Have you ever done this?

[momatibm]

When I was looking at the Ryndam cruises out of Tampa, I was all set to book one, but when I got to dining options -- there weren't any -- ie only "open seating". So what to do since we are 'old fashioned' like fixed seating - late. I kept changing the date until I found one with 'fixed - late ' available and then booked that one.:rolleyes: This was far enough out that I didn't have any problems date wise -- all of 2011 was open on the personal/business schedules.

[sail7seas]

If that is what will make you happy and you will enjoy your cruise the most, then great idea. Happy you were able to get what you want.

 

Hope it's a great cruise.

[RuthC]

I've always booked far enough in advance that fixed/late was available. But I do understand---for me, not getting fixed/late would be a deal-breaker.

Glad you found something you liked.

[CowPrincess]

I won't cruise if I have to take open dining. So I'm totally with you on this :)

 

Interesting that you had that problem -- we did 14 days from Tampa, and the 1st leg, about 1/4 of the MDR was empty at late seating, and for the 2nd leg, about half the MDR was empty at late seating. Our Assistant Maitre D' said they had a waiting list of 200 or so people for early, and no one seemd to want late!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I won't cruise if I have to take open dining. So I'm totally with you on this :)

 

Interesting that you had that problem -- we did 14 days from Tampa, and the 1st leg, about 1/4 of the MDR was empty at late seating, and for the 2nd leg, about half the MDR was empty at late seating. Our Assistant Maitre D' said they had a waiting list of 200 or so people for early, and no one seemd to want late!

 

We have found that to be true on many of our cruises -- ore people wanted early -- 5:45 -- rather than the late dining.

Especially on cruises that are port intensive and poeple want to eat early - digest their food -- enjoy an after dinner cocktail, etc., -- and then be up bright and early the next day for tours.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When I was looking at the Ryndam cruises out of Tampa, I was all set to book one, but when I got to dining options -- there weren't any -- ie only "open seating". So what to do since we are 'old fashioned' like fixed seating - late. I kept changing the date until I found one with 'fixed - late ' available and then booked that one.:rolleyes: This was far enough out that I didn't have any problems date wise -- all of 2011 was open on the personal/business schedules.

 

Glad you were finally able to get the cruise with the dining option that you wanted.

[sail7seas]

We have found that to be true on many of our cruises -- ore people wanted early -- 5:45 -- rather than the late dining.

 

Especially on cruises that are port intensive and poeple want to eat early - digest their food -- enjoy an after dinner cocktail, etc., -- and then be up bright and early the next day for tours.

 

We're just the opposite on port intensive itineraries. We want time to relax at the end of the day, some down time, before we dress and go for before dinner drinks and dinner.

 

Like Ruth, it is a deal breaker for us to not have Traditional Main (8 P.M.) Dining. That is mandatory to our enjoyment.

[cruz chic]

We have found that to be true on many of our cruises -- ore people wanted early -- 5:45 -- rather than the late dining.

 

Especially on cruises that are port intensive and poeple want to eat early - digest their food -- enjoy an after dinner cocktail, etc., -- and then be up bright and early the next day for tours.

I'm all about getting the early traditional too. Generally I book my cruises way out so it's not a problem. Due to me getting a new job I had to cancel 2 of the cruises I had booked for 2011 as it would interfere with deadlines. I now have open on the April cruise and I'm waitlisted for the Sept. one. Not getting early traditional used to be a deal breaker for me but I've had too many strange tablemates lately so I'm open to trying the open in the short term.

[shandryl]

Thats exactly right Sail!! :D everything plus the mandatory part!!

 

We're just the opposite on port intensive itineraries. We want time to relax at the end of the day, some down time, before we dress and go for before dinner drinks and dinner.

 

Like Ruth, it is a deal breaker for us to not have Traditional Main (8 P.M.) Dining. That is mandatory to our enjoyment.

[CaliforniaAC]

We always used to book late seating. On the cruise we booked last minute on the Noordam, we had to take open seating. We found out how accomodating it can actually be. We were able to book the same table, at the same time (which was I think about 7:45) with the same waitstaff for the whole cruise. It was a table for four with a great location and great servers. Sometimes another couple was seated with us, sometimes we were alone. A few times we saw someone we ate with before and waved them over, and once or twice we have invited people ahead to dine with us.

 

Truthfully, it worked out very well. Sometimes you have to think outside the box:).

[momatibm]

We always used to book late seating. On the cruise we booked last minute on the Noordam, we had to take open seating. We found out how accomodating it can actually be. We were able to book the same table, at the same time (which was I think about 7:45) with the same waitstaff for the whole cruise. It was a table for four with a great location and great servers. Sometimes another couple was seated with us, sometimes we were alone. A few times we saw someone we ate with before and waved them over, and once or twice we have invited people ahead to dine with us.

 

Truthfully, it worked out very well. Sometimes you have to think outside the box:).

