Pinnacle

[lidorose]

We are taking our second cruise with HAL - first was on the Amsterdam, now the Rotterdam. On our first cruise, we decided to forego eating at the Pinnacle. We ate every evening meal in the dining room and thoroughly (and I mean thoroughly!) enjoyed every one of them! This time around, we are reconsidering trying it the first night when it's $10. Is the food really that much better there than in the dining room that it would be worth the try?
Thanks for any and all input!

'rose

[doone]

Rose, I was like you, absolutely perfectly happy with the dining room and never went to the Pinnacle. Last March while onboard the Rotterdam, it was my dad's birthday, so I decided to treat everyone to the Pinnacle to celebrate dad's birthday. I have to tell you, I am so sorry I didn't try the Pinnacle before that. The steaks absolutely melt in your mouth and the chocolate volcano cake, incredible. Give it a try, especially on the first night, its more than a bargain at $10 per person. Actually, I thought it was a bargain at $20 per person. Give it a try, I think you will be truly pleased.

I am sailing on the Zuiderdam and Volendam in March and plan to eat at the Pinnacle at least once on each ship.

[sail7seas]

For the most part, we always enjoy our dinner in the dining rooms of the various ships. Some, of course, are better than others but it is rare when we do not enjoy our dinner.


But, yes.....IMO....Pinnacle is that much better and is definitely worth it. We always go at least once each week of our cruises and tis last 12 day cruise, we went definitely twice and I think maybe three times.

I don't think you will be disappointed. Enjoy.

[lidorose]

Thanks so much for your opinions! Looks like we will have to give it a shot this time around.

'rose (isn't it time for lunch?)

[jaguarstyper]

We are taking our second cruise with HAL - first was on the Amsterdam, now the Rotterdam. On our first cruise, we decided to forego eating at the Pinnacle. We ate every evening meal in the dining room and thoroughly (and I mean thoroughly!) enjoyed every one of them! This time around, we are reconsidering trying it the first night when it's $10. Is the food really that much better there than in the dining room that it would be worth the try?
Thanks for any and all input!

'rose

Rose,

In my opinion, the food alone is worth the price of admission. But, there are several other reasons we enjoy the Pinnacle. We just feel its a much more relaxing dining experience. The service is prompt, but unhurried. The dining pace in the Vista is just way too fast for us. We really enjoy a slow pace for dinner with plenty of time to chat between courses. A 2+ hour dinner is commonplace for us when on vacation. We just tell the waiter that we are not in any rush and they are very accommodating. The service is much more personal. The atmosphere is peaceful, quiet and relaxing. The same cannot be said for the Vista. For our tastes in dining, the Pinnacle is just about perfect. We'll dine there everynight on our next cruise.

Tim

[heyabbott]

Is Pinnacle a better place to go on formal nights?

Does the menu in the main dining room on formal nights differ from the other nights?

Do ships take on additional provisions at ports of call on a 7 day cruise?

[sail7seas]

The menu is different every night in the dining room. On formal nights, they usually offer something a little more elegant. Beef Wellington, Lobster Tails on the last formal night....


They do not normally load a large amount of anything at any of the ports during a 7 day cruise in terms of food. If they need a particular liquor or some such, I've known them to pick some up but the vast majority of the time all loading is done at home ports. Even that is not a full load each week. If a ship is doing 7 day cruises, they do not do a full order each week. They don't need to. Their storage areas are so massive and the conditions so ideal that provisions can be loaded less frequently.

[doone]

On one of the formal nights, I think maybe the last formal night, in the dining room, they serve escargot. I don't miss the dining room that night!!!!

[boards]

Is it too early to book the Pinnacle for our Nov. 26, 2005 cruise?

[cactuslady]

Is Pinnacle a better place to go on formal nights?

Does the menu in the main dining room on formal nights differ from the other nights?

Do ships take on additional provisions at ports of call on a 7 day cruise?
Sorry to say, on the Prinsendam last fall, we went to the Pinnacle (our second time on HAL) and were just a bit underwhelmed (no, not much really, and I'm not complaining). This is not due to any fault of the Pinnacle, but the food in the dining room was especially wonderful on that ship, with lots of variety, and we received excellent service there. So there was less contrast than on our first visit (on the Statendam). The Pinnacle menu, while marvelous, is limited and always the same, in my short experience.

