New Pinnacle Gala Menu

[Crew News]

Just noticed on my April 2022 Zuiderdam Pacific Coastal that the Pinnacle Grill is now hosting a special night that includes cocktails and a special menu for $142.  I am curious if this appears on any other cruises or if this is just a trial run.

 

Pinnacle Gala Menu

Edited October 15, 2021 by Crew News

[leerathje]

We're on the Nieuw Statendam on February 23, 2022 for an 11 day Caribbean cruise, and it is available to us as well.  I can also confirm the menu is identical.

 

L.

 

[aliaschief]

We are booked for the Pinnacle Gala dinner next week. It will start off with cocktails in the Ocean Bar.

 

First time on Nieuw Amsterdam. A experienced coordinator  boarded to help the staff prepare. It is not a wine pairing event but have been told wine will be freely poured!

 

Here’s the menu.

 

Edited October 15, 2021 by aliaschief

[kazu]

It’s on all the cruises.  Vict0riann is going to it this evening I believe on the Eurodam and I am sure will report on her live thread.

[510picker]

Seems a little pricey to me. What am I missing that justifies that price?

[rkacruiser]

Why does a "steam bun" need to be "fried"?  Otherwise, the menu is appealing.  

[Florida_gal_50]

16 minutes ago, 510picker said:

Seems a little pricey to me. What am I missing that justifies that price?

Me too.  The price is even higher in Canadian.  I could buy groceries for 2 weeks for that.

[VennDiagram]

4 hours ago, aliaschief said:

It will start off with cocktails in the Ocean Bar.

 

Just a friendly reminder to pace yourselves 😉  We have only attended one special dinner, and there was a champagne reception to start.  The champagne flowed and flowed.  A few in our group had to decline some of the wine pairings at dinner, due to the amount of champagne some of us had consumed at the reception.

 

22 minutes ago, 510picker said:

Seems a little pricey to me. What am I missing that justifies that price?

 

The one and only we attended was around $100 pp or $110 including wine pairings, IIRC.  That's several years ago, (2015? 2016?) so the increase in price isn't out of line imho.  We found it to be an excellent value, and would do it again if we ever have the opportunity, even at the higher price.  

[AV8rix]

Seems pricey to me also.  In addition, many of the choices would not be my selection even if on a regular menu.  So I'll take a pass.

 

However, I have ALWAYS loved all of the menu choices on the Cellar Masters Dinner, and will  sign up for that one every time!  And on most of the ships (but not all) they will reduce the tariff for me since I'm not a drinker.  <--Although that is probably not related to any specific ship but to decisions of individual chief cellar masters.

Edited October 15, 2021 by Av8rix

[rkacruiser]

2 minutes ago, VennDiagram said:

Just a friendly reminder to pace yourselves

 

Some of the special dinners are gastronomic excess in both the wines as well as the cuisine.  

 

If one's tummy can handle such:  go for it!  I am glad that I did.  I enjoyed every one that I did.  Except, when my tummy told me:  well, that was not a world class idea of yours, was it?  Enjoy spending the evening in misery and in the bathroom.  

[Florida_gal_50]

I did one dinner with wine pairings, maybe the chef one.  I’m just not impressed with things like that but glad others are putting money in the hal coffers.  They must be making a tidy profit.

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Av8rix said:

However, I have ALWAYS loved all of the menu choices on the Cellar Masters Dinner, and will  sign up for that one every time!  

 

ditto!  We loved the Cellar Master dinners - they were anywhere from $69 - $89 IIRC but that was B.C. (Before Covid).  

 

Back in the day when they still had the Master Chef’s Table, that was really fabulous and it was in the price line of this but with more wines and much nicer table servings in a much more intimate setting.

 

I’m looking forward to the reports on the LIVE threads.  I have learned that sometimes what doesn’t sound appealing or strange on HAL’s special menus is often good - I’d give it a shot IF the reports are good.

 

My fear is this may replace the Cellar Master dinner.

[T8NCruise]

I've done the Master Chef dinner and the Cellar Master dinners, but I can never remember which was which.  My preferred one was limited number of couples in the.private room of the PG, beginning with cocktails in the PG bar, and dinner courses with wine pairings. Great events, so enjoyable as a special treat on an expensive holiday!  What the heck, you only live once!

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, T8NCruise said:

I've done the Master Chef dinner and the Cellar Master dinners, but I can never remember which was which.  My preferred one was limited number of couples in the.private room of the PG, beginning with cocktails in the PG bar, and dinner courses with wine pairings. Great events, so enjoyable as a special treat on an expensive holiday!  What the heck, you only live once!

 

that’s the Master Chef dinner.  I don’t think they are offering it any longer but I plan to ask when I board in May (assuming we can go 🤞)

And I completely agree.  It’s my favourite too 🙂 

[cruisemom42]

I think the menu looks very interesting except that, to me, the creamsicle dessert sounds out of place. And no dessert wine or port?

 

I'm sure it's just the description that's lacking.... but I'd rather have something either very darkly chocolate or caramel/toffee (to go with the red wine) or something say with berries to go with prosecco. Or maybe just a very nice cheese course. 

