Oosterdam dining question

[williamson_ja]

Which restaurants on the Oosterdam are an extra fee and how much extra is it? They are not very clear on this point on the website.

 

Is there lobster in the regular dining room?

 

Also, is there free ice cream somewhere? Someone told me that they had an ice cream station somewhere with free ice cream. Is it soft serve, or regular?

 

thanks!!

[bermuda triangle]

Which restaurants on the Oosterdam are an extra fee and how much extra is it? They are not very clear on this point on the website.

 

Is there lobster in the regular dining room?

 

Also, is there free ice cream somewhere? Someone told me that they had an ice cream station somewhere with free ice cream. Is it soft serve, or regular?

 

thanks!!

 

The Pinnacle Grill has a surcharge of approx. $20pp.

 

Lobster in the dining room is available one formal night-surf and turf. If you like you can get surf and surf or turf and turf. This is typically Australian lobster.

 

Ice Cream can be found in the Lido, it is free. Types- hard serve, soft serve, sugar free with a varity of toppings. OR you can have ice cream (hard) in the dining room for dessert.

Laura

[Krazy Kruizers]

There are 2 ice cream stations on the Oosterdam -- one on starboard side and one on port side. Both stations will have different flavors most days. So we always check both sides before making up our minds what we want. There are all kinds of toppings and liquors as well to put on your ice cream.

 

JMO -- the lobsters are tiny -- about 3 ounces and tough. We are spoiled where we live -- we can get great lobster tails from the New England area.

 

Lobster night on a 7 day cruise is the second (and final) formal night.

[Roz]

On my 10-day Noordam cruise last November, the surf & turf was a small filet mignon and prawns. I actually preferred the prawns to some of the (tiny) lobsters I've had.

 

Roz

[luvs2travl]

The lobster on board was nothing to rave about. We were on the "O" in November, and I could not eat mine - it was tough, tough, tough! The filet I had in it's place was wonderful. I often wonder what the big deal is about the lobster tails anyway...are folks not able to get lobster where they live?? :confused: We have a wonderful restaurant here that flies their lobsters in from New England - don't know if it's Maine or not, but they sure are good and fresh and melt in-your-mouth delicious, especially with all that drawn butter!

 

The Pinnacle Grill is wonderful - we ate there several times during our cruise. Try it for lunch as well. They served the most delicious "Cream of Five Onion Soup" there at lunch time. It is NOT the same onion soup that is served in the MDR, and it was one of the most delicious soups I have ever tasted. :)

 

The ice cream is in the Lido - both sides. Didn't see any soft serve tho' -:confused: We may have just missed it, but DH is an ice cream hound and he has a "nose" for where & when it is being served. KK is right - there are loads of different toppings and also fresh cookies in the PM! YUM!!!

[cruie4ever]

The lobster on board was nothing to rave about. We were on the "O" in November, and I could not eat mine - it was tough, tough, tough! The filet I had in it's place was wonderful. I often wonder what the big deal is about the lobster tails anyway...are folks not able to get lobster where they live?? :confused: We have a wonderful restaurant here that flies their lobsters in from New England - don't know if it's Maine or not, but they sure are good and fresh and melt in-your-mouth delicious, especially with all that drawn butter!

 

The Pinnacle Grill is wonderful - we ate there several times during our cruise. Try it for lunch as well. They served the most delicious "Cream of Five Onion Soup" there at lunch time. It is NOT the same onion soup that is served in the MDR, and it was one of the most delicious soups I have ever tasted. :)

 

The ice cream is in the Lido - both sides. Didn't see any soft serve tho' -:confused: We may have just missed it, but DH is an ice cream hound and he has a "nose" for where & when it is being served. KK is right - there are loads of different toppings and also fresh cookies in the PM! YUM!!!

 

Here is another ice cream hound . I always have ice cream in the lido & check out all the flavors & for desert at dinner in the dining room .Fortunately I work out in the gym daily so no weight gain .

[ECUTeacher97]

There are 2 ice cream stations on the Oosterdam -- one on starboard side and one on port side. Both stations will have different flavors most days. So we always check both sides before making up our minds what we want. There are all kinds of toppings and liquors as well to put on your ice cream.

 

JMO -- the lobsters are tiny -- about 3 ounces and tough. We are spoiled where we live -- we can get great lobster tails from the New England area.

 

Lobster night on a 7 day cruise is the second (and final) formal night.

 

I was wondering about that...I'm used to getting my Lobster in Maine off of a boat! I've gotten very picky about Lobster after that! :) What about the "turf"- how is that? Is the Pinnacle better for better steak?

[luvs2travl]

I was wondering about that...I'm used to getting my Lobster in Maine off of a boat! I've gotten very picky about Lobster after that! :) What about the "turf"- how is that? Is the Pinnacle better for better steak?

 

 

We have always had wonderfully tender steaks in the Pinnacle, while others have said - not so much! It may depend on the cut of meat. DH & I always order the fillet (8-oz in the Pinnacle) as we find it to be the best cut, but that is our personal preference. They also offer New York Strips, Rib-Eyes, Porterhouse, lamb chops, and something that is so large it looks like a roast - it may be a huge Porterhouse - but it would feed a family of four! :eek:

 

The steaks in the MDR are not nearly as large nor as thick. Since we both enjoy ours medium-rare, we find that it is difficult to cook a thinner cut "medium-rare' as we prefer.

