Prinsendam dining

[Max2003]

Can someone who has cruised recently comment on the seating arrangement on the Prinsendam as it applies to fixed seating and "As you wish" dining. The rest of the HAL ships use the same convention of fixed seating on the upper level an open seating on the lower level of the dining room. The Prinsendam is different with two separate rooms on the same level, so the question is - Which room is which??? Is fixed seating in the larger room in the rear or the smaller room forward???? How does their arrangement work out???

[Padraic]

My wife and I were on the Prinsendam in May. The "As you wish" area is on the outside area of the larger dining room. They are by the windows.

[Max2003]

My wife and I were on the Prinsendam in May. The "As you wish" area is on the outside area of the larger dining room. They are by the windows.

 

Thank you.

 

If I understand, it sounds like there is movement to and from tables (As you wish" diners) in the same dining area as the fixed seating. Is there any disruption or does it seem to work smoothly??? I don't recall if there is some sort of physical barrier to separate the two areas (it has been 6 years).

[iflyrc5]

It was a couple of years ago but as I recall there was No traffic issue - the outer ring of tables has a railing that seperates it from the inner ring and guest are brought into the outer ring from the front of the dining room so they are only walking along the tables in the "as you wish" area. Bottom line - not an issue at all.

[Padraic]

If I understand, it sounds like there is movement to and from tables (As you wish" diners) in the same dining area as the fixed seating. Is there any disruption or does it seem to work smoothly??? I don't recall if there is some sort of physical barrier to separate the two areas (it has been 6 years).

 

The only disruption is that there are fewer waiters. This goes along with all the cruise lines desire to have all dining the 'as you wish' type. (This is my opinion.) If you have only two fixed time for dinner you need more waiters than if the number of diners is stretched over the entire time.

[Harry1954]

We have always had fixed seating on Prinsendam and it was in the smaller room and worked out quite nicely.

i can not comment on as you wish seating there since never did it on that ship.

harry

[slotl]

Grand Cruises on HAL and the Prinsendam are ALL FIXED SEATING (early and late). There are no "open seatings" on the Grand Cruises.

 

Our Grand Asia/Australia (2008) on the Amsterdam was fixed seating (65 days) and our Grand Med/Black Sea (2010) on the Prinsendam was fixed seating (55 days).