Neptune Suite Breakfast in Pinnacle Grill?

My husband has always said that breakfast in the Pinnacle is such a "civilized" way to start the day :)

That is what I say as well. Very pleasant way to eat breakfast.

Kazu, your comment "No matter where the suite breakfast is served, the service is by the Pinnacle Grill servers so you still have the consistency in service" made me laugh. I love eating breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill and it's probably my husband's favorite suite perk but the service always ends up being majorly inconsistent. In fact sometimes I have wondered what training the wait staff gets. No matter how carefully my husband enunciates "grape juice" almost every other day he gets grapefruit juice. He ordered an American breakfast one day and the waiter asked him what that was. Ah, that would be what is on the menu?? I have had to ask for coffee, ask for the pastry tray etc. And this has been pretty much across the board, Noordam, Westerdam, Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam. We enjoy the peace, quiet and specialness of the Pinnacle Grill but we never go expecting consistent service.

St. Louis Sal

So true, we have had the same experience at breakfast. Why do the DR waitstaff do a better job? Why would the training be so different? I have not had to flag down someone to get coffee or juice. The staff in the PG is overkill and still cannot coordinate who does what.

We have always had great service in the PG at breakfast.

We do have dinner there every night so I guess it may because they know us. Then again, we are never in a hurry at breakfast so maybe just don't notice it is taking longer. We haven't been in MDR for breakfast since before PG came into existence. Normally lunch is Dive In or a salad at Lido.

I rarely partake of breakfast on cruises, as I tend to be a late sleeper - I either miss the breakfast hours, or am right near the tail end of them and just head up to Lido to get a last-minute omelette before the station closes. I've actually never eaten a breakfast in the MDR on a cruise - in 32 years and 30 cruises! So please excuse what may sound like a very 'newbie' question from a veteran cruiser:

If I were to try the Neptune Pinnacle breakfast, is there any form of dress code? While I'd never think to go to even a casual evening dinner in the MDR or any optional restaurant in shorts, I would be most likely especially on a Caribbean cruise to be wearing shorts in the morning and throughout the day - I will be in a Neptune on Westerdam in November and if there happens to be a morning when I'm up early enough, I may decide to try the Pinnacle for breakfast - but don't want to wander down in shorts and come off as boorish or overly proletariat if the minimum standards to eat there are pants or smart casual!

We do have dinner there every night so I guess it may because they know us.

Don't you find that boring? It isn't that extensive a menu...

If I were to try the Neptune Pinnacle breakfast, is there any form of dress code?

You are required to wear day (as opposed to night) clothes. But there's no dress code. Especially in the Caribbean, shorts are fine.

Thank you. I'm not a 'gym shorts' type anyway, so my shorts daywear are khaki-type shorts and usually a button-down or polo shirt rather than T-shirt...so sounds like I'll be allowed to enter. :)

Don't you find that boring? It isn't that extensive a menu...

Not at all boring. We don't need a huge menu- PG has always satisfied us. We are big fans of Double R Ranch beef so can't go wrong.

Most important is that we don't like crowds when dining- we like the quiet and personal service in the PG

 

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If I were to try the Neptune Pinnacle breakfast, is there any form of dress code? While I'd never think to go to even a casual evening dinner in the MDR or any optional restaurant in shorts, I would be most likely especially on a Caribbean cruise to be wearing shorts in the morning and throughout the day - I will be in a Neptune on Westerdam in November and if there happens to be a morning when I'm up early enough, I may decide to try the Pinnacle for breakfast - but don't want to wander down in shorts and come off as boorish or overly proletariat if the minimum standards to eat there are pants or smart casual!

You will be fine wearing 'decent' shorts to Pinnacle for breakfast. Some people do for lunch but I'm not prone to. Most people would choose long pants for lunch but there are sure to be those who will leap in here and say shorts are fine for all but dinner. I suppose that means 'your choice'. :)

Can I order a Bloody Mary in the Pinnacle at breakfast. I know I have to pay for it just wondering if they can deliver it?

Can I order a Bloody Mary in the Pinnacle at breakfast. I know I have to pay for it just wondering if they can deliver it?

if you can get it in the Lido (which you can), quite sure that the PG will accommodate you. I've never done it but I have seen what looks like drinks there on occasion.

Lets hope soon there will be Mimosas at breakfast in PG :-)

Seems to me like such an easy change to make- not rocket science

Can I order a Bloody Mary in the Pinnacle at breakfast. I know I have to pay for it just wondering if they can deliver it?

There likely would not be a wine steward (bar server) in PG at breakfast but if a Pinnacle steward will call whichever bar is open (likely Ocean Bar), a steward should deliver one to you.

Ocean Bar is mostly very near Pinnacle so shouldn't be a big deal to get a Bloody Mary.

Only the Lido Bar opens at 8 AM which a person may get a drink to take to the dining room or Pinnacle Grill to have with breakfast.

The Ocean Bar and Sea View Bar open at 10 AM.

No one should have to go get their own drink and carry it to Pinnacle Grill for breakfast.

That hardly describes "Signature of Excellence". They have bar staff for the purpose of serving guests.

The Pinnacle Grill doesn't have a wine steward working the breakfast time.

For the last couple of years we have noticed that the number of staff working breakfast duty in the Pinnacle has been cut back. They really don't have time to be running to a bar to get a drink for someone.

I don't know if the dining room has a wine steward for breakfast -- I doubt it.

What you say is true so they can call the bar and ask the Bloody Mary be delivered. It's called service and reasonable requested service at that.

