Are You Seeing Any Improvements Recently

[electro]

For those saying they saw long lines for anytime dining, what time did you typically see that?

 

[oakridger]

5 minutes ago, electro said:

For those saying they saw long lines for anytime dining, what time did you typically see that?

 

Right before and after opening time.  5:00 to 5:30pm on Rotterdam in November 2022.

Edited April 11, 2023 by oakridger

[Tampa Girl]

1 hour ago, aliaschief said:

Currently on Eurodam. Last two nights we dined in fixed upper dining at 7:30. Food was good, served promptly, ample portions, wait staff professional, and took time to converse and we were done and gone in less than an hour.

Late fixed dining had no long lines and many empty tables.

Could be long lines on early and lower dining if everyone wants to eat at same time.

Second day and my only very minor issue is that bar soap has been discontinued so next time I’ll bring my own. French Press coffee has been discontinued in Pinnacle Grill.

We’re happy cruisers

 

 

We were on the 3/25/23 Eurodam Sunfarer and share your positive observations.  But the best thing:  A lovely library has been installed!  Whoever designed this room and chose the volumes, should be commended.  There were about ten categories with many books having multiple copies.  Fiction, non-fiction, historical, romance, short stories (I picked up a recent publication of Daphne DuMaurier's short stories), nature, etc.  Everyone I talked to who had been in the library was delighted with it.  Hope the next Oosterdam drydock will include one as good.

[Iamthesea]

4 hours ago, fellswoop said:

On Nieuw Statendam TA right now.  Dinner portions smaller and some food just mediocre. Tonight there is not even a salad on the menu. In Orange club last night after sitting at large hightop table for just the two of us we politely asked maitre d not to be seated at a high top next time  as I wear a partner mic for my husband's hearing aids and table seating too far apart to hear on wider high top. His response was "I can't say if that can be the case".  😲 We are in a Neptune and did not think that was too big an ask. When we walked in, there were two  2 top tables available. 

Another surprise is that ordering a Cosmo is now $12 so if you have the package it is $1 extra when it was just $11 on K- dam in Feb. I will say they have more bar waiters in Ocean bar now. That's a positive. 

Hoping that this is because of a new crew in-training for the crossing. 🤔

Edited April 11, 2023 by Iamthesea

[Taters]

Just off the Oosterdam yesterday morning in Ft. Lauderdale after a beautiful 17 night cruise from Santiago, Chile.  The food was pretty amazing, and we were even offered Surf & Turf (filet mignon & a lobster tail) on the last Dressy night!  Food was good everywhere from the MDR to lido to the Dive In to the Pinnacle Grill to room service!  I have absolutely nothing to complain about, and I loved that they had the taco bar set up next to Dive In every day.  We wanted for almost nothing!  My only gripe was that they ran out of half & half, which I prefer over milk in my coffee, but they restocked when we were in Lima, so it all worked out.  The service was great and we only experienced long lines in lido on debarkation morning yesterday.

 

Can't wait until my next HAL cruise!☺️

[fellswoop]

9 hours ago, fellswoop said:

On Nieuw Statendam TA right now.  Dinner portions smaller and some food just mediocre. Tonight there is not even a salad on the menu. In Orange club last night after sitting at large hightop table for just the two of us we politely asked maitre d not to be seated at a high top next time  as I wear a partner mic for my husband's hearing aids and table seating too far apart to hear on wider high top. His response was "I can't say if that can be the case".  😲 We are in a Neptune and did not think that was too big an ask. When we walked in, there were two  2 top tables available. 

Another surprise is that ordering a Cosmo is now $12 so if you have the package it is $1 extra when it was just $11 on K- dam in Feb. I will say they have more bar waiters in Ocean bar now. That's a positive. 

Quoting myself here. Despite getting a lukewarm response after asking last night not to sit at a hightop table they couldn't have been nicer tonight in accommodating us. Maybe it was a misunderstanding yesterday because tonight everything perfect. 

[albingirl]

2 minutes ago, fellswoop said:

Quoting myself here. Despite getting a lukewarm response after asking last night not to sit at a hightop table they couldn't have been nicer tonight in accommodating us. Maybe it was a misunderstanding yesterday because tonight everything perfect. 

We love the hostess in there. She's a gem.

[RuthC]

7 hours ago, Laminator said:

Does it ever end?

DD; SS 

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

When you mentioned your concerns to the Hotel Manager, what was his response ?  

I’ve yet to see the hotel manager roving around talking to people.  When and where have you seen this?  Thanks.

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, Laminator said:

Does it ever end?

Yes when people don’t reply.  Like I said before it’s always the same people expecting a different outcome.  How does that work?

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, fellswoop said:

Quoting myself here. Despite getting a lukewarm response after asking last night not to sit at a hightop table they couldn't have been nicer tonight in accommodating us. Maybe it was a misunderstanding yesterday because tonight everything perfect. 

Also might be that they cannot guarantee what you were requesting, even if they try their best to accommodate.  Thus the response at the time of request, but them being able to meet in the next night.

