Best Evenings to Dine in the Pinnacle Grill?

[SouthHillsCruiser]

We are doing our first cruise on the Eurodam at the end of November (7 day Eastern Caribbean). I want to make reservations to have dinner in the Pinnacle Grill on one or two evenings -- but which evenings to reserve?. My question to the many experienced cruisers is, would you suggest choosing or avoiding certain evenings, or doesn't it really matter? Thank you!

[RuthC]

I would check with the Maitre d' at the Pinnacle to see when the formal nights are. Those nights I would eat in the dining room.
I would also ask if there's going to be a Master Chef's dinner on my cruise. If so, that's the night I would go to the Pinnacle. ;)

[Sprocket]

I agree totally with Ruth, the menu in the DR for formal nights is wonderful. DH cannot eat mushrooms and so found the menu for the Master Chef's dinner very limited for him. We still had a great time and had our stewards and wine steward autograph the chefs hat and it is a nice memento of our cruise. But that being said, we would definitely skip it next time.

[garydm]

While we have found the food in the Pinnacle consistently of lower quality than the main dining room, if you do go, make it on Master Chef's night.

I am always dumfounded when I see posts comparing the Pinnnacle Grill to Ruth's Chris. The service is usually great, but the food more consistent with a Sizzler.

Gary

[earl_m]

I think any night would be good, except the last night of the cruise!

[Host Michell]

I would check with the Maitre d' at the Pinnacle to see when the formal nights are. Those nights I would eat in the dining room.
I would also ask if there's going to be a Master Chef's dinner on my cruise. If so, that's the night I would go to the Pinnacle. ;)

I second (or maybe it's third or fourth) Ruth's vote here. Whatever night they are offering the Master Chef's dinner -- that's the night to go the Pinnacle Grill.

[brucory]

I would check with the Maitre d' at the Pinnacle to see when the formal nights are. Those nights I would eat in the dining room.
I would also ask if there's going to be a Master Chef's dinner on my cruise. If so, that's the night I would go to the Pinnacle. ;)

The only night that we were not extremely impressed with the food in the dining room was on the Master Chef's dinner evening. There is not as much flexibility or choice at this meal... Go to the PG that night, but get in early with your reservation, as it seems many agree...

:D :D :D

[DrKoob]

OK, I will act the dummy. We are regular X cruisers who are doing Oosterdam to Mexico next month. What is a Master Chef's Dinner? And how do you get reservations at the Pinnacle Grille pre-cruise? We have sailed HAL once before but it was on the original Westerdam (a long time ago).

Any and all help for this poor excuse for a Celebrity cruiser would be appreciated. :D

[kalliekae]

We chose to dine in the Pinnacle on formal nights. Service was wonderful and the food was outstanding!! Any night in the Pinnacle is great except for the last night when you will want to be in the dining room for the Baked Alaska parade.

[Voireon]

What is a Master Chef's Dinner?

Someone please elaborate as to why it's not so great. The MC dinner on DCL is the best night imo, so what makes HALs not so good?

[GeriatricNurse]

We chose to dine in the Pinnacle on formal nights. Service was wonderful and the food was outstanding!! Any night in the Pinnacle is great except for the last night when you will want to be in the dining room for the Baked Alaska parade.


Same for us!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We are doing our first cruise on the Eurodam at the end of November (7 day Eastern Caribbean). I want to make reservations to have dinner in the Pinnacle Grill on one or two evenings -- but which evenings to reserve?. My question to the many experienced cruisers is, would you suggest choosing or avoiding certain evenings, or doesn't it really matter? Thank you!

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

JMO -- we don't like the Master Chef's dinner -- for us that is a good night to go to the Pinnacle.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We chose to dine in the Pinnacle on formal nights. Service was wonderful and the food was outstanding!! Any night in the Pinnacle is great except for the last night when you will want to be in the dining room for the Baked Alaska parade.

On all the different ships that we have been on, the Baked Alaska Parade hasn't been on the last night.

On our cruises it has always been on the last formal night.

[vb,cruisers]

While we have found the food in the Pinnacle consistently of lower quality than the main dining room, if you do go, make it on Master Chef's night.

I am always dumfounded when I see posts comparing the Pinnnacle Grill to Ruth's Chris. The service is usually great, but the food more consistent with a Sizzler.

Gary

Gary...........Our experience has been the same as yours.

[jtl513]

Someone please elaborate as to why it's not so great. The MC dinner on DCL is the best night imo, so what makes HALs not so good?
What is a Master Chef's Dinner? And how do you get reservations at the Pinnacle Grille pre-cruise?
In a nutshell, the MC Dinner is a night where there is a limited menu and a show is put on by the waiters and the entertainment staff. Many of us feel that the service suffers and the whole dinner drags on far too long.

