HAL dining - seating options?

[Stoffel1982]

Hey

 

We'll be sailing on Koningsdam in a few weeks and am wondering what the seating options are... We (2) prefer to share a table with another couple. It seems we cannot request anything prior to our sail date? What about the early/late dining request?

 

Does anyone know how they assign seats for dinner?

 

Thanks

Chris

Edited June 5, 2017 by Stoffel1982

[esimon]

Open dining -- walk in - ask to sit with another couple and they will seat you at a 4 top

[kazu]

Hey

 

We'll be sailing on Koningsdam in a few weeks and am wondering what the seating options are... We (2) prefer to share a table with another couple. It seems we cannot request anything prior to our sail date? What about the early/late dining request?

 

Does anyone know how they assign seats for dinner?

 

Thanks

Chris

 

esimom answered you for open dining. For fixed dining (early/late) you normally request a table of 2, 4, 6 or 8. Normally most requests can be honoured.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Open Seating you can not make a request for a table for 4 until you are on the ship and show up for dinner. Both levels on the Koningsdam are used for Open seating. They mix everyone up.

Your TA can request a table for 4 for the fixed dining times -- early is usually at 5:30 and main dining (late) is usually at 8. Again you could be on either level. And there is no guarantee that you will get a table for 4. It is just a request.

[StephMB]

This ship actually mixes fixed seating with YTD. Not a fan of it. See the Maitre D the first day and request to sit with other people. Are you fixed seating or Your time dining?

 

 

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[Stella1250]

Hi Chris. Which sailing are you on? We are on Koningsdam 6/25 Fjords cruise.

[Stoffel1982]

Hi Chris. Which sailing are you on? We are on Koningsdam 6/25 Fjords cruise.

 

Hi Stella, we're on Koningsdam 7/9 Fjords :-)

[Stoffel1982]

This ship actually mixes fixed seating with YTD. Not a fan of it. See the Maitre D the first day and request to sit with other people. Are you fixed seating or Your time dining?

 

 

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No idea!

 

We want the fixed seating, late shift. We booked directly with HAL, but no one asked.

[3rdGenCunarder]

No idea!

 

We want the fixed seating, late shift. We booked directly with HAL, but no one asked.

 

Someone should have asked. You should be able to request fixed dining when you book. This close to sailing, it's possible that fixed is full and only anytime dining is available. I suggest you call HAL and see if you can request fixed dining now. If they say no, then as soon as you board, find the maitre d' who is handling dining requests and ask again.

[3rdGenCunarder]

This ship actually mixes fixed seating with YTD. Not a fan of it. See the Maitre D the first day and request to sit with other people. Are you fixed seating or Your time dining?

 

 

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I do not get this! One of the things I like about fixed dining is that people aren't walking by your table all through your meal, or getting into or out of chairs. HAL has the MDR tables pretty close together. I hope they've allowed more space on the K'dam.

[kazu]

I do not get this! One of the things I like about fixed dining is that people aren't walking by your table all through your meal, or getting into or out of chairs. HAL has the MDR tables pretty close together. I hope they've allowed more space on the K'dam.

 

The Westerdam did it when we were on board too, Kathy. I asked and they said it was an "experiment". It actually was ok on the Westerdam - appeared to be different waiters for the fixed and open dining. Open dining was more near the front and fixed at the aft on the 2nd floor (we were in the lower dining room on fixed dining). On the Rotterdam, they followed the "standard operating procedure" and fixed dining was upstairs and open downstairs.

 

Just because it may be of interest to you ;) - The one ship where it is mixed all the time is on the Prinsendam in the aft dining room. there's only one level to the dining room on that ship. The small mid ship/ more forward section of the dining room is for fixed dining only.

[Stoffel1982]

HAL confirmed the fixed dining at 8pm and table for 4 :cool:

[Hlitner]

HAL confirmed the fixed dining at 8pm and table for 4 :cool:

 

On most HAL cruises, getting fixed late dining is not a problem :). By 8PM...it seems like at least half the passenger are already in their cabins for the night We generally do open dining...and prefer to dine late...often after 8. On most of our HAL cruises the MDR is pretty empty at that hour. Another advantage to dining late is that the shows for the late diners (often before dinner) are not nearly as crowded as the shows intended for the early diners. So we can often walk into our show at the last minute and still get a great seat.