I personally wouldn't go to the Pinnacle on a formal night (although I haven't been). Rather, I would go on an ordinary night to give me another chance to dress up. To my knowledge, the Pinnacle does not offer lobster, caviar, crab, Baked Alaska, beef wellington, or the many other goodies you can get only on formal night in the dining room. Nor does it offer flambe desserts, which the Prinsendam dining room had every night. If you're a strictly steak and asparagus eater, that won't bother you.

Yes, the ships take on provisions from time to time at various ports. For instance, you may find fresh papayas or mangos suddenly appear after a port visit. I'm not sure if this is limited to special local products only.

[Sea Island Lady]

On a 7 day cruise, is there a night that we should try the Pinnacle instead of the dining room?
Can Mariner's make reservations ahead of time for the Pinnacle? Is it too late for as? We leave in 4 weeks.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have eaten at the Pinnacle Grill many times on various ships. And never had a bad meal. We find the lamb and filets much better than those in the dining room. We feel that it is worth the $20 per person.

[Sea Island Lady]

Thank you for the lamb tip! I love lamb and so far, have found the lamb in the dining rooms better than the specialty on numerous ships. Is the lamb true rack of lamb?

[peaches from georgia]

We take a look at the dinner menu each morning and make our decision about going to the Pinnacle based on the choices in the regular dining room that night. We normally go two or three times per cruise, but would never go on a formal night. Formal nights are the best choices and preparation in the dining room.

There's no way to tell you what night(s) the dining room menu might not be particularly appealing to you and no way to know for sure what will be served any particular night. Make your decision on the Pinnacle when you are onboard.

DH would go every night and have the Pinnacle lamb if it were totally up to him. :)

[bepsf]

The Pinnacle lamb is served as 3 Frenched Lambchops
Pinnacle pre-reservations are available to all HAL Passengers - just dial HAL Shipservices. You can even make Pinnacle reservations as a gift for a friend who is be departing on a cruise - just have their name, date of departure, ship and stateroom if possible.
Crab is available in the Pinnacle regularly now, as is Baked Alaska which is served w/ flaming cherry sauce. Lobster is also available, I'm told, during formal nights.
On itineraries that are greater than 2 weeks, it's quite common for ships to pick up additional provisions such as fresh fruit and vegetables in port. In rare cases, staff will be sent off the ship in port to stock up on something that they un-expectedly ran short of - such as when Zuiderdam ran out of vodka on a gay charter cruise...

[Renorita]

Question! If you meet a couple at your assigned table in the dining room and want to go with them to the Pinnacle, would it be rude to leave so few people at the table? We are requesting a table for 6-8. Will the waiters be upset?

[doone]

No, not at all, please let your waitstaff know the night before. We enjoy going to the BBQ, we just let our waitstaff know the night before and also when we go to the Pinnacle, they appreciate the notice.

[RuthC]

Question! If you meet a couple at your assigned table in the dining room and want to go with them to the Pinnacle, would it be rude to leave so few people at the table? We are requesting a table for 6-8. Will the waiters be upset?
I agree with doone, it's customary to let your stewards know if you won't be at the table for dinner.

It's also customary to let your table companions know if you won't be there. At a table for 6-8 people will tend to wait (a reasonable amount of time) for everyone to arrive before they order; if you let them know in advance they can go ahead.
With advance notice your tablemates may also feel free to make other plans.
Or! You may all like each other so much you all want to go to the Pinnacle together!

[peaches from georgia]

Question! If you meet a couple at your assigned table in the dining room and want to go with them to the Pinnacle, would it be rude to leave so few people at the table? We are requesting a table for 6-8. Will the waiters be upset?
I don't think the stewards would be upset no matter what, but we always tell ours if we will not be at dinner.

Table for 6- 4 go to the Pinnacle and don't invite the other couple? Would never do that. I think it is unfeeling, if not rude, to exclude only one couple and knowingly leave them alone at the dining table. I would be most uncomfortable the next night in the dining room.

Table for 8-10- A different story if 2 couples go to dinner elsewhere. You are not knowingly making arrangements that would leave one couple by themselves.

[Renorita]

Naturally we would not exclude one couple if there were only six people at the table, of course this could happen if the 3rd couple did not show up, say the first night when we make the arrangements. If one couple turned out to be people we would not particulary want to share a very long meal with, we would just go by ourselves. Good idea to let the wait staff know a day in advance. :) Still wondering if anyone has had luck adding more people to an existing reservation for two.

[sail7seas]

I have never seen any Pinnacle we have dined in completely sold out. They do not fully book every table. I speculate that there is a certain number at which they cut off as they do not have enough servers to handle a fully packed room. Assuming this pattern continues, you may be able to switch from a reservation for two to four but you cannot count on it in advance.

