What do you think HAL should do about the Master Chef Dinner (MCD)?

[Cruisin'Lady]

I have been to it both of my cruises on HAL. I didn't care for it the first time and only went to it the second time because my hubby enjoys it! Although I voted to get rid of it here. I don't like it because it slows the service down, I feel that the waste of paper for the hats and menu is just that...a waste, it didn't vary from the first time we saw it...in other words they only can dance and do the same thing in such a small space for that many people. I also have a hard time hearing...so the added background noise means I cannot hear any conversation at the table.

 

My husband likes it...but he likes everything that makes alot of noise.:D

[lovetocruise2020]

Sounds to me like that is more suited to Carnival than an upscale line.

Romantic Dining

Great Meal

Calm & Relaxing

= what I imagine HAL to be like

 

This does not fit the bill.

 

Dawnielle (Surfergirle)

[Jemima]

We really liked it the first time and enjoyed it the next time or so. It is a problem with open dining because the whole dining room goes to two seatings for the Master Chefs Dinner. We've skipped it the last couple of cruises.

I voted "ambivalent or don't care".

[Limeygirl]

I've never cruised before, so I can't form an opinion. It sounds like something kind of cheesy and tacky that you have to try once in your life. We'll see how I feel about it once we get back.

[whogo]

I voted to eliminate it. Everyone who hates the master chef's dinner enough to eat in the Lido should first show up at the main dining room and take a seat. Stay until the nonsense goes on for a while and you have messed up the place setting and then leave for the Lido. Explain to the waiter (if he's not still dancing) and the maitre d' that this is not what you are looking for in a dining experience.

 

I would not want anyone to stalk out on table mates. This is an all or nothing, whole table or no one, suggestion.

[McMer]

Can someone please explain this to me? These posts are making me nervous. Our family will be on our first HA cruise this summer to the Med and I was hoping the last evening would be a lovely one in the main dining room. Should I make reservations elsewhere?

[DedeM]

Can someone please explain this to me? These posts are making me nervous. Our family will be on our first HA cruise this summer to the Med and I was hoping the last evening would be a lovely one in the main dining room. Should I make reservations elsewhere?

 

I wouldn't be alarmed, just be informed. Read everyone's opinion with an open mind.

 

Here is a thread about the good, the bad, and the ugly. :)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1167363

 

As for me, I know my mom and what she likes and dislikes (as well as my own likes) and I've booked reservations at the Pinnacle for the last night as a bon voyage/thank you gift to her. :)

[plattetrekkies]

bring back Dutch night. The food choices were much better.

[willowtak]

I really didn't like the menu and having it the last night was the pits. However, the wait staff really seemed to like what they were doing--they had a ball.

[AlexandNessa]

Looks like at least according to this poll, a pretty healthy majority would like to see this thing end.

[iceman93]

Looks like at least according to this poll, a pretty healthy majority would like to see this thing end.

 

Yes, but here's where things get interesting (and prepare to put your flak jackets back on)...

 

What if the roughly 2/3's of the people who voted in this poll to get rid of the MCD are the customers HAL actually wants to get rid of anyway? Maybe (I'm just sayin'), they've figured out that the kind of customer who doesn't like the MCD has other traits that make them undesirable. Use your imagination, but it could be that the cheaper the cabin booked, the more likely to hate the MCD. Or the less likely to spend at the spa. Or the less likely to lose at the casino. Or the more likely to bitch & moan about every little thing. Or, simply, the more closed-minded and therefore likely to complain about every change HAL makes to try and keep themselves competitive for the future.

 

What if?

[bepsf]

Chris and I HATE the MCD, called "Master Disaster" by the crew who work too hard as it is without jumping through the hoops the ENTERTRAINMENT dept. director makes them do for this tacky event. NONE of our friends like it and we all avoid it, all the time.

 

Just experienced the MCD aboard Zaandam this past week - where they combined it w/ the Baked Alaska parade.

