Thanks for posting these pics, D1.
Folks, every cruise ship has a "Lido" deck and restaurant. Holland America Lidos are about the best in the Caribbean.
Take a good look at the photos above. The Zuiderdam Lido is a beautiful restaurant vastly superior to the rather chaotic and so-so Lidos we experienced on previous freeper cruises.
Because of the new concept of five different specialty food stations noted above in Doughty's post, there's no more lengthy standing in line pushing a food tray. You get your food faster and hotter.
The food stewards are inconspicuous but attentive, and they're there if you need them. HA stewards are totally congenial.
If you choose to eat al fresco, a few steps will take you and your tray out the door (held open by a doorman) to the spotless deck with loads of tables. Look for your freeper friends, eating and chatting away.
One day you may prefer a change of pace and order hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian sausages, etc. with great trimmings grilled off on a corner of the deck. The meat is really superior, you'll love these grilled treats.
Some days, a small guitar trio of ship's musicians will entertain during lunch. Sometimes a larger band.
If the ship is ploughing at sea, it's exhilirating to eat outdoors. If you're in port, you can enjoy the beautiful island panorama before your eyes or watch (from your high perch) the always-fascinating port activity way down below.
Smokers are treated with respect on the Lido, separate, but not shunted off into unattractive corners and inconvenient areas like we experienced on our other two cruises.
If you choose, you can always eat a waitered breakfast and lunch selected from a menu in the main dining room. These are nice, quiet meals, but I prefer the Lido any day.
The food on HA ships are soooo good and varied. The informal ambience is great. I love the breakfasts....in particular their really delicious plump sausage links with made-to-order eggs.
HA makes all its own bakery, and boy, are they skilled at it. Their breakfast sweet rolls (I love the raisin ones), their various white, rye, wheat, raisin breads, their crispy bread rolls (out of this world), and an incredible choice of pastries baked from the traditional Old European-style recipes just can't be beat, anywhere!
I hope they're still making it, but my favorite is a slice of double dark-chocolate Jack Daniels Whiskey cake with thin, rich dark-chocolate icing. Which makes it triple-dark chocolate, dahlings!
Not to mention, of course, the chafing dish of the world-renowned HA warm 'n creamy bread pudding featured every day at lunch. The pudding is laden with raisins and a huge pot of creamy hot custard sauce is sitting there for you to ladle over this marvelous dessert like mom used to make.
The Lido is also the scene of the midnight buffet. The cruise lines have cut down on the lavish midnight buffets because folks just don't eat that way any more. Still, you'd be surprised at the goodies they do lay out for late-night snackers.
Sometimes, when I've put my last nickel into the slot machine, I'll stop in at the Lido around the witching hour. I'll take a glass of iced tea and a pastry out on deck. Under the glistening stars and the tropical moon, the very quiet, almost deserted Lido area is so relaxing and peaceful. It's always warm and balmy on deck late at night. In the far, far distance you may see the glorious sight of another cruise ship with its running lights brilliant on the seascape.
A few minutes enjoying yourself and then you take off to your comfy bed. Such a tranquil moment of time in this hectic world is a true gift to yourselves.
Remember, you can eat all you want on a cruise. Believe me, you work it off just walking the huge ship, and participating in activies both aboard and on shore excursions.
Register with Wanda right now, freepers, families and friends.
See ya all on the Lido....it's neat-o!
Leni