[Ritanita]

My husband and I dined in the Pinnacle on our last cruise. The food was fantastic and the service wonderful. The chef even came out to discuss the quality of the horseradish sauce which my husband felt was too watered-down! They made sure he got the full-strenght version!

My husband, as a gift to me, had booked three dinners there during our 21-day cruise. Unfortunately, the menu was the same for most nights, and I'd enjoyed my favorites on the first. We canceled the second two only because I felt that I needed more of a variety as presented in the dining room.

As has been mentioned before, the Pinnacle is something not to miss during your curise. But, if there are light diners in your party, they may not totally be able to take full enjoyment from the wonderful choices!

[Sage]

Doone,

If Erika is still in the Pinnacle in March, ask for her. She is an absolute delight and excellent at her job. :D

[lidorose]

Is the Pinnacle the same as the dining room where you can order more than one of whatever? Also, if you have reservations there for the first night, does the ship inform your dining room server? Our entire group will all be chowing down in the Pinnacle (with our pinkie fingers up, of course):), so our table in the dining room will be empty the first night.

No troubles with "light eaters" in our group! Can't wait to try the sumptuous samplings in the Pinnacle!

'rose

[doone]

Sage, thanks I will ask for her.

'Rose, you can order all the sides you wish, but the entree, if you want more than one, you need to pay $20 for each entree, as I understand it. I don't think you will need to, the steaks are HUGE. The Pinnacle will not notify your dining room steward that you are eating there. We usually try to tell him ourselves, but being the first night, it may be hard to do it.

[Oceanwench]

DH & I have eaten at The Pinnacle on two occasions and really enjoyed ourselves.
Neither time was it crowded, and the service was outstanding. Food is very good.
Both times we made reservations well in advance of our cruise.

We are cruising with our 2 daughters & their beaux on the Zui on 5/14, and DH called to book a table for 6 in The Pinnacle for the first night.
First he was told to fax his request, which he did.
He was then contacted by HAL and told the restaurant was sold out that night, that they had "large groups" booked.
He asked if we could get 3 tables of 2, or a table of 2 and a table of 4.
They said no.

I'm surprised that more than 3 months out, the restaurant is completely booked.

In Nov. 2004 we cruised on the Oosterdam & booked The Pinnacle for the first night. We were surprised at how empty it was -- only 3 or 4 other tables occupied.

I realize we can go to the restaurant on another night, but since we are picking up the tab for the girls and their beaux for the cruise itself, and we had planned to treat them to The Pinnacle as well ... I'd rather pay 1/2 price the first night.

[doone]

I had to fax my request in for 6 of us the first night on the Volendam. I did this Monday, still waiting for an answer, how long before you received an answer when you faxed your request in?

[Oceanwench]

I believe he faxed in the request last Wednesday or Thursday and received a call yesterday [Tuesday].

I am not sure why he had to fax the request -- maybe size of the group?
Previously we had tables for 4 and did not need to fax ahead.

[doone]

Thank you, I'll have to wait a few more days since I just faxed my request in this past Monday.

I was told that parties of 6 or more they need it to be faxed into them and then they contact the ship. I find it strange as I made reservations for 5 of us at the Pinnacle on the Zuiderdam and had no problem, but then went to make reservations for 6 on the Volendam and was told I had to fax it in. Weird, but what can you do, its their policy.

Thanks again.

[heyabbott]

Thanks for the info. I just called and made a reservation for 2 for our March Westerdam cruise. As all the S & SS cabins are soldout, your post motivated me to make a reservation

[vjw1218]

My family and friends have reservations for the first night. Do the desserts differ every night as in the dining room? I've read so much about the fabulous Volcano Cake that I can't wait to try it! I'll be disappointed if it's not served. Is the menu or service shortchanged in any way on the first night since the restaurant is discounted?

[doone]

The menu in the Pinnacle does not change from night to night, its always the same. You'll certainly enjoy that chocolate volcano cake, its worth $20 just for that!!!!!

[dakrewser]

Crab is available in the Pinnacle regularly now, as is Baked Alaska which is served w/ flaming cherry sauce. Lobster is also available, I'm told, during formal nights.


No crab or lobster in the Grille last week. Seafood choices included Halibut fillet, Wild King Salmon fillet and "planked scampi" (which were huge prawns).


We went to the Pinnacle on formal night as well as on a casual night and found fewer guests there on the formal night - but still a good crowd. No differences in the menus offered either night, though.