As You Wish Dining - Opinions, Comments and Discussions

[HeatherInFlorida]

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The spectrum is even wider than that: Some people evidently don't enjoy it; some people evidently do enjoy it; and some people evidently prefer it.

 

..................

 

.............and some evidently prefer Traditional;) . I think you missed that one:) . So to cover all possible bases.

 

1. Some don't enjoy Freestyle

2. Some do enjoy Freestyle

3. Some don't enjoy Traditional

4. Some do enjoy Traditional

5. Some prefer Freestyle, and

6. Some prefer Traditional

 

I think that just about covers it. All are right and none are wrong. Whatever floats your boat:D

[HeatherInFlorida]

Whoops! Forgot one!!!:D

 

And SOME are perfectly happy with both being offered ..... as long as they can get WHEN they wish, AS they wish, and are FREE to choose between the two:D

[The Big Booper]

I think the passengers on Oceania, Princess, Regent, Seaborn, Sea Dream, Silver Sea and Windstar might disagree with you.

 

Question - which one of the preceding does not belong in the group?

[Stakeout]

sorry to 'crank 'em up'.. but what the heck....:D

 

every time we go to one of those Mariner parties onboard and the Captain talks or even hints about freestyle dining.. why is it 90% or more of the people there give a resounding negative response to it...

 

yet on here everyone ..well almost everyone .. seems to want it... and that group doesn't want to hear other people's opinions...because it's not in conformity with their own..

 

my thingy is.... " if it ain't broke..don't fix it" ..we like the 'Traditional' way.. if we wanted 'the other way'. we'd go NCL or Princess or one of the others mentioned.. and have no desire to go that way... HAL is obviously making more money off the 'younger family crowd' and that's why they have been targeted in the past two years with changes like this...

 

just because the hierarchy.. that's some 'suit' sitting behind a desk in HAL hq's .. or maybe 'Carnival corporate' ( naw why would I mention Carnival corporate in this discussion :p ).....decides that this is the way it's gonna be from now on.. shouldn't be etched in stone without those who are dissatisfied with that decision making it known... hence my post

 

we like HAL and the 'smaller' ships.. it's nice ..quiet and classy with no craziness.. so far anyway... hope it stays that way...:cool:

 

p.s. geez...we're already in the early planning on an '09 30 day HAL cruise .. now this...:confused: ...

 

p.p.s. " what a revoltin' development this is" :D .....a quote from Chester A Riley ( Life of Riley) ...

[cle1]

Where did you see a 2009 itinerary? We are looking for a Spring 09 Transatlantic out of Florida.

[terrydtx]

A friend of mine who is an editor for a major travel industry magazine that is privy to a lot of cruise line marketing and research told me that the number 1 criticism of cruise passengers is the traditional “cattle call” dining. The number 2 criticism is formal wear requirements especially on resort destination cruises like the Caribbean. She also said that these are the 2 primary reasons potential new customers have not ever taken a cruise. NCL has been leading the industry in attracting first time cruisers primarily because of their free style cruise marketing

 

She told me that HAL is reacting to what current and potential new customers are telling them they want in the future and that Hal is not the only major line looking at this change. She expects Celebrity and RCCL to offer some form of AYWD by 2008. Carnival is also looking at the reported success that Princess has had the last 2years with open dining. The next big controversy will be formal wear and that we should expect major changes on this in the next 2 years industry wide. . As more and more mega ships and itineraries are added every year the market for first time cruisers is going to become much more competitive to fill these ships and the cruise lines will do what it takes to change the barriers that keep these potential new passengers from booking cruises. Most of us who are seasoned cruisers aren’t going to give up booking cruises over open dining and what we wear to dinner and the cruise lines know that.

 

I for one am in favor of the AYWD and somewhat divided on the formal wear policy. My 2 adult kids have never been on a cruise for these reasons. My daughter who is a Marketing Manager for a major computer company has stated many times she and her husband will not take a cruise (we have tried to get them to go with us several times) because when on vacation they do not want to be told when and where to eat and the idea of formal wear on a warm weather destination cruise has no appeal. They both have to dress for success on the job and a vacation to them is leaving those clothes behind.

