Pinnacle Grill Question

We have received Pinnacle Grill dinners as perks from my TA and HAL. If I want to reserve for the first night in advance of the cruise, I understand that my credit card will be charged right away. So, will I find a credit on my shipboard account for that dinner or will I have to book another on board to get the perk?

You prepay for the Pinnacle Dinner using your credit card, after you have dined go to guest services and they will credit your OBC for the original costs.

As the previous poster said, you only need to ask at the Pinnacle Grill or at Guest Services to have one of yor complimentary dinners converted into your existing reservation.

Don't be surprised though if you don't see the credit right away on your ship board account. When we were on Zuiderdam last March, we had no trouble at all converting a paid reservation to a complimentary one, but the credit did not appear until the final bill was settled.

We just ask the Pinnacle manager to credit us for the dinners we have pre booked.

Then I check our shipboard account the next day to make certain that we have been given credit back.

Thank you all, those were the answers I was hoping to hear. Now we will book the PG for the first night. I hear the dining room is something of a mess on the first night.

This is an interesting angle. We have complimentary PG dinners as part of the promotional I booked under. I was thinking of a Gala night but liking the idea of first night...

This is an interesting angle. We have complimentary PG dinners as part of the promotional I booked under. I was thinking of a Gala night but liking the idea of first night...

We did that for the first time on our last cruise, and it really worked out well. A quiet no hassle dinner on the first night. It will be our "new" tradition.

I'm hedging. We will be our own table of ten in fixed seating MDR and when we were a table of eight in 2016, our wait-staff was a high point of the day. I'm leaning toward getting to know them the first night, then letting them know when we decide to use our PG and possibly a night at Canaletto.

Do Gala nights have fancy menus in the MDR? Like lobster, prime rib... I believe we scheduled a Canaletto dinner for a Gala night in 2016, have no recollection of the other Gala. We do not bring fancy clothes, but the guys wore Hawaiian shirts and ladies an assortment of bling tops, both to Canaletto and Gala...

The last Gala night of the cruise will have surf and turf.

On longer cruises lobster (or surf and turf) MAY be offered on another gala night.

This is an interesting angle. We have complimentary PG dinners as part of the promotional I booked under. I was thinking of a Gala night but liking the idea of first night...

FYI - On the Zuiderdam, we went to the Pinnacle for the 2nd Gala night because there was no extra fee for lobster as it was being served in the main dining room. I do not know if that is fleet wide, but I'd ask.

So, if I purchase a dinner in advance of my cruise, it will be deducted from my OBC if I request that?

Thank you all, those were the answers I was hoping to hear. Now we will book the PG for the first night. I hear the dining room is something of a mess on the first night.

We just got off a Med cruise on the Oosterdam. They offered 50% off the first night on pinnacle grill dinners. This being said, I don't think you would have a problem getting a reservation that night and I don't think I would use my full price complimentary that night. I would pay that night and go again with complimentary another night. The food and service are worth it. We have never found the main dining room a mess on first night. We had a great first night dinner in the main dining room with anytime dining.

FYI - On the Zuiderdam, we went to the Pinnacle for the 2nd Gala night because there was no extra fee for lobster as it was being served in the main dining room. I do not know if that is fleet wide, but I'd ask.

This mist be something new.

Good idea of HAL's part.

Hope it becomes fleet wide.

We just got off a Med cruise on the Oosterdam. They offered 50% off the first night on pinnacle grill dinners. This being said, I don't think you would have a problem getting a reservation that night and I don't think I would use my full price complimentary that night. I would pay that night and go again with complimentary another night. The food and service are worth it. We have never found the main dining room a mess on first night. We had a great first night dinner in the main dining room with anytime dining.

Years ago HAL used to offer 50% off the first night in the Pinnacle.

So, if I purchase a dinner in advance of my cruise, it will be deducted from my OBC if I request that?

If you pre book a specialty dinner, you pay for it with a credit card.

The only time you can use OBC to pay for a specialty dinner is when you book the dinners once on the ship.

Oh there are so many twists and turns to this dilemma! First night, second Gala night, which will it be?!!

Just a suggestion, if you have a Pinnacle Grill Dinner as part of a promotional package make sure to take the paperwork showing that you have it.

