Kids Eat Free In Pinnacle ??

[POA1]

I'm not one of your girls.

 

I know.

 

No one would mistake you for her daughters.

[AlohaPride]

I tend to believe that *most* parents care about the behavior of their children (I know ALL of my friends do). I believe that *most* parents want their kids to grow up to be respectful, happy, productive members of society. We work very hard to train our girls. That said, we also try to give our girls the opportunity to succeed. We don't take them places and set them up for failure. For instance, we've had a HUGE week this week and our 3 year old is completely out of sorts today. If we were on a ship we would most likely have an early dinner in the Lido and take her to our cabin to decompress from the day. There is no doubt in my mind that Faye could behave VERY well in any situation if we prepare her well for it. Will we go eat at a nice restaurant tonight? Depends on how her afternoon nap goes ;)

[pmd98052]

Had an interesting discussion on this at home last night - I think HAL is being pretty smart (or truly dumb) here. We decided we would still take our kids to the PG/Crown Grill etc even if they have to pay full price as the experience is good for them (and we enjoy the food more than the MDR).

 

So based on the other comments about how the PG is a loss leader this could be truly disastrous for HAL/Princess/NCL if more do the same! ;-)

Edited June 6, 2014 by pmd98052

[cruz chic]

I think the point folks are trying to make is *some kids* might behave poorly in the PG just as *some adults* also behave poorly.

 

Kids I can understand behaving poorly - I might not like it but I *get* it. Adults behaving poorly - I don't get at all.

 

That is all I am trying to say.

 

It really seems to me that you have only seen older adults that behave badly from your many, many posts on it. Thank you for clarifying. I'd hate for anyone to feel that way. I see plenty of people that behave badly, kids, teens, young adults, middle aged and older folks. I don't think anyone has cornered the market on that.

[pmd98052]

It really seems to me that you have only seen older adults that behave badly from your many, many posts on it. Thank you for clarifying. I'd hate for anyone to feel that way. I see plenty of people that behave badly, kids, teens, young adults, middle aged and older folks. I don't think anyone has cornered the market on that.

 

I don't think I've ever commented on it being older adults only. Just adults behaving badly.

[solocanadian]

I'm sure this is how they drew it up in the beginning. As we dumb the whole cruise experience down daily,we now hope the baseball cap is at least pointed straight while sitting in the Pinnacle

IMHO the baseball cap and any hat for that matter on men, should be banned in the Pinnacle and MDR .

[solocanadian]

I was on the Noordam for two weeks,and couldn't get in there zip nada zilcho for two weeks. This was when they were running the explorer 4 package.

 

Same for me for 2 weeks on the "O". Only made it for lunch one time. In the evening the place was fully booked with people who had the Explorer 4 package. I found this to be a real bummer.

[cruz chic]

I don't think I've ever commented on it being older adults only. Just adults behaving badly.

Sorry about that. Usually I see posters complain about the older adults when someone dares to say kids behave badly. I must be thinking about that.

[Wakepatrol]

These Marketing agents are geniuses at HAL

 

Let's sell cruises for $399

 

Let passengers bring their own wine (old policy)

Soda and water (present policy)

 

Let kids eat free in the specialty restaurants.

 

Next month they'll give free flights to Europe then eventually go out of business.

[pmd98052]

IMHO the baseball cap and any hat for that matter on men, should be banned in the Pinnacle and MDR .

 

I'd take that over the adults who shout at bar tenders and not saying please or thank you any day.

 

I'd also take it over the adults who push their way ahead in lines separating us from our kids any day.

[RuthC]

I'd take that over the adults who shout at bar tenders and not saying please or thank you any day.

 

I'd also take it over the adults who push their way ahead in lines separating us from our kids any day.

 

It shouldn't be necessary to have to choose any of those.

[pmd98052]

It shouldn't be necessary to have to choose any of those.

 

Totally agree but given a choice I'd take a guy with a baseball cap on his head over a guy being rude to the staff or pushing in front of others any day.