You can make reservations for the Pinnacle Grill on the HAL site at For Booked Guests, On Board Gifts (http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/OnboardGifts.action), or by calling Ship Services at 800-541-1576.

[Krazy Kruizers]

OK, I will act the dummy. We are regular X cruisers who are doing Oosterdam to Mexico next month. What is a Master Chef's Dinner? And how do you get reservations at the Pinnacle Grille pre-cruise? We have sailed HAL once before but it was on the original Westerdam (a long time ago).

Any and all help for this poor excuse for a Celebrity cruiser would be appreciated. :D

The group "The Mix" from the Crow's Nest played the music about 80% of the time. The crew staff and dancers from the production shows led the waitstaff in the dance routines. The lead singer from the cast did the opening song. It was the only time she sang. Since she was on the steps, halfway down, many people didn't even know that she was singing. (The group playing differes by ship.)

When we entered the dining room there was already a Parker House with various seeds on top on the butter plate which was under your chef's toque and menu. The menu was a special cut out showing a spatula, cork screw, rolling pin, chopping knife and big spoon.

Then we had the Ballet Service. This was the only time we had a singer. The waitstaff entered both levels of the dining room to the tune of "Swan Lake". The assistant waiter held the try of napkins while the waiter placed them in our laps. The crew and cast had to help out here in some sections as there weren't enough waitstaff to quickly get the napkins to everyone.

Act 1 - Once again the waitstaff, crew and cast entered the dining room carrying the Chef's Amuse Surprise -- mushroom mousse with asparagus en bouche. This was a tiny empty puff pastry with a tiny dab of mouuse on top.

After those dishes were cleared away, the waitstaff. crew and cast again assembled in the hall and entered the dining room to begin Act 2 -- The Swing Service. The crew and staff "mixed" the salad in HUGE salad bowls to music -- waitstaff get throwing in fake tomatoes, peppers, etc -- some of the waitstaff tried to juggle the peppers -- very funny. Show Salad Spectacular: menu said that we were to have assorted baby greens, pepper rings, mushrooms, scallions & cherry tomatoes with a honey mustard dressing. What we actually got was a tomato stuffed with the assorted baby greens, enoki mushrooms with chopped up onion, scallions and peppers sprinkled on top and the honey mustard dressing drizzled over everything.

Then the waiters came around and took our orders for the Starters and Entrees.

Starters:
1.Dialogue of Alaskan Salmon Tartare with avocado: cold smoked, pickled and chipotle-hot-smoked salmon with lime-avocado-tomato sauce. DH had this -- loved it the first segment. 2nd segment -- it was mostly BIG chunks of onion and very little salmon.

2.Golden Baked Brie in Phyllo Dough served with a cinnamon-spiced apple cranberry compote -- have had this many times in the past -- love it -- it was excellent the first segment -- not completely heated through -- brie -- wasn't even melted a little bit.

3.Lobster Bisque sensuously smooth classical shellfish soup enhanced with aged French cognac and whipped cream. We both have had this in the past -- it's okay -- not one of our favorites.

4.Oxtail En Crote - flavorful classical soup slow-simmered and served in a crisp pastry crust -- excellent both segments.

Entrees:

1.Tagliatelli with Roasted Chicken & Portobello Muchrooms tossed in olive oil and lemon cream.

2.Sauteed shrimps "Provencales" scented with Mediterranean herbs, tomato concassee', florets of crisp, tender broccoli and sticky rice -- you got 4 medium size shrimps -- some people ordered 3 of this dish in order to get more shrimp -- which sent the waiter into a tizzy since they were on a time schedule.

3.Apricot Glazed Salmon with Soya Garlic and Ginger Spalsh -- I have had this on other ships and love it. 1st segment -- excellent RED sockeye salmon -- 2nd segment -- pink salmon -- tasteless.

4.Duck Breast a l'Orange - the old time favorite, oven roasted until crisp amd served with a Grand Marnier sauce, braised red cabbage, pea pods, carrots julienne and William potatoes. DH had this the first segment -- excellent.

5.Whole Roasted Tenderloin of Beef on an earthy bed of calvados-spiked mushroom ragout, with vegetable bundle, braised onion & horseradish mashed potato. DH had this the second time -- beef was tough and fatty.

6.Wild Mushroom Strudel - selected forest mushroom spinach & feta cheese rolled in Phyllo dough and baked until crisp and flaky. Served with a Thai red curry sauce and a timbale of basmati rice.

