I have some dinner questions!

[woodmill100]

I will be cruising with HAL next year but I am confused, like many others over dinner!

 

I get the formal and casual nights dress code ok but I am confused over timings - am I right in saying when I book I will be offered 1 of 2 sittings for dinner and that's my dinner time for the whole cruise? So, say I pick 7 pm but we can't be bothered after a busy day and just fancy the buffet or dinner in our cabin, what happens?

 

Also, on the ship, there are 3 restaurants, Rotterdam, Pinnacle and Lido all offering differing options. Surely I can't be reserved at 7 pm in all 3 so how do I know which one to go to :o I am all confused and would appreciate some help.

 

Thank you!

[JerseyGem]

Yes, whatever seating you are assigned (1st, 2nd, etc) will be your assigned time (and table, waitstaff and tablemates) for the entire cruise. (Except that dinner on embarkation day may be different- but you'll be told this as soon as you arrive). If you choose not to dine in that dning room (long, tiring shore excursions, etc), you have the option of dining in the Buffet or using room service. (If you do this, I suggest letting your tablemates or the wait staff know, so that they don't delay ordering their food while they wait for you to arrive).

 

You don't mention which ship you are on, but I assume that your ship will have one main dining room- where you will find your assigned table. The other restaurants are probably specialty restaurants (where there will probably be a fee- and you'll need to make reservations). The Lido is probably the Buffet- no assigned time or table.

 

You may want to post this question on the HAL board (with the name of the ship) to get a better answer.

 

Enjoy your cruise- we loved our two HAL cruises- the food and service were wonderful.

[woodmill100]

Hi.

 

Thanks for the tips. Will keep this in mind. We're going on HAL Ryndam.

[magictam]

Woodmill

Check the HAL Site under New Dining - Noordam. It appears HAL will be initating new options beginning w/Alaska cruises on the Noordam starting in May 2007.

Check w/HAL or your TA when you book.

Enjoy!

[Tmeister]

Rotterdam is the common dining room, where you will have an assigned table and dining time at dinner in the evening. Breakfast and lunch are open seating--just show up and you'll be show to whatever table is open. Lido is the buffet, with no reserved time or table. Pinnacle is the optional restaurant with an additional fee for dinner, about $20-25. You need to make a reservation for the time that you would like to dine there, the same as you would in any good restaurant on land.

[woodmill100]

Rotterdam is the common dining room, where you will have an assigned table and dining time at dinner in the evening. Breakfast and lunch are open seating--just show up and you'll be show to whatever table is open. Lido is the buffet, with no reserved time or table. Pinnacle is the optional restaurant with an additional fee for dinner, about $20-25. You need to make a reservation for the time that you would like to dine there, the same as you would in any good restaurant on land.

 

 

 

Brilliant. Just what we needed to know. Thanks :)