Specialty Dining - Is it worth it

[latebuyer]

I'm going on an alaskan cruise on september on the noordam. (Yes i've heard about the dry dock - i got a solo deal and i took it) I'm wondering if specialty dining is worth it? I'm particularly interested if the steak is great at the pinnacle. Also interested in canneletos as i'm canadian and the exchange rate adds a lot for pinnacle. Or for a first time cruiser is the main dining room good enough?

[kevingastreich]

We love the Canaletto!  Great food and great service. We ate there twice on our recent Oosterdam cruise.

[SilvertoGold]

A possible alternative is the steak in the Pinnacle at lunch:  $10.00  

Main Dining room is fine and has filet on Gala Nights.

[Donald]

I’m thinking of buying a Ferrari. It costs $225,000.

I could just get a used VW for a few thousand dollars.

Is the Ferrari worth it?

 

I’m also looking at a very special Rolex watch. $125,000.

I could buy a Swatch for $10.

Is the Rolex worth it?

 

Financial advice from complete strangers means a lot to me.

Please chime in.

[Riversedge]

Personally we don’t think it’s worth it but what’s good for one is not necessarily good for another. We like the food in the dining room better.  The lunch in the Pinnacle grill is worth it to us though. 

[sevenseasnomad]

31 minutes ago, christinand said:

I'm going on an alaskan cruise on september on the noordam. (Yes i've heard about the dry dock - i got a solo deal and i took it) I'm wondering if specialty dining is worth it? I'm particularly interested if the steak is great at the pinnacle. Also interested in canneletos as i'm canadian and the exchange rate adds a lot for pinnacle. Or for a first time cruiser is the main dining room good enough?

We started a tradition on our first HAL cruise, which we've continued to this day.  On the last night of the cruise, we always dine in Pinnacle Grill.  As of this posting, we've cruised on every HAL ship (and some of the sold ships) except for Zaandam and Volendam.  We have enjoyed each dinner in the PG, but we also find the main dining room more than adequate in choices and quality, although during recent cruises we have noticed a large cutback in the portion size.  You won't know if dining in an alternative restaurant is for you or not until you try it.  If you don't want to pay the extra fee of $39 for PG, consider dining there during lunch (only open on sea days).  While you can book alternative restaurants for dinner before leaving home, you can't reserve lunch.  If you think this is an option you'd like to try, please consider boarding early and speaking to the maître d' at the PG so you can schedule a lunch reservation.  Hope this helps.  Enjoy your cruise.

[FlaMariner]

We've enjoyed all the specialty dining but "been there done that" and we think it's not worth it.  The MDR, the lido and the dive in are excellent and we are good......No more up-charge specialty dining for us.

 

Again, that's our opinion and our experience......YMMV.

 

 

[latebuyer]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I will try out lunch once since it sounds like the lido buffet can get crazy at lunch and this would be a good more inexpensive alternative. So the reason i can't book online is because you can't reserve in advance? Oops i reread sevenseas nomad post and i see i have to go there first thing. Thanks.

Edited July 20, 2019 by christinand

[zelker]

Correct - you can't book the Pinnacle Grill for lunch online - only dinner.  Also, I thought I read lunch also had a price increase (maybe $15 now?).  Someone who knows for sure will surely chime in.

[CruiserBruce]

Only you can decide if it is worth it. Not sure how we can decide that for you, as we don't have any clue what your values are.

 

That being said, the beef in the Pinnacle is awesome.

[zelker]

2 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

That being said, the beef in the Pinnacle is awesome.

 

Going to disagree with you.  The beef USED to be wonderful as was the service but our last two dinners in the PG on two different ships left us so disappointed that we won't be spending time or money eating there anymore.

[CruiserBruce]

3 minutes ago, zelker said:

 

Going to disagree with you.  The beef USED to be wonderful as was the service but our last two dinners in the PG on two different ships left us so disappointed that we won't be spending time or money eating there anymore.

Have eaten in Pinnacle on 5 or 6 ships now. Haven't had even a mediocre meal yet. All great beef.

[Crew News]

59 minutes ago, zelker said:

Correct - you can't book the Pinnacle Grill for lunch online - only dinner.  Also, I thought I read lunch also had a price increase (maybe $15 now?).  Someone who knows for sure will surely chime in.

 

Last month on the Westerdam the PG Lunch cost was still $10.00.

[Hlitner]

We do not think that the Pinnacle is "worth it" for dinner and we only must pay half price.  On the other hand, we still enjoy the Pinnacle for lunch (on the few days it is open).   At one time we thought that the Pinnacle had pretty decent beef, but even that got downgraded (at least in our estimation).  

 

Hank

[avian777]

1 hour ago, Donald said:

I’m thinking of buying a Ferrari. It costs $225,000.

I could just get a used VW for a few thousand dollars.

Is the Ferrari worth it?

 

I’m also looking at a very special Rolex watch. $125,000.

I could buy a Swatch for $10.

Is the Rolex worth it?

 

Financial advice from complete strangers means a lot to me.

Please chime in.

 

Spot on, Donald - thanks for the clarity you brought to the discussion.  BTW care to share some advice on whether/when to buy/sell CCL stock?  Thanks again!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have never had a bad meal in the Pinnacle.  And we do eat there a lot.  We have found that the steak in the dining room is no where near the quality of the filet in the Pinnacle.

