Lido Dining Hours on the K'dam versus other HAL ships

[Ken the cruiser]

My DW and I were talking about why it seemed so crowded in the morning or at lunch on the K'dam versus other HAL ships and it seemed to us the Lido buffet open hours for breakfast, lunch and dinner were shorter that the other HAL cruises we've been on. One reason we were thinking this was because we had an early excursion one morning and the buffet finally opened 30 minutes before we had to go on the excursion.

 

Question 1. Does anyone know the open hours for the Lido buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the K'dam?

 

Question 2. Does anyone know the open hours for the Lido buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner on any other HAL cruise?

 

I realize on the K'dam there is no place after 8 pm to get some cookies or ice cream like on the other HAL ships, but we're more interested in their Lido buffet open hours. We're booked later this month to cruise on the Amsterdam and in February on the K'dam again, so we can get their hours then, but we were just curious if anyone knew?

[Love the beach]

On Koningsdam in August:

Lido Market

7:00am-10:30am

11:30am (on a Sea day, 12:00 on a port day) to 2:00p,

2:00pm-4:00pm (select stations)

6:00pm-8:30pm

10:30pm-11:30pm

You could always get cookies from the Explorations Cafe and Grand Dutch Cafe or room service, and Gelato from the Gelato place...all are open late.

 

On Oosterdam in Sept:

Lido:

6:00am-10:30 Continental Bfast

6:30-10:00 full buffet

11:30-3:00pm Bistro, and Deli 11:30am-11:30pm

6:00pm-9:00pm

10:30pm-11:30pm

We figured the hours are shorter on Kdam since there are other venues open as well :

NY Deli & Pizza

Breakfast Bagels 7:30-11:am

Sandwiches, salads & pizza

11:30am-12 midnight

Grand Dutch Cafe:

8:00am-10:00pm

Edited October 30, 2016 by Love the beach

[Ken the cruiser]

On Koningsdam in August:

Lido Market

7:00am-10:30am

11:30am (on a Sea day, 12:00 on a port day) to 2:00p,

2:00pm-4:00pm (select stations)

6:00pm-8:30pm

10:30pm-11:30pm

You could always get cookies from the Explorations Cafe and Grand Dutch Cafe or room service, and Gelato from the Gelato place...all are open late.

 

On Oosterdam in Sept:

Lido:

6:00am-10:30 Continental Bfast

6:30-10:00 full buffet

11:30-3:00pm Bistro, and Deli 11:30am-11:30pm

6:00pm-9:00pm

10:30pm-11:30pm

We figured the hours are shorter on Kdam since there are other venues open as well :

NY Deli & Pizza

Breakfast Bagels 7:30-11:am

Sandwiches, salads & pizza

11:30am-12 midnight

Grand Dutch Cafe:

8:00am-10:00pm

 

Thanks Love the Beach! That explains why getting breakfast wasn't a big deal on other HAL ships when we had an early excursion. That also explains in part why it gets so crowded so quickly in the morning up on the Lido deck on the K'dam. We are truly looking forward to our second cruise on the K'dam in February to see if they have overcome some of their growing pains since we cruised with them last July. Unfortunately, I haven't noticed much change in the CC Review scores.

[hrhdhd]

Wow--those are lousier hours than the normal lousy hours. :eek:

[Ken the cruiser]

LOL!! Yeah, we weren't too impressed either, but what can you do. Luckily we had bought an upsell/upgrade to a Neptune and ate breakfast most mornings in the Pinnacle Grill. The only time we ate breakfast up on the Lido deck was when we had an early excursions. But if you get there right at 7 am, you've got a good chance to even get a window seat!

 

We're hoping HAL when the K'dam gets to the Caribbean opens up earlier for breakfast on the Lido like they do on their other ships. But, if they don't, we'll adjust as the chances of us getting a great deal to upgrade to Neptune again is probably pretty slim.

[Karennella]

On the Christening Cruise we found that the hours the Lido was open were even shorter than the listed hours on the daily programs. They were busy packing up when many people were looking for food. And yes, it is one reason for the crowds.

[p0240]

We were on the Koningsdam in Oct, and while the Lido hours were unusual (we are used to Princess where it is operational almost 24 hours per day) the quality of food served was fantastic.

We particularly liked the glass screens, so no one could serve themselves, and the separate sections for different food, although you had to go from one queue to another if you wanted something from a few sections.

The staff worked very hard to clean given how busy the Lido is.

I was surprised that dinner service finished at 8.30pm, early for anyone who wants to dine a bit later.

All in all, we were very impressed with quality of food in the Lido.

[Love the beach]

We were on the Koningsdam in Oct, and while the Lido hours were unusual (we are used to Princess where it is operational almost 24 hours per day) the quality of food served was fantastic.

We particularly liked the glass screens, so no one could serve themselves, and the separate sections for different food, although you had to go from one queue to another if you wanted something from a few sections.

The staff worked very hard to clean given how busy the Lido is.

I was surprised that dinner service finished at 8.30pm, early for anyone who wants to dine a bit later.

All in all, we were very impressed with quality of food in the Lido.