[Stakeout]

didn't.. we were told onboard our last trip that the 30 day Hawaii-Polynesia trip would most likely be the same in January '09...it's very popular and sells out... so the mention of 'early planning'.. if it does get scheduled as we were told.. we'll be on it

 

I know they added a second sailing.. with that itinerary Sept 25 '08 --Statendam ...middle of hurricane season so we'll pass on it.. ( last time I 'cruised' the Pacific was April--1967 enroute to Vietnam... not a nice 'cruise'.. dodged two typhoons on the 22 day crossing...:eek: ) they have one in Jan '08 Ryndam...but we opted for the back to back Canals this time around in January..

 

only '09 itineraries they are showing is World Voyages..

http://crm.hollandamerica.com/broadbaseema/ha4009/index.jsp

[Cruising-along]

sorry to 'crank 'em up'.. but what the heck....:D

 

everyone ..well almost everyone .. seems to want it... and that group doesn't want to hear other people's opinions...because it's not in conformity with their own..

 

my thingy is.... " if it ain't broke..don't fix it"

 

I'm one of those who is in favor of CHOICE. I'm not "for" AYW or "for" Traditional, both have their merits. But I DO want "choice". And I DO want to hear others' opinions, whether in conformity with my own or not. I think the reason you might feel this way is because some get defensive when you say "if it ain't broke don't fix it", meaning we can't have CHOICE. Why can't we have both??:confused: Both sides are right, why is that so hard for some to see?

We are early risers, we like to make the most of a day in port. That means having dinner even as late as 8:00 can throw off everything. Dinner at 8:00 means doing any shows after dinner is out, since it would be so late when we finally turn in for the night. Having dinner early like around 5:30 is hard when you're in port a full day and don't want to rush back to the ship, cutting port time, to have dinner. The other choice would be paying for dinner in port, which IMO wouldn't be fair. We should have the luxury of dining in the dining room too, and not have to choose which we want -- to eat in dining room or to have a full port day. And to be able to see a show after dinner without falling asleep during the show. :)

Right now we are reserved for traditional dining on our May cruise, and we're going to change that to AYW. BTW, our PCC suggested the traditional, we weren't "pushed into" taking AYW! ;)

[NHBob]

A friend of mine who is an editor for a major travel industry magazine that is privy to a lot of cruise line marketing and research told me that the number 1 criticism of cruise passengers is the traditional “cattle call” dining. The number 2 criticism is formal wear requirements especially on resort destination cruises like the Caribbean. She also said that these are the 2 primary reasons potential new customers have not ever taken a cruise. NCL has been leading the industry in attracting first time cruisers primarily because of their free style cruise marketing

 

Thught I was having deja vu, but see that this is a repetition of terrydtx's August 23 post. Curious as to reason - think we didn't get it the first time, or wanted to get some more reaction to the "cattle call" reference?

 

I think we get it: your group likes freestyle, mine doesn't

 

Same goes for formal wear. My grown kids, and their pre-teen children, loved the formal atmosphere on QE2 and Amsterdam. And believe me, my son, daughter and son-in-law all have jobs requiring proper workplace attire 5 days a week.

 

 

.

 

ROLL TIDE !!!

 

Can we at least agree on that or are you a fan of that evil empire from the other side of Alabama?

 

Bob (A Yankee who spent a few years in Tuscaloosa)

[RevNeal]

every time we go to one of those Mariner parties onboard and the Captain talks or even hints about freestyle dining.. why is it 90% or more of the people there give a resounding negative response to it...

 

yet on here everyone ..well almost everyone .. seems to want it... and that group doesn't want to hear other people's opinions...because it's not in conformity with their own..

 

Not "everybody." However, it is true that most of us who don't relish the thought of "Freestyle" or, as HAL is calling it, "AYW," have been so relentlessly hounded and beaten on regarding this topic, told we're arrogant, closed/narrow minded, old-fashioned cattle, and made to feel as though our opinions and preference are neither wanted nor important (i.e., the "vocal minority" epithets), that we've gotten tired of the "game" and have -- for the most part -- just quit voicing our views.

[RevNeal]

didn't.. we were told onboard our last trip that the 30 day Hawaii-Polynesia trip would most likely be the same in January '09...it's very popular and sells out... so the mention of 'early planning'.. if it does get scheduled as we were told.. we'll be on it

 

THANKS for the heads up. That's an itinerary I MIGHT try to book. It's a possibility, at any rate. And it's a cruise I'd like to take.

