Updating Holland America Menus

[Pianoman]

Having recently been on a HA 31-day cruise on the Oosterdam, I read with interest the line's plan to update its Canelletto menu. Much needed!! Now they need to do the same with the Pinnacle Grill offerings, especially the desserts and meat quality. The "Ben and Jerry's" baked Alaska is a disaster. Very little ice cream, a cold, pre-baked merengue shell that is gooey, dense, and inedible. The only dessert worth ordering is the key lime pie. 

Pinnacle also needs to upgrade their steak quality. My wife ordered the ribeye for our second of five meals at Pinnacle and could not eat it because it was so tough. Other passengers with whom we talked had similar experiences.

Holland's upcharge of $35/person for the Pinnacle experience ought warrant that kind of charge. Currently, it falls far short!

And yes, I expressed the above concerns to the Pinnacle maitre 'D whose response bordered on being rude and dismissive.

[Bill]

The article neglects to mention that Canaletto used to a $15 upcharge and is now $25. Also, kind of odd for a supposedly high-end Italian restaurant to force guests to choose between and pasta and entrée course. Pasta is typically a separate course, and at minimum you should be able to get a half-portion without having to pay for a second entrée.

[3Sisters]

@Pianoman I'm bummed you had such an upsetting dining experience onboard this Holland America Line ship. I agree that the $35/person upcharge warrants a great experience! I'm also hopeful that the updated menu will be enhanced to become more likable for guests. The customer service should have definitely been better than "rude and dismissive."

@Bill The cruise line has significantly been increasing its pp upcharge for Canaletto! I didn't really how the prices have gone up so much, but I can't say that I'm surprised either. Pasta is definitely an Italian staple! 

[PaulB]

Yeah it's disappointing when the food received is not up to the quality you would expect. There is no excuses for poor quality aboard the cruise ships. The standards have been set and anything less really isn't acceptable. The baked Alaska is a favourite of mine, I haven't had it for quite some time mind you, and what you have explained that does sound soul destroying especially when you have been looking forward to something.

[Cruising Caribbean]

I agree that poor customer service is unnecessary, especially for the hospitality/travel industry. From what I remember, Carnival Cruise Line makes a mean-baked Alaska. I guess Holland America Line is slacking right now, but baked Alaska is truly a staple dessert. It's pretty hard to mess up so I'm surprised to read @Pianoman's feedback. 

[Bill]

BTW, do the main dining room menus still refer to a generic fish or seafood and not say what the specific ingredient is (i.e., salmon or shrimp)? I have not sailed HAL in a year and a half, and part of the reason is that I was very disappointed in the MDR menus the last time I sailed. Plus, they had reduced choices in the appetizers/soups/salads, and the ones they had seemed to repeat after a few days.

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Bill I have noticed food option reductions over the past few years. I haven't cruised on Holland America Line, but it sounds like this line is facing the same sort of cutbacks. I do however believe that the fish and seafood should be specified on the menu. If for some reason it is not specified on the menu, you can always ask the dining room staff to tell you exactly what seafood it is. It's quite odd for the menu not to specify what it is offering! 

[Allen]

We have recently switched from Royal Caribbean to HAL. In spite of a few food issues, HAL food overall is much better than RCL. Royal’s new dining room menus are poorly conceived and service has slipped dramatically. 

[Cruising Caribbean]

@Allen As a person who hasn't experienced cruising with Holland America Line,  I appreciate this comparison. I have always enjoyed RCL's food options but I haven't been onboard since pre-pandemic. The line has expanded its itinerary options that will sail to some of the scenic destinations in Alaska. It offers an "Alaska Up Close" program that really stands out amongst other cruise lines that visit this region. Have you ever visited Alaska via a HAL cruise?