holland-america's rotational dining experience is nothing short of brilliant, especially for parents cruising with young children. Even though as an adult, I appreciate the grand dining rooms other ships offer, as a parent I really enjoyed the varying and entertaining decor of each night's restaurant, and its side benefit: With our children well occupied, we were able to enjoy an appetizer, a salad and at least most of the main course.
There are three main restaurants on the amsterdam, and every guest dines in each of them at least once (on the four-night cruise you return to your first restaurant for a second time). Your dining tickets will be waiting for you in your stateroom indicating your dining time (6 or 8:30 pm), table number and restaurant rotation. Your table number, dining companions and servers remain the same throughout.
Two additional holland-america dining perks include free sodas during dinner at these restaurants (and at the self-service beverage station on the pool deck), along with a different children's menu/activity sheet each night, filled with fun word games, a coloring sheet and maze.
Triton's the most formal of the three is an upscale dining room with stained glass walls and a massive shimmering tiled wall depicting a scene from the Little Mermaid. Here you'll find continental cuisine with a French flair, with items like deep fried Camembert, chilled vichyssoise soup, and herb-crusted North Atlantic Filet of Cod with sauteed spinach and Champagne sauce.
Animator's Palate is part restaurant, part animation show, right down to the holograms on the menus. Shortly after we entered the all black-and-white room, it was wrapped in a ribbon of blue with twinkling green lights in the "bristles" of the giant paintbrush shaped pillars. Throughout the course of dinner everything but the carpet seemed to change colors, as scenes from holland-america movies transformed from simple black-and-white sketches to full-color images in Flintstone-like frames. The music score composed specifically for the restaurant provides cues to the servers on when to serve each course, as well as indicating when it's time for them to change into a vest splashed in color and parade back out through the restaurant to the tune of "Zippity Do Da." It was definitely a fun and unique dinner experience, and by far our son's favorite on any cruise.
Parrot Cay, the third dining room, offers a Caribbean-themed multi-sensory experience, with birds chirping in the background, and bold tropical colors throughout, including the oversized green porthole windows. We visited for lunch one day and discovered a delicious seafood lunch buffet, along with made-to-order stir fry and a much better salad bar than we'd found upstairs at Beach Blanket Buffet.
Palo, the adult-only restaurant, is an elegant open-kitchen dining room with espresso bar, wine cellar and sweeping ocean views. Inspired by the Italian birthplace of the ship, Palo is named for the poles that line the canals of Venice and serves Northern Italian cuisine. The restaurant is open nightly for dinner (and for Champagne Brunch during the "at sea" day on a four-night cruise); both require reservations, which should be made as soon as you board the ship. The food and service here is worth so much more than the per-person $10 charged.
Beach Blanket Buffet, up on Deck 9, is the indoor/outdoor place for breakfast and lunch buffets serving salads, sandwiches, made-to-order omelets, luke-warm waffles, gravy and biscuits, and assorted fruits. (Note: If you want fried eggs you must head to one of the restaurants.) Casual outdoor eateries include Pinocchio's Pizzeria, Pluto's Dog House (for burgers, hot dogs, and chicken tenders) plus the all important snack resource, Scoops, serving ice-cream with an assortment of toppings. Cookie Time, typically open from 3 until 5 p.m. on Deck 9 aft, is the place to head for DVD-sized assorted cookies that are very tasty.
The service in all four restaurants was excellent; the only exception was in Beach Blanket Buffet where it was often hard to find assistance. The servers that rotated with us were personable, funny and observant. They must have noticed us urging our younger son to keep his crayons on the sheet of paper, and off the white tablecloth, because the next night they presented him with a box of washable crayons. Our older son enjoyed reading everyone's name tags to see if he knew where the country was that they were from and commented that it would be fun if each person had his or her favorite holland-america movie, or character, on the tag too.
It comes as no surprise that Holland America, the proud purveyors of tradition, maintains a traditional approach to dining aboard its vessels. It’s for one very simple reason: their guests prefer it that way! Evening meals enjoyed in elegant surroundings served by a gracious wait staff who remember their patron’s preferences – it’s all part of the pleasure of a Holland America cruise vacation.
Here’s how their Traditional Dining in the Main Restaurants works:
Breakfast and Lunch: Open seating. During the appropriate meal time, arrive when and with whom you’d like and you’ll be promptly seated.
