Best Nights for Dinner in Specialty Restaurants on the Eurodam?

[YankeeClipper581]

I will be on an upcoming 7 night Eurodam voyage. I definitely want to try the Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind at least once for dinner. I thought maybe on the sea days, but I understand those days are typically the formal nights. So my question is, does the menu in the MDR get dressed up for formal nights as well? And if so, would I be making a mistake in indulging in a specialty restaurant on those occasions when the MDR had more exciting menu choices? Any info on what is offered in the MDR on formal nights vs. regular nights would be appreciated, along with any suggestions as to when more experienced HAL cruisers choose to make specialty restaurant reservations.

[sail7seas]

If you like lobster tails on the ships, you may not want to go to Specialty restaurants the last formal night as that is when they serve lobster in Main Dining Room. If you don't care about the ship's lobster (like us), than any night in Pinnacle is great. IMO

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

we don't care for the lobster tails on a cruise -- too tiny -- too tough -- and some were too salty

 

so we go to a specialty restaurant on that final formal night sometimes

[kazu]

We enjoy formal nights in the MDR so we normally time our Pinnacle and Tamarind for other nights. Mind you, we normally do longer cruises so we have more options. On a 7 day, you might have to go with what suits your schedule the best. We loved the Tamarind:D so, I wouldn't want to miss it no matter what night it was :)

[taxmantoo]

If you are on Open Seating, and do not care about not meeting your waitstaff on the first night, then I would suggest the first night for a specialty restaurant. That is usually the weakest menu of the week in the MDR.

[kazu]

If you are on Open Seating, and do not care about not meeting your waitstaff on the first night, then I would suggest the first night for a specialty restaurant. That is usually the weakest menu of the week in the MDR.

 

Now THAT is a smart idea. Never works for us as we have fixed and like to meet our waiters, but it is an exceptional idea for anyone in OPEN seating. Great suggestion :)

[TBcruisers]

We enjoy formal nights in the MDR so we normally time our Pinnacle and Tamarind for other nights. Mind you, we normally do longer cruises so we have more options. On a 7 day, you might have to go with what suits your schedule the best. We loved the Tamarind:D so, I wouldn't want to miss it no matter what night it was :)

 

Agree with you about MDR on formal nights. The question for me is when are the formal nights? It's easy to determine for the 7-day Caribbean cruises by asking those CCérs who recently completed their cruise. However, I'll be taking a transatlantic cruise next month and have no clue as to when the formal nights will be. Curious if anyone has a thought re: this matter.

[kazu]

Agree with you about MDR on formal nights. The question for me is when are the formal nights? It's easy to determine for the 7-day Caribbean cruises by asking those CCérs who recently completed their cruise. However, I'll be taking a transatlantic cruise next month and have no clue as to when the formal nights will be. Curious if anyone has a thought re: this matter.

 

which transatlantic are you doing? and for how many days?(is it the 7 you referred to in your thread?) how many formal nights are there?

 

If we know the itinerary, we can probably do a pretty good guess - we do a lot of transatlantics and just LOVE them. There is a way to 'best guess' most of it. :)

 

Ours have been much longer than 7 days though

[innlady1]

If you like lobster tails on the ships, you may not want to go to Specialty restaurants the last formal night as that is when they serve lobster in Main Dining Room. If you don't care about the ship's lobster (like us), than any night in Pinnacle is great. IMO

 

 

I agree with you. Being from New England, nothing (and I mean nothing!) can compare to Maine lobster, so I avoid the lobster served on the ship...very unlike what we're all used to! The only thing I would miss on the last formal night is the escargot...although I suppose they would serve it in the Pinnacle if you ask in advance?

As I recall, this past 14 day cruise, I'd eaten so much by that last formal night that all I had was escargot and a salad!

[innlady1]

Judy, I'm sure this has been answered here in the past, but on the New England cruise, do they serve Maine lobster?

[TBcruisers]

which transatlantic are you doing? and for how many days?(is it the 7 you referred to in your thread?) how many formal nights are there?

 

If we know the itinerary, we can probably do a pretty good guess - we do a lot of transatlantics and just LOVE them. There is a way to 'best guess' most of it. :)

 

Ours have been much longer than 7 days though

 

We're doing a 15-day Port Everglades to Barcelona (and continuing on to Venice) with the first 8 days at sea, one day in Madeira, and then another sea day until we hit the European mainland. On the entire 27-day cruise there will be 7 formal nights so I'm guessing there will be 4 on the transatlantic leg.

[kazu]

We're doing a 15-day Port Everglades to Barcelona (and continuing on to Venice) with the first 8 days at sea, one day in Madeira, and then another sea day until we hit the European mainland. On the entire 27-day cruise there will be 7 formal nights so I'm guessing there will be 4 on the transatlantic leg.

 

First of all - great cruise !! you should really enjoy it.

 

I took a quick peak at your itinerary and here is my best guess for your formal nights: day one (April 4th) first full sea day - guaranteed,

second formal night - probably day 4 April 7th (someplace around here anyways.,

 

third formal night - Probably April 10th, your last sea day on the transatlantic portion - otherwise it will be April 9th.

