I finally tried the Canaletto

For years I've proceeded on the basis of "the MDR is good enough for me."

On the last day of our most recent Prinsendam cruise, I allowed myself to be talked into the Canaletto. It was our best cruise dinner ever.

There were many exceptional factors, which, if absent, might make it difficult to replicate the experience:

1. It was the last day of the cruise,

2. We shared the dinner with a delightful new friend we had met in the MDR,

3. We were on the Prinsendam,

4. They had selected special recorded music to enhance the experience,

5. I had never previously had tiramisu so good it made me wish I hadn't eaten all of my osso buco.

I am anxiously awaiting my next cruise to see how it will be without some of those factors.

We enjoy Canaletto, especially on the last night. I'm glad you enjoyed it and will dine with them again.

That's so nice to read.

We had a nice dinner in Canaletto on Westerdam, also.

We had only gone once before and can't recall why we never returned but my fish was delicious. It was puttenesca style and very tasty.

We went with friend from the ship and had a lovely dinner and evening. We'll go again. ;)

Thanks for sharing with us.

Glad you tried Canaletto and enjoyed it, its not one of our favorites. If you like Canaletto's you should give the Pinnacle a try, I think you would really like it even more.:)

I never ate in the Cantelleto but your words encourage me to try it one of these days.

Thanks for sharing your kind words.

Is this one of the extra fee venues?

Are reservations required?

Glad you tried it and enjoyed it. Although there is an upcharge for it now we still seem to enjoy it more than the Pinnacle-just personal preference. My favorite still is the MDR though!

skooter35-yes, there is a $10pp charge and reservations are recommended but if they have room they can fit you in-a lot depends on the ship. When we were on the Zaandam in October it was always very empty and we had no trouble getting in.

If you are three or four/five star Mariner, the same discount applies at Canaletto as for Pinnacle and Tamarind.

I am thinking of trying the Canaletto but is there a reason why HAL doesn't list this as a restaurant on their website for the Oosterdam? My understanding is that they use a section of the Lido buffet but find it odd that they don't advertise this.

For years I've proceeded on the basis of "the MDR is good enough for me."

 

On the last day of our most recent Prinsendam cruise, I allowed myself to be talked into the Canaletto. It was our best cruise dinner ever.

 

There were many exceptional factors, which, if absent, might make it difficult to replicate the experience:

1. It was the last day of the cruise,

2. We shared the dinner with a delightful new friend we had met in the MDR,

3. We were on the Prinsendam,

4. They had selected special recorded music to enhance the experience,

5. I had never previously had tiramisu so good it made me wish I hadn't eaten all of my osso buco.

 

I am anxiously awaiting my next cruise to see how it will be without some of those factors.[/QUOTe

 

WOW... Great factors... We do not like the NEW Canaletto menu, but love Canaletto overall... And we love the Canaletto branded wine!

When the Canaletto was free DW and I ate there several times each cruise, but I pass now that there is a fee.

We have eaten at the several times at the Canaletto on various ships with the old menu. But the poor service and poor food we had last spring on the Maasdam convinced not to go there again.

Glad you had a wonderful experience.

Thanks for your report, glad you enjoyed it. We usually eat there once each cruise and normally enjoy it as well.

I've never been a fan of Canaletto but I have to admit the food was pretty good the last time I was there. I may go there on my next cruise. I also had the fish.

Thank you for writing about your experience at Caneletto. I'll be sure to go there on our upcoming cruise this month.

Canaletto can be a lot of fun. Make up a large table of friends and go for it. Plenty of pasta and wine and don't forget the limoncello or the grappa after. If you go more than once in a cruise the waiters get to know you and it becomes even more enjoyable than Pinnacle or the MDR... and not as crowded.

We have done Canaletto on a few ships and in general find the food and service better than MDR, I am sure we will be there at least a couple of times on next cruise.

I am thinking of trying the Canaletto but is there a reason why HAL doesn't list this as a restaurant on their website for the Oosterdam? My understanding is that they use a section of the Lido buffet but find it odd that they don't advertise this.

There is definitely a Canaletto on Oosterdam. :)

As you say, it is a section of Lido. You cannot make reservations on line in advance as you can for Tamarind and Pinnacle but you can make them once you board the ship.

Try it. :)

I've never been a fan of Canaletto but I have to admit the food was pretty good the last time I was there. I may go there on my next cruise. I also had the fish.

 

 

I couldn't remember on what fish they did the Putenesca sauce.

It was Cod.

