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Question for Kazu, RuthC and others with multiple experiences on the Prinsendam


mysticsailor
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Next May we well be cruising for 28 days on our first Prinsendam voyage: Norwegian Fjords and British Isles. This is a very special cruise in that a cousin who briefly lived with us as adolescents, very seldom seen since, is joining us and a sister.

 

I downloaded a dining room floor plan and see very few 4 tops in locations I prefer. Can any of the multiple two tops in close proximity be joined into a table of 4? Also how far out may a table reservation be requested?

 

Thanks for your assistance and a special thanks to Kazu (enjoyed your last live blog) and RuthC for answering prior questions not only for myself but others.

 

Chas

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Oh, what a fabulous itinerary you have chosen! Norway may be my favorite place to cruise, at least based on the number of times I've been there. I still want to do more of the British Isles, and am going there in September.

Have a marvelous time!

 

To be honest, I don't know if the tables can be moved, or not. Sorry. :( Nor do I know your preferred spots in the dining room. Which dining room are you looking at?

 

If you are on fixed seating, I recommend the smaller dining room closer to the Ocean Bar. It is quieter than the larger room. I know there are several tables for four in there.

If you are on open seating, then the aft dining room is your only choice. I do hope someone else (Jacqui?) will be able to answer your question.

 

As to when to make the request for a specific table, I would say about 3 weeks in advance of sailing is sufficient. The Dining Room Manager makes the table assignments during the last week of the previous cruise.

Make a list of three tables that you would prefer, in order, and submit (or have your TA submit) it for consideration.

 

Thank you for your kind words.

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Next May we well be cruising for 28 days on our first Prinsendam voyage: Norwegian Fjords and British Isles. This is a very special cruise in that a cousin who briefly lived with us as adolescents, very seldom seen since, is joining us and a sister.

 

I downloaded a dining room floor plan and see very few 4 tops in locations I prefer. Can any of the multiple two tops in close proximity be joined into a table of 4? Also how far out may a table reservation be requested?

 

Thanks for your assistance and a special thanks to Kazu (enjoyed your last live blog) and RuthC for answering prior questions not only for myself but others.

 

Chas

 

Hi Chas,

 

Thanks - glad you enjoyed the live thread :D

 

Honestly, depending on which dining room area you are looking at - if it's the forward done, the two tops are close enough that you can easily engage in conversation. I would be tempted to ask for the two tops 35 and 15 together or another like set up. There are only two sets of two tops when we sailed and it was a perfect set up.

 

I assume that your reservations are linked and you have already requested a table for 4?

 

I'm quite sure that the 2 tops can be put together but I don't want to swear to it. P'dam has a lot of 2 tops on purposed as they get a lot of requests for them.

 

I'm not sure when the earliest is you can call to request a specific table, but I think 3 months out should be reasonable. Ruth says 3 weeks so she is probably more accurate than I ;) I know one of our roll call members reserved 2 months out and got the table she asked for.

 

Oops, looks like RuthC and I are posting at the same time. I've made a couple of edits.

 

I totally agree with her about the forward dining room (the section closest to the Ocean Bar). It's much quieter and more intimate IMO.

 

The odd person walks through but that has never bothered me ;)

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Definitely, if possible choose the forward dining room for fixed dining. And as Jacqui said, 15 and 35 are excellent tables with nice views - at least 15 is at the window and 35 beside it. If the tables can't be moved together, you could always change places between courses! The larger MDR is deafeningly noisy. We only had dinner in there once this last cruise, and never again! And on our previous cruise, (in open seating) we ended up eating mainly in the Lido or Pinnacle Grill.

 

Unfortunately, I can't remember who I emailed at HAL to request a specific table. I know I did give them a few numbers as my first, second and third choices. I got my first choice.

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Next May we well be cruising for 28 days on our first Prinsendam voyage: Norwegian Fjords and British Isles. This is a very special cruise in that a cousin who briefly lived with us as adolescents, very seldom seen since, is joining us and a sister.

