Zuiderdam 10/16 Western review

[RuthC]

Extra charge

 

Do you think it would be fair to ask for a credit for the meal that you did not eat in the main dinning room since you ate in the Pinnacle dinning room. I have been on over 55 cruises in my life and have never heard of them telling someone that they would have to change them an extra $20 for another entry. If that happen to me it would be a cold day in H__ll before I ever sailed on HCL again.

You're not serious, I presume. I'm sure you don't go to a restaurant and order a second entree without expecting to pay for it. Of course you realize that the Pinnacle is an extra-charge venue. One that's about impossible to leave feeling hungry!

And I'm sure you would consider asking for a credit against the dining room meal to be the height of tackiness.

You must be trying to pull our collective legs. Nice try! ;)

[Ziggy7]

Roboat,

Thanks for the wonderful review, Glad you had a good time, sorry to hear about your leg, guess you'll just have to cruise the Zuiderdam again :) I'm a little suprised about the midnight buffet though, we were told that the dessert buffet at 3 pm was to replace the midnight buffet meal, but you say you had both ??? Wow maybe they are bringing it back :)

[Orcrone]

You're not serious, I presume. I'm sure you don't go to a restaurant and order a second entree without expecting to pay for it. Of course you realize that the Pinnacle is an extra-charge venue. One that's about impossible to leave feeling hungry!

And I'm sure you would consider asking for a credit against the dining room meal to be the height of tackiness.

 

You must be trying to pull our collective legs. Nice try! ;)

Anytime in port, if I eat off of the ship, I ask for a credit. In fact, if I don't totally stuff myself at the buffet, then I didn't eat as much as I could and I also ask for a credit.:rolleyes:

For some reason I've never received the credit.;)

[Roboat]

Roboat,

Thanks for the wonderful review, Glad you had a good time, sorry to hear about your leg, guess you'll just have to cruise the Zuiderdam again :) I'm a little suprised about the midnight buffet though, we were told that the dessert buffet at 3 pm was to replace the midnight buffet meal, but you say you had both ??? Wow maybe they are bringing it back :)

Hi Ziggy! hey, I saw your entry in the library log book, dated 8/8/04. Cool!

 

I can't swear that the afternoon dessert buffet and midnight buffet were offered on the same day. I thought the midnight buffet was offered every night, but I only actually looked for it twice, so I can't be sure. And I'm not sure how often the dessert buffet was offered. At least twice, but maybe every day?

 

I'd love to cruise the Zuiderdam again... and again... :D

[CINCY40]

Thanks so much for the review. DH and I both caught bad colds/flu on our last trip in September (Alaska- Ryndam) It was not a lot of fun as he got sick the second day out and slept most of the time. I didn't start feeling bad till we got home. I had thoughts about not cruising anymore but now I want to talk to DH about booking something in the Caribbean soon. I think it is the darned planes that spread the germs.

 

Anyhow, you seem to have had a wonderful time on a wonderful ship and now I want to go back to the Zuiderdam!

 

Thanks,

Nancy

[cjcjohio]

Thank you for the wonderful review.

I have a question about the grilles menu, Are there any other entrees besides steak, and do you think their menu changes daily.

Thanks.

Colleen

[peaches from georgia]

Colleen-

No the menu does not change daily, but there are a number of entrees other than beef, which is excellent, by the way. I have had the salmon twice and also the ciopinno. DH gets the lamb chops and they are fabulous. He had the beef several times, thought he would try the lamb, and now won't go back. There is also halibut and I believe a vegan entree also. They have added a surf and turf- lobster tail with the petite filet. From what HAL has said they are in the process of making some further changes to the menu also.

 

I won't even get into the appetizers, salads, and desserts. Just enjoy. :D

[dakrewser]

You're not serious, I presume. I'm sure you don't go to a restaurant and order a second entree without expecting to pay for it. Of course you realize that the Pinnacle is an extra-charge venue.

