As You Wish Dining - What and How

[Mary Ellen]

We also go there for dinner. LOL

 

SO sorry about the typo!! :o I guess since I did that I now to add that some straights go there for lunch too. I'm not a great typist on a good day, but I'm finding I'm a LOT worse on the iPad. I need to ALWAYS proof read and nt rely on spell check to point out errors. :o :o

[Boytjie]

SO sorry about the typo!! :o I guess since I did that I now to add that some straights go there for lunch too. I'm not a great typist on a good day, but I'm finding I'm a LOT worse on the iPad. I need to ALWAYS proof read and nt rely on spell check to point out errors. :o :o

 

Oh I thought it was very funny. :) I too suffer from the Curse of Teh. ;)

[Newleno]

Can we get a table for two? (as you wish dining) thanks in advance for your assistance

[Roz]

Sometimes...you may have to wait a while.

 

Roz

[Mary Ellen]

Can we get a table for two? (as you wish dining) thanks in advance for your assistance

There are tables for two in all venues of AYWD - which covers ALL the food venues on the HAL ships. :D

[JYGresham]

Can we get a table for two? (as you wish dining) thanks in advance for your assistance

 

If your experience was like ours on the Prinsendam last year you could get what was billed as a table for two by requesting and getting a confirmation every day. However our table was elbow to elbow with a table for 6 and while they were very pleasant people it is not our definition of a "Table for Two". This was the first time in many years of cruising that we were not able to be put in the Fixed late seating which we always request, even though we had made our booking 7 months in advance.

[RMLincoln]

Does HAL now require that those with Open Dining pay thier Hotel Charges at Final Payment? We will have a fair amount of On Baord Credit and we were hoping to use it for the Hotel Charges but if we have paid those at Final Payment .... will that's another thread I guess.

 

Thanks, m--

[Cruising-along]

Does HAL now require that those with Open Dining pay thier Hotel Charges at Final Payment? We will have a fair amount of On Baord Credit and we were hoping to use it for the Hotel Charges but if we have paid those at Final Payment .... will that's another thread I guess.

 

Thanks, m--

 

No, HAL doesn't require pre-payment of the Hotel Charges when you have Open Seating. I know Celebrity does, but so far HAL doesn't.

[RMLincoln]

No, HAL doesn't require pre-payment of the Hotel Charges when you have Open Seating. I know Celebrity does, but so far HAL doesn't.

 

Very good news! And thank you Cruising-Along! We had to pre-pay on Celerity earlier this year and I thought I had read that somewhere about HAL now, but couldn't find itwritten anywhere ... I guess because it isn't so! m--

[tigertheprince]

I think it is working quite well. We have used AYWD on all of the five cruises we made with HAL, and it was fine.

But it took us a while to understand the "finesses" of it! For instance, we really enjoyed a team of waiters, and they asked us after a week aboard if we wanting to book a table with them around 8pm every night. At first, we said no, to keep the freedom of eating whenever we felt like it. But we noticed that dinner was taking a long time, mostly waiting between dishes. Finally, we decided to try this... fixed time AYWD...

And that was just perfect. No more waiting, the table was always available from 7:45 pm till 8:45. We kept the luxury of eating when we wanted and got away with the waiting, the sometimes difficult orderings with new waiters, etc. Our team knew the wines we liked, and asked us every day whether it would be white (an Italian one) or red (Duboeuf beaujolais), how many lobsters we wanted (when available) and so forth. We were polite, meaning for instance if we decided to eat in the stateroom, I would stop by the MDR to tell them not to expect us or keep the table.

And we tipped the 3 of them discretely at the end. The tips were meant for them, not for any one else.

I loved it!

[RuthC]

I think it is working quite well. We have used AYWD on all of the five cruises we made with HAL, and it was fine.

Everyone has AYWD on every cruise. Some have it on fixed seating, others on open. And a few have it in the Lido every night. Some go to alternate restaurants every once in a while, and some even eat in their cabins a time or two.

