Rudi's Sel de Mer...convince me to go (or not)

[rkacruiser]

On 5/25/2019 at 4:26 PM, Crew News said:

Yes, the four-star discount applies.  In addition, as a five-star Mariner, I used one of my two free PG dinners and paid 50% of the difference in price so my Sel de Mer cost only $7.

 

Very helpful information!  I have been wondering if that would be possible.  How did you do this?  Did you inform the Manager of the Restaurant that you are a 5 Star Mariner when you made your reservation and that you wished to use one of the free PG dinners for Sel de Mer?

Edited May 26, 2019 by rkacruiser

[rkacruiser]

On 5/25/2019 at 9:31 AM, Riversedge said:

We are on the Voyage of the Vikings and are wondering if we should book this.  I've read some reviews and write-ups about it but I am still ambivalent.  I already get a meal in the dining room that's paid for so do I really want to pay extra to experience this meal?  Convince me!

 

My Sel de Mer experience was on the Nieuw Statendam in the full restaurant.  Excellent service--as good as table service as my Stewards in the MDR and better Wine Steward service than the MDR.  A quieter atmosphere with the restaurant's  Manager carefully overseeing my dinner and checking with me as to my satisfaction.  (That never happened in the MDR.) 

 

I ordered Escargots (different and better than the MDR's), Dover Sole, and Crepes Suzette:  all delicious and well prepared.  Even the Haricot Verts were well prepared and tasty; I am not a fan of green beans.

 

Have not tried a Pop-Up version of the Restaurant yet, but expect to do so when I sail on Westerdam this July. 

[rkacruiser]

On 5/25/2019 at 2:30 PM, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

As with any specialty on any ship a lot will depend on A) whether the menu suits your preferences and B) who in the kitchen doing the cooking and C) the competence of the service & management staff running the particular venue on that sailing.  So many variables .......

 

Well said and so very true!  The Executive Chef and the Restaurant's Manager make a major difference in the experiences I have had in the specialty restaurants on any ship of any cruise line.

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Very helpful information!  I have been wondering if that would be possible.  How did you do this?  Did you inform the Manager of the Restaurant that you are a 5 Star Mariner when you made your reservation and that you wished to use one of the free PG dinners for Sel de Mer?

 

Could be that I was just lucky after a free upgrade to a Neptune Suite on my 4-day Pacific Coastal last month.  On Embarkation Day, a Specialty Restaurant rep was in the Neptune Lounge when I tried to make a reservation for the PG on a night where the ship had decided to do a Sel de Mer.  The rep said that I could use one of my free PG dinners and just pay the difference, less my 50% 5-Star discount.

 

If I had known of a Sel de Mer night, I would have purchased online.  I have already purchased my Sel de Mer for my June 2 cruise so will try to use this new knowledge on the Nieuw Statendam in December.  Hopefully, someone else will get the Sel de Mer discount with their free dinner before then to confirm.  I will ask the PG Manager on the Westerdam if this is possible.

[rkacruiser]

Maybe my best plan would be to see the Westerdam's PG Manager when I embark in Vancouver to inquire about when the Pop-Up will be and request one of my free PG dinners be applied to that event.  I could then make a reservation for a regular PG dinner at the same time.  My experience has been there has always been someone at the PG's podium in the restaurant during the early hours of embarkation, at least.

 

Crew News, what do you think of this plan?

[Crew News]

59 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

Maybe my best plan would be to see the Westerdam's PG Manager when I embark in Vancouver to inquire about when the Pop-Up will be and request one of my free PG dinners be applied to that event.  I could then make a reservation for a regular PG dinner at the same time.  My experience has been there has always been someone at the PG's podium in the restaurant during the early hours of embarkation, at least.

 

Crew News, what do you think of this plan?

 

Sel de Mer on the Westerdam will be on Ketchikan evening and that will give you several days to negotiate.  I might try to do the same. 

 

As a side note, since I have been a 5* Mariner, my Sel de Mer discouned meal was the first time I have been able to use my free PG dinners.  On the Konigsdam last year, the PG was fully booked during the times I wanted to dine.

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, Crew News said:

Sel de Mer on the Westerdam will be on Ketchikan evening and that will give you several days to negotiate

 

Thanks!  That's very helpful information.  It assists me in my planning for what I will want to do (and consume) ashore in Ketchikan.

 

20 hours ago, Crew News said:

On the Konigsdam last year, the PG was fully booked during the times I wanted to dine.

 

I have yet to patronize a PG on any ship that was what I would call "fully booked".  Their definition of "fully booked" certainly differs from my definition.