HAL Formaly introduces "as you wish dining"

[AirGorilla]

Sure it can. I've know many people who've had a table for two guaranteed under the traditional system. My parents, for example.

 

We usually get a table for two. Have never had a problem getting one, when we request it. However, under this scenario, there will be fewer traditional seating tables for two than exist now, due to some being designated AYW.

[AirGorilla]

I can tell you from our Princess experience in April, that traditional seating was waitlisted--NOT "Anytime Dining" . I know others here have questioned my observations of this matter, but I saw some VERY unhappy folks who wanted traditional and couldn't get it--even though they were repeat Princess cruisers! Why in the worl would anyone want to stand in line or carry around a beeper tp dine when on a cruise ship ????

 

We were on a very crowded ship and "Anytime Dining" was overcrowded and didn't work well for many pax. As I said earlier, IF you dine before 6:00-6:30, no problem, but after that...:( So if I sail Princess again, I will book early and get confirmed, traditional dining time.

 

On the Caribbean Princess, they have three dining rooms, of which two are "Anytime Dining." That's probably why we didn't get the Traditional, which we requested, and were waitlisted for. I was told that, on this ship, they don't have Traditional Dining tables for two.

[nicknack]

But a table for two cannot be guaranteed with traditional dining. We are looking forward to trying HAL now that this new policy exists - otherwise we wouldn't even consider HAL.

 

I see nothing in the new written policy that says tables for two will always now be available with AYW like they are on NCL and Princess. The option of being able to eat whenever you want does not necessarily mean tables for two unless HAL is will to spend some money to make sure tables of that size are sufficiently available.

[Dena]

I see nothing in the new written policy that says tables for two will always now be available with AYW like they are on NCL and Princess. .

 

If they are not, there will be many unhappy couples. On Princess when we said wanted to dine alone, were were often seated at a table for 4, but no one else was seated with us. HAL can do this as well if they don't have enough 2-tops, just like any land-based restaurant does.

[RevNeal]

I think it was Sail who once said that requests for specific seatings, specific tables and table sizes are acknowleged , when confirmed. They are not however, guaranteed as final allocation is up to the dining room . If it was not Sail, then it was someone of equal credibility or I would not have remembered this).

 

I do not think HAL ever uses the term gurantee about anything other than cabin class. What happens if they can't accommodate a passenger's dining request? Do they get a free dinner? :)

 

Nomenclature correction acknowledged and confirmed.

 

My parents request for a table for two was always acknowledged and, when they made such a request, they always got it.

[RevNeal]

We usually get a table for two. Have never had a problem getting one, when we request it. However, under this scenario, there will be fewer traditional seating tables for two than exist now, due to some being designated AYW.

 

Correct. However, I had understood the remark I was responding to as indicating that they were now happy to book HAL because BEFORE (under the old system) a table for two could not be had. With AYW, however, a table for two should be easy to arrange ... though, of course, they might have to wait a while to get it.

[RSWBADGER]

Correct. However, I had understood the remark I was responding to as indicating that they were now happy to book HAL because BEFORE (under the old system) a table for two could not be had. With AYW, however, a table for two should be easy to arrange ... though, of course, they might have to wait a while to get it.

 

With this change to AYW, we will definitely try HAL in the future, we have always been able to get a private table for two with Princess and NCL, we haven't sailed RCL in years because of the large group tables. We enjoy dressing up, that is not the problem.

 

This is a welcome change for us.:)

[jhannah]

I can tell you from our Princess experience in April, that traditional seating was waitlisted--NOT "Anytime Dining" . I know others here have questioned my observations of this matter, but I saw some VERY unhappy folks who wanted traditional and couldn't get it--even though they were repeat Princess cruisers! Why in the worl would anyone want to stand in line or carry around a beeper tp dine when on a cruise ship ????

 

We were on a very crowded ship and "Anytime Dining" was overcrowded and didn't work well for many pax. As I said earlier, IF you dine before 6:00-6:30, no problem, but after that...:( So if I sail Princess again, I will book early and get confirmed, traditional dining time.

Peggy, this was the exact scenario we encountered in January on the Sapphire Princess. Fortunately for us, since we booked late in the game, we had a friend serving in the dining room who arranged for us to be seated at one of her tables ... traditional seating.

[puli]

With your date so far in the future, you might consider rebooking on another HAL ship, or another cruise line with better dining alternatives, like Celebrity, RCCL or Crystal.

 

The itinerary -- Sea of Cortez (one place we have never visited), the ship--Ryndam (the only HAL ship doing a 10 day Mexico cruise & a Statendam class ship to boot), and the time of year---spring of 2008 (which coincides with a very special birthday), all make this cruise the selection of choice.

However, we are also Celebrity cruisers and if the Mercury was doing Mexico sailings in 2008 we would have definitely been tempted to switch!

[RevNeal]

With this change to AYW, we will definitely try HAL in the future, we have always been able to get a private table for two with Princess and NCL, we haven't sailed RCL in years because of the large group tables. We enjoy dressing up, that is not the problem.

