Check your 2006 Confirmations.......

[drdaddy]

I REALLY think that the OP should find a way to change this title because this could be a real big to some people. I am not sure why I even clicked on it but I am sure glad I did. This appears to be an important topic.

[sail7seas]

This board has a wonderful feature, IMO.

 

If you hover your mouse over the thread subject line, it will show you the first several sentences of the post so you can 'preview' if you think it is something about which you have an interest in reading.

[bookworm0911]

No.... :(

 

The new direction of HAL keeps disappointing us in more and more ways. There comes a point when we say......No More. We have taken this, then that, then the other thing they have chosen to eliminate/change/add/turn upside down. At some point the product becomes unrecognizable as something we like and are will to pay big sums of money for. At that point, we no longer say Okay.

 

We, at that point, say "NO".

I take it that your N0....:( is in answer to my question as to whether it is fair to accomodate the most amount of dining requests (8 PM) in the lower level dinning room which seats the most people. I think many people would feel the opposite, but I appreciate that you would answer honestly.

 

I do wonder as a newcomer to HAL compared to your cruise experience, what some of the other changes are that have added up (as you say above-eliminate/change/add/turn upside down) to making the product so unrecognizable as something you like and making you so terribly unhappy? I always read your posts as a valuable way of getting information about Hal and had no idea there had been so many changes that were adding up like this. :confused:

[drdaddy]

I have it on VERY good authority that this WILL NOT happen anytime soon. They said they did experiment with it this past summer and they have NO plans to repeat it.

 

I trust this authority and it is direct from HAL.

[peaches from georgia]

I have it on VERY good authority that this WILL NOT happen anytime soon. They said they did experiment with it this past summer and they have NO plans to repeat it.

I trust this authority and it is direct from HAL.

I wonder what ship(s) and what cruises or weeks/months they experimented by changing the levels and times. Do you know any more about this?

 

It seems strange to me that absolutely no one on this board reported it- we have at least one or more posters cruising almost every week, every ship and certainly nothing this drastic would escape their reporting it. I have no memory of a change being mentioned in a review and surely it would have had much 'discussion' like it has on this thread. ;)

[doone]

I don't really care if I eat in the upper or lower dining room, what's important to me is that I get the desired timeframe.

[sail7seas]

Seems it depends upon who you speak with. Most are saying there will be no reversing of upper/lower dining levels.

TA is making more calls today for me.

 

[Tarkus]

I don't really care if I eat in the upper or lower dining room, what's important to me is that I get the desired timeframe.

that's my attitude as well.

 

i'm sure if there was a ground-swell of requests to invert locations (timewise) they'd do it... but if it's just one or two requests why would hal bother?

[peaches from georgia]

i'm sure if there was a ground-swell of requests to invert locations (timewise) they'd do it... but if it's just one or two requests why would hal bother?

The only reason HAL would bother is because more people want the 8 PM seating and the Lower Level seats more people, hence fewer pax complaining they didn't get the time they requested, fewer pax lined up to get the maitre d' to change them to 8, fewer pax to whom he has to say no.

 

But there may be other reasons that make the change more difficult than it appears and it won't be done. We prefer it as is- 8 pm upstairs- because we have been lucky to get it, and the table we want, as we request. Not everybody is that lucky.

[sail7seas]

Our TA also mentioned late last year when we were planning 2005 cruises that a change of levels/times was under consideration by HAL and that TA's had been notified of the possibility in order to forewarn their clients to have a Plan A and a Plan B for dining requests.

 

Somebody gave this information on this board. Could have been me, don't remember, but the rumor has been out there a long time. I heard it from 2 TA's. And you are right, Odd Ball- it is because the lower level has more tables and better suits managing the 8 PM requests. Of course this all could be solved if they went back to 2 dining times. :rolleyes:

 

 

As stated in the above quote. ......" but the rumor has been out there a long time."

 

 

I just spoke with my TA. She has investigated this subject and according to all she has been told by various people at HAL, this whole discussion about upper and lower level being switched is simply Rumor. It isn't true. They are not going to switch the 8:00 seating to the lower level.

