Pinnacle $30 Ahhhhhh!!!!

[airlink diva]

People who sail other cruise lines and dine in their alternative restaurants......... What are the charges for them? Any of them $30 per person.

 

Nick & Nora's on the Miracle was $30. But I still consider it a good price due to the food and service. You try going to a land based resturant and ordering the same menu.

[kryos]

Those of you who will reduce or cancel your patronage of the Pinnacle Grill with the new pricing have proved that the system works.

I have to say that I pretty much agree with you. Just like the price of cabins ... the cost for any given cruise will eventually be whatever the market will bear. If it's a popular cruise, forget any kind of a discount or price reduction. Why should HAL provide one? They can easily sail that ship full at the going price. But let the voyage be selling slowly and you will find all kinds of flash specials and price breaks. I guess the Pinnacle works the same way. They have no trouble filling that restaurant every night, so why not make some additional money on the ammenity? And, maybe that kind of thinking is smart. Surely there are lots of folks who will have no problem paying the additional $10. But lots of others, too, will simply say it's not worth it. If the bottom line is that there are still enough people willing to pay that the restaurant stays full every night, then the price will remain $30 ... until demand exceeds supply once more ... and then it will be raised again.

 

The Pinnacle is a first class dining venue and personally I don't think this $10 increase is gonna impact bookings that much. It's just that I've eaten there many times and won't feel it that much of a loss if I can only dine there once during a cruise in the future ... hopefully as a paid guest of my TA. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[AirGorilla]

You need to ask him to fetch it. But he'll keep one for you if you want. For best service do this:

 

Each night when you're signing the beverage check for your wine, ask the wine steward for tomorrow night's menu & the wine list. Look over the menu and decide what you'll have (or, perhaps, skip the DR entirely!) then choose your wine and tell the wine steward. It'll be waiting at your table when you come in the next night.

 

And be sure to tip him a bit extra at the end of the cruise! :)

 

Thanks very much, Dave. That sounds like a great idea, and I appreciate your help!! I will do this on my next HAL cruise.

[esther e]

I don't believe you can fairly compare HAL and Oceania, though. Isn't Oceania one of the premium lines? If so, it is pretty much all-inclusive. Yes, there are no separate charges for the specialty restaurants, but the base cruise fare is much higher on that line than on HAL. I don't think there are any specialty restaurant charges on lines like Regeant or Crystal either ... and there shouldn't be, considering what you are paying for the cruise itself. But I think on the mass market type lines, of which HAL is one, you will always find extra charges for the specialty restaurants. The question arises, though, just how much it is worth it to you to eat in one of them. To me, $20 was acceptable. $30 is a bit much ... especially if that $30 does not include gratuities. Now, I am being asked to pay around $40 for a meal onboard ship ... albet a good meal ... when I could eat in other venues for free. Since my lifestyle is such that I ordinarily don't spend a lot on dining out, my personal evaluation is that $30 is just not worth it to me ... at least not worth it for multiple visits to the Pinnacle as I enjoyed on my 30-day cruise this past January. If the charge had been $30 then, I probably would have eaten at most twice there ... whereas at $20, I found it worth it to eat there on four separate occasions (one of which was compliments of my TA).

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

 

No, Rita, O is not all-inclusive. There are gratuities, charges for bottled water and soda, and excessive internet charges. It's a great cruise line, but not in the same league (yet) with Regent, in my opinion. It does have, with no question, the best food on the seas and the most beautiful interiors of any ship. Very upscale and English manor house type of furnishings. My gosh, there are fireplaces in several lounges and rooms!!!!

[sail7seas]

I'm guessing this is merely a price increase, and nothing will be suggested about tipping, as nothing is stated now....

 

 

 

I don't either, which is one reason I like to have the option to do so while I'm on vacation! :D

 

Paul :)

 

I so like the way you think, Paul.

 

Hope we get to meet aboard a 'dam' ship someday.

[hammybee]

My gosh, there are fireplaces in several lounges and rooms!!!!

 

Fireplaces ! Are they decorative?

[HeatherInFlorida]

................They establish a cover charge to keep the Cheap Charlies and Tire Kickers out. ..................

 

Such a lovely sentiment:o .

 

We won't pay $60 to dine in the Pinnacle. It's just not that important to us.

 

On the other hand, I neither think of us a "cheap Charlies" or "Tire Kickers". We just have better ways to spend our money and have the utmost confidence that HAL will feed us perfectly well in the dining room.