 

That being said, we have enjoyed the "turf" in the MDR - never have found it to be inedible - but, yes, we much prefer the steaks in the Pinnacle. We tend to order the fish or pasta dishes in the MDR - sometimes the chicken if it is in a wine sauce, and savor our delicious fillet mignon in the Pinnacle.

[RuthC]

What about the "turf"- how is that? Is the Pinnacle better for better steak?

The "turf" is a small filet; I usually get turf and turf. It's pretty good. But it's nothing compared to the petit in the Pinnacle.

I agree with luvs2travl, the steak in the Pinnacle is delicious. Every time I finish my petit filet, I wish I had ordered the regular size. :o

[cruzmann]

Yes, the ice cream stations on the Oosterdam are on both sides of the Lido. We have a little game we play when we get aboard a Holland America Ship these days. It's called "how many minutes from the gang plank 'till the first ice cream". I always take a photo to record the event.

(Record is Eurodam this March) She checks her carry-on with the porter at the curb so she doesn't have the added weight as she goes up the midship stairway two at a time. I have threatened to get a cabin at the front of the Veranda Deck on the next cruise so the walk to the Lido is more aerobic.

 

As far as the lobster, I think the tradition is fine. The last three or four cruises the waiter has always brought us an extra tail each and they were tender and tasty. No, not Bay State Lobster Company tender, but nice.

[jtl513]

What about the "turf"- how is that? Is the Pinnacle better for better steak?

Yes, the Sterling Silver beef is much better than anything served in the MDR, IMO.

 

...and something that is so large it looks like a roast - it may be a huge Porterhouse - but it would feed a family of four! :eek:

Yes, it's a huge Porterhouse - 32 or 33 ounces IIRC. And "I can't believe I ate the whooooole thing."

 

[PathfinderEss]

Which restaurants on the Oosterdam are an extra fee and how much extra is it? They are not very clear on this point on the website.

 

Is there lobster in the regular dining room?

 

Also, is there free ice cream somewhere? Someone told me that they had an ice cream station somewhere with free ice cream. Is it soft serve, or regular?

 

thanks!!

Only one restaurant that charges and that is the Pinncale Grill as others have said. Also on the Lobsters you can always ask for two or three it it is not enough, as other have said they are small. Ice cream is in the Lido and its free.

Welcome to Cruise Critic.....

[Copper10-8]

Oosterdam has had a Canaletto Italian Restaurant (in her Lido) for a year now. Try it, it's good and there's no extra charge

[williamson_ja]

For those that wondered if we couldn't get lobster around here, the answer is actually NO. We live in a small town of about 300 people. The nearest bigger town (about 25000 people) is 25 miles away.... still no lobster. The closest we can get it is about a 3 hour drive. lol. So, it is a bit of a big deal to us. Small town living has it's good and bad points about it. :)

[luvs2travl]

Yes, the Sterling Silver beef is much better than anything served in the MDR, IMO.

 

Yes, it's a huge Porterhouse - 32 or 33 ounces IIRC. And "I can't believe I ate the whooooole thing."

 

 

 

OMG!!! I think you are the first passenger I've run across that even ordered that gigantic steak. AND.....you ATE THE WHOLE THING!!!??? Now I'm impressed with that! :D Really, I mean that most kindly!

 

One question - was it as good and tender, being as it was so huge & all - as a smaller steak would be? Was it cooked as you orderd it?? Just curious!

 

WOW! What a feast!!

[LikeCruise]

Which restaurants on the Oosterdam are an extra fee and how much extra is it? They are not very clear on this point on the website.

 

Is there lobster in the regular dining room?

 

Also, is there free ice cream somewhere? Someone told me that they had an ice cream station somewhere with free ice cream. Is it soft serve, or regular?

 

thanks!!

 

I just came back from my wonderful cruise on Oosterdam (4/3/10).

You can have also fat free frozen yogurt in the Lido. They have few types of waffle scones and topings available on both sides of the buffet. Sometimes there is a long line to get it.

 

Lobster... We had one in the Pinnacle Grill and it was Lobster (tail) (from Main) - tasted very nice. Then in the Vista Dining room on Thursday (Formal Night) they had lobster tail. It was not as good as the one from Pinnacle.

[rajkr74]

We at the Pinnacle while on the Westerdam last year. Here's picture of my Porterhouse steak....all be it after I took a few bits and forgot to take a picture. It was goooood!

http://cid-07afc87cdf2f6dca.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/panama%20cruise%202009/Westerdam%20food/DSCN0181.jpg

 

Here's a picture of the steak and filet my wife had which she said was excellant also.

http://cid-07afc87cdf2f6dca.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/panama%20cruise%202009/Westerdam%20food/DSCN0683.jpg

 

Yes, I ate the whole thing!

[CRUZBUDS]

FANTASTIC FOOD PICTURES!

 

I am really hungry :rolleyes: