HAL introduces Signature Master Chefs Dinner

[serendipity1499]

Well, Betty, there are two of us .. I would like to experience it as well ... some seem to think that the staff won't enjoy it, but I think they WILL enjoy it .. gives them something different ... for a change. I think it will be fun! Looking forward to it.

 

Charbie

 

Thanks Charbie..

 

Actually there are four of us..Localady wants to experience this too before passing judgement..And I know she is a fun loving person & willing to try something new...Gave the HAL press release to my DH without commenting & he said "This sounds like a fun night-too bad the Prinsendam isn't going to have it on our cruise" :) He also will dress up for a costume party! If we decide we don't like it after experiencing it, will make other arrangements for that night on our future HAL cruises..Obviously HAL hasn't had many poor reviews about this dinner, otherwise they would have stopped it..

 

The same thing happened when we computerized our Reservation System in the Airlines..Before trying out the new system, we had the old reactionaries who said it would never work & the customers & staff would not like it etc..

 

Hope everyone has a good time on their cruise...Betty

[S.S.Oceanlover]

If everybody heads to the Lido or the Pinnacle on this night I wonder how long this will last? I can you all now, "Not long I hope". BTW I agree with you in not wanting it either. These poor guys are stretched so thin I can't see how they will do it without a big intrusion to the service.

 

Bill

[Old As Dirt Mom]

S.S. Oceanlover:

 

Thanks for being the one to bring this to our attention in the first place. Your post certainly generated quite a response! I originally wasn't very thrilled with this "new' dining concept, but as Localady and I are on the same cruise in December, she has persuaded me to at least give it a try!:) I have to admit when I first read this news release, I really did think it was a joke.

[localady]

Betty-

You are such a nice lady! So excited to hear all about your Amazon adventure on my favorite lil Ship!:D

I admit that too much dancing and singing Romaine and vegies might get old after a cruise or 2, but we'll see what they are going to do and how the food tastes!

I myself, feel that the taste of the meals have improved since Chef Rudy has been the Executive Chef.

I tip my Chefs' Toque to him for that!:D

MAM-

Look at this way, it's only 1 night of a fabulous holiday vacation with no cooking or cleaning for the entire holidays!!! That sure makes dancing lettuce look better.;)

[Windrunner I]

If this isn't the most pathetic and ridiculous "innovation" I've ever seen/heard of. Whoever the brain surgeon is in HAL Marketing that thought this up ought to have his or her head examined AFTER he or she is FIRED!

 

This is just another attempt to disguise mediocre food and service. Did HAL ever consider what we all REALLY want? Such as excellent food and service? Not "OK", not mediocre, which seems to be the norm. Perhaps they should invest as much time and money in the FOOD and SERVICE instead of this bull-hooky.

 

I thought HAL might be on the right track, but this is my signal to cancel my next two HAL cruises and go back to Crystal, Celebrity and Oceania.

[iceman93]

I thought HAL might be on the right track, but this is my signal to cancel my next two HAL cruises and go back to Crystal, Celebrity and Oceania.

 

Enjoy Crystal, Celebrity, and Oceania! I've never had a complaint about HAL's food, their service is widely regarded as one their strongest points, and I appreciate them taking a chance on a new idea that might just inject a little more fun in the overall experience. So if you don't want to cruise with white trash like me who enjoy the current HAL experience and are open to new ideas, then by all means sail those other lines!

[dakrewser]

Enjoy Crystal, Celebrity, and Oceania! I've never had a complaint about HAL's food, their service is widely regarded as one their strongest points, and I appreciate them taking a chance on a new idea that might just inject a little more fun in the overall experience. So if you don't want to cruise with white trash like me who enjoy the current HAL experience and are open to new ideas, then by all means sail those other lines!

 

I've had few complaints about HAL's food, either. Srvice is a high point with HAL, but service in the dining room is better on other lines. HAL's overall service is the best of the mid-level lines.

 

Still, I've no desire to sit through some Disneyfied Chuck E. Cheese presentation of my dinner. A little more imagination in the menus would do much more to enhance my dining experience.

 

Oh, and reverse snobbery is no prettier than the more often seen type.

[booboo29]

I posted here that I was not a fan of the new Master Chef Dinner, but I am not going to switch to another cruise line because of it. In fact, I have booked another cruise on HAL since attending the dinner. The Master Chef Dinner is 2 hours of your total cruise experience and I would hate to think that 2 hours could ruin your entire voyage. There are certainly other things that more than make up for it.:)

 

Jennifer

[elmorejj]

And you are not hog tied and dragged into the DR to partake. There ARE other venues for dinner.........jean:cool:

[kakalina]

I guess I'll throw in my two cents worth.