 

This is a welcome change for us.:)

 

Congratulations.

Sadly, those of us on the other side of the equation are not so happy. I will just have to "wait and see" and hope that dinner time doesn't become a miserable, lonely, or otherwise uncomfortable experience for me when I cruise solo (and without other friends).

[fcorey]

Congratulations.

Sadly, those of us on the other side of the equation are not so happy. I will just have to "wait and see" and hope that dinner time doesn't become a miserable, lonely, or otherwise uncomfortable experience for me when I cruise solo (and without other friends).

 

Any time you need dinner companions we would be honored :)

I agree, I think that this is really going to have to be a wait and see situation. I would be willing to wager that this is really going to vary from ship to ship depending on how the MD and HM implement this and deal with unhappy passengers. I found it interesting that a poll on the Celebrity board also was taking issue with this type of thing and to my knowledge Brand X isnt even doing this...yet.

[berryberry]

WOW - nice to see HAL is finally catching up with the times. Glad they have finally recognized what NCL created and others have copied as what the people want.

 

they keep doing things like this and they may attract us back again. As it is, for this spring we chose a 10 day Princess Southern Caribbean cruise over a similiar 10 day HAL one in part because of Princesses greater dining flexibility

[RevNeal]

WOW - nice to see HAL is finally catching up with the times. Glad they have finally recognized what NCL created and others have copied as what the people want.

 

I think it is very clear that not everybody wants this. That we'll just have to relax, grin, and bear it ... and try and arrange things so that our cruise experiences are not ruined in the process.

[berryberry]

I think it is very clear that not everybody wants this. That we'll just have to relax, grin, and bear it ... and try and arrange things so that our cruise experiences are not ruined in the process.

 

Never said everybody - but if it wasn't the MAJORITY of cruisers who want it, it wouldn't be happening

[RevNeal]

Never said everybody - but if it wasn't the MAJORITY of cruisers who want it, it wouldn't be happening

 

Your unqualified "the people" implies "everybody."

As for why it is happening ... it's happening because some squeaky wheels have been whining about it, while the majority doesn't realize anything is wrong and so remains quiet. The squeaky wheels get the grease.

 

If the "MAJORITY" wants this, why do so MANY -- and I mean far more than 50% -- of passengers request Traditional dining ... and then are unhappy because they can't get it?

[Cruising-along]

Time for a poll?

Seems to me there are a lot on both sides :)

[cruizelvr]

We found a way to go around the anytime dining, while we were on Princess. We arrived the first night and asked for the same table and the same waiter everynight. And that was exactly what we had, the same traditional dining experience. They had no problem accommadating us. We were a group of 6. It worked great, so I see no problem, pleasing everyone.

[berryberry]

Your unqualified "the people" implies "everybody."

As for why it is happening ... it's happening because some squeaky wheels have been whining about it, while the majority doesn't realize anything is wrong and so remains quiet. The squeaky wheels get the grease.

 

If the "MAJORITY" wants this, why do so MANY -- and I mean far more than 50% -- of passengers request Traditional dining ... and then are unhappy because they can't get it?

 

Not going to get into a semantics argument with you over this - but it is happening BECAUSE the majority of cruisers today want this type of flexibility. These are major corporations - they don't make major changes because of a few squeaky wheels. They make these changes carefully - as HAL has after testing the concept apparantly to much success and acceptance by the MAJORITY of cruisers today

 

If the squeaky wheels got the grease, you and several of the other old-timers here would have HAL operating as it did 20 years ago

[kryos]

Your unqualified "the people" implies "everybody."

As for why it is happening ... it's happening because some squeaky wheels have been whining about it, while the majority doesn't realize anything is wrong and so remains quiet. The squeaky wheels get the grease.

 

If the "MAJORITY" wants this, why do so MANY -- and I mean far more than 50% -- of passengers request Traditional dining ... and then are unhappy because they can't get it?

There would be a real simple way to ensure that the majority is ruling.

 

In flexible dining do NOT permit people to reserve the same table for the same time in a blanket fashion. Only permit reservations on a per day basis. That way, those who opt for flexible dining will truly get flexible dining. Then we'll see how many people truly appreciate the traditional set-up.

 

The problem I see with flexible dining is that people who maybe want a certain table (for example, that special table for two over there by the window) in traditional dining realize that the chances are they won't be able to get it. Maybe they booked late or maybe that's a really popular table and a suite passenger will most likely get first dibs on it. So, they'll opt for AYW dining and select a similar popular table for two and just reserve it as soon as they get onboard, for all seven or ten nights of the cruise. This way, in effect, they've gotten around the system. They get traditional dining, but in the AYW dining room.

 

If people couldn't do that ... if they could only reserve a table for that particular evening ... maybe the allure of AYW dining wouldn't be so great since the odds are they wouldn't be able to get that same table every night. Now they would truly have flexible dining ... different table, different waitstaff each night of the cruise.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[RevNeal]

We found a way to go around the anytime dining, while we were on Princess. We arrived the first night and asked for the same table and the same waiter everynight. And that was exactly what we had, the same traditional dining experience. They had no problem accommadating us. We were a group of 6. It worked great, so I see no problem, pleasing everyone.

