Uh-Oh...Hoping this Room Service Breakfast Menu change is not going fleet wide?

[RuthC]

I understand the reasons for many of the changes, cutbacks, and differences that have been implemented. However, at some point all these changes mean HAL has stopped being HAL. Maybe a time will come when the name of the cruise line should be changed, too, to reflect what they are vs. what HAL was.

 

We are no longer getting the product we once bought in to.

[RJ2002]

In our opinion, food on the mass-market cruise lines is slipping, HAL included. HAL still has unique itineraries, which are appealing to us. However, the declining quality of the dining experience on HAL, Princess, Celebrity has caused us to explore other lines. We have our first Oceania cruise booked next year.

[serendipity1499]

for all those who've been insisting that they would prefer to pay more for more benefits. Simply pick the surcharged items and pay for the better benefits.

 

Of course, but very often the cut backs many have criticized have limited appeal to others. For example, the library, priests, tai chi instructors, etc.

 

The point remains. There are a bunch of folks who are say they are in favor of paying more for better service or amenities but given the opportunity to pay more, they balk. So which do they want, improvements or lower fares? One might guess that they want utopia at walmart prices.

Nothing on a cruise ship is "free". It might be "included" but it is not "free". When the cruise line offers things of limited appeal such as "mimosas", everyone is paying for it. Why not make it an "extra charge" where only those who want it, pay for it?

 

I bolded part of your post only because I 'm retired from many years in the travel field .. The same thing happened when the airlines started to cut back on food & service.. Blankets used to be free & then there was a charge for a blanket..

 

Do you actually know people who balk at paying a surcharge? I'm one who would gladly pay an increase in fare to keep the same amenities..

 

IMO it's a shame that the public demands low fares & then complains about the cut backs.. Something has to give & we all know when any commodity is kept low there will be cutbacks.. Even our Condo fees have increased several times over in the last four years...

[kazu]

In our opinion, food on the mass-market cruise lines is slipping, HAL included. HAL still has unique itineraries, which are appealing to us. However, the declining quality of the dining experience on HAL, Princess, Celebrity has caused us to explore other lines. We have our first Oceania cruise booked next year.

 

Good luck with your first O cruise! I sincerely hope it is better than ours was ;)

[RJ2002]

Good luck with your first O cruise! I sincerely hope it is better than ours was ;)

 

Thanks! We have not abandoned HAL yet. Have another booked next year as well.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I bolded part of your post only because I 'm retired from many years in the travel field .. The same thing happened when the airlines started to cut back on food & service.. Blankets used to be free & then there was a charge for a blanket..

 

Do you actually know people who balk at paying a surcharge? I'm one who would gladly pay an increase in fare to keep the same amenities..

 

IMO it's a shame that the public demands low fares & then complains about the cut backs.. Something has to give & we all know when any commodity is kept low there will be cutbacks.. Even our Condo fees have increased several times over in the last four years...

 

You're right, it's happening all over, and it's sad. The problem is that people only look at the upfront cost. They book the cheapest line they can get. Other boards here have threads complaining about "nickel and diming." But the people who complain about that are still going back for what they PERCEIVE as a cheap cruise. They don't go back at the end and think about what it really cost.

 

When people ask here about how HAL is different, so many responses say "HAL won't nickel and dime you." But as they have to lower prices to be competitive, they have to make up the money somewhere.

[cruisemom42]

for all those who've been insisting that they would prefer to pay more for more benefits. Simply pick the surcharged items and pay for the better benefits.

 

I've been thinking about this for several days. While on the face of it, this of course makes sense, to me it changes the tenor of the vacation.

 

Perhaps I am an anomaly, but I find vacations more stress-free and relaxing when most if not all charges are paid up-front rather than in an "as you go" fashion. When I'm presented with for-pay options, there is that moment when you stop and think "Is it worth paying for that ____?" (drink/specialty meal/breakfast upgrade/whatever). And sometimes you say to yourself "No, better not, I don't want a huge bill at the end of the trip. And then at the end you kick yourself a bit for not treating yourself to whatever it was that you skipped.

 

Maybe others don't do this. But it does diminish the enjoyment a bit for me when I am on vacation. It's another reason why I enjoy traveling on specialty lines where there are fewer "for pay" options.

[RJ2002]

I've been thinking about this for several days. While on the face of it, this of course makes sense, to me it changes the tenor of the vacation.

 

Perhaps I am an anomaly, but I find vacations more stress-free and relaxing when most if not all charges are paid up-front rather than in an "as you go" fashion. When I'm presented with for-pay options, there is that moment when you stop and think "Is it worth paying for that ____?" (drink/specialty meal/breakfast upgrade/whatever). And sometimes you say to yourself "No, better not, I don't want a huge bill at the end of the trip. And then at the end you kick yourself a bit for not treating yourself to whatever it was that you skipped.

