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Master Chef's Dinner

Megsie1000

By Megsie1000,
in Holland America Line

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DSLibrarian

DSLibrarian

Posted
Posted
Is it still on the last night of the cruise?

 

We are sailing in January on the Eurodam and trying to figure out which night to book the Tamarind. :D

 

We are just off the Nieuw Amsterdam. The Master Chef's dinner was the last night, as expected. We were glad we had booked the Tamarind that evening.

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SwissMyst

SwissMyst

Posted
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Just off the Maasdam and the final Master Chef's Dinner- Baked Alaska parade is undergoing an awkward transition.

 

There was a ceremony, introductions, song, baked alaska parade and a chance to applaud at the end of the meal but it needs a lot more work to be a happy or appreciated experience to bring a cruise to a happy conclusion.

 

Number one is the Master of Ceremonies mike amplification and hyped up delivery that was overly loud and annoying. The over- amplified back-up music to the farewell song drowned out any possible joy found in the crew song since it could not by heard.

 

But at least they did not have the set menu and the long-protracted agony of singing and dancing between courses. I hope they keep working on this. It pays to go so you can give feedback and helpful suggestions for a why to have a bit of end of cruise ceremony but not have it be something one wishes to avoid.

 

What was far more troubling was the aggressive shake-down to give all "9"s on the evaluation sheets. Even dining staff people we had no prior contact with came by our tables to make this request. That is out of hand and needs to be stopped immediately.

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GeriatricNurse

GeriatricNurse

Posted
Posted
Is it still on the last night of the cruise?

 

We are sailing in January on the Eurodam and trying to figure out which night to book the Tamarind. :D

 

More than likely, the Master Chef's dinner will be the last dinner of the cruise! Unless you haven't seen it to believe it, be advised to book the Tamarind for your last dining experience! ;)

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sail7seas

sail7seas

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We heard on our Nieuw Amsterdam cruise(s) they are ending Master Chef's dinner on all the ships. Haven't verified that but a 'reasonable' source told us.

 

We had dinner in Pinnacle the last night of each segment.

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LAFFNVEGAS "Live from...." Rare

LAFFNVEGAS

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We were on the first sailing the Oosterdam did to Hawaii in October and we were told then by the Hotel Manager which was Douglas Hernandez at that time that HAL was discontinuing the Master Chef's Dinner and would be eventually replaced with something else that would not contain singing and dancing. That cruise we did NOT have the Master Chef's Dinner the last night or any night of the 15 nights on board.

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LAFFNVEGAS "Live from...." Rare

LAFFNVEGAS

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There was a Master Chef Dinner the last night on our Oosterdam Nov. 26th cruise. We did not attend. It was clever the first few times we experienced it, but now is almost embarassing for the staff.

 

Karen

Looks like Seattle changed their minds and told the Oosterdam they had to go back to having it :D Major error on Seattle if they decided to keep it.

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JJ33328

JJ33328

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Posted

After 9 great MDR experiences we went to the Master Chef Dinner on our last night on the Noordam on 11 DEC 11. Until the night of the MCD we had taken advantage of the "As You Wish" dining option and ate between 600pm and 630pm each night. We were seated immediately and enjoyed great serrvice. However on the MCD night we had to be at the door by 515pm. We were greeted by a huge line back past the elevators and into the hallway. It took 20 minutes to be seated. We waited an additional 20 minutes while the dining room stewards went through their napkin and salad bowl routine then got our Act 1 and Act 2 appetizers. It took another 20 minutes for them to take our orders. We had our regular stewards who did a great job throughout the cruise and got our food quickly. Then we had to wait for the baked Alaska ceremony. After a half hour we finally got up and left andd went to the Lido for ice cream.

To borrow a line from Tony Soprano....the Master Chef Dinner needs to go away!

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Krazy Kruizers

Krazy Kruizers

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After 9 great MDR experiences we went to the Master Chef Dinner on our last night on the Noordam on 11 DEC 11. Until the night of the MCD we had taken advantage of the "As You Wish" dining option and ate between 600pm and 630pm each night. We were seated immediately and enjoyed great serrvice. However on the MCD night we had to be at the door by 515pm. We were greeted by a huge line back past the elevators and into the hallway. It took 20 minutes to be seated. We waited an additional 20 minutes while the dining room stewards went through their napkin and salad bowl routine then got our Act 1 and Act 2 appetizers. It took another 20 minutes for them to take our orders. We had our regular stewards who did a great job throughout the cruise and got our food quickly. Then we had to wait for the baked Alaska ceremony. After a half hour we finally got up and left andd went to the Lido for ice cream.

To borrow a line from Tony Soprano....the Master Chef Dinner needs to go away!

 

 

When we got on the Noordam on November 11 -- the first thing I asked -- will there be the Master Chef dinner? When our concierges said "yes" -- we booked the Canaletto.

We have seen many people end up in the Lido for the last evening dinner because they did not know that even for Open Seating there would only be 2 dining times.

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JJ33328

JJ33328

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When we got on the Noordam on November 11 -- the first thing I asked -- will there be the Master Chef dinner? When our concierges said "yes" -- we booked the Canaletto.

 

We have seen many people end up in the Lido for the last evening dinner because they did not know that even for Open Seating there would only be 2 dining times.

 

That happened to us on the Eurodam a few cruises ago, the Lido is not that bad for dinner anyway, mostly the same food as the MDR, especially on jumbo shrimp cocktail night I always make a point to run up there for a few more.

It was funny but this time they did allow at least a few people to come in during the course of the MCD. There was a party of six seated a few tables from us at about 615pm.

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Himself

Himself

Posted
Posted

When I was on the NA last February, they did not have it and I was told it was never planned to have the MCD on the NA. I was surprised to hear the NA had it. I have no objection other than my blood sugar was very high the day after and that is the reason I usually opt for the Lido on the night of the Master Chef Dinner.

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SwissMyst

SwissMyst

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On the Maasdam they played the Triumphal March from Aida to get everyone's attention. Except the Mistress of Ceremonies did not know the piece of music well enough to stop it at a proper point for a normal musical pause.

 

So this musical introduction fanfare ended abruptly in the middle of a musical phrase which created groans from a lot of music loving passengers. Did I mention it went down hill from that? :rolleyes:

 

What do other cruise lines do? (WDOCLD?)

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Krazy Kruizers

Krazy Kruizers

Posted
Posted
On the Maasdam they played the Triumphal March from Aida to get everyone's attention. Except the Mistress of Ceremonies did not know the piece of music well enough to stop it at a proper point for a normal musical pause.

 

So this musical introduction fanfare ended abruptly in the middle of a musical phrase which created groans from a lot of music loving passengers. Did I mention it went down hill from that? :rolleyes:

 

What do other cruise lines do? (WDOCLD?)

 

 

Probably have a normal last evening dinner where people can talk to their wait staff and say goodbye.

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