As You Wish Dining - Master Chef's Dinner

[Krazy Kruizers]

I got to thinking the other day.

When the ships begin the "As You Wish" dining, will the Master Chef's dinner be gone?

[jhannah]

I guess they could still have it for the traditional dining venue. Since it's a "performance" affair, it seems like it would be hard to do it in the AYW dining area.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am hoping that once the "As You Wish" dining is in place that the Master Chef's dinner will be gone.

 

I think it will be too much confusion in the kitchen if they tried to serve us a regular meal with all that dancing and singing while the people downstairs are coming and going and dining whenever. JMO

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Lisa LaffnVegas and I were on the Noordam in June, with the As You Wish Dining in place (we opted for traditional dining). There was no Master Chef's Dinner, just the Baked Alaska Parade.:)

 

Karin

[hammybee]

I do not care for the Master Chef thing nor the Parade of Baked Alaska so we avoided the AYW dining room, on that evening. Our cabin however, was above the dining room and we most certainly heard the Parade of Baked Alaska, during early seating. I do not know if it proceeded to the AYW Dining Room, or not.

[sail7seas]

Lisa LaffnVegas and I were on the Noordam in June, with the As You Wish Dining in place (we opted for traditional dining). There was no Master Chef's Dinner, just the Baked Alaska Parade.:)

 

Karin

 

Karin....... Vista ships do not do the Master Chef's Dinner.

One can hope it will be discontinued on the other ships as AYW gets phased in. It would be even more disruptive than it is now IMO. If they are screaming and running around on one level when the other level is trying to enjoy their entree, it would be very unpleasant. I thing the whole thing is a mistake.

 

The first time we saw it, it was okay and we enjoyed it because we were dining with others who made the experience pleasant. The second time we didn't care for it. The third time was so ear piercingly loud, it was actually painful for my ears. We have never attended since.

 

I think it time to do awy with it...... JMHO.......

On top of it all, I really dislike the menu they offer. I don't eat things drenched in butter so the seafood dish is out of the question; I didn't like any of the offerings. Not one of best evenings in the dining room.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We also are now avoiding the Master Chef's dinner.

 

A couple of times the salmon was top notch. But the last couple of times it was a low grade of salmon.

[vanders]

If only I could avoid the masterchef's dinner...

but with the money they spent on those wonderful, not-at-all gawdy fruit instruments, they could've given us some decent real instruments to play.

 

... Or a payraise... ;)

[sail7seas]

Vanders........ Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude to the musicians. It's just that where we were seated, it was so loud I don't know how to describe how bad it was. The lead singer was out of control IMO and screeching beyond my ability to endure.

 

Perhaps it is more fun with another singer???? We don't risk going through that again and now avoid the dining room on Master Chef night.

 

[Roz]

I didn't care for the Master Chef's Dinner. Wish they would eliminate it. I don't need to have my food paraded around the dining room. To me it disrupted the flow of service, and the food wasn't all that good.

 

Roz

[cruz chic]

The master chef dinner sucks. If it goes that will be the silver lining on AYW dining.

[cruznon]

When we were on the Ryndam recently, the Master Chef's dinner was the last night of the cruise and was done with a festive air. Perhaps it was where we were seated, but it wasn't that loud. I don't think I'd want to experience it several times. I didn't mind the "show" but missed a more varied menu.

If given a choice, I'd rather have a regular dining evening instead.

[RuthC]

When the ships begin the "As You Wish" dining, will the Master Chef's dinner be gone?

That would be the "up" side to the new dining arrangements.

The first time I encountered the Master Chef's dinner I endured it. The second time I got by with a little help from my friends. Fortunately, I haven't met up with the original format again.

On the Prinsendam there was a nice variation on the dinner. The dining room was decorated and the stewards all wore chef's outfits and hats. Other than that our dinner was as usual.

A nice nod to the concept without any disruption. I liked it.

[DrTee]

I find the Master Chefs dinner demeaning to the staff, so I do not want any part of it. I eat in the Lido that night.

[Sundagger]

I didn't care for the Master Chef's Dinner. Wish they would eliminate it. I don't need to have my food paraded around the dining room. To me it disrupted the flow of service, and the food wasn't all that good.

 

Roz

 

That's my feeling also. My first ever cruise was on a Carnival ship and I was embarrassed at the foreign staff having to parade around, singing "God Bless America". I understand that in recent years it's become a lot worse than that with dancing on the tables and "teams".

