As You Wish Dining - Opinions, Comments and Discussions

[hammybee]

 

Soooo...my request is pretty simple. Whatever your dining preference is, would you be so kind as to express on your cruise comment card that you would certainly hope that the cruiseline you choose to sail on is one that actively accommodates the particular safety/social/dining needs of its Solo travellers?They read those cards! Martha

 

On behalf of solo cruisers everywhere, I would be pleased to do so. None of us know if we will cruise as solos, at some future date.

[RevNeal]

Martha,

 

Bless you and thank you for making this request. You articulate the concerns of solos quite well! Thank you!

 

And, yes, I will definitely be making such points known in several contexts ... both as a solo cruiser and as someone who often shares with family and friends.

[Frick_&_Frack]

Martha -

 

As a woman who travelled solo for many years (before my first marriage) and still must for business, I truly appreciate your concerns and will definitely include them on comment cards on the ships we travel upon.

 

Happy, and safe, cruising to you! :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

.....................SOCIAL: While I love to meet people & find it easy to do so, I have found that DH & I, or I alone, have been enriched by getting to REALLY know some fellow passengers that a consistent dining experience provides, not just a mere "drive by" relationship via fun day on a bus trip or at the buffet table.

 

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

 

My sentiments exactly, Martha .... you said it so very well and I couldn't agree with you more.

 

And again I have to say it's not solos alone who feel this way! I completely agree it's probably even more important to those traveling alone, but it can be equally important to couples for the very reasons Martha stated above.

 

I plan to make our feelings clear when we next fill out our questionnaires.

[bUU]

Apparently not ... because if we express our concern regarding how HAL is implementing the AYWD system, we are characterized in a negative light, our concerns are minimized and declared invalid or unfounded or meaningless, and in all this we are thereby publicly spanked for being opposed to change and having pre-judged something that we have not yet experienced.

Whenever you post an opinion, about anything, in any venue, you are taking on the risk that someone will disagree with you. Whenever you post an opinion about something you have not yet experienced, you are taking on the risk that someone who disagrees with you will use that lack of first-hand experience as a foundation for their disagreement. You express your perspective; they express theirs.

 

Specifically, I'm referencing the reaction to the concerns of solo-cruisers

As I've mentioned before, I don't get involved in the specific discussion about solo dining, because I'm not a solo cruiser. However, note that many people have posted many negative comments about AYW in this thread that did not refer to the solo experience.

 

You're kidding, right.

A little. I made a relatively innocuous statement and several folks here have attacked me (though perhaps in a rather passive-aggressive manner) personally, not what I wrote -- and attacked me without substantiation that what I wrote was wrong. That's their fault, not mine. If they want to confront what I wrote, the best way to do so would be to have objective evidence to the contrary. It isn't my problem if the numbers actually end up supporting what I wrote, as I wrote it.

 

I don't think anyone is actually arguing with this assertion as you have qualified it.

Which is why the statement should have stood on its own. Attacking someone who writes something which you don't really disagree with is illogical.

 

Again: I hope you have a great cruise.

[bUU]

My post, which Bicker chose to quote for some reason, was not combative.

Indeed, nor was mine. Your message was a launching point for an observation, which was fully within the context of this thread. I think we all know which message derailed this thread yet-again.

[xpcdoojk]

Passive agressive? :eek:

 

OMG, you crack me up!:D You really can't get stuff this funny on TV these days!

 

jc

[HeatherInFlorida]

........... I think we all know which message derailed this thread yet-again.

 

This thread has not been derailed at any time by anyone. This thread is a discussion about the plusses and minuses of a new dining concept being offered on HAL. It has not once gone off track.

 

It seems you play Devil's Advocate on almost every thread you choose to post. Yet every time people disagree with your point of view, you seem offended.

 

The thread's focus is not you. It's a thread about the feelings and opinions of people who are concerned about a new direction HAL has chosen to take. You have your opinion, others have their's. It has nothing to do with anyone personally.

 

No one wins here .... it's all about how each individual feels and nothing more.

[mancunian]

I have posted on this site earlier and we are due to go on Rotterdam to South America in March - our first time on HAL. We have been on 26 cruises with different lines 18 traditional, 8 open sitting. I said before it would never influence us in our choice of cruise. Both have advantages but if pressed we would say we preferred traditional.

