Master Chef Dinner and offensive boors

[whogo]

As I said in another topic, I've never cruised with HAL, but have been to similar "celebrations" in other lines, and I didn't like them, but, if what I can't understand is a company insisting on keep it if the majority of their customers dislike it too.

So, my point is: probably the many passengers (probably more than 70%) enjoy this kind of dinner

It is not scientific, but a forum poll in 2010 found that 64% of respondents thought that the master chef's dinner should be done away with.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1168999&highlight=master

 

I would like to see the MCD done away with, too. I think that the waiters must love it, especially the ones with fixed seating diners. "Oh, look, Harold, there's our waiter juggling the fake vegetables! Oh, he waved at us! Isn't that just too precious! You just have to tip him lots extra!"

[paulista1950]

"Oh, he waved at us! Isn't that just too precious! You just have to tip him lots extra!" :p

[makai 7]

We don't care for the menu and the "entertainment" during the Master Chef's dinner. No big deal. We just eat at the Lido instead!

[m steve]

but hate the show. We just live with it. And another reason we take a table for 2.

[Queen of Oakville]

You probably don't need my 2 cents this late into the thread ... but i will offer it anyway! :p

 

The menu selection was not bad. I had the sea bass (divine) and DH had the shrimp (delicious but portion was too small!). We selected all of our appetizers and entrees. I didn't care for the muse-bouche. THe only thing I found limiting was the dessert menu which was Baked Alaska or Molten Chocolate Cake; I HATE baked alaska and opted for the later. DH opted for the sundae of the day.

 

As for the staff; I honestly think they enjoy it. They all had smiles on their faces and seemed to be enjoying it. Somebody please teach me the words to the celebratory song they sing! I cannot get that melody out of my head; even my little girl keeps humming the song. There was an anniversary table near us who got one of the last songs of the night, and the staff sung it with such pride and fervor; I was so impressed. It was reminiscent of a group of compadres singing about how much they loved their country. I found that on the last night, they had more participants in the singing then on anyother night and this doesn't sound to me like a group that was not enjoying themselves.

 

The "show" is over-rated. Based on what I heard here, I was expecting quite the spectacle and it was hardly that. It was merely a parade of the staff (seen on most cruise lines) together with some traditional singing. I quite enjoyed the "speech" by the selected employee at the end of the night. It may have been written for him, but I found it sincere. [note that I missed the salad toss because I was struggling with the video on my cell phone; although each of my kids seemed to catch a pepper!].

[critterchick]

Oh, lighten up people! :p Royal Caribbean does the whole napkin-waving thing every cruise, and there is not a sour puss in the house. I'm on my first HAL cruise in a week, and I hope that I am sailing with people that just enjoy themselves no matter what, because I do. ;) Even when I'm being tossed around my cabin in rough seas getting injured like on my last cruise - I still love cruising! ;)

 

What's not to like about a gorgeous Bulgarian doing back flips in front of you?:D

 

And at least HAL doesn't parade out the little children from Adventure Ocean in the middle of dinner. They did the long version of that nonsense on Liberty and I was definitely one of the grumpy ones by the time it was over!

 

As for the staff; I honestly think they enjoy it. They all had smiles on their faces and seemed to be enjoying it. Somebody please teach me the words to the celebratory song they sing! I cannot get that melody out of my head; even my little girl keeps humming the song. There was an anniversary table near us who got one of the last songs of the night, and the staff sung it with such pride and fervor; I was so impressed. It was reminiscent of a group of compadres singing about how much they loved their country. I found that on the last night, they had more participants in the singing then on anyother night and this doesn't sound to me like a group that was not enjoying themselves.

 

The "show" is over-rated. Based on what I heard here, I was expecting quite the spectacle and it was hardly that. It was merely a parade of the staff (seen on most cruise lines) together with some traditional singing. I quite enjoyed the "speech" by the selected employee at the end of the night. It may have been written for him, but I found it sincere. [note that I missed the salad toss because I was struggling with the video on my cell phone; although each of my kids seemed to catch a pepper!].

