Scrambled eggs at the Lido buffet - does HAL use powdered eggs now?

[Ken the cruiser]

We were on the Zaandam for 22 days in January and we usually ate breakfast up at the lido buffet. I usually had eggs benedict and my DW varied in her choices, but when she chose eggs they were usually scrambled, an omelet or crepes. This was our 11th HAL cruise, but this was the first time the scrambled eggs had no texture. They just dissolved in your mouth without any chewing. We also later noticed the eggs used to make the omelets had no texture either.

 

I know with eggs benedict you get real eggs and on previous HAL cruises, even though they use premixed eggs to make scrambled eggs, omelets and crepes, the resulting product had texture and always gave us the impression they came from a container of premixed eggs rather than from powdered eggs.

 

However, on this last cruise the "premixed" egg dishes gave the impression they were made from powdered eggs. The ones I remember eating as a child back in the 50s when family funds were tight.

 

Has anyone else noticed this or was this just unique to the Antarctica cruise we were on?

[freestyling]

Yes they do use powered. I was told on our March Asia cruise that this is now fleet wide.

[baggal]

Unless you see a real, fresh egg being cracked open you can safely assume your breakfast is being made from an "egg-type" product.

 

 

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[chengkp75]

I'd be pretty surprised if they used powdered eggs, as this requires an extra step in preparation (mixing in the water) over the ubiquitous liquid bulk eggs.

[POA1]

The scrambled eggs and the omelets are made from the liquid eggs that come in a carton. They're not powdered.

[freestyling]

I'd be pretty surprised if they used powdered eggs, as this requires an extra step in preparation (mixing in the water) over the ubiquitous liquid bulk eggs.

That’s right. The omelet station showed me the carton. Not powder but liquid.

[aaaaa]

Okay, liquid. But are they actual eggs (perhaps merely pre-cracked) or artificial? And is the only way to get real eggs by ordering a Benedict?

[ASIWISH]

Liquid eggs are real eggs.

 

 

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[Ken the cruiser]

No offense but for those who are saying HAL still uses liquid eggs from a carton for scrambled eggs, crepes and/or omelets, was the HAL cruise you experienced this on before or after Jan 2018, especially since freestyling heard HAL went fleet-wide with powdered eggs while on a Mar 2018 cruise?

 

The reason I ask is we were on HAL cruises in Mar 2017 on the Koningsdam and again in Jul 2017 on the Amsterdam and the eggs tasted "normal". They only tasted like powdered eggs when we were on our Jan 2018 cruise.

[freestyling]

Explanation of Liquid Eggs per internet lookup.

Liquid eggs are pasteurized at high temperatures, which change their individual flavor and texture. Yolks and whites are combined, which causes loss of their individual flavor characteristics. Most liquid eggs have citric acid and other additives, which change flavor and performance.

[CruiserBruce]

Okay, liquid. But are they actual eggs (perhaps merely pre-cracked) or artificial? And is the only way to get real eggs by ordering a Benedict?

 

For specialized purposes, they will use real eggs. As in "actual eggs".

[freestyling]

No offense but for those who are saying HAL still uses liquid eggs from a carton for scrambled eggs, crepes and/or omelets, was the HAL cruise you experienced this on before or after Jan 2018, especially since freestyling heard HAL went fleet-wide with powdered eggs while on a Mar 2018 cruise?

 

The reason I ask is we were on HAL cruises in Mar 2017 on the Koningsdam and again in Jul 2017 on the Amsterdam and the eggs tasted "normal". They only tasted like powdered eggs when we were on our Jan 2018 cruise.

Our cruise was on the Volendam in March 2018. They were liquid eggs that the omelet station attendant showed me and said they are fleet wide now. The carton threw me off so I “assumed” they were powered. My DW set me straight after I read reply from Chengkp75 and POA1

[Ken the cruiser]

Our cruise was on the Volendam in March 2018. They were liquid eggs that the omelet station attendant showed me and said they are fleet wide now. The carton threw me off so I “assumed” they were powered. My DW set me straight after I read reply from Chengkp75 and POA1

Well, there you go then. Carton eggs it is. Hopefully on our future HAL cruises the eggs will taste "normal" again as they sure tasted weird on our Zaandam cruise.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Ken - when you go that far south of the Equator your taste buds invert, so everything tastes funny - LOL ;p:');p

[chengkp75]

Well, there you go then. Carton eggs it is. Hopefully on our future HAL cruises the eggs will taste "normal" again as they sure tasted weird on our Zaandam cruise.

 

The problem with some of the scrambled eggs in the buffet line is that they tend to "leak" water into the pan, and folks think this is a sign of powdered eggs. It really means the eggs were cooked at too high a temperature (to get them done faster), which can also affect the texture of the eggs.

[POA1]

Well, there you go then. Carton eggs it is. Hopefully on our future HAL cruises the eggs will taste "normal" again as they sure tasted weird on our Zaandam cruise.