 

We do not care for the Canaletto -- that is just us.

[DaveOKC]

At $39, I feel that the Pinnacle is not worth it for dinner (at half price for 4/5 stars its an OK deal).  The $10 lunch option is a great deal however IMO.  We have had very good and just "OK" meals in the Pinnacle dinner over the past 2-3 years, with the beef quality being lower and even the side dishes/desert not being as good.

 

If your ship has it, the Tamarind specialty dining offers a better option (cost around $25???).

 

We like to do the Pinnacle on the first and/or last nights.  The first night is good because of the MDR is usually a bit disorganized and slow that night, until everyone figures out the program.  Last night we like since it is a nice way to end the cruise and also since often the menu in the MDR is not to our liking.  

 

 

[catl331]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

If your ship has it, the Tamarind specialty dining offers a better option (cost around $25???).

We much prefer the Tamarind over the PG too ... but OP is on the Noordam, which doesn't have it.

[cowmilker]

11 hours ago, sevenseasnomad said:

  We have enjoyed each dinner in the PG, but we also find the main dining room more than adequate in choices and quality, although during recent cruises we have noticed a large cutback in the portion size.  

 

This is really a very good thing.  When we first started cruising, my primary care physician read me the riot act. He was horrified that I would come home having gained weight after every cruise. He gave me a lecture about portion control, about how I didn't have to eat every time food was placed in my field of vision, and how he wanted me to walk that deck for a reasonable length of time after every meal, no exceptions.

I took his advice to heart and came home weighing not a single ounce more.

But one thing I learned on that cruise was that what I saw as tiny portions was plenty of food.  I knew I could get two servings if I wanted, but his words were ringing in my ears and I didn't and then I realized I didn't need them.

I came home and began to adopt "cruise ship portions" at home.  I still don't lose weight on a cruise, but neither do I gain any.  And due to "cruise ship portion control" combined with the treadmill, I've lost 50 pounds. 

[MAVIP]

12 hours ago, sevenseasnomad said:

although during recent cruises we have noticed a large cutback in the portion size.  Y

We noticed this too. And we liked it very very much, because on earlier cruises we always asked for "senior" portions, later called "baby" portions (but the normal or even extra vegetables…..). 

MDR is very adequate, but I must say we love Pinnacle, Librije, Tamarind, Sel de Mer, Dutch Café etc.

[cruisemom42]

I'm not much of a steak person. I tried the Pinnacle Grill once, and was not that impressed. I am wondering what's on the lunch menu that people enjoy?  Might be worth a try...

 

Canaletto did not impress me either, but they keep fiddling with the concept -- I guess trying to figure out a way to make the concept work. Unfortunately their idea of Italian and mine do not mesh.

[AV8rix]

39 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I'm not much of a steak person. I tried the Pinnacle Grill once, and was not that impressed. I am wondering what's on the lunch menu that people enjoy?  Might be worth a try...

 

 

Well, personally I think that lunch in the Pinnacle is great!  My favorite is the Jidori chicken, although most of the other choices are worth the surcharge also IMO.  And everyone here knows that I'm always raving about the strawberry Pavlova for dessert.

[Himself]

6 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

We have never had a bad meal in the Pinnacle.  And we do eat there a lot.  We have found that the steak in the dining room is no where near the quality of the filet in the Pinnacle.

 

We do not care for the Canaletto -- that is just us.

I agree on the Pinnacle.  I usually order the small fillet.  Since the inception of the Pinnacle, I have noticed the steaks in the main dining room are not as tasty.   I also do not care for the Canaletto.  I find it is too heavy..  

[sevenseasnomad]

2 hours ago, MAVIP said:

We noticed this too. And we liked it very very much, because on earlier cruises we always asked for "senior" portions, later called "baby" portions (but the normal or even extra vegetables…..). 

MDR is very adequate, but I must say we love Pinnacle, Librije, Tamarind, Sel de Mer, Dutch Café etc.

On 1st HAL cruise in 2008, the portions were so large that I begged our waiter to tell the kitchen I wanted half-portions which would have been easy since I must pre-order due to food allergies.  Portions continued to be w-a-y too large, and food was wasted.  On last three cruises, the portions have been cut so much that I'm starving by 9 o'clock (we always ask for early fixed) which forces us to order room service or to go to the Lido for food with higher calories generally.  The most I've ever gained on a cruise is 3 pounds because I do watch what I eat and I walk that Promenade Deck two or three times a day, amounting to about ten miles, far more than I walk at home.  Last two cruises, I gained no pounds, but my son who cruises with me now gained 12 because he was always hungry.  While us older passengers might like the smaller portions, the youngsters (he's 32) don't.  

 

OP originally asked if MDR was adequate or if alternative dining was worth it.  He/she should anticipate smaller portions and understand there are alternatives to the MDR that won't necessarily cost extra.  If he/she is looking to expand the HAL cruising experience beyond the MDR and free alternatives, then, yes, venues like the Pinnacle Grill make sense.  

Edited July 20, 2019 by sevenseasnomad

[HAL4NOW]

The MDR staff are wonderful and will do whatever they can, within reason, to accommodate your requests.

I often see more than one main dish on a menu that I would like to try. Some waiters are able to convince the chef to send smaller portions that I can comfortably finish.

At times the request to send smaller portions doesn't work and I end up with two full meals with the explanation that the chef doesn't want to change their presentation.