Why is specialty dining on last night still so popular?

[3rdGenCunarder]

Not at all, but it really didn't have anything to do with what I was curious about, i.e., why the top-level specialty restaurant for dinner seems to be in an inferior location as compared to the second-level specialty restaurant for dinner, so I had no follow-up questions or comments to offer you.

 

Reading this again prompts me to ask if you've sailed with HAL before? Questions like this make me wonder if you've got mega-ship expectations. You need to realize that HAL's ships are smaller than a lot of other cruise ships, and as Dave OKC said, options for restaurant placement are limited. Not everything can be at the top of the ship with floor-to-ceiling windows. HAL has to fit things in where they can.

[Chewbecca]

We got off Zuiderdam this Wednesday and spent our final dinner in PG.

We did it because it was our favourite food venue on the ship, and we tend to book our favourite to end on a high.

We were glad we had booked as the culinary council menu didn't appeal at all and it was definitely busier in PG than during our meals there earlier in the cruise.

We also find the MDR meals too rushed, the specialty restaurants' pace suited us better.

[avian777]

To address the ("Thread Topic") question (" Why is specialty dining on last night still so popular? "), I would reply with an equally obtuse question, "Why shouldn't it continue to be so popular?"

[Lovely other]

I think it is a combination of two things:

 

(1) From what I've heard (and believe myself), the menu is absolutely NOT interesting at all on the final night.

 

(2) Although many people do make it a point to give their tips on the next to the last night if they are not dining in the MDR, MANY people do not have the nerve to dine there and stiff the waitstaff (they do have SOME PART of a conscience? Not enough to give a little something extra to their servers but just enough to know that they shouldn't show their face and then skip out?) so they dine elsewhere.

 

One time I tipped our servers on the second to last night and said "I just wanted you to know that we won't be here on the last night but it isn't because we didn't want to tip you" and he looked surprised and said "You know about that?!", so it definitely is "a thing".

 

It's lovely to hear that many people do what we do ..... tip on the second to last night and then dine elsewhere on the last night.

 

Your second point isn't really relevant anymore given that our tips are added to our account anyway ...

[sail7seas]

Your second point isn't really relevant anymore given that our tips are added to our account anyway ...

 

 

Yes, it is very relevant, given that many guests tip 'over and abov e' the automatic hot el service charge. I am not saying it is required but many of us do so because we wish to. We have always had envelopes for our stewards at the end of our cruises and certainly leave the hotel service charge in place on our bill.

[ithaca gal]

Your second point isn't really relevant anymore given that our tips are added to our account anyway ...

 

I’m assuming that you are unaware that many of us leave the Hotel Service Charge in place (as it should be) AND tip an additional amount to our servers. Some of those who do not, often eat elsewhere on the last night so as to avoid the embarrassment of not giving an additional amount.

 

Therefore the second point is extremely relevant.

[bUU]

In your opinion, of course,. :) I clearly do not agree .

Oh, that's interesting. I didn't see your post about the location of Tamarind on Nieuw Amsterdam. Maybe it was deleted before I got back to the thread?

 

Reading this again prompts me to ask if you've sailed with HAL before? Questions like this make me wonder if you've got mega-ship expectations. You need to realize that HAL's ships are smaller than a lot of other cruise ships, and as Dave OKC said, options for restaurant placement are limited. Not everything can be at the top of the ship with floor-to-ceiling windows. HAL has to fit things in where they can.

I've only been on Holland America's mid-sized ships. Let me say it a different way... if it were me... given what I've learned about Nieuw Amsterdam having reading about it... I would have put Pinnacle Grill at the pinnacle of the ship where they put Tamarind, and put Tamarind where they put Pinnacle Grill. So my question is really asking folks if they would suggest good reasons why Pinnacle Grill is better where it is than it would have been had they put it up top.

[kazu]

I've only been on Holland America's mid-sized ships. Let me say it a different way... if it were me... given what I've learned about Nieuw Amsterdam having reading about it... I would have put Pinnacle Grill at the pinnacle of the ship where they put Tamarind, and put Tamarind where they put Pinnacle Grill. So my question is really asking folks if they would suggest good reasons why Pinnacle Grill is better where it is than it would have been had they put it up top.

Kind of ironic that a poster who often states that we are not HAL nor running the ships is now suggesting where the restaurants should go.

 

In any case, The Pinnacle Grill's name does not refer to the location on the ship. It refers to the "culmination" or as HAL puts it "the height of exceptional dining on board".

 

The location of the PG is the same on all the ships, easy to access for all passengers (much easier to access than the Tamarind) and centrally located.

[bUU]

Kind of ironic that a poster who often states that we are not HAL nor running the ships is now suggesting where the restaurants should go.

Well, the difference is that I acknowledged, to start with, that the professionals are correct and that I'm wrong, asking explicitly:

What am I missing?

By comparison, in the threads to which you are referring, you and others presume you are correct and the professionals are wrong.

 

See the difference?

 

It would be a great shame if you don't see the difference.

[sail7seas]

Well, the difference is that I acknowledged, to start with, that the professionals are correct and that I'm wrong, asking explicitly:By comparison, in the threads to which you are referring, you and others presume you are correct and the professionals are wrong.

 

See the difference?

