Assigned times for Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto?

Hello,

I just spoke with a HAL rep as I had a question about our included dinners at Pinnacle Grill and in the Canaletto, that our travel agent included in our reservation.

The agent says that because these are included in our package, the day and time that we get to eat at these restaurants is assigned to us, and we do not get any say in the reservation time or date.

I had never heard this before--is this actually true? It seems awfully inflexible and I never heard this anywhere else. If it is true, do we have any flexibility in changing the date and time if we don't like the one they assign to us? Or does anyone know what times or dates they typically assign to people for the Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto when it's included in the "Dine Around" package?

Thank you!

Hello,

 

I just spoke with a HAL rep as I had a question about our included dinners at Pinnacle Grill and in the Canaletto, that our travel agent included in our reservation.

 

The agent says that because these are included in our package, the day and time that we get to eat at these restaurants is assigned to us, and we do not get any say in the reservation time or date.

 

I had never heard this before--is this actually true? It seems awfully inflexible and I never heard this anywhere else. If it is true, do we have any flexibility in changing the date and time if we don't like the one they assign to us? Or does anyone know what times or dates they typically assign to people for the Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto when it's included in the "Dine Around" package?

 

Thank you!

We changed ours on the Noordam last month, to include both date and time, with no problem. Just stop by the Canaletto podium in the Lido Restaurant and the Pinnacle Grill on Deck 2 to make your requested changes.

There will be a card in your room on embarkation day with your assigned day and time. If you wish to change it, head straight to the Pinnacle Grill or Canaletto to request a change. If you are in a Neptune or Pinnacle Suite, you can ask the concierge.

There is no guarantee that you will be accommodated, but ask as soon as you can and chances are on your side they will. Good luck!

We changed ours on the Noordam last month with no problem.

Thanks! So you were indeed assigned dates and times for these reservations, but could change them without any issue? That's good to hear--thank you!

On boarding you will find a card in you stateroom with the reservation information. On our last cruise we were assigned a date and time that was definitely not convenient and we were unable to make any changes, despite talking to the PG manager a few times. They had assigned us on a formal night and as we hadn't planned on going to MDR for formal, the PG manager just gave DH a jacket to wear over his smart casual attire. Not happy campers, that's for sure.:(

Your other option would be to book a reservation of your choice online and pay for it at the time of booking.

Once you board, you can take your assigned reservation to the PG and ask to have the promo dinner replace the one you booked online. They would then credit your onboard account with the cost of the dinner you paid for.

Hope this makes sense and also that it works.

Your other option would be to book a reservation of your choice online and pay for it at the time of booking.

Once you board, you can take your assigned reservation to the PG and ask to have the promo dinner replace the one you booked online. They would then credit your onboard account with the cost of the dinner you paid for.

 

Hope this makes sense and also that it works.

Hmm--this is interesting. Have you done this before and it's always worked? Have you ever had trouble swapping them and getting your credit back for the reservation you paid for, but then cancelled?

Also, are you saying that PG and Cannaletto are also formal, when the MDR does Formal nights? Thanks for all of your help!

Thanks! So you were indeed assigned dates and times for these reservations, but could change them without any issue? That's good to hear--thank you!

We purchased PG reservations pre-cruise and were assigned additional PG and Canaletto times based on the Explore4 promotion. We cancelled one of our "paid" and used the "free" for the same time.

We also moved our Canaletto from one week to the second week of our B2B without any issues.

My credit card was credited with the cancelled "paid" reservations.

Others may have different experiences but we have yet to meet a PG, or Canaletto Manager, who would not be willing to make changes as long as you don't want an 8:00 PM prime time seating.

I always wear a jacket to the PG so I cannot comment on the PG on Formal Nights. My experience is that the Canaletto remains smart casual on Formal Nights.

We were told that they accommodate those who paid for PG diners first, then fill in with the "free" promotional diners.

We dine at the PG every night, so like CrewNews, were credited for one that we had purchased and had the same time and table every night.

Hmm--this is interesting. Have you done this before and it's always worked? Have you ever had trouble swapping them and getting your credit back for the reservation you paid for, but then cancelled?