I just found a copy of the Canaletto Menu but am not sure if it is the most recent.

 

 

ANTIPASTI e ZUPE:

Our chef’s selection of antipasti, cucumber and olives

 

Insalata Canaletto – Seasonal greens and tomato, cucumber and olives

 

Minestrone – A flavorful tomato broth consisting of white beans, pasta shells, fresh vegetables and thyme

 

Zuppe Di Pesce – Assorted seafood simmered with vegetables, tomatoes, flat parsley and saffron

 

PASTA, CARNE, PESCE e POLLO

Penne Alla Vodka – A deliciously light combination of our Pomodoro sauce, cream and vodka

 

Linguini Frutti Di Mare – Linguini pasta and clams, mussels, shrimps and scallops tossed in garlic, onions and cherry tomatoes

 

Baked Meat Lasagna Pomodoro – Baked with meat and tomato sauce and gratinated with four cheese sauce.

 

Veal Milanese – Breaded veal scaloppini with porcini mushrooms, spaghetti and vegetables

 

Chicken Marsala

 

Cod Putanesca – Marinated in lemon, oregano and olive oil, quickly sautéed and coated with a flavorful herbed tomato concassee with kalamata olives, capers and chopped parsley, served with grilled cheese polenta and balsamic glace

 

Spaghetti with Meatballs – The classic way to eat spaghetti; home made meatballs braised in a tomato and meat sauce served over olive oil tossed spaghetti

 

DOLCI

Trio of Tiramisu – Italy’s most famous dessert: presented in three flavored variations, espresso, lemon and Amaretto

 

Limoncello Crème – Refreshing crème topped with Tuscan lemon liqueur

 

Mille-Feuille of Madagascar Chocolate – With walnut praline and ice-cream

 

Gelato – A refreshing and full-flavored selection: strawberry, mango, vanilla and lemon (different Gelato on the Nieuw Amsterdam - strawberry, pistachio, vanilla bean, Gianduia)

I suspect it was probably originally posted by KK.

[WOW... Great factors... We do not like the NEW Canaletto menu, but love Canaletto overall... And we love the Canaletto branded wine!

Have read several comments about the Canaletto wine on the boards. Can you purchase it at other restaurants or the bars?

[WOW... Great factors... We do not like the NEW Canaletto menu, but love Canaletto overall... And we love the Canaletto branded wine!

quote]

Toronto,

What do you consider to be wrong with the new menu? I thought the new one was a definite improvement.

Now, if Canaletto wanted to be really inventive they should be able to serve a full range of pastas and pizzas and.... perhaps for an additional charge... be able to request... ahead of time... a dish that is not on the menu. Also, steaks or any other item off the MDR should be avable from the MDR menu/galley. This is what they do... or used to do on Princess. If one person was not hooked on Italian they could get their regular food from MDR. Should not be impossible with Canaletto because the Lido buffet is usually open and running at the same time... and they have the MDR selection. It should simply be an option.

Stephen

Online reservations are available for the Canaletto for our March 11 Noordam cruise. We're going to give it another try, and see if we like it more than we did on the Zaandam. :)

We were on the Westy's Hawaii/South Pacific cruise, we hit Canaletto once (K's not much into Italian food) and I thought it was fab. I don't get why folks complain. :confused:

FWIW the worst meal I had on those 30 days was in the MDR, a piece of prime rib that wasn't so much prime as it was a Wafflehouse steak. Tough and dry. I still went back, as 1 outta all those days is awesome odds! :D

Derek

We ate at Canaletto twice on the Noordam over Christmas.

The first night, DH had chicken cacciatore . "Just OK, nothing special". While I really enjoyed the linguini. The second night, DH had the cod. "Some kind of peppers in here I don't like, and it's embarrassingly small" While again, I enjoyed the linguini as nothing else on the menu looked terribly exciting. The antipasto was just slightly above average (again, nothing special). I found it really cheesy that a specialty up-charge restaurant had spaghetti and meatballs and lasagna, but no steak or anything even slightly different.

On the other hand, the service was terrific. Our waiter was a real character and one of the HAL staff that made our cruise memorable. It was also much quieter and faster than the MDR, which is why we chose to dine there twice. But on the menu alone, we really wouldn't have bothered.

There is definitely a Canaletto on Oosterdam. :)

As you say, it is a section of Lido. You cannot make reservations on line in advance as you can for Tamarind and Pinnacle but you can make them once you board the ship.

 

Try it. :)

 

You can make reservations in advance for Canaletto ( at least on the NA)

We did for our March cruise.