 

That is until this year when we have done two cruises - one with P&O, one on Marco Polo, both traditional and these have been the first traditional seatings that I have been unhappy with. In the case of P&O we just did not like our tablemates - first time it has happened and we were embarrassed to ask for a change and just hoped that they might. Our fault I suppose and these things happen. However on our recent Marco Polo cruise we came across a different trend. They offer themed dining every night in the alternative restaurant. When we arrived in the main dining room - late sitting, we were on a table for 8 with a couple we already knew and had asked to be seated with. Three people at the table did not appear once during the whole cruise, obviously liking the themed dining upstairs. The eighth person was a solo traveller who made friends with other solos who had a vacant place on their table and she understandably moved. We did not find it much fun seated four in a row with four empty seats in front of us night after night. The situation got better on week two when we had put this to the maitre'd and another couple joined the table.

 

This has however, really made us think. Cruising has changed a lot since we started in 1991 and many people prefer a freestyle approach. In an all traditional dining room this now leads to the above problem and it was not just our table there were big gaps elsewhere. This had also happened at some tables on the P&O cruise but not to the same extent. The themed dining with a different country each night really appealed to many people.

 

It also strikes me that if this situation continues it is very unfair on the waiters where tipping is still done on the old system.

 

As a result of our experience we are now thinking that perhaps AYW dining will be preferable for us. If it works, as many on the board suggest it does, HAL could have got it right in taking a middle path in trying to please everyone. Of course everyone will not be happy, but then again they are not now because many people on traditional end up with the wrong sitting.

 

Just our thoughts.

[terrydtx]

I have posted on this site earlier and we are due to go on Rotterdam to South America in March - our first time on HAL. We have been on 26 cruises with different lines 18 traditional, 8 open sitting. I said before it would never influence us in our choice of cruise. Both have advantages but if pressed we would say we preferred traditional.

 

That is until this year when we have done two cruises - one with P&O, one on Marco Polo, both traditional and these have been the first traditional seatings that I have been unhappy with. In the case of P&O we just did not like our tablemates - first time it has happened and we were embarrassed to ask for a change and just hoped that they might. Our fault I suppose and these things happen. However on our recent Marco Polo cruise we came across a different trend. They offer themed dining every night in the alternative restaurant. When we arrived in the main dining room - late sitting, we were on a table for 8 with a couple we already knew and had asked to be seated with. Three people at the table did not appear once during the whole cruise, obviously liking the themed dining upstairs. The eighth person was a solo traveller who made friends with other solos who had a vacant place on their table and she understandably moved. We did not find it much fun seated four in a row with four empty seats in front of us night after night. The situation got better on week two when we had put this to the maitre'd and another couple joined the table.

 

This has however, really made us think. Cruising has changed a lot since we started in 1991 and many people prefer a freestyle approach. In an all traditional dining room this now leads to the above problem and it was not just our table there were big gaps elsewhere. This had also happened at some tables on the P&O cruise but not to the same extent. The themed dining with a different country each night really appealed to many people.

 

It also strikes me that if this situation continues it is very unfair on the waiters where tipping is still done on the old system.

 

As a result of our experience we are now thinking that perhaps AYW dining will be preferable for us. If it works, as many on the board suggest it does, HAL could have got it right in taking a middle path in trying to please everyone. Of course everyone will not be happy, but then again they are not now because many people on traditional end up with the wrong sitting.

 

Just our thoughts.

 

Well stated, on our last two cruises we have had terrible, rude and unsociable tablemates. In both cases the ship was sold out and moving to another table in our seating time was not an option. That’s why we are looking forward to AYWD this month on the Volendam as we will have no one to blame but ourselves for getting stuck with terrible, rude and unsociable tablemates more than one seating.:D

[RevNeal]

Whenever you post an opinion, about anything, in any venue, you are taking on the risk that someone will disagree with you.

 

Disagreement is both expected and is actually welcomed. However, one can disagree agreeably, without name-calling, group-labeling, and judgments being issued as to individual's "openness." There are others with whom I disagree on many issues but with whom I can disagree agreeably. Kyros, for instance. I like formal nights, she doesn't, and yet we to get along quite well. We disagree ... but we do so agreeably. Some people seem to have trouble with that concept.