According to me - thinking outside the box is booking a veranda vs a deluxe suite -- my schedule is flexible enough I can search for my preference -- and at the cost these days, that is what I want

[Vince1980]

Why is not having fixed seating a deal breaker for some people? Are the waiting times too long for open seating?

[momatibm]

Why is not having fixed seating a deal breaker for some people? Are the waiting times too long for open seating?

No, I think it's more the traditions of cruising -- most of us who feel that way have cruised for years and love the tradition.

[CowPrincess]

Why is not having fixed seating a deal breaker for some people? Are the waiting times too long for open seating?

 

As momatibm said, it is partly the tradition for us. There was never a long wait when we tried the open dining, but we didn't like the "speed dating" aspect of every evening's conversation "Hi, my name is xxx, have you cruised on HAL before, have you done this itinerary before, where abouts are you from, are you enjoying yourself, did you do a shore excursion today?" We prefer to get to know our tablemates.

 

We found the service not as good as in fixed dining, as well. We enjoy the waiters being less time-pressured, and not having to do 15 different things at once. There were times in open seating when the wine steward didn't make it to the table until dinner had been served. The waiters were trying to serve various courses, at various tables, take orders, clear and re-set tables.

 

Some people love open dining, others hate it, and for others it makes no difference at all.

[TX GENT]

If you book open seating and go at the time you like, you can book that time for the rest of your cruise. I found this out on the last cruise.

[RuthC]

Why is not having fixed seating a deal breaker for some people? Are the waiting times too long for open seating?

I can give you the reason for this person.

I live alone, and therefore dine alone most every night. When I cruise I enjoy having tablemates that I get to know. It's like "coming home" at the end of the day.

You have no idea how nice it is to have someone with whom to share the details of the day until you don't have that.

[Maxine]

I can give you the reason for this person.

 

I live alone, and therefore dine alone most every night. When I cruise I enjoy having tablemates that I get to know. It's like "coming home" at the end of the day.

You have no idea how nice it is to have someone with whom to share the details of the day until you don't have that.

 

Ruth, as usual, very nicely stated!

[Lesinindy]

Why is not having fixed seating a deal breaker for some people? Are the waiting times too long for open seating?

 

Mostly for us it is the tradition aspect and also our moving out of our day to day routine (due to work schedules, commuting, sometime just the two of us for dinner) and we don't have a regular dinner time during the majority of our year. Another part is to not be rushed after port days and another reason is that when we do have a meal at home it is around 8 or 8:30.

 

Bottom line is that it is a "cruise thing". It is as much part of the cruise as the ocean and the balcony cabin for us. Also is is how we have always done a cruise.

[cruz chic]

There were times in open seating when the wine steward didn't make it to the table until dinner had been served.

Hal seems to have a real problem with this. I've had slow service from the wine stewards on several cruises in Traditional. I just can't understand this. On Princess, the dining stewards get your wine etc. and it seems to be so much faster. They appear to have just as many tables as the stewards on HAL.

[iceman93]

On our last couple of cruises, even though we booked far in advance, fixed main (late) dining was waitlisted. A simple phone call from our travel agent to HAL (I'm sure with a nod to the cabin category we were in) was enough to get us confirmed with the table size we wanted.

[debsjc]

We like open, because depending on the times we are in port, and that nights show we can vary the time from night to night.

Having said that I preferred it when you could only book 1 day ahead, not 3.

 

Another reason is that we quite often like to have a table for two. Mum get migranes and sometimes doesn't feel like a long dinner, so it's good to have the option of just having 2-3 courses and not chatting too much.

 

However if I ever did cruise on my own I would go for fixed dining, to sit and eat with the same people every night.

[SALMARK]

Shortly we will be going on our 8th cruise with HAL and until now we have always had the late seating for dinner. Like some have said it is nice to have time before dinner to relax and get ready esp. after a late tour that barely gets back before the early seating. In all our cruises with tables of 8 (usually) or 6 there was only one gentleman whom I did not enjoy and my DH always managed to get me seated as far from him as possible.

 

Like Ruth said it is nice to be able to get to know and talk to the same people every night without having to go through all the who you are stuff every night. Sharing what you did and what you saw during the day is always interesting and informative.

 

Our next cruise will be our first at open seating and that is only because we are traveling with another couple we met on another cruise and this is their option that they wanted. Early is too early for me and late is too late for her. They love open seating so with an open mind or at least a partially open one we are trying it. I love late, fixed dining so much and it will be interesting to see how I feel about open.

[cruz chic]

On our last couple of cruises, even though we booked far in advance, fixed main (late) dining was waitlisted. A simple phone call from our travel agent to HAL (I'm sure with a nod to the cabin category we were in) was enough to get us confirmed with the table size we wanted.

If you were in a Suite, that would be the reason. They aren't going to do that for a person in an inside cabin.