Colonnade Seatinng

We're presently on the Sojourn off the coast of Japan. I was wondering if others had a problem with the lack of being seated in the Colonade for breakfast and lunch? People have to leave things on the table they selected to avoid others from grabbing their table when they got up to go to the buffet during busy times. Wouldn't it be more practical to have the staff seat people as they enter the room? The other night they had an Italian Market Dinner at the Colonade. We made reservations , but, when we arrived we were just told to "find a table". Not a major deal, but, just think it would be nicer to be handled in a more organized manner.

DH and I were on the Quest a couple weeks ago for 16 nights and had to eat at the Colonnade at times when we were too late for the MDR, which became our preferred venue even for lunch. We were troubled by the "seat yourself" approach in the Colonnade mostly because the venue was crowded and a bit chaotic and loud at those times we had to go there, and it created a bit of stress finding and preserving a seat. If there had been plenty of seats when we arrived, we would not have minded seating ourselves. Or, if all pax were clear that when a venue is crowded, you should consider inviting others to join you at your table ( e.g., if you are a solo sitting at a table for four on the patio on a nice day). Too many pax were uninviting and there were usually no personnel to help us find a seat ( one exception).

We thus headed for the calm MDR as our venue of choice as often as possible, to avoid the stress and din of the Colonnade, as I wrote on my recent "Not-quite-live from the Quest Barcelona to Dover" thread.

I am so surprised to read that some pax were not "inviting" in the Colonnade. To us, joining a table in the buffet on a busy day (or not a busy day even) or encouraging others to join us, is the very essence of Seabourn.

I don't think we have ever had a problem finding somewhere to sit and enjoy a meal with other passengers. Oh dear, perhaps we have read it wrong and people would prefer not to be "joined" :D

J

I was wondering if others had a problem with the lack of being seated in the Colonade for breakfast and lunch? People have to leave things on the table they selected to avoid others from grabbing their table when they got up to go to the buffet during busy times. [unquote]

 

In 7 years cruising with Seabourn and nearly 200 days, have not experienced a problem. Sometimes, especially if lots of people off on trips ashore, may be a little crowded at early breakfast. If so, we go to Seabourn Square for a coffee and come back when a little quieter.

 

Generally, however, at breakfast we sit down, engage with the server and order tea/coffee and juice. Once this is delivered, fold napkin into a triangular shape and place over back of chair and waiting staff will politely "warn off" if somebody tries to take the table. Similarly at lunch - order some drinks and then leave those to "mark your territory".;)

Or, if all pax were clear that when a venue is crowded, you should consider inviting others to join you at your table

We usually do the reverse. If it is full, we go to a table that is not fully occupied, introduce ourselves and say "mind if we join you?" Haven't been turned down yet, and it's the Seabourn way of meeting new people. Some of these chance introductions have led to our having some new friends - at least for the rest of the cruise!

First, any time we have had dinner in the Colonnade we have been shown to a table.

At breakfast and lunch, it is usually the normal procedure to join a table if there are no free ones, and we have never either been refused or refused anyone who has asked to join us; some people just say good morning, others like to have a chat, but the only time I remember being a bit annoyed but amused was when going up to one of the large tables to be told by the one person there ' no you can't sit here, baby coming' . It was a multi-generational family who had a completely spoiled toddler who they all fawned on!

We usually do the reverse. If it is full, we go to a table that is not fully occupied, introduce ourselves and say "mind if we join you?" Haven't been turned down yet, and it's the Seabourn way of meeting new people. Some of these chance introductions have led to our having some new friends - at least for the rest of the cruise!

Stamfordian, having joined us for breakfast in the Colonnade a few years ago, my husband learned that you could order "British Bacon". He has toasted your memory at every Seabourn breakfast since!

Really? Do you order from waiters? How exciting as I hate the bits of crispy fat they call bacon!

My DH says he can generally find it next to the crispy stuff under the dome; but obviously if not there, then order it.

My DH says he can generally find it next to the crispy stuff under the dome; but obviously if not there, then order it.

Yes, that's my experience too. They almost always have Canadian and 'English' as they call it in on the buffet hot section, in addition to the crispy stuff. Sometimes it's a little dried up under the heat lamps so then I order mine freshly cooked.

To answer the original post,it did remind me that on Silversea in the equivalent venue they do have a host who seats you. At dinner on Seabourn I've always been shown to a table and never been left to find one myself as they do for breakfast and lunch.

I've been on a couple of cruises where the Colonnade has been like a zoo due to the weather. An example, I arrived there at 9.15am and there was no seating at all. There were several of us just wandering around trying to find a seat. Eventually a decision was made to open R2 as an overflow, actually I've known them to do this previously. The MDR had been open for breakfast that day but the hours were 8-9am.

I've only known it to be a challenge to find a table on cold weather cruises though.

My DH says he can generally find it next to the crispy stuff under the dome; but obviously if not there, then order it.

Interestingly, lincslady, not on our last two Odyssey cruises last year. They certainly always used to do this on the triplets but since we've transitioned to the O class have always found have had to order from the waiters.