 

And the selection (on Kdam)! We have always loved the MDR and rarely ate dinner in the Lido. On this 14 day cruise we preferred the Lido...ate dinner in MDR only 5 times!

[shipfriend_max]

Hey,

 

Thank you very much for the opening hours Koningsdam vs Oosterdam/other HAL ships!!

 

I am on Koningsdam in Aug 2017, but despite the Lido restaurant appears to be closed some times, is it possible to have something to eat at every moment without interruption?

 

What does New York Deli offer on Kdam throughout the day? What does Explorations Café offer, except for cookies? Grand Dutch Café is still complimentary (in terms of food)?

[Ken the cruiser]

You could always get cookies from the Explorations Cafe and Grand Dutch Cafe or room service, and Gelato from the Gelato place...all are open late.

 

We always thought you had to pay for any pastries and other sweets as well as the drinks served at the Explorations Café and I don't remember seeing any cookies at the Dutch Café. But we'll definitely check for cookies in February when we're on her again as from what I understand the food is free at the Dutch Café. You just have to pay for any drinks you get.

[Love the beach]

Yes, the food is free at both Explorations Cafe and Dutch Cafe. After breakfast hours the NY Deli & Pizza had many different kinds of sandwiches and pizzas....bowls of salad and usually a desert. Room service is available free of charge 24/7......you can always find something to eat!

[Fouremco]

So, more passengers but shorter dining hours. Hmmm....

[Ken the cruiser]

So, more passengers but shorter dining hours. Hmmm....

 

Yeah, not a lot of logic there, but hopefully things will change as time goes on and they make adjustments to deal with the larger crowds, especially in the early mornings at breakfast time.

[Cruising-along]

Yeah, not a lot of logic there, but hopefully things will change as time goes on and they make adjustments to deal with the larger crowds, especially in the early mornings at breakfast time.

 

Unless you just hate room service, why not order room service breakfast on those early excursion mornings? That's what we do -- so much nicer than fighting the crowds. :)

[Fouremco]

Unless you just hate room service, why not order room service breakfast on those early excursion mornings? That's what we do -- so much nicer than fighting the crowds. :)

I would have agreed with you in the past, but on the K'dam they apparently no longer have tables in the cabin or on the balcony suited to serving meals. Also, recent reporting suggests that room-service breakfast choices are no longer what they used to be.

[Ken the cruiser]

Ì

Unless you just hate room service, why not order room service breakfast on those early excursion mornings? That's what we do -- so much nicer than fighting the crowds. :)

 

To us, room service is just not an option as it's not the same as we dearly love going up to the Lido deck in the morning when on a "normal" HAL cruise and having our choice of 4 different types of eggs benedict to choose from. Unfortunately on the K'dam they only served one type on the cruise we were on. You see we never eat eggs other than when we're on a cruise. Too much cholesterol. But when we're on a cruise, we walk laps around the promenade and stay away from elevators, so in our minds, we're good to go when we get our eggs benedict and dare I say a few sausage patties. I don't think the crowds will ever be that bad to keep us away from breakfast on the Lido deck.

 

But what's funny is this conversation would not be happening if we were discussing any other HAL ship. Why is that? But no worries, we're giving them another try in February. However, if the K'dam senior staff hasn't fixed the issues on their ship by then that normally make a HAL cruise feel like "home" to us, as is the case on all of the other HAL ships we've sailed, then we'll just book cruises on other HAL ships like we have always done. No big deal.

 

BTW we sent our K'dam observations to HAL corporate. Whether they think any of them were valid, only time will tell.

Edited October 30, 2016 by Ken the cruiser

[Cruising-along]

I would have agreed with you in the past, but on the K'dam they apparently no longer have tables in the cabin or on the balcony suited to serving meals. Also, recent reporting suggests that room-service breakfast choices are no longer what they used to be.

 

I know...I'm hoping to hear that they will honor write-ins, and even if they don't I'll be doing room service several times on our January cruise. We've managed before with small tables, we can again. It isn't ideal, but I still prefer it on those early excursion days.

[Cruising-along]

To us, room service is just not an option as it's not the same as we dearly love going up to the Lido deck in the morning when on a "normal" HAL cruise and having our choice of 4 different types of eggs benedict to choose from. Unfortunately on the K'dam they only served one type on the cruise we were on. You see we never eat eggs other than when we're on a cruise. Too much cholesterol. But when we're on a cruise, we walk laps around the promenade and stay away from elevators, so in our minds, we're good to go when we get our eggs benedict and dare I say a few sausage patties. I don't think the crowds will ever be that bad to keep us away from breakfast on the Lido deck.

 

But what's funny is this conversation would not be happening if we were discussing any other HAL ship. Why is that? But no worries, we're giving them another try in February. However, if the K'dam senior staff hasn't fixed the issues on their ship by then that normally make a HAL cruise feel like "home" to us, as is the case on all of the other HAL ships we've sailed, then we'll just book cruises on other HAL ships like we have always done. No big deal.

 

I certainly understand, thanks for explaining. We will be sailing the Koningsdam for the first time in January. There are things I'm not happy about too, I guess time will tell for me too.