My soon to be in-laws just returned from a cruise to Alaska aboard the Noordam. I have been hearing all about the 24 hour food/room service aboard cruise ships but in-laws said not only was the food not that great, but it wasn't 24 hours either. Is this just with the Noordam, or just with Holland America?

The room service should have been 24/7. The only time I have seen it limited is on the last morning of the cruise. The food wasn't that great??? Maybe your in-laws are picky eaters.

Taste is subjective. Room service is indeed 24 hours a day - are they saying it wasn't or did they not use room service? Or were they expecting a sit-down restaurant that was open 24 hours? I can't find anything in HAL's literature which would lead one to think that.

Dave is correct; the only food available 24 hours is room service.
You can get snacks and desserts at the buffet until around 12:00 or 1:00 a.m.; and continental breakfast starts at 6:00 a.m.. But for that five hours, room service is it.

Even lines that tout 24 hour buffets, like Princess, only have snacks. You are better off with room service--it's fresher.

As for the food not being that great--everyone's taste is different. I recently cruised HAL and thought the food was terrific.

We recently were aboard the Statendam (late July)which is the siste-ship of the Norendam I believe and ordered a great steak sandwich, chef salad,shrimp salad, and a couple of deserts around midnight once. It arrived in about 15 minutes (how do they do that?) The in-room menu said it was 24 hours, but we did not try to eat later than that. We ordered breakfast in the room (menu on the door knob by 2AM) severeal times~delicious,on-time and plentiful.

We were not overly thrilled with the fine dining aspect (small portions etc) but had no complaints with the Lido food at all.

I appreciate the feedback...I have heard nothing but good things about cruise ship food from my own mother but in-laws were not as impressed. Maybe they are just super picky or just got a bad batch. Who knows.