 

Also, are you saying that PG and Cannaletto are also formal, when the MDR does Formal nights? Thanks for all of your help!

We have swapped out a paid reservation for an assigned/promo reservation only once. It didn't seem to be a problem at all.

We purchased PG reservations pre-cruise and were assigned additional PG and Canaletto times based on the Explore4 promotion. We cancelled one of our "paid" and used the "free" for the same time.

 

We also moved our Canaletto from one week to the second week of our B2B without any issues.

 

My credit card was credited with the cancelled "paid" reservations.

 

Others may have different experiences but we have yet to meet a PG, or Canaletto Manager, who would not be willing to make changes as long as you don't want an 8:00 PM prime time seating.

 

I always wear a jacket to the PG so I cannot comment on the PG on Formal Nights. My experience is that the Canaletto remains smart casual on Formal Nights.

I begged to have our PG Explore4 reservation changed but to no avail. This was almost immediately on boarding around 1pm. We had been assigned 9pm on a formal night. I explained that we had not brought any formal outfits with us as we were planning on room service for those nights. The PG manager just offered a jacket for DH and said it didn't matter what we were wearing. I even asked if we could get the meal sent to our stateroom :cool: but that didn't work either.

I think for each ship and sailing there might be different experiences. Booking ahead of time ensures that you will get a reservation to your liking.

Lesson learned.

I wonder if the theory about running immediately upon boarding to change the reservation if you don't like the time you were assigned is the best idea. You will not be the only one who wants a change. Those who dine early may wish to get a later reservation and those who want early, vice versa. Maybe if you wait until early/mid evening on embarkation day you may have a better chance others have requested the time you were assigned and don't want.

We also had the Explore4 program on our last cruises. We were assigned times and dates for both the Canaletto and Pinnacle Grill.

We already knew that we were going to be having dinner in the Pinnacle Grill every night. So we cancelled the free Canaletto dinners for both cruises.

We had quite a time getting everything straightened out between the dinners I had pre-booked, the 5 star dinners we were due and the Explore4 free dinner. It wasn't until the near the end of the second cruise that we got everything straightened out.

I wonder if the theory about running immediately upon boarding to change the reservation if you don't like the time you were assigned is the best idea. You will not be the only one who wants a change. Those who dine early may wish to get a later reservation and those who want early, vice versa. Maybe if you wait until early/mid evening on embarkation day you may have a better chance others have requested the time you were assigned and don't want.

I find it much easier to book and pay for all nights in advance-. That way if we have a promo dinner we ask the Concierge or PG Manager to adjust on board. They have been very willing to help- I'm sure because we eat every night at PG

I suspect though if people tried booking just one dinner and then get refunded to "work the system" they would catch on fast and let them keep the paid dinner and assign another at time of their choice.

We just got off a cruise with Explore 4 and the PG reservation was 8:30 embarcation night and the Canelleto at 8:00 the second night. We tried immediately to change without any luck. I practically begged for ANY night with an earlier time and was told that they could only wait list me. Needless to say I never heard from them. And we booked almost a year in advance.

My question is for those who go to the pinnacle every night. I debated making reservations for our group of seven for each night but since the menu never changed I decided not too. On a 12 night cruise would you find enough variety in the pinnacle to eat there each night?

Some people do find there is enough variety but I do not. I am not a terribly picky eater but avoid butter and cream as much as possible so that limits me some. On a fourteen day cruise, my late DH and I would usually dine in Pinnacle about 5 times. If we were on a ship with Tamarind, we would usually dine in Tamarind at least twice and Pinnacle probably four or five nights. If we were in port late enough any of the nights, we would dine ashore.

Pinnacle Menu has been posted on this forum. I suggest you read it and decide what you think. :)

There is no way I could eat in the pinnacle every night. While I enjoy a good steak from time to time I find as I get older I'm less interested in eating beef. I did not go to the pinnacle on my last cruise at all. It was 14 days. Usually I go for lunch but it was closed a lot. I've eaten fish and it was not that great. They really excel in steaks.

My question is for those who go to the pinnacle every night. I debated making reservations for our group of seven for each night but since the menu never changed I decided not too. On a 12 night cruise would you find enough variety in the pinnacle to eat there each night?