 

Yes, that's exactly what I would do if I were with a group and couldn't get traditional dining. However ... if I'm traveling solo, without any other friends aboard, what do I do????

[kryos]

Congratulations.

Sadly, those of us on the other side of the equation are not so happy. I will just have to "wait and see" and hope that dinner time doesn't become a miserable, lonely, or otherwise uncomfortable experience for me when I cruise solo (and without other friends).

I have the same concerns as you, RevNeal. Slowly, but surely, cruising is losing its allure for me. Between losing that area of the Lido Deck, near the Lido Bar, as a social spot for smokers ... and now this AYW dining ... the experience of cruising is definitely changing for me.

 

The main concern I have with the AYW dining is that I have a feeling that most of the tables in that dining room are gonna be two and four tops ... since most groups are couples or a pair of couples traveling together. There won't be many large tables in AYW because generally groups are not that large. If they are, they will sit at two adjoining four-tops. Thus, the single is probably gonna wind up at a two-top by themselves ... unless there happens to be another single in the dining room at the same time. I just can't see how it will be any different.

 

I guess as long as HAL offers both options, we'll be okay. But if the day comes that HAL drops traditional dining, then we're in trouble.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[RevNeal]

Not going to get into a semantics argument with you over this - but it is happening BECAUSE the majority of cruisers today want this type of flexibility. These are major corporations - they don't make major changes because of a few squeaky wheels. They make these changes carefully - as HAL has after testing the concept apparantly to much success and acceptance by the MAJORITY of cruisers today

 

If the squeaky wheels got the grease, you and several of the other old-timers here would have HAL operating as it did 20 years ago

 

Hyperbole.

[berryberry]

Originally Posted by berryberry

 

Not going to get into a semantics argument with you over this - but it is happening BECAUSE the majority of cruisers today want this type of flexibility. These are major corporations - they don't make major changes because of a few squeaky wheels. They make these changes carefully - as HAL has after testing the concept apparantly to much success and acceptance by the MAJORITY of cruisers today

 

If the squeaky wheels got the grease, you and several of the other old-timers here would have HAL operating as it did 20 years ago

 

 

 

Hyperbole.

 

Nope - FACT. You are just too stubborn to see the light and admit it

[bepsf]

they keep doing things like this and they may attract us back again. As it is, for this spring we chose a 10 day Princess Southern Caribbean cruise over a similiar 10 day HAL one in part because of Princesses greater dining flexibility

 

 

But CCL already has Princess to appeal to folks such as yourself who might consider or prefer Freestyle. With HAL doing the same, you may enjoy more options but I get fewer - which may encourage me to look for other options outside the CCL corporate umbrella - therefore, CCL suffers a net loss.

 

I keep coming back to the GM parallel: GM did great business as the #1 US automaker when the 6 different divisions had clearly differentiated product lines to appeal to very different buyers - however, it was during the 80's and 90's when GM allowed every division to have very nearly the exact same cars in the same price brackets differentiated only by nameplates and grilles and trim packages (eventually appealing to nobody) that contributed to GM's fall from #1 in its industry and the death of the longstanding Oldsmobile brand (which eventually came to mean nothing) - and I see the beginnings of CCL following the same treacherous path with allowing HAL to become little more than a blue-hulled Princess or Carnival...

 

("This isn't your Father's HAL?")

[RevNeal]

I have the same concerns as you, RevNeal. Slowly, but surely, cruising is losing its allure for me. Between losing that area of the Lido Deck, near the Lido Bar, as a social spot for smokers ... and now this AYW dining ... the experience of cruising is definitely changing for me.

 

Toss in the dumbing-down of the dress code, Rita, and you'll appreciate where I'm standing. I know and understand that you prefer a more casual environment, but are willing to abide by the dress code as-is, and I appreciate that. I've won our bet on the Formal Night dress code issue, however in the long run you'll win it. HAL will eventually have no dress code at all, just as eventually there will be only fully-open seating.

 

The main concern I have with the AYW dining is that I have a feeling that most of the tables in that dining room are gonna be two and four tops ... since most groups are couples or a pair of couples traveling together. There won't be many large tables in AYW because generally groups are not that large. If they are, they will sit at two adjoining four-tops. Thus, the single is probably gonna wind up at a two-top by themselves ... unless there happens to be another single in the dining room at the same time. I just can't see how it will be any different.

 

I guess as long as HAL offers both options, we'll be okay. But if the day comes that HAL drops traditional dining, then we're in trouble.

 

Rita, you articulate my primary concern. Oh, I suspect that there will be SOME six-tops in the AYW scheme simply because there WILL be some groups that size (and even larger). However, for the most part you're correct ... singles who don't have a group or other friends with whom to cruise and dine will be left out in the cold, eating alone. And, frankly, the answer to our dilemma, Rita, is to cruise TOGETHER. Yes ... I mean you and me ... and RuthC and many other solos. In the future we're going to have to be more pro-active about arranging things so that we're not left eating alone.