Ka Honu

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

So I just looked at the Pinnacle dinner menu. There is a 15 oz "Boneless Ribeye" and a 16 oz "USDA Prime Dry Aged Delmonico" (Delmonico is often used in place of Ribeye". These 2 steaks while being the same cut and approximate weight will not be anywhere near the same size because of the relative water content. Of course there have been many armchair chefs, masters of the back yard Barbeque, commenting on any number of hack on Pinnacle threads, who comment their steak wasn't the cut advertized. 

I thought I made all that clear in earlier posts but was apparently mistaken. Based on the theory that there is no horse too dead to beat I'll give it another try:

I ordered the "Boneless Ribeye" and two of my tablemates ordered the "Delmonico." The Delmonicos were true ribeyes as advertised. The "Boneless Ribeye" was actually a boneless rib steak which included the ribeye plus cap, tail, & fat. The cap (one of the best parts of the cow) and tail are different muscles adjacent to, but NOT part of the ribeye. The fat is, uhh, fat.

One more time - They were DIFFERENT CUTS of meat and that's the ONLY reason they were so different in terms of length, width, and thickness (when raw). It had nothing to do with preparation and cooking. 

Since dry-aging typically reduces a steak's weight by 10-20%, the Delmonico should probably have been slightly smaller and lighter than the "Boneless Ribeye" when served.

OBTW - not sure if I'm considered an "armchair chef" but I can prep and turn out a decent meal and am better than average at "backyard" barbecue. I do, however, realize that doing that for friends and family is nowhere close to the skills and knowledge required to serve hundreds of people (or more) every day. This has nothing to do with those folks - only the ones who write/allow menus which don't accurately reflect the actual dish they're serving. It's like ordering ahi (tuna) and receiving tilapia.

Hopefully this will clarify the original complaint and finish this seemingly endless rant.

I got the same notice on an upcoming Circle Japan cruise (with a stop in Korea). Having played this game before, I checked out Japanese & Korean government websites and found there was no requirement for US citizens to have visas in either place.

HAL lays off their visa business to CIBT who is almost always much more expensive and often more difficult than going through the issuing (government) authority. There are exceptions, usually when you need multiple visas for one cruise and have to physically get them from consulates far from where you live - like LA and Hawaii for us.

I've seen CIBT charge $60 for an electronic visa available from the issuing government on line for under $10 so you'd do well to check them out before them your business.

Jus' sayin'...

Extension cords are usually pretty easy - I've always gotten them (when needed) by asking Guest Services or our cabin steward. You may not even need one since most cabins now have sockets in or near the bedside lamps.

There's a way to get distilled water and I remember a discussion somewhere in this forum on how to order it cheaply. I don't use the water tank so can't give you a better answer.

On 9/25/2024 at 4:13 PM, EtaC said:

... I have to say that I find the comments that assume universal awfulness to be totally self-righteous and misguided. Maybe my taste is not as refined as yours but give it a break. Next time order chicken and avoid the disappointment.

 

Funny, but your response doesn't quite seem to reflect the review I posted. Apparently you missed the part where I said that the Filet Mignon was "as advertised and properly cooked."

 

As to the rest, I've been called "misguided" often and "self-righteous" occasionally (although I don't recall anyone ever saying I had bad taste). Not my problem.

 

No offense taken.

On 9/26/2024 at 10:34 AM, Shmoo here said:

...  The only thing I've ever ordered I didn't really like was the asparagus side, just wasn't to my liking.

 

Can't argue that. I think there were 3-4 small overcooked stalks .

18 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

So I decided to re-read the OP. Either they fancy themselves as a butcher or decided to insert some book "definition" of the various cuts, as to how they think they "should" be...

 

I'm not a butcher but have done enough meat-cutting and preparation over the last 60 or so years to know what cut is what (as opposed to how that cut is advertised on menus, in stores, etc.). Apologies if my pedantry caused people to miss my point. 

 

What all that was leading up to was that Pinnacle described two steak entrees identically on the same menu as "ribeye" and they were totally different cuts of beef. That's just flat-out unacceptable. Any additional comments on method and quality of preparation method were a separate issue.

 

The complaint that the steak was too thin is a legitimate point, unfortunately they are working to a raw weight specification.

 

The steak wasn't "too thin." The problem was that the 14-ounce ribeye and the 15-ounce ribeye on the same menu should have been roughly the same shape and thickness (raw weight) because they were being sold as the same cut of meat although prepared differently. They weren't even close.

WARNING: Rant follows.

We returned from our Eurodam Alaska cruise last weekend and were (along with several friends and other passengers) underwhelmed by Pinnacle Grill for a number of reasons.

1. When seated (at a table of 5) I ordered a double Glenfiddich neat (covered by our beverage package). The waiter brought me Macallan instead because he said they were out of Glenfiddich. The Macallan wasn't covered by the beverage package so I sent it back and ordered a (covered) Glenmorangie. The ticket for the Macallan was never corrected so I was charged extra and had to sort it out the next morning at the Guest Services desk. 

What shipboard steakhouse runs out of a brand of whisky they advertise when there are at least 5 other bars on board where it's available?

