Cellar Master's Dinner on the Maasdam

[mash1]

We were on the Maasdam for 35 days from 2/5-3/12/12, while on board we attended two Dinners with the Cellar Master. For the first dinner our appetizer was smoked duck, which is what they served to the Pinnacle patrons- nothing special. The soup was a butternut squash, which came off the LeCirque menu. There was no salad. The lemon sorbet was served but was so sour you could not eat it. There was one choice of entrée; it was trout served with spinach that had a bitter taste. Desert was ok but no tea/coffee were offered nor were the normal chocolates you normally get after a meal at the Pinnacle. I do not recall what the wines were but they were very good. We wrote a note to the Hotel Manager, the Pinnacle Manger and the Wine Mater letting them know for the price of $89.00 the food was not up to Pinnacle standards. We did not ask for a credit because we did eat the meal and drink the wines. At the second dinner, the food was much better and the wines were as good. Our appetizer was Amuse of Figs & Bacon & Escargots en Brochettes (with Moet Chandon Brut Imperial). There was a Salad of marinated Atlantic Herring with black-eyed peas, rocket and chile (Riesling Eroica, Chateau Ste. Michell & De Loosed, WA) and Melon soup with Port & prosciutto (Pommard, Laboure-Roi, France). The Main entree was 2 Small Filet Mignons with 2 large Scallops, potatoes and baby squash (Darigue Maritage, WA, Red Fruit Cups with Champagne (Lemoncello, Italy). There were Friandises with coffee/tea. Tony was a gracious host and this second dinner was very much enjoyed by all. We have had many Pinnacle dinners in our years of cruising. The second Cellar master's dinner surpassed normal Pinnacle standards. Yes we would do another cellar Master dinner.

[cruz chic]

I did one of these dinner and didn't think it was worth the money. I'd just rather do the Pinnacle on a normal night.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for your report.

That second dinner sounds like a few that we did years ago. Yummy!!

We stopped going to them when what was offered started to have too many onions and spices. And the little bit of wine that was served with each course -- we felt was not worth the money.

Thanks!!

[Harry1954]

We too experienced the first Cellar Master dinner described above .. and DW and I had the same conclusion .. we would rather have just eaten in PG rather than pay the 89. It was nowhere near the value foodwise. Fortunately, Tony's charm and informative manner at least ameliorated the situation.

harry

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were on the Maasdam for 35 days from 2/5-3/12/12, while on board we attended two Dinners with the Cellar Master. For the first dinner our appetizer was smoked duck, which is what they served to the Pinnacle patrons- nothing special. The soup was a butternut squash, which came off the LeCirque menu. There was no salad. The lemon sorbet was served but was so sour you could not eat it. There was one choice of entrée; it was trout served with spinach that had a bitter taste. Desert was ok but no tea/coffee were offered nor were the normal chocolates you normally get after a meal at the Pinnacle. I do not recall what the wines were but they were very good. We wrote a note to the Hotel Manager, the Pinnacle Manger and the Wine Mater letting them know for the price of $89.00 the food was not up to Pinnacle standards. We did not ask for a credit because we did eat the meal and drink the wines. At the second dinner, the food was much better and the wines were as good. Our appetizer was Amuse of Figs & Bacon & Escargots en Brochettes (with Moet Chandon Brut Imperial). There was a Salad of marinated Atlantic Herring with black-eyed peas, rocket and chile (Riesling Eroica, Chateau Ste. Michell & De Loosed, WA) and Melon soup with Port & prosciutto (Pommard, Laboure-Roi, France). The Main entree was 2 Small Filet Mignons with 2 large Scallops, potatoes and baby squash (Darigue Maritage, WA, Red Fruit Cups with Champagne (Lemoncello, Italy). There were Friandises with coffee/tea. Tony was a gracious host and this second dinner was very much enjoyed by all. We have had many Pinnacle dinners in our years of cruising. The second Cellar master's dinner surpassed normal Pinnacle standards. Yes we would do another cellar Master dinner.

 

As you wrote letters to the Hotel Manager, Pinnacle Manage and the Wine Master -- did you hear anything back from any of them?

[kazu]

Thanks for your report. Interesting - I was on and tempted by that second Master Cellar's dinner, but honestly, couldn't decide if it would be worth the price or not. We opted to do the pinnacle. It's too bad HAL wouldn't give a discount of some sort to the mariners. Pretty hard to justify it when we can eat in the Pinnacle for $12.50 or Le Cirque for just under $20;)

[Crusing Bob]

We did the Cellar Master dinner on the Zaandam in 2010 and Rod did an excellent job and boy was the champagne and excellent wines flowing. Hope he will be aboard again this year.

[m steve]

and we were served as much wine as we wanted.The food was very good and they discounted the food portion of the charge as we were 3 star but not the wine. It was well worth it. Frank was the cellar master.

[Crusing Bob]

Our friends were eating in the Pinnacle that night and they said we were having a lot more fun than they were and their food was just ok. I think maybe our Cellar Master dinner may have taken away some of the attn that would normally be experienced had our function not been going on.

[Crusing Bob]

I really have been commenting on the Sommelier Dinner so don't know if these are one in the same but I know there wasn't one offered on the Westerdam 7 day S. Carib cruise last year so I assumed it was offered on 14 day and longer cruises like our Hawaii cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Not all the ships and itineraries have these special dinners -- and those ships that do have them call them by different names.