New to HAL and ? about specialty dining

[Snooksi]

We are sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam this Christmas. Is there anywhere I can go to find menus for the main dining room for the 9 days we sail? I want to make reservations at the Pinnacle Grill for one night, but would like to choose a night the menu wouldn't be to our liking. I'd hate to go to specialty dining one night, only to find out they had something really good in the MDR that same night. I know on RCCL, they always save lobster night for the night everyone dresses up. Is that how it works on HAL as well? How do I find out which nights are the Gala nights? I thought I read somewhere that HAL has prime rib on the night of embarkation. Is this true? I know I don't want to book the PG on Christmas eve or Christmas night but that's about all I know.

 

I know RCCL always rotates the same menus (so you can look them up online before leaving) but their ships alternate the same itineraries each month. I noticed HAL has so many different itineraries for each ship and offer so many longer cruise dates, which would make rotating a menu much harder.

 

Thanks for any help or direction.

[Modern_Viking]

In my experience, HAL has guidelines for what menus are served on which nights on cruises, but not usually firm rules. One can often make an educated guess about dinner menus, but things are always subject to change.

 

I have even been on HAL cruises where they provide a published schedule listing the (former) formal nights, (now gala nights), in the cabin on embarkation day, but then change that schedule later in the cruise.

 

From what you have said, it looks like you are sailing the Nieuw Amsterdam Dec. 18 - 27, 2016. Based on some past experience, and looking at your itinerary, I can offer up the following educated guesses:

 

Dec 18: Prime Rib is indeed often served on the first night in the main dining room. No promises, but in years past this has often been the case. But a NY Strip entree might be substituted for Prime Rib.

 

Dec 19: Being both the 2nd night overall, and the first sea day, this is highly likely to be a Gala Night. Lobster tails are normally served on a gala night, but in the past not during the first gala (but instead usually the last gala night of the cruise). Being a holiday cruise, I suppose this might conceivably be lobster night.

 

12/22: Since there is an 8pm scheduled departure from San Juan, PR, this night seems like a good candidate for a deck BBQ dinner, in addition to a standard casual night in the main dining room. Unless the chance of a Lido deck dinner is strongly appealing, this might be a good night for the Pinnacle Grill.

 

12/25: This seems highly likely to be a Gala night, but again, there are no rules stating it must be. There are three things strongly in favor of this being a gala night, however: it is Christmas, the last sea day, and the next to last night of the cruise. If this were not a Christmas cruise, I would very strongly suspect that this would be lobster tail night. But, in this case, there might be a special Christmas themed dinner instead.

 

12/24: This might be the night for the typical gala menu with lobster tail, or this might end up being the Christmas themed dinner. Hard to tell. Basically, I'm thinking the dinner this night will be whatever the Executive Chef / Cruise Director decide not to use on 12/25.

 

12/26: The final night of the cruise, so highly unlikely to be a gala night or have lobster tails on the menu. I would think this would be another good night to choose the Pinnacle Grill if you are afraid of missing out on a special menu in the main dining room. In the past, there was a baked Alaska parade on the last night, but that seems to have fallen out of favor. And if you really like eating baked Alaska, I believe you can get it in the Pinnacle Grill anyway.

 

So, I am not sure I told you anything that you didn't already know or surmise. But, if I had to pick a night for the Pinnacle Grill I'd summarize my thoughts as follows:

 

top choices: 12/22, 12/26

reasonable choices: 12/20, 12/21, 12/23

least suggested given your stated preferences: 12/18, 12/19, 12/24, 12/25

Edited September 5, 2016 by Modern_Viking

[jtl513]

I thought I read somewhere that HAL has prime rib on the night of embarkation. Is this true?

That used to be the norm, but on our last two cruises they saved it for the first Gala night.

12/26: The final night of the cruise, so highly unlikely to be a gala night or have lobster tails on the menu.

The final night is never a gala night.

.

Edited September 5, 2016 by jtl513

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our last couple of cruises, prime rib was not on the dinner menu on embarkation day.

You might want to also make a reservation for the Tamarind restaurant. JMO -- way better than the Pinnacle.

[cabinluvn]

We always try and make our reservation for the last night of the cruise. The MDR menu is always something I can pass on

 

 

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[Heartgrove]

You might want to also make a reservation for the Tamarind restaurant. JMO -- way better than the Pinnacle.

 

We agree!

[Kamloops50]

This year in Alaska. Lobster was served on the second gala night. A

 

 

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[DaveOKC]

We normally schedule the Pinnacle Grill for the final night. Good way to end the cruise, plus we generally do not like the final night menu (and it is never a Gala night nor menu).

[kazu]

We normally schedule the Pinnacle Grill for the final night. Good way to end the cruise, plus we generally do not like the final night menu (and it is never a Gala night nor menu).

 

Ditto :)

[seagarsmoker]

We recommend going to specialty restaurant on first Gala night or last night of your cruise. First gala dinner is nothing special anymore and last evening seems to lack anything we ever liked.

[fatcat04]

You might want to also make a reservation for the Tamarind restaurant. JMO -- way better than the Pinnacle.

 

I have heard this from multiple sources so take it for truth. We are very much looking forward to at least 2 trips to Tamarind on our next cruise. Even the teenager wants to go as they have sushi (is sushi cool now? /clueless parent)... gotta love that!:D

[fann1sh]

WOW! I'm so glad to hear the last night is good for Pinnacle from so many knowledgeable posters.

 

Made my last night reservation just before coming back to this board. :D

 

I wish we could go to Tamarind, too, but: sister is so allergic to soya bean products, she carries an epi pen. :eek: Hard to avoid soy with an Asian menu.

 

Maybe I can get a bento box for just me one night. I see there are no more Tamarind lunches - too bad, enjoyed on Eurodam.

Edited September 5, 2016 by fann1sh

[Snooksi]

Thanks for all of the great info, everyone. I'll make reservations for the last night, so we don't miss the really good meals in the MDR.

 

Tamarind's menu doesn't look appeasing to us. Our favorite restaurant, here at home, is a Japanese grill and we've never found another Asian restaurant on a ship (or anywhere else) who can top it. We aren't sushi eaters either, but thanks for the suggestion. We love steak and seafood so the sample menu at Pinnacle Grill looked very appetizing to us.

 

This board has been so helpful and I'm so glad it's here and I have appreciated everyone's information/experiences/suggestions. I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions between now and December. Thanks everyone!!

Edited September 6, 2016 by Snooksi

[oliver1821]

I love the food on HAL!!!! Always check out the menu in advance and then decide whether to book specialty restaurants!!! All good!!!

 

[kazu]

Thanks for all of the great info, everyone. I'll make reservations for the last night, so we don't miss the really good meals in the MDR.

 

Tamarind's menu doesn't look appeasing to us. Our favorite restaurant, here at home, is a Japanese grill and we've never found another Asian restaurant on a ship (or anywhere else) who can top it. We aren't sushi eaters either, but thanks for the suggestion. We love steak and seafood so the sample menu at Pinnacle Grill looked very appetizing to us.

 

This board has been so helpful and I'm so glad it's here and I have appreciated everyone's information/experiences/suggestions. I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions between now and December. Thanks everyone!!

 

If you have a sea day and can get (can't book until onboard) try the Pinnacle Grill for lunch. Menu is totally different from dinner and there is steak and seafood on the menu. Shrimp bruschetta is very good :)

 

$10 pp. A bargain IMO.