Another thought on dining

[Jemima]

Doesn't exactly that occur at fine-dining restaurants or do they have fixed dining times? :confused:

Fred

QUOTE]

 

Seat you at a table of strangers who are part way through their meal? Not at any restaurant where we eat, not even if they are far ess than "fine-dining".

[kryos]

Doesn't exactly that occur at fine-dining restaurants or do they have fixed dining times? :confused:

They don't seat people at your table in a fine dining restaurant. Those others who are on different courses are seated at different tables with their own waiters. I think what is being referred to here is the "leisure dining" concept where you have an assigned table, but an open window at which to arrive at it. If others also assigned to that table get there earlier than you, they could be working on their main course, while you are ordering your appetizers. Needless to say, if they are served dessert when they are ready for it ... and not when you get caught up to them ... then they will more than likely depart the dining room long before your group does. You don't get that in most fine dining establishments. Usually everyone gets up from the table at the same time.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[I&J Cruisers]

We sail on HAL because it is at this time the closest experience to the cruise product we fell in love with in 1983. Traditional dining is a big part of that. We have met many interesting people that we probably would not have met if we hadn't been assigned to share a dinner table with them. We do not enjoy open seating at breakfast and lunch, too much coming and going, no one at the same place in the meal. It's just not the same experience. Haven't cruised NCL or Princess in many years. If HAL instututes "open seating" dining we will be looking for another favorite cruise line.

[Odd Ball]

Doesn't exactly that occur at fine-dining restaurants or do they have fixed dining times? :confused:

Fred

QUOTE]

 

Seat you at a table of strangers who are part way through their meal? Not at any restaurant where we eat, not even if they are far ess than "fine-dining".

 

Not where I eat either. Please read the posts. My comments refer to the Leisure Dining concept that Hal is trying. I think Kyros explained it in her post. :)

I&J,

We are not crazy about the seating in the dining room for breakfast either. (we never do lunch in the dining room). If we choose to eat breakfast in the dining room we always ask for a table for two and will not accept anything else.

[Odd Ball]

Doesn't exactly that occur at fine-dining restaurants or do they have fixed dining times? :confused:

Fred

QUOTE]

 

Seat you at a table of strangers who are part way through their meal? Not at any restaurant where we eat, not even if they are far ess than "fine-dining".

 

Not where I eat either. Please read the posts. My comments refer to the Leisure Dining concept that Hal is trying. I think Kyros explained it in her post. :)

I&J,

We are not crazy about the seating in the dining room for breakfast either. (we never do lunch in the dining room). If we choose to eat breakfast in the dining room we always ask for a table for two and will not accept anything else.

[mike35]

We're probably in the minority (at least on the Holland America board), but we're avid fans of anytime dining. We've been on five recent cruises -- 2 on the Island Princess and three on Oceania, and we've always had great experiences dining when we want with whom we want. If we feel like dining by ourselves (rarely), then we ask for and receive a table for two. Otherwise, we love meeting a wide variety of the ship's passengers, and in many instances we join them for future dinners when we want to go. We have never experienced waits of more then five minutes. And of course we have never been seated at a table where dinner is already in progress. A ship that would do this is a ship that I would never sail on again.

 

When we take land vacations, I would hate to think that we would have an assigned time to dine in our hotel. And on cruises, where a rigid structure is the last thing we're looking for, we always opt for dining at our convenience.

 

We also don't buy into the argument that "our fixed-dining waiter knows our likes and dislikes". If I have to wait a few extra minutes for my evening iced tea, so be it.

 

Finally, fixed-seat dining with the same dinner companions can be a negative experience as well. Often times our other table mates would be absent -- dining in the buffet, dining in the Pinnacle, dining en suite, leaving us either alone or with maybe one other couple.

 

Bottom line - If Oceania (smaller ship with ONLY anytime dining) and Princess (larger ship with both anytime and traditional) can provide a positive dining experience for both preferences, than I can't help but believe that Holland America can do likewise.

 

Mike

[Jemima]

We're probably in the minority (at least on the Holland America board), but we're avid fans of anytime dining. We've been on five recent cruises -- 2 on the Island Princess and three on Oceania, and we've always had great experiences dining when we want with whom we want. If we feel like dining by ourselves (rarely), then we ask for and receive a table for two. Otherwise, we love meeting a wide variety of the ship's passengers, and in many instances we join them for future dinners when we want to go. We have never experienced waits of more then five minutes. And of course we have never been seated at a table where dinner is already in progress. A ship that would do this is a ship that I would never sail on again.

Mike

 

Oh our November Diamond Princess cruise we were seated on three nights at tables where dinner was already in progress. One night there were two people just receiving their entry and a couple just ordering dessert. Before we finished dinner others had arrived to take two now empty seats. As mentioned earlier in this thread, the last two nights we opted just to eat at the buffet.

[Spender Nui]

Oh our November Diamond Princess cruise we were seated on three nights at tables where dinner was already in progress. One night there were two people just receiving their entry and a couple just ordering dessert. Before we finished dinner others had arrived to take two now empty seats. As mentioned earlier in this thread, the last two nights we opted just to eat at the buffet.

 

I would have a major problem with that.

 

The original question was "should more space be allocated to dining?"

[LemonZest]

Barbara--

 

Well then - I'll agree w/ KK.

If I can't have a regular table at a regular time with consistent waitstaff on a HAL ship, then I'll have to start booking on Cunard.

 

Me three.

Between this and the news of the newly 'relaxed' dress code, I'm now seriously considering cancelling our currently booked HAL cruise...which was to be DH's introduction to cruising (my previous cruises have been with other companions and mostly before I met DH).

 

But this 'new HAL' is NOT the impression I want DH to have of cruising, nor is it the experience he's been very much looking forward to.

 

SIGH.

 

LZ, wandering off to figure out just how much more overtime I'll have to work to afford to book on Cunard...

[Opinions]

and that's why I sail HAL as opposed to NCL, which home ports in the spring, summer and fall right in my own city.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

Actually NCL only sails from Philadelphia in the spring this year.

[kruisekathy]

Having been on 16 cruises, I have experienced the whole range of dining venues. IMO NCL's freestyle has failed. We sailed freestyle twice and hated it. The service was deplorable. I don't mind not having the same waitstaff, I just want to be waited on, in a reasonable time frame. At one dinner we had 4 different waiters and dinner took forever. The buzz on the ship was "never again" and I totally concurred. Princess seems to have it downpat. For those who enjoy traditional, they have a dining room and for those who can't be tied to a time, they have anytime dining. It works well. I think that having both options is a perfect marriage and makes everyone happy.

[RuthC]

I think that having both options is a perfect marriage and makes everyone happy.

The only "perfect marriage" is in fairy tales.

 

The problem with Princess, as I read here all the time, is that there are more people who want the fixed seating than can be accommodated on the ship. They are then forced into the "personal choice" of dining on a more freestyle basis or booking a different cruise.