at the same time each night thinking that would be similar to fixed dining, but after the first night we definitely did not want to go back.

[dakrewser]

Sorry for your experience, but it's not typical of HAL. We cruised with our three grandchildren last fall (6, 9 and 12) and our dining team made sure they got exactly what they wanted at dinner - combining items from the kids and "regular" menu if needed. All while being especially attentive to my wife's and daughter's gluten-free needs.

 

Consider your experience an aberration.

[sppunk]

Bad waiters can really ruin a cruise. Sorry you experienced them/this.

[Kamloops50]

Most MDR staff deal with kids very well. They usually have kids of their own at home that they are missing. Sometimes you'll get new staff that aren't familiar about changes in ordering . You can all ways ask to talk to the Maitre'd or the stop at the front desk to explain the problem.

Most wait staff go overboard to cater to the passengers especially the kids.

[OlsSalt]

The first nights in the dining room on every cruise always seem far more hectic than later nights. Everyone is new that night, many need to be escorted to their tables, have a lot more questions to ask of the waiters etc.

 

Sorry you had what sounds like a very unusual experience because we too have seen HAL waiters pay a lot of attention to young diners - and they do love kids and miss their own a lot while they are away from them for months at a time. Sorry HAL also thinks "chicken nuggets" are good kids food - the choices on most kids menus are cringe worthy.

[donaldsc]

Did you talk to the matre'd? The one time on a cruise that we had waitstaff issues, we talked to him and the problem was taken care of. Sometimes you have to complain instead of just ignoring the problem.

 

DON

[alwaysfrantic]

That is really bad. Can't believe they blew off the food request like that. I don't blame you; I wouldn't want to go back with little kids either.

[OlsSalt]

What does the HAL kid's menu look like? (h/t to Roger Jett photos)

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

 

A simple pen or pencil in mommy's purse would have sufficed since the figures and puzzles on this sample menu do not appear to be coloring exercises requiring the waiter to go up to HAL Club to get crayons. But it is too bad they could not help rustle up a pencil.

 

I suspect these children menu items were pre-plated and in typically limited supply since there is not a high number of children on many HAL cruises, this could have made a custom substitutions a bit more of a problem on the already busy first night. Think large hotel banquet dining room; not an intimate custom service small restaurant and hope there can be mutual accommodations made at first ... at least on the first night. Good to see there are some lovely menu options for children besides the typical fried chicken strips/ spaghetti options one sees on too many land-based restaurants.

Edited July 24, 2016 by OlsSalt

[VennDiagram]

 

....

 

Sorry HAL also thinks "chicken nuggets" are good kids food - the choices on most kids menus are cringe worthy.

 

IME kids want what kids want. Whether or not you approve of it, some kids go through a stage of "my food can only be ORANGE", followed soon after by "noooooooooo, I won't eat anything that's ORANGE", followed by some other strange demands. IME pediatricians tell parents to not stress about it, that the kids will continue growing, and to just keep offering choices. So, if my kid is in a "I only eat chicken strips" stage, kindly keep your judgment to yourself.

 

What does the HAL kid's menu look like? (h/t to Roger Jett photos)

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

 

....

 

I suspect these children menu items were pre-plated and in typically limited supply since there is not a high number of children on many HAL cruises, this could have made a custom substitutions a bit more of a problem on the already busy first night. Think large hotel banquet dining room; not an intimate custom service small restaurant and hope there can be mutual accommodations made at first ... at least on the first night. Good to see there are some lovely menu options for children besides the typical fried chicken strips/ spaghetti options one sees on too many land-based restaurants.

 

 

Are you actually suggesting that the food served to children is all pre-plated? So it sits around until someone orders it? That is really an unappetizing thought :( "First night" is no excuse for poor service and an unwillingness to provide a substitution.

 

If you look at the menu you linked to, there are most certainly items that could have been subbed for the fries. Orange shell filled with tropical fruit. All mixed up salad. And finally, the cucumber slices that were finally served.

 

OP I am so sorry this was your experience. It isn't typical.

[straychicken]

What does the HAL kid's menu look like? (h/t to Roger Jett photos)

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

 

A simple pen or pencil in mommy's purse would have sufficed since the figures and puzzles on this sample menu do not appear to be coloring exercises requiring the waiter to go up to HAL Club to get crayons. But it is too bad they could not help rustle up a pencil.

 

I suspect these children menu items were pre-plated and in typically limited supply since there is not a high number of children on many HAL cruises, this could have made a custom substitutions a bit more of a problem on the already busy first night. Think large hotel banquet dining room; not an intimate custom service small restaurant and hope there can be mutual accommodations made at first ... at least on the first night. Good to see there are some lovely menu options for children besides the typical fried chicken strips/ spaghetti options one sees on too many land-based restaurants.