 

Whenever you post an opinion about something you have not yet experienced, you are taking on the risk that someone who disagrees with you will use that lack of first-hand experience as a foundation for their disagreement. You express your perspective; they express theirs.

 

Correct. And when the other posters ALSO lack first-hand experience of the issue or product in-question -- as you do of ALL things HAL -- it's no small wonder that there are hurt feelings and people who become gun-shy about posting at all.

 

As I've mentioned before, I don't get involved in the specific discussion about solo dining, because I'm not a solo cruiser. However, note that many people have posted many negative comments about AYW in this thread that did not refer to the solo experience.

 

Granted. Please note that my principle issue has long-been almost exclusively relative to how the implementation of AYWD will impact Solo cruisers. And, yet, several rather vicious things have been said about solo-cruisers who also have reasonable concerns regarding how things are going to shake out.

 

Likewise, to the extent that serious questions regarding the wait-listing issue impacted everyone, those concerns were VALID concerns even though those people had not yet cruise AYWD. It took MUCH hashing out of the issue, plus information from HAL Seattle, to settle the issue -- to the extent it has been settled -- but had we not expressed our concerns on this board that might not have happened and many of us might well have still been in the dark.

 

In other words, the qualifications for posting an opinion or asking a question or expressing a concern are NOT limited to only those who have had HAL AYWD experience.

 

I made a relatively innocuous statement and several folks here have attacked me (though perhaps in a rather passive-aggressive manner) personally, not what I wrote -- and attacked me without substantiation that what I wrote was wrong. That's their fault, not mine. If they want to confront what I wrote, the best way to do so would be to have objective evidence to the contrary. It isn't my problem if the numbers actually end up supporting what I wrote, as I wrote it.

 

As an erudite poster once wrote: "whenever you post an opinion, about anything, in any venue, you are taking on the risk that someone will disagree with you." In short ... it comes with the territory.

 

Which is why the statement should have stood on its own. Attacking someone who writes something which you don't really disagree with is illogical.

 

Look, Spock, it's not always what one writes, but the way of the writing that hits people the wrong way. Your post (#1005) was patently dismissive of the negative posts. You classed them all in one bunch, and then casually dismissed them. In reality, a large percentage of the negative posts on this thread dealt with concerns over how AYWD would be implemented, wether or not those being wait-listed would be able to get the dining schedule of their choice, the mixed messages HAL-Seattle was telegraphing to us through Travel Agents and Ship's Service, and the like. Once the details were sketched out for us in a consistent manner, a comparatively few people expressed a knee-jerk reaction in general opposition; most discomfort and concern had to do with reasonable issues that were not being adequately answered at the time. For you to just casually dismiss them because "people complain an order of magnitude more than they praise" was not only unfair to many of those who posted on this thread, but in my opinion it was also quite unnecessary.

 

Again: I hope you have a great cruise.

 

And, again, thanks ... I will. For one thing, I won't be worrying about threads like this one.

[RevNeal]

Indeed, nor was mine. Your message was a launching point for an observation, which was fully within the context of this thread. I think we all know which message derailed this thread yet-again.

 

I'm clue-less ... which post was it that you believe derailed the thread? As far as I can tell, we're still ON the rails as far as the topic of this thread goes.

[RevNeal]

I have posted on this site earlier and we are due to go on Rotterdam to South America in March - our first time on HAL. We have been on 26 cruises with different lines 18 traditional, 8 open sitting. I said before it would never influence us in our choice of cruise. Both have advantages but if pressed we would say we preferred traditional.

 

That is until this year when we have done two cruises - one with P&O, one on Marco Polo, both traditional and these have been the first traditional seatings that I have been unhappy with. In the case of P&O we just did not like our tablemates - first time it has happened and we were embarrassed to ask for a change and just hoped that they might. Our fault I suppose and these things happen. However on our recent Marco Polo cruise we came across a different trend. They offer themed dining every night in the alternative restaurant. When we arrived in the main dining room - late sitting, we were on a table for 8 with a couple we already knew and had asked to be seated with. Three people at the table did not appear once during the whole cruise, obviously liking the themed dining upstairs. The eighth person was a solo traveller who made friends with other solos who had a vacant place on their table and she understandably moved. We did not find it much fun seated four in a row with four empty seats in front of us night after night. The situation got better on week two when we had put this to the maitre'd and another couple joined the table.