 

Others might disagree - that's fine.

Edited June 6, 2014 by pmd98052

[Wakepatrol]

Totally agree but given a choice I'd take a guy with a baseball cap on his head over a guy being rude to the staff or pushing in front of others any day.

 

Others might disagree - that's fine.

 

 

This is like choosing between ointment and suppositories

[cruz chic]

I'd take that over the adults who shout at bar tenders and not saying please or thank you any day.

 

I'd also take it over the adults who push their way ahead in lines separating us from our kids any day.

 

I've got 300 days with Hal and about 75 with Princess. It sounds as though you run into these rude adults at every turn. I would say that has been the exception rather than the rule with me. I wonder why I've been so lucky.

[Copper10-8]

I'm not one of your girls.

 

You should be so lucky!:cool:

[LMaxwell]

This is like choosing between ointment and suppositories

 

Do you mind if I borrow this response for real life situations? :D:D

[pmd98052]

I've got 300 days with Hal and about 75 with Princess. It sounds as though you run into these rude adults at every turn. I would say that has been the exception rather than the rule with me. I wonder why I've been so lucky.

 

They likely stand out more to me since we're so paranoid about making sure the kids behave any adults not behaving really stand out. Believe me we had lots of glares at the kids boarding the ship and walking around... and to be fair a lot of folks saying how well the kids were behaving - but the glares really stood out.

 

Also you likely don't have adults pushing in front of you but they'll push and shove in front of our kids frequently. We've only done 2 HAL cruises (41 nights and 7 nights) so perhaps just unlucky - It was the 41 nighter we saw the worst behavior.

 

 

Oh and I'd take the ointment over the suppositories any day - but that's just me :)

Edited June 7, 2014 by pmd98052

[Chris Holland]

I realize that there may have already been discussion on this but I find this idea quite unusual:

 

Pinnacle: $25 per person for dinner & $10 per person for lunch; 0 to 12 years of age- Complimentary; 13 to 18 years of age- Half price; 19 years of age and up- Full price

 

Has anyone experienced a Pinnacle Grill dinner chock full of kids? Now I know I might get some slack for this, but if this is the high end restaurant on the ship where a couple celebrates a special occasion like a Wedding Anniversary or just a nice quiet romantic evening, wouldn't that couple want to have a very high level of decorum?

 

I just picture unruly children getting bored silly over the 2 hour plus dinner presentation, and how do I say? acting up.

 

I hope I'm wrong.

 

Does that ever happen?

 

 

 

 

I think it would be good news if kids were for free, but in January we had to pay the full amount for my 2 sons of 5 and 8. They are very well behaved, but unfortunately they only have a few slices of bread and some French fries, so it would be great if we would not have to pay the full amount...

There are loud children and loud adults, both are ignorant in a restaurant.

[ithaca gal]

We began taking our son to high end restaurants when he was 2 1/2. There were no coloring books, no Game Boys or iPads. We talked to him as we would with any other dinner guest. A maitre'd in an NYC French restaurant told him "Young man, you may come back any time you like". Now that's an endorsement!

 

Having said that, I expect that level of behavior from other people's children and more often than not, it falls far short.

 

I applaud those who are brave enough to have a restaurant that is "Adults Only". Just because a cruise ship doesn't bend over backwards to accommodate children in every area doesn't make it "not friendly to families". As with most things, the Pinnacle Grill is not the only place in the world to experience high end (in some people's opinions) dining with your children. If not having dinner in the Pinnacle Grill with your children diminishes your cruise experience that much, you have a bigger problem than paying for your children's meals.

 

The two ends of the spectrum seem to be "Children should be seen and not heard" and "All Children, All of the Time". I think that there should be some middle ground to be respected.

 

Flame Away.

[pmd98052]

As I've mentioned I think NCL have the best policy here for kids. The specialty restaurants have kids at half price and if they eat off the regular MDR "kids menu" instead they are free.

