Are the limited dining times/choices a norm on HAL?

[staufj22]

Just got back from a 12 day Med cruise on the Westerdam, and I'm quite surprised on the limited times that food is available, and the limited selections offered. Having only been on Princess until now, is this the norm for HAL?

The Lido provides breakfast from 7:30am till 10:30am, but nothing after that till noon. For sea days when I'm up late, there's nothing to eat!

After lunch time, most Lido stations close at 2:30, and from 2:30 till 6:00pm, all thats available is the pasta station. It was alright for the first few days, as the pasta station provides 4 different kind of sauses, but after 12 days, you'd be tired of spaghetti too.

After dinner, and Lido again closes all its stations (except for the pasts station again, same 4 sauses) till the "midnight buffet". The midnight buffet only runs for 1 hour between 11pm and 12am.

 

Its just a different experience then Princess, where the Lido is open 24 hours a day, and there's always something there for me to snack on.

[Esme]

Wasn't the BBQ station open after the Lido closed? Usually hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages are available until around 6pm.

 

HAL has room service 24 hours - other than that the times you listed are the norm for HAL ships. Did you not try room service if you were hungry?

 

I've never seen the past station open at the times you mentioned.

[staufj22]

On our cruise, the Pasta station is open from 2:30pm, till 1am everyday. Not to say that the pasta isn't good, but eating it atleast once a day is just too boring.

I don't really like room service, because I feel its a bit time consuming. I like to be out and about in the ship, catching a movie, bingo, or whatever they have to offer. So when I'm hungry, I don't want to spend time walking back to my room, call room service, wait for 30 to 60 min for delivery, and then eat. By the time I'm done with that, its 2 hours later.

[the2ofus]

Another option is to make sure there is fresh fruit in your cabin at all times. Then pick up some crackers, cheese, rolls or something during the times the Lido is open and just keep them in your cabin for later. I also have taken a container of yogurt to my cabin after breakfast and kept it on ice.

[jazzsea]

Sorry the HAL service and food wasn't up to your "Princess" standards.

[jazzsea]

I believe that part of the SOE program will include more LIDO RESTAURANT food stations like the Vista Class ships have. This would mean that sandwiches and pasta as well as the salad bar would be open until 5:00 PM. Maybe someone that has sailed on the Ryndam this last week can tell us.

[localady]

It sounds like you missed the pizza and hamburger station near the Lido interior pool. Generally pizza and tacos can be gotten till dinner I believe. Additionally, there is an ice cream bar that is just wonderful!:D

 

I do wish that they would extend the evening hours for the Lido for casual dining. If I recall it was only open till 7:30 most nights, which, IMHO should be extended for those who choose to eat casually but at a later time.:cool:

[Orcrone]

I do wish that they would extend the evening hours for the Lido for casual dining. If I recall it was only open till 7:30 most nights, which, IMHO should be extended for those who choose to eat casually but at a later time.:cool:

I have 6:15 seating for my upcoming cruise (which is now 99 hours away). One reason I'm likely to eat in the Lido is if I'm returning too late from a shore excursion. That leaves a small window for the Lido to be an option because of arriving late from a shore excursion.

[jollycruiser]

"For sea days when I'm up late, there's nothing to eat!"

 

Never heard a complaint before on a cruise ship that there is nothing to eat. Hello, room service........

[staufj22]

"For sea days when I'm up late, there's nothing to eat!"

 

Never heard a complaint before on a cruise ship that there is nothing to eat. Hello, room service........

 

 

I've never been on a ship where the only food available between 10:30 and 12:00 noon is room service. Granted I've only been on HAL this one time.

I'm just saying that there should be more options for people who wake up late. The last thing I want to do, after sleeping in late, is to be stuck in my room some more waiting for the room service.

[staufj22]

It sounds like you missed the pizza and hamburger station near the Lido interior pool. Generally pizza and tacos can be gotten till dinner I believe. Additionally, there is an ice cream bar that is just wonderful!:D

 

I do wish that they would extend the evening hours for the Lido for casual dining. If I recall it was only open till 7:30 most nights, which, IMHO should be extended for those who choose to eat casually but at a later time.:cool:

 

I do have to agree, the ice cream bar is great. However, there was no pizza by the pool when I was on the Westerdam. The taco bar is there, but after hearing 3 people getting sick from the meat, I've decided to stay away from it.

Hmm.. which reminds me.. Probably common on large ships with large quantity of food, on 2 occations I had the pleasure of pouring semi-solid milk into my cereal. Seems they're on their way to become cheese.

[staufj22]

Sorry the HAL service and food wasn't up to your "Princess" standards.

 

Oh not a problem..=) Not having been on as many cruises as the rest of you, I just wanted to know if this is the norm, of just because of the itinerary.

[apc0204]

Just got off the Maasdam in September and the burger station was open every day until 4 or 5 (depended upon if we were in port or at sea) and the Lido had breakfast (continental) until 11 and the Lunch buffet started at 11:30

 

Plus in the afternoon after 2:30 there was always pizza, sandwich bar, soup of the day, breads and cheeses, and fruit until 5pm

 

Don't know how anyone could go hungry on the ship!

[gatour]

On Zaandam doing the Eastern Carribean, I seem to recall more food being available at all times, plus there were hor'dourves in the lounges in the late afternoon.

 

Was your Med cruise a port everyday type cruise? Maybe they expect most people to be in port during the day so there are fewer offerings on those cruises than you would find on the Caribbean cruises.

[OCruisers]

Its just a different experience then Princess, where the Lido is open 24 hours a day, and there's always something there for me to snack on.

 

We agree! While where are some things we like better about both HAL & Celebrity, we always miss the 24-Hour Lido on Princess ... especially, after shore excursions or that time in the morning after "sleeping late". :o Happily, HAL has very good Room Service! :)

 

Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)

[shipgirl56]

Just off the Oosterdam and this happened to us almost every sea day. We are ready to eat at 10:30 and everything was closed until noon. We didn't want room service. You can't do late mornings on the Oosterdam.

[superstein61]

Sorry the HAL service and food wasn't up to your "Princess" standards.

pretty uncalled for crack !!!. face it folks - HAL has its good points and its bad ones. This could be one of its bad ones