China in Pinnacle

[Orcrone]

I remember a thread a while ago discussing the expensive china in the Pinnacle grill. When we dined there two weeks ago the only pieces were the charger and a bread plate. Before serving anything the charger was taken away (I thought the purpose of the charger was to go under the dinner plate), so realistically we only used the bread plate.

Personally I don't care what kind of dishes my dinner is served upon, but seems to me that they should either serve the entire dinner on the china, or stop advertising it.

Do they do this at the Pinnacle on all HAL ships?

[shipcafe]

The plates in the Pinnacle Grill are Bvlgari China accompanied by Riedel German stemware.

Following are some photos that I took of the new dinnerware :

http://www.shipcafe.net/shipcafe/am/am04_51.jpg
http://www.shipcafe.net/shipcafe/am/am04_53.jpg
http://www.shipcafe.net/shipcafe/am/am04_50.jpg

Hope that that helps.

Steve

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes, they do the same thing on all HAL ships.

They only leave the bread and butter plate,

The charger is removed once you are served your starter.

[Orcrone]

I just felt it was interesting that they took away the charger, and most of the set is non-existant. Reminds me of an uncle's house when I was a kid. They had a living room that kids were not allowed in. When they weren't looking we put our foot in the room.:D

[peaches from georgia]

I just felt it was interesting that they took away the charger, and most of the set is non-existant.
Removing the charger plate, especially before the entree, is what is done in most restaurants. HAL is following proper etiquette in the use of their Bvlgari china, and it is gorgeous.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Guess HAL spent so much money on the bread/butter plates and the chargers that they didn't have any money left to buy dinner plates, salad plates, soup bowls, etc.

;) ;)

[Orcrone]

Removing the charger plate, especially before the entree, is what is done in most restaurants. HAL is following proper etiquette in the use of their Bvlgari china, and it is gorgeous.Thanks for the clarification. Didn't realize that was SOP.:)

We rarely eat at a restaurant with fancy china. OK, OK, we never eat at restaurants with fancy china.;)

[Orcrone]

Guess HAL spent so much money on the bread/butter plates and the chargers that they didn't have any money left to buy dinner plates, salad plates, soup bowls, etc.

;) ;)I guess that's my point. I didn't expect them to take away the charger and serve the rest of the meal on different china. Doesn't bother me in the least, just found it curious. Perhaps they're saving up until they could afford it. They should do like I do and go to Ebay.:D

[Roadwork]

Interesting posts. Seems like I learn something new every day.

Orcrone,

Did your uncle also have plastic slip covers? :D Mine did.

[Cruising Jake]

They have a great set of flatware as well.

[Orcrone]

Interesting posts. Seems like I learn something new every day.

Orcrone,

Did your uncle also have plastic slip covers? :D Mine did.I couldn't tell you for sure about my uncle's place. They never let us close enough to find out. Although if they had them we may have been able to go in there.

But I do remember us getting a new couch when my brother and I were 5 and 6, respectively. That came with the plastic slipcover which probably stayed on for about 5 years. I always said my parents didn't know whether they liked it. They left the wrapper on in case they decided to return the couch.:D

[letsgonow]

This thread really made me laugh! When we dined at the "special" wine dinner on the Maasdam last May, they removed the bread plates before we were half way through the main course. I told the bus person that we wouldn't steal the plate. Her response: "it is Bvlgari!" I didn't have the heart to tell her that those plates would not match my Royal Copenhagen Flora Danica or Herend patterns. To bad they have to worry so much about a bread plate!

[Krazy Kruizers]

letsgonow

When we were at that Sommelier's dinner our bread/butter plates were not removed from the table at any time during the dinner.

Nor were they ever removed anytime we have eaten at the Pinnacle - past or present.

The trick is to keep a small piece of role on your breand/butter plate at all times - that way they think you are still nibbling the bread.