 

Hank

[Stoffel1982]

On most HAL cruises, getting fixed late dining is not a problem :). By 8PM...it seems like at least half the passenger are already in their cabins for the night We generally do open dining...and prefer to dine late...often after 8. On most of our HAL cruises the MDR is pretty empty at that hour. Another advantage to dining late is that the shows for the late diners (often before dinner) are not nearly as crowded as the shows intended for the early diners. So we can often walk into our show at the last minute and still get a great seat.

 

Hank

 

:D

 

We are in our 30's, by 8pm the night is about to start...

[KroozNut]

Both levels on the Koningsdam are used for Open seating. They mix everyone up.

 

KK, is this practice unique to K'dam, or has HAL rolled this out to other ships? We're sailing O'dam in Sep and we're hoping that they have the 'old' system in place; i.e., fixed dining on upper level deck 3, and open seating on lower level deck 2 - no co-mingling.. :)

[TAD2005]

We have been on the Zuiderdam and Oosterdam recently and we always select fixed seating, late (main), which is always on deck 3, while anytime is on deck 2. We have occasionally seen anytime diners escorted up to deck 3 when there are no-shows due to Pinnacle Grill or Lido, but they usually come in at the same time as all of the fixed time diners, around 8:00 pm. We never have seen a large mix of anytime diners into fixed dining. We hope is stays that way. We are booked on the Westerdam for 25 days this October in a reserved table for 4, main seating.

[KroozNut]

We have been on the Zuiderdam and Oosterdam recently and we always select fixed seating, late (main), which is always on deck 3, while anytime is on deck 2. We have occasionally seen anytime diners escorted up to deck 3 when there are no-shows due to Pinnacle Grill or Lido, but they usually come in at the same time as all of the fixed time diners, around 8:00 pm. We never have seen a large mix of anytime diners into fixed dining. We hope is stays that way. We are booked on the Westerdam for 25 days this October in a reserved table for 4, main seating.

 

This is good to know... Thanks! :)

[3rdGenCunarder]

The Westerdam did it when we were on board too, Kathy. I asked and they said it was an "experiment". It actually was ok on the Westerdam - appeared to be different waiters for the fixed and open dining. Open dining was more near the front and fixed at the aft on the 2nd floor (we were in the lower dining room on fixed dining). On the Rotterdam, they followed the "standard operating procedure" and fixed dining was upstairs and open downstairs.

 

Just because it may be of interest to you ;) - The one ship where it is mixed all the time is on the Prinsendam in the aft dining room. there's only one level to the dining room on that ship. The small mid ship/ more forward section of the dining room is for fixed dining only.

 

Well, they have no choice on Prinsendam,so I'll forgive them for that. I'm really looking forward to trying HAL's smallest ship, especially since we're trying the largest in January.

[idiebabe]

The Westerdam did it when we were on board too, Kathy. I asked and they said it was an "experiment". It actually was ok on the Westerdam - appeared to be different waiters for the fixed and open dining. Open dining was more near the front and fixed at the aft on the 2nd floor (we were in the lower dining room on fixed dining). On the Rotterdam, they followed the "standard operating procedure" and fixed dining was upstairs and open downstairs.

 

Just because it may be of interest to you ;) - The one ship where it is mixed all the time is on the Prinsendam in the aft dining room. there's only one level to the dining room on that ship. The small mid ship/ more forward section of the dining room is for fixed dining only.

 

This past February Westerdam Upper Level was all Fixed except in "the Pit" area where they have about 8 tables. They would sit overflow of 2-Top tables from Open Seating there. I don't know what they did on Lower Level in Open Seating.

 

On Prinsendam the AFT Dining Room has Fixed in the center and Open Seating is around the Perimeter. At least this is how it was on both of our sailings in 2014 and Fall of 2015. Our first Pdam Cruise we were assigned FWD since we like a 2-Top Fixed Late Seating. Our 2nd Pdam they originally assigned us a 2-Top Fixed by the Window in AFT DR but it would be in the Open Seating section since no 2-Tops available in the Fixed area in Center. We were able to move to the FWD DR since we did not like the constant comings and goings, etc. and took a table by the wall which actually was nice and quiet!