[RevNeal]

I'm one of those who is in favor of CHOICE. I'm not "for" AYW or "for" Traditional, both have their merits. But I DO want "choice". And I DO want to hear others' opinions, whether in conformity with my own or not. I think the reason you might feel this way is because some get defensive when you say "if it ain't broke don't fix it", meaning we can't have CHOICE. Why can't we have both??:confused: Both sides are right, why is that so hard for some to see?

 

I tend to agree. I don't see anything wrong with choice, so long as it's a real choice and not the no-choice of having to settle for a new system because that system is the only "option" available.

 

Right now we are reserved for traditional dining on our May cruise, and we're going to change that to AYW. BTW, our PCC suggested the traditional, we weren't "pushed into" taking AYW! ;)

 

I'm glad to read that. It's good to read that some people are not experiencing the "AYW hard sell." Sadly, many people have reported being "pushed" toward AYW. I can personally attest to being "pushed" toward AYW by a PCC when I called HAL about a cruise that I was investigating a month or so back. When I asked about the Traditional Dining option, the PCC began a peroration regarding the virtues of the AYW system and how, being young, I should really prefer it over the "old fashioned" Traditional system. Even when I pointed out that I would be cruising solo and didn't relish the thought of being footballed around from table to table every evening, this PCC really pushed AYW anyway and only, reluctantly, put my name down for the waiting list for Traditional.

[RevNeal]

Thught I was having deja vu, but see that this is a repetition of terrydtx's August 23 post. Curious as to reason - think we didn't get it the first time, or wanted to get some more reaction to the "cattle call" reference?

 

I was wondering the exactly same thing. :)

Curious

[Cruising-along]

I tend to agree. I don't see anything wrong with choice, so long as it's a real choice and not the no-choice of having to settle for a new system because that system is the only "option" available.

 

 

 

I'm glad to read that. It's good to read that some people are not experiencing the "AYW hard sell." Sadly, many people have reported being "pushed" toward AYW. I can personally attest to being "pushed" toward AYW by a PCC when I called HAL about a cruise that I was investigating a month or so back. When I asked about the Traditional Dining option, the PCC began a peroration regarding the virtues of the AYW system and how, being young, I should really prefer it over the "old fashioned" Traditional system. Even when I pointed out that I would be cruising solo and didn't relish the thought of being footballed around from table to table every evening, this PCC really pushed AYW anyway and only, reluctantly, put my name down for the waiting list for Traditional.

 

I certainly wouldn't be happy if this happened to me either. Sounds like it depends on who you get for a PCC. :confused:

And I agree, I wouldn't want Traditional to go altogether either. I'd like the choice between the 2.

[mancunian]

Can I put another thought. We are regular cruisers - over 20 cruises over 16 years though never on HAL. I have recently been following these boards as we have booked South America on HAL next March and are interested in the Japan cruises and the New England/Canada trips. We have never had freestyle dining as such on our cruises but have had had in about equal quantities fixed dining and AYW dining. We are actually fairly happy with both and it would not stop us taking a cruise, but if pushed would say we prefer fixed dining. This is mainly that we prefer set waiters and as someone has said on here you get to know the people better and do not have that starting an acquaintance feel every night - where are you from etc, etc.

 

When we booked South America we put ourselves down as late sitting as we prefer this. Then AYW dining came on the scene and after much thought we have asked to be moved to this. Why? Well both from some friends who sailed on HAL earlier this year, and from several posts on here I have picked up that HAL passengers tend to prefer early sitting and that many of the ones who end up on late sitting do not wish to be there and eat at the buffet instead. The result being that you can be left on your own or at a half size table. We have therefore decided that for late sitting diners AYW may be safer. Just a thought. Would experienced HAL cruisers say this may be a wise choice?

[bUU]

every time we go to one of those Mariner parties onboard and the Captain talks or even hints about freestyle dining.. why is it 90% or more of the people there give a resounding negative response to it...

Perhaps because the folks who love the idea of Anytime Dining are playing a pick-up game of basketball on the sports deck, sunning themselves on the Lido deck, or jogging around the Promenade deck.

 

yet on here everyone ..well almost everyone .. seems to want it...