[Laminator]

1 minute ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Yes when people don’t reply.  Like I said before it’s always the same people expecting a different outcome.  How does that work?

Just trying to leave a hint.

[Florida_gal_50]

5 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Currently on Eurodam. Last two nights we dined in fixed upper dining at 7:30. Food was good, served promptly, ample portions, wait staff professional, and took time to converse and we were done and gone in less than an hour.

Late fixed dining had no long lines and many empty tables.

Could be long lines on early and lower dining if everyone wants to eat at same time.

Second day and my only very minor issue is that bar soap has been discontinued so next time I’ll bring my own. French Press coffee has been discontinued in Pinnacle Grill.

We’re happy cruisers

Please explain why fixed dining would have lines.  You know people in fixed dining have an assigned table, right?  Open dining was a disaster on the koningsdam.  Lines half way down the ship if I recall correctly.  Knew people in fixed and their experience couldn’t have been better.  It’s not the same thing.

[Boatdrill]

25 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I’ve yet to see the hotel manager roving around talking to people.  When and where have you seen this?  Thanks.

Sometimes you see the HM walking around, as well as the Food & Bev manager.

Sightings have occurred in the Lido, BB Kings Bar for a few minutes, and Mariner Luncheons.  

 

[aliaschief]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Please explain why fixed dining would have lines.  You know people in fixed dining have an assigned table, right?  Open dining was a disaster on the koningsdam.  Lines half way down the ship if I recall correctly.  Knew people in fixed and their experience couldn’t have been better.  It’s not the same thing.

Just stating the facts. If you don’t like long lines in early dining the late fixed dining does not have that issue and it’s an alternative choice. After close to 500 days on Hal I think I know that.

[HappyInVan]

Relax!!!

[PalmSprings]

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I’ve yet to see the hotel manager roving around talking to people.  When and where have you seen this?  Thanks.

Not the hotel manager, but we spoke with the F&B manager on the NS twice on our Thanksgiving cruise last year and he was very interested in our experience and when we mentioned that our one concern was how slow getting bar drinks at dinner was, he specifically stopped by our table on a later day in the week to inquire about whether we had seen improvements - and we had!

[SumoCitrus]

You’ll have to scroll a bit to get a genuine answer to your important question. You see, this Board is very much a HAL fan club. There are many people who check this board every day to see where HAL ships are and to fantasize about their next cruise (or reminisce about a HAL cruise they took 30 years ago). Nothing wrong with that. But if you stopped by an Elvis fan club and asked if he’d put on weight, they’d chase you out.

 

The quality cutbacks are real and will probably last a while longer. The fan club doesn’t help. The hotel manager doesn’t have a desk on the promenade deck that you can just drop by and he certainly can’t fix poor food quality mid trip (or ever). 

Edited April 12, 2023 by SumoCitrus

[SumoCitrus]

2 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Sometimes you see the HM walking around, as well as the Food & Bev manager.

Sightings have occurred in the Lido, BB Kings Bar for a few minutes, and Mariner Luncheons.  

 

He/she walks around the ship in a shirt with big letters announcing HOTEL MANAGER. Can’t miss ‘em!

[WriterOnDeck]

9 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I’ve yet to see the hotel manager roving around talking to people.  When and where have you seen this?  Thanks.

I'm seeing our all over the place. I injured my knee and am temporarily in a wheel chair, and he's been among the many crew and guests pushing me along from one venue to another.

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Sometimes you see the HM walking around, as well as the Food & Bev manager.

Sightings have occurred in the Lido, BB Kings Bar for a few minutes, and Mariner Luncheons.  

 

I wouldn’t know these people from Adam.  I’m just not that interested in knowing who the upper management of the ship is. I just don’t fawn over people.

[Florida_gal_50]

12 minutes ago, WriterOnDeck said:

I'm seeing our all over the place. I injured my knee and am temporarily in a wheel chair, and he's been among the many crew and guests pushing me along from one venue to another.

You are on a world cruise, correct?  I would expect the “management” to be more present. 

[WriterOnDeck]

My experience for the last year is that HAL, like other cruise lines, has had a heck of a time getting visas approved for crew members, and that has led to being short staffed. One of our cabin stewards had to leave mid cruise because his visa renewal didn't come through in a timely fashion. That issue isn't driven by "cutting back" on staff, but an inability to fully staff up.

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Just stating the facts. If you don’t like long lines in early dining the late fixed dining does not have that issue and it’s an alternative choice. After close to 500 days on Hal I think I know that.

That’s not always a choice available.  You have to book early to get that.  I have an equal amount of days on hal.  I don’t think anyone would think there would be a line up for fixed but there is probably someone.

[FrankieSue]

17 hours ago, highscar said:

Yes I saw the long lines for the dinning room. That was for anytime dinning on deck 2 That is the choice of the passenger.   I, we, have always had set dinning. On deck 3. No problem there.   Service and attention could not have been better.  

So you are saying that if you choose one of the dining options offered by Holland, ie “anytime dining” you choose to have bad service and long delays? I would beg to differ and say that passengers who choose any time dining deserve the same attention and service as all other passengers…