If I wanted a Bloody Mary with my breakfast on a cruise ship, I would not expect to have to go to a swimming pool bar and carry the drink down to the Pinnacle. I would feel awkward walking around with it and certainly entering Pinnacle and proceeding to my table carrying a drink. It seems s crass and tasteless to me.

I am sure others will say that's silly and nothing wrong with it. If it's fine for them, I agree they should do it. it is not fine for me.

They can't call themselves high on "Signature of Excellence" and suggest they offer great service and expect us to go step and fetch for what we want that should be served to us.

Has anyone but me realized how many times a week we excuse crew from not doing one thing or another because they have too much to do. It is starting to really sting as unacceptable. I understand it is not the fault of the individual stewards as they work so hard but it most certainly can be associated with those who limit the amount of staffing on the ships. I can serve myself at home. I don't expect to on vacation, in my lovely suite, on the beautiful ships. Vacation is for having someone else do for me what I do for myself at home. No More excuses that we should accept 'the crew is too busy' as that is my fault or I should be willing to wait on myself when they should be.

IMO......

What you say is true so they can call the bar and ask the Bloody Mary be delivered. It's called service and reasonable requested service at that.

 

If I wanted a Bloody Mary with my breakfast on a cruise ship, I would not expect to have to go to a swimming pool bar and carry the drink down to the Pinnacle. I would feel awkward walking around with it and certainly entering Pinnacle and proceeding to my table carrying a drink. It seems s crass and tasteless to me.

 

I am sure others will say that's silly and nothing wrong with it. If it's fine for them, I agree they should do it. it is not fine for me.

 

They can't call themselves high on "Signature of Excellence" and suggest they offer great service and expect us to go step and fetch for what we want that should be served to us.

 

Has anyone but me realized how many times a week we excuse crew from not doing one thing or another because they have too much to do. It is starting to really sting as unacceptable. I understand it is not the fault of the individual stewards as they work so hard but it most certainly can be associated with those who limit the amount of staffing on the ships. I can serve myself at home. I don't expect to on vacation, in my lovely suite, on the beautiful ships. Vacation is for having someone else do for me what I do for myself at home. No More excuses that we should accept 'the crew is too busy' as that is my fault or I should be willing to wait on myself when they should be.

 

 

IMO......

 

Yes, I've seen it too but I'm thinking there is another reason for those comments. It seems to be used to discredit certain posters more than any other reason.

The Pinnacle Grill doesn't have a wine steward working the breakfast time.

For the last couple of years we have noticed that the number of staff working breakfast duty in the Pinnacle has been cut back. They really don't have time to be running to a bar to get a drink for someone.

I don't know if the dining room has a wine steward for breakfast -- I doubt it.

Then it's definitely time for someone to re-read their job description :eek: God forbid a waiter should have to get something for a guest :eek: What's this world coming to :rolleyes:

Then it's definitely time for someone to re-read their job description :eek: God forbid a waiter should have to get something for a guest :eek: What's this world coming to :rolleyes:

Thank you.

How can they offer a lovely alternative restaurant for suite guests to enjoy a special amenity and have our breakfast there and in this high end, 'special venue' not be able to get a Bloody Mary or Mimosa served to a guest at breakfast?

Cost saving is going too far when that is the case.

Thank you.

 

How can they offer a lovely alternative restaurant for suite guests to enjoy a special amenity and have our breakfast there and in this high end, 'special venue' not be able to get a Bloody Mary or Mimosa served to a guest at breakfast?

 

 

 

Cost saving is going too far when that is the case.

 

 

 

Especially since it is a suite perk in jan 2016 for mimosa with in cabin breakfast

Thank you.

How can they offer a lovely alternative restaurant for suite guests to enjoy a special amenity and have our breakfast there and in this high end, 'special venue' not be able to get a Bloody Mary or Mimosa served to a guest at breakfast?

 

Cost saving is going too far when that is the case.

 

But that is not the case, is it? Much discussion about a situation that doesn't exist. We ordered mimosas in the PG breakfast on the Maasdam last week, and they were served.

The Pinnacle Grill doesn't have a wine steward working the breakfast time.

For the last couple of years we have noticed that the number of staff working breakfast duty in the Pinnacle has been cut back. They really don't have time to be running to a bar to get a drink for someone.

I don't know if the dining room has a wine steward for breakfast -- I doubt it.

Only the Lido Bar opens at 8 AM which a person may get a drink to take to the dining room or Pinnacle Grill to have with breakfast.

The Ocean Bar and Sea View Bar open at 10 AM.

I was responding to these posts.

Happy to hear the situation might be different than the impression I got from these messages.

So true, we have had the same experience at breakfast. Why do the DR waitstaff do a better job? Why would the training be so different? I have not had to flag down someone to get coffee or juice. The staff in the PG is overkill and still cannot coordinate who does what.

On our recent 7-day Alaska cruise on the Noordam, we had breakfast every day in the Pinnacle. On the first day we thought the service was going to be as inefficient, albeit charming, as at the embarkation lunch in the dining room. But the next day all was well. They had silver tea-pots - apparently a rare commodity on this ship - and even accepted my instructions on how to make tea: "tea bag (our own Tetley) in the pot first, then add boiling water." The Pinnacle for breakfast and the Neptune Lounge for a light lunch and afternoon tea were our favourite benefits of a Neptune suite.

I agree that it is a shame that some people make excuses for the workers that are supposed to be making my vacation something special. It's not my fault the establishment is cutting back; I still expect the service I am accustomed to. I am glad and feel assured that if I do request a bloody mary in the Pinnacle at breakfast someone will deliver it.