Cruise Ships - Alternative Restaurants

With Holland America Line’s Pinnacle Grill being awarded the Best Alternative Restaurant in the Cruise Industry by Porthole Magazine, one must wonder what it takes to win the award.

Cost of Alternative Dining
All the cruise lines offer some sort of specialty or alternative restaurant, in addition to their “complimentary” dining rooms. NCL boasts their eat-whenever-you-want Freestyle Dining approach with up to 13 restaurants per ship (but most have a cover charge). Royal Caribbean’s Chops Grille charges $25 for a four course dinner of steaks or seafood. Carnival Cruise Lines’ reservation-only Supper Club is $30 for a steak dinner, and Princess Cruises has a $20 dinner at their Crown Grill.

Is Change Good?
During a series of recent dry-docks, Princess Cruises recently changed the name of their steakhouses from the Sterling Silver Steakhouse (or was it Tequillas?) to the Crown Grill. They also made some changes to their menu. Physically, the menu is now presented in a classy leather bound folder with copper embellishments, but the selections inside are different, too. The popular Spinach and Artichoke Dip served with fresh tortilla chips is no longer on the menu; neither is the Brie Quesadilla, nor is the Raspberry Crème Brule. Fortunately, they still offer steaks.

Change is Good!
Holland America Line recently expanded their Pinnacle Grill menu last fall. Passengers can choose from a Poached Lobster Tail, Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, a Filet Mignon cut from Sterling Silver beef, or many other innovative selections. The atmosphere is formal and tables are set with Bvlgari china, Frette linens and elegant Riedel stemware. But the cost per person is only $20, which is actually inexpensive for a specialty restaurant in the cruise industry.

Why Pay More?
So what makes passengers want to fork out an additional $20 to $30 per person, unless the food and service is truly exceptional? The rationale is that the setting is more intimate than the main dining rooms, and the service is (supposed to be) more attentive, but is the food really any better? It is the same ship and the same executive chef that puts out the food in the dining rooms and the buffet for that matter. Maybe that’s why HAL was recognized as the best. The combination of food quality, service, and value superseded their competitors.