Oosterdam dining time changes for this week

[kruzkeen]

I suspect that they have been getting negative feedback on the Comment Cards since going the four dining times. I have a feeling that most CC posters are happy as long as they have the 6:00 (6:15) or 8:00 sittings. I think that most do not want 5:45 or 8:30. A couple of polls suggests that.

 

I work for a large hotel chain and on Comment Cards guests will usually only write in comments if they are very dissatisfied. On 3 recent cruises I have been unhappy with an 8:30 time for dinner.

 

I have the impression that the majority of CC posters either book many months in advance and get their choice of dining times. I am prepared to be corrected on this point.

 

There are some of us that can only commit a couple of months in advance and get stuck with 8:30 which for some is ½ hour too late. Before 4 sittings, 8:00 was fine.

 

Some time back HAL went to 4 dining times. Reason given was to give better service. Some said HAL was short of staff with the larger Vista ships. My TA told me that they went to the 4 sittings to take some stress off the galley. It is easier to sent out dinners to ¼ of the passengers at the same time than for ½ of us at one time. The catering department in any large hotel would rather have 2 banquets for 450 guests ½ hour apart than 1 banquet for 900 guests. The logistics for serving meals on a cruise ship would be similar.

 

My friends and fellow cruisers expressed our opinion on the Comment Forms that we would be happier if HAL returned to their original format with two sittings. That way we could have dinner at 8:00. I cannot see this happening.

[stanford's girl]

Janice,

 

If the noticesare not too long could you copy them here for us to read? :)

 

Thanks,

 

Stephen

Stephen,

It is long, so when my son gets home I will have him scan and post it. I would do it myself but I am a touch of a computer spazz.:o

[kryos]

Kyros,

 

Since you have cruised on Princess, how about some clarification on PC dining?

I've never done PC dining, but here's what I understand about it. Think breakfast and lunch service in the dining room. If you arrive as a couple only, you will probably have to wait for a smaller table. I don't believe you can reserve. However, if you want to be seated immediately, you can agree to share a larger table with other couples ... just like you do if you take your breakfast or lunch in the dining room.

 

If you are traveling with a group, you simply arrive in the dining room with your group and request to be seated together. Since there are plenty of large tables, chances are you won't have to wait more than a couple of minutes.

 

Yes, the dining room could get congested and you might have to wait if you arrive at the really popular times. But, again, at least on my last Princess cruise, the waits were never excessive according to what I was told ... unless maybe you insisted on a table for two.

 

I've also heard that you could reserve a table in advance for your party, but I think you have to do that each individual day ... or maybe for a couple of days. People do this when they want to have the same waitstaff ... because apparently the waitstaff's stations do not change during the cruise.

 

I'm not crazy about the concept. If I were told that I had to do personal choice dining because I booked late, I would cancel the booking. That's how much I don't care for it. I don't mind "open seating" for breakfast or lunch ... usually your goal then is to eat and move on. But to me dinner is a social event, and I like the idea of eating with others who I've gotten to know throughout the course of the cruise.

 

Now others feel much differently. I've spoken to people on Princess who love PC dining and the flexibility it offers. If I were traveling with a group or my family or whatever, perhaps I could be "nudged" to give it a try. With your own group, if it were large enough, sitting together each night ... no matter what time you arrived in the dining room ... wouldn't be a problem. But as a solo traveler, no way. If HAL goes to this concept fleet wide, I'll only be able to continue sailing the line if at least the early seating remains traditional. Otherwise, I'll just have to restrict my sailing to lines that continue to offer the traditional dining. Fortunately, Princess gives you a choice, so I'd probably wind up sailing exclusively with them. I'd really hate to have to leave HAL, though. :(

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[gizmo]

Thanks Kyros. PC still sounds horrible to me. :eek:

[RuthC]

Remember ... it's the squeaky wheel which gets the grease. :)

Among walnuts the empty one speaks.

-----old Arabic proverb.

[Joanandjoe]

OK, so I don't like "Hobson's Choice" dining, and most posters here agree. HAL seems to be doing it anway. Let's talk about something else (maybe the nude Alaska cruise?)!