 

Ruth -

 

But the $20/$10/no charge price for dining in the Pinnacle isn't the cost of the entree (what's the cost of the rest of the meal, then?) nor is it the cost of the meal (since you can have as many or as few sides as you want), its simply a cover charge - a way of keeping down the number of people wanting to get in. (That's also why you can't get a credit for not eating in the dining room!)

 

Still, while it might be tacky to order a 2nd main course in a land-based restaurant, there's no problem with doing so in any of the other ship-based dining venues - why should this one be any different?

 

:) -dave

[RuthC]

Dave, if the analogy is to a land-based restaurant, then it would be similar to one entree per person, but the salad bar is all-you-can-eat.

The main ship-board dining room is all-you-can-eat, but the Pinnacle is one entree per person.

I'm not convinced that the only reason for the cover charge is to keep the demand down; I do agree that it's at least part of the reason.

[cruise_nut480]

You're not serious, I presume. I'm sure you don't go to a restaurant and order a second entree without expecting to pay for it. Of course you realize that the Pinnacle is an extra-charge venue. One that's about impossible to leave feeling hungry!

And I'm sure you would consider asking for a credit against the dining room meal to be the height of tackiness.

 

You must be trying to pull our collective legs. Nice try! ;)

RUTH

 

You are missing something. The $20 charge is a " SERVICE CHARGE" they are not charging you for your food. I will repeat myself again. If I want a second entee I will order it and will not pay a second service charge!

[cruise_nut480]

Ruth -

 

But the $20/$10/no charge price for dining in the Pinnacle isn't the cost of the entree (what's the cost of the rest of the meal, then?) nor is it the cost of the meal (since you can have as many or as few sides as you want), its simply a cover charge - a way of keeping down the number of people wanting to get in. (That's also why you can't get a credit for not eating in the dining room!)

 

Still, while it might be tacky to order a 2nd main course in a land-based restaurant, there's no problem with doing so in any of the other ship-based dining venues - why should this one be any different?

 

:) -dave

Dave

 

Thank you. You are correct. I will be on the ship in 2 weeks 11/6. I will also be eating in the Pinnacle and will order two entree's for dinner. Maybe I will order two shrimp Cocktails.

Larry

[peaches from georgia]

Dave

 

I will also be eating in the Pinnacle and will order two entree's for dinner. Maybe I will order two shrimp Cocktails.

Larry

If memory serves me shrimp cocktail is not on the Pinnacle menu. The food is so delicious in the Pinnacle, why not order one of their signature appetizers that isn't served in the main dining room rather than make an issue just for issue's sake? As for the 2 entrees that will be no problem. The charge for the extra one will be put on your ship's account.

[cruise_nut480]

The charge may be put on your account but HAL will not put one on my account. If they tried to do that I would place one call to the CC company and decline the charge. Like I stated before, the charge is a service charge. If I want a second entree so be it. That is part of the dinner. That is no different then having a second Ice Tea at dinner.

[mattR]

cruise_nut480

 

Let me know how it goes would love to try the rib eye and the lobster:)

[sail7seas]

RUTH

 

You are missing something. The $20 charge is a " SERVICE CHARGE" they are not charging you for your food. I will repeat myself again. If I want a second entee I will order it and will not pay a second service charge!

 

 

The charge may be put on your account but HAL will not put one on my account. If they tried to do that I would place one call to the CC company and decline the charge. Like I stated before, the charge is a service charge. If I want a second entree so be it. That is part of the dinner. That is no different then having a second Ice Tea at dinner.

 

You seem to be so very sure that YOU KNOW that the charge is a Service Charge. Could you please direct us to where it is you read this.....was it stated on the HAL site? Did you receive that information as part of a direct mailing from HAL? Did you read it on a ship's daily program. Funny, but all our cruises on all the ships since Pinnacles came into being.....I never was told, heard, read it is a Service Charge. Thank you for your advising us that you know it be so......Could you kindly share your authority on the subject? Thank you.

 

BTW...the entree portions are so generous in Pinnacle, most people really would not want a second entree. I cannot finish one and I only order one vegetable and usually no appetizer. DH rarely comes close to finishing his.

