Pinnacle Grill Question

[FamilyofFourtoAlaska]

We are doing a cruisetour with the land portion first, then sailing SB from Seward to Vancouver. Our itinerary indicates that we will not get to Seward from Denali until 6:15 p.m. The Pinnacle Grill sounds like a lovely to start a cruise, but will we feel rushed to do the embarkation process, get settled and get there at a reasonable time? We are Upper Main for dining, which I understand is at 7:45 p.m. We are S category which I am given to understand gives us some priority for Pinnacle Grill reservations.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The 2 times that we sailed out of Seward, the life boat drill was held between 7:15 and 7:30 - so keep that in mind.

[Esme]

I think you will be very tired by the time you board the ship, unpack and attend life boat drill, if it is at the times given by KK, so why not wait until another night when you can relax and enjoy the Pinnacle Grille.

[dakrewser]

After a day-long bus trip and then embarcation, I'd only want a quiet meal before settling down. YJe DR should be fine, or even the casualness of the Lido, but I'd wait until another night for the Grille.

[whenzuc]

Was just at the pinnacle grill twice on a ten night cruise- i would wait to go later in the week- when the other restaurant becomes a bit boring. i realize, however, that the pinnacle is 1/2 price first night. Also, it is nice to meet your wait staff on the first night.

[General Max]

On last years SB cruise on the Ryndam from Seward to Vancouver, we did a different cruisetour which arrived at noon in Seward from Alyeska Ski Resort. We also booked category "S" and had early seating upper. We booked the Pinnacle Grill for 8:30 PM and went to the dining room at our assigned time to meet our tablemates and waitstaff. We did have an apppetizer and cup of soup and left early.

 

The Pinnacle Grill was less than half full that evening. Good time to go.

 

Cheers

 

General Max

[Landlubber54]

At least partially because of the 1/2 price aspect -- and because the first night will be casual -- I signed our threesome up for the Pinnacle for the first night. I assume (:eek: ) we are on a different tour than Family because our itinerary indicates that we will get to Seward mid-afternoon. I figured that we would have a couple of hours to familiarize ourselves with the ship and freshen up before dinner.

Dave, you mention a "day-long bus trip". I haven't been before, but how long does it take to get from Girdwood to Seward. I was expecting about 3 to 4 hours tops.

Is my thinking off? Thanks for any help.:o

[General Max]

The trip from Denali to Seward would take about one day. The trip from Girdwood (Alyeska) would take about 1 1/2 hours.

 

Cheers

 

General Max

[FamilyofFourtoAlaska]

Thanks for all of the input. I think we will wait and go later in the week as we are, unfortunately, on the all day motorcoach. I am not looking forward to that long ride!

[Krazy Kruizers]

General Max

We have done 2 cruises out of Seward on the Ryndam. I am curious. On our cruises we had open seating in the dining room - no assigned tables or dining times for the first night. This was because so many people arrived late and could not make their assigned dining times. And then there was the life boat drill to consider.

Maybe your cruise was the only one that had assigned dining times out of Seward???

[Krazy Kruizers]

Even with the new dining times a person would be hard pressed to finish dinner if their dining time was 6:15 to be done in time for a 7:30 life boat drill.

 

Guess we were lucky on our cruises to have open seating in the dinner out of Seward.

[Landlubber54]

I believe that you are right that, on the first night, there is open dining in the Rotterdam.

But they do take reservations for the Pinnacle on the first night. Now that I have heard about the timing of the life boat drill, I will need to reconsider our dining time in the Pinnacle. While I don't object to a life safety drill, I really don't want to be rushed out of the Pinnacle in order to make it.:eek:

[General Max]

General Max

We have done 2 cruises out of Seward on the Ryndam. I am curious. On our cruises we had open seating in the dining room - no assigned tables or dining times for the first night. This was because so many people arrived late and could not make their assigned dining times. And then there was the life boat drill to consider.

Maybe your cruise was the only one that had assigned dining times out of Seward???

 

Our lifeboat drill was held about 4:30 PM. There were late arrivals at the ship that did not make the drill. They had their's at 10:00 AM the next morning. They may have had open seating at the dining room for the late seatings; I don't recall. We did use our assigned table that night and met our waiters; Eddie and Lucky.

 

Cheers

 

General Max

[Landlubber54]

After Krazy's post about the 7:30 life boat drill, and because we have (I think) a 6:30 reservation at the Pinnacle, I called Ship Services. I was told that the drill will be at 4:30. I didn't ask how they deal with later arrivals, but the General's post makes sense.

[General Max]

By the way, they do take attendance at the lifeboat drills....also pictures!!!!

 

Cheers

 

General Max

[Krazy Kruizers]

General Max

 

Thanks for the update since we cruised on the Ryndam in Alaska.

 

On both of our cruises out of Seward, the majority of us didn't get to the ship until after 6. On the one cruise several buses got there shortly after 6. The one time we didn't do a round trip, the train pulled in (we were on it) around 6:45.

We barely made it to our life boart drill at 4:30.

 

If HAL has changed the life boat drill to 4:30, with a lot of passengers arriving late, it must be very crowded the next morning at the drill.