[PRINSENDAM]

Stephen' date='[/size']

It is long, so when my son gets home I will have him scan and post it. I would do it myself but I am a touch of a computer spazz.:o

 

 

 

Thanks Janice.:)

 

Stephen

[asctony]

kryos 'I've never done PC dining, but here's what I understand about it. Think breakfast and lunch service in the dining room. '

 

( Breakfast and lunch is open seating regardless if you have Traditional or PC dining. )

 

' If you arrive as a couple only, you will probably have to wait for a smaller table. I don't believe you can reserve. However, if you want to be seated immediately, you can agree to share a larger table with other couples ... just like you do if you take your breakfast or lunch in the dining room.'

 

( As a couple you may request a table for two or request to be seated with other people at a bigger table. )

 

 

'If you are traveling with a group, you simply arrive in the dining room with your group and request to be seated together. Since there are plenty of large tables, chances are you won't have to wait more than a couple of minutes.'

 

(You may request the same table, waiter staff, and time for every dinner meal. This applies for a couple or for a group.)

 

'Yes, the dining room could get congested and you might have to wait if you arrive at the really popular times. But, again, at least on my last Princess cruise, the waits were never excessive according to what I was told ... unless maybe you insisted on a table for two.'

(If you reserved a table for two, you just walk right in and go to your table.)

 

'I've also heard that you could reserve a table in advance for your party, but I think you have to do that each individual day ... or maybe for a couple of days. People do this when they want to have the same waitstaff ... because apparently the waitstaff's stations do not change during the cruise.'

 

(You may request and have the same table, staff and time for the entire cruise. Or you may invite others to join you at your table if space is available. It may be a table for 4 set up for just 2 that can accomadate anther couple you want to dine with.)

 

(It is like anything different/new. It does work and is our favorite type of dining. We pick our table for two, dining time and have it the entire cruise.)

[Tricia724]

These comments on the Princess PC dining are interesting. I haven't sailed Princess yet, but I have read some comments from posters who said they had PC dining, found a waiter and a table they liked the first night, and booked that table and that time for the entire week. That didn't make any sense to me because that seemed to me to be contrary with the whole concept of "any time dining" if the cruiseline let people hold tables while others were waiting....yet I have seen that comment more than one time. Apparently from the comments stated here, that isn't the norm.

 

We are in the worst possible situation with the HAL changes, as I see it. We are a couple who do not travel with others who usually ask to be seated at a table for 6 at second seating. It looks like we could be bounced around from table to table or have other people moved into our table. We used to eat in the dining room occasionally at open seating breakfast or lunch, but we don't care to do it anymore because it's a constant change of people and waiters....none of whom you've ever seen before....and frankly, I just get tired of the same old where-do-you-live, how-are-you-enjoying-the-cruise questions. I surely wouldn't want this every evening for a couple of weeks or more. Perhaps it won't work this way, and I'm not going to get all bent out of shape until I have a problem, but a nice leisurely dinner with pleasant companions is still one of my favorite aspects of cruising and I hope nothing happens to change that.

[eldercruser]

I could not agree more with the comments made by Tricia724 in the above post. Captures our feeling about the issue perfectly.

 

We have been on Princess a couple of times and signed up for traditonal dining which worked out just fine. The single advantage for the option of Personal Choice dining was that on each cruise we had dinner one night with another couple that we had met during the cruise by making a reservation for table for 4 at one of the PC dining rooms.

 

Unfortunately, the HAL ships being smaller, do not have the dining room flexibility that the larger Princess ships have.

[stanford's girl]

Stephen' date='[/size']

It is long, so when my son gets home I will have him scan and post it. I would do it myself but I am a touch of a computer spazz.:o

We can't get the scanner to work so I'll just have to type it. Might take me a little time so please be patient.:)

[stanford's girl]

Dear Guest,

 

Welcome aboard the ms oosterdam for your Mexican Riviera Cruise!

 

We are glad to have you on board and are excited to tell you about a new dining concept that is being premiered on this sailing. In addition to traditional assigned seating in the Vista Dining Room, we are in the trial stages of a new open seating concept during this cruise, called our Lesuire Dining Service. This letter, along with your dining information, will tell you all you need to know about when and how you'll be enjoying the ms Oosterdam's luxurious two-tiered main dining room in the evenings to come.

 

While the options you will have on board provide so many wonderful ways to enjoy a meal, some of our guests have asked us to consider an optional, open seating arrangement in the Vista Dining Room for the main seating. As a benefit to you, this could mean that you would be able to have dinner at a time of your choice. In addition, guests have also requested that we open the dining room sooner for the early seating, which greatly assists those wishing to take the fullest advantage of the early evening. To see what your Early or Open Seating dining arrangement is, please refer to your Guest Identification Card.

 

In order to accommodate all our guests in the best manner possible, Early Seating will now start at 5:30pm, rather than 5:45pm or 6:15pm. Please arrive at the Vista Dining Room on time, as the doors will promptly close 15 minutes after opening.

Early Seating waitlisted guests are assigned to the Open Seating.

 

Guests previously confirmed for the 8:00pm or 8:30pm main seating are now assigned to Open Seating. It is your priviledge to remain with that earlier assignment, or choose another Open Seating time.

 

To experience the Open Seating of our Leisure Dining Service, the choice would be yours to casually arrive on your own schedule between 7:30pm and 9:00pm, to be seated on a first-come-first-served basis, or to make a reservation for these dining periods. You may choose to eat at the same time every night or adjust your schedule based on the day's activities.

 

To make reservations for the Open Seating, our Dining Staff will be available during embarkation from 1:00pm until 4:00pm outside the Explorer's Lounge, deck 2. For all other days, kindly proceed to the entrance of the Vista Dining Room, deck 2, from 8:00am until 3:00pm.

 

On behalf of Holland America Line, sincerely,

 

 

Henk J. Mensink

Hotel Manager

[stanford's girl]

LEISURE DINING SERVICE

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

 

Q: Why the dining changes?

A: Based on guest feedback to provide formal assigned dining

earlier, yet also later with more flexible dining times and under an

open seating structure.

 

Q: Is the change permanent?

A: Currently only the ms Oosterdam features this concept on a

trial basis.

 

Q: How do I know what my dining assignment is?

A: See as printed on your Guest ID/Key Card.

 

Q: I was confirmed for either 5:45pm or 6:15pm, when do I dine?

A: Your dining time has been changed to 5:30pm, now called Early

Seating.

 

Q: I was confirmed for either 8:00pm or 8:30pm, when do I dine?

A: You are now part of the Open Seating. You may remain with the

assignment as printed on your Guest ID/Key Card, or choose

another Open Seating dining time.

 

Q: I was waitlisted for the Early Seating, and now?

A: You have been placed in the Open Seating. Please proceed to

the Open Seating Dining Reservation area to receive confirmation

of your dining time or make reservations otherwise.

 

Q: Can I go to the Open Seating without a reservation?

A: Yes, but seating is on a first-come-first-serve basis.

 

Q: Which are the time slots for Open Seating?

A: 7:30pm, 8:00pm, 8:30pm, and 9:00pm.

 

Q: Whre do I make a reservation for the Open Seating?

A: At the Open Seating Dining Reservation area, located today

outside the Explorer's Lounge, deck 2, from 1:00pm-4:00pm and on

all other days from 8:00am-3:00pm outside the Vista Dining Room,

deck 2.

 

Q: Can you explain the reservation structure?

A: You can make a reservation for thr same day, or for the

upcoming days, or for the entire cruise, and for the same or

different times in any combination.

 

Q: Is there a limitation to the group size of an Open Seating reservation or

walk-in?

A: Maximum 8 guests.

[PRINSENDAM]

Janice,

 

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to type out the contents of the letter from Hotel Manager.

 

 

It sounds like a bit of nuisance to me. The early sitting at 5.30 is far too early and the main sitting.....

 

quote:

 

Q: Which are the time slots for Open Seating?

A: 7:30pm, 8:00pm, 8:30pm, and 9:00pm.

 

end quote

 

 

is not exactly 'open'... if there are four 'slots'. True open dining demands that you should be arrive at any time between 7.30 and 9.00 pm.

