Dining Room Seating

[S&LS]

We Are Sailing On The Noordam 4/25. Is The Dining Only Fixed Seating Times? Do They Have Any Open Seating Like On Princess?

Any Experience With Fixed Seating And Showing Up Whenever You Want?

 

Thanks,

Have A Great Day

[CateW]

When we were on the Noordam in the Med this summer we had late seating, but what they did for both seatings were if you could arrive for early seating anytime between 5 and 6 and between 8 and 9 for late seating. They then closed the dining room at 6 and 9. No open seating unless you choose to eat in the Lido. The Pinnacle Grill, is their by reservation specialty restaurant. I am not sure though if they will continue this when the ship is in the Caribbean. We are booked on the 2/17 sailing so we will find out. I'm glad you asked this question, because I was going to do so as well.

[peaches from georgia]

Welcome to HAL, S&LS. I grew up in RVC. Have you lived there long?

[noblepa]

We Are Sailing On The Noordam 4/25. Is The Dining Only Fixed Seating Times? Do They Have Any Open Seating Like On Princess?

Any Experience With Fixed Seating And Showing Up Whenever You Want?/quote]

 

So far, HAL is still using the traditional, fixed seating and times. Believe it or not, that is one of the things about HAL that many on this board really like and would prefer not be changed.

 

HAL has been experimenting, on the Oosterdam, with slightly more flexible dining arrangements. I think that the experiment has been expanded to at least one more ship. It is no where near as flexible as Princess or NCL, where you show up at the dining room any time you want and sit at whatever table is available at the time you arrive.

 

HAL has the Lido restaurant, where you CAN eat anytime you like. Plus, the dress code is not enforced at the Lido, so if you don't want to get dressed up on formal night, the Lido is an alternative. I've never had dinner in the Lido, but I understand that, unlike breakfast and lunch, they have table cloths and candles and full-service waiters.

 

As much as many of us here would prefer, myself included, HAL is probably going to implement some form of flexible dining fleetwide in the not-too-distant future.

 

Paul Noble

[Big Al B.]

Does this mean that for dinner the Lido does not offer the casual buffet type offerings or that the table service is available if desired? Just curious :).

[innlady1]

When we were on the Noordam in the Med this summer we had late seating, but what they did for both seatings were if you could arrive for early seating anytime between 5 and 6 and between 8 and 9 for late seating. They then closed the dining room at 6 and 9. No open seating unless you choose to eat in the Lido. The Pinnacle Grill, is their by reservation specialty restaurant. I am not sure though if they will continue this when the ship is in the Caribbean. We are booked on the 2/17 sailing so we will find out. I'm glad you asked this question, because I was going to do so as well.

 

Just browsing through the HAL posts and found yours! We are either booking this cruise or the 2/23 Maasdam! My one "hold back" on the Noordam is I wonder how rough the seas will be coming out of New York in February? Also, can one use the pool on sea days or is it too cold? Any input would be appreciated!

Thanks

[kryos]

As much as many of us here would prefer, myself included, HAL is probably going to implement some form of flexible dining fleetwide in the not-too-distant future.

Don't be too sure of that, Paul. HAL doesn't necessarily have to implement it fleetwide. They could opt only to implement it on the Vista class ships ... sailing "family style" itineraries ... where this sort of dining format might be much better received. I doubt on a ship doing an extended voyage ... even a 14-day one ... one of the S or R class ships that appeal more to the HAL traditionalists ... that any type of "flexible" dining will ever be implemented. It wouldn't go over too well with that type of cruiser. Also, the galleys on the smaller ships probably wouldn't be able to handle the offering of traditional dining on one level, and flexible on the other.

 

Let's wait and see. I have a feeling this will definitely NOT go fleet-wide, but just on selected ships ... like the Vistas and eventually the new Signature class ships, that will probably have dining rooms specifically built to handle the dual dining formats.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[RuthC]

...on the Noordam is I wonder how rough the seas will be coming out of New York in February? Also, can one use the pool on sea days or is it too cold?

There's a very good chance of rough seas on the first and last day from NYC---especially in February. It's the Atlantic in Winter. And there's always a chance it will be rough off Cape Hatteras.

There's a pool under a dome where it's never too cold to swim. I've been in it while sailing the waters of Alaska, Greenland, and Antarctica. Now that's a kick! :)

[CateW]

Just browsing through the HAL posts and found yours! We are either booking this cruise or the 2/23 Maasdam! My one "hold back" on the Noordam is I wonder how rough the seas will be coming out of New York in February? Also, can one use the pool on sea days or is it too cold? Any input would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

I am expecting that the first full day sailing south and the last day will be indoor days and there is potential for rough seas. We selected this cruise because we live in CT, only an hour from the West Side pier in NYC and the fact that we will have at least 6 beach days while in ports. Also, we just love this ship; we did a Med cruise this summer and couldn't resist going back!