[esther e]

Good question. I'm not sure because on both our O cruises we were in the Caribbean and Amazon, and little use for a fire there!!!!:eek: I honestly don't know. Maybe Mike knows. Mike???? Mike?????

 

Esther

[sail7seas]

If Carnival - the Wal-Mart of Cruise Lines - charges $30 cover charge to dine at their specialty restaurant, how could anyone expect HAL to charge less?

 

 

That is why I asked the question. ;)

[Brad1185]

$20 or $30 at least it includes the tip.

[Aussie Gal]

We also won't be dining in the Pinnicle. We always enjoy the food in the dining room and are not big steak eaters, so a huge steak would be wasted on us.

 

If we are to pay $80 including a tip which equates to over $105Aud, then I would rather keep the money for a good eating out experience here at home.

 

To us it is not worth paying out that amount of money when we can eat well on board and it is included in our fare.

 

Jennie

[newmexicoNita]

I was on the maiden voyage on Voyager of the Sea in 1999. The specialty restaurant cover charge was $5 pp. Just ask how much they want now.

Interesting you would mention that: I was telling my neighbor about the charges today and relating a similar story to her. The first time we did alternative dining was on NCL: Le Bistro about 10 years ago. the charge $5.00. Tipping was not expected, however I think we did leave a little something. I can't recall. I know we have for years. Then we saw the price go to $10 which still was easy on the billfold and worth it. Even when the prices jumped from $10 to $15 and $20 we always enjoyed specialty dining. Now, the increase is so out of line with inflation we just will not do it. I am not going to dine without leaving an extra gratuity and I will not spend $60 for a meal plus $10-$20 for a tip. NO WAY. I would be willing to bet it won't take long before either the rate is dropped to $25 or there are several night with 1/2 price offers. You know NCL is still at $20 or $25 for a whole Lobster; some of their specialty restaurants are as little as $12.50 to $15.00. Even for those of you who are not NCL fans, it would be hard to find a place to eat, especially on a ship with better food or service: These prices we live with and indulge 2 or 3 times per cruise. NMnita

[sail7seas]

;) You've haven't been on HAL yet....

 

Maybe you'll find the food to be better on HAL? :) Maybe not.

 

 

[newmexicoNita]

Those of you who will reduce or cancel your patronage of the Pinnacle Grill with the new pricing have proved that the system works.

 

The "Fee" you pay to get in to the Pinnacle Grill - or any of the extra charge restaurants on any cruise ship - is not a gratuity or a service fee. It is a crowd control measure, plain and simple.

 

All the Cruise Lines use the same method. They establish a cover charge to keep the Cheap Charlies and Tire Kickers out. They leave the cover charge alone so long as the resataurant is busy - but not too busy. As soon as demand outstrips supply, they raise the cover charge to discourage a few more percentage points. If the restaurant then has manageable numbers, the cover charge remains untouched until the next time the numbers get too high.

Eventually, too many people decide that the cover charge is well worth it. Again the restaurant gets too busy and the cover charge must be raised again.

A few cruise lines have even lowered or eliminated cover charges entirely when certain specialty restaurants were too slow. Although I doubt that HAL will ever have to worry about that at Pinnacle.

 

On the positive side they have not raised the cover charge for Lunch at Pinnacle. It remains at $10 - one of the greatest bargains on a HAL ship. Why didn't they raise it for lunch? Lunch at Pinnacle is not busy enough to warrant an increase - at least not yet.

Bruce, first you tell us about the cost of other lines even though your facts are not actuate and now you want us to beleive they are so overbooked that this is a way of controlling crowds. You know they normally are controlled by simply saying : sorry, we have nothing available. Number one, there is no correlation between being a Cheap Charlie as you put it and objecting to a raise in price that is out of line. I am wondering, from reading all the boards you post on, where you are getting these ideas? even reading some of the postings here; past passengers mention the Grill is normally not full, so what is the point in raising the prices?Your postings are interesting if nothing else. NMnita

[7x5090g]

$20 or $30 at least it includes the tip.

 

Tipping is still at the discretion of the pax on top of the cover charge. HAL Ship Services confirmed that the increase in price has nothing to do with including the tip.

[AAAAmerican]

What they have in essence is, a rather high percentage now, Price FixE menu.

 

So price increases here may not be the best questions...

 

Lets look at the reasons and the answers that may be coming ... --- ... what a great series of Gratis Press Releases.... Every Home Port's Periodical can have a human interest story of Culinary Commerce on the Seas

 

Hopefully additions of more quality items as well other preparations will finally be added. :D The Grill is a nice place also with fairly well trained people staffing it.