 

 

Old timers will easily understand how to work all this but I sure pity first time cruisers. It is going to confuse the hell out of them!

 

 

How about this for a suggestion.....

 

Why not have the open sitting first? Passengers can arrrive at any time between 5.30 and 7.00 and then the main sitting is a full reserved sitting starting at 8.30? That way the ones that want to be flexible or need to be flexible can have all the flexibility in the early part of the evening and then the 'serious' diners can carrry on as normal with a traditional dinner at 8.30.

 

Stephen

[stanford's girl]

These are the two letters we were given when we boarded the 10/22 cruise, which was the first test run.

As far as I can see the only thing that has changed is the Early Seating is sat between 5:30 - 6:00 instead of ending at 5:45 and the Open Seating is anytime between 7:45 - 9:00 instead of starting at 7:30.

[stanford's girl]

You're welcome Stephen!! :)

We must have been posting at the same time.

I think everyone could be happy if they just made one level Open Seating from 5:30 - 9:00. Traditional Dining could be on the other level at 6:00 and 8:15. They seem to be making this harder than it needs to be.

[Starbright]

We have previously cruised with Princess. This coming year will be our first time with HAL.

 

On Princess we always opt for traditional dining. When using the dining rooms for breakfast and lunch we always ask for a table for two. We don't enjoy constantly being seated with new people at every meal. At dinner we always ask for a table for six and have met some delightful people. We've enjoyed getting to know them over the course of the cruise.

 

We would be most disappointed if HAL was to go over to "personal choice" dining. One of the things that attracted us to HAL was that we really wanted to experience a "traditional" cruise line. I do hope all that isn't going to change before September 2006 when we board the Zuiderdam.

 

I know they appear to be keeping "traditional" at the early seating, but 5.30 pm really is too early. We don't like to eat late, but I do think that is pushing things too far. It might be OK on sea days, but on port days it could be very rushed.

 

If HAL goes down the "personal choice" route on all it's ships, then I don't think we'll be bothering with them again. It works on Princess because they have several dining rooms and can successfully offer a choice, but with one dining room it is a ridiculous concept. :mad:

[gizmo]

LEISURE DINING SERVICE

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

 

Q: Why the dining changes?

A: Based on guest feedback to provide formal assigned dining

earlier' date=' yet also later with more flexible dining times and under an

open seating structure. [/quote']

This sounds like a lot of moronic PR/CR crap. :rolleyes:

I am sure they have received suggestions BUT IMO the majority of pax like traditional.

 

Q: Can I go to the Open Seating without a reservation?

A: Yes, but seating is on a first-come-first-serve basis.

 

I think this opens up a can of worms.

 

Lets say you have reservations for 8:30. It is 7:30 and here comes a group that missed their early seating. Now what? Do they let them in the dining room? Do they give your table away and then you have to wait until they are finished?

 

I am puzzled by this Q/A. If everyone is still assigned to a table what do they mean by first come, first serve basis? :confused:

[LAFFNVEGAS]

You're welcome Stephen!! :)

We must have been posting at the same time.

 

I think everyone could be happy if they just made one level Open Seating from 5:30 - 9:00. Traditional Dining could be on the other level at 6:00 and 8:15. They seem to be making this harder than it needs to be.

 

Janice this was my idea from the beginning. I believe the Upper Seats less people so make that the Open Seating. I think the problem is they still want or feel the need that they have to assign everyone a table for this concept.

[denims]

Thankyou Stanford's Gal for typing that long meno.

 

As a first time HAL cruiser (1/28) and also a late diner, I'm not too happy what I see taking place on the Oosterdam! I will make it my duty to write my opinion when I get off my cruise.:( In the meantime, I think I will STILL get onboard this beautiful ship and I will STILL gain my 5 pounds for the week! LOL BUT, it won't be a comfortable 5 lbs because I'll be eating at different times and with different people every night!;)

 

I guess I'll live!:D

[sail7seas]

Janice.....Thank you for going to the work of typing all of that out for us.

 

Q: Why the dining changes?

A: Based on guest feedback to provide formal assigned dining

earlier, yet also later with more flexible dining times and under an

open seating structure.