Dinner: There are two sittings; First and Main. Each is further divided into an earlier and later dining time utilizing the two levels of the beautiful La Fontaine Dining Room
5:45 pm (First Upper). Guests dine in the restaurant’s upper level
6:15 pm (First Lower). Guests dine in the restaurant’s lower level
8:00 pm (Main Upper). Guests dine in the restaurant’s upper level
8:30 pm (Main Lower). Guests dine in the restaurant’s lower level
Sitting times may be adjusted according to the cruise and some ships may maintain a two-sitting (6:00 pm and 8:15 pm) arrangement; Alaska cruise dining times are about 15 minutes earlier than those shown above. Guests may request any sitting time, table size and table mate(s). Sitting time may be confirmed (or waitlisted) at time of booking but specific table location and even table size may be assigned by the Maitre d’ on board.
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All Holland America chefs are members of the prestigious Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs gourmet society. And it shows, the moment you take your seat in the elegant La Fontaine Dining Room. A pianist or string quartet accompanies your evening meal as you sample the Continental cuisine.
Regional specialties are introduced according to your cruise and traditional favorites (steak, fish, chicken) are always available for the asking. Crisply starched linens, gleaming silver, elegant china and fresh flowers grace your table every night.
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“Relaxed and casual� are the operative words for the Lido Restaurant. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the buffet-style Lido Restaurant offers a broad selection of seafood, freshly carved meats, fresh-baked bread, fruits, vegetables, cereals, beverages, and delicious desserts. Regional specialties such as Asian stir-fry, and the ever-popular pizza, burgers and pastas are available here, too.
Especially good are the fresh salads and gourmet sandwiches. Dine inside or al fresco. Evening meals provide made-to-order entrées and table service.
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Any evening meal aboard Amsterdam can be made even more special. Make a reservation at the Pinnacle Grill, the ship’s upscale, reservations-only restaurant. The menu is themed to the freshest from the Pacific Northwest – Alaskan king salmon; Dungeness crab cakes and Northwest clam chowder are specialties.
Succulent steaks and savory pastas are always on the menu, too. The wine list is equally extensive. Bvlgari® china, Riedel® stemware and Frette® linens are on the table; a smile is on your face! A modest charge is added for this dining experience.
In-stateroom or in-suite dining is available aboard Holland America. In most cases, guests may choose from the main dining room menu and as an added treat, the meal is served on the line’s signature, Rosenthal china! There is no room service charge for this service. So, put yourself in this picture: you and your companion enjoying a private, evening meal on your balcony, served on elegant china. Time to toast the sunset!
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Of course, there are plenty more opportunities to up the calorie count. The outdoor Terrace Grill serves up hamburgers, chicken burgers, hot dogs and regional specialties (Indonesian cuisine is tops on Holland America). Exploration’s Café serves pastries throughout the day; daily Afternoon Tea Service – and once each cruise they elevate the service to “Royal Dutch High Tea�; and the famous, late-night “snack,� in the form of a chocolate extravaganza!
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Oh – there’s a complimentary Ice Cream Bar, too! Additionally, guests who choose Penthouse and Deluxe Verandah Suites (Categories PS & S) have complimentary use of the private Neptune Lounge which serves complimentary beverages, breakfast pastries, afternoon snacks and evening hors d’oeuvres.
Holland America’s innovative Culinary Arts Center warrants special attention in this “Dining� section. Included within the spacious Wajang Theater, this center is the place to be for gourmet presentations, tasting events, cooking presentations and optional cooking classes. There’s a fully-equipped kitchen up on stage and close-in cameras and large plasma screens give all in attendance a front row seat. Just across the hall from the center is a well-placed wine tasting bar and boutique wine and culinary shop.
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ms Amsterdam Dining
Holland America Lines Amsterdam mouth-watering cuisine is prepared by chefs trained in world-famous restaurants. La Fontaine Dining Room is the Amsterdam's elegant main dining room completed with a floral stained-glass ceiling. Enjoy aromatic soups, crisp salads, seasonal fish and succulent meats. For guests interested in a more intimate, candlelight setting, the Pinnacle Grill is the ship's reservations-only restaurant, themed to reflect the Pacific Northwest.
Enhance your knowledge wines in the Wine Tasting Room. Whether you're just learning to navigate your way through a wine list or refining your already vast knowledge of vintages and labels, you'll enjoy a fun, informative session with the ship's expert sommelier.
For night out in elegant ambience, stop in the Explorer's Lounge. The lounge is designed with deep reds, gleaming brass and a mural behind the bar of tall ships reminiscent of the days of Magellan, sure to inspire hours of conversation.