Hated it immensely.

Review to follow shortly...

[ajames]

Costa does this well. HAL and Carnival are pathetic.

[ldog]

We particularly hated that they scheduled it on the last night of our Veendam cruise. We wanted to eat with our tablemates who we enjoyed throughout the cruise and the Pinnacle was booked so we went. What we really find perturbing is that DH is allergic to mushrooms and they are in both the appetiser and salad. The wait staff are too busy for us to ask for substitutes.

[peaches from georgia]

Yes, but here's where things get interesting (and prepare to put your flak jackets back on)...

 

What if the roughly 2/3's of the people who voted in this poll to get rid of the MCD are the customers HAL actually wants to get rid of anyway? Maybe (I'm just sayin'), they've figured out that the kind of customer who doesn't like the MCD has other traits that make them undesirable. Use your imagination, but it could be that the cheaper the cabin booked, the more likely to hate the MCD. Or the less likely to spend at the spa. Or the less likely to lose at the casino. Or the more likely to bitch & moan about every little thing. Or, simply, the more closed-minded and therefore likely to complain about every change HAL makes to try and keep themselves competitive for the future.

 

What if?

No flak jacket needed, but no business wants to lose 2/3 of its customers! Not in this economy, not in any economy. Cruiselines are all struggling as it is to fill the ships with warm bodies, so annoying 66% of their pax makes no sense, no matter who or what the pax are like. ;)

[docksider21]

bring back Dutch night. The food choices were much better.

 

 

Yes. Yes. Dutch Night.

 

Or combine Dutch Night with Master Chef's Dinner

 

to be known as the Dutch Masters! :p

 

PS. -- I really, really do like Dutch Night.

[m steve]

why not let them have fun at our expense. I have no problem with the menu although they could alternate it every other week for B2B cruisers, but I would definately dump the Baked Alaska and bring back the chocolate hats.

[jtl513]

Since the crew seems to enjoy it ... whynot let them have fun at our expense.

Many do, but I've seen many with expressions on their faces showing that they're just going through the motions without much enthusiam.

[cruz chic]

why not let them have fun at our expense. I have no problem with the menu although they could alternate it every other week for B2B cruisers, but I would definately dump the Baked Alaska and bring back the chocolate hats.

None of them that I have talked to enjoy it. It's just one more thing to do on the long list of other duties. I think they have more then enough to handle without the extra "show".

[iceman93]

None of them that I have talked to enjoy it. It's just one more thing to do on the long list of other duties. I think they have more then enough to handle without the extra "show".

 

I hear this often here at CC, so I can assume that people have been talking to different crew members than I have. Because I've gone out of my way to ask around on my last two cruises, everyone from my own dining room stewards to the entertainers, the maitre'd to the cruise director... and all love it. They say that it breaks up the monotony of the regular dining room service, and they enjoy that most guests seem to really get into the spirit of it.

 

I have come to the conclusion that the fanatical cruisers here on CC (and we are all fanatical cruisers, or we wouldn't spent our time talking with people on the internet about cruising) are an interesting though non-representative sample of the larger cruising public.

 

If HAL is trying hard to woo new cruisers, something like the MCD is perfect. Even among those who don't like it here on the board, several have said it was fun the first time but is now repetitive. So they're not focusing on us, the fanatical cruisers, but on generating new business.

 

How many of the 2/3 of customers who don't like the MCD have stopped or are going to stop cruising HAL because of it? My hunch is not many. Instead, those folks are going to find another place to eat that one night. And the many, many new cruisers (and few cruise fanatics like my family who still enjoy the MCD) will have a great time. And HAL very slightly annoys some repeat customers (but not enough to make them take their business elsewhere) while continuing to broaden their customer base.

[bepsf]

How many of the 2/3 of customers who don't like the MCD have stopped or are going to stop cruising HAL because of it? My hunch is not many. Instead, those folks are going to find another place to eat that one night.