2. Shoestring Bacon badly undercooked.

3. Beef cuts described incorrectly on the menu (also true in other dining venues aboard). Whoever wrote the menu does not understand meat cutting and the difference among:

    Rib steak or rib roast/prime rib - both bone-in, varying only in thickness, 

    Boneless rib steak or boneless rib roast/prime rib  - both obviously the same as the above but without the bone (but with the tail and cap meat plus fat), and

    Ribeye - the "filet" remaining after removal of the tail, cap (and most of the fat) from a boneless rib steak/roast (before cooking)

Sorry about the pedantry but the three are totally different and describing them incorrectly on a menu is somewhere between misleading and incompetent. 

I ordered a 14-ounce ribeye (medium rare) which should have been roughly an inch thick and received a 14-ounce rib steak (cooked medium) which was about half as thick and included the (unasked for) cap, tail and attendant fat. When informed the manager offered to replace the entree but I declined because I didn't want to delay the rest of the party.

Two other guests ordered the "upcharge" Prime Dry-aged Delmonico (ribeye) which they had enjoyed at Pinnacle earlier in the cruise. What showed up was at least a true ribeye but did not appear to be USDA Prime beef or properly dry-aged. The manager agreed and removed the upcharge (but didn't offer to replace the meal or the charge for dining in Pinnacle).

In fairness, the other two guests at the table ordered Filet Mignon, both of which were as advertised and properly cooked.

Bottom line: Not at all impressed with what was advertised (and priced as) a quality steakhouse. 

End of rant...

8 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

... Remember people fat is flavour and a prime steak is all about quality marbling.

I don't think I want to know how you found that out.

Jus' sayin'...

40 minutes ago, oldbluff said:

At home, I always give my oranges a thorough rinse in the shower before squeezing. 😀

People will be trying to "unsee" that for quite a while.

Jus' sayin'...

15 hours ago, POA1 said:

You can also use youngsters but they are a tad pricey.

You should be able to source teenagers much more cheaply than other "youngsters" or livestock. In some cases parents are willing to give them away for free or even pay the recipient. 

As long as it is relatively tasty, trolls aren't that particular about whether their meat is "veal tender" or aged "on the hoof." If you're not sure if the teen meets their (low) standards, you can always throw in a couple of packages of marinade to seal the deal.

Jus' sayin'...

4 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Good point but if I cancel because of a covered reason (health, family health, hurricane hits house, jury duty, etc) I've got insurance for that. I know very little about cruise insurance but I would think that should work if you buy the insurance at the same time you book the cruise. I know some folks book the cruise pretty far ahead but don't decide on insurance until closer to the final payment deadline. As I understand the insurance thing, you pay for it when you buy it. It seems to me that if you have to use it before the cruise final payment date, the premium you pay simply replaces the deposit in the "trash heap" of expenses you would otherwise have not incurred.

 

So far, we have never cancelled just because we wanted to do something else. I wish I were that organized and prescient. I could book a cruise two years down the road and know that no one in the circle of my family or friends would have an "emergency" or "occasion" that would force me to cancel and there wouldn't be a war or natural disaster (like maybe a volcano in Iceland or a war in the Middle East) that changes the itinerary to something I didn't want.

 

As long as I book a cruise I plan to take, I should be good....And if I did "change my mind" (which would be hard to imagine), my walk away from using a FCD is only $100 per person....(not outrageous). I'm not sure what you meant here but you're correct - if all you lose is $100 it might be worth the perks you wouldn't have gotten from another source.

 

What am I missing? Probably nothing. My only goal was to make sure people were aware of the possibilities - I wasn't trying to talk them into or out of using any particular ticket source. Everyone's mileage varies to some extent or another.

 

I actually always thought deposits were non-refundable anyway.  

 

 

On 11/13/2023 at 8:09 AM, Mr Luxury said:

I thought the white space was the Mortuary and that's why there isn't any noise.

Ewww. Luckily that's not true. They use a galley freezer for the mortuary (in the same galley that prepares your meals). They tell you it's a separate freezer but you never know...

Crew spaces and passageways. We've never had a problem with any more noise from there than anywhere else.

When taking advantage of any "big box" agency lower rates/higher perks (which are offered relatively often), make sure you research their cancelation rules. If you book with HAL (or many travel agents), you get a 100% refund (or some form of FCC) if you cancel before the final payment date. Many of the "big box" agencies keep your entire deposit no matter when you cancel (or rebook for a different cruise). For us that's usually unacceptable, especially if the deposit is substantial and the cruise is a long way off.

Jus' sayin'...

58 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

Your TA is not helpful enough. 

Got no dog in this fight but agree completely.

With very few exceptions we've suffered more poor service and inability to properly and satisfactorily resolve issues similar to the OP's from "large volume cruise agency" bookings than any of the other available options. To avoid this problem in the future, my unsolicited advice is to stay away from them and stick with a HAL PCC or a trusted "independent" TA who has decent experience and good references.  

Jus' sayin'...

8 hours ago, Ka Honu said:

... my ****** message.

 

Any suggestions?