[kazu]

Well, they have no choice on Prinsendam,so I'll forgive them for that. I'm really looking forward to trying HAL's smallest ship, especially since we're trying the largest in January.

 

 

Dining is one of the "quirks" of the Prinsendam. I like it, as long as I am in the most forward dining room. I know some don't care for it, but it's our favourite spot.

 

You will be going from Night and Day between the two ships. What a great experience.

 

I know a CC member that did the same thing and loved both ships, but I think he will sail the P'dam again in a heart beat ;)

[kazu]

This past February Westerdam Upper Level was all Fixed except in "the Pit" area where they have about 8 tables. They would sit overflow of 2-Top tables from Open Seating there. I don't know what they did on Lower Level in Open Seating.

 

On Prinsendam the AFT Dining Room has Fixed in the center and Open Seating is around the Perimeter. At least this is how it was on both of our sailings in 2014 and Fall of 2015. Our first Pdam Cruise we were assigned FWD since we like a 2-Top Fixed Late Seating. Our 2nd Pdam they originally assigned us a 2-Top Fixed by the Window in AFT DR but it would be in the Open Seating section since no 2-Tops available in the Fixed area in Center. We were able to move to the FWD DR since we did not like the constant comings and goings, etc. and took a table by the wall which actually was nice and quiet!

 

that's pretty much how it goes on the Prinsendam I believe, but I think they save some of those perimeter seats for fixed dining at times. At least, they did for us, on one cruise. We moved on our own accord due to a very rude passenger that was lambasting the crew and frankly I couldn't listen to it.

 

Once they disembarked, we moved back to the the dining area we liked.

 

As to the Westerdam, we were on the 2nd level with fixed late seating in 2016. It was iintermingled with open and fixed, but relatively well done as I said and service was good so we had no issues with the set up. I don't know if they have continued or not.

[ChristyS]

On most HAL cruises, getting fixed late dining is not a problem :). By 8PM...it seems like at least half the passenger are already in their cabins for the night We generally do open dining...and prefer to dine late...often after 8. On most of our HAL cruises the MDR is pretty empty at that hour. Another advantage to dining late is that the shows for the late diners (often before dinner) are not nearly as crowded as the shows intended for the early diners. So we can often walk into our show at the last minute and still get a great seat.

 

Hank

Shows were 8pm and 10pm on my cruise last week. So you say the 10 show is where you went?

[freestyling]

On most HAL cruises, getting fixed late dining is not a problem :). By 8PM...it seems like at least half the passenger are already in their cabins for the night We generally do open dining...and prefer to dine late...often after 8. On most of our HAL cruises the MDR is pretty empty at that hour. Another advantage to dining late is that the shows for the late diners (often before dinner) are not nearly as crowded as the shows intended for the early diners. So we can often walk into our show at the last minute and still get a great seat.

 

Hank

 

We are in our 60's and NOT in our cabin by 8:00. I guess I've been unlucky because it "seems" that more than half the passengers are at various shows/venues. Maybe our next cruise there will be less passengers in public areas after 8:00.

[richwmn]

Well, they have no choice on Prinsendam,so I'll forgive them for that. I'm really looking forward to trying HAL's smallest ship, especially since we're trying the largest in January.

 

Dining is one of the "quirks" of the Prinsendam. I like it, as long as I am in the most forward dining room. I know some don't care for it, but it's our favourite spot.

 

You will be going from Night and Day between the two ships. What a great experience.

 

I know a CC member that did the same thing and loved both ships, but I think he will sail the P'dam again in a heart beat ;)

 

I think Kazu was talking about me here. I did the Christmas cruise for 18 days on the Prinsendam and then a week on Koningsdam in February. If I found an itinerary on the Prinsendam I liked I would, in fact, jump on it. It is a very different experience compared to the other HAL ships.

[kazu]

I think Kazu was talking about me here. I did the Christmas cruise for 18 days on the Prinsendam and then a week on Koningsdam in February. If I found an itinerary on the Prinsendam I liked I would, in fact, jump on it. It is a very different experience compared to the other HAL ships.

Actually, I wasn't referring to you, but it's nice to hear you feel the same way ;)