 

would be a great shame if you don't see the difference.

 

 

Great shame?? I think not and i I or Great shame in the scenario you present.

[oceanmom]

Meanwhile, back to the topic of where to eat on the last night, we like to go to Canaletto. We've done it on three cruises and find it is very quiet since that side of the Lido is closed for dinner service, there are huge windows to watch the sea and scenery--and often the sunset, and it doesn't feel as formal as the Pinnacle (which we do twice a cruise anyway). It is nice and relaxing before going back to the real world. We are doing Tamarind on this next cruise for the first time--not sure I like the menu but everyone has different likes and dislikes.

[ithaca gal]

Great shame?? I think not and i I or Great shame in the scenario you present.

 

Sorry ....... what?

[KroozNut]

We are doing Tamarind on this next cruise for the first time

 

Great choice in our opinion!

 

 

not sure I like the menu but everyone has different likes and dislikes.

Can you elaborate on what you think you might not like about the Tamarind menu? It looks awesome to us!

[KroozNut]

Sorry ....... what?

 

Ditto... what? :confused:

[oceanmom]

Great choice in our opinion!

 

 

 

Can you elaborate on what you think you might not like about the Tamarind menu? It looks awesome to us!

 

Different tastes for different folks. Despite living in Hawaii for six years and Korea for two years, I'm just not into Asian cuisine. My daughters love it.

[KroozNut]

Different tastes for different folks. Despite living in Hawaii for six years and Korea for two years, I'm just not into Asian cuisine.

 

If that's the case, I would seriously consider saving the money and skipping Tamarind.

[albingirl]

People will say that there are those who want to avoid tipping. But, wait. Didn't we already tip? This is about extra tipping which has become a life of it's own. We tip staff extra, sometimes, but people shouldn't feel like that is necessary. When they instituted the automatic tipping, it made it easier overall.

[oceanmom]

If that's the case, I would seriously consider saving the money and skipping Tamarind.

 

Have to at least try it before I can say "Never Again!" Besides, my husband will probably like it and I love him.:hearteyes:

[ithaca gal]

People will say that there are those who want to avoid tipping. But, wait. Didn't we already tip? This is about extra tipping which has become a life of it's own. We tip staff extra, sometimes, but people shouldn't feel like that is necessary. When they instituted the automatic tipping, it made it easier overall.

 

First, you are ASSUMING that those people who avoid the MDR on the final night DID NOT remove their Hotel Service Charge (!).

 

Second, You are absolutely right ... people shouldn't feel like it is necessary to tip an additional amount.

 

HOWEVER, if my server is hustling and doing his best and attempts to get to know us for the week, ten days, whatever amount of time we are in his life ... well, he gets an additional tip from us. We tip extra to anyone who makes sure our vacation is special.

[KroozNut]

Have to at least try it before I can say "Never Again!" Besides, my husband will probably like it and I love him.:hearteyes:

Can't argue with that logic... Hope you all enjoy it. DW and I are really looking forward to it, and it gets rave reviews here on CC!

[KroozNut]

We tip extra to anyone who makes sure our vacation is special.

 

First off, let me say that I agree with you in principal. But playing devil's advocate here, isn't the whole idea of the the HSC to reward and /or ensure that service staff provide a level of service that makes all of our vacations special?

[KirkNC]

We do pinnacle sometimes on the last night as a final send off.

[cbr663]

People will say that there are those who want to avoid tipping. But, wait. Didn't we already tip? This is about extra tipping which has become a life of it's own. We tip staff extra, sometimes, but people shouldn't feel like that is necessary. When they instituted the automatic tipping, it made it easier overall.

 

Yes, we already did tip by paying our HSC. My guess is that some people may chose to avoid the MDR at the end of the cruise to avoid the peer pressure to over-tip. They aren't avoiding the waiters but are avoiding fellow cruisers.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Yes, we already did tip by paying our HSC. My guess is that some people may chose to avoid the MDR at the end of the cruise to avoid the peer pressure to over-tip. They aren't avoiding the waiters but are avoiding fellow cruisers.

 

We generally do tip extra because we make a lot of special requests about substitutions, etc. But I haven't observed any peer pressure to tip extra, nor do waiters seem to expect it. Sometimes it's difficult to find a quiet moment to say thank you and hand over a tip.

[ithaca gal]

Yes, we already did tip by paying our HSC. My guess is that some people may chose to avoid the MDR at the end of the cruise to avoid the peer pressure to over-tip. They aren't avoiding the waiters but are avoiding fellow cruisers.

 

We certainly never consider our kindness to be “overtipping”. We consider it a gift for making us happy. I disagree about avoiding “peer pressure”. Tipping is usually done discreetly so it is next to impossible to know if a fellow passenger has tipped extra or not.

 

Just another excuse to dine elsewhere and not tip a little extra.

 

I know our hotel service charge provides an amount for our servers in the MDR But, as I said before, if he put extra effort into making sure we have a memorable time, it makes me happy to give him a little extra as a token of our appreciation.

 

You may call it overtipping while I may be tempted to call those who skip out “guilty undertippers”.

 

It is not necessary to tip servers and stewards anything in addition to the HSC, but where else can you make people feel happy and appreciated with just a few extra dollars? To me, it is money very well spent.