Q: Open Seating vs. As you wish dining

[misstacie]

I was booked with "open seating", one because I thought it would give me the most freedom re: dining times and retaurant choices....and, it was the only option left available. :confused: I'm on the Eurodam/Carribean on 3/20.

 

Can someone explain the difference between open seating and as you wish dining. I can find an explanation on the HAL site anywhere.

 

Thanks in advance.

[mudscraper]

Open seating and Fixed seating both come under the umbrella of As You Wish Dining.

Welcome to CC.

 

 

Rich

[Krazy Kruizers]

As You Wish Dining

This is the name HAL has given to all the different choices you can choose from to dine on your cruise.

Eurodam choices of dinner:

Fixed dining 5:45 and 9 PM

Open seating 5:15 - 9 PM -- this is what your TA says you have.

Canaletto (free)

Pinnacle Grill ($20 per person)

Tamarind ($15 per person)

Lido - buffet 5:30 - 8 PM.

[Taxguy77]

Judging from my experience and many letters in this forum, it should be called 'Don't you wish' seating. If you are in open and your friends are in fixed, you can always dine together in the Lido.

[brucory]

There is a sticky at the top of the message boards which has loads of info about open seating. If you use the search function, you will also find lots of info.

 

We love open seating as many do, but there are also many that don't care for it...

 

Will look forward to your review of how you find it!!

 

:D:D:D

[jtl513]

HAL's "official" description is here:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-onboard/Dining.action

 

The As You Wish Dining header covers everything below it.

[AviGirl]

All my previous cruises I've had fixed dining. With open seating I understand that I can go to dinner anytime between the time period. Do I have an assigned table or am I seated somewhere when I arrive each night? DH and I enjoy a table for two at dinner - is this possible to get each night?

[mrsltg]

All my previous cruises I've had fixed dining. With open seating I understand that I can go to dinner anytime between the time period. Do I have an assigned table or am I seated somewhere when I arrive each night? DH and I enjoy a table for two at dinner - is this possible to get each night?

 

You don't have an assigned table but can request a table for two when you arrive or make a reservation for a table for two, or even a specific table for two, ahead of time. My husband and I did just this and we dined at a table for two every night with no problem.

[Krazy Kruizers]

All my previous cruises I've had fixed dining. With open seating I understand that I can go to dinner anytime between the time period. Do I have an assigned table or am I seated somewhere when I arrive each night? DH and I enjoy a table for two at dinner - is this possible to get each night?

 

For the Open Seating dinner -- you can call 88 between the hours of 8 AM and 4 PM and a request a table for 2 -- but only during certain times: 5:15 - 6:15 PM and 7:30 - 9 PM -- these times are the only times they will take reservations. You can make reservations for up to 3 days at a time if you get a table that you like.

[kelmac]

For the Open Seating dinner -- you can call 88 between the hours of 8 AM and 4 PM and a request a table for 2 -- but only during certain times: 5:15 - 6:15 PM and 7:30 - 9 PM -- these times are the only times they will take reservations. You can make reservations for up to 3 days at a time if you get a table that you like.

 

Boy, KK I hope they made that change!

On the Maasdam last summer they would only take a reservation for one night at a time, absolutely NO table requests, except size of table only. On the Westerdam, we were allowed two night requests and we were able to request the same table number each evening.

HAL's big mistake was making the open seating area way too large, thus forcing the staff to "push" people out of traditional seating so they could fill the open seating area.

We were forced out of tradational seating on our last two cruises; so "As You Wish" dinning is a faux concept on Holland America.

For that, and a couple of other issues, we are taking a sabbatical from this great cruise line for a couple of years. Hope they get their act together!:)

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[Krazy Kruizers]

Boy, KK I hope they made that change!

On the Maasdam last summer they would only take a reservation for one night at a time, absolutely NO table requests, except size of table only. On the Westerdam, we were allowed two night requests and we were able to request the same table number each evening.

HAL's big mistake was making the open seating area way too large, thus forcing the staff to "push" people out of traditional seating so they could fill the open seating area.

We were forced out of tradational seating on our last two cruises; so "As You Wish" dinning is a faux concept on Holland America.

For that, and a couple of other issues, we are taking a sabbatical from this great cruise line for a couple of years. Hope they get their act together!:)

 

Enjoy!

Kel

 

When HAL first started this new concept of dining -- you could only make reservations for 1 night at a time. Then on our cruises starting last spring it was changed to 2.

I always read the reviews here and I wish I could remember the person who said that on their recent cruise they could make reservations for 3 nights at a time.

[Halfmoonfan]

Boy, KK I hope they made that change!

On the Maasdam last summer they would only take a reservation for one night at a time, absolutely NO table requests, except size of table only. On the Westerdam, we were allowed two night requests and we were able to request the same table number each evening.

HAL's big mistake was making the open seating area way too large, thus forcing the staff to "push" people out of traditional seating so they could fill the open seating area.

We were forced out of tradational seating on our last two cruises; so "As You Wish" dinning is a faux concept on Holland America.

For that, and a couple of other issues, we are taking a sabbatical from this great cruise line for a couple of years. Hope they get their act together!:)

 

Enjoy!

Kel

 

Yep, we did the same thing. After seven HAL cruises in six years we started booking our eighth. We got the cabin we wanted but they said that the fixed dining was full and we had to take anytime. We voted with our check book and went elsewhere. Too bad because we enjoyed HAL and thought it was, and still is a great value for the money, but no way we were going to deal with open seating.