 

Breakfast was always nice. Lunch we never have done in there, dinner was yes sometimes empty on many seatings.. so raising the Price that is fixed is a measure in policy which may be from Carnival Corp. Marketing..

 

With the Culinary Arts Center aboard now are the Guest Chefs creations now going to be on the Grills menu as well other new ones?

 

Food & Wine sponsors the C A C do they have creations coming now also there ?

 

I doubt guests aboard the ships will have to bring there own soon either :eek:

[7x5090g]

I know this must have been the hottest topic of the year. In retrospect, just think about what you are getting for paying the $30. When was the last time to go to a decent restaurant anywhere in the US where you can walk out of the restaurant after a 7 course meal having only to pay $30 (let's say even $40 if you want to include the tip).

 

It's still consider cheap especially you are on vacation. Hey after spending $3000+ on the cruise, what's another $30?

 

I think it's the principle that is in question. While everyone is expected to pay $20 and all of a sudden the price went up 50% everyone starts to scream. Imagine if I hadn't come across this OP (thanks again fb0075), and I found out about this increase after I got on the ship, will I still pay it? I've never cruised with HAL before so I am almost 99% sure I would pay the $30. However, since I found out about this ahead of time, I took the opportunity to pre-book so I save some dough (fb0075 - can you imagine if everyone that pre-book will give you 5% of what they save, you'd be rich). There are 7 of us going so it's $70 I could have used elsewhere.

 

After all, it's a vacation. It'd be so funny if HAL did this on purpose to see how well informed their guests are. With the technologies (www chat room,etc) News travel fast. The Ship Services agents must be thinking what'd happen today as reservation keeps coming in since 9 this morning.:D

[AAAAmerican]

A good example of a quandry.. my DW was at the local A&P which has a Buy One Get One FREE so called sale.. even though usually there prices are marked up over 33% higher than most other supermarkets here... we have one of the most competitive areas in the world here, even some Bank Lobbies and Drive up are open on Sunday.

 

She then asked the woman what was the price of an item... the woman curtly replied.. Dont you know its buy one get one free.. my DW answered well what is the price then..the impatient woman said ...I dont know... ...

 

Sometimes what is seen is not of value but a mere perception.:eek:

[hunzabunz]

AAAAmerican,

 

I like that!!!!!!

[Lvteks]

There will be a long pause before I consider the increase to be worth it. Some of the steaks are quite large. Combines with the other menu items, it is a very large meal. I do myself no good to "eat it because it's there and I paid extra for it." While the PG fiasco on our last Volendam cruise had already induced hesitation, the increase nailed the decision. I'll opt for an excursion and fuel the soul.

 

Blessings,

 

Gail

[kryos]

When was the last time to go to a decent restaurant anywhere in the US where you can walk out of the restaurant after a 7 course meal having only to pay $30 (let's say even $40 if you want to include the tip).

True ... but at least on land if I pay $40 for a meal, I am usually actually getting two meals, because I leave the restaurant with a doggy bag containing tomorrow night's dinner. At the Pinnacle, however, I cannot do that. So, that $40 is actually pretty darned expensive ... at least for me. I just cannot possibly eat all that food in one sitting. I can barely finish the petite fillet, let alone some of those larger portioned menu items.

 

So, for that reason, while I MAY be willing to pay $40 for a meal shoreside, depending upon the occasion ... I would NOT be willing to pay that ... at least not more than once a cruise now ... on a HAL ship.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[jagmanss1]

Tipping is still at the discretion of the pax on top of the cover charge. HAL Ship Services confirmed that the increase in price has nothing to do with including the tip.

 

Sorry, I disagree... HAL By uping the charge has now made it A tip IMHO... Those who say it is not the wait staff fault, Tuff luck for them sorry... they are getting part of it now from me if I choose to go that is.....

[happy cruzer]

I know this must have been the hottest topic of the year. In retrospect, just think about what you are getting for paying the $30. When was the last time to go to a decent restaurant anywhere in the US where you can walk out of the restaurant after a 7 course meal having only to pay $30 (let's say even $40 if you want to include the tip).

 

Some of us can't really enjoy 7 courses and really want only 3/4, many fine restaurents in my area offer mid week multi course specials with wine for $35/40.

It's still consider cheap especially you are on vacation. Hey after spending $3000+ on the cruise, what's another $30?