 

Maybe others don't do this. But it does diminish the enjoyment a bit for me when I am on vacation. It's another reason why I enjoy traveling on specialty lines where there are fewer "for pay" options.

 

I believe your line of thinking, which is not unique, is what drives some to the premium and luxury cruise lines.

[colonialinnkeeper]

I understand the reasons for many of the changes, cutbacks, and differences that have been implemented. However, at some point all these changes mean HAL has stopped being HAL. Maybe a time will come when the name of the cruise line should be changed, too, to reflect what they are vs. what HAL was.

 

We are no longer getting the product we once bought in to.

 

We so agree with you. I wonder sometimes, how they go about deciding what changes to make and if they do any studies/questionaires/group discussion before making these changes.

[Roz]

Cruisemom,

 

I feel the same way. When I'm taking a land trip, I find it somewhat stressful to be constantly budgeting my money. With a cruise, I know most of my costs upfront and I can have most of them prepaid before I even leave home.

 

Last year I took my first river cruise. It was on Uniworld, an all inclusive line - food, alcohol, excursions, transfers, and tips. I had a $20 charge on my online account, and that was for the postcards I sent from Budapest. Even the pre-cruise stay in Budapest that my TA arranged was pre-paid.

 

Roz

[Karennella]

Cruisemom,

 

I feel the same way. When I'm taking a land trip, I find it somewhat stressful to be constantly budgeting my money. With a cruise, I know most of my costs upfront and I can have most of them prepaid before I even leave home.

 

Last year I took my first river cruise. It was on Uniworld, an all inclusive line - food, alcohol, excursions, transfers, and tips. I had a $20 charge on my online account, and that was for the postcards I sent from Budapest. Even the pre-cruise stay in Budapest that my TA arranged was pre-paid.

 

Roz

 

All inclusive is very popular with Australians. Scenic and APT have been doing river cruises and tours for years that are all-inclusive and both are very successful companies. We did a land trip to South America last year. It was very expensive but it was very relaxing not having to make endless decisions about what to pay for.

It is good on a cruise to just have eg what you like for breakfast without considering the cost. I hope they do not move too far away from the partly inclusive concept.

[kira5]

I posted a couple of months ago about how our August Alaska cruise cost the same as our Alaska cruise 25 years earlier. (same cabin category) There was definitely more 'wow' factor and some things that were free and now in the 'pay category'. Maybe the next step will be coloured bracelets that designate the category of food/service we receive. Some resorts follow this method.

[RocketMan275]

I bolded part of your post only because I 'm retired from many years in the travel field .. The same thing happened when the airlines started to cut back on food & service.. Blankets used to be free & then there was a charge for a blanket..

 

Do you actually know people who balk at paying a surcharge? I'm one who would gladly pay an increase in fare to keep the same amenities..

 

IMO it's a shame that the public demands low fares & then complains about the cut backs.. Something has to give & we all know when any commodity is kept low there will be cutbacks.. Even our Condo fees have increased several times over in the last four years...

 

That was the point I was trying to make. The comments in this thread do not support the idea that customers will pay more in order to receive a higher quality product despite the many statements otherwise. That shouldn't be a big surprise. If it were true, the higher end cruise lines would be buying up the cruise ships made vacant by the bankruptcy of HAL/Princess/Celebrity/ETC.

[kazu]

That was the point I was trying to make. The comments in this thread do not support the idea that customers will pay more in order to receive a higher quality product despite the many statements otherwise. That shouldn't be a big surprise. If it were true, the higher end cruise lines would be buying up the cruise ships made vacant by the bankruptcy of HAL/Princess/Celebrity/ETC.

How is the new menu a higher quality product? there are less options than there were before and for me, the choices they have to decide to offer whether they have a surcharge or not have little appeal?

 

I don't mind paying more for a higher quality product but I don't see it offered in this menu. Of course, food is subjective so what doesn't appeal to me might very well appeal to you ;)

[RocketMan275]

How is the new menu a higher quality product? there are less options than there were before and for me, the choices they have to decide to offer whether they have a surcharge or not have little appeal?

 

I don't mind paying more for a higher quality product but I don't see it offered in this menu. Of course, food is subjective so what doesn't appeal to me might very well appeal to you ;)

 

You're comparing this menu to the previous menu which is a fair comparison. However, if you only look at this menu then most would consider smoked salmon or steak and eggs a higher quality product than a bowl of cold cereal.

[kazu]

You're comparing this menu to the previous menu which is a fair comparison. However, if you only look at this menu then most would consider smoked salmon or steak and eggs a higher quality product than a bowl of cold cereal.

 

LOL - you could get eggs any way previously and smoked salmon as well as on the regular room service menu ;)

 

Steak that early in the morning is not my cup of tea - but that's my subjective opinion. I just want my eggs - real eggs,not egg product.

