Specialty restaurant question

I can't find information anywhere about how much the surcharges are for eating in the specialty restaurants on HAL ships.

Do they all charge the same amount? If so, what is the charge?

Also...on Princess it is best to make your specialty restaurant reservations as soon as you board on the first day of the cruise. Is that also true on HAL ships?

Thanks.

These are the dinner prices:

Canaletto---$10 per person.

Pinnacle Grill---$29 per person.

Tamarind (E-dam and Nieuw Amsterdam only)---$15 per person.

If you choose to tip, it must be in cash, as there's no place to add a tip.

If you haven't already booked on line in advance, then I would make it one of my first stops once on board. There is a podium set up either in the Lido, or just outside. You can make all reservations there.

I have tried to book the PG on line and get a message that this item is not yet available, but other excursions are. I called and HAL said that reservations for this January cruise are not available until October. Is this normal?

I have tried to book the PG on line and get a message that this item is not yet available, but other excursions are. I called and HAL said that reservations for this January cruise are not available until October. Is this normal?

For some reason, the sailings early in the New Year seem to have delays in reservations. This has been reported before on these boards. Not sure why, but it has happened. It might be some glitch. Normally, they do come up earlier than that. I would keep checking periodically though in case the glitch is overcome and they appear sooner.

For the last couple of years many of us have not been able to pre-book the specialty restaurants for the first couple of months of the new year until nearly November and December.

But as soon as we can make the reservations, I do. Don't like waiting until I get on the ship and then find that the nights we want are already booked up.

These are the dinner prices:

Canaletto---$10 per person.

Pinnacle Grill---$29 per person.

Tamarind (E-dam and Nieuw Amsterdam only)---$15 per person.

 

If you choose to tip, it must be in cash, as there's no place to add a tip.

 

If you haven't already booked on line in advance, then I would make it one of my first stops once on board. There is a podium set up either in the Lido, or just outside. You can make all reservations there.

Actually the Tamarind in now $20 per person.

And worth every penny, IMO!! Just wanted to add that for those on Collectors Voyages who wait until they're on board to book, from my experience you will have to wait until the second half begins to make reservations for the second half of the cruise (the same is true for shore excursions, fwiw, at least that was the case on my last sailing).

Enjoy!

One night a week Pinnacle becomes le Circe and they charge a additional fee 15 or 20 more I think ( I prefer regular Pinnacle over Le Circe)

Actually the Tamarind in now $20 per person.

Oops. :o

Thank you very much for the correction. I hate it when I make an error in facts.

Someone mentioned Le Cirque. My memory is that it cost $49 for the dinner that night.

And worth every penny, IMO!! Just wanted to add that for those on Collectors Voyages who wait until they're on board to book, from my experience you will have to wait until the second half begins to make reservations for the second half of the cruise (the same is true for shore excursions, fwiw, at least that was the case on my last sailing).

 

Enjoy!

actually I was able to book for the segment segment. When I asked the PG manager (both on the Westerdam and Prinsendam) they told me they had to check the next segment and would be back to me the next day. The PG's were so good on both ships we wanted to do more lunches and dinners even though we had booked on line well in advance :) The PG on the P'dam was booked solid (another reason to book on line) for dinner, but they could do the lunches for me. The Westerdam had openings for both and kindly accommodated us. So, it probably differs by ship and PG manager. Both the Westerdam and the Prinsendam were excellent.

And worth every penny, IMO!! Just wanted to add that for those on Collectors Voyages who wait until they're on board to book, from my experience you will have to wait until the second half begins to make reservations for the second half of the cruise (the same is true for shore excursions, fwiw, at least that was the case on my last sailing).

 

Enjoy!

Those on Collectors Voyages can buy online for the next leg. The HAL website is free while onboard, doesn't cost Internet minutes.

Pre-booking specialty restaurant reservations is a great advantage that HAL has over Princess. Waiting on the phone the first day on Princess for a reservation can be very stressful when there is a particular day and time you want.

