Hal ???

[swscruiser]

Does HAL have a Chefs Table like Carnival or a Booze package like Celebrity? Thanks in advance.:)

 

Keith

[fann1sh]

Instead of Chef's Table, HAL has a Le Cirque evening, staged in the Pinnacle:

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Simple.action?requestPage=LeCirque

 

P.S.: the wonderful Krazy Kruizers posts HAL liquor prices on this board. Here's one of her posts:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=29691297&postcount=3

 

PP.S.: HAL allows unlimited wine to be brought aboard. UNLIMITED, as in multiple cases if you can schlep it. Free to drink in cabin, $18 per bottle "corkage" in the dining rooms.

[rkacruiser]

Yes, there are other special dinners that are held in the Pinnacle Grill, depending upon the length of the voyage, I think. On the Nieuw Amsterdam, there was a dinner, limited in numbers, where we met in the Pinnacle Grill for drinks/snacks, retired to the Pinnacle Grill, and was served a multi-course dinner, course by course, each wonderful item served with a different wine. The Executive Chef(maybe the Pinnacle Grill Chef, my memory fails me on this point) and/or the Cellar Master appeared with each course and discussed the item being served and the wine selected for it. It was a very elegant evening, entertaining, and educational evening with guests whose interests and tastes dove-tailed with mine. Worth every penny of the additional cost!

[Krazy Kruizers]

On some cruises that we have been on there has been a Chef's Dinner and/or a Sommelier Dinner.

On our recent Amsterdam we went to the Chef Rudi's dinner. It was in the Pinnacle and limited to 14 people. The meal is not prepared in front of you. HAL tried that a few years ago -- didn't go over well on some ships. The price was $89 per person.

[world~citizen]

On some cruises that we have been on there has been a Chef's Dinner and/or a Sommelier Dinner.

On our recent Amsterdam we went to the Chef Rudi's dinner. It was in the Pinnacle and limited to 14 people. The meal is not prepared in front of you. HAL tried that a few years ago -- didn't go over well on some ships. The price was $89 per person.

 

We experienced a Chef's dinner in July.

 

It is prepared in front of you - it was on balance a good experience. I would mention the lobster had a faint fishy taste which you get when steamed, and a potato appetizer and a potato side dish seemed like too much potato. The pairing of wines was good. The strong port at the end was jarring. The price of the dinner including paired wines was $89 - reasonable for any restaurant.

 

If you want to listen to self declared millionaires talk about their multiple global residences and the post doctoral exploits of their children blah blah...this is the dinner for you.

 

If not, stick to the PG.

[FoxyTerrier]

Does HAL have a Chefs Table like Carnival or a Booze package like Celebrity? Thanks in advance.:)

 

Keith

 

While HAL has many drink card options HAL does not have anything like the Celebrity unlimited packages. On our recent X cruise we were not going to do the unlimited premium package until it went on sale in June.

 

I'm so glad we decided to get this package. I treated myself to many different wines at dinner and some new coctails at the martini bar. My favs were the 20 Year Martini and a French 75. I do think drink prices were higher on X than HAL and that also pushed in trying these packages.

 

For those that don't know the X packages also include unlimited waters and coffee drinks.

[George C]

On some cruises that we have been on there has been a Chef's Dinner and/or a Sommelier Dinner.

On our recent Amsterdam we went to the Chef Rudi's dinner. It was in the Pinnacle and limited to 14 people. The meal is not prepared in front of you. HAL tried that a few years ago -- didn't go over well on some ships. The price was $89 per person.

 

We asked about that on last cruise and it wasn't being offered on previous cruise it was already booked up hopefully we will be able to try this sooner or later