As You Wish Dining - Opinions, Comments and Discussions

[gizmo]

 

There are many other posts, both by this person and by several others, but some of most vicious of them have been pulled.

 

I agree there have been many sarcastic and nasty posts, many have been deleted, including posts on this thread.

 

Roz and the other singles,

 

I am not single but I can fully understand how this impacts your cruise.

 

There is an attitude from some that I find uncaring and sometimes cruel. Maybe someday when they find themselves alone, they might "get it".;)

[hammybee]

Hammy and bicker,

 

The thread where you can read some of the most vicious, uncaring, and crass remarks, was: HAL Formally introduces "as you wish dining" and date back to mid-July.

 

Ah yes. I remember these well. When two bulls lock horns, the outcome is often unpleasant.

[RevNeal]

I agree there have been many sarcastic and nasty posts, many have been deleted, including posts on this thread.

 

Roz and the other singles,

 

I am not single but I can fully understand how this impacts your cruise.

 

There is an attitude from some that I find uncaring and sometimes cruel. Maybe someday when they find themselves alone, they might "get it".;)

 

gizmo, I for one pray that no one ever has to experience solo-cruising that way, nor do I think that Ruth intended it in a cruel or uncaring way. I'm afraid, if anything, she was speaking from a matter-of-fact reality that she, herself, experienced (and which my mother may now experinece if/when she ever cruises on her own).

 

Yes, you can both sympathize and intellectually understand how these changes might impact our cruises. But, as always, there is a (sometimes subtle) difference between being able to understand it and actually experiencing it. I hope you don't have to experience through no choice of your own -- though some married people DO cruise solo, and for very specific reasons.

[RevNeal]

Ah yes. I remember these well. When two bulls lock horns, the outcome is often unpleasant.

 

hardy har har

 

(When I figure out the spirit in which this was articulated, I may comment more.)

[RuthC]

gizmo, I for one pray that no one ever has to experience solo-cruising that way, nor do I think that Ruth intended it in a cruel or uncaring way. I'm afraid, if anything, she was speaking from a matter-of-fact reality that she, herself, experienced .

Please, Greg, enlighten me. What did I say? Or, which post of mine are you referring to? I know I never intended to say anything that was "cruel or uncaring". If there's something that I wrote that can be interpreted that way I would like the opportunity to clarify, or apologize, or :confused: do whatever I need to do to make amends.

[gizmo]

Rev,

 

I am totally confused !! :confused: For the life of me I can't figure out your post.

 

 

Ruth,

 

My comments had nothing to do with any of your posts. I don't understand the Rev's post either. :eek:

 

My comments were generalized and refer to those posts that seem to brush off AYW dining for solo cruisers as no big deal. IMO they do not understand solo cruisers.

[RevNeal]

Ruth and gizmo -- I am so very sorry ... I totally misunderstood gizmo's following reference:

 

I am not single but I can fully understand how this impacts your cruise.

 

There is an attitude from some that I find uncaring and sometimes cruel. Maybe someday when they find themselves alone, they might "get it".

 

... as being a response to Ruth's statement:

 

Absolutely, Roz. It's one of those "if you're solo, no explanation is necessary; if not, then no explanation is possible" things.

The sad part is that for every couple reading this, the day will come when one of them will understand.

 

I thought gizmo was expressing upset and interpreting Ruth as being bitter or angry about that, and wishing it on others. I knew such wasn't the case -- Ruth would never wish it on anyone -- and so was trying to help out there.

 

I fumbled that one, BIG TIME, because you were saying the SAME thing.

 

Again, I'm sorry.

[RevNeal]

Please, Greg, enlighten me. What did I say? Or, which post of mine are you referring to? I know I never intended to say anything that was "cruel or uncaring". If there's something that I wrote that can be interpreted that way I would like the opportunity to clarify, or apologize, or :confused: do whatever I need to do to make amends.

 

Again, it was MY reading error of something gizmo wrote, NOT of what you wrote. I'm SORRY.

[gizmo]

:) Rev, You are forgiven ! Sorry I wasn't clear. :)

 

Am I ever glad we got that cleared up !!

[RevNeal]

:) Rev, You are forgiven ! Sorry I wasn't clear. :)

 

Am I ever glad we got that cleared up !!

 

Thank you!

YOU were clear ... I must have been fuzzy brained when I posted that. Sadly, I can't lean on too much on the Eucharistic wine as my excuse! ;)

[gizmo]

We all get fuzzy brained every now and then ! :D

[RuthC]

OK, Greg. I get it. Unfortunately for you, though, I'm not as quick to forgive as Marie!

I'm going to have to be placated with liquor! :) And lots of it!!! :D

(oh, and maybe some of your pillow chocolates, too. ;) )

[RevNeal]

OK, Greg. I get it. Unfortunately for you, though, I'm not as quick to forgive as Marie!

