Prinsendam question

Is the prinsendam open seating or are guests assigned to tables . I have traveled on the Amsterdam and those were assigned . Am thinking of a Prinsendam cruise this fall . Would prefer late seating.

You will be able to request assigned late seating.

If it is a "Grand" cruise (or segment) all tables are Fixed seating. If it's not a Grand, they may assign you to Open, but you can request a change.

Is the prinsendam open seating or are guests assigned to tables . I have traveled on the Amsterdam and those were assigned . Am thinking of a Prinsendam cruise this fall . Would prefer late seating.

 

 

We did both last fall on the lovely Prinsendam. Early in the cruise we were seated with a nice couple who had main seating. After a great meal and conversation, we requested a change to main seating at their table. Made for excellent meals.

 

Neal

If it is a "Grand" cruise (or segment) all tables are Fixed seating. If it's not a Grand, they may assign you to Open, but you can request a change.

This recently changed so part of the dining room is any time seating and the rest is fixed seating even on the grands.

If it is a "Grand" cruise (or segment) all tables are Fixed seating. If it's not a Grand, they may assign you to Open, but you can request a change.

 

This policy was changed over a year ago. Now, even on Grand cruises you have the option of early or late Fixed seating or Open dining. When we did the Grand Med cruise in March 2016 they had just put this new policy in effect and it was a mess for the first week. Those on Open seating (including DW and me) would show up for dinner around 7:30 to 8 and the folks working the door would spend 5 minutes trying to figure where we should sit in a near empty dining room (most HAL cruisers perfer to dine very early...so the MDR starts to empty out by 7:30). We always ask to share a large table and we would be put at a table of 6-8. But on most nights they either sat one more couple at our large table...of just left us along while others were put at their own large tables (left pretty empty). After a few days many of us started to complain and the Maitre'd explained that they were trying to even the work load among the waiters. One passenger finally pointed out to the Maitre'd that we were the paying customers and preferred large tables with people! Finally, the Maitre'd relented and everything started to work quite smoothly.

 

The difference on the Prinsendam is that there is only a single level MDR (with one section located in a corridor outside the MDR. While some folks like that corridor area...most want to be in the main room. So you have both fixed and open seating diners all in the same area...unlike some MDRs with multiple levels where they will put the Fixed on one level and the Open folks on the other level.

 

Hank

While some folks like that corridor area...most want to be in the main room.

We found the main MDR to be very noisy due to its low, hard ceiling. If we went on the P'dam again we would try for a table in the forward/side room. On our cruise (a T-A) there were only around 600 pax so they were not even using the side room. At least not early - I don't know if it was used later on each evening.