 

I have never paid $3000 for a cruise. and I always look at each expenditure independently.

I think it's the principle that is in question. While everyone is expected to pay $20 and all of a sudden the price went up 50% everyone starts to scream.

 

I own a business and would be through if I raised my prices 50%. I had to do a price increase this year and was able to do 6% in a competitive market.

 

Imagine if I hadn't come across this OP (thanks again fb0075), and I found out about this increase after I got on the ship, will I still pay it? I've never cruised with HAL before so I am almost 99% sure I would pay the $30.

 

That's what HAL is counting on.

 

However, since I found out about this ahead of time, I took the opportunity to pre-book so I save some dough (fb0075 - can you imagine if everyone that pre-book will give you 5% of what they save, you'd be rich). There are 7 of us going so it's $70 I could have used elsewhere.

 

Very good and if you have a good experience you'll maybe pay the $30 next time.

 

After all, it's a vacation. It'd be so funny if HAL did this on purpose to see how well informed their guests are. With the technologies (www chat room,etc) News travel fast. The Ship Services agents must be thinking what'd happen today as reservation keeps coming in since 9 this morning.:D

 

 

HAL and every other business always has to decide what is their business model. But first they have to make sure they show a profit. Too much profit and out of line with the competition is a bad thing. As I posted earlier, I think the PG experience is worth $30. But not to me. And at $30 for someone from my area of the US, it's not a big value. Remember if you do a pure cost analysis the PG does not have alot of overhead that a landbased restaurent has. Overhead considerations like rent, advertising, labor cost, material costs, parking, insurance, taxes, etc are totally different. They have run a small risk of alienating a few "old" clients but time should heal that. As you say, the new ones will not even notice. It probably will turn out to be a good thing from their point of view.

[BruceMuzz]

nmNita,

 

Sorry about the errors, I have either worked on, travelled on, or visited many of the mass market ships, but unfortunately I am not a Mass market kind of guy. They all seem the same to me. I just cannot justify buying that type of product. Where do I get this information and ideas? I have been on over 1200 cruises. That's one thousand, two hundred +.

 

In any case, we have a quandry here. It would seem that HAL is raising their cover charges to try to control crowds in their Pinnacle Restaurant. Yet a few posters here (who are undoubtedly experts in the cruise line restaurant business) claim that HAL's Pinnacle Grills are half empty.

 

So one must assume that:

1. HAL is lying.

2. HAL doesn't know what they are doing.

3. Some of the posters here don't really know what they are talking about.

 

There is however a 4th possibility that most everyone here has never considered. The special Galleys that service the Pinnacle Grill on HAL ships were unfortunately not designed to handle a restaurant the size of the Pinnacle Grill. That is, more people can be accommodated at the tables than can be fed in a timely manner. So one will very rarely see a Pinnacle Grill fully occupied, although they are operating at full capacity. Disappointed diners who cannot get in find it bizarre that there are empty tables when they were told that the restaurant is fully booked. They naturally assume that the Restaurant Manager is insane or stupid, rather than thinking that there might be other more rational circumstances that prevent them from dining there.

 

A 5th possibility. It seems to be the fashion in America to book several different restaurants for the same time, and then choose just one at the very last minute. Unfortunately, many people who do that are not considerate enough to inform the restaurants they have decided not to go to that they are not coming. The restaurant holds their table, even though others are waiting and hoping to get in. By the time the restaurant manager realizes that the inconsiderate diners are not coming, it is too late to give the unused table to someone else, because that same table is promised to later diners who will be arriving soon. There is no longer ample time to serve an earlier seating, so the table remains unused and hopeful diners are disappointed. The disappointed diners walk away thinking that the restaurant manager is either crazy or a complete idiot because he turns them away when he has empty tables - rather than assuming that perhaps a more positive reason prevents them from dining there.

[jjb415]

don't have much more to say other than this

 

why take out whatever you're feeling on the stewards?

 

I've read several posts which in effect say if the price goes up, we're not tippping:mad:

 

can't help but wonder if those people ever tipped at all:rolleyes:

 

just don't get it

 

the waiters didn't take a vote to "up the price"

 

sorry, but it's just not right:(

 

go, don't go

 

am quite sure Pinnacle will survive this crisis:)

 

In agreement here Sea King. You expressed my feelings very well. Thanks.

 

Thanks also to those who did the footwork in contacting Ship Services to find out about payment in advance for trips after October 1, 2006. Your efforts in research and posting the results are appreciated!