I'm going to have to be placated with liquor! :) And lots of it!!! :D

(oh, and maybe some of your pillow chocolates, too. ;) )

 

LOL ... liquor, yes.

But I don't get my own pillow chocolates. Those go to Christopher to reduce his snoring. Sort of like bribes. :D

[bills41]

Some interesting reading here. We are doing the Alaska cruise in September. After reading all these dining posts, I have a sick feeling in my stomach, that we probably picked the wrong cruise line. To us, Alaska means outdoor wear and casual clothes. Airlines have weight restrictions with the luggage and I am thinking that storage space is limited in our cabin, so I don't want to pack two sets of clothing just to wear one or two nights. So, I called our travel agent and took us off the wait list for traditional dining and asked to be put on the as you wish list. We had originally asked to be put in traditional dining at the tables for 8...love to meet fellow travelers...but what if we were an embarassament to the folks in tuxedos? Don't care to take that chance. Maybe we are not true cruisers....guess we'll find out.

[Roz]

Bills41,

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Is this your first cruise?

 

You will still have a dress code if you pick As You Wish dining. If you want to dress casually for dinner on formal night, you have the option of eating in the Lido or ordering room service. Suitcase space and room storage aren't really a problem. You can wear the same thing for both formal nights. This is just my opinion, but you miss part of the cruise experience if you don't take part in formal night in the dining room. Of course, not everyone agrees with this.

 

HAL is a great cruise line. The only major cruise line I know of that does Alaska and has casual dress every night in the DR is Norwegian.

 

If you have any questions, please post them and we'll help you out. It makes me sad :( that thinking about your cruise gives you a sick feeling.

 

Roz

[hammybee]

LOL ... liquor, yes.

But I don't get my own pillow chocolates. Those go to Christopher to reduce his snoring. Sort of like bribes. :D

 

MY DH snores. Perhaps you have heard him in Texas. :eek: I will have to try chocolate. Where should said chocolate be placed, to cease the snore?

[RevNeal]

MY DH snores. Perhaps you have heard him in Texas. :eek: I will have to try chocolate. Where should said chocolate be placed, to cease the snore?

 

In his mouth.

The Prescription is: "take two chocolates before bed, chased with brandy"

 

Seriously, try breath-right nasal strips. They work wonders. And ... the chocolate works, too ... but as a bribe to get him to put them on. :D

[O2B@C]

MY DH snores. Perhaps you have heard him in Texas. :eek: I will have to try chocolate. Where should said chocolate be placed, to cease the snore?

 

In your ears, perhaps?:D

 

Just kidding. Mine snores too - but then, so do I. :o Earplugs do seem to help a bit. Sometimes we both end up sleeping with them. The cats seem to be able to sleep through it without them, though.

 

OK, we are now WAY off topic here. Ooops.

[hammybee]

Some interesting reading here. We are doing the Alaska cruise in September. After reading all these dining posts, I have a sick feeling in my stomach, that we probably picked the wrong cruise line. To us, Alaska means outdoor wear and casual clothes. Airlines have weight restrictions with the luggage and I am thinking that storage space is limited in our cabin, so I don't want to pack two sets of clothing just to wear one or two nights. So, I called our travel agent and took us off the wait list for traditional dining and asked to be put on the as you wish list. We had originally asked to be put in traditional dining at the tables for 8...love to meet fellow travelers...but what if we were an embarassament to the folks in tuxedos? Don't care to take that chance. Maybe we are not true cruisers....guess we'll find out.

 

Oh NOOOOOO. Don't give this another thought.

You will find that most people do not bring tuxes and ball gowns to Alaska. A sports jacket and tie will do the trick, in the dining room on Formal evenings or as Roz says, eat in the LIDO on the 2 Formal evenings. Trust me, you will have plenty of company. Or just order off the menu and dine in your cabin. Afterwards, you will observe that many passengers change into more casual clothing after dinner, especially in Alaska. Now go and enjoy your cruise, in this most special place.

[RevNeal]

Oh NOOOOOO. Don't give this another thought.

You will find that most people do not bring tuxes and ball gowns to Alaska. A sports jacket and tie will do the trick, in the dining room on Formal evenings or as Roz says, eat in the LIDO on the 2 Formal evenings. Trust me, you will have plenty of company. Or just order off the menu and dine in your cabin. Afterwards, you will observe that many passengers change into more casual clothing after dinner, especially in Alaska. Now go and enjoy your cruise, in this most special place.

 

I mostly agree with Hammy. Many men will not bring Tuxedos, but some will. Most men will be in suites or in jackets, slacks, and ties on Formal Night. A Tuxedo is not needed. Dockers, blue button-down shirt, blazer and tie would do fine, if that's what you prefer. It certainly meets the dress code.