 

Comparing those two items to a bowl of cold cereal is like comparing apples to oranges. There were good things on the old menu and things could be written in.

 

We happily pay for better/unique dining experiences - Cellar Master Dinner, Master Chef (Chef Rudd) Table, etc. These breakfast options are not worth paying for as they do not appeal. ;). Subjective, I know. Food is so subjective and many have different preferences for breakfast ;)

Edited October 17, 2016 by kazu

[summersigh]

Looking at the new, and maybe to be implemented fleetwide breakfast RmS menu, it looks to me like DH and I can get the things we normally order but with the new complete meal offering there will be less plates on the tray to try to jockey around a cabin with very few flat surfaces while getting to the ones you want or to make up your plate with all the separate offerings - as it is now, for me, the omelette, bacon, hash brown and toast all come on separate covered dishes. Now they'll all be on one plate.

Just a thought :)

 

As for paying for anything upgraded or added on the ship - we don't do it except for cocktails, auto-grats and the occasional photo if there's a really good one of the 2 of us.

We don't go to any ship's steakhouse - here at home we have some excellent steakhouses and I'd just as soon wait and eat there for the same $$ amount when I enjoy the "free" food and service in the MDR on board the ship.

[cbr663]

You're comparing this menu to the previous menu which is a fair comparison. However, if you only look at this menu then most would consider smoked salmon or steak and eggs a higher quality product than a bowl of cold cereal.

 

Powdered and processed hollandaise sauce on top of a cold poached eggs and stale, tasteless english muffins is an assault to the senses and is a clear indication that quality is absent from HAL's new breakfast menu.

[summersigh]

What is the swiss muesli on the menu like? Is it served like a cold cereal or hot? Obviously I've never had it before :D

[Hlitner]

Powdered and processed hollandaise sauce on top of a cold poached eggs and stale, tasteless english muffins is an assault to the senses and is a clear indication that quality is absent from HAL's new breakfast menu.

 

Funny you mention this issue. We have spent 79 days on HAL since March and I have had more then my fill of HAL Eggs Benedict (sometimes passable and sometimes not even edible). On Saturday I happened to have brunch at a decent NYC restaurant where I ordered Eggs Benedict. It was as good as it gets...and reminded me how much HAL has managed to ruin this relatively easy to make wonderful dish. And it is not just HAL....as we have often had it on Celebrity with similar results.

 

Hank

[1ANGELCAT]

If is the same as in the Lido, it is served cold.

It is really good, sometimes has fruit mixed in it.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Roz]

I've never had it served hot, whether in Europe or on HAL. I always thought it was supposed to be served cold. I think it's very good, but your tastes may vary.

 

Roz

[Cruising-along]

Looking at the new, and maybe to be implemented fleetwide breakfast RmS menu, it looks to me like DH and I can get the things we normally order but with the new complete meal offering there will be less plates on the tray to try to jockey around a cabin with very few flat surfaces while getting to the ones you want or to make up your plate with all the separate offerings - as it is now, for me, the omelette, bacon, hash brown and toast all come on separate covered dishes. Now they'll all be on one plate.

Just a thought :)

...

 

Good point. Room service breakfast has always been important to us, we love being able to get it those days we have an early excursion. No need to get dressed and out of the cabin, and we can get ready for the day as we eat. It really saves time and is much more leisurely.

 

All those plates can get difficult. I'll be fine with the omelette choice and the eggs choice IF I can get them other than scrambled.

[knittinggirl]

What is the swiss muesli on the menu like? Is it served like a cold cereal or hot? Obviously I've never had it before :D

I got the Swiss Muesli once in the MDR. It's served cold. Mine w/o nuts, since they knew about my allergy. I believe they soak it overnight.

[Hlitner]

LOL - you could get eggs any way previously and smoked salmon as well as on the regular room service menu ;)

 

Steak that early in the morning is not my cup of tea - but that's my subjective opinion. I just want my eggs - real eggs,not egg product.

 

Comparing those two items to a bowl of cold cereal is like comparing apples to oranges. There were good things on the old menu and things could be written in.

 

We happily pay for better/unique dining experiences - Cellar Master Dinner, Master Chef (Chef Rudd) Table, etc. These breakfast options are not worth paying for as they do not appeal. ;). Subjective, I know. Food is so subjective and many have different preferences for breakfast ;)

 

Well, if you want real eggs, anywhere on the ship, you must order something with a yoke such as over easy, soft boiled, etc. All Omelets and scrambled eggs are now made with the commercial boxed stuff (pasteurized). When we were on the Zuiderdam, last month, I specifically asked the cook (in the lido) to please make me an omelet with real eggs. She refused! A few days later when there was a different cook I again asked if he would use real eggs (which they had) to make an omelet and he also refused telling me they were just not permitted to use real eggs. In the Lido, real eggs have gone the way of fresh squeezed OJ (no longer available except in the MDR).

 

Hank