And sometimes people don't get the dining they wish. :(

[cruzincurt]

We've been away from HAL for two years now, mostly due to our past experience with AYWD on the Westerdam.

 

Have they addressed the problem we experienced where they were slow to reset tables for two after the first use? We would show up at 8:30, ask for a two top and they would say they didn't have any. But we could look in and see many tables for two that were not reset. They kept wanting to push us to a table of eight. As they led us to a larger table we would pass by many unset tables. Didn't seem back then they understood the concept of dining on our schedule with our choice of accommodations.

 

On other lines, they constantly reset the two's. Even the head waiters were seen clearing the tables for a quick turn around.

[GeriatricNurse]

We've been away from HAL for two years now, mostly due to our past experience with AYWD on the Westerdam.

 

Have they addressed the problem we experienced where they were slow to reset tables for two after the first use? We would show up at 8:30, ask for a two top and they would say they didn't have any. But we could look in and see many tables for two that were not reset. They kept wanting to push us to a table of eight. As they led us to a larger table we would pass by many unset tables. Didn't seem back then they understood the concept of dining on our schedule with our choice of accommodations.

 

On other lines, they constantly reset the two's. Even the head waiters were seen clearing the tables for a quick turn around.

 

Your experience with 'AYWD', (also referred to as 'Open Dining'), are the very reasons, (among others), that I gave up on dining in the MDR, :mad: & migrated to the Lido/Canaletto, ;) where I have been enjoying my dining experience ever since! :)

[cruzincurt]

Your experience with 'AYWD', (also referred to as 'Open Dining'), are the very reasons, (among others), that I gave up on dining in the MDR, :mad: & migrated to the Lido/Canaletto, ;) where I have been enjoying my dining experience ever since! :)

Well our experience was two years ago and they seemed to be stuck on the idea of two seatings even in AYWD. Hopefully they have changed and become more accommodating. After this routine one night we went off to the LIDO only to find it was "Staff Only" because they had a deck barbcue for the passengers earlier in the evening. You have to be kidding.:confused:

[GeriatricNurse]

Well our experience was two years ago and they seemed to be stuck on the idea of two seatings even in AYWD. Hopefully they have changed and become more accommodating. After this routine one night we went off to the LIDO only to find it was "Staff Only" because they had a deck barbcue for the passengers earlier in the evening. You have to be kidding.:confused:

 

Your reference to "two seatings", in my view, only relates to the two seatings in 'Traditional' (dinner) seatings! In 'AYWD', actually, more correctly referred to as 'Open Dining', one is able to either make dinner reservations, (up to two days ahead), or present themselves at the door to the MDR, (on the upper level), beginning at 1715 (5:15 p.m.), and request a table of choice for dinner! From my experience, in the past, if you are a 'solo' or 'couple', you will be 'encouraged' to sit at a larger table, presumeably in order to 'fill it up'! It did seem more difficult to obtain a table for two, ('two top'), for whatever reason(s)! :( With regard to the Lido, if there is a BBQ on the deck, by the pool, then what I have done (and will continue to do), with no problem, is to bring my food (inside) from the BBQ and dine in quiet & air conditionned comfort! Traditionally, ONE side of the Lido will be reserved, each evening, for the "staff" to eat dinner, which from my past experience, leaves adequate room on the 'other' side for all the passengers, (and there are many), who choose to enjoy dinner (in the LIDO)! :)

[drgrinch]

If you have different table waiters each night but wish to tip extra, you can always increase the daily gratuity rate above the automatic $11.50 or $12.00. I read on another thread that 35% goes to the dinning room staff. Not all that efficient, but it's simple.

[GeriatricNurse]

If you have different table waiters each night but wish to tip extra, you can always increase the daily gratuity rate above the automatic $11.50 or $12.00. I read on another thread that 35% goes to the dinning room staff. Not all that efficient, but it's simple.