On my last cruise, we had a Pinnacle Grill Dinner as part of the Explore 4 package. It was not pre-booked for us, so we made reservations at our convenience, expecting it to be credited to our shipboard account. When the full charge (we're all 4-star Mariners) appeared on our ship-board account with no offsetting credit, it was down to the front desk to get it straightened out. It was a good thing I had the paperwork showing that we received the dinner as part of the Explore 4 Package because we went round & round with the the Front Desk and the PinnacleGrill manager. First they only credited the difference between the full price & the 4-star Mariner Discount, then they took off that credit, and finally they credited us the full price that was charged, but it took several visits, 3 days, and the paperwork to finally get the credit.

So, my advice is make sure you have a printed copy of everything your package includes and be prepared to check in with the Front Desk & Pinnacle Grill manager several times if you get charged for something you should have gotten for free.

Thanks ellieanne, I wouldn't have thought to do that!

I also always take the paper work for everything -- free dinners, shore excursions, pre booked specialty dinners, per booked alcohol for the cabin, etc.

We have had problems with everything at one time or another. Even had problems with shipboard credit one time.

I'm confused. We also have this as a perk, but my paperwork says:

*FreePinnacle Grill Dinner for Two:

– Reservationsand dining times will be assigned by Holland America Line and aconfirmation card will be placed in your stateroom upon embarkationday

So, am I to understand that I can reserve ahead of time to be sure to get the day/time I want?

I'm confused. We also have this as a perk, but my paperwork says:

 

*FreePinnacle Grill Dinner for Two:

– Reservationsand dining times will be assigned by Holland America Line and aconfirmation card will be placed in your stateroom upon embarkationday

 

 

So, am I to understand that I can reserve ahead of time to be sure to get the day/time I want?

Only if you are willing to pay for it advance and then fight (like some of us have had to do) to get your money back once on the ship and convince the Pinnacle Manage of the change you want.

Only if you are willing to pay for it advance and then fight (like some of us have had to do) to get your money back once on the ship and convince the Pinnacle Manage of the change you want.

I agree with KK's comment. I have been able to change a pre-assigned "free" dinner perk, but if there are many on your cruise that has the same perk, a time more to your liking may not be available.

Personally, I'd wait until you embark. The time/date of your free dinner should be among the paperwork in your stateroom when you arrive. If it does not suit, make a visit to the PG. If not then staffed, there usually is a dining room staff member in the Lido Restaurant area taking dinner reservations for all of the Restaurants. Make this a priority of yours once you have embarked.

Excellent -- thanks for the advice!

I agree with KK's comment. I have been able to change a pre-assigned "free" dinner perk, but if there are many on your cruise that has the same perk, a time more to your liking may not be available.

 

Personally, I'd wait until you embark. The time/date of your free dinner should be among the paperwork in your stateroom when you arrive. If it does not suit, make a visit to the PG. If not then staffed, there usually is a dining room staff member in the Lido Restaurant area taking dinner reservations for all of the Restaurants. Make this a priority of yours once you have embarked.

If you have a fixed dining table table assigned (not anytime) and you don't show up on the first night, there is the possibility that the matre'd may give your seats away if there is a high demand for fixed dining on your cruise. If you do plan to go to a specialty restaurant (or Lido) for dinner, and you have a fixed dining assignment, it always wise to inform the matre'd that you will not use your dining assignment that evening.

If you have a fixed dining table table assigned (not anytime) and you don't show up on the first night, there is the possibility that the matre'd may give your seats away if there is a high demand for fixed dining on your cruise. If you do plan to go to a specialty restaurant (or Lido) for dinner, and you have a fixed dining assignment, it always wise to inform the matre'd that you will not use your dining assignment that evening.

"A high demand for fixed seating dining": for first seating.; yes. For second seating, no. Just in my experience. No harm in notifying the Dining Room Manager or one of the ADM's when you embark of your plans for the evening, but I'd be surprised of an automatic cancellation of your of your pre-made dining plans if one does not show that first night.

While Canaletto is an extra charge restaurant, on that first night, the Stewards would love to have some guests to serve. Obtaining a solo table at any time in that venue has never been an issue for me.