[S&LS]

Welcome to HAL, S&LS. I grew up in RVC. Have you lived there long?

 

HI PEACHES

 

IF MY MEMORY IS GOOD - ABOUT 37 YEARS

 

WE LIVE ON BROWER

[peaches from georgia]

HI PEACHES

 

IF MY MEMORY IS GOOD - ABOUT 37 YEARS

 

WE LIVE ON BROWER

Small world. I grew up off Long Beach Rd. Don't know your age, but did you go to SSHS?

[jtl513]

When we were on the Noordam in the Med this summer we had late seating, but what they did for both seatings were if you could arrive for early seating anytime between 5 and 6 and between 8 and 9 for late seating. They then closed the dining room at 6 and 9.

 

Really????? :confused: We were on the Noordam West Med in June and thought there was only the usual 15 minute window to be seated or you were shut out! :eek: If that's the case I'm darn glad we had just a table for 2, 'cuz I sure wouldn't want to come early and sit and wait for almost an hour for tablemates who may or may not show up! I really think that much of a seating window is a bad idea.

 

Once when my DW wasn't feeling well I went to dinner alone and wanted to skip the soup and salad and start with the entree. The waiter said I couldn't because the entrees weren't ready yet. So I would think it would be the reverse problem for the waiters to have people showing up near the end of an hour window when the kitchen was well past the soup/salad phase and nearly ready to start the dessert phase. Also, if people finally saunter in near 6 and take 2 hours to eat there isn't much of a window to prepare that table for the 8:00 seating.

 

An hour seating window is a BAD idea IMO.

[newmexicoNita]

Don't be too sure of that, Paul. HAL doesn't necessarily have to implement it fleetwide. They could opt only to implement it on the Vista class ships ... sailing "family style" itineraries ... where this sort of dining format might be much better received. I doubt on a ship doing an extended voyage ... even a 14-day one ... one of the S or R class ships that appeal more to the HAL traditionalists ... that any type of "flexible" dining will ever be implemented. It wouldn't go over too well with that type of cruiser. Also, the galleys on the smaller ships probably wouldn't be able to handle the offering of traditional dining on one level, and flexible on the other.

 

Let's wait and see. I have a feeling this will definitely NOT go fleet-wide, but just on selected ships ... like the Vistas and eventually the new Signature class ships, that will probably have dining rooms specifically built to handle the dual dining formats.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

and I bet you are wrong: I think it will go fleet wide or not at all. It may take a few months or longer to implement it but it will happen. NMnita

[kryos]

HAL has the Lido restaurant, where you CAN eat anytime you like. Plus, the dress code is not enforced at the Lido, so if you don't want to get dressed up on formal night, the Lido is an alternative. I've never had dinner in the Lido, but I understand that, unlike breakfast and lunch, they have table cloths and candles and full-service waiters.

Only problem with having dinner in the Lido is that the serving times are very, very restrictive. It's something like 6:00 to 7:30 ... that's it. Of course, you can always get something in the Lido ... a snack, a sandwich ... whatever ... pretty much anytime. But they really need to expand their hours of dinner service to go until at least 8:30.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[S&LS]

Small world. I grew up off Long Beach Rd. Don't know your age, but did you go to SSHS?

 

MY WIFE AND I GREW UP IN WOODMERE

 

OUR 3 SONS WENT TO SSHS - HUGU, ADAM AND BRIAN SAUER

 

IT IS A SMALL WORLD

[CateW]

Really????? :confused: We were on the Noordam West Med in June and thought there was only the usual 15 minute window to be seated or you were shut out! :eek: If that's the case I'm darn glad we had just a table for 2, 'cuz I sure wouldn't want to come early and sit and wait for almost an hour for tablemates who may or may not show up! I really think that much of a seating window is a bad idea.

 

Once when my DW wasn't feeling well I went to dinner alone and wanted to skip the soup and salad and start with the entree. The waiter said I couldn't because the entrees weren't ready yet. So I would think it would be the reverse problem for the waiters to have people showing up near the end of an hour window when the kitchen was well past the soup/salad phase and nearly ready to start the dessert phase. Also, if people finally saunter in near 6 and take 2 hours to eat there isn't much of a window to prepare that table for the 8:00 seating.

 

An hour seating window is a BAD idea IMO.

 

I think that this started on the cruise right before ours; we sailed on 7/30. We too had a table for 2 but noticed that it wasn't an issue for larger tables for groups that weren't traveling together. Those that arrived first didn't wait, they were given their menus right away and ordered. Some, however, waited for their tablemates and enjoyed a cocktail doing so. It seemed to work fine. On our 2/17 cruise we are late seating lower, table for 2 so we'll see how this works on this cruise. I think that they were testing this approach while in the Med to see how it worked. I hope that this is not the first step to open seating though.