Cooking Classes

[BigBrust]

We are booked on the Zuiderdam for January 13th 2007. My wife and I were on the Veendam in Feb. i attended the cooking demo with the head chef and the chef from pinnacle grill. After the demo, we were allowed to sign up for a cooking class later in the week. Had I not gone to the demo, i would not have known, or been able to particpate, in the cooking classes. Is this still done the same way, or do they allow you to pre-register to take a cooking class. It really was a good time, and we would like to do it again, but hopefully they have come up with a better system.

[Randyk47]

There's no requirement to attend one of the open sessions to sign up for the classes. If you're not in a suite with Neptune Lounge access and support just go to the Front Desk. With the increasing popularity of the classes we intend to head to the Front Desk shortly after we get on the Veendam next March.

[Hoyaheel]

On Maasdam, we went to the front desk after we embarked and signed up (and paid) for the cooking classes and didn't even attend the demonstration. The downside to signing up in advance is they won't know yet when or what you'll be cooking, but we didn't care, so it wasn't much of a problem to be notified before breakfast that our cooking class would be after breakfast....

[JABTPS]

We are booked on the Zuiderdam for January 13th 2007. My wife and I were on the Veendam in Feb. i attended the cooking demo with the head chef and the chef from pinnacle grill. After the demo, we were allowed to sign up for a cooking class later in the week. Had I not gone to the demo, i would not have known, or been able to particpate, in the cooking classes. Is this still done the same way, or do they allow you to pre-register to take a cooking class. It really was a good time, and we would like to do it again, but hopefully they have come up with a better system.

 

We were on the Volendam 10/14/06 for 10 day cruise. Once we finished our lunch, we went down to the front desk and signed up. They did know what was being prepared and we were able to select the one that most interest us. Typically they prepare the same dishes for awhile, but you never know when they will switch over.

 

The demos are nice also and they all occur on sea days. Free sampling on the demo days.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Volendam -- inside our packet that we got when we checked in at the pier was a list of the cooking classes and the dates they were going to be held. It listed both the free ones and the ones you paid for.

 

People signed up for them at the front office as soon as they got on the ship.

 

Some of the classes fill up quickly -- allow only 12 to a class for $29.

 

On our second cruise, one of the classes didn't get enough participants and it was cancelled.

[SnorkelBear]

No classes on the Noordam while in the Caribbean. That is what was told to us on our Nov. 4 sailing. I was kind of disappointed.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Not even the free ones?

[SnorkelBear]

Not even the free ones?

 

The "free ones" are demonstrations, not classes. There were three of those on our 11 day cruise. For me, I did not find those overly informative nor entertaining. All three were done by Pinnacle Grill Chef Robert.

[BigBrust]

Thank you all for the information. I guess I will go to the front desk as soon as we get on the ship and sign up.:)

[scopewest]

Go and sign up ASAP. My sister got the last slot in the one cooking class that the Noordam did on our 11/15/06 cruise. My niece and I asked to be put on a waiting list and were later contacted that we would be in a class. We thought my sister's class had cancellations but they decided to put on a second class due to the demand. The first class was at 2 p.m., the second at 3:30 p.m. on our San Juan port day in the afternoon after we left SJ.

 

At the first cooking demo they announced the classes, and I have this vision of mobs of people storming the front desk only to be told the class was full, and all of them yelling how can that be, we just heard about it?! We were told at the desk when the class would be and what they would be cooking.

[marti2282]

We were on the Westerdam last week and signed up for a cooking class in the Neptune lounge as soon as we got on board. The class was done my the Pinnacle chef, Marcus, and was held in the kitchen instead of the Culinary Arts Center--which is in the Queen's Lounge. The lounge is also a movie theatre and the weather was rainy so they ran a movie in there.

 

I think it was even more fun in the real kitchen. Had a great time and ate some great food! Marti