I'm not sure that's a good estimate, but regardless, whenever you radically bias a sample (such as polling only people who attend Mariner parties) you're going to get a biased result.

 

and that group doesn't want to hear other people's opinions...because it's not in conformity with their own..

Actually, I find the traditionalists much more radically adverse to seeing perspectives expressed that are contrary to their own. I suppose that that's actually quite a natural thing -- after all, they're traditionalists! :)

 

my thingy is.... " if it ain't broke..don't fix it"

I agree. For many people, this is "broke[n]".

 

just because the hierarchy.. that's some 'suit' sitting behind a desk in HAL hq's .. or maybe 'Carnival corporate' ( naw why would I mention Carnival corporate in this discussion :p ).....decides that this is the way it's gonna be from now on.. shouldn't be etched in stone without those who are dissatisfied with that decision making it known... hence my post

Well, I don't know if your post really makes anything known, at least not to the folks who need to have that made know to them. Rather, selecting another cruise line is the manner in which you can make your dissatisfaction known best. (Not cruising at all just depresses the whole industry, so the decrease experienced by the cruise line you're trying to communicate to just looks like people don't like cruising any more, rather than attributable to the product that that particular cruise line provides.)

[RuthC]

The result being that you can be left on your own or at a half size table. We have therefore decided that for late sitting diners AYW may be safer. Just a thought. Would experienced HAL cruisers say this may be a wise choice?

I can only speak to my experience, and that is my tablemates have generally been in attendance at the table. Now, once in a while someone will go to the Pinnacle, or there will be an evening excursion or overnight in port that keeps someone away, but otherwise it's a full table every night.

Have I just been lucky?

[Piet_Hein]

Perhaps because the folks who love the idea of Anytime Dining are playing a pick-up game of basketball on the sports deck, sunning themselves on the Lido deck, or jogging around the Promenade deck.

 

 

 

LOL, Mr. Bicker; are you implying that all Mariners aka Traditionalists are non-active "pomp and circumstance" types, and that all AYW supporters are inclined to be relaxed outdoor athletes:) ? This is unlike your usual precise manner. Or am I inferring too much?;)

 

As for me and mine, we've not yet been starved or abused on a HAL ship, and based on prior experience, we don't anticipate that our requests will be disregarded. We don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself;) . (Matthew 6:25-37, for those of you inclined for a little Sunday sermon).

[Stakeout]

I can only speak to my experience, and that is my tablemates have generally been in attendance at the table. Now, once in a while someone will go to the Pinnacle, or there will be an evening excursion or overnight in port that keeps someone away, but otherwise it's a full table every night.

Have I just been lucky?

 

..and that's why we ALWAYS opt for table for TWO... and with this new AYW dining that'll probably end...

[RevNeal]

I can only speak to my experience, and that is my tablemates have generally been in attendance at the table. Now, once in a while someone will go to the Pinnacle, or there will be an evening excursion or overnight in port that keeps someone away, but otherwise it's a full table every night.

Have I just been lucky?

 

No, Ruth ... your experience equates with mine. In all my cruises -- since 1994 -- I've had no problem having more-or-less full tables under the Traditional system at the later sittings. Once-in-a-while someone won't show up, or a couple might not be there. But, when dining at a table for 8, I've only ONCE had it happen that I was alone ... and that was an usual circumstance. Usually everybody was there, even at the last seating of the evening.

[RevNeal]

LOL, Mr. Bicker; are you implying that all Mariners aka Traditionalists are non-active "pomp and circumstance" types, and that all AYW supporters are inclined to be relaxed outdoor athletes:) ? This is unlike your usual precise manner. Or am I inferring too much?;)

 

Based upon your quote of what he wrote, I don't think that was what the bickerer was implying. Of course, he's not-yet been on a HAL cruise, so he wouldn't know about such matters from first-hand experience. :)

 

As for me and mine, we've not yet been starved or abused on a HAL ship, and based on prior experience, we don't anticipate that our requests will be disregarded. We don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself;) . (Matthew 6:25-37, for those of you inclined for a little Sunday sermon).

 

Amen! I agree ... I've not yet been starved or abused aboard HAL (FAR from it!) And, hence, I've long-since given up fretting over the issue. I'll just wait and see what happens. :) ANY dinner, eaten in ANY dining schedule, aboard any damship, is better than ANY TV dinner eaten on land, ANY day!