 

On my recent Zaandam cruise, I noticed the Asst DR Manager walking about during the MCD counting people seated in the Dining Room - my guess is to indicate "popularity" and send those results to Seattle.

While seating numbers indicate attendance, it does not indicate preference - particularly for new cruisers and have no idea what the MCD is, or for those who do not wish to spend the mandatory $65/pp to attend Pinnacle that evening (Yes, that was the night of the Sommellier's Dinner - Coincidence?) or who learned of it too late to book seats in Canaletto.

 

Yes, I was there since I was with the group and I was counted - but I'd have preferred to have had room service that evening.

 

Another thing of note: Now that the Baked Alaska parade is combined w/ the MCD, there is effectively no choice in desserts that night. It's the experienced cruiser who knows to call the waiter over for the dessert menu (and must wait for that something else to be delivered) - the inexperienced cruiser only knows of what's plopped in front of them.

[moniquet]

I hear this often here at CC, so I can assume that people have been talking to different crew members than I have. Because I've gone out of my way to ask around on my last two cruises, everyone from my own dining room stewards to the entertainers, the maitre'd to the cruise director... and all love it.

 

quote]

 

What do you expect them to say to a client:rolleyes: They are hardly going to go around saying it's pants are they...maybe get back to the bosses. I saw the look on some of the wait staff faces and it was apparent they were NOT enjoying the experience, neither was I and I was paying for it!

[liketraveling]

I just got off the Zandamn.

 

It seemed to be toned down some. It didn't include the Zandamn Singers & Dancers. Jenny from Jenny & the Hal Cats did the singinging. With it toned down a little I still don't care for it.

 

I had open seating, the waiter the night before took our reservation and he said first seating was full. The second seating on the first floor did not seem to be full.

 

You could see some of the wait staff uncomfortable with it. There were some that seemed to enjoy it.

 

Gail

[cruz chic]

I hear this often here at CC, so I can assume that people have been talking to different crew members than I have. Because I've gone out of my way to ask around on my last two cruises, everyone from my own dining room stewards to the entertainers, the maitre'd to the cruise director... and all love it.

 

quote]

 

What do you expect them to say to a client:rolleyes: They are hardly going to go around saying it's pants are they...maybe get back to the bosses. I saw the look on some of the wait staff faces and it was apparent they were NOT enjoying the experience, neither was I and I was paying for it!

 

I've said this many times. There have been many things that my employer has done that I'm not overly fond of but I'm not going to tell them or tell a client. Maybe some of the stewards do like this but I have my doubts.

[YXU AC*SE]

If HAL is trying hard to woo new cruisers, something like the MCD is perfect. Even among those who don't like it here on the board, several have said it was fun the first time but is now repetitive. So they're not focusing on us, the fanatical cruisers, but on generating new business.

 

No offense intended, however if this indeed were the case, wouldn't one expect that HAL would actually use the MCD as a point of marketing differentiation? While my review of HAL's marketing material may not be entirely exhaustive, I have yet to come across flowery prose extolling the unmatched and entirely delightful cruise experience of dancing salad bowls and the waltz of the napkins. And moreover, who actually would make a cruise purchase decision (in whole or in part) based upon said prose?

 

 

I do read about HAL's

• Luxurious Dining Room, graced with fine art and antiques
  
• Sophisticated Rosenthal china and crisp white table linens
  
• Five-course menus with offerings from classic preparations regionally inspired cuisine to vegetarian options
  
• Your choice of traditional pre-set seating and dining times or a flexible open schedule
  
• Enhanced menu design under the direction of Master Chef Rudi Sodamin
  
• Executive chefs inducted into the prestigious Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, an international food and wine society
  

Personally, twirling one's soiled napkin in the air to March of the Toreadors whilst awaiting dessert, IMO, seems a little incongruous to the above -- and while it may be kooky hijinks fun the first time one experiences it, it certainly isn't a point of marketing differentiation.

 

Of course YMMV. :D:D

 

Scott.