 

That way parents can enjoy a nice meal with their children. Ultimately though it hardly matters - whether I pay $60 for 2 or $120 for 4 isn't going to stop us going with the children so HAL are probably smart on this change! (Can't recall if its $25 a head or $30 or $35).

 

And as you mention the Pinnacle grill is not "adults only", it is certainly not high end fine dining! To pretend it is would be silly but it is the best option on a HAL ship for a nice dinner.

Edited September 30, 2014 by pmd98052

[jammen]

Hope parents will show respect and mind the children for the others dining.

[1of4]

Everybody has the right to their own opinion and for those that are parents they had the right to teach their children what they thought appropriate. Some things, like politics and religion are known "faux pas" to discuss in public. I feel the same way about children.

 

Nobody should feel free to tell me how to raise my children. I have done that myself with no help from anybody when times got tough except from DH (hospitalizations, death in the family, etc).

 

So why is it that when we step foot on an airplane or ship everyone automatically assumes I have not done my job? Most do not wait to see if my children behave they just assume they will not. So I assume that they did not do their job with their own children and are judging me by their own actions.

 

If we have a family celebration we will eat in the pinnacle grill and pay for our children, like last year when we renewed our vows on our anniversary. I will bet you my two were better behaved than some of the people in the restaurant that night and I guarantee you they are better dressed on formal night than some others in the dining room.

 

We do our own thing as a family and we have chosen HAL to do it on. If people fee that strongly about not sharing the ship with children then they should chose a cruiseline that has age restrictions.

[1of4]

Hope parents will show respect and mind the children for the others dining.

 

I don't understand how respect and age comes into it. There is a current "report" thread right now where the writer has had to move their table due to one loud woman at the next table; she couldn't hear her husband speak at their table. That woman showed no respect to other diners and she isn't a child.

 

When I go into the dining room the first night I hope we don't get judgemental people at the next table who think it appropraite to make loud comments about how children have no right to be on the ship.

Edited September 30, 2014 by 1of4

[pmd98052]

I don't understand how respect and age comes into it. There is a current "report" thread right now where the writer has had to move their table due to one loud woman at the next table; she couldn't hear her husband speak at their table. That woman showed no respect to other diners and she isn't a child.

 

When I go into the dining room the first night I hope we don't get judgemental people at the next table who think it appropraite to make loud comments about how children have no right to be on the ship.

 

I wish there was a "like" button. As I've mentioned before our 5 and 7 year olds were far better behaved than quite a few adults on our last HAL cruise. Our children always say please and thank you which I never heard from quite a large number of the adults. In fact the rudeness to the staff was absolutely shocking on a number of occasions. I don't know how they tolerate it.

 

Feels to me like HAL is trying to encourage more families on their cruises with the 3rd/4th free/reduced deals. Not sure if they'll succeed but they are trying.

 

We don't currently have a HAL cruise booked our next is on Princess but I don't recall what they do in the Crown Grill when kids eat... We always bring them there as well.

Edited September 30, 2014 by pmd98052

[cruz chic]

I wish there was a "like" button. As I've mentioned before our 5 and 7 year olds were far better behaved than quite a few adults on our last HAL cruise. Our children always say please and thank you which I never heard from quite a large number of the adults. In fact the rudeness to the staff was absolutely shocking on a number of occasions. I don't know how they tolerate it.

 

Feels to me like HAL is trying to encourage more families on their cruises with the 3rd/4th free/reduced deals. Not sure if they'll succeed but they are trying.

 

We don't currently have a HAL cruise booked our next is on Princess but I don't recall what they do in the Crown Grill when kids eat... We always bring them there as well.

I feel bad that you've run into so many rude adults. I can't ever recall hearing someone act the way you have described. I do see well behaved kids on HAL cruises and I always comment when I do. That said, I've seen plenty of rude, unruly kids too. I applaud parents that have taught there children manners. I wish some folks would do that in Calgary. Screaming and running around in restaurants in the norm in Calgary and parents do nothing to stop it.