 

I downloaded a dining room floor plan and see very few 4 tops in locations I prefer. Can any of the multiple two tops in close proximity be joined into a table of 4? Also how far out may a table reservation be requested?

 

Thanks for your assistance and a special thanks to Kazu (enjoyed your last live blog) and RuthC for answering prior questions not only for myself but others.

 

Chas

 

We have spent quite a bit of time on the Prinsendam and hope you will like her as much as we do. The ship is very comfortable and the crew officers and staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The Norwegian fjords are spectacular.

 

I do not believe the two-tops can be put together to make a four top as all the tables are fixed to the floor. It may be possible to put a "board" between the tables to connect them. I have seen this don ou other ships, but don't remember seeing it on Prinsendam.

 

I agree that the little dining room is quieter, but we have noticed that the end nearest the Ocean Bar is quite a bit colder than the rest of the room and the larger room. If you are in the outside area of the large room, it is not very noisy. It is the center section that is noisy.

 

If you are in open seating, you might consider tables 119, 121, 213 on the starboard side or tables 118, 120, 122 on the port side in the larger room. They are near the back, but have good ocean views out the side. We have eaten at those table several times and it is easy to talk between tables. We met people with anytime dining who arranged to have those tables for the entire cruise. I don't know if they did so before boarding or with the AYWD hosts or Dining Room Manager though I suspect it was on board. It might be possible to get two of these tables for fixed seating. However, fixed seating is usually in the little dining room and the center section of the main dining room.

 

Whatever happens with the tables, enjoy your cruise and your visit with your cousins. It sounds like a wonderful adventure.

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If you are choosing fixed dining do not assume that you will be in the forward dining room. Last two sailings (2017) we were assigned fixed dining in the large dining room at the stern. We prefer the forward dining room many times over and have now learned our lesson to request the forward dining room.

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Thanks to all for the valuable tips. CC members always come through!

 

Ruth: Reading your enthusiasm was music to my ears re our cruise itinerary.

Since our first cruise, Alaska 2005, Norway has been on my bucket list. This because a fellow cruiser, overhearing my awed remarks concerning the view said, “If you like this just wait till you visit Norway’s Fjords.”

 

re advance reservations in the dining room: We contacted ship services 100 days out re table assignments on our upcoming back to back Alaska and Panama cruises . Yes, we were assigned both choices. Perhaps in this newer technology age it is now easier to assign tables much earlier.

 

We always choose early fixed and will take your suggestion of listing three table choices in order preferred. A good idea, thanks.

 

Jacqui: I also had my eye on tables 35 and 15. Another poster thought the tables were permanently floor mounted. I have decided to request those first and list alternative choices per Ruth’s suggestion. Thanks for mentioning the forward dining room more mellow venue as to noise. Much appreciated.

 

Ann: It seems you and Jacqui are in synch re the Prinsendam dining choices. Thanks for reinforcing the earlier suggestions.

 

Quartzsite Cruiser: I really appreciate the note of caution about the chill factor in the forward dining room near the Ocean Bar. That is a game changer.

 

Arzz: You are the first to mention not assuming fixed seating would be in the smaller dining room. I will definitely stress my choice for the smaller venue. Thank You.

Wish I could show you all my gratitude by sharing my counter full of vine-ripe-just-picked-tomatoes; one of the blessings of summer. Is there anything better? Yes, eaten in Tuscany with fresh mozzarella and enjoyed with a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio.

 

cin, cin

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Thanks to all for the valuable tips. CC members always come through!

 

Ruth: Reading your enthusiasm was music to my ears re our cruise itinerary.

Since our first cruise, Alaska 2005, Norway has been on my bucket list. This because a fellow cruiser, overhearing my awed remarks concerning the view said, “If you like this just wait till you visit Norway’s Fjords.”

 

Definitely do Norway on the Prinsendam before you no longer can. We did Norway on the Rotterdam first and then the Prinsendam. It was almost like doing a different cruise.

