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

[Cruising-along]

Fungus-filled menu made me laugh and is why when my husband and I saw the menu earlier in the day we promptly canceled our reservations and ate in the Lido.

 

That was our biggest complaint, all the mushrooms. But in April on the Zaandam the menu was different, many more choices and hardly a mushroom to be found. :D

[TheSecondSister]

pannekoek -- YUMMY! Especially when served with the Dutch version of syrup (stroop), which is thick and dark (the closest American thing would be sorghum).

 

Thanks PumpkinPatches, now I'm starving :D

[PumpkinPatches]

pannekoek -- YUMMY! Especially when served with the Dutch version of syrup (stroop), which is thick and dark (the closest American thing would be sorghum).

 

Thanks PumpkinPatches, now I'm starving :D

That would be so nice though eh?! Just to have 1 breakfast per cruise where they make pannekoek! Mmmmm I think that would be a hit!

[RandB_Toronto]

That was our biggest complaint, all the mushrooms. But in April on the Zaandam the menu was different, many more choices and hardly a mushroom to be found. :D

 

That's too bad -- I LOVE mushrooms!!!

[Sir PMP]

The Master Chef's Dinner is a tradition on the last night of any Holland America Line cruise. Waiters dance and juggle, and I personally think it's a great time!!

 

However, I've noticed that there are some mixed feelings about the MCD.

 

 

Share your thoughts here! ;)

 

Too bad it's still there!

[Oceanwench]

Pumpkin Patches, welcome to Cruise Critic and the HAL boards!

 

You'll learn soon enough to ignore certain posts. Seems like *some people* want to make the rules around here! :D

 

But most of us are nice and we realize that it's not always easy to navigate a new message board and learn all the tricks right off the bat.

 

That being said, I have two comments on this topic:

 

1. We went to two MCDs - and only because our servers ASKED US to both times! The were very eager that we attend. Can't say I liked the menu. I am not sure I would go again.

 

2. I never enjoyed the Dutch night - was not a fan of the food served and did not like the hats.

[PumpkinPatches]

Thanks :)

[jtl513]

Share your thoughts here! ;)

We'd rather get our entertainment in an entertainment venue, and have serene dining in the dining room.

[LynnObie]

......We went to two MCDs - and only because our servers ASKED US to both times! The were very eager that we attend. Can't say I liked the menu. I am not sure I would go again......

We also went to 2 of these awful things :(.... we reluctantly went the 2nd time because our waiter asked us to also + we held out false hopes for a better experience than the 1st time. I am sure we won't go again! ;) IMHO, HAL should definitely dump the MCD!

[canadarocks]

We don't cruise again until March of next year, and I've already booked our dinner at the Pinnacle on the last night. Just to be sure we don't have to endure another Master Chef dinner! :eek:

[countrygal52]

We had one on our Alaska cruise 3 yrs. ago. It was our first cruise, so DH and I thought it was quite entertaining! I can imagine tho for people who cruise often that it might get "old'. Of course, some people complain about having to dress for Formal Night dinner and I enjoyed that as well! We don't go out to dinner anywhere were we live that we get to dress up in a suit and tie and a sexy long dress:D.

[room010]

Once was enough :eek: We thought it would be a gourmet dinner produced by "master chefs". Instead we got mediocre food and waiters juggling plastic vegetables. It's tacky and embarrassing for everyone involved. Guess how I voted.

[Pete Jackson]

We don't cruise again until March of next year, and I've already booked our dinner at the Pinnacle on the last night. Just to be sure we don't have to endure another Master Chef dinner! :eek:

 

But the MCD is not necessarily the last night of the cruise! (They've caught on.) The best way to sniff it out is when they ask you to come to dinner at any other than the usual time (fixed seating) or at a different time than reserved (anytime seating).

[room010]

The cruiselines, allegedly, read this board so HAL, I beg you, read this poll PLEASE. It's sending you a very clear message :cool:

[Nanner]

We've been around HAL long enough to have experienced both the Dutch and MCD. I preferred the Dutch night. The hats on the guests were optional for Dutch night, the prancing of the waitstaff on MCD night is not. While the food options on Dutch night were a bit limited, there was more variety (Dutch and Indonesian) on Dutch night. It was also not on the final evening.

 

I agree with those who enjoy a chance to visit with tablemates on the final night, rather than being constantly interrrupted for this "show".

 

Don't you also wonder if this is yet another way to stiff the crew, since the final night is tip night? If eating in a different venue, I wonder if even more people are skipping out on the chance to give their server a recognition (or an additional one, if they do auto-tip) for probably a very good job done.

