Cooking Studio on Maasdam

[From Virginia Beach]

This will be my first HAL cruise and I'm very excited about the Cooking Studio programs. It seems like the master classes are only on 10+ day cruises. What type of programs do they offer on the 7 day cruises? Do they offer any technique classes? Any hands-on? And most importantly, any fee for participating?

 

Thanks!

[jtl513]

I don't know exactly what you mean by Cooking Studio programs, but on HAL there are both free cooking demos for large audiences and small for-fee Classes for no more than 12 people. They are $29 pp. There are usually two of those per week, on sea days, and they fill up early. Depending on the chef, they may be very hands-on or they may be little more than close-up and personal demos. If you are interested, go to the front desk ASAP after boarding. They will have the recipes to be done for each class. Ordinarily there will be one entree and one soup, salad, side, or dessert recipe done. They typically run between an hour and 1h:30m depending on what recipes are being done. You get a souvenier hat and apron! Friends may come and watch ... and take pics. :)

[From Virginia Beach]

Do you know if you can book these in advance or only once you board the ship? And PS on the Maasdam I see an adjacent "theater" style room next to the cooking studio. Looks like there may be a podium in the front. What's typically takes place there?

[GmaPajama]

I believe you're looking at the Wajang Theatre and Culinary Arts Center on Deck 4. That is a multi-purpose room that's used for Cooking Demonstrations, Movies, Lectures, Religious Services, Small Venue Entertainment, as well as other things. The actual Cooking Class we took happened in the Ship's Kitchen. I don't know if that's always the case - but it's what happened for us.

[jtl513]

Do you know if you can book these in advance or only once you board the ship?

Sorry, only after you board. That why it is important to go sign up early! If you are in a Deluxe Suite the Neptune Lounge concierge can also sign you up, but I have never had the opportunity to do that! :)

And PS on the Maasdam I see an adjacent "theater" style room next to the cooking studio. Looks like there may be a podium in the front. What's typically takes place there?

Do you mean the Half Moon room? That is just a general-purpose meeting room, for the use of private groups - classes/seminars, etc. On the cruises we have been on there hasn't been much use of the Half Moon/Hudson/Stuyvesant rooms. The Hudson/Stuy rooms are used for card-playing groups sometimes.

The actual Cooking Class we took happened in the Ship's Kitchen. I don't know if that's always the case - but it's what happened for us.

I think it is much more usual to have them in the Culinary Arts Center, aka Wajang Theater on the Maasdam.