How many people dose the pinnicale seat?

[mattR]

How many people dose the pinnicale seat? looking at the layout for the Zuiderdam it looks like only about 40?

[grannynurse]

Depending on the ship. I would have thought the Pinnacle on Vista class was bigger, but the Pinnacle in most of the HAL ships have seating for 40-55 people. The alternative restaurants are not very large and are seldom full except on very special occasions.
GN

[Peggy Sue]

Just got off the volendam. Don't know the exact count, but would say it's in the 40-50 range. There are 3 small areas with seating. Very classy, comfortable environment. Food was excellent. Great service. However, very few people were dining there. We dined there three eveings, an each time more than half the seats were empty. On the last evening, the place was almost deserted. They had received a lot of cancellations due to the rough seas.

We were not impressed with the food or service in the Pinnacle on the Zuiderdam May 03 (have read many positive reviews since then) but we really enjoyed the Pinnacle on the Volendam, and hope to repeat the experience on the Zaandam next June in Alaska!

[Krazy Kruizers]

There has been a lot of talk about the Pinnacle Grill looking as though anyone hardly eats there.

For starters, each table is used only once each evening. (It is rare when a table is used twice.) So that limits the number of people who can dine there each evening. Many times we have heard people complain that they tried to get a reservation and were told that the evening was completely booked. And then when they went by the Pinnacle they saw empty tables. Some people eat quicker than others - don't have drinks - don't order all the courses, etc. So as a result some people may take only 1 1/2 hours to eat their meal while others may be there 3 hours. That is the reason why each table has only one seating each evening.

[JoeCruisin]

I was on the Oosterdam a few weeks ago and I don't know the exact number but I thought the Pinnacle Grill sat a lot more than 50 people - I'd say at least double to triple that. My wife and I were surprised at how big it was. Both times we ate there we noticed many open tables so getting a reservation should not be a problem.

[shipcafe]

Amsterdam / Rotterdam - 86
SA/MA/RY/VE - 62
Prinsendam - 48
Volendam - 85
Zaandam - 87
Vista Class - 130

[sail7seas]

Thank you, Steve.


As lknick has been known to say.....facts will always beat speculation!! I appreciate your giving us the exact counts. Interesting IMO

[Tatka]

From what I remember on our Zui sailing in August it was sold out every night!

[Peggy Sue]

wow, I would never have guessed the Volendam could seat 85 people! Sail, you're right..our perceptions are sometimes way off! There are a lot of cozy nooks and crannies, so based upon the official number and my "guess" of 40-50...I was about 50% off target!!

Interesting they only reserve one seating. Didn't know that. But, everytime we walked by it looked to be more than 2/3's empty. Walk ups were being seated the 3 times we dined there.

Although the dining room could not match the quality of the steaks offered, the food in the dining room was very good. The steaks, and the delicous scampi on cedar plank, were excellent..but their sides were just standard fare..baked pototoes, asparagus, mushrooms, etc. The apps were very good..love those crab cakes, but the apps in the dining room were also quite good. So, I can see folks asking why dine there for $40. a couple when the dining room also offers good food. Even had a steak on night in the dining room that was quite good, not the quality of the pinnacle, but very good.

We received excellent service and attention to detail on the Volendam...the staff even had time to chat with us, something the dining staff no longer has time to do.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We like to dine in the Pinnacle because their filet mignon and lamb chops are SO much better than in the dining room.

When you are on a 21 day cruise, after a while you get tired of the same old thing.

[mrswynn]

We were on the Volendam 11/6 cruise with Peggy Sue. Ate at the Pinnacle twice; called and had reservations that same day. Food and service were fantastic. I don't eat steak, but the shrimp scampi was fantastic - shrimp on steroids, I'd say - the largest I've every had. and served in the shell open faced with a nutty topping - drawn garlic butter on the side! YUMMY! The clam chowder with sherry was the best I have ever had. and the desserts.... I'm not a chocolate person, but there were definitely some delicious alternatives... creme brulee, anyone? how about a fruit shortcake that melts in your mouth....???? am I whetting any appetites. Also had the chicken and it was great. They offered lunch seating after about three days and it was also not too well attended... what a shame. Like Peggy Sue, doubt that the restaurant was seated to capacity at any given evening. In fact, if it were, why were we allowed entrance at 8 when we didn't even call until 6:30 or so?
hmmmm....
As far as the cost, There's no way we could have had the initimate atmosphere and the fantastic food and service for $40 plus a $25 tip at any restaurant on land... what a treat! Since we had to cancel our excursion in Barbados and never go to HMC, we treated ourselves to the Pinnacle; in fact, had we known we would have missed HMC, we would have gone three times, but wanted to see our wonderful waitstaff in the main dining room the last night of the cruise. We had fantastic service and food there, also. DH is just a Porterhouse kind of guy, and the Pinnacle's steaks were so tender he used a butter knife! and the flavor... I'm salivating just typing this... and I don't eat steak!