 

We are going on B2B cruises next month, and there is NO way I'm sitting through 2 of those things. I've never been to Canaletto yet, so it is time to try a new experience on at least one of the MCD nights.

[Krazy Kruizers]

But the MCD is not necessarily the last night of the cruise! (They've caught on.)

 

And how do you know that it has been changed?

[Krazy Kruizers]

We've been around HAL long enough to have experienced both the Dutch and MCD. I preferred the Dutch night. The hats on the guests were optional for Dutch night, the prancing of the waitstaff on MCD night is not. While the food options on Dutch night were a bit limited, there was more variety (Dutch and Indonesian) on Dutch night. It was also not on the final evening.

 

I agree with those who enjoy a chance to visit with tablemates on the final night, rather than being constantly interrrupted for this "show".

 

Don't you also wonder if this is yet another way to stiff the crew, since the final night is tip night? If eating in a different venue, I wonder if even more people are skipping out on the chance to give their server a recognition (or an additional one, if they do auto-tip) for probably a very good job done.

 

We are going on B2B cruises next month, and there is NO way I'm sitting through 2 of those things. I've never been to Canaletto yet, so it is time to try a new experience on at least one of the MCD nights.

 

We loved Dutch night -- and choices of food were so much better than what is offered on the Master Chef Dinner night.

We always tip the dining room wait staff the night before and inform them that we won't be at the MCD.

But I do agree with you -- some people will see that as an excuse to not give out extra tips.

[candbgirl]

I just got off the Maasdam. A couple of people in our group really wanted to go to the MCD so off we went(despite what I thought). It was awful. Besides the prancing and dancing of the staff our entire order was lost and we didn't get out main course until just before the parade of the glow sticks. (I must say that the dinner food was delicious.) The dining room was virtually empty and I was uncomfortable watching the hard working staff perform their routines. I think that word of mouth caused most of the passengers to avoid the MCD on this cruise. (I say this because over half of the passengers had never cruised with HAL before.) Even my friends who insisted on going realized it was a mistake and we have decided to make a reservation at Canaletto or PG the next time we cruise. Maybe HAL needs to do a survey regarding MCD to confirm what the numbers obviously tell.

[Aruba]

The first thing we do is find out which night the MCD will be (usually the last) and then make a reservation in Pinnacle Grill for that night. I have experienced the MCD once and disliked it intensely. It is so un-Hal, if you know what I mean...

[Krazy Kruizers]

We do the same thing -- as soon as we get on the ship - we check to see when the Master Chef dinner -- just in case it is not on the last night of the cruise.

[LynnObie]

....But the MCD is not necessarily the last night of the cruise!.....

It wasn't the last night on our Zaandam Hawaii cruise last year. It was either 1 or 2 nights before the last. I will ask the Maitre 'd for MCD schedule the day we board from now on & make definite plans to dine elsewhere. I will also inform the Matre 'd why I'm asking. :)

.....

We are going on B2B cruises next month, and there is NO way I'm sitting through 2 of those things....

We won't sit through even 1 MCD on our upcoming B2B in Jan. ;)

[SwissMyst]

i haven't experienced it, nor do i intend to. i'll be going to the pinnacle that night.

 

call me cynical, but I wonder if that is why they keep having the thing. increases pinnacle bookings.

 

We tried that last time on the Zuiderdam and had the worst dining experience on our entire cruise and did not get a chance to enjoy our wonderful dining staff, plus the MDR food was excellent on that cruise so we lost all the way around, except we did not have to endure the MCD show. But the pretension, overkill and abominable service in the Pinnacle along with the truly awful PG food was even more punishment. Pinnacle has to go long before MCD, in my opinion.

[Copper10-8]

Just a heads up, even though it was billed as the Master Chef's Dinner last Saturday (two days ago) on Veendam, it was not the typical MCD: no dancing, no signs, no parading, no juggling fake fruit, 'regular' uniforms by the staff and a 'regular' menu with seven entrees.

[sail7seas]

Wow,,,, that's a change since less than a month ago on Maasdam. Maybe it is the beginning of the end of MCD?

 

I just made our Pinnacle reservations yesterday for our last night on our upcoming Maasdam cruise. ;) We try hard to not attend MCD.

 

[Copper10-8]

Wow,,,, that's a change since less than a month ago on Maasdam. Maybe it is the beginning of the end of MCD?

 

I just made our Pinnacle reservations yesterday for our last night on our upcoming Maasdam cruise. ;) We try hard to not attend MCD.

 

 

Could very well be;) They (staff) did sing Gelang, Gelang which is always a good thing!:)