[ger_77]

Your posts made me laugh and remember a particular Aunt and Uncle of mine. The whole family (about 25 of us 'lowly' relatives) were invited for Christmas one year - we walked through the "living room" where their white sofas and chairs were covered in clear plastic and their blue plush carpet had clear plastic runners wherever the main traffic areas were. We walked through the living room and were relegated to the "rumpus room" in the basement for the festivities. I'll never forget the ride home from that holiday - I thought my mother was going to have a stroke going on and on about their "high falutin" ways. :)

We've eaten in the Odyssey / Pinnacle on both the Zuiderdam and the Prinsendam, and to be honest, I can't remember what the china looked like - I was just happy to be in the company of my husband - they could have served us on "Royal Chinet" for all I cared. The pictures of the china, do look nice, however.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

The china that was originally used and shown in the Marco Polo and Odyssey were not the same as HAL ordered for the Pinnacle Grills.

[gizmo]

Your posts made me laugh and remember a particular Aunt and Uncle of mine. The whole family (about 25 of us 'lowly' relatives) were invited for Christmas one year - we walked through the "living room" where their white sofas and chairs were covered in clear plastic and their blue plush carpet had clear plastic runners wherever the main traffic areas were. We walked through the living room and were relegated to the "rumpus room" in the basement for the festivities. I'll never forget the ride home from that holiday - I thought my mother was going to have a stroke going on and on about their "high falutin" ways. :)
:) :) :)
Funny stories. :D Looks like a lot of people have some fanatical relatives. Mr. Gizmo has talked about an Aunt and Uncle who had the plastic slip covers, and no one was allowed in the living room. The adults were herded into the kitchen and the kids banished to another area. I believe he has told me the back door had to be used, to prevent anyone from walking through the living room.

[Brandis]

In the Pinnacle on the Prinsendam, the "Amuse Bouche" which was brought out before the appetizers were served on the Bulgari plate. Well not directly, but the plate it was served on was put onto the Bulgari plate. When the appetizers were brought, they removed both plates.

During the kitchen tour we saw the special dishwashing machine they have just for the Bulgari plates. They told us that the small bread plate costs $70 apiece and takes about 5 month to be delivered.

Marc

[mattR]

sorry what is Amuse Bouche?

[Brandis]

It sometimes is also called a greeting from the kitchen. :-) It's some little bits to keep you busy until the appetizer arrives. It is not something you order, it is just brought out as soon that they have taken your orders.

I took a picture of it: http://www.brandis.org/fotogalerie/Prinsendam04/PICT0055

It was a small piece of toasted bread with a scampi, a piece of toast with grilled mushrooms and salmon mousse.

Hope this helps.

Marc

[lknick]

sorry what is Amuse Bouche?See you're not a Friends viewer. There was a whole episode on s'amuse bouches.

In proper French presentation, the meal starts with an aperitif, usually in the anisette family, to stimulate the taste buds. It is followed by an s'amuse bouch [yes, there is an 's' as the verb 'amuser' is reflexive] which means to 'amuse the mouth.' The size is just large enough to continue the stimulation of the salivary glands. It is always presented as a 'gift from the chef.'

There is more...but who cares.

And yes, chargers [not charger plates] are always of a different china and are removed after the s’amuse bouch is presented. Many are metal as chargers were originally heated and used to 'charge the table with heat' to help keep the plated food warm. Today, they are only decorative.

[Heaven2]

Just to add another strange dining story.

For seventeen years, our neighbor has always hosted his family in the garage.
He pulls up the double doors. Puts out long tables with chairs for them. No paper or cloth tablecloths. Oh, he does sweep the garage before hand.

It doesn't seem to matter what kind of weather is happening. Everyone is in the garage. He must let them use the bathroom for I have not seen a port-o-potty put out.

Needless to say, his parties are not very private.

[Roadwork]

Sounds interesting. Does he get a keg?

[lipoppop]

I just felt it was interesting that they took away the charger, and most of the set is non-existant. Reminds me of an uncle's house when I was a kid. They had a living room that kids were not allowed in. When they weren't looking we put our foot in the room.:D

Bet they had plastic on the couch.

Edit. Sorry, missed the other post