 

It's new, it's different, it sounds interesting. I doubt I would like a steady diet of this sort of dining but I'm certainly willing to give it a try.

 

I was on the Amsterdam with Kryos and agree with her. Our master chefs' dinner was very understated. No performing waiters, no dancing veggies, not even one whirling dish! (Unless you count the dizzy gal DH was ogling).

 

I am quite willing to give it a try although I do really enjoy the elegance and panache of the traditional dining venue.

 

Trisha

[iceman93]

Thank you, kakalina, for summarizing what I've been trying unsuccessfully to say. Booboo and elmorejj hit the other relevant points.

 

And for those who say "why didn't HAL put their money/effort/time into xxx" (where xxx seems to represent better food quality, more food variety, or enhanced dining room service), that question could be asked of every business decision they make. Why did they expand the ages for Club HAL when they could have put poker tables in the casino? Why did they add onto the spa when they could have put plusher carpets in the staterooms? HAL is trying to run a business. Their business happens to be making people happy. People are all different, and what makes one person happy may not do much for another. This dinner concept might be a flop, and might not match preconceieved notions of what HAL should be and do, but then again the vast majority of the cruising public (as opposed to the vocal but extremely tiny minority who visit a place like CruiseCritic) may find it a wonderful diversion on one night of their cruise and may cruise HAL more often because of it.

[tumeroll]

Don't you realize what is a foot here? once Carnival gets all of their various brands to be exactlky the same they can merge them all into a single brand. Imagine the savings with just one reservation system, one brochure, one basic menu through out the entire line, a giant Walmart on the water. It is coming so be prepared.

[ArtM]

Our next cruise will be our first on HAL, and the Master Chef thing doesn't sound like the HAL experience we expected. Sounds like all those nasty rumors I hear about Carnival. If they are trying to shake our loyalties to X, this is not a good start.

 

I see the references to various alternatives, and we will likely try one of them. The only question I have is how much advance notice (ship's daily, first day announcements, etc.) do the pax get as to when the Master Chef thing takes place? As HAL rookies, the Pinnacle Grill is something we wanted to try, and this might be the night if we know far enough ahead to make reservations.

 

Art

[keep on cruising]

We were on the Zuiderdam for an April 1st cruise. We had a menu one night entitled Master Chef Dinner but that was it. There was no entertainment or hats.

 

We also did not have Dutch night. There was one night which had Dutch items such as the Split Pea Soup on the menu but that was it, no Dutch hats for passengers or servers. I was kind of disappointed. This was our second HAL cruise and we have not experienced a Dutch Night :(

[krewzin]

Sheesh, before folks start cancelling cruises due to a 1 night several minute presentation, might I suggest you simply give it a chance? Loosen up a bit...have some fun maybe?

 

I'm not partial to this stuff either, but it's not like small animals are being tortured here.

[peaches from georgia]

I haven't met anyone on any of our HAL cruises who doesn't like to have fun. I think the objection to the Master Chefs Dinner 'entertainment' is twofold:

 

1. Most importantly, it will further reduce service in the dining room which has been suffering from a decrease in # of stewards as it is. How can it not, when the stewards will not be attending to their tables for periods of time during dinner while they are dancing and twirling salad bowls, etc.

 

2. This type of 'entertainment' is exactly the kind of thing that has turned many loyal HAL pax away from cruising on lines such a RCCI to begin with. It is not the atmosphere of fine dining that people who love HAL expect or want.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On the third morning of our Amsterdam cruise we got a menu entitled "Master Chef Menu". When I looked it over there weren't any different items on there - same thing we have been served on other ships. But I do remember sail7seas talking it and the dancing. So we were looking forward to it. When I checked the daily program I didn't see any special dining times like sail said there. When after a few minutes nothing happened, we asked our area captain about it. He said that they did have the dancing on the previous couple of cruises but the passengers didn't like it, so they stopped it for our cruise. I don't know if or when they are going to resume it on the Amsterdam. We were so looking forward to it.

[AlexandNessa]

KK, did you cruise recently? I am wondering if this new change of not dancing is just on the Amsterdam or on all the ships? I have to say that I really did not enjoy the "experience" at all. And, both DH and I wrote as much on our comment cards. This was on the VODM. I am wondering how many others like us took the time to fill in the forms, specifically commenting on the MCD?

[elmorejj]

Don't you realize what is a foot here? once Carnival gets all of their various brands to be exactlky the same they can merge them all into a single brand. Imagine the savings with just one reservation system, one brochure, one basic menu through out the entire line, a giant Walmart on the water. It is coming so be prepared.

 

 

 

The brochure would probably be as big as the yellow pages!!:cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were on the Amsterdam March 22 - April 6.