[Tom99]

Same cruise -- and I agree with almost everything Roboat says -- even his grading of the entertainment.

 

One additional comment -- we had poor service in the dining room. In speaking with other passengers during the week, many of them experienced the same thing. Late in the week, another passenger told us her husband was so upset about the DR service that he went down to the "front office" desk to adjust his DR tips and had to stand in line! She said many people were there doing the same thing, and were obviously upset. Spoke with my TA today (she always calls to follow up after a cruise) and she said she had had the same comments from another passenger on a different HAL ship.

 

One suggestion -- call it like it is, when you fill out your guest survey. Our tablemates complained about the service in the DR but gave everyone a "9" (the highest rating). We didn't -- we called it like it was, and HAL needs to have honest feedback.

 

Overall, we loved the cruise. We're booked on a 14 Mediterranean cruise on the Rotterdam for next year, and we can't wait.

[Peggy Sue]

Excellent review..thanks for sharing your vacation experiences!! We enjoyed our week on the zuiderdam last year too. hope your leg is feeling much improved!!

 

We didn't care for the volcano cake either...found it too runny. Interesting comment from S7S about that.. Now we know!! Maybe we'll give it another shot..after all, it is chocolate!!

 

Thanks again..always great to read a review where the writers experiences jumps off the page and you feel like your right there with them enjoying the experience too!

 

Peggy Sue

[Roboat]

TomCC - I agree with you completely about telling it like it is on the Comment Cards. I was put off by Dane's plea to give all 9's even if everything wasn't perfect. I would imagine the home office would prefer honest, useful input. Sorry to hear you got lousy service in the DR. Our table was next to a work area, always a little noisier and undesirable, but it did make it easier for us to flag our waiter. Was that the problem? Unable to get the waiter's attention?

 

LocalLady - I missed your question earlier about going back to an inside cabin after having had a veranda. Well, I was informed that we will have a veranda from now on. I'm afraid to try a suite! ;)

 

Oh. I recall a discussion awhile back about B&B. It wasn't listed on the menu but was available. Both DW and I like it. I love the aroma even more than the taste. I wanted to superglue the snifter to my nose for the evening, but DW suggested I not.

 

PeggySue and CindCC - Thanks for the kind words. CindCC, glad you are getting back on the (cruising) saddle after your flu ordeal last time!

 

Where's HeatherInFla???? :confused:

(Yes, dave. In Fla. I know. :rolleyes: And, BTW, Suzanne does NOT have a beard and mustache!! They would would cover up her tooth!)

Dear God - please don't let her read this. Honey, I'm KIDDING!:o

[gizmo]

From Hal's site:

 

There is a modest surcharge for this extraordinary dining experience.

[crimmft]

We had great service in the dining room. It was every bit as good as the Pinacle, maybe better. Guess their is variation and differences in anything we get involved in.

[sail7seas]

Does SURCHAGE mean TIP?

 

Or does it mean an additional cost for something extra above 'the basic' included item?

[gizmo]

Since you asked.

 

sur·charge

1. An additional sum added to the usual amount or cost.
   
2. An overcharge, especially when unlawful.
   
3. An additional or excessive burden; an overload.
   1. 
      
   2. <LI type=a>A new value or denomination overprinted on a postage or revenue stamp.
      
   3. The stamp to which a new value has been applied.
      

[*]Law. The act of surcharging.

tr.v. sur·charged, sur·charg·ing, sur·charg·es

 

1. To charge (a person) an additional sum.
   
2. To overcharge (a person).
   
3. To place an excessive burden on; overload.
   
4. To fill beyond usual capacity; overfill.
   
5. To print a surcharge on (a postage or revenue stamp).
   
6. Law. To show an omission of a credit in (an account).
   
7. To require (a person) to reimburse funds spent without authorization
   

[sail7seas]

Thanks. I didn't feel like bothering to go look it up. Nice of you to do it for me. :)

 

 

So....then it isn't a tip then, is it?

[gizmo]

The tip is included in the 10.00 per day charged to your account.

[flamingogal]

Thanks Gizmo, you're a peach! Keep looking for limes! :p