 

This has however, really made us think. Cruising has changed a lot since we started in 1991 and many people prefer a freestyle approach. In an all traditional dining room this now leads to the above problem and it was not just our table there were big gaps elsewhere. This had also happened at some tables on the P&O cruise but not to the same extent. The themed dining with a different country each night really appealed to many people.

 

It also strikes me that if this situation continues it is very unfair on the waiters where tipping is still done on the old system.

 

As a result of our experience we are now thinking that perhaps AYW dining will be preferable for us. If it works, as many on the board suggest it does, HAL could have got it right in taking a middle path in trying to please everyone. Of course everyone will not be happy, but then again they are not now because many people on traditional end up with the wrong sitting.

 

Just our thoughts.

 

Thank you so much for your thoughts. All of them are very reasonable and provide an excellent perspective. I agree that there are, indeed, good reasons for the AYW option, and many people for whom it may well fit best. And, I am with you in hoping that -- as it is implemented fleet-wide -- it proves that HAL has made a good decision and also implements it in ways that are least-disruptive to the dining choices of their passengers. I hope most people can be happy ... I just also happen to hope that I'm not one of the few who isn't. :)

[cruz chic]

Disagreement is both expected and is actually welcomed. However, one can disagree agreeably, without name-calling, group-labeling, and judgments being issued as to individual's "openness." There are others with whom I disagree on many issues but with whom I can disagree agreeably. Kyros, for instance. I like formal nights, she doesn't, and yet we to get along quite well. We disagree ... but we do so agreeably. Some people seem to have trouble with that concept.

 

 

 

Correct. And when the other posters ALSO lack first-hand experience of the issue or product in-question -- as you do of ALL things HAL -- it's no small wonder that there are hurt feelings and people who become gun-shy about posting at all.

 

 

 

Granted. Please note that my principle issue has long-been almost exclusively relative to how the implementation of AYWD will impact Solo cruisers. And, yet, several rather vicious things have been said about solo-cruisers who also have reasonable concerns regarding how things are going to shake out.

 

Likewise, to the extent that serious questions regarding the wait-listing issue impacted everyone, those concerns were VALID concerns even though those people had not yet cruise AYWD. It took MUCH hashing out of the issue, plus information from HAL Seattle, to settle the issue -- to the extent it has been settled -- but had we not expressed our concerns on this board that might not have happened and many of us might well have still been in the dark.

 

In other words, the qualifications for posting an opinion or asking a question or expressing a concern are NOT limited to only those who have had HAL AYWD experience.

 

 

 

As an erudite poster once wrote: "whenever you post an opinion, about anything, in any venue, you are taking on the risk that someone will disagree with you." In short ... it comes with the territory.

 

 

 

Look, Spock, it's not always what one writes, but the way of the writing that hits people the wrong way. Your post (#1005) was patently dismissive of the negative posts. You classed them all in one bunch, and then casually dismissed them. In reality, a large percentage of the negative posts on this thread dealt with concerns over how AYWD would be implemented, wether or not those being wait-listed would be able to get the dining schedule of their choice, the mixed messages HAL-Seattle was telegraphing to us through Travel Agents and Ship's Service, and the like. Once the details were sketched out for us in a consistent manner, a comparatively few people expressed a knee-jerk reaction in general opposition; most discomfort and concern had to do with reasonable issues that were not being adequately answered at the time. For you to just casually dismiss them because "people complain an order of magnitude more than they praise" was not only unfair to many of those who posted on this thread, but in my opinion it was also quite unnecessary.

 

 

 

And, again, thanks ... I will. For one thing, I won't be worrying about threads like this one.

 

Revneal I always enjoy reading your posts. You are awesome! Thank you for being one of the kindest and most reasonable people on this board.

[bUU]

It seems you play Devil's Advocate on almost every thread you choose to post.

No, not really. Devil's Advocate would imply that I don't actually strongly hold the fiscally-conservative and pro-business views that I project. I assure you that I do. When I play Devil's Advocate, I usually make a point of saying so. It's actually quite rare.

 

Yet every time people disagree with your point of view, you seem offended.

Not at all. Bewildered, at times, but not offended. I get offended ONLY when someone implies that I shouldn't project my perspective.

