Are You a Specialty Restaurant Hold Out?

[sail7seas]

When HAL brought out Zuiderdam and introduced Pinnacle Grill to us, we were a little surprised there would be a charge to dine in any venue on a ship. For HAL, it was a new concept as Marco Polo and Odyssey had been no extra charge (except a tip if one wished to leave one.)

 

We enjoyed it right from the start and have never been on a cruise since the ships started having them added that we have not dined there definitely once and usually more.

 

I know some people still feel the cruise lines should not charge but we have felt having them available has enhanced our cruise enjoyment. We would miss to not have that choice now.

 

We think the price is fair and the experience/food/service very worth it.

 

I wonder how many people still think HAL made a mistake by adding Pinnacle, Tamarind and Canaletto seeing they bear a charge.

 

How many folks feel that way?

[vicocala]

I think everyone should boycott them as it appears the main dining has suffered, not only at HAL but across all the main cruise lines.

 

That said I ate at one once and it was excellent. But if people don't stop supporting them, traditional dining is dead.

[mkam2821]

Frankly, I enjoy the specialty restaurants but am only willing to pay a small ($25max?) additional fee. Is the Le' Cirque experience worth $39 per person? Well some say it is minimal compared to the cost at actually dining at Le'Cirque, but let us not forget the charge is IN ADDITION to the cruise fare which already includes meals, so it is not $39 per person, it is an additional $39 per person. The only time I was disappointed in a specialty restaurant was when we sailed Princess to Alaska on the Sapphire and the specialty restaurant overwhelmed us with quantity but not quality (no evidence of the "chef's hand" in any of the food). Most nights my husband and I love to eat in MDR at a large table and make new friends. But at least once each cruise we do like an intimate table for 2 in the Pinnacle (this year on his bithday!)

[cruz chic]

It took me until 2008 and a freebie from my TA to get me in the Pinnacle. I always thought I'm not paying extra for food. Once I went there I was hooked. I love the Tamarind and plan to do several dinners there on my next cruise. If people don't want to go it's fine by me. More room for me. I think it's a mistake to charge for Canneletto. The place is mediocre at best.

[shandryl]

Hi Sail!!

 

I have never made reservations to dine at the Pinnacle, Tamarind or Canaletto. I have only experienced the Lido and the dining room. <<<Both have really good food!

 

All/most of the cruise lines have specialty restaurants. I would not have a problem paying the service charges. That is what is great about! Choice! you can take or leave it :D

[searanch queen]

I have been on many different lines and I for one like the "option" to pay extra to get extra! My choice, and after all, it that not what we Americans are all about? Free to choose! On the other hand, if I pay extra, and don't get extra, I will let you know with my voice or wallet!

[innlady1]

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[startwin]

We only use the Pinnacle Grill when we have a freebie from our TA or the ship (had several of them on our Zuiderdam cruise:D) and am not that impressed. We enjoy the MDR food, and Canelleto (before they started charging for that venue). I much prefer the speciality restaurants on RCI, Chops and Portofino.

[mamaofami]

I really enjoyed every meal I've had at Pinnacle except one and that was on my ill fated Veendam cruise last June. I have always found the food and service to be wonderful and well worth the price, Now that I'm a three star mariner, it's even more worth it.

 

I've had some good meals at Caneletto and some not so good, but we won't be paying extra to eat there.

 

I wish Tamarind was on every ship. I loved it.

[innlady1]

Sail, we are not "specialty restaurant hold-outs". :cool:

[sail7seas]

Thanks for the comments.

I wondered....... :)

 

[aliaschief]

Hard enough to get a reservation without promoting.:)

 

Had a couple of flops but usually a great dining experience; as all the other special dining events that are offered on Dam ships.

[catl331]

On our Nieuw Amsterdam cruise we passed up a free dinner in the P.G. in order to go back to the Tamarind one more time, since the opportunities to dine in the Tamarind are fewer - and for us, more enjoyable! ;)

[kjw869]

We enjoy the specialty restaurants and use them often. We eat breakfast every morning at the Pinnacle and on a seven day trip, will eat dinner there at least two times. On our upcoming Nieuw Amsterdam cruise in January, we have two dinner reservations each at the Pinnacle and the Tamarind.

 

My wife is not a fan of the Lido, so we don't go there often. I do go down for pizza a few nights later on in the evening.

 

On our past two cruises, the MDR service was very slow and we had to ask repeatedly for things like coffee refills before they brought it. On our last cruise in May, the waiter never came back with our dessert for the Master Chef's International dinner. We have always had great service in the Pinnacle and the Tamarind.

 

I can't answer the question if it was a mistake by adding the specialty restaurants as threy have always been there since we began cruising with HAL.

[ellieanne]

I have eaten at the Pinnacle Grill at least once on ever cruise since it was introduced. I have tried the Tamarind on the Eurodam. I have not tried Canneletto, though I want to. I was unimpressed by both the Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind. I go with my travelling companion because he likes to go, but I actually prefer to have lunch in the Lido and dinner in the main dining room.

 

I don't think HAL made a mistake introducing the new dining areas, as other people seem to enjoy them. But for me personally, they are a bit superfluous and unnecessary.

[searanch queen]

I have never had dinner at the pinnacle, but have had dinner at up price restaurants on others lines, enjoyed it, worth the up charge. I will be leaving this Friday on the Noordam and plan on having diner at Pinnace a few times, so will let you know my thoughts after. I only hope it does not let me down.