 

Prinsendam was able to sail in amongst the fjords from one fjord to another due to being able to sail under bridges. And book the Canaletto when she does as the view from the stern window is awesome. We even enjoyed our stay in Tromso as we were docked closer to downtown due to being able to sail under the bridge.

 

 

2019 Prinsendam Norwegian Cruise is awesome.

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Sharon,

 

we missed meeting you when you had to cancel the Maasdam Atlantic Adventurer 2015. By the way, you were doing an awesome job on that roll call. (Gosh, hope I got that right. After a while cruises and people sometimes get confusing.)

 

I appreciate your perspective on booking the Canaletto for the viewing on the Norwegian cruise. What a splendid idea! Pointers from cruisers like you are what makes Cruise Critic forums premiere.

 

Thanks again--Chas

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Sharon,

we missed meeting you when you had to cancel the Maasdam Atlantic Adventurer 2015. By the way, you were doing an awesome job on that roll call. (Gosh, hope I got that right. After a while cruises and people sometimes get confusing.)

 

I appreciate your perspective on booking the Canaletto for the viewing on the Norwegian cruise. What a splendid idea! Pointers from cruisers like you are what makes Cruise Critic forums premiere.

 

Thanks again--Chas

Thanks Mystic Sailor,

I overbooked myself with cruises, major dental and house repair. We had done the Med and that particular cruise before.. So we decided to cancel and go to Asia in the spring.

 

Be sure to look at the Norway cruise that goes to Kirkenes. That cruise and the one that Ruth mentioned that goes to Longyearben and Ny Alesund are unique cruises that only the Prinsendam does. Sadly, next year maybe the last year to experience some of the unique ports that only the Prinsendam can get into. Not sure that the Maasdam or the Veendam will be an adequate replacement. They are too large!

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Sharon (storylady): I will definitely keep your favorite Norwegian ports in mind for a possible future cruise. In this case changing is impossible as our small group of four comprises 3 different family members and this itinerary was agreed upon in February.

 

re your suggestion of reserving a table in the Canaletto for Fjord viewing: When I called ship services the kind lady told me, "you were right to call so far in advance of your cruise as the up charge restaurants often sell out on these types of cruises." She then said that dining reservations for our May 2019 cruise open in mid August--that is nine months before the cruise! I never dreamed this could be done so far in advance.

 

Thanks again for your insightful suggestions.

 

Chas

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We have exactly 200 days on the Prinsendam and fear that is where it ends since rumor has the ship disappearing from HAL inventory within the next couple of years :(. There are a limited number of 2-tops and they are always in demand so we suspect they will not move tables to accommodate 2 couples. Unlike some of the other posters we are not fans of the so-called forward dining area which is simply a wide corridor converted for dining. We prefer the aft dining room which is the original real dining room (from Royal Viking Sun days). The P'Dam is an old ship that is beloved by many (including moi) and disliked by many others because of its age.

 

Hank

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We have exactly 200 days on the Prinsendam and fear that is where it ends since rumor has the ship disappearing from HAL inventory within the next couple of years :(. There are a limited number of 2-tops and they are always in demand so we suspect they will not move tables to accommodate 2 couples. Unlike some of the other posters we are not fans of the so-called forward dining area which is simply a wide corridor converted for dining. We prefer the aft dining room which is the original real dining room (from Royal Viking Sun days). The P'Dam is an old ship that is beloved by many (including moi) and disliked by many others because of its age.

 

Hank

 

We had dinner last fall with one of the guest entertainers on the Prinsendam. When the ship was Royal Viking Sun, he was a resident entertainer for many years; so I believe he knew what he was talking about when he described the original layout. When she sailed as Royal Viking Sun, there was one dinner seating for all passengers since the MDR was much larger. At that time, it included the aft dining room, the forward dining room and extended to include the areas now occupied by the Ocean Bar and the Pinnacle Grill. I also found at thread on CC where former passengers of RVL mentioned the changes to the ship after she joined other lines including HAL. Someone on that thread mentioned the one seating for all meals. If anyone is interested, here is the link: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2305556

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