Interestingly, lincslady, not on our last two Odyssey cruises last year. They certainly always used to do this on the triplets but since we've transitioned to the O class have always found have had to order from the waiters.

it was there every morning on our cruise in March on Sojourn. I went for the american crispy bacon though as I like mine cremated! :D

OK, I have to ask as I seem to be the only one not to know what British Bacon is. Tell me please.

OK, I have to ask as I seem to be the only one not to know what British Bacon is. Tell me please.

Never crispy, no matter how long you fry it. And it seems to have a small piece of cartilage towards one end.

OK, I have to ask as I seem to be the only one not to know what British Bacon is. Tell me please.

It's a different cut of bacon than the regular bacon served in the U.S.

The 'cartilage' referred to above is a thin end of the slice of bacon, it's actually a bit from the pork belly.

I do cook mine crispy sometimes.

It has a loin bit and then a streaky 'tail' I always cook mine crispy but Hubby likes his less well cooked. Good to know I can order. We call this kind back bacon.

It has a loin bit and then a streaky 'tail' I always cook mine crispy but Hubby likes his less well cooked. Good to know I can order. We call this kind back bacon.

 

That's exactly how I like my back 'English' bacon! (hard to get it that crisp without smoking out the kitchen!)

Getting back to the question about seating in Colonnade. When needed R2 has been opened to take the overflow but now that space has been converted to the TK Grill. Will he allow his Restaurant to be used for the overflow? He won't allow the outside space of the Grill on Encore to be used!

We prefer to sit outside at Colonnade, indoor seating on a warm weather itinerary just doesn't work for us. I agree with other posters that jockeying for a table at peak times is annoying. We either arrive early or very late and most times that works out ok for outside seating.

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No question that people are friendly and welcoming. But too often found that plenty of tables were available but not cleaned. Coming off 75 days, very disappointed to find tables not too many tables not cleared. And while easy to join a table if you are 1 or 2, not easy to find for 4. R2 open occasionally to accommodate, but not often enough, especially on cool and cold weather cruises.

No question that people are friendly and welcoming. But too often found that plenty of tables were available but not cleaned. Coming off 75 days, very disappointed to find tables not too many tables not cleared. And while easy to join a table if you are 1 or 2, not easy to find for 4. R2 open occasionally to accommodate, but not often enough, especially on cool and cold weather cruises.

Unluxurious and unasthetic though it is, in a very crowded Colonnade I will not hesitate to sit down at a table that has not been cleared, or a table on the outside starboard side when that side has not yet been set or activated for use. I 'mark my territory', as they do in the wild ( well, at least I put down my purse, in the semi-wild of a busy Colonnade at sea) and then go ask any waiter I can find to clear it or set it when he has time, and go to the buffet, and by the time I came back it was cleared.

YMMV with friendly and welcoming. Twice I politely asked at a table set for four where only two were eating if the other two open silverware settings were taken, so I could move a set to my open table when there was no waiter on the outside side section, and twice the very elderly (once South American, once Australian) pax stiffly said the equivalent of "no, those are taken" (later I saw they were not taken, they just continued to dine alone, extra silverware settings unused).

We also previously tried to join an older Australian lady at a table for four sitting alone and, a bit taken aback, she said "sure" but then it was superclear by her manner that she was hostile to the arrangement. However, a smiling southern couple, seeing we were hunting for seats, waved us in their direction to join them, and that was fine as they extended the offer, good conversation.

Everyone has bad days and may not want others to join them and thus risk having to do smalltalk, or they may feel ill, or had bad news, or perhaps some women in a couple may not want a solo woman joining them if they are on the cruise precisely because the husband had been fooling around, so I try to respect quests for privacy and hate to intrude on people's space when it is not a rivership where official policy is to have that expectation. I would rather take my plates to my room and eat on the veranda there, if there is no space, and did so with a breakfast plate of bread and cheeses once ( personnel said that is ok to do) but there are no trays available to make it easy, so you have to pile just one big plate to hold if you want a hand free for railing or balance. If they had trays, I would go back to my nearby suite with food more often. They could also put some silverware sets rolled in napkins out for self-service, to move things along, if they will not hire more staff to clear on time or open the R2/ Grill area for overflow.

Crowding in Colonnade is a key reason we liked the calm MDR for lunch, if we were there on time.

Cataloger54,

Isn't that why God invented room service?

We don't pay the price of a "luxury cruise" to eat cafeteria style. We always head for the main dining room. We regularly meet people on luxury cruise ships who have never even thought of trying the MDR for breakfast and lunch. Amazing!!!

We don't pay the price of a "luxury cruise" to eat cafeteria style. We always head for the main dining room. We regularly meet people on luxury cruise ships who have never even thought of trying the MDR for breakfast and lunch. Amazing!!!

I'm one of those! I love the MDR in the evenings but wouldn't dream of going there for breakfast or lunch, too quiet and much prefer being outside if the weather is good. :)

Luxury is getting to eat what you want, where you want and when you want.