[Fodder]

Long time lurker…

We haven’t cruised for roughly 3 years after a period of quite regular cruising, though the bug has proved irresistible and we are booked again for a voyage next year. The primary reason for the drought was, without a doubt, the proliferation of the add-on expenses simply reduced the value proposition of a cruise for me. I strongly believe that it is inappropriate for the lines to introduce, and expand, the specialty, extra-charge, restaurants as it seems a blatant money-grab and an attempt to wean customers off the previously included fine dining experience altogether. Though, I must admit, the overwhelming positive reviews of the Pinnacle Grill will probably make me give it at least a chance and who knows, maybe I’ll change my tune.

[sail7seas]

Hi Fodder,

I'm so happy I asked a question that interested you and you came out of lurking. :)

I wonder if the cruise lines actually make much money on these extra restaurants but do think they all must have them now just to 'keep up' with the others.

 

DH and I really enjoy Tamarind and Pinnacle enough that we would be disappointed to be on a ship where we could not dine in an alternative restaurant.

 

I certainly understand about expecting the MDR to maintain a standard of excellence (or at least very good) that doesn't 'require' one spend additional in order to have a nice dinner.

 

I don't think HAL is trying to push us out of the MDR but I do see HAL's menus evolving. I expect in the not so distant future, most food on most ships will be a la carte. They may keep Lido as is but any other dining will be set up as any land restaurant. I expect we will be given menus with prices and will get a bill at the end of the meal.

 

I hope I am mistaken.

[kcscrapper]

There are always complaints about how other people won't dress up on formal nights, that some don't like to see jeans and t-shirts in the MDR .... but, it seems to me, that some of these alterations in behavior start with the cruise line.

 

In my first few cruises, the MDR was an experience -- I really enjoyed dressing up, walking into a beautifully appointed venue, being escorted to my seat and enjoying remarkably good food, efficient yet friendly service, fun conversations with table-mates, wait staff that enjoyed my son ..... but it seems that things changed with the advent of fee based dining. At least ... that is the point that I can recognize that things changed.

 

My first trip with HAL is in a month. I've enjoyed fee based dining on other lines; I've enjoyed open dining on other lines; I've endured MDR with poor, cold food, rump sprung seats an an AC vent shooting down one's neck -- once. Why should anyone dress up to sit for way too long in a beaten up room with netting to protect the diners from a falling ceiling, to receive "good for banquet type food", that has taken far too long to get to you? That isn't a "formal wear" type of place. But ... for an additional fee -- one can receive edible food, in a nice place, with friendly efficient service ... what we used to get in the MDR - included with the price of the ticket.

 

I love cruising ... but the seeming unending changes to create more on board revenue production (and not just fee based dining) fuels (IMHO) a real division in the overall on-board experience, is really diminishing the enjoyment of this type of travel.

 

Sorry, Ma'am S7S... probably way more introspective than you wished -- but this is a point that has been troubling me in preparing for this cruise.

[PathfinderEss]

We are regulars at the Pinnacle on every cruise we take. I love good food and have no problem paying for it.

[sail7seas]

There are always complaints about how other people won't dress up on formal nights, that some don't like to see jeans and t-shirts in the MDR .... but, it seems to me, that some of these alterations in behavior start with the cruise line.

 

In my first few cruises, the MDR was an experience -- I really enjoyed dressing up, walking into a beautifully appointed venue, being escorted to my seat and enjoying remarkably good food, efficient yet friendly service, fun conversations with table-mates, wait staff that enjoyed my son ..... but it seems that things changed with the advent of fee based dining. At least ... that is the point that I can recognize that things changed.

 

My first trip with HAL is in a month. I've enjoyed fee based dining on other lines; I've enjoyed open dining on other lines; I've endured MDR with poor, cold food, rump sprung seats an an AC vent shooting down one's neck -- once. Why should anyone dress up to sit for way too long in a beaten up room with netting to protect the diners from a falling ceiling, to receive "good for banquet type food", that has taken far too long to get to you? That isn't a "formal wear" type of place. But ... for an additional fee -- one can receive edible food, in a nice place, with friendly efficient service ... what we used to get in the MDR - included with the price of the ticket.

 

I love cruising ... but the seeming unending changes to create more on board revenue production (and not just fee based dining) fuels (IMHO) a real division in the overall on-board experience, is really diminishing the enjoyment of this type of travel.

 

Sorry, Ma'am S7S... probably way more introspective than you wished -- but this is a point that has been troubling me in preparing for this cruise.

 

 

No apology needed.

Yours is a thought provoking post and likely more than a little accurate.

Whether the cruise lines intended this evolution when they started adding the alternative restaurants or not, you well could have put your finger on the starting point for the changes we see so clearly these days.

 

[Nanaimo Gal]

We are regulars at the Pinnacle on every cruise we take. I love good food and have no problem paying for it.

 

We only tried the Pinnacle once, not impressed and prefer the MDR.

[startwin]

We are regulars at the Pinnacle on every cruise we take. I love good food and have no problem paying for it.

 

But isn't that the whole point of the discussion? Good food is supposed to be a part of what is included, you shouldn't have to pay extra to get it. HAL touts the "Fine Dining" in every locale onboard in all ads and promotions.

[PathfinderEss]

We only tried the Pinnacle once, not impressed and prefer the MDR.

Thank goodness we all have different taste.....:) and I guess that is why they have different eating venues for cruise passengers.:)

[PathfinderEss]

But isn't that the whole point of the discussion? Good food is supposed to be a part of what is included, you shouldn't have to pay extra to get it. HAL touts the "Fine Dining" in every locale onboard in all ads and promotions.

I'm certainly was not implying startwin that the MDR doesn't have good food, it does, and if that was my only choice for food, I would be very happy. I just prefer the Pinnacle food and the service better, just my taste, just my opinion.