 

Do they really sing or do they lip-sync? On Italian night on RCI the waiters mouth the words to "O Sole Mio" and it's really quite stupid-looking. Particularly since RCI has very few Italian staff or crew onboard.

 

As for enjoying themselves, well they have to play the part. I imagine that, just like us, some love doing it, some loathe it and the majority go along because it's part of the job.

 

I can't say that I'm looking forward to it after reading this thread, but I'm not thinking that it'll be horrid, either.

[Queen of Oakville]

Jean, I'd say they were singing. i'm not speaking of the "music" that plays during the procession; but rather the night concludes with a tradtional song that I believe they all sung. There is also a "celebratory' song that they sing in lieu of Happy Birthday and it also works for anniversaries. They definitely sing the latter.

 

I captured a lot of this in video .... if only I knew how to post video! But I'm sure if you search you tube; someone will have posted this.

[hapicruisin]

Thanks for the info on MCD. I will be on my first HAL cruise next year and will certainly avoid it if I am able to assertain which night it will be on, if any of the staff will tell me.

 

Have been mainly on Celebrity and they do something similar on the last night, but, fortunately, it is only baked alaska and napkin waves and doesn't last too long. We have never been offered a much reduced menu and for those not wanting baked alaska there are plenty of other choices for dessert.

 

I am happy for everyone else who does enjoy it but it is certainly not my idea of fine dining. So glad to have found out about it ahead of my HAL cruise.

[Copper10-8]

...................Somebody please teach me the words to the celebratory song they sing! I cannot get that melody out of my head; even my little girl keeps humming the song. There was an anniversary table near us who got one of the last songs of the night, and the staff sung it with such pride and fervor; I was so impressed. It was reminiscent of a group of compadres singing about how much they loved their country.......................

 

The "Birthday" or "Anniversary" song the Indonesian staff sings in the MDR at individual tables is based on the Dutch Birthday song "Lang zal hij/zij leven" or "Long shall he//she live"

Here's the Dutch version by a group of very young Dutchies;):

[Copper10-8]

The Bahasa-Indonesia version:

 

[TraelorMex]

We recently completed a 30 day cruise on the Rotterdam. During the MCD, DW and I were witness to some very boorish behavior by a couple several tables away. Within 5 minutes of being seated they started loudly complaining to the waiters about being denied 'any time dining' as they requested....then proceeded to loudly verbally thrash the

wait staff, the matre'd...this went on for a good 15 minutes. NON-STOP complaining.

And I must say. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING justifies such rude behavior. Shame on them…

[marvin]

Maybe just maybe the wait staff is just happy to have those they have been serving to leave. Just a thought.

[RetiredMustang]

Jean, I'd say they were singing. i'm not speaking of the "music" that plays during the procession; but rather the night concludes with a tradtional song that I believe they all sung...

 

I could be wrong, but I think you may be referring to the song "Galang, Galang." Years ago, I asked for and got the Indonesian and English lyrics, but of course can't find them now. This is different from the birthday or anniversary song. It used to be sung on the last night, and was what a few of us HAL pals considered the "goodbye song." Anybody else able to help with some lyrics, or even a video?

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Oops, I just did what I should have done to begin with -- searched the HAL forum. I found a post by Copper 10-8 that has the info. It's post #21 on the thread, the first on the second page: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=836489&highlight=galang&page=2

 

Dave

[Copper10-8]

Here's Gelang Sipaku Gelang; the Goodbye song:

 

http://www.video4viet.com/watchvideo.html?id=l7JjkrbzUWQ&title=Gelang+Sipaku+Gelang

[Queen of Oakville]

The "Birthday" or "Anniversary" song the Indonesian staff sings in the MDR at individual tables is based on the Dutch Birthday song "Lang zal hij/zij leven" or "Long shall he//she live"

 

Here's the Dutch version by a group of very young Dutchies;):

 

The Bahasa-Indonesia version:

 

 

Thank you COPPER! I can't play this at work (speakers turned off) but I will play it fo rmy little girl tonight, she will be thrilled!

