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Just Docked From Nieuw Amsterdam Cruise/Some Changes Coming Fleet Wide

aliaschief

By aliaschief,
in Holland America Line

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aliaschief

aliaschief

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Another great cruise in the books. Knew we were on a ship the whole cruise. Windy with some moderate seas.

 

Having been out of touch with the CC boards past week here is some changes coming to Hal.

 

Price increase all specialty restaurants effective Dec. 28,/13. Pinnacle will be $29:00; not sure cost of others. No more table service starting in two weeks. Thanks to Health Department and USCG no flambe or Caesar Salads prepared table side. Still will have them but done in kitchen. New menu with Pork Chop added and side dishes served family style. NA will implement in two weeks and entire fleet within a couple/monts.

 

NA is installing equipment that you will be able to connect to the ships intranet to check menus, see your account, make reservations with your smart phone/lap top/ IPad. Still will be usual dalies for those who don't have tech capabilities.

 

New Pinnacle Ship will have up to nine specialty restaurants. Tamarind will be more toward aft above Lido.

 

Off to Pinnacle for one more breakfast.

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KirkNC

KirkNC

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Thanks for the info. I wonder at what point Pinnacle will price itself out of the market?

 

I am so glad to hear we will finally be able to do something's online regarding our accounts! Not sure why it took so long.

 

Nine specialty restaurants, I guess maybe that is why HAL is ok overworking the MDR staff, they want us all to pay extra!

 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise!

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Harry1954

Harry1954

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Thanks for the update.

 

Will miss the Caesar salad in PG ... like to have them make it my way. More nanny state overstepping ... oh well.

 

Too bad about the price increase. I wonder if this is because so many long time HAL cruisers eat so many free meals now in PG that they are having trouble seating them?

 

The last time I recall PG price being this high (circa 2008 $30/person), the PG was empty often .. then they cut it in half and it filled up .. duh.

 

 

harry

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ger_77

ger_77

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Posted
NA is installing equipment that you will be able to connect to the ships intranet to check menus, see your account, make reservations with your smart phone/lap top/ IPad.

 

 

It's about time - many of us have been hoping for this for some time!! It is unfortunate about the table-side service in the Pinnacle; we have always enjoyed watching the preparation of Steak Diane when we've dined there. It won't prevent us from booking the Pinnacle, as long as the service and food quality remains unchanged.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

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aliaschief

aliaschief

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With the Explorer 4 program it would be wise to pre book specialty restaurants online prior to cruise. Otherwise waiting to make reservations on-board may be difficult to get depending on the cruise no matter what Mariner level/suite you may have.

 

When explained to me the Explorer dining perk (Pinnacle) may not be very flexible on what time and date you want. More like here is your reservation, be there.

 

As usual the price increase is just following industry standards according to Hal. Menu's in MDR are also being reviewed with new selections forthcoming.

 

All sofa beds have new mattress and my SIL said comfortable.

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aliaschief

aliaschief

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Thank you or the information.

We have all seen the new Pinnacle menu -- posted on another thread. And we all knew about no more table side food being prepared.

 

Being gone for a week I thought some of this info would be repetitive but did not have the time to review a week of postings.

Edited by aliaschief
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sail7seas

sail7seas

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Welcome back, AliasChief, and thanks for your report.

 

Great about the intranet changes that are coming.

I love the idea of 9 alternative restaurants on Pinnacle Class ships. The variety will be wonderful IMO

 

No one has to dine anywhere but MDR if they wish but it's great for those who will enjoy 'dining around'l.

 

Happy you had another good cruise. :)

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TiogaCruiser "Live from...." Rare

TiogaCruiser

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Welcome back you two! And glad you had a great cruise.

 

Regarding the planned 9 restaurants- that's a lot of floor space and different prep space for varying menus- and it makes me wonder if there is a MDR planned. Any word on if there will be and how large an MDR there may be?

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sevenseasnomad

sevenseasnomad

Posted
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Welcome home, Chief.

Ummm. If we book Pinnacle reservations now for our January cruise, I wonder if we can still get the old price?

 

I also love the idea of 9 different restaurants. Sometimes it gets boring with only 3 choices.

 

Yes, I agree; however, 9 different restaurants means a huge ship, one that many of us on these boards have complained about, since it could mean a floating resort atmosphere rather than the ship ambiance which many of us so love about HAL's product.

 

I'm booked on the Reflection, a mega-ship, in April because HAL had no ships leaving southern FL, 7-day cruise, during my spring break. Over on the Celebrity board, there are numerous threads about the problems of tendering with that many people and disgust with the crowds of people on the pool and sun decks. Since we love HAL's smaller ships, I'm bracing myself for this upcoming experience. I'd hate to see HAL go the route of so many lines with the thinking that "bigger is better." It seems to me corporate may be inching toward that philosophy with this new ship.

 

So, while I may like choice, I don't want it to be a trade-off for the ship-board experience we enjoy now. Does anyone else have similar misgivings?

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taxmantoo

taxmantoo

Posted
Posted (edited)
Price increase all specialty restaurants effective Dec. 28,/13. Pinnacle will be $29:00; not sure cost of others. No more table service starting in two weeks. Thanks to Health Department and USCG no flambe or Caesar Salads prepared table side. Still will have them but done in kitchen. New menu with Pork Chop added and side dishes served family style. NA will implement in two weeks and entire fleet within a couple/monts.

 

I really don't care either way about this change in offering but I do care about limp excuses that make no logical sense. The regulators have never stopped anyone from serving Caesar Salad on dry land for health and safety reasons. Thousands of restaurants still do! I do believe flambes may be a bit dangerous on a ship but Caesar Salad??? :rolleyes: HAL is getting very good at coming up with excuses that make no sense to explain their decisions.

Edited by taxmantoo
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sail7seas

sail7seas

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Canaletto new menu was offered this week. We really enjoyed it. The consultant for the new menu was there overseeing first night implementation.

 

 

Was it Chef John Mulvaney?

We've been so lucky to run into him a few tmes of several ships in recent years....... Wonderful to see him.

 

 

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sail7seas

sail7seas

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Welcome home, Chief.

Ummm. If we book Pinnacle reservations now for our January cruise, I wonder if we can still get the old price?

 

I also love the idea of 9 different restaurants. Sometimes it gets boring with only 3 choices.

 

 

I suspect you probably would book at the current price.

Nothing to lose by trying. :) Check it out and please let us know.

 

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quanta88

quanta88

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Yes, I agree; however, 9 different restaurants means a huge ship

 

HAL has already indicated the Pinnacle Class is a 2,600 passenger vessel, which is still much less folks than the 3,100+ passenger Celebrity S-Class like Reflection. This ship will be roughly the same gross tonnage as Carnival's Destiny Class (e.g. Carnival Sunshine) that houses 3,100+ passengers but with 400-500 less passengers.

 

Maybe some of these specialty restaurants will be tiny ala Canaletto or the little cafes you see on RCI's Royal Promenade.

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Thebes

Thebes

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HAL has already indicated the Pinnacle Class is a 2,600 passenger vessel, which is still much less folks than the 3,100+ passenger Celebrity S-Class like Reflection. This ship will be roughly the same gross tonnage as Carnival's Destiny Class (e.g. Carnival Sunshine) that houses 3,100+ passengers but with 400-500 less passengers.

 

Maybe some of these specialty restaurants will be tiny ala Canaletto or the little cafes you see on RCI's Royal Promenade.

 

Thanks for the info. When is inauguration for the new ship ?

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