[Luke Warmwater]

No need to reopen the debate on fixed v open. Everyone has a different view and no one can say what is best, only what suits them. I do not, however, understand the venom with which people attack the concept of open seating to the extent that they take their custom elsewhere. Clearly these people have not been placed on a table, every night, with , the same obnoxious, smelly, ignorant, xenophobic, self-centred, and generally disagreeable people who may speak only an entirely different language. My experiences have included all of the above. Open seating is the future - embrace it.

[RuthC]

I do not, however, understand the venom with which people attack the concept of open seating to the extent that they take their custom elsewhere. Clearly these people have not been placed on a table, every night, with , the same obnoxious, smelly, ignorant, xenophobic, self-centred, and generally disagreeable people who may speak only an entirely different language.

Actually, I have been. At least the "obnoxious" part. And it was for a 35-day cruise! :eek:

I changed tables, and had a delightful time! But go to open seating? No. It's not "venom"---I just know myself.

[wander]

Taxguy77,

The way to avoid this separation is to have your cruise reservations linked for dinner seating purposes. It works every time for us if done prior to the cruise. At least you will be with your friends, although maybe for open seating.

[camofwilliamsburg]

Going on Eurodam, what is Canaletto? How is it different from the main dining room?

[sapper1]

Going on Eurodam, what is Canaletto? How is it different from the main dining room?

 

The Canaletto is located in a corner of the Lido buffet and is an Italian restaurant in the evenings. Reservations are required but there is no extra charge. I have only dined there once but found it quite good and would certainly try it again.

[jtl513]

Going on Eurodam, what is Canaletto? How is it different from the main dining room?

A section of the Lido which is used for dinner, and has an Italian menu. Free of charge, but reservations suggested. Search for Canaletto, and you'll find over 250 threads. If you search for "Canaletto Menu" that will cut it down to just 86! Edited February 18, 2010 by jtl513

[Travalerie]

I like early fixed seating; I have a 2 and 5 year old. We get a table for 4-my kids are well behaved but we are pretty focused on eating and keeping the kids in order to really focus on socializing over dinner. However, we are waitlisted for our cruise in May. I hope we get it, but if not we would still go early anyway, so I am hoping we have good luck with getting a table for 4 around 6 PM every night. What I won't like about this scenario is if we are forced to join a big table. I am comfortable bringing my kids to the dining room, but not comfortable with that idea. I think if that is the only option we would just go to the Lido or order room service. I have heard others talk about the ease of a table for 2. I hope with reservations we can get a table for 4.

 

Ruth C-I love all the stuff you get 1/2 price after Valentine's Day, including the chocolate!!!:D

[camofwilliamsburg]

Is late seating really 9 pm? I thought I had read someplace that it was 8pm, on Eurodam.

[Willsot]

Is late seating really 9 pm? I thought I had read someplace that it was 8pm, on Eurodam.

 

On our last two cruises on the Eurodam (April and July 2009), main seating was at 8:00 p.m. We always have main (the later) seating and it has varied from 8:00 to 8:15 and 8:30, depending upon the ship. We have never had late seating at 9:00 p.m.

[kelmac]

Yep, we did the same thing. After seven HAL cruises in six years we started booking our eighth. We got the cabin we wanted but they said that the fixed dining was full and we had to take anytime. We voted with our check book and went elsewhere. Too bad because we enjoyed HAL and thought it was, and still is a great value for the money, but no way we were going to deal with open seating.

 

HMF,

 

The sad thing for us, is we did have fixed seating, but were force out of it and pushed into open seating after we boarded the ship. The problem is, 60% of the dining room is open seating and 60% of the people want fixed seating. You do the math.

If they need the room, they will assign you to the wrong size table. If you reqested a table for four, they will put you at a table for eight. When you request a change, they will send you down to open seating.

 

Good Luck!

Kel:)

Edited February 18, 2010 by kelmac

[grsnovi]

I like early fixed seating; I have a 2 and 5 year old... I hope with reservations we can get a table for 4.

 

Even if you don't get fixed seating (it seems rare any more) you shouldn't have any trouble getting a table for 4 at 6. It seems that the big rush is usually later. We also prefer to eat early and usually have no trouble.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[jtl513]

Is late seating really 9 pm? I thought I had read someplace that it was 8pm, on Eurodam.

Main Fixed is 8:00p, but the Open seating is open until 9:00p. Maybe that's where the confusion came from?

[Pettifogger]

If kelmac is even close to right that 60% of the dining room tables are dedicated to open dining and 60% of the guests are dedicated to fixed dining, wouldn't it be wonderful if HAL just flipped the designations of the tables (that is, declare the tables that were for open dining will henceforth be for fixed and vice versa.) It wouldn't cost a penny since none of the furniture would move, the stewards are self-propelled, and, at a stroke, 20% of the guests would be overjoyed.

 

If they have been unexpectedly stubborn about their dining preferences, maybe it would be advantageous, for the time being, to just nudge them in the direction one desires them to go rather than driving them and wait until they eventually either learn to love open dining or a return of the sellers' market for cruise cabins makes them less picky, to try to reach the ultimate goal. After all, the designations can be flipped back just as easily.

 

I wince every time some contributor to this board threatens to walk off with their checkbook; I hope I'm going to need this cruise line for quite some time yet and to know that 20% of the guests have more reason to be grateful would make me feel much more secure.