 

The thread's focus is not you.

Thank goodness for that. I'm pretty boring, actually.

[bUU]

Disagreement is both expected and is actually welcomed. However, one can disagree agreeably

I agree completely, and I seem to recall saying something similar last time you put your foot in your mouth. :o The problem this time is someone who doesn't like to disagree agreeably didn't like seeing what I wrote, and reacted. Again. And that caused this meta-discussion. Folks should comment ON THE TOPIC. I wish all the meta-discussions would end. As you suggest above: You have your say, and I'll have mine.

 

Correct. And when the other posters ALSO lack first-hand experience of the issue or product in-question -- as you do of ALL things HAL -- it's no small wonder that there are hurt feelings and people who become gun-shy about posting at all.

You mean like people who lack first-hand experience with As You Wish Dining -- as you do -- posting about it? ;)

 

The reality is that I don't post ANYTHING about actually cruising on HAL. Nothing. My recent comment here was a comment about what I've seen posted in the forum. I'm an authority on that, and that should have been respected. I've been here long enough to know what has been posted. Just because people haven't sailed on a specific cruise line (or haven't patronized AYW dining) doesn't mean they are incapable of reading and remembering what they've read.

 

What I wrote is a very relevant point and critically important for readers to understand and internalize, so they are not misled by the negativity of a few, negativity that may not even be applicable to their situation. Again, if someone has actual data showing that most of the people who have already done AYW dining had horrible experiences, then present the data. Otherwise, my comment stands.

 

In other words, the qualifications for posting an opinion or asking a question or expressing a concern are NOT limited to only those who have had HAL AYWD experience.

Just like the qualifications for posting an opinion or asking a question or expressing a concern or even appreciating an offering -- NOT limited to only those who have sailed HAL.

 

Look, Spock, it's not always what one writes, but the way of the writing that hits people the wrong way.

I disagree. I think what I wrote was polite and appropriate and it rubbed certain people the wrong way because of its content, not its tone.

 

(Did you really call me a name?) :D

[RuthC]

I disagree. I think what I wrote was polite and appropriate and it rubbed certain people the wrong way because of its content, not its tone.

Nah. It's the tone.

[HeatherInFlorida]

It seems that we're all spinning our wheels and this will be the last time for me because truthfully, I just don't care anymore. I strongly doubt we will sail HAL again so for us AYW will be a non-issue.

 

Not once did I negate anyone's perspective on this subject. Several times on this thread I have expressed all the reasons that we prefer Traditional dining because that is how we feel. One poster has torn all those reasons apart seemingly with great pleasure.

 

Yes, Ruth .... you hit the nail on the head ..."it's the tone".

 

It seems from time to time people find a mark and they just keep needling. And I kept biting. My bad. I'm done.

[cruz chic]

It's totally the tone!

[RevNeal]

Revneal I always enjoy reading your posts. You are awesome! Thank you for being one of the kindest and most reasonable people on this board.

 

Thank you so very much! You're too kind. :)

After spending several ours in transit to Fort Lauderdale, it was nice to read this post before going to bed a night pre-cruise. Thanks!

[RevNeal]

I disagree. I think what I wrote was polite and appropriate and it rubbed certain people the wrong way because of its content, not its tone.

 

I disagree. I took issue with your tone ... how you classified the negative posts and then dismissed them. As the self-proclaimed "authority" on the content of this thread and how its posts should be interpreted, you should be more-careful.

 

(Did you really call me a name?) :D

 

Yes ... I called you "Spock." I did so because you said that objecting to you was "illogical." Along with the adjective: "erudite," it was a compliment.

 

<sigh>I find all this bloviating very fascinating ;), but I'm in Fort Lauderdale now and, tomorrow morning I get up, have breakfast, and then transfer to the pier to board, yet again, the lovely ms Volendam. I could go through your post point-by-point, but it would be useless. You can have the last word ... which, per your own statements ("You have your say, and I'll have mine" and "I'm an authority ... and that should have been respected") is really all you want, anyhow.

[bUU]

It's totally the tone!

Sorry, y'all feel that way. However, I won't be changing for you. Accept that my statements are intended as I intend them, not as you decide to perceive them. We can spend lots of time in every thread talking about it, or we can just decide to stop talking about it. Your choice. Do YOU want to make all these thread about me? Because I sure don't.