[Stakeout]

Perhaps because the folks who love the idea of Anytime Dining are playing a pick-up game of basketball on the sports deck, sunning themselves on the Lido deck, or jogging around the Promenade deck.

 

I'm not sure that's a good estimate, but regardless, whenever you radically bias a sample (such as polling only people who attend Mariner parties) you're going to get a biased result.

 

Actually, I find the traditionalists much more radically adverse to seeing perspectives expressed that are contrary to their own. I suppose that that's actually quite a natural thing -- after all, they're traditionalists! :)

 

I agree. For many people, this is "broke[n]".

 

Well, I don't know if your post really makes anything known, at least not to the folks who need to have that made know to them. Rather, selecting another cruise line is the manner in which you can make your dissatisfaction known best. (Not cruising at all just depresses the whole industry, so the decrease experienced by the cruise line you're trying to communicate to just looks like people don't like cruising any more, rather than attributable to the product that that particular cruise line provides.)

 

geez.. thank you for that most in-depth ..and useless to moi... analysis of my post... yowsa.. hope I spelled everything correctly... I think you missed my point(s) ...I deal with facts as they are and what I observe and how they affect me....not random samplings ..biased or otherwise...or the validity of same... why.. because I am using MY money to pay for this cruise..... next you'll be bringing up 'hanging chads'... great googlee-mooglee... hol-eee Batman

 

p.s. ..anytime you want to shoot some hoops.. or throw around the football on the sports deck .. or swim a few laps...I am available... I usually take a one hour break from my topside sports-deck activities..to head down to the Mariner's party... that's Sportsdeck--AFT ..I might add ..I am ALWAYS there during the day from 0700 hrs to 1600 hrs.. that BTW is 7am to 4pm... sorry if you don't like to do that and it doesn't meet with your approval which I could care less about... unless of course you would like to pay my way... then I might consider it..

 

oh one more thing.. I treat people as they treat moi... let 'er rip.. and 'analyze away'

[Stakeout]

THANKS for the heads up. That's an itinerary I MIGHT try to book. It's a possibility, at any rate. And it's a cruise I'd like to take.

 

Rev Neal.. the way we see it.. Polynesia is one of those 'far out and out of the way' places that one might never have the opportunity of going to... we'd love to get there and we feel this might be our best shot at it... it's just a bit 'different' than the 'regular' Hawaii itinerary......

 

hopefully we might meet you and cross paths on that cruise... :D

[RevNeal]

Rev Neal.. the way we see it.. Polynesia is one of those 'far out and out of the way' places that one might never have the opportunity of going to... we'd love to get there and we feel this might be our best shot at it... it's just a bit 'different' than the 'regular' Hawaii itinerary......

 

hopefully we might meet you and cross paths on that cruise... :D

 

I hope so.

Perhaps I can swing that cruise as a chaplain, eh??? :D

I should be due for chaplain service, again, by January 2009! :D

[HeatherInFlorida]

.

Stakeout, I have to tell you I absolutely LOVE your posts and the way you think!!!:) :) Applause.

 

I can only speak to my experience, and that is my tablemates have generally been in attendance at the table. Now, once in a while someone will go to the Pinnacle, or there will be an evening excursion or overnight in port that keeps someone away, but otherwise it's a full table every night.

Have I just been lucky?

 

Ruth (and Greg), this is our experience, too. And I've decided that we all must be just terrific people to dine with!!! LOL!:D

 

I'm amazed that this thread nears (or perhaps has reached) 600 posts and it just goes on and on.

 

It seems to me (and maybe I'm wrong:o ) that those of us who prefer Traditional are being open minded and saying we have no problem with a choice if there is truly a choice, but we want to be able to continue Traditional dining.

 

Yet others just keep hammering away at us that change is inevitable, we have to adjust, "freestyle", "AYW", whatever you want to call it, is the wave of the future and we're just going to have to accept it.

 

No we don't. We're willing to understand the opposite point of view, we're willing to accept both being offered, but we don't want to give up what we enjoy.

 

It's that simple. We can kick it around 'til the cows come home and nothing is going to change here. When it gets to a point that a poster is copying and pasting a post from a previous page, don't you think it's time to call it a day:D :D ???