My dining request to TA

[mexico5]

Hi, I know from these boards that the As You Wish Dining is a term describing ALL the dining options right? I noticed on my invoice that came from my TA that under dining it states: As You Wish (table for 2)

 

My question is this..she knows we want "open seating" so is this the right terminology or will we end up with upstairs having the "fixed seating" and a table for 2 at a certain time?

 

Should she have written in "open seating" instead? We want to eat whenever we want and have a table for 2...even if we have to wait for one..no problem.

 

Thanks!

[Mary Ellen]

Yes, As You Wish encompasses all the dining options onboard. On the HAL site 'As You Wish' isn't even one of the MDR options when making a booking. Those are: Early Upper Dining, Main Upper Dining and Open Seating. In all likelihood though your TA is referring to the open seating. S/He may be one of those who believe that only those with Open Seating are dining 'As They Wish' and the rest of us are forced into Fixed Seating. ;)

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[mexico5]

Thanks! That's what I thought...I sure can't blame her for getting the lingo mixed up as there are so many cruiselines and they each have such different but the same sounding names for dining options! I will probably always call it "anytime dining" because that's what I am used to on Princess!

[Cruising-along]

We always request open seating and our papers never say the table size, just "open seating". I'd check to be sure. :)

[mexico5]

I have emailed her to double check with our dining request. We do want the "open seating" and if we have to wait for a table for 2 it's not a problem...that's what drinks are for!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Definitely contact your TA and have him/her change your request to read "Open Seating". Otherwise since it is marked table for 2 -- you could end up in the traditional dining.

[Kween Karen]

I have a feeling that means "open" but I, too, would check.

My experience is that it is easy to change to OPEN seating once you are on board in case you were assigned fixed. The fixed early seating option is usually highly desired and many people would be waiting in line to get your spot if you changed to open. On my last cruise a lot of people were assigned to late seating who really wanted early.

Anyway....the point it that would be an easy change to make on the first day of the cruise.

[mexico5]

She does probably have it right or else she would have asked me if I wanted early or late dining right? Yes, probably alot easier to change to open if a mistake was made. My TA has never made one so far!

[Cruising-along]

She does probably have it right or else she would have asked me if I wanted early or late dining right? Yes, probably alot easier to change to open if a mistake was made. My TA has never made one so far!

 

You're probably right about that. Having the table size on there threw me, since with open seating you don't ask for the table size until you show up, so there's no point in putting table size on your documents.

 

Yes, much easier to change to open than the other way around. :)

[navybankerteacher]

The odds are that you are OK -- HAL usually runs out of assigned dining slots -- there is never a problem shifting to open --you just show up -- but you cannot have it both ways -- an assigned table for two only happens with assigned dining --- when you show up at open seating you can have your choice: take the first two seats available at any size table, or wait until a table for two opens up -- probably not much longer a wait.

[serendipity1499]

I have emailed her to double check with our dining request. We do want the "open seating" and if we have to wait for a table for 2 it's not a problem...that's what drinks are for!

 

You're probably right about that. Having the table size on there threw me, since with open seating you don't ask for the table size until you show up, so there's no point in putting table size on your documents.

 

Yes, much easier to change to open than the other way around. :)

 

Actually, we've found that we did not have to wait until we showed up to get a table for two..You can make a reservation for open seating early in the day..We usually do it during lunch in the Lido, but you can also call..Ask the Gentleman to insert a table for two in his remarks..

On our Alaska cruise we normally asked to be seated with others but twice, when we kew we would be very tired from the long port days, we requested in advance to be put at a table for two & our request was granted..Of course we usually eat about 8: p.m. or a little after, so that may have been the difference, but it does not hurt to try..

Enjoy your cruise...

Cheers......:)Betty

[GeriatricNurse]

Hi, I know from these boards that the As You Wish Dining is a term describing ALL the dining options right? I noticed on my invoice that came from my TA that under dining it states: As You Wish (table for 2)

 

My question is this..she knows we want "open seating" so is this the right terminology or will we end up with upstairs having the "fixed seating" and a table for 2 at a certain time?

 

Should she have written in "open seating" instead? We want to eat whenever we want and have a table for 2...even if we have to wait for one..no problem.

 

Thanks!

 

Yes, your TA should have written in "Open Dining" instead! :)

[Cruising-along]

Actually, we've found that we did not have to wait until we showed up to get a table for two..You can make a reservation for open seating early in the day..We usually do it during lunch in the Lido, but you can also call..Ask the Gentleman to insert a table for two in his remarks..

 

On our Alaska cruise we normally asked to be seated with others but twice, when we kew we would be very tired from the long port days, we requested in advance to be put at a table for two & our request was granted..Of course we usually eat about 8: p.m. or a little after, so that may have been the difference, but it does not hurt to try..

 

Enjoy your cruise...

 

Cheers......:)Betty

 

That's right Betty -- and since we always have made reservations ourselves, I should have known better than to leave that info out! :o Truth be told, we've never "walked up" for a table, but I know lots of others do prefer to do that over making reservations.

 

Our last cruise we found a table and servers we liked and reserved that table every night (we were allowed to make reservations 3 days in advance).

[mexico5]

That's a great idea to make reservations! Of course on the port days we won't because not sure how much tequila I would have had earlier and might need a siesta and a later dinner!

[serendipity1499]

That's right Betty -- and since we always have made reservations ourselves, I should have known better than to leave that info out! :o Truth be told, we've never "walked up" for a table, but I know lots of others do prefer to do that over making reservations.

 

Our last cruise we found a table and servers we liked and reserved that table every night (we were allowed to make reservations 3 days in advance).

 

When we are alone we usually book open seating for the flexability, as we as occasionally want to have dinner a bit earlier or even later... However when we travel with Friends, we all request Fixed Late seating....

On our Maasdam cruise in 2008 we did the same..But DH & I decided at the last minute to book, while our Friends had booked months before & had confirmed late seating..When we boarded we tried to get into fixed, but it was full so our Friends decided to join us in open seating....

We were actually fortunate, as had a lovely group of four join us....We all had so much fun with each other & our MDR Stewards, that we booked the same table with the same stewards every night..It was great!

 

Cheers.....:)Betty