I agree with the previous poster, sail7seas. My answer would be "NO". I am not a fan of Pinnacle Grill, neither with the food nor the service. Only the minority of times that I have dined in that venue found me leaving feeling truly satisfied. The Le Cirque Dinner most certainly was an exception. And, the Master Chef's Dinners also were exceptions. But, the regular PG dinner experience: I would have been more pleased with my MDR Stewards, my Wine Steward, and the menu selections/preparations in the MDR.

When we got on board we discovered that our assigned Canaletto reservation was during one of our shore excursions. I immediately called to change the reservation, explaining what the issue was, and they accommodated our request.

For those of you who pay before hand and think you will be reimbursed, you may be wrong!! I spoke with an agent yesterday and he said there wont be any refunds!!! So I guess the Free Bees are just a gimmick to get sales!

For those of you who pay before hand and think you will be reimbursed, you may be wrong!! I spoke with an agent yesterday and he said there wont be any refunds!!! So I guess the Free Bees are just a gimmick to get sales!

When I book and pre-pay for 12 PG dinners and 2 Le Cirque dinners at a specific time months before my cruise and am told on board that they won't refund one because I got a dinner on a promo there is going to be a real nasty note to the HD. Also I would instruct the Concierges to cancel all 14 dinners as obviously my spending isn't appreciated. We would take our chances in MDR and follow up the cruise with a letter to Seattle.

When I book and pre-pay for 12 PG dinners and 2 Le Cirque dinners at a specific time months before my cruise and am told on board that they won't refund one because I got a dinner on a promo there is going to be a real nasty note to the HD. Also I would instruct the Concierges to cancel all 14 dinners as obviously my spending isn't appreciated. We would take our chances in MDR and follow up the cruise with a letter to Seattle.

I doubt you'll have that problem. We've been doing it for over a decade and have never had a problem. We travel with other people, and the preassigned times never get us a table together.

Heck, with the number of times you dine in the Pinnacle, if you aren't VVVIP, I'd be shocked. You should have a caricature on the wall, like they do at the Palm. :D

I doubt you'll have that problem. We've been doing it for over a decade and have never had a problem. We travel with other people, and the preassigned times never get us a table together.

 

Heck, with the number of times you dine in the Pinnacle, if you aren't VVVIP, I'd be shocked. You should have a caricature on the wall, like they do at the Palm. :D

Hard to enjoy our Duckhorn in a crowded noisy dining room. :D

We've never had a problem with Explore 4, etc. They have told us they really love people that book every night as they don't get the chance to get to know many passengers and their likes. PG reminds me of how the MDR was back in the early 80's- they knew what you wanted before you even asked for it

We were able to change our PG assigned dates/times. Also, we received an invitation to eat at the PG, which made us shake our heads because we had already gotten one free PG. Went, then they tried to charge us, but held our ground (they finally found the invite) and they gave us a credit.

For those of you who pay before hand and think you will be reimbursed, you may be wrong!! I spoke with an agent yesterday and he said there wont be any refunds!!! So I guess the Free Bees are just a gimmick to get sales!

Another brilliant answer from Seattle. No way that's going to happen.

For those of you who pay before hand and think you will be reimbursed, you may be wrong!! I spoke with an agent yesterday and he said there wont be any refunds!!! So I guess the Free Bees are just a gimmick to get sales!

With all due respect, we have been booking our specific, requested times since 2004, including 4x in the last 12 months. While there's always the possibility that we'll lose our "free" meal, it hasn't happened - once. The Pinnacle Grill managers have always been very helpful and understanding. It's their call and not the decision of a Seattle phone rep.

We've always been given the choice of rebooking our freebie or getting the paid reservation credited back to our account. At no time did the Pinnacle Grill manager ever tell us that it was out of his hands and that he had to check with Stevie from Seattle. The Pinnacle has almost always had really good, discerning managers. (And we can't hold a candle to FrankC when it comes to being a "regular.") We always try to tell people that something could go south if you pay for your reservation up front. However, in the grand scheme of things, the worst that can happen is that you get your paid reservation time and you forfeit your free one. That's never happened to us, but it could. In my mind, that's fair. I would much rather eat on the date and time I want.