 

* ***** = What's this foolishness? (That's my story and I'm sticking to it)

Oops, I did a no-no. I thought explaining that the apparently prohibited acronym stood for "What's This Foolishness?" would pass but apparently overestimated either the abilities of CC's guardian computers or the tolerance of our human masters.

"Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa."

So have any AARP Lifetime members been able to verify with HAL/SheerID?

I tried by submitting the requested info on the HAL site and was asked to upload a photo of my AARP card. I did so and received a response from SheerID that stated a date was missing on the card (presumably in the "VALID THRU" block) so they wouldn't verify. 

My card clearly states "Lifetime" in that space and apparently SheerID can't handle text where they expect numerical input. They haven't yet responded to my ****** message.

Any suggestions?

* ***** = What's this foolishness? (That's my story and I'm sticking to it)

Crew spaces and passages between decks.

Not really sure what accommodations you could expect from Oceania other than going to breakfast and making a "takeout' plate from the selections available but would caution you to check the local laws before you disembark for your excursion - some (many?) places prohibit bringing various food items ashore (especially fresh fruits and vegetables).

TA = Travel Agent. If you have a good one, it's LOTS easier than dealing directly with a cruise line or tour operator.

2 hours ago, GarthK said:

... a promotion for new bookings before the end of April where all 3 perks ... are included instead of just one. ... only applies to new bookings, since the prices are higher now ... a bit of a cop out since prices are always going up. So much for being rewarded for booking early.

I'm not sure I understand your question. Do you expect them to give you the "extra" perks they're now using to attract a higher fare that you didn't pay?

Rebooking a voyage to take advantage of fare and/or perk changes is almost always an option; we use it fairly often after our original booking (if fares go down enough or included upgrades/perks make the higher fare worthwhile) but the cruise line isn't going to give you something for nothing. Nor should they.

Jus' sayin'...

1 hour ago, Robjame said:

Not a big fan of butt tats or tramp stamps showing at dinner.

Kinda depends on the butt or tramp involved.

Jus' sayin'...

1 hour ago, basenji56 said:

I'm lucky I am so self-centered that I don't usually notice what other people are wearing in the dining room. 

Possibly the best approach. Loud or obnoxious behavior would be a problem worth addressing but someone else's poor dress habits probably shouldn't make the cut for "ruining" your experience. Just be glad you ain't them and ignore their "visual boorishness."

Jus' sayin'...

21 hours ago, raphael360 said:

Wow, I'm all in on the Lamb Chops and eggs for breakfast.  Is this new on the menu or special order?  If speical order, does it need to be ordered 24 hours before

 

I got hooked on lamb chops for breakfast on my first "big boy" cruise on Radisson in '96 and was thrilled several years ago to find it always available on Seabourn. The only "special order" required is telling your waiter how you want your eggs and chops done. I also ask them to put both on the same plate (I don't see the point of using two). 

18 hours ago, phillipahain said:

1) Regent

2) Seabourn

3) Oceania

4) Azamara 

Matched our choices until Regent took itself completely off our list about 5 years ago by raising prices several hundred $/day to include shore excursions we didn't want. 

Lamb chops and eggs to order at breakfast in the Colonnade. Also lots of other stuff. Every day. Every cruise.

That's all anyone needs to know.

You now get free internet (for one device per guest at a time) and it worked pretty well on Odyssey last month (Inside Passage) for "normal" use (email, browsing, etc.).

If you need more connections or higher speed, you can still buy an "enhanced" package" but I have no idea of the price or exact benefits of the upgraded service.

15 hours ago, Missabby said:

 

Cookies: If cookies are your thing, the bakery chefs onboard the Odyssey were making a caramel cookie that was heavenly.  The best place to find them was at the patio grill. I’m not sure why, but they didn’t put them out in the Seabourn Square.  However, one day I happened to mention them and they simply went into the back room and brought some out for me.  

 

Seabourn's caramel cookies are truly amazing! Recipe below - be careful not to burn your caramel...

     Seabourn Caramelized Sugar Cookies

     Ingredients

       1 cup sugar

       3/4 cup (3/8 pound) room temp butter

       1/2 teaspoon vanilla

       1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

       1/2 teaspoon baking powder

     Instructions.

        Butter a 12x14-inch piece of foil and set on baking sheet. In an 8-10 inch frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 1/2 cup sugar, frequently shaking and tilting pan. When mixture is a light caramel color (about 6 minutes), pour onto foil. Let stand until caramel is hard (about 5 minutes). Break into chunks; then crush into 1/8-1/4-inch pieces (in a heavy plastic food bag with a mallet or in food processor).

      In a bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until well blended. Beat in 2 tablespoons water and the vanilla until smooth, scrapoing down the sides of the bowl as needed.

      In another bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in crushed caramel.

      Drop dough in 1 1/2 teaspoon portions, 2 inches apart, onto buttered or parchment lined 12x15-inch baking sheets.

      Bake cookies in 325o oven until edges are light brown (12-15 minutes). If baking more than one pan, switch pan positions halfway through baking.

      Let stand on sheets until slightly firm (1-2 minutes); then use a spatula to transfer to racks to complete cooling.

My work here is done.