 

One reason I choose HAL is for a nice, quiet dinner. I wish they would have a pianist or strings playing.

[Roz]

Sundagger,

 

The first time I heard the Carnival wait staff have to sing God Bless America back in 2002, I also was embarrassed for them. Why does a non-US citizen have to sing one of our patriotic songs? Or sing at all, for that matter.

 

On my 12-day Carnival cruise this past April, the singing, dancing waiters every night got old real quick. All I wanted was my dessert and coffee. Instead I had to watch this spectacle every night. I could tell it was frustrating our waiter. And we were getting out of the DR after 10 pm every night.

 

The Master Chef's dinner definitely has elements of the Carnival spectacle.

 

Roz

[RevNeal]

On the Prinsendam there was a nice variation on the dinner. The dining room was decorated and the stewards all wore chef's outfits and hats. Other than that our dinner was as usual.

A nice nod to the concept without any disruption. I liked it.

 

Ruth, that was what we experienced aboad the Ryndam this past March ... the staff wore a different uniform and the menu was slightly different from the norm, but none of that putrid song-and-dance routine that was so nauseating to us aboard the Zaandam last October.

[hammybee]

That would be the "up" side to the new dining arrangements.

 

The first time I encountered the Master Chef's dinner I endured it. The second time I got by with a little help from my friends. Fortunately, I haven't met up with the original format again.

 

On the Prinsendam there was a nice variation on the dinner. The dining room was decorated and the stewards all wore chef's outfits and hats. Other than that our dinner was as usual.

A nice nod to the concept without any disruption. I liked it.

 

There has been some recent talk, on the board, about differences amongst mainstream, premium and luxury cruise lines. I think the parades, songs and other hoopla or absence thereof, is another characteristic that often distinguishes a cruise line, or not.

 

Your experience on the Prinsendam has the right tone. May it be incorporated, across the board.

[hammybee]

Sundagger,

 

The first time I heard the Carnival wait staff have to sing God Bless America back in 2002, I also was embarrassed for them. Why does a non-US citizen have to sing one of our patriotic songs? Or sing at all, for that matter.

 

On my 12-day Carnival cruise this past April, the singing, dancing waiters every night got old real quick. All I wanted was my dessert and coffee. Instead I had to watch this spectacle every night. I could tell it was frustrating our waiter. And we were getting out of the DR after 10 pm every night.

 

The Master Chef's dinner definitely has elements of the Carnival spectacle.

 

Roz

I too, am embarassed for the crew and for those passengers not from the U.S. and avoid it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

So maybe HAL should send out a survey to everyone asking about the Master Chef dinner -- they just might be surprised to see that once people have done it one time, they don't want to do it any more.

[Copper10-8]

I certainly hope so! Complete waste of time, money and effort on everyone's behalf! Hokey pokey!:cool:

But...........................speaking of hokey pokey.........some sad news:

With all the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment,

It is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which

almost went unnoticed last week. Larry LaPrise, the man that wrote "The Hokey Pokey" died peacefully at the age of 83. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in. And then the trouble started.

[hammybee]

But...........................speaking of hokey pokey.........some sad news:

 

 

I think you have posted this at least 20X and I laugh, everytime.

[Mary Ellen]

The master chef dinner sucks. If it goes that will be the silver lining on AYW dining.

My feeling exactly!!! I haven't been having the 'warm fuzzies' for the Pinnacle Grill lately, but if the master chef's dinner is still around for our next cruise, we'll be in the PG - or maybe even the Lido :rolleyes: .

[Spender Nui]

WOW ... as I mentioned on another thread I haven't sailed HAL recently but do have a couple booked.

 

The Master Chef's Dinner doesn't sound like fun ... and I'm still not clear on the AYW dining.

 

I'm going to have to clear this up before our cruises.

[iceman93]

Well I guess I have to counter all the "old fogies" who resist all change at HAL! ;)

 

My party thought the Master Chef's dinner was a lot of fun and it was obvious the crew enjoyed putting it on. "Luxury" and "elegance" don't have to mean "stuffy" and "rigid". Fun can be part of it, too, when done well.

 

I respect that others have a different opinion, but I just have to point out that not all frequent HAL cruisers so strongly dislike the Master Chef's dinner!