HMSDingy #1 Posted March 24 I've noticed that the gala nights on our Greek Island cruise this June are on the 2 sea days. I'm trying to book specialty restaurants for these two days but have almost reached a dead end. There seems to be no availabilities on the second sea day for the Pinnacle Grill at any time. Would I stand a chance booking while on the ship? 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catl331 #2 Posted March 24 18 minutes ago, HMSDingy said: Would I stand a chance booking while on the ship? Possibly, but on the K'dam I would book the Tamarind. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HMSDingy #3 Posted March 24 6 minutes ago, catl331 said: Possibly, but on the K'dam I would book the Tamarind. Correction, I booked the Pinnacle for the first sea day but I wanted to book Canaletto for the second. Tamarind is available for the second sea day but we would have preferred Canaletto. Is the Tamarind that good? 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
knittinggirl #4 Posted March 24 Lunch at the Pinnacle is also available on sea days, but I think you have to wait until after you board. It's also cheaper at $20 pp. Some cruises, that all we do is at lunch. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catl331 #5 Posted March 24 (edited) 6 minutes ago, HMSDingy said: Is the Tamarind that good? Yes. MUCH better than the Canaletto IMO. Check out this menu: http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Tamarind.pdf I highly recommend the Wasabi&Soy tenderloin, and if you really don't like wasabi you can ask for it on the side or omitted entirely. Edited March 24 by catl331 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HMSDingy #6 Posted March 24 1 minute ago, catl331 said: Yes. Much better than the Canaletto IMO. Check out this menu: http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Tamarind.pdf I highly recommend the Wasabi&Soy tenderloin, and if you really don't like wasabi you can ask for it on the side or omitted entirely. If I book Tamarind online post cruise, can I cancel it if I change my mind while on the cruise? 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catl331 #7 Posted March 24 3 minutes ago, HMSDingy said: If I book Tamarind online post cruise, can I cancel it if I change my mind while on the cruise? I presume you mean pre-cruise. Yes, you can cancel on-board. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HMSDingy #8 Posted March 24 1 minute ago, catl331 said: I presume you mean pre-cruise. Yes, you can cancel on-board. Yes pre cruise, typed too fast! 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
terrydtx #9 Posted March 24 13 minutes ago, HMSDingy said: Correction, I booked the Pinnacle for the first sea day but I wanted to book Canaletto for the second. Tamarind is available for the second sea day but we would have preferred Canaletto. Is the Tamarind that good? IMHO the Tamarind is the best specialty restaurant of any cruise line and better Asian cuisine than most land restaurants. . Don't waste your money on the Canaletto, it is no better than Olive Garden. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HMSDingy #10 Posted March 24 Just now, terrydtx said: IMHO the Tamarind is the best specialty restaurant of any cruise line and better Asian cuisine than most land restaurants. . Don't waste your money on the Canaletto, it is no better than Olive Garden. Definitely going to book Tamarind. Although I must admit, the sample menu on the HAL website for the Canaletto looks appetizing. Wife and I are both Italian and we know our cuisine. If you say it's no better than Olive Garden, then Tamarind it is. Thanks for the feedback. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simplyrubies #11 Posted March 24 Slightly off-topic question, but will you be travelling on the June 1 cruise by any chance? I know there are a couple of Greek island itineraries and I am wondering when ours will be! In terms of your question, would you be able to get a reservation if a table cancelled? I assume such would be common and you might have a chance of getting a table then, but of course you never know how many people will do it and what time their reservation is. This would be quite risky, in my opinion. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HMSDingy #12 Posted March 24 Just now, simplyrubies said: Slightly off-topic question, but will you be travelling on the June 1 cruise by any chance? I know there are a couple of Greek island itineraries and I am wondering when ours will be! In terms of your question, would you be able to get a reservation if a table cancelled? I assume such would be common and you might have a chance of getting a table then, but of course you never know how many people will do it and what time their reservation is. This would be quite risky, in my opinion. Yes we are on the June 1 cruise. I've booked the Tamarind & Pinnacle for our sea days. As for the itineraries, are you booked on the ship's excursions or privately? 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Krazy Kruizers #13 Posted March 24 You will not be disappointed in the Tamarind!! 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HMSDingy #14 Posted March 24 2 minutes ago, Krazy Kruizers said: You will not be disappointed in the Tamarind!! Thanks I appreciate your response and all of your help here on Cruise Critics. This will be our first cruise with HAL and like all of our cruises, I'm as excited as a kid in a toy store. I do like the choices of specialty restaurants with HAL. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
terrydtx #15 Posted March 24 50 minutes ago, HMSDingy said: Definitely going to book Tamarind. Although I must admit, the sample menu on the HAL website for the Canaletto looks appetizing. Wife and I are both Italian and we know our cuisine. If you say it's no better than Olive Garden, then Tamarind it is. Thanks for the feedback. Canaletto is just a partitioned off area on the Lido market and is nothing special. My wife and I sent 3 weeks last year in Rome and Southern Italy and every place we dinned was far superior Canaletto. You will love the Tamarind and it is a separate restaurant with a great sushi bar too. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
horseymike #16 Posted March 24 1 hour ago, knittinggirl said: Lunch at the Pinnacle is also available on sea days, but I think you have to wait until after you board. It's also cheaper at $20 pp. Some cruises, that all we do is at lunch. they must have raised the price , it used to be $10. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VennDiagram #17 Posted March 24 1 hour ago, HMSDingy said: Is the Tamarind that good? Yes 🙂 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VennDiagram #18 Posted March 24 1 hour ago, knittinggirl said: Lunch at the Pinnacle is also available on sea days, but I think you have to wait until after you board. It's also cheaper at $20 pp. Some cruises, that all we do is at lunch. When were you onboard that the price was $20 pp? 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
canadarocks #19 Posted March 24 26 minutes ago, horseymike said: they must have raised the price , it used to be $10. I believe it is still $10. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VennDiagram #20 Posted March 24 6 minutes ago, canadarocks said: I believe it is still $10. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. It was still $10 pp in December (that's why I asked the pp when they were onboard), but there is (almost) nothing that HAL might do that would surprise me 😉 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
knittinggirl #21 Posted March 25 22 minutes ago, VennDiagram said: It was still $10 pp in December (that's why I asked the pp when they were onboard), but there is (almost) nothing that HAL might do that would surprise me 😉 I think you're correct. I think they charged us $15 for both of us on the Noordam. $20 less the 25% 3-star discount. Love that mocha brownie w/ caramel popcorn! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HMSDingy #22 Posted March 25 23 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said: You will not be disappointed in the Tamarind!! I've booked the Tamarind for the second sea night. My sister has sailed with HAL and she tells me to do a gala night in the MDR because of the special menus. Is it really owrth it? I can always go the the Tamarind on another night. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
terrydtx #23 Posted March 25 18 minutes ago, HMSDingy said: I've booked the Tamarind for the second sea night. My sister has sailed with HAL and she tells me to do a gala night in the MDR because of the special menus. Is it really owrth it? I can always go the the Tamarind on another night. The MDR Gala night menu will not be as good as the Tamarind unless you like a tough steak and 3 oz frozen lobster tail. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
57redbird #24 Posted March 25 I'm the only dissenter, I think, but neither my hubby or I liked the Tamarind -- there were a few things that were ok but we won't be going back if we're ever on another ship that has it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RuthC #25 Posted March 25 2 minutes ago, 57redbird said: I'm the only dissenter, I think, but neither my hubby or I liked the Tamarind -- there were a few things that were ok but we won't be going back if we're ever on another ship that has it. You're not the only one. I will dine there if I am with friends who want to go, but it's never my first choice of specialty restaurant. Service there has always been lovely, but for some reason I always come out feeling less than satisfied with the meal. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