 

The daily 'Hotel Service Charge', per person, (aka gratuities/tips), in the amount of $11.50, that you have indicated refers to those who are accomodated in 'suites'! For everyone else, it is $11.25! ;) So, it is $11.25 & $11.50, (not $11.50 & $12.00)! :)

[aussieblue]

No, HAL doesn't require pre-payment of the Hotel Charges when you have Open Seating. I know Celebrity does, but so far HAL doesn't.

 

Please could you tell me what are "hotel charges"?

 

Shayne

[Cruising-along]

Please could you tell me what are "hotel charges"?

 

Shayne

 

Hi Shayne, the hotel charge is the amount charged to your account daily for gratuities. It's $11.50 per person per day, $12.00 if you are in a suite.

[aussieblue]

Hi Shayne, the hotel charge is the amount charged to your account daily for gratuities. It's $11.50 per person per day, $12.00 if you are in a suite.

 

Thanks Caroline

[serendipity1499]

If you have different table waiters each night but wish to tip extra, you can always increase the daily gratuity rate above the automatic $11.50 or $12.00. I read on another thread that 35% goes to the dinning room staff. Not all that efficient, but it's simple.

 

The daily 'Hotel Service Charge', per person, (aka gratuities/tips), in the amount of $11.50, that you have indicated refers to those who are accomodated in 'suites'! For everyone else, it is $11.25! ;) So, it is $11.25 & $11.50, (not $11.50 & $12.00)! :)

 

NOt True!

The Hotel Service Charge is $11.50 per day pp for Non-Suite Psgrs & 12.00 per day pp in Suites..

This is from the Cruise Planning HAL WEB site:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Shipboard+Life&contentMenu=Money+Matters&contentSubMenu=Can+I+Use+My+Credit+Card+On+Board%3F

Quote:

Is There A Hotel Service Charge?

 

Our crew works very hard to make sure that every aspect of your cruise meets the highest standards. This includes those crew members who serve you directly, such as Dining Room wait staff and the stewards who service your stateroom each day. There are also many others who support their efforts whom you may never meet, such as galley and laundry staff. To ensure that the efforts of all of our crew members are recognized and rewarded, a daily Hotel Service Charge is automatically added to each guest’s shipboard account.

The daily Hotel Service Charge for suites is US$12.00 per guest per day, and US$11.50 per guest per day for other staterooms. (The charges are subject to change without notice)Unquote

 

Betty

[minnesotanice290]

I am going to be traveling with two friends on a 10-day Western Med cruise in a few months and we are wondering how much wine we are allowed to bring on board (for consumption in our cabin). I know we have to pay a corkage fee to bring our wine into the MDR, but I couldn't find info on number of bottles pp on the Holland America website. Since we will be in Italy, Monaco, and Spain, we wanted to enjoy the local specials (and some of the best wine in the world at a great discount).

 

Any info you have would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Laine

[Cruising-along]

I am going to be traveling with two friends on a 10-day Western Med cruise in a few months and we are wondering how much wine we are allowed to bring on board (for consumption in our cabin). I know we have to pay a corkage fee to bring our wine into the MDR, but I couldn't find info on number of bottles pp on the Holland America website. Since we will be in Italy, Monaco, and Spain, we wanted to enjoy the local specials (and some of the best wine in the world at a great discount).

 

Any info you have would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Laine

 

HAL lets you bring unlimited amounts of wine onboard, upon embarkation and at any and all ports. We love their generous policy, and have done as you plan to do in Europe. Enjoy your cruise!

[minnesotanice290]

HAL lets you bring unlimited amounts of wine onboard, upon embarkation and at any and all ports. We love their generous policy, and have done as you plan to do in Europe. Enjoy your cruise!

 

Thank you for the info! We are looking forward to it!

[minniegidget]

Will be going on the Ryndam in Nov, first time my family is trying open seating. (I have tried it once and loved it) What times should we avoid trying to get in the MDR? I just want this to go as smoothly as we can get because if they dont like it this time they will never try it again.