Holland America Line is known for its dining. The brand’s newest ship is no exception. Rotterdam boasts several complimentary and specialty restaurants. Among them is the cruise line’s signature steakhouse, the Pinnacle Grill. Is this restaurant worth the up-charge? Well, we share all the details of this venue in our Holland America Pinnacle Grill Review.

Holland America Pinnacle Grill Restaurant Review

For our Eastern Caribbean cruise on Rotterdam, we made several specialty dining reservations pre-cruise. Of course, on the top of our list was the Pinnacle Grill.

As frequent cruisers, we have dined at steakhouses on most of the major cruise lines’ newest ships. Thus, we were eager to see how this restaurant stacked up to the competition.

Getting reservations at Holland America Pinnacle Grill is not easy. So, before the trip, we secured a reservation for 5:30 pm on night 3 of our cruise. While we attempted to move this early reservation a bit later once onboard the ship, we were unsuccessful.

Day 3 of our cruise was our first port of call in Grand Turk. We had one of the first excursions of the day. So, we were back onboard the ship in plenty of time for this reservation.

Although we were not all that hungry as we did have lunch ashore, we knew we could find room to test out the Holland America Pinnacle Grill Menu.

The restaurant is conveniently located in the center of the ship on Deck 2. Positioned near the central atrium, it is not far from the popular Ocean Bar or the new Half Moon Bar. Either location makes for a great spot to grab a pre-dinner cocktail.

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Inside Pinnacle Grill

When compared to the other restaurants on Rotterdam, the Pinnacle Grill feels similar to the main dining room.

Positioned on the portside of the ship, a bank of windows line one side of the restaurant, offering some ocean views during your meal.

With a blue and wood tone color palette, the venue feels right at home on a cruise ship. The Pinnacle Grill provides an inviting, yet contemporary, dining room to enjoy this upscale meal.

We arrived a few minutes late for our dinner reservation, but the hostess was quick to check us in and escort us to our table for two.

We were just settling in when we met our waitress, Betty. She was a fantastic waitress. She was friendly, upbeat, and very attentive.

The timing of our meal was ideal as well, with courses well-spaced and the entire dinner taking just about 90 minutes.

Of course, we started off the night with some drinks. The Princess went with her usual Cosmo, and I did a glass of wine, which were both covered in our Holland America Line Drink Package.

Now, it was time to see how this steakhouse fared when compared to rival cruise lines.

Dining at Holland America Pinnacle Grill

For starters, the Princess went with her usual wedge salad. This classic salad was pretty standard.

I went with a typical selection for me as well, the crab cakes. Though, they were slightly different than I expected. They were crispy, with almost a deep-fried texture.

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The true standout appetizer was the candied bacon. With a unique presentation, this app pairs thick, crispy bacon with a savory maple glaze and black pepper seasoning.

Hands down, this candied bacon is one of the best starters we have had at a cruise specialty restaurant.

Again, sticking to our typical steakhouse routine, I went with the 10 ounce filet cooked medium rare as my entrée. Although, to try something different, I did order the line’s signature shallot and red wine bordelaise sauce.

I am so glad I went with the side of sauce. The steak was tender and cooked to perfection. Likewise, the sauce added just the right amount of additional flavor and a new layer of texture to make the meal standout to me.

As you would expect, the Princess ordered the lone chicken entrée. She also felt it was among the better dishes she’s had of this standard steakhouse offering.

For side dishes, we did the sautéed mushrooms and French fries. Honestly, these were pretty average.

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Throughout the meal, Betty made sure to check-in on us regularly. She went out of her way to ensure our meal was enjoyable.

Unlike our previous dinner at Rudi’s Sel de Mer, the timing of our dinner tonight was much better. This meant we could catch the earlier show and still have time for dessert.

After noticing that the two tables next to us both ordered the same dessert, I followed suit. Thus, I went with the Key Lime Pie as my third course.

This unique presentation of the classic dessert had a dense center, almost like NY style cheesecake. It was bursting with a sweet, yet slightly tart, fruit flavor.

Heidi’s Not-So-Classic Baked Alaska was an interesting take on this go-to dessert. While it was still encased in toasted marshmallow meringue, this concoction featured distinct ice cream flavors.

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Recap of Holland America Pinnacle Grill Restaurant Review

When it comes to steakhouses at sea, the Pinnacle Grill ranks among the best. During our Holland America Rotterdam cruise, this venue offered expertly prepared food paired with exquisite service in a comfortable seating.

The candied bacon was a standout starter, with the perfect marriage of salty and sweet. It was just right for sharing.

My steak was an ideal medium-rare temperature, and the bordelaise sauce was a great accompaniment.

Finally, my dessert was the perfect third course. It was just sweet enough, with a tangy finish. In fact, it was among the best desserts I had all trip.

For an upgraded night out on a Holland America Line cruise ship, the Pinnacle Grill is a great option. This specialty restaurant is also a good value.

Pre-cruise, we paid $46 per person, which included the service charge. This is easily 15% less than similar specialty restaurants on other contemporary cruise lines.

Given the Pinnacle Grill offers a true steakhouse experience, it is a nice alternative to the main dining room. This is especially true on Holland America Line as the ship’s main dining room does not always have a steak entrée on the menu.

Comments

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