Act 3 - The Final Service --- the waitstaff, crew and cast began to assemble out in the hallway around 7:15 for this. Then they came parading into the dining room carrying trays of Chef's Rudi's "Hat's Off" dessert. Some of the cast and crew members had bottles of fake champagne that when they popped the corks, some bottles sent out streamers aimed towards the chandeliers which also landed on the people and tables directly below. Other fake botles of champagne gave off smoke. We have had this dessert before. There is a small piece of cake resembling a peg that holds the chef's hat in place - the chef's hat is made out of white chocolate - chef's hat conceals a small amount of chocolate mousse. It was excellent the 1st segment. The second segment -- the cake was flavored in mint -- the mousse was flavored in mint. All you could taste was mint!! A lot of white chocolate went to waste. Many people could not (including us) break the hat up -- it was too thick in places.

[Krazy Kruizers]

OK, I will act the dummy. We are regular X cruisers who are doing Oosterdam to Mexico next month. What is a Master Chef's Dinner? And how do you get reservations at the Pinnacle Grille pre-cruise? We have sailed HAL once before but it was on the original Westerdam (a long time ago).

Any and all help for this poor excuse for a Celebrity cruiser would be appreciated. :D

You can call Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576 to make Pinnacle Grill reservations. Just have ready your booking number for the cruise and your credir card.

[ECV]

Does the Master Chef Diner still occur if you have the As You Wish Dining option? I would think that it only could be done with fixed time seating. :rolleyes:

So if you DO have AYWD what is the best night for the Pinnacle?

[whenzuc]

Is the a dinner like this on the 7 night carribean cruises? Is it on a set night? Are the formal nights always on the 2 nights at sea?

[CinWin]

In order to book the Pinnacle in ADVANCE of our cruise, where would we get the information to find out if there will be a master chef dinner and which night if there is one? :confused:
Cindy

[RuthC]

Does the Master Chef Diner still occur if you have the As You Wish Dining option? I would think that it only could be done with fixed time seating. :rolleyes:

So if you DO have AYWD what is the best night for the Pinnacle?
We all have the "As You Wish Dining" option. Some of us get fixed seating, and others get open seating---it's just that some of us don't actually get what we wish. :rolleyes:

When the Master Chef's Dinner is held with all the hoopla, those on open seating are given a set time for that one night.
You can run, but you can't hide. ;)

[james j feller]

We have been on the EURODAM and they did not have the MASTER CHEFS DINNER, maybe it has changed but at that time they did not have it.

JIM

[mamaofami]

How have I had the good luck to miss this dinner on all of my cruises?

[ECV]

We have been on the EURODAM and they did not have the MASTER CHEFS DINNER, maybe it has changed but at that time they did not have it.

JIM


Jim, that is GOOD NEWS!:D

[RuthC]

We have been on the EURODAM and they did not have the MASTER CHEFS DINNER, maybe it has changed but at that time they did not have it.

JIM
In my experience the Vistas and the E-dam do not have the "production show" part of the Master Chef's Dinner, but they do have a semblance of one. There is a night when the menu from the Master Chef's Dinner appears; fortunately, there are also additional choices.

[Mary Ellen]

In my experience the Vistas and the E-dam do not have the "production show" part of the Master Chef's Dinner, but they do have a semblance of one. There is a night when the menu from the Master Chef's Dinner appears; fortunately, there are also additional choices. But not many more choices and they still sucked (for those of us who don't care for fungus). That swill "Chef" Rudi calls Lobster Bisque is still on the menu. For those who love lobster bisque this is thin, watery and maybe someone walked through the kitchen holding a lobster while it was prepared. :rolleyes:

As Ruth said, the menu was still on the E'dam...
You can run, but you can't hide.

[james j feller]

MARY ELLEN,

Why don't you tell us what you really think of the bisque ?

It must be me but i like it, i must have bad taste.

JIM

[Cruising Ham]

While we have found the food in the Pinnacle consistently of lower quality than the main dining room, if you do go, make it on Master Chef's night.

I am always dumfounded when I see posts comparing the Pinnnacle Grill to Ruth's Chris. The service is usually great, but the food more consistent with a Sizzler.

GaryMy experience as a first time cruiser on the Rotterdam in July was much different. I thought my PG steak was absolutely outstanding, one of the best I'd ever had. The service left a lot to be desired, mainly because three young ladies from the crew were eating and seemed to occupy the attention of the male waitstaff (we put that on our survey at cruise end).

But I have to second (third, fourth, fifth?) going to the PG on Master Chef night. It was, of course, my first experience with it, and I was somewhat less than impressed. I just didn't get the point. It was "OK", but that's about it.

Horses for courses, I guess.

[Mary Ellen]

Jim - Do you like the Lobster bisque in the PG or that served with the MCD? Two entirely different things. I do like what is served in the PG.

On the E'dam, two of our friends tried the stuff in the dining room and after one spoon said that they should have listened to me. (btw - I'd probably be in trouble with the CC if I said what I really thought of it :rolleyes: )

[james j feller]

MARY,

You are right it was in the PG.

JIM