Dining Room Reserved for Kosher charter?

[ipoder]

Just curious how HAL handles a partial charter of Kosher cruisers. On other lines they reserve one of the smaller dining rooms. But HAL has only one MDR. Has anyone been on a cruise with a Kosher Group to see how HAL organizes the MDR or do they use one of the specialty restaurants?

[jhsocal]

Cannot comment on Kosher groups, if the group is relatively large, they will be assigned late { usually 8PM} set seating in MDR. Hopefully, someone can answer your question more specifically.

[kazu]

Just curious how HAL handles a partial charter of Kosher cruisers. On other lines they reserve one of the smaller dining rooms. But HAL has only one MDR. Has anyone been on a cruise with a Kosher Group to see how HAL organizes the MDR or do they use one of the specialty restaurants?

 

suspect they will be eating at 8 pm. Will the group be large enough to interfere with MDR access for the remaining passengers? Depends upon how large the group is.

 

I think this is the group you are concerned about

http://www.kosherica.com/index.asp#

 

Nothing wrong with calling, pretending you are interested and asking how large the group is ;)

 

I didn't see any info on the website as to how large the group is but I just took a quick look.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were on a cruise one time with a large group from Pakistan. They were assigned tables on the lower level of the dining room for 6 PM dining.

 

It depends on the ship and, dining room manager and chef as to how they want to handle the group.

[CruiserBruce]

Looks like you are on Koningsdam, so you should probably consider it has two dining rooms, one on Plaza Deck, and one on Promenade Deck. There, as mentioned by others, they could take one seating in just one of those dining rooms.

 

All depends on how big the group is. By the way, if you are on the ship, and not a part of the Kosher group, it is a group booking. If the ship is totally sold out to the group, no other people allowed, it is a charter.

Edited September 3, 2016 by CruiserBruce

[casper106]

You could contact the company that has organized your group.

[sail7seas]

Uf it was my cruise and I was intrested in gthe group, I would all gthe number likely gicen at the link providedx. Awsk them how large the group is. As if gthey have rewser ed an engtire diinnger seating and if so;, what time.

 

Good luck. I Have done EXXQCTLY THAT In the past and got the information I sought. no need to 'lie', to them but also no need to gtell themm you are booked for that sailing.

Edited September 3, 2016 by sail7seas

[navybankerteacher]

We sailed Zuiderdam on a Panama Canal partial with a Kosherica group on board. Just a portion of the MDR was roped off for one of the seatings - I forget whether early or late. For Sabbath, a number of elevators were programmed to stop at every floor.

 

There really was little impact on the non-group passengers.

[CruiserBruce]

There is a new feature on most computers called spell check. Might want to take her out for a spin.

 

Sail's hand problem has been discussed here a few times...

 

You might want to spend some time in the Board Guidelines, particularly this section, titled Spelling and Grammar Errors:

 

It is important to remember that everyone makes mistakes at one time or another, and that there are many users who use English as a second language, especially on our Cruise Boards. There are also a number of people who suffer from learning disabilities and who have difficulty noticing their spelling mistakes. Do not make comments on the spelling and grammar of other users. It is simply not a productive expenditure of energies.

Edited September 3, 2016 by CruiserBruce

[Florida_gal_50]

Sail's hand problem has been discussed here a few times...

 

You might want to spend some time in the Board Guidelines, particularly this section. titled Spelling and Grammar Errors:

 

It is important to remember that everyone makes mistakes at one time or another, and that there are many users who use English as a second language, especially on our Cruise Boards. There are also a number of people who suffer from learning disabilities and who have difficulty noticing their spelling mistakes. Do not make comments on the spelling and grammar of other users. It is simply not a productive expenditure of energies.

 

Thank you.

 

I'm simply amazed at the insensitive nature of some posts.

[sail7seas]

Navy, Banker Teacher,Always a gentleman, my thanks certainly to you. You are always so courteous and your kindness is recognized. :) Many thanks.

Edited September 3, 2016 by sail7seas

[ipoder]

Thanks, I will ask the group organizers. I know HAL doesn't give out the information. I was mainly curious how the special dining situation would be handled. As long as there are still a good selection of tables to accommodate the rest of the passengers. We are now signed up for late dining. We are going to be enjoying our cruise regardless.