[RetiredMustang]

...but what if we were an embarassament to the folks in tuxedos? Don't care to take that chance. Maybe we are not true cruisers....guess we'll find out.

 

bills41,

 

Please, don't ever feel that you are an embarassment! We are not really that kind of crowd. We are true cruisers, with a wide variety of experiences and preferences, and some of us (yes! no kidding!) have strong opinions, but I believe at least that we are friendly, actually kind-of-nice people on HAL. And, we like people who also share our love of the sea. Yes, I wear a tux, because DW loves to dress up and I love DW. I look like a pear dressed to visit the Queen, but I do it, and go with the flow (and my Irish heritage puckishness usually shows through, which I know because DW's eyes are rolling more than the ship in heavy seas...) But I'm basically a dockers and polo kind of guy most days.

 

I for one would love to meet Revneal, RuthC, hammybee, et al, because they have given me so much pleasure to read their posts, and seem such interesting people.

 

O.K, enough sucking up! Greg (Revneal), RuthC, Karin, hammybee, et al...just got the docs today and we are doing the Boogaloo, Twist or Stroll (yes, we know how to do the Stroll), and an interesting page in our docs dealt with AYW.

 

Since I was part of starting this whole thread when I innocently asked Karin and hammybee what their experience was on Noordam on one of the first AYW cruises, I thought I would share. The page in the docs describes AYW, but doesn't give much more detail than what we have seen before. However, interestingly enough, it does say that "So that we may accommodate all of our guests, we are unable to offer people the opportunity to swtch between fixed and open dining during the cruise."

 

I wonder if we would get busted if we tried AYW one night on our upcoming Panama Canal cruise, in which we have confirmed seating? We're open to pretty much anything at least once (although I get your point, Ruth and Greg, about solo cruisers:D ) and thought we might try it one night to see if we loved/hated/in-betweened it. We might try to do the AYW one night and see. I'll post whatever happens (alarms sound, escorted off the ship in cuffs, whatever...)

 

Dave

[RuthC]

...escorted off the ship in cuffs, whatever...

 

Dave

The leather ones with the velvet lining? ooooo. ;)

Thanks for the compliment, Dave. :)

[hammybee]

 

Since I was part of starting this whole thread when I innocently asked Karin and hammybee what their experience was on Noordam on one of the first AYW cruises, I thought I would share. The page in the docs describes AYW, but doesn't give much more detail than what we have seen before. However, interestingly enough, it does say that "So that we may accommodate all of our guests, we are unable to offer people the opportunity to swtch between fixed and open dining during the cruise."

 

I wonder if we would get busted if we tried AYW one night on our upcoming Panama Canal cruise, in which we have confirmed seating? We're open to pretty much anything at least once (although I get your point, Ruth and Greg, about solo cruisers:D ) and thought we might try it one night to see if we loved/hated/in-betweened it. We might try to do the AYW one night and see. I'll post whatever happens (alarms sound, escorted off the ship in cuffs, whatever...)

 

Dave

 

I mentioned that in May, it was obvious to the most casual of observer, that as the cruise progressed, the Noordam crew had not a clue where or when anyone was going to show for dinner, on any given evening. I could not imagine how they were going to be able to sustain being able to operate with so much uncertainty. Therefore, I think it makes sense for HAL to better manage passenger expectations to avoid musical dining chairs and maintain service levels for all diners.

 

Having said this, you can certainly give it a try. Let your regular wait staff know in advance and plan to dine in the LIDO, if you are denied the ability to give AYW a try. If you time it right, I think it possible they may do their best to accommodate you, so long as it does not create a wait for other diners.

 

The LIDO on the Noordam is above and beyond all other LIDOs and a decent option for an occasional dinner.

 

You have a super intinerary on your upcoming Panama sailing on a wonderful ship with a lady who gets you. It does not get any better than this, does it?

[fsalzer]

I wonder if we would get busted if we tried AYW one night on our upcoming Panama Canal cruise, in which we have confirmed seating?

 

 

Perhaps not, but that would use two dining seats per person. I think that wouldn't be fair to those that chose open-seating dining.

 

Fred

[RetiredMustang]

Perhaps not, but that would use two dining seats per person. I think that wouldn't be fair to those that chose open-seating dining.

 

Fred

 

Fred,

 

Yes, that is really the crux of the problem, isn't it? (I said something along that line very early on in this thread). But if we don't try it, how will we know? Clearly, on Noordam this fall we would try the AYW some night when there's no line and open tables are available -- since we generally dine earlier than most, we might find such a situation. There may not be such a night and we may not be able to do so, but I would want to try it, if we can, to see if AYW is for us or not.

 

Dave