 

I can't speak to the liquid eggs on your specific cruise, but most of them are labeled as containing less than 1% water, and citric acid. The water is the carrier for the citric acid which improves the shelf life. They are blended and pasteurized. The pasteurization could change the taste. (Eggland's Best Liquid Egg Product is an example of this.)

 

 

There are some companies that use salt as a preservative, but I don't know if HAL would use those given the number of passengers with dietary restrictions

 

You can always get your eggs over or sunny side up if you want a cracked egg from the shell..

[Ken the cruiser]

Ken - when you go that far south of the Equator your taste buds invert, so everything tastes funny - LOL ;p:');p

So true. I guess I just got spoiled eating Eggs Benedict with real eggs. Our next HAL cruise will be on the Maasdam when we circumnavigate Australia in 2019. But at least we'll be ready for the invertion change over this time. ;p

[Ken the cruiser]

The problem with some of the scrambled eggs in the buffet line is that they tend to "leak" water into the pan, and folks think this is a sign of powdered eggs. It really means the eggs were cooked at too high a temperature (to get them done faster), which can also affect the texture of the eggs.

That could be it. Hopefully, it was just an issue on our Zaandam cruise as the "liquid carton" scrambled eggs have always had texture on all of our cruises before this one. Funny thing was we ate breakfast a few times in the MDR and they served the same no-texture scrambled eggs there as well, so my DW switched to waffles and Eggs Benedict and life was good again. :D

[cruzingnut]

They still have eggs in the shell on the Lido. You can ask for scrambled or over at the egg station in the main line (not the omelette station). We were just on the Voyage of the Vikings on the Rotterdam in July/August. I also saw Eggs Benedict made with “real” eggs.

 

Linda R.

[Ken the cruiser]

They still have eggs in the shell on the Lido. You can ask for scrambled or over at the egg station in the main line (not the omelette station). We were just on the Voyage of the Vikings on the Rotterdam in July/August. I also saw Eggs Benedict made with “real” eggs.

 

Linda R.

Thanks Linda! We'll definitely try that tactic if the DW wants scrambled eggs when we cruise on the Maasdam next year if the mushy scrambled egg syndrome shows up again.

[TheEmerson]

Well they could have done the white gravy trick that some places use to make scrambled eggs for a steam table to keep them from drying out. Some hotel buffets have mixed in white gravy (milk/flour) while cooking the eggs to keep them from drying out. But with the uptick in gluten issues I doubt that is done much anymore. I will not even go into the use of some hotel dinners/banquets that use frozen platted (on china) entrees that are made in one location, frozen, shipped then reheated on site with a powered sauce applied before serving. Bon Appetit.

[MajMom96]

No offense but for those who are saying HAL still uses liquid eggs from a carton for scrambled eggs, crepes and/or omelets, was the HAL cruise you experienced this on before or after Jan 2018, especially since freestyling heard HAL went fleet-wide with powdered eggs while on a Mar 2018 cruise?

 

 

 

The reason I ask is we were on HAL cruises in Mar 2017 on the Koningsdam and again in Jul 2017 on the Amsterdam and the eggs tasted "normal". They only tasted like powdered eggs when we were on our Jan 2018 cruise.

 

 

 

I agree Ken! I ordered scrambled eggs on the Oosterdam through room service recently and they were inedible! Just as you previously described, no texture, and disintegrated in your mouth. But when we went to the dining room for breakfast, there was an obvious difference (i.e. real eggs) for the scrambled eggs.

 

 

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[lillulu]

We are doing Keto so reading this makes me a little nervous. I need it to be all natural eggs not something added into the mix. Will I still be able to get to fried juicy eggs in the dining room? Or will they have other stuff in the eggs? IHOP here in town adds pancake batter to their scrambles eggs to make them fluffy. I can't eat those. Thanks in adavance.

[Turtles06]

I agree Ken! I ordered scrambled eggs on the Oosterdam through room service recently and they were inedible! Just as you previously described, no texture, and disintegrated in your mouth. But when we went to the dining room for breakfast, there was an obvious difference (i.e. real eggs) for the scrambled eggs.

 

 

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We are aboard the Zuiderdam right now: it’s our first HAL cruise. The omelets made to order in the Lido are fabulous (look for Precious at the omelet stations; she’s the best omelet Chef ever.) I ordered an omelet via room service on a very early port day, and it was just ok, but nothing strange about the eggs. The next day I ordered scrambled eggs from room service as a variety, add they were inedible. Bach to Precious I went.

[freestyling]

We are doing Keto so reading this makes me a little nervous. I need it to be all natural eggs not something added into the mix. Will I still be able to get to fried juicy eggs in the dining room? Or will they have other stuff in the eggs? IHOP here in town adds pancake batter to their scrambles eggs to make them fluffy. I can't eat those. Thanks in adavance.

Yes..you can still get fried, poached, overeasy, medium and eggs benedict using cracked eggs. When I asked if I could get my omelet with cracked eggs I was told that it wasn’t allowed..would slow thing down as everyone would ask for them. This was on a 31 day cruise. No biggy just ate something else...plenty of choices!