[Brahmama]

We are an older couple (68/70) have just booked our 3rd HAL cruise, but the first with the option for AYWD.

 

My TA emailed back the confirmation and also that early seating was not a possibility and couldn't be waitlisted. We were startled because our cruise isn't until October 08. She did waitlist us for the 8:00 which is later than we prefer.

 

So we are wondering about AYW. We have always enjoyed our tables for 4 or 6 and the table staff has been a big part of the enjoyment. We hate to give up that traditional part of cruising, but maybe it's not all that different?

 

One question is about the formal nights. We do enjoy them and all the excitement of the formal evenings. How does that work with AYWD? Do people still follow the dress code?

 

We don't know a soul on this ship and we aren't traveling with another couple with us and I guess I'm just anxious about feeling like we don't belong anywhere!

 

Gosh, this sounds really petty, but I wanted to know ahead of time. So if you have experienced AYW, I would appreciated your opinion.

[terrydtx]

We are an older couple (68/70) have just booked our 3rd HAL cruise, but the first with the option for AYWD.

 

My TA emailed back the confirmation and also that early seating was not a possibility and couldn't be waitlisted. We were startled because our cruise isn't until October 08. She did waitlist us for the 8:00 which is later than we prefer.

 

So we are wondering about AYW. We have always enjoyed our tables for 4 or 6 and the table staff has been a big part of the enjoyment. We hate to give up that traditional part of cruising, but maybe it's not all that different?

 

One question is about the formal nights. We do enjoy them and all the excitement of the formal evenings. How does that work with AYWD? Do people still follow the dress code?

 

We don't know a soul on this ship and we aren't traveling with another couple with us and I guess I'm just anxious about feeling like we don't belong anywhere!

 

Gosh, this sounds really petty, but I wanted to know ahead of time. So if you have experienced AYW, I would appreciated your opinion.

 

I am surprised this far out that you can not get waitlisted on the early 5:45 seating. I have not yet experienced AYWD, but will on the Volendam this month. From the reports back so far, and they are limited, on actual AYWD experiences most people who were waitlisted for traditional got their desire once they boarded. HAL has been adjusting the proportion of passengers on each cruise who want traditional or AYWD to accommodate as many as they can. However, my understanding is that if you are not waitlisted on the particular seating you want, you will not get it, even after adjusting the Traditional and AYWD proportions for that cruise.

 

Maybe your TA thought you wanted to be waitlisted for the old 6:15 seating in the lower DR which is no longer available and has been replaced with the AYWD. I would think that this far out you should have been able to get waitlisted on the 5:45 seating. If you’re TA can not get you waitlisted try calling HAL customer service and see what they can do for you make it sound like you will reconsider cruising with them if you can not at least get waitlisted for the early seating. My wife and I prefer the AYWD option and are looking forward to the cruise this month. You do get all the excitement of the formal evenings with AYWD.

[cruz chic]

I am surprised this far out that you can not get waitlisted on the early 5:45 seating. I have not yet experienced AYWD, but will on the Volendam this month. From the reports back so far, and they are limited, on actual AYWD experiences most people who were waitlisted for traditional got their desire once they boarded. HAL has been adjusting the proportion of passengers on each cruise who want traditional or AYWD to accommodate as many as they can. However, my understanding is that if you are not waitlisted on the particular seating you want, you will not get it, even after adjusting the Traditional and AYWD proportions for that cruise.

 

Maybe your TA thought you wanted to be waitlisted for the old 6:15 seating in the lower DR which is no longer available and has been replaced with the AYWD. I would think that this far out you should have been able to get waitlisted on the 5:45 seating. If you’re TA can not get you waitlisted try calling HAL customer service and see what they can do for you make it sound like you will reconsider cruising with them if you can not at least get waitlisted for the early seating. My wife and I prefer the AYWD option and are looking forward to the cruise this month. You do get all the excitement of the formal evenings with AYWD.

 

I agree. Ask them to put you on the 5:45 waitlist. Your cruise is pretty far out and I imagine you will get it from what has been discussed on this thread.

 

I was on the Ryndam when AYWD went into place in Oct.07 and people were as dressed up as usual on a formal night. I wonder myself as time goes by if that will change.