Are children charged full price for specialty dining?

[LMaxwell]

I don't think the free and 1/2 price are in effect anymore as you have stipulated.

 

I believe when 1of4's family was sailing with us, the Pinnacle was full price for her children. The children really enjoyed their lunch in the PG ;)

 

Was it a holiday sailing by chance?

[avian777]

I do not know if this is the most up to date information. could swear I also saw on HAL site but need to keep searching

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2270

 

Thanks for the link, LM - very nice article.

[kazu]

Was it a holiday sailing by chance?

 

No, it was the full transit of the Panama Canal during April. (2015, I think?)

[Lizzie68]

My grandsons have cruised with us when they were in their early teens. There was no contract as such, just a sheet outlining responsibilities etc. All very reasonable. If I recall correctly, some years ago there was a PG discount for kids under 12, but not 100% sure that was on HAL. I have been on many cruises with children onboard (including 1of4's who were an absolute delight).

 

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[USNUZULOOSE]

Gosh, I feel very welcomed on this board by all of your responses.

 

I am disappointed that my initial question has garnered negative responses simply because I will be cruising with a child.

 

Unfortunately, adults who pre-judge and offer unsolicited advice are a bigger hinderance to an enjoyable cruise.

You know don't worry about what other people think. I have no problem with parents bringing their children no matter where they dine. That is how they learn to dine with the parents and what a great experience. I would call and ask about if they charge , or even do half the price. Enjoy yourself...:)

[avian777]

... I would call and ask about if they charge , or even do half the price. Enjoy yourself...:)

 

Thanks for the excellent advice. (y) (y) (y)

[blizzardboy]

Originally posted by USNUZULOOSE

... I would call and ask about if they charge , or even do half the price. Thanks for the excellent advice. (y) (y) (y)

See Post 3 on this thread. That's what they're there for!

[avian777]

See Post 3 on this thread. That's what they're there for!

 

Spot on, blizzardboy! BTW see Post # 14 on this Thread. :cool: :cool: :cool:

[TrolleyGirl]

but I've not seen little kids in a specialty restaurant on any line. Not even on Disney.

 

You wouldn't see any children in the two Disney specialty restaurants, Palo and Remy, as they are adult venues only. One must be 18 or older to dine there. Disney does an excellent job of maintaining adult only areas and family friendly areas.

[sammiedawg]

You wouldn't see any children in the two Disney specialty restaurants, Palo and Remy, as they are adult venues only. One must be 18 or older to dine there. Disney does an excellent job of maintaining adult only areas and family friendly areas.

 

Thanks for jogging my memory on Disney rules.

[candbgirl]

Disney does a very good job of maintains Family and adult only areas. So nice!

 

 

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[LMaxwell]

Just a follow up a couple of years later; kids 12 and under are half price in specialty dining for reduced size specialty portion, or free off kids menu, Pinnacle Grill, Sol De Mer, Tamarind, Cannaleto all included.  

 

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/family-cruises.html

[MAVIP]

This what I remember from our trip with children and grandchildren (then 8 and 10) spring 2018.  Reduced price for the 10 year old in the Tamarind, free for the 8 year old who preferred children menu or pasta or something like that.

Reduced price for grandson who dined with his father and me in the Sel de Mer on a large platter of seafood.  

And this is what I found this week in our bookingpages for next spring on Hal's website:  "Pinnacle Grill is the center of all fine dining on board where great steak, seafood, wine and service make for an unforgettable experience. At our specialty restaurants, meals are half price for kids 12 years old or under, and free when you order from the kids’ menu. ".  The same for the Canaletto. Next spring they will joIn us with their parents and aunt again and I must say we all look forward to it. Personnel on HAL ships are absolutely fabulous in their communication with children. And they behaved perfect last year, otherwise I would not have invited them again.  

Edited December 6, 2019 by MAVIP

[1of4]

In our experience on sailing Hal with 2 children, the crew will bend over backwards to cater to them, even if you do not expect or request any special treatment.  There is a children’s menu in the main dining room that you can request but my two enjoyed reading the menu and trying the different items.  One lunch that we had in the dining room the waiter went up to the lido and brought my son pizza as he just knew he really didn’t want anything on that menu.  He did this without our knowledge.