 

fourth formal nigh will pobably be April 12th as that is another sea day (day 9),

 

fifth formal night will most likely be Barcelona (19th) on the day you leave.

 

Sixth formal night - 24th (day 21) as you are at sea

 

Last formal night should be Dubrovnik on the 28th (day 25) (always the second last night.

 

those are my best guesses. I have been on transatlantics where the formal nights originally stated where cut down by one night.

 

Captain's discretion. you can order your specialty dinners on line, when you get on board, check the formal night schedule and you can always go and change.

 

Don't beat me up if I'm wrong, but based on my past cruises, that's my best guess for your 7 formal nights :)

[TBcruisers]

First of all - great cruise !! you should really enjoy it.

 

I took a quick peak at your itinerary and here is my best guess for your formal nights: day one (April 4th) first full sea day - guaranteed,

second formal night - probably day 4 April 7th (someplace around here anyways.,

 

third formal night - Probably April 10th, your last sea day on the transatlantic portion - otherwise it will be April 9th.

 

fourth formal nigh will pobably be April 12th as that is another sea day (day 9),

 

fifth formal night will most likely be Barcelona (19th) on the day you leave.

 

Sixth formal night - 24th (day 21) as you are at sea

 

Last formal night should be Dubrovnik on the 28th (day 25) (always the second last night.

 

those are my best guesses. I have been on transatlantics where the formal nights originally stated where cut down by one night.

 

Captain's discretion. you can order your specialty dinners on line, when you get on board, check the formal night schedule and you can always go and change.

 

Don't beat me up if I'm wrong, but based on my past cruises, that's my best guess for your 7 formal nights :)

 

Beat you up? Hardly! I really appreciate your "best guesses"and I think there is a great basis in logic/experience in your selections. I especially hope you're right that the first formal night will be on the 4th since that makes it unlikely that there'll be another one so soon on the 6th, the date I've prepaid for a Pinnacle dinner to celebrate my wife's birthday. Thanks!!! :D

[kazu]

Beat you up? Hardly! I really appreciate your "best guesses"and I think there is a great basis in logic/experience in your selections. I especially hope you're right that the first formal night will be on the 4th since that makes it unlikely that there'll be another one so soon on the 6th, the date I've prepaid for a Pinnacle dinner to celebrate my wife's birthday. Thanks!!! :D

 

first formal night is usually the first night if you are at sea - if in port it may be the second depending upon what time the ship disembarks.

 

I think you are very safe to plan your special celebration on the 6th. how nice of you. :) I prepaid Le Cirque to celebrate dh's birthday on ours and am gambling it's not a formal night - and with such a special occasion - who cares? :D:D Take her where you want for that special night.

 

Have a great cruise :):)

[TBcruisers]

I prepaid Le Cirque to celebrate dh's birthday on ours and am gambling it's not a formal night - and with such a special occasion - who cares? :D:D Take her where you want for that special night.

 

Have a great cruise :):)

 

Thanks, I know we'll have a great cruise! It's our first transatlantic and the longest cruise we've ever sailed -- previous longest was 16 day transcanal SD to Ft. Lauderdale. Really looking forward to 27 days!

 

Hope your gamble pays off and your Le Cirque experience is on other than a formal night. If not, so what? It's all good when on a cruise ship. :)

[kazu]

Thanks, I know we'll have a great cruise! It's our first transatlantic and the longest cruise we've ever sailed -- previous longest was 16 day transcanal SD to Ft. Lauderdale. Really looking forward to 27 days!

 

Hope your gamble pays off and your Le Cirque experience is on other than a formal night. If not, so what? It's all good when on a cruise ship. :)

 

exactly :) you have a great cruise - great itinerary - love it - too bad dh still works :p oh well, we'll have to settle for our 20 day on the Prisendam :) have a great time and no worries about this very special celebration. go for it :)

[sail7seas]

I agree with you. Being from New England, nothing (and I mean nothing!) can compare to Maine lobster, so I avoid the lobster served on the ship...very unlike what we're all used to! The only thing I would miss on the last formal night is the escargot...although I suppose they would serve it in the Pinnacle if you ask in advance?

 

As I recall, this past 14 day cruise, I'd eaten so much by that last formal night that all I had was escargot and a salad!

 

Judy, I'm sure this has been answered here in the past, but on the New England cruise, do they serve Maine lobster?

 

 

 

Sheila.... :) We need to get you on our Canada/New England cruise to enjoy some of those fabulous Maine lobsters. DH loves the lobsters we get in Halifax. Ohhh, soooo good. :)

 

Only one time did we have Maine lobsters on Maasdam doing the Canada/New England cruise. Years ago, one afternoon they ran a seafood/shellfish lunch at aft pool and we had shrimp, lobster, salmon, crab....... oh my goodness, it was delicious. We never saw that same lunch again but have great memories of that meal. We were traveling with another couple and they were so impressed with that whole cruise.

Actually, we just got home now from dinner out with them tonight and after your suggestion from yesterday on the meals ashore in port thread, we ate at a Greek Restaurant. :)