[Queen of Oakville]

Copper! Thank you. I couldn't resist, and I went to check out the videos.

 

After watching the second one (the Indonesian version) - you tube recommended this video which has the words scripted in.

 

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ5rRT0kJYE&NR=1

[whogo]

I think part of the problem with the MCD is the name. You're expecting a menu designed by the MASTER CHEF! And then you get more limited choices than on an ordinary night, which is disappointing.

 

Good point. Combine "Master Chef Dinner" with "As You Wish Dining" and HAL are asking for trouble. Who comes up with these names? Couldn't they find less misleading descriptions?

[3rdGenCunarder]

Good point. Combine "Master Chef Dinner" with "As You Wish Dining" and HAL are asking for trouble. Who comes up with these names? Couldn't they find less misleading descriptions?

 

Add to that the suite names--soooo many threads here on "does this suite include the neptune lounge?" Their marketing department needs help. For starters, they could read these boards.

[sapete]

Although I never participated in a MCD, from everyhting I read it looks like my plan to dine in the Canaletto as we dock in Victoria and then off to the Empress for drinks and a stroll might not be a bad idea.

[IRL_Joanie]

Here are a couple of videos I just found on You Tube under a search for Master Chef Dinner. The first is from Westerdam 2009 and stops soon after the fun begins. But as you will see and hear, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, crew and passengers alike.

 

 

And on the Oosterdam Feb 27, 2011

 

Part 1

Part 2

Part 4

and Part 5

 

As you can see it is NOT such a bad affair and everyone is having fun!!

 

It is fun and I feel sorry for those who never experience it because they HEAR/READ that it is such a horrible thing. IT IS NOT!! Just watch the videos and see for yourselves.

 

Go once and try it for yourselves. Do not rely on what I and others may tell you. Discover for yourself!!

 

Joanie

[bepsf]

The "Birthday" or "Anniversary" song the Indonesian staff sings in the MDR at individual tables is based on the Dutch Birthday song "Lang zal hij/zij leven" or "Long shall he//she live"

 

Here's the Dutch version by a group of very young Dutchies;):

 

 

Now that I love hearing and singing/clapping along to!:)

(I keep thinking they're singing "Santa Moorea - Santa Moorea...")

:o

...Of course the big difference between singing this and the MCD show is that this only takes a minute - and it's someone's Birthday.

[Queen of Oakville]

Great videos Joanie - thank you! I loved the napkin ballet as did my kids [we were all wondering where our napkins were!].

 

Sometimes, its nice for grownups to enjoy life through the eyes of a child. We can let ourselves be silly and enjoy life, if we want to.

[IRL_Joanie]

Great videos Joanie - thank you! I loved the napkin ballet as did my kids [we were all wondering where our napkins were!].

 

Sometimes, its nice for grownups to enjoy life through the eyes of a child. We can let ourselves be silly and enjoy life, if we want to.

 

I just feel so sad for those who have never given the MCD a chance because of all the negativity by some of our fellow Cruise Critic Members:(

 

At least try it one time, then if you do not like it, do not do it again. But do not be so negative about it. IT AIN'T Bad people!!

 

Joanie

[Gramagee]

Just experienced the MCD on the Zuiderdam. I am a fussy eater and YES the menu was limited but I did not go hungry. Had a ball !!! Table mates were great, wait staff was having a good time....even danced with a lady at my table. Posed for photos and Danny my "wine guy" was right on the ball.....asking do you want your Merlot this evening. We were not asked to wear chefs hat or twirl our napkins but I'll bet we would have to help celebrate the end of a fantastic cruise. Loosen up folks !!