 

We did not receive any special pricing for our children in the Pinnacle Grill or Cantelano (sp?) but again, the staff loved having them in there.  I can honestly say I have witnessed abysmal behaviour by some adults in specialty dining venues...and around the ship that I would not tolerate from my children.  Some people have no tolerance for children but that is a character flaw of theirs and don’t let it bother you.

 

Your children are permitted in the lido pool.  I always brought small water toys (soaker balls the size of a softball but soft, an inflatable ring, for example) for them to play with. Once the whole pool joined in with the balls and created a game throwing them around and I was thanked for bring both the kids and their toys on the cruise.  But one woman also tried to dunk their heads under the water every time she saw them until I reported her.

 

We loved HAL for a family vacation, much superior to Disney cruise line in our (and our kids’) opinion.  We vacation to be with our children, not ditch them which we witnessed happening on Princess.  I don’t recall a conduct contract but we haven’t sailed since 2015 because of a medical condition I have but it seems like common sense.  We did sign a contract in Club Hal, agreeing that our children must behave, that they are toilet trained, that their will be no photographs within Club Hal, and the sign in/out procedures.

 

I am sure you will enjoy your cruise.  We would pre purchase a non alcoholic drink card for each and they lived the independence of “paying” for their own drink.  The card has their name on it, I think, so it made a good souvenir.

 

That reminds me, we always had our picture taken on formal nights as that made a wonderful memory of our vacation. 

[awhcruiser]

On 9/28/2017 at 4:48 PM, sandbag7 said:

Free range children are therefore not a problem for other passengers.

 

Though quite delicious when properly prepared.

Chuckle chuckle

[AncientWanderer]

22 hours ago, MAVIP said:

This what I remember from our trip with children and grandchildren (then 8 and 10) spring 2018.  Reduced price for the 10 year old in the Tamarind, free for the 8 year old who preferred children menu or pasta or something like that.

Reduced price for grandson who dined with his father and me in the Sel de Mer on a large platter of seafood.  

And this is what I found this week in our bookingpages for next spring on Hal's website:  "Pinnacle Grill is the center of all fine dining on board where great steak, seafood, wine and service make for an unforgettable experience. At our specialty restaurants, meals are half price for kids 12 years old or under, and free when you order from the kids’ menu. ".  The same for the Canaletto. Next spring they will joIn us with their parents and aunt again and I must say we all look forward to it. Personnel on HAL ships are absolutely fabulous in their communication with children. And they behaved perfect last year, otherwise I would not have invited them again.  

 

Our specialty dining booking page for our January 2020 cruise says exactly as you have posted here.  Perhaps this is the most current information. 

[shudie]

On 9/29/2017 at 8:20 AM, Homosassa said:

The only speciality restaurant on the Eurodam that shows children's prices (on line) is the Tamarind: 12 and under is complementary, 13 -18 is half price, 19 and up is $25.

 

All the others (Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto) show only one price.

 

A difference you will find on HAL is that the cruiseline does expect parents to be in control of their children. There will be a contract given to parents of all minors outlining the requirements for children's behavior and the responsibility of the parents if the rules are broken.

 

This also includes the statement that children will either be in the children's program or under the supervision of parents. Free range children are therefore not a problem for other passengers.

I wonder how this will work with their new 'kids can sign themselves out' 7-17 high score program?  seems in conflict with each other?!

[shudie]

On 9/29/2017 at 2:49 PM, candbgirl said:

Is there really a contract parents have to sign? That's rather off putting. Are un accompanied kids on HAL that awful that their parents have to sign a contract? Do parents know about this contract before they go?

 

 

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We are booked on a 29 day cruise next year. We haven't received any such agreement. 

[shudie]

On 12/8/2019 at 4:19 AM, AncientWanderer said:

meals are half price for kids 12 years old or under, and free when you order from the kids’ menu. ".  The same for the Canaletto.

 

Thanks for this information. We received 3 bonus dinners and from what I am reading in the Club HAL thread, it doesn't look like children can be left alone after a certain time if they bring in High Score to all ships. 

[MAVIP]

12 hours ago, shudie said:

 

We are booked on a 29 day cruise next year. We haven't received any such agreement. 

If I remember well, my daughter signed an agreement with club HAL last year on the Koningsdam. And it were for us just very very normal conditions. Maybe it is necessary to explain the normal rules by way of a "contract".