Twiga Posted August 9, 2022 #1 Share Posted August 9, 2022 We were scheduled to sail on one of the first cruises that was cancelled in March 2020 and were looking forward to the Best of the Best dinner. We will finally be back onboard Azamara this Fall. Has Azamara resumed the Best of the Best dinners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECCruise Posted August 9, 2022 #2 Share Posted August 9, 2022 Didn't have it on our 5 June sailing but don't know since then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare uktog Posted August 9, 2022 #3 Share Posted August 9, 2022 No not resumed on Quest and no news of when (or even if) it might happen though the onboard staff want to restart it as soon as they can Currently all dining by staff with guests is forbidden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiga Posted August 10, 2022 Author #4 Share Posted August 10, 2022 Thank you ECCruise and uktog for the information. I hope it resumes soon, but if dining with staff is the concern (presumably health/covid issues), I might be out of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DS Posted August 11, 2022 #5 Share Posted August 11, 2022 Frankly, I find the phrase "Best of the Best" offensive.... No problem with big suite quests getting a special dinner, but please... a bit of humility/ equality/ whatever.... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandma Cruising Posted August 11, 2022 #6 Share Posted August 11, 2022 My guess is that the Best of the Best refers to the food & occasion, not the guests. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
excitedofharpenden Posted August 11, 2022 #7 Share Posted August 11, 2022 12 hours ago, DS said: Frankly, I find the phrase "Best of the Best" offensive.... No problem with big suite quests getting a special dinner, but please... a bit of humility/ equality/ whatever.... What nonsense. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Phil 6 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiga Posted August 11, 2022 Author #8 Share Posted August 11, 2022 The "Best of the Best" refers to the food and the dining experience, not the passengers! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchell810 Posted August 11, 2022 #9 Share Posted August 11, 2022 1 hour ago, excitedofharpenden said: What nonsense. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Phil They can certainly treat you like you are inferior; no consent required. (This is not a comment on Azamara's intent.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobal Posted August 11, 2022 #10 Share Posted August 11, 2022 16 hours ago, DS said: Frankly, I find the phrase "Best of the Best" offensive.... No problem with big suite quests getting a special dinner, but please... a bit of humility/ equality/ whatever.... I've had the pleasure of experiencing one of these dinners and it was truly special but I have to agree somewhat that the choice of name could be better. Whilst I wouldn't call it offensive I did feel a bit uncomfortable with the name. I'm sure Azamara's intentions mean to refer to the food but I felt it does hint at the participants and smack of elitism IMHO 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marinaro44 Posted August 11, 2022 #11 Share Posted August 11, 2022 Sorry. I don't see it at aii referring to anything or anyone other than the food and wine, and I am very sensitive to anything elitist (e.g., The Haven on NCL or whatever it's called on Celebrity or MSC's Yacht Club). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare asnaleah Posted August 11, 2022 #12 Share Posted August 11, 2022 I’m with @Bobalon this one. I felt a little uncomfortable with the nomenclature. And for the OP, on Celebrity, it’s called The Retreat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DS Posted August 13, 2022 #13 Share Posted August 13, 2022 Who gets invited to the "best of the best" ? Can anyone go and experiecne the best food and the best wine? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandma Cruising Posted August 13, 2022 #14 Share Posted August 13, 2022 4 hours ago, DS said: Who gets invited to the "best of the best" ? Can anyone go and experiecne the best food and the best wine? It’s for those in the Club World and Club Owners suites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DS Posted August 14, 2022 #15 Share Posted August 14, 2022 17 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said: It’s for those in the Club World and Club Owners suites. Ohh.... so it is the "best guests" who happen to get the best food and drinks.... Again, I say, BAD NAME, but understandable re Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DS Posted August 14, 2022 #16 Share Posted August 14, 2022 Just now, DS said: Ohh.... so it is the "best guests" who happen to get the best food and drinks...perhaps a 1st time cruiser with a big wallet, vice a 30+ cruiser? Again, I say, BAD NAME, but understandable re but understandle recogniztion of these guests.... BUt gueeees.... this interface is terrible! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
florisdekort Posted August 14, 2022 #17 Share Posted August 14, 2022 16 hours ago, DS said: Ohh.... so it is the "best guests" who happen to get the best food and drinks.... Again, I say, BAD NAME, but understandable re Why are they the best guests? They are the highest paying guests, but the only person labeling them the best guests seems to be you. The name of the dinner refers to the food and the wine. Every menu in every restaurant on the ship is carefully created by the head office, leaving no room for onboard chefs to do their own thing, except for the “best of the best” dinner, where the on board Executive Chef is challenged to design a menu from scratch, and serve his/her very best. The Chefs love it; it’s their only real opportunity to do what they love. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DS Posted August 15, 2022 #18 Share Posted August 15, 2022 Let me try for a third time… If it’s truly the best food and wine, why are not all passengers allow to attend? There is NO evidence that it refers to the food and drink…. And all kinds of evidence that it refers to big suite quests! The are other options for the executive chef to show his/her mettle. For, example, the shore excursions AZAMARA CHEF EXPERIENCES, when the chef takes a group of passengers (independent of cabin) to a local market, buys local foods, and cooks a special dinner for those folks…. We’ve been on several and LOVE them! Again, I have not problem with recognizing those who pay the most for a given cruise… give them a very special dinner, with good food and special wines…Just don’t refer to them as the Best of the Best 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted August 15, 2022 #19 Share Posted August 15, 2022 1 minute ago, DS said: Let me try for a third time… If it’s truly the best food and wine, why are not all passengers allow to attend? There is NO evidence that it refers to the food and drink…. And all kinds of evidence that it refers to big suite quests! The are other options for the executive chef to show his/her mettle. For, example, the shore excursions AZAMARA CHEF EXPERIENCES, when the chef takes a group of passengers (independent of cabin) to a local market, buys local foods, and cooks a special dinner for those folks…. We’ve been on several and LOVE them! Again, I have not problem with recognizing those who pay the most for a given cruise… give them a very special dinner, with good food and special wines…Just don’t refer to them as the Best of the Best Since you managed to have your vent without cursing this time, it will stay. But you have had your vent... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arubaaruba Posted August 15, 2022 #20 Share Posted August 15, 2022 1 hour ago, DS said: Let me try for a third time… If it’s truly the best food and wine, why are not all passengers allow to attend? There is NO evidence that it refers to the food and drink…. And all kinds of evidence that it refers to big suite quests! The are other options for the executive chef to show his/her mettle. For, example, the shore excursions AZAMARA CHEF EXPERIENCES, when the chef takes a group of passengers (independent of cabin) to a local market, buys local foods, and cooks a special dinner for those folks…. We’ve been on several and LOVE them! Again, I have not problem with recognizing those who pay the most for a given cruise… give them a very special dinner, with good food and special wines…Just don’t refer to them as the Best of the Best Bitter party of one? 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
excitedofharpenden Posted August 15, 2022 #21 Share Posted August 15, 2022 5 hours ago, DS said: Let me try for a third time… If it’s truly the best food and wine, why are not all passengers allow to attend? There is NO evidence that it refers to the food and drink…. And all kinds of evidence that it refers to big suite quests! The are other options for the executive chef to show his/her mettle. For, example, the shore excursions AZAMARA CHEF EXPERIENCES, when the chef takes a group of passengers (independent of cabin) to a local market, buys local foods, and cooks a special dinner for those folks…. We’ve been on several and LOVE them! Again, I have not problem with recognizing those who pay the most for a given cruise… give them a very special dinner, with good food and special wines…Just don’t refer to them as the Best of the Best Just to say that the Azamara Chef Experience for the Executive Chef is nothing like them preparing a Best of the Best event. I've been and also attended Best of the Best and they aren't the same at all. No comparison. Phil 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
excitedofharpenden Posted August 15, 2022 #22 Share Posted August 15, 2022 The other general point I wanted to make about the Best of the Best evening. Unless you were invited you would have no idea it was happening. Azamara rightly are subtle about such events. There's no note in the daily and it's not shown anywhere else. The only clue is "Private Function" at the door to the Drawing Room on the evening. The only reason it's known about here is from posts on the board. Phil 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare uktog Posted August 15, 2022 #23 Share Posted August 15, 2022 (edited) I agree that the two events don’t compare having also done both. Both have their place onboard and I’m pleased to see the chefs experience being offered again this autumn. Add to the mix Chefs Table and there are lots of options onboard for different exposure to the chefs talents. There’s lots of events that go on onboard that people don’t know about. That’s life! As to what it’s called who cares, if it works for the target audience that’s all that matters. I think Floris summed that up perfectly. Edited August 15, 2022 by uktog 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
federalexpress Posted August 15, 2022 #24 Share Posted August 15, 2022 I'm in a suite albeit a diddy one (CC) but I have no objection to them laying on an extra special dinner for those who have coughed up $$$$ more than me, anymore than I object to them having a bigger balcony or a seperate lounge. You gets what you pays for. Clearly the name is to do with the experience not the people- the latter who are in First or mega suites are certainly not always the 'best' people. Clumsy name, yes, but it is surely trying to big up the overall culinary experience as being 'the best' of which this is 'the best of the best'. Clunky, yes. Should have asked for my marketing advice..... 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggersn Posted August 25, 2022 #25 Share Posted August 25, 2022 On 8/15/2022 at 4:24 AM, DS said: Let me try for a third time… If it’s truly the best food and wine, why are not all passengers allow to attend? There is NO evidence that it refers to the food and drink…. And all kinds of evidence that it refers to big suite quests! The are other options for the executive chef to show his/her mettle. For, example, the shore excursions AZAMARA CHEF EXPERIENCES, when the chef takes a group of passengers (independent of cabin) to a local market, buys local foods, and cooks a special dinner for those folks…. We’ve been on several and LOVE them! Again, I have not problem with recognizing those who pay the most for a given cruise… give them a very special dinner, with good food and special wines…Just don’t refer to them as the Best of the Best As countless other people have explained, it is not the guests who are the best of the best. It refers to the food and wine. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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