 

I think this is bologna. I don't know very many people who want dinner at 5:30 while on vacation. Sure, a few but not enough that they got all sorts of 'feedback' reqesting it. Hard to believe.....for me. We've heard from many,many people who are unhappy with 5:45 as they think THAT is too early.

 

 

 

[JohnR49er]

Calling it bologna is an insult to Oscar Meyer.........:D

[RevNeal]

I think this is bologna. I don't know very many people who want dinner at 5:30 while on vacation. Sure, a few but not enough that they got all sorts of 'feedback' reqesting it. Hard to believe.....for me. We've heard from many,many people who are unhappy with 5:45 as they think THAT is too early.

 

Sail, you're being FAR FAR too charitable in the above. It's not bologna ... it's a load of hogwash. :)

 

Look at it this way ... not EVERYONE is an East Coaster. Some of us are from the Central, Mountain, and Western Time Zones. If we're talking about an Eastern Caribbean Cruise, 5:30 pm is either 4:30, 3:30, or 2:30 on our internal clocks. Rather than dinner, we'd be talking about a late lunch!!!!

 

Reversing it (going to the other coast) is a little better ... 5:30 on the West coast is 8:30 on the East coast ... but I'd still rather eat at 8:00 or 8:30. And, of course, when one projects further out to the other side of the planet all those concerns go out the window. :) Still ... you're right. I eat dinner at home at about 7:30 pm most nights. Pushing to 8 or 8:30 is EASY and much preferred over trying to push back to 5:30! If I eat lunch I'm not yet hungry at 5:30!

[RevNeal]

stanford's girl, thank you so much for going to all the trouble to post the letter and the FAQ. A couple of remarks are in order:

 

1. Many of the details apply only to the test underway on your sailing. From what I have been told adjustments are being made after every cruise in response to the feedback that has been received. The following comes from one of the letters I got from Joe (Director of Ships Services for HAL) regarding some of the details. I have been forwarding him remarks made by those who have posted on this board after returning home, and he has been commenting -- quite evenly, I might add -- on them.

 

The two concerns that are mentioned below are similar to some of the comments we received onboard this past week. I would like to balance that with the fact that we also received an equal amount of favorable feedback. Each day, there are a few different onboard events that might cause a guest to want to adjust their schedule by 15 minutes in either direction.

 

I believe that this week we will see two notable changes. The first is that the later dining period will begin at 8:00 instead of 7:45.

 

This should assist in more of the "mixed guest" tables beginning their dining naturally at the same time.

 

Second, we will begin to initiate discussions by our servers as to "timing" and "plans" for subsequent evenings. While I understand that there are those who want "traditional" dining, there seems to be some difference in how everyone defines "traditional". At the same time, not everyone wants that "traditional" experience.

 

I believe in one of our earlier communications I mentioned the general philosophy that we try very hard to be a cruise line that makes "all" of our guests comfortable and allow for guests who have different tastes. This includes those who are looking for a "traditional" experience and those who want some flexibility in their dining arrangements.

 

The only thing I would say in response to his above comment (and I said it in my email reply): "Be careful about becoming all things to all people; it can result in becoming nothing to nobody." Please pardon the double negative but I didn't coin the phrase ... I'm quoting Groucho Marx.

 

2. "Leisure Dining Service" -- LDS????? Mormon Dining? ;) (apologies to any Mormons ... I just couldn't resist noting the acronym)

[kruzkeen]

Janice this was my idea from the beginning. I believe the Upper Seats less people so make that the Open Seating. I think the problem is they still want or feel the need that they have to assign everyone a table for this concept.

Lisa:

I agree with Janice and you on this idea. That is, have 2 traditional sittings on the lower levels on the dining rooms and have a true open sitting on the upper level, just the same as breakfast and lunch.

 

On the last 3 sailings I have been on. while waiting in the Queens Room, in an attempt to change from 8:30 to 8:00, I have seen many passengers go away annoyed because they could not get early sitting.

 

With the above plan, they could go to the open upper sitting any time they want. They would probably always have a different table and different companions they want. However, they would have the time they want.