Now that the Master Chef Dinner Has Been Around for a While, What do You Think of It?

[AlexandNessa]

We are just off the VODM 3/3 - 3/13, so this was our first experience with the Master Chef Dinner.

 

I sort of knew what to expect since I tend to be more of a lurker on the boards than a poster. At first we got into the spirit of the dinner, being among the few to don our chef's hats. We didn't wear them too long as they just didn't fit well (me, small head so I couldn't see. DH, bigger head, started to mess up his hair. ;)).

 

Anyway, I was a bit confused at first since there was no napkin on the table. I had been starving having come from a good work-out in the gym about 2 hours prior and was desperately wanting some bread and butter to hold me over. But, alas, no napkin, and I do tend to be a bit of a messy eater, despite my best intentions. ;) I soon realized that I'd have to wait to have the napkin paraded onto my lap. I thought that this was a bit silly, but went along with it. Actually, I didn't. I decided I was too hungry and helped myself to the bread and butter without my napkin. (Hey, I was among friends and family...). Needless to say, I had crumbs everywhere, and I had gotten butter on my hands and was anxiously awaiting said napkin to wipe off my hands. I took this with some humor as I do realize most people can wait 10 minutes and no one ever comes to dinner quite as ravenously hungry as me. :)

 

This cruise we had some of the best service we've ever had on HAL, and the DR was no exception. It was outstanding, actually. On our previous two cruises, the dining room service had slipped noticeably from the cruise before that. The servers were just too busy and rushed. This cruise, our DR staff was extremely attentive, gracious, and efficient. On the night of the MCD, we noticed that their timing was way off, and we had more or less a pile of silverware at each of our place settings, and sometimes we didn't have the silverware we needed for each course.

 

After the third parade, I grew weary of the dinner. It was just taking too long, the service was too "off," and I was bored with the whole thing. We had gotten friendly with a server, and I asked him how he liked "performing" dinner. He confided that he really didn't like the dancing, but he likes his job, and so if they tell him to dance, he dances. He did it too with a smile. I told him he hid his dislike well.

 

So, for us, this is no longer a "must see." This may be a Pinnacle night on future cruises, and I said as much on the comment card.

 

One last thought: our cruise went into "Code Red" at the end of the cruise, and the following cruise would remain in code red. I can't imagine with the bread, butter, salt and pepper no longer being on the table for a self serve and having to be served by the DR staff that this wouldn't further off-set the timing. I wonder if they do the MCD while the ship is in a code red condition.

 

What are your thoughts?

[james j feller]

We were on the VOLENDAM last month and i agree with you.

 

I thought is was dumb and it was slow, our waiter was the worst i think we ever had on a HAL cruise, he was slow all the time the entire trip, no personality what so ever.

 

The hats were stupid the tape didn't hold worth a darn.

 

Pleas HAL no more of these nights.

 

JIM

[peaches from georgia]

We have not attended a MC Dinner, but it sounds very RCCL to me. This kind of parading is one of the reasons we don't cruise with them anymore.

 

I also don't like the stewards being used as entertainment and most probably looking and feeling foolish. Their job of serving dinner should be professionally performed, which does NOT mean they are also Broadway performers.

[KAKcruiser]

We attended the master chefs dinner in November on the Volendam. I didn't like it. It was sort of cute but I really just want to eat my dinner. By the way, what did you mean by "code red?" Is that the virus?

[AlexandNessa]

KAKcruiser, towards the end of the cruise, we received notices that it had come to HAL's attention that I think they said two people got on board with the flu. The next day, we received notice that some pax had GI issues. As a result, all self-service was stopped -- in the lido, in the Neptune, no salt and pepper shakers on the table, no bread baskets on the table, no peanuts in the bars. If you wanted peanuts at the bar, you would have to ask for them, and then they would be removed once you left. They stopped all library loans as well as closed the hot tubs and the hydrotherapy pools. There were gloves in the casino if you wanted them. In addition, the crew was quarantined in HMC and FTLDFL. I was speaking with one staff member, and she said the code red would continue for the 3/13 - 3/23 cruise, after which the ship would go through a thorough disinfection. Although less than 1% of the pax were ill, HAL was very diligent about preventing further spread, so kudos to them. :)

[gizmo]

I have not expericed this yet. It does sound like a lot of hoopla, that I am not very interested in. I am not into "hats" or a lot of parading around by waiters.

[O2cruise]

Peaches, I had to laugh at your post, because those are the exact words I put in my letter to HAL re the Master Chef Dinner - too RCCL and that's why we don't cruise with them anymore. Sure hope they aren't doing this on the Noordam.

[arzz]

Glad to read these posts -- I was on the Volendam in October and they told us that our MCD was the first -- we laughed a while but thought it rather stupid also -- I felt badly for our waiters who did everything they were asked to do but that I could tell really also thought it was a stupid incroachment into the time they need to do their jobs. At the time I made a mental note to hit the Lido or the Pinnacle if they were to do it again on another cruise (there was none of that on the Maasdam at Christmas) -- even for those parts that were enjoyable, once is enough and then it quickly grows old.