 

We have been confirmed for our 8:00 upper level dining for our January cruise.

So, we are happy!!! :)

[Esme]

I just had an e-mail from one of the Hotel Managers and he said

 

As of now I have no information on any changes.

[peaches from georgia]

As stated in the above quote. ......" but the rumor has been out there a long time."

 

I just spoke with my TA. She has investigated this subject and according to all she has been told by various people at HAL, this whole discussion about upper and lower level being switched is simply Rumor. It isn't true. They are not going to switch the 8:00 seating to the lower level.

I'm certainly pleased that it looks like there is no change for now. We, too, want upper level 8 to remain. :) But, what was your TA's explanation for your confirmation saying 'Lower' for the 8 PM seating??? That's how this whole thread started.

 

While it has been a 'rumor' for a long time on the cruise boards, it was based 'in fact' that HAL was definetely considering a change. Not only did 2 TA's tell me that, but they both are extremely longterm TA's and not only important to HAL business, but also both were definetely told by HAL execs to discuss it with their clients, so they would be aware of the possibility of changing levels and times.

[sail7seas]

Error.

Rumors are rarely accurate.

[bookworm0911]

Error....

Unbelievable-- an error on your confermation caused all this turmoil? Well, as our old friend Wm Shakespeare said, "Much Ado About Nothing" then, at least for now. :rolleyes:

[JohnR49er]

If this were a true story the post counts would be spinning like a slot machine.................:D

[Odd Ball]

Error.

 

Rumors are rarely accurate.

 

I though you started this entire thing with your original post. I am very confused. :confused:

[fredandbeth]

Change is inevitable.... I work in the wireless communications world where change occurs every day.

 

Like you say...two choices --take it or leave it.

 

I'm still young at almost 40 and have made a life decision to make the best of everything that comes my way. If changing tables, even one I've sat at "a year of my life" were the worst thing to happen to me.... I'd die a happy person.

 

Choose not to sail HAL in the future and I doubt if they'll miss you. Someone is waiting right behind you for those suites and your table-- whether it's for 8:00 or 8:30.

 

Get on with your life and find something more worth while and productive to try to change (like feeding the hungry or stomping out poverty). You will get much more out of your efforts!

[elmorejj]

fredandbeth, great post! fantastic outlook..........jean :cool:

[bellebaby]

We just returned from the May 11 Inside Passage sailing of the Volendam. Had Main/Upper dining arrangement at 7:45. Every seating was moved up 15 minutes. I think those that had late dining liked the time change. I don't know about the early diners.

 

B

[gizmo]

We just returned from the May 11 Inside Passage sailing of the Volendam. Had Main/Upper dining arrangement at 7:45. Every seating was moved up 15 minutes. I think those that had late dining liked the time change. I don't know about the early diners.

 

B

 

Very interesting Post. I would not have a problem with 7:45.

[Esme]

We just returned from the May 11 Inside Passage sailing of the Volendam. Had Main/Upper dining arrangement at 7:45. Every seating was moved up 15 minutes. I think those that had late dining liked the time change. I don't know about the early diners.

 

B

 

 

They always move the dining times in Alaska, up by 15 mins. They have been doing this since we took our first cruise there in 1986 and probably before that also.

[Odd Ball]

They always move the dining times in Alaska, up by 15 mins. They have been doing this since we took our first cruise there in 1986 and probably before that also.

 

Maybe this should be tried in the Caribbean. I think it would make a lot of people happy. :)

[sail7seas]

Why do they do that?

[bellebaby]

I was unaware dining times are moved up by 15 minutes in Alaska. My previous cruises to Alaska were on other lines. I assumed they moved the schedule due to the time difference (4 hours earlier than the East coast - 8 pm in Juneau is 12 pm in NY) in Alaska making dinner seem very late for most passengers. That's all I could figure out.

 

I, too, would like to know why they have been doing this "forever".

 

By the way, we had a wonderful time on the Volendam. Beautiful ship, great service. I loved all of the flowers. Would go again in a hearbeat.