Was it an off day at the Zuiderdam Pinnacle Grill last week?

[wingit]

We’ve had dinner several times at Oosterdam’s PG and were delighted in every way. Last week’s lunch was definitely sub par. Long wait in between courses. No one stopped by table to explain the delay. When my husband flagged down our waiter, he rushed by and said just one more minute. Many, many minutes went by and my husband went up to speak to the manager. Finally got our meals – steak undercooked, sent it back for another long wait. My crab cakes were not as good as those in the Vista dining room and had a "fishy" taste. The Chocolate Decadence did not live up to its name. The Pinnacle Grill did right by us in that they did not charge us for the meal and offered us complimentary glasses of wine. It was, however, obvious that the manager considered us to be unreasonable in our displeasure. All in all, an unpleasant experience.

[sail7seas]

Seems they were having a problem that day. One can only guess what was the difficulty but that is definitely not the norm nor the way it should have been. Sorry for your disappointment.

[iflyrc5]

I agree - I was not impressed at all with the Pinnacle last week - (We ate there Thursday May 10th). I had the in bone ribeye and it was full of a fat and tough. Service was ok and desert was good but I was not impressed - I am happy that I didn't pay the $60 for my wife and I - it was a gift from our travel agent. Vista was better and no extra cost!!!!!

BTW - Fine and Dandy in the lido bistro - starboard side was super (remembered our names from the first day out) and we had Putu in Vista 2 at table 149 and he was outstanding!!!!!!

[FloridaGram]

We had a similar experience on the Westerdam at the end of Feb. I will NEVER eat at Pinnacle again. It was not worth the $30 charge, especially since I just got of Disney and you would not believe what we got for only $10 per person. Palo on Disney Magic is a must!

We had never been to Pinnacle before and did not know how it worked. After waiting for a ridiculous amount of time and never being addressed by a server, we asked one walking by and she was our server and told us she would get to us when she could. We only wanted to ask questions about how it worked before deciding what to order.

It went downhill from there and I felt like the filet I had at Outback the week before was better than Pinnacle. Our service in the dining room was much better and the food was also.

I would like to suggest to HAL that a place to cut corners is not with the service at Pinnacle for the premium price they are charging. It won't be long before others feel the same way I do and will never go back again.

[jjb415]

Your Pinnacle experience was much like ours on the Oosterdam last October. We went back to the Pinnacle on the Westerdam last month and it was fantastic. Seems to be hit or miss depending on the amount of guests and what's going on in the kitchen. When there on a good day, it is well worth it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Soory your lunch at the Pinnacle was not as great as it should have been.

I tried that Chocolate decadence dessert in 2004 and gave it a thumb's down.

[Jade13]

We’ve had dinner several times at Oosterdam’s PG and were delighted in every way. Last week’s lunch was definitely sub par. Long wait in between courses. No one stopped by table to explain the delay. When my husband flagged down our waiter, he rushed by and said just one more minute. Many, many minutes went by and my husband went up to speak to the manager. Finally got our meals – steak undercooked, sent it back for another long wait. My crab cakes were not as good as those in the Vista dining room and had a "fishy" taste. The Chocolate Decadence did not live up to its name. The Pinnacle Grill did right by us in that they did not charge us for the meal and offered us complimentary glasses of wine. It was, however, obvious that the manager considered us to be unreasonable in our displeasure. All in all, an unpleasant experience.

Since when do they serve the crab cakes in the Vista Dinning room?

[iflyrc5]

Don't know when it started by my wife had them in the Vista for diner on the Zuiderdam last week.

[RustaRoo]

Since when do they serve the crab cakes in the Vista Dinning room?I had them on Noordam last week too, in the Vista Dining Room.

You could have shot a cannon through the PG on the Noordam the first two weeks of the Panama Cruise (I disembarked on Saturday). People are voting with their feet and eating elsewhere. Medicore food with bad service and at an extra cost - clearly that's what many felt.

[sail7seas]

Lots of TA's were giving free Pinnacle Dinner as incentive gifts. Guess they must have stopped. When people could go there for free, they went.

We love Pinnacle and have enjoyed many really lovely meals/evenings there.

Let you know if Maasdam's is as good as it has always been in the past when we are aboard soon. We have had some great meals there. Our dinner in Pinnacle on Noordam in January was excellent; same with Maasdam, Zuiderdam, Rotterdam, Ryndam; Veendam..... guess we're just very lucky.

[RedmondCruiser]

I guess I'm lucky but we have never had a bad meal in the Pinnacle. I have noted that the thick steaks are almost raw inside when you order it medium rare. I don't mind it but some people turn the steaks back to revisit the grill. I agree that its not worth the $30 PP extra when combined with a $20 tip and wine. I still miss the $10 first night price. Once in a while people should feel that they are getting a real bargin.

[Orcrone]

I ordered a filet medium rare at the Pinnacle on the Maasdam a few years ago. It came out somewhere between medium well and well done. I was going to just let it be, but my friends said I should speak up. The maitre'd said that it's difficult cooking a thick piece of meat medium rare. I told himi that didn't seem likely since I've never had a problem in any restaurants, and the regular dining room, serving hundreds of people didn't seem to have a problem either.:rolleyes:

Didn't make me want to spend extra for the Pinnacle on the Zuiderdam.

[washaw]

We ate twice at the PG on msNoordam during the Panama Canal cruise Apr 21-May 9. First time was a special birthday celebration for my wife and the second a gift from our TA. Both times I felt the service was no better, perhaps worse, than the dining room. The food was good but certainly not worth the extra $60.

Sooo.... no more PG for us. Sorry HAL but something is just not working here. Others seem to agree as the place was practically empty.

[peaches from georgia]

Originally Posted by Jade13
Since when do they serve the crab cakes in the Vista Dinning room?


I had them on Noordam last week too, in the Vista Dining Room.


Were the crab cakes an entree or were they the real lump Dungeness crab cakes served as an appetizer in the PG? I don't see real Dungeness cc being a Vista DR entree if they are not an entree in the PG. Dungeness is very expensive.