 

This is not what our menu looked like. Each kids menu had one option for a side. There was not choice of a salad or french fries. It they had that that would have perfect.

 

I didn't have a pen or anything with me because I only carried by cruise card. I had no reason to have anything else. I don't think this was a first night issue, because we had the same problem when we ordered dinner later via room service.

 

.

[straychicken]

I appreciate the input. It sounds like the experience was not typical of HAL. I wonder if it was some kind of policy on the Zaandam. The kids menu was different than listed above. Also, there were only 10 kids on the ship in the 3-6 age group including our two little ones. But if they had salad fruit or vegetables available, I still can't see how substituting should have been a problem. Thanks for helping me understand that this is not what would usually happen.

[VennDiagram]

.... I don't think this was a first night issue, because we had the same problem when we ordered dinner later via room service.

 

.

 

One time on the Zaandam, room service was incredibly bad. It did not matter what was ordered, something else would be delivered. I think that for some reason the Zaandam really struggles with room service. I got to the point that when I ordered, I was resigned to eating whatever they sent me because it wouldn't be what I ordered. It was like a Monty Python skit ;)

Edited July 24, 2016 by VennDiagram

[cbr663]

I appreciate the input. It sounds like the experience was not typical of HAL. I wonder if it was some kind of policy on the Zaandam. The kids menu was different than listed above. Also, there were only 10 kids on the ship in the 3-6 age group including our two little ones. But if they had salad fruit or vegetables available, I still can't see how substituting should have been a problem. Thanks for helping me understand that this is not what would usually happen.

 

It should not have been a big issue to substitute fried for veggies. My little niece is currently going through a frozen green peas phase. It's all she wants to snack on.

 

I am glad that things were better for your children in the Lido. When we were on the NA in December, we watched as the staff in the Lido welcomed a family with young kids. One server would grab a high chair and even take a child from the Mom and place the child in the high chair. While the Mom got food, the server would sit the other children and play with them. When Mom returned, he would do a quick scan and then run and pick up anything she may have missed. He really went out of his way for the kids. It was fun just watching him. After a couple of days, another server would join in and help him also.

[kazu]

I am sorry that 1of4 has not seen this theadand posted. From what she told eon our cruise- the children were well taken care of and very,very happy in the MDR in her cruises (including ours).

 

I feel badly that the OP experienced this. Usually the waiters are delighted with children and bend over backwards for them. Obviously she had a bad one.

 

What a disappointment.

[RuthC]

Are you actually suggesting that the food served to children is all pre-plated? So it sits around until someone orders it?

I highly doubt it.

When I have ordered from the children's menu, my meal has always taken longer to be served than anyone else at the table---that is, if I ordered it that night. It's as if it has to be prepared as a special order.

 

Now, when I have gotten the idea that tomorrow I want something from the children's menu, and ordered it in advance, then my meal has come out with everyone else's.

[geoherb]

In my experience, it's not just requests for kids that waiters are reluctant to fulfill. The best thing to do is ask your waiter to ask a head waiter if he's reluctant to serve you something reasonable.

[dakrewser]

In my experience, it's not just requests for kids that waiters are reluctant to fulfill. The best thing to do is ask your waiter to ask a head waiter if he's reluctant to serve you something reasonable.

 

In 20 years of cruising on HAL I've never had a steward act "reluctant" to serve me anything I ordered. Except, of course, when he believed it would be something I might not like. Stewards get to know your likes and dislikes fairly quickly.

[USNUZULOOSE]

I guess maybe some of the wait staff feel over whelmed these days. I don't understand how hard it would be for the chef to steam some green veggie, I don't think the child would eat a whole lot. But it is nice to hear a child want a healthily veggie. My son would eat veggies instead of sugar and my daughter was the opposite.

 

If it were me I would just carry a small pack of crayons in a purse.

[c-cruise]

Not been on the Zaandam, but we've taken our kids on probably a dozen HAL cruises and never had any issues getting fruit and vegetables or really anything they wanted (within reason) at dinner. HAL wait staff have always been excellent with our kids.

 

Agree that the dinners are long and seem even longer with kids. We've found that getting to the dining room a few minutes early helps a lot in getting out of there quicker. If you arrive late you end up out of sequence which slows things down. Services is almost always slower on the first night as well.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

As another poster mentioned, the kids menu items may be pre-plated or come from a different kitchen from the adult choices, making substitutions difficult.

 

If it happens again, you might order yourself an extra side of veggies or fruit off the adult menu, then give it to your child. I'd think a good waiter would have suggested this to begin with.

 

I agree that if HAL is giving kids placemats meant for drawing or coloring, they should have pencils or crayons handy to give out, and not have to run to Club HAL during dinner for them. Land-based restaurants do this all the time.