[slidergirl]

There was a thread recently about how a kosher group impacted the dining availability for non-group passengers. I believe it was in the "Ask a Cruise Question" forum. Do a search for "Kosher" and see what pops up. Once that thread started, a lot of people were relaying their experiences with a Kosher group, and even started providing websites where they could find information on groups before they booked.

[Ineke]

Sail's hand problem has been discussed here a few times...

 

You might want to spend some time in the Board Guidelines, particularly this section, titled Spelling and Grammar Errors:

 

It is important to remember that everyone makes mistakes at one time or another, and that there are many users who use English as a second language, especially on our Cruise Boards. There are also a number of people who suffer from learning disabilities and who have difficulty noticing their spelling mistakes. Do not make comments on the spelling and grammar of other users. It is simply not a productive expenditure of energies.

 

Amen, and thank you! As someone who has spent countless years working with students with learning diisabilities, the number one downer, and I mean BIG downer is comments about spelling/grammar errors.

I appreciate your well-made points indeed!

[donaldsc]

Just curious how HAL handles a partial charter of Kosher cruisers. On other lines they reserve one of the smaller dining rooms. But HAL has only one MDR. Has anyone been on a cruise with a Kosher Group to see how HAL organizes the MDR or do they use one of the specialty restaurants?

 

Someone can correct me if I am wrong but the term "partial charter" is a contradiction in terms. A charter means that they have the entire ship, not part of it.

 

DON

[cruise crazed]

I have been on a cruise with Kosherica. They used the first level of the dining room for the early seating. It was like any other cruise, it did not affect our experience at all.

[navybankerteacher]

Someone can correct me if I am wrong but the term "partial charter" is a contradiction in terms. A charter means that they have the entire ship, not part of it.

 

DON

 

Right: ordinarily "charter" suggests the entire vessel is taken - but for lack of another term to cover a large block of cabins being offered to a particular interest group by an agency other than the cruise line, "charter" seems to be the default term.

[dakrewser]

Right: ordinarily "charter" suggests the entire vessel is taken - but for lack of another term to cover a large block of cabins being offered to a particular interest group by an agency other than the cruise line, "charter" seems to be the default term.

 

Not on HAL it isn't...

[navybankerteacher]

Not on HAL it isn't...

 

??????????????????

[donaldsc]

Right: ordinarily "charter" suggests the entire vessel is taken - but for lack of another term to cover a large block of cabins being offered to a particular interest group by an agency other than the cruise line, "charter" seems to be the default term.

 

A better and more accurate term that properly describes it would be "large group booking".

 

DON

[Fouremco]

A better and more accurate term that properly describes it would be "large group booking".

 

DON

"A better and more accurate term"? Perhaps for you, but both "full-ship charter" and "partial-ship charter" are terms commonly used in the cruise industry. You might want to look at this Cruise Critic article, just as one example: http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=760

[RuthC]

"A better and more accurate term"? Perhaps for you, but both "full-ship charter" and "partial-ship charter" are terms commonly used in the cruise industry.

In other parts of the cruise industry, perhaps. However, Holland America does not use the term "partial-ship charter". They refer to groups as "groups".

[dakrewser]

??????????????????

 

No where in HAL's documents or marketing materials is the term "partial charter" used. There are charters, and there are groups.

[Fouremco]

In other parts of the cruise industry, perhaps. However, Holland America does not use the term "partial-ship charter". They refer to groups as "groups".

Generic cruise terms are permitted on Cruise Critic. :)

[navybankerteacher]

No where in HAL's documents or marketing materials is the term "partial charter" used. There are charters, and there are groups.

 

I was not aware of ANY terms used in HAL's documents to advise people considering booking a particular itinerary that there would be a "group" or a "charter" or any affinity cluster, however it was designated. That is the problem: you can wind up sailing with a less compatible group - taking up more or less of the public spaces - without being given ANY warning.

 

I have been on cruises with fairly large groups making the experience for non-members less attractive than they would have reason to anticipate.

 

Of course the term "partial charter" is not used ---NO warning term is used - and that, sir, is the problem with PARTIAL CHARTERS (which happens to be a fully appropriate term for what is happening.