[cruisemom42]

10 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

that’s the Master Chef dinner.  I don’t think they are offering it any longer but I plan to ask when I board in May (assuming we can go 🤞)

And I completely agree.  It’s my favourite too 🙂 

 

I just pulled up this description of a past Cellar Masters dinner (on Prinsendam no less). It sounds fabulous:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/topics/cruise-diary/cruise-diary-cellar-masters-dinner-pairs-food-wine/

 

Edited October 16, 2021 by cruisemom42

[AV8rix]

14 minutes ago, T8NCruise said:

I've done the Master Chef dinner and the Cellar Master dinners, but I can never remember which was which.  My preferred one was limited number of couples in the.private room of the PG, beginning with cocktails in the PG bar, and dinner courses with wine pairings. Great events, so enjoyable as a special treat on an expensive holiday!  What the heck, you only live once!

 

10 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

that’s the Master Chef dinner.  I don’t think they are offering it any longer but I plan to ask when I board in May (assuming we can go 🤞)

And I completely agree.  It’s my favourite too 🙂 

Omigosh!  How could I have forgotten the Master Chef dinners in the "back room" of the PG (well, that's where they were on the little S-class and R-class ships, don't know about the larger classes).  And the race to sign on to them, since seating was so limited.  I always loved those menu selections too!  But since I don't like some of the new PG Gala selections, I will console myself thinking of all the money I'll save now 😉.

[kazu]

8 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I just pulled up this description of a past Cellar Masters dinner (on Prinsendam no less). It sounds fabulous:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/topics/cruise-diary/cruise-diary-cellar-masters-dinner-pairs-food-wine/

 

 

We always enjoyed them immensely 🙂   Never ever went to one that disappointed 👍 

[cat shepard]

10 hours ago, T8NCruise said:

I've done the Master Chef dinner and the Cellar Master dinners, but I can never remember which was which.  My preferred one was limited number of couples in the.private room of the PG, beginning with cocktails in the PG bar, and dinner courses with wine pairings. Great events, so enjoyable as a special treat on an expensive holiday!  What the heck, you only live once!

You are describing the Cellar Master dinner I enjoyed on my October 2019 cruise.

 

I see it is the other option for @kazu

Jacqui, do you think HAL uses different names to describe similar events? 

Edited October 16, 2021 by cat shepard

[kazu]

5 minutes ago, cat shepard said:

You are describing the Cellar Master dinner I enjoyed on my October 2019 cruise.

 

I see it is the other option for @kazu

Jacqui, do you think HAL uses different names to describe similar events? 

 

It sounds like the Cellar Master is gone, sadly. 😔 

 

Ann (Vict0riann) has reported on her live thread it is not being offered and the Pinnacle Gala is being offered on all cruises of 10 days or more.  That was the old rule for the Cellar Master.

 

This isn’t the same as the Cellar Master.  Cellar Master was also called Sommelier Dinner before the name changed but no, I don’t think HAL is using a different name.

 

The price is much different and the focus is not on the wines as the Cellar Master was (plus I thought the Cellar Master food was much more appealing 😉 )

[cat shepard]

10 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

It sounds like the Cellar Master is gone, sadly. 😔 

 

Ann (Vict0riann) has reported on her live thread it is not being offered and the Pinnacle Gala is being offered on all cruises of 10 days or more.  That was the old rule for the Cellar Master.

 

This isn’t the same as the Cellar Master.  Cellar Master was also called Sommelier Dinner before the name changed but no, I don’t think HAL is using a different name.

 

The price is much different and the focus is not on the wines as the Cellar Master was (plus I thought the Cellar Master food was much more appealing 😉 )

 

Sorry, I was not clear, Jacqui.  I was comparing the descriptions of the Master Chef & Cellar Master dinners. 
 

And I agree, sadly the Pinnacle Gala does not resemble the other two. 

[KirkNC]

Wow, $300 for a dinner for two when you have already paid for dinner in your cruise fare.  Even worse for those with the SBP.  We could go to the nicest restaurant in town and not spend that much.  A complication for us is DW doesn’t care about the wine.  However, we will go once just to give it a go (I don’t care how good it is, it’s a one and done for us).

Edited October 16, 2021 by KirkNC

[kazu]

4 minutes ago, cat shepard said:

 

Sorry, I was not clear, Jacqui.  I was comparing the descriptions of the Master Chef & Cellar Master dinners. 
 

And I agree, sadly the Pinnacle Gala does not resemble the other two. 

 

Oh, sorry.  I perhaps misread.  No, Master Chef Table was different than the Cellar Master.

Master Chef Table was limited to a very small group 14-18 people with really luxurious floral arrangements, crystal etc and a superb menu and wines that flowed.

 

Cellar Master was a much larger gathering filling up the Pinnacle Grill completely.  It was cheaper than the Master Chef Table but they were both worth the price IMO 👍 

[kazu]

1 minute ago, KirkNC said:

Wow, $300 for a dinner for two when you have already paid for dinner in your cruise fare.  Even worse for those with the SBP.  We could go to the nicest restaurant in town and not spend that much.  A complication for us is DW doesn’t care about the wine.  However, we will go once just to give it a go (I don’t care how good it is, it’s a one and done for us).

 

Kirk, Ann reported on her LIVE thread you could get pricing without the wine (cheaper).  One of her table mates did so.

[tjcox9]

I'll never forget one Master Chef's dinner, most likely on the Prinsendam. There was a first time HAL cruiser couple on board. They were usually Celebrity cruisers and they were blown away with the event. The wine flowed very freely and this couple certainly took advantage of it. 🙄 It was the best of any of the Master Chef's dinners that we attended.