Dinner reservations for suite guests

Can suite passengers make As you Wish dining reservations to eat between 5:45 and 7:45 pm. I beleive I saw that somewhere -- but can not remember. THANK YOU

You might want to try re-asking this question in the As You Wish Dining - What and How sticky (here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=627832 ) - and, indeed, it may already be answered there. What I recall, without rereading it, is that any pax (not just suites) can make same-day reservations for a table in the open seating section, but not at peak periods.

In addition, all guests (not just suite guests) can order room service dinner off the evening's dining room menu, but only if the order is placed during the first half hour after the dining room opens (though it can be delivered any time until the DR closes). The only wrinkles on this for suite guests are that you automatically get the DR menus delivered in the morning instead of having to ask or hunt them down, and that if you're busy during the ordering window, you can give your order to the Neptune Lounge concierges earlier in the day and ask them to call it in for you when the time comes.

Hope that helps!

I lifted this from the AYWD- What and How sticky at the top of this page:

Can I make reservations for specific dining time in the open seating?

Once onboard, the ship has a Dining Reservations Line where reservations can be made for same day dining, between 8-4. Reservations will be taken on a first come, first served basis for preferred times and table sizes.

Please note: No reservations will be accepted for tables between 6:30-8:00 PM to accommodate walk-ins.

This implies that you need to be a walk-in between 6:30-8:00 PM. Assuming you are in a Deluxe Suite I am as curious as the next guy if they will over ride this for you. I hope they do. Please come back and tell us abut your experience.

I'll be anxious to see how all this works.

I'd like to know the answer to this question also.

B

What I noticed when trying to book an Alaskan cruise for this summer was that all most all of the traditional fixed dining times are already booked on most of the ships and we are waitlisted for early dining on the Westerdam. So right now we have AYW dining because that is all we can get. Because we booked into a suite, we were told by HAL that there is a good chance we will get a traditional dining time eventually. I, too, will be very interested to see how all of this evolves over time.

It does seem like there must be less space allotted to traditional dining - perhaps AYW dining is more popular with the Alaskan itinerary?

It does seem like there must be less space allotted to traditional dining - perhaps AYW dining is more popular with the Alaskan itinerary?

On the Noordam, this soon to end Alaskan season, the amount of space allocated to Fixed versus AYW has been flexible, sailing to sailing.

I think HAL is holding back on assigning fixed seating to give itself flexibility to accommodate potential group bookings.

We also requested traditional early dining for our March trip on the Ryndam and were told it was already booked. As we have a "S" cabin we are hoping we can change this once on board. I wonder if HAL is saving the traditional dining spaces for large groups? If so that is hardly fair, but I learned a long time ago life is rarely fair.

You are supposed to get your dining preference when you book an S suite. Call shipboard services and they can switch you.

You are supposed to get your dining preference when you book an S suite. Call shipboard services and they can switch you.

I took your advice and called shipboard services. They said I was correct, but they would be assigning dining selections closer to the sailing date (May 2008). In other words, they are holding space for groups at this time.

B

Me too, our TA tried the same thing and they told her we would just have to wait. So much for "special treatment"!

I wish LisaLaffnVegas would come on over here and comment:) . According to her, the Maitre D' on the Noordam last week told her that the reason so many people are waitlisted for their dining/seating requests prior to their departure dates is not to accommodate groups necessarily, but mainly to assist the Maitre D' to determine closer to sail date how many tables to allocate for traditional dining versus how many tables to put aside for As You Wish. The numbers fluctuate with each sailing, and the dining room staff change the configuration to accommodate the passenger requests for each sailing.

According to Rene Tuinman, hotel manager for Noordam, the combination of As You Wish Dining and Traditional Dining as been far more successful than anticipated, and passengers have been overwhelmingly satisfied with the new dining arrangements.

But I digress from Mina's original question, which I cannot answer. My apologies.:o

Karin

Karin,

Hope that is so, we really prefer the traditional dining, guess we are a little old fashioned. After 17 cruises we deserve to be!!

Karin,

Hope that is so, we really prefer the traditional dining, guess we are a little old fashioned. After 17 cruises we deserve to be!!

Amen to that!!:)

The maitre d' on Noordam (Wawan) is probably the most experienced in the fleet. An amazing gentleman IMO

If anyone can make AYW work, it is him.

If we were not promised our dining time (Main Upper - Traditional at 8 P.M.) seeing as we are Suite guests, I would be asking a lot of questions. If there is such a large group coming that they took the whole seating, I'd be looking for another cruise. JMHO.......

That is the only reason a Suite guest would not be granted their dining time of choice. I can think of no other.

If they will not promise you that seating, IMO, it can only mean big group and I do everything I can to avoid that.

I request 8:00pm upper when we book. I get it confirmed in writing.

I request 8:00pm upper when we book. I get it confirmed in writing.

That is what I do as well. If I don't get it confirmed in writing, we'd pick another date. (That has never happened......yet.)

I have looked and I can not find any groups booked on our 5/11/08 sailing. So that can not be the reason why suite passengers are not being accomodated with their first choice in dining.

Perhaps it is what Hammybee said - they take each cruise individually and wait to be see what the responses are for dining choices and then they make the assignments closed to the cruising date? ? ?

That should not apply to Suites. One of the special benefits to booking a Suite is being promised confirmed seating of your choice.

Chances are excellent she will get what they requested but they should not have to stress about it now.

I would be on the phone to ship's services if their TA is not helping.

Will check this out on Monday. Our TA is very experienced with this and I am not beyond calling Ship's Services myself if necessary. I have done it before! (I am known as the "squeeky wheel" at the travel agency) Thanks for the help! Sorry to the OP!

Gsel, be sure and let us all know what you find out. If one of the reasons to book a suite is to have your dining preference accomodated, then we are being given the run-around, or so it would seem. I just can't figure it out. :confused: :confused:

Hi, guys

I called HAL again this afternoon. The agent (at least this agent) agreed that Categories PS and S (SA,SB,SC) are entitled to confirmed dining seating of your choice, but the change would have to be made via your TA through Ship's Services. Ship's Services (800-541-1576) is closed on the weekend.

I plan to call both my TA and SS on Monday. I'll keep you posted!

Sail - I agree with you. We should not have to stress.

takemewithyou - Let's discuss on our roll call.

B

Hi, I just now am reading this thread and I think a lot has been answered but let me explain what was explained to us while we were on the Noordam last week.

The ships will have a new seating arrangement each and every week depending on the demand for fixed and Dine As You Wish. One week they may have more that want DAYW and the next week fixed. The week prior to your sailing the Dining Room Manager and his staff work on the dining room arrangements for the upcoming sailing. By doing this they no longer have to limit how many will be in early and how many will be in late. That is why all the Dining Times state Wait Listed. They are now satisfying far more passengers to the dining times they request unless they want to change it last minute or mid week, even then they may be able to help those passengers out unless they want a specific table.

It is my understanding that of course PH, SA,SB and SC will most definitely get what they are reuesting but you reservations will still state Wait Listed.

Thank you for your input, Lisa. We were hoping you would find this thread and comment. So (if I understand you correctly) you think that if we are confirmed in a suite, that we should not worry about getting our preferred dining time? And confirmation of that preferred time will not be received until close to sailing time?

Thank you for your input, Lisa. We were hoping you would find this thread and comment. So (if I understand you correctly) you think that if we are confirmed in a suite, that we should not worry about getting our preferred dining time? And confirmation of that preferred time will not be received until close to sailing time?

Yes, that is correct:) More than likely you will not have the confirmation till you check in at the pier. But I would not give it a second thought you will get the dining you have requested.