Another vote for pre booking. We had a dickens of a time trying to connect two Explore 4 Pinnacle reservations (2 couples - ship assigned us separately) last March on the Noordam. We got it straightened out, but there were around 900 Pinnacle Grill Explore 4 reservations on our sailing. The manager and assistant had to start loading the reservation data two days in advance. Apparently the sailing before ours had over 1200 Explore 4 Pinnacle Grill dinners. It was by far our least favorite Pinnacle Grill experience in over 12 years. Luckily, things were much smoother on the Nieuw Amsterdam in November and December. Alper, the PG manager on the NA, was top notch. In all honesty, we had some of the best service ever on the Nieuw Amsterdam last fall. From our room stewards, to our MDR waiters to the Pinnacle Grill, to the bars... Everyone was great. Even the Pizza guy by the aft pool went above and beyond. (That means that he put in a new pie with 5 minutes until closing because the slices that remained were dried out.)

We had service like it was the 1990s. I can only hope that the Nieuw Amsterdam is as good next year.

On our recent Alaska B2B, I was able to move a free Canaletto to the second week without any problem.

Upcharges at PG and Tamarind are money well spent.

Canaletto, we could take it or leave it.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I have a question about Pinnacle reservations. 3 couples are traveling together and have the Dine-Around package as part of the Anniversary Sale. I think the chances of us having the same reservation times will be pretty slim. Can I book a time for the 6 of us, then when we get onboard, cancel the Dine-Around time and use the credit for the reservation I made? Or, should I just make a reservation for the 6 of us and not worry about the Dine-Around package at all? If I do that, we would simply cancel our Dine-Around times to leave space for other guests. Suggestions?

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Gerry

As my question relates to HAL's Specialty Restaurants, I hope I am not intruding if I ask.....

As 4 star Mariners, will we still receive the Mariner loyalty discount for these restaurants, if we reserve dining reservations pre cruise?

On previous cruises we have simply reserved once on board. But do like the idea of booking the Specialty Restaurants pre cruise....

As 4 star Mariners, will we still receive the Mariner loyalty discount for these restaurants, if we reserve dining reservations pre cruise?

You will get the Mariner discount, but in a 2-step process.

When you book on line, you will charge it to your credit card at the full rate. Then, after you have dined in the specialty restaurant, a credit for 1/2 the charge will be applied to your account.

It does no harm, and may do some good, to mention this when you confirm your reservation once on board.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I have a question about Pinnacle reservations. 3 couples are traveling together and have the Dine-Around package as part of the Anniversary Sale. I think the chances of us having the same reservation times will be pretty slim. Can I book a time for the 6 of us, then when we get onboard, cancel the Dine-Around time and use the credit for the reservation I made? Or, should I just make a reservation for the 6 of us and not worry about the Dine-Around package at all? If I do that, we would simply cancel our Dine-Around times to leave space for other guests. Suggestions?

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Gerry

The free dining reservations are pre-loaded by the Pinnacle staff ahead of time. It was done manually as of 2014. We traveled with another couple during a pretty heavy Explore 4 time, so we headed to the Pinnacle as soon as we boarded. We were able to combine the reservations, but not for the exact time we wanted. Now we prebook and hope that we can get our prepaid reservation turned into a credit.

Can specialty restaurant reservations be changed or cancelled once booked on line?

You will get the Mariner discount, but in a 2-step process.

When you book on line, you will charge it to your credit card at the full rate. Then, after you have dined in the specialty restaurant, a credit for 1/2 the charge will be applied to your account.

 

It does no harm, and may do some good, to mention this when you confirm your reservation once on board.

Thank you RuthC, for your helpful answer!

Can specialty restaurant reservations be changed or cancelled once booked on line?

Yes. If it is still before the cruise, and the system still allows changes, you can cancel on line, then book a new reservation for the desired day/time.

If you are on the ship, you can call, or stop at either the restaurant or the podium that takes all reservations, and make the changes.