 

Will be interesting to hear what HAL does with this -- will my saved chef's hat and menus become treasured memorabalia from an ill conceived, short lived and discontinued farce? or will they just become more of the same old, same old, from a happening that becomes all part of the expected cruise experience.

 

I know what I hope will happen......

[Jules1]

Is the MCD currently happening on the Oosterdam Mex Riv? If so, what night? I think I'd like to make my Pinnacle reservations for that evening. Thanks!

[bookworm0911]

It sounds pretty much a bomb reading this thread. Has anyone reported in the past that they enjoyed it and thought it was a positive dining room event? :eek:

[kryos]

I have not expericed this yet. It does sound like a lot of hoopla, that I am not very interested in. I am not into "hats" or a lot of parading around by waiters.

I don't know ... I thought it was kinda nice. At least on the Amsterdam, we didn't have any of the service issues related to delays that others have reported. We had several dining room events during this 30-day cruise ... such as the Master Chef's Dinner, King Neptune's Dinner and a Love Boat singalong ... and we even had a dining room newsletter that was given out every so often that highlighted these events. I noticed that every time they did something special at dinner ... those things seemed to blend in seamlessly with the normal dining room schedule. We got out and off to the show lounge on those special event nights at pretty much the same time as other nights.

 

I guess after you've been through these multiple times, they would get old. But for me, with my limited cruise history, I really enjoyed them.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[gizmo]

It sounds pretty much a bomb reading this thread. Has anyone reported in the past that they enjoyed it and thought it was a positive dining room event? :eek:

 

I did some searches because I knew this was discussed before. Sails said she very much enjoyed it. It looks like Kyros liked it too.:)

 

Kryos,

 

I got to ask. What was the "Love Boat singalong" ?

[kryos]

I did some searches because I knew this was discussed before. Sails said she very much enjoyed it. It looks like Kyros liked it too.:)

 

Kryos,

 

I got to ask. What was the "Love Boat singalong" ?

During dessert one evening, the Matri 'd and some of the dining room people gathered at the top of the steps. One of them played "Captain Stubing," who said a few words and then led us all in a rousing rendition of the Love Boat theme song. They had a sound system there, with the original song playing, and we all got to sing along. It was actually cute ... and great fun. All the passengers really got into it.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[the2ofus]

I thought the MCD on the Volendam in Nov. was a pleasant diversion. Our waiters seemed to like the chance to do something different and fun. It did not seem to affect our table service to any great degree.

 

If I was planning to cruise two or three times a year, I think the shine would wear off and it would seem rather silly. I liked the menu though.

[bepsf]

Dunno if that was done on Noordam - may have been Pinnacling that evening...

...but the whole thing does sound a bit too RCCL/Carnival for my tastes.

Bad enough that they still have the Baked Alaska Parade, IMO. Every time it starts, I've forgetten that we're having one and I just let out a big groan as I know that I'm gonna have to wait forever to get more water, wine, etc. & we can't continue our dinner conversations and they're gonna try to serve us that merangue - Ugh!

:(

 

On Noordam, I hadn't even recieved my entree by the time they started the parade! I was so tired and disgusted that I up and left the table and had some ice cream w/ chocolate sauce from the Lido for my dinner

:mad:

[WNYCRUISER]

They did not have it on the 3/4 sailing. From what I read, I am glad of that. And I agree, the baked alaska parade greatly disrupted service. I wish THAT had been a Pinnacle night!

[GloriaF]

I'm assuming that the BAParade is on the last night?

 

When does the MCD occur - midweek?

 

7 day cruises have 2 Formal Nights?

 

What about the other 5 Nights - themes??

Will casual country-club attire suffice - khakis and golf shirts for the gentlemen, dresses, pants outfits for the ladies?

 

We're trying HAL for the first time on the Westerdam ~ after several Princess cruises I want to know what to expect on HAL.

 

Thanks for any info :)

[kryos]

I'm assuming that the BAParade is on the last night?

 

When does the MCD occur - midweek?

 

7 day cruises have 2 Formal Nights?

 

What about the other 5 Nights - themes??

I think on a seven-day cruise, the Baked Alaska Parade would usually occur maybe the second from the last night of the cruise. There could be one other "theme" night ... perhaps the Master Chef Dinner ... but the other nights generally do not have themes.

 

The cruise I was on spanned 30 nights ... so that one was done a bit differently and we had several themes, including King Neptune's Dinner since we had crossed the equator that day. The King Neptune's dinner, though, was not really a "theme" ... just a menu featuring mostly fish items and King Neptune and his "lady" stopped by all the tables to visit and to pose for pictures if the passengers expressed a desire for them. But on a seven-day cruise, I think the Parade of the Baked Alaska and perhaps the MCD is about it.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita