I should not have chosen Open Seating

[cocos]

Now, I'm officially concerned about the Open Seating option we selected (Rydam, Alaska, July 24). :eek: Most people in my party are used to a fixed dining and hope to know the dinner's time. I don't like the idea of having new waiters each night. It sounds like the oposite to "good personal service". Also, my children were used in past cruises to know personally our waiters. :(

Is there something positive about Open Seating???

[Mr. Oregon]

When we sailed on the Eurodam last November, we chose open seating. It was fun sitting at a different table each night and meeting other people on the cruise and not having to make it to a specific dinner time.

 

As you say, you have different waiters each night, so you don't get to know them like you would with fixed seating. I still felt like the service was as good compared to having the same waiters all week.

 

I'm not so sure I would like having open seating with a full family, as it will be a little harder getting one of the large tables when you are ready, and the wait staff will not learn to anticipate your family's needs.

[jtl513]

Well, you can virtually turn the open into fixed seating if you are willing to eat early or late. You can call each morning and reserve a specific table you like, and I understand on some ships you can reserve for two nights at a time (but we never did that). The catch is, you can't reserve for the peak time - 7:00 to 8:00 on most ships but it may be earlier in AK.

[Aunty Pat]

People choose Open Seating for the flexibility of dining times or because they booked too late to get their choice of assigned dining time. If you are traveling with a family group, especially multi generational, a fixed dining time may be the only time all day that you all get together.

I always recommend to my clients that they choose assigned seating because it is much easier to change to open from fixed than from fixed to open once you get aboard.

Aunty Pat

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ‘07

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Cunard - QM2 ’08

Pending Cruises:

HAL – Westerdam, September 6, 2009

Oceania – Insignia, June 17, 2010

[jtl513]

... because it is much easier to change to open from fixed than from fixed to open once you get aboard.

uhhh ... isn't that kinda like heads I win tails you lose? :D:D

[cocos]

Well, you can virtually turn the open into fixed seating if you are willing to eat early or late. You can call each morning and reserve a specific table you like, and I understand on some ships you can reserve for two nights at a time (but we never did that). The catch is, you can't reserve for the peak time - 7:00 to 8:00 on most ships but it may be earlier in AK.

 

Can I reserve daily for the same time, table and waiter than the previous night?

[Mary Ellen]

Only during certain dining times can you make reservations for 1 or 2 night at at time. Being locked in to making a phone call at 8 a.m. trying to get reservations isn't my idea of flexibility (or a relaxing vacation for that matter), but it works for some.

[jtl513]

Can I reserve daily for the same time, table and waiter than the previous night?

We did, but we're always up early and called right at 8:00a - and we like to eat early, just as we do at home.

 

If you get the same table you will have the same waiters.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Now, I'm officially concerned about the Open Seating option we selected (Rydam, Alaska, July 24). :eek: Most people in my party are used to a fixed dining and hope to know the dinner's time. I don't like the idea of having new waiters each night. It sounds like the oposite to "good personal service". Also, my children were used in past cruises to know personally our waiters. :(

Is there something positive about Open Seating???

 

Hola, Cocos:

 

This is a little bit off-topic, but there are several different CC members who are also doing this cruise, and most of us have picked open seating. If you would like to join our roll call, you can find us at two places:

 

The July 24 departure from Seward to Vancouver

 

or

 

The July 17 Ryndam Alaska (which is for those of us who are doing a back-to-back, traveling Vancouver to Seward on July 17, then returning Seward to Vancouver on July 24).

 

We are planning a get-together for our group on July 25, from 2-3 pm, in the Explorer's Lounge, thanks to the efforts of CC member "trvlcrzy". You and your family are most welcome to attend.

 

Are you working with a travel agent who can assist you in moving from open to fixed seating? Is anyone in your group traveling in either a Penthouse Suite (category "PH") or Deluxe Verandah Suite (category "S")? These categories of cabin receive priority when it comes to dining room requests, if possible.

 

As mentioned above by jtl513, you can reserve a table, even in open seating, with some restrictions. It is my understanding that you can reserve the same table, the same time, and the same dining steward. You just need to call either every day or every other day. If you are in a penthouse or deluxe verandah suite, the concierge staff in the Neptune Lounge can handle this for you.

 

Another option is to speak with the main dining room manager when you board, and ask him what would be the best thing to do for your family. As I recall, you are traveling with young children, and perhaps he will take pity on you and them.

 

Sorry if this is too much information:o

 

 

Karin

[cocos]

Hola, Cocos:

 

As mentioned above by jtl513, you can reserve a table, even in open seating, with some restrictions. It is my understanding that you can reserve the same table, the same time, and the same dining steward. You just need to call either every day or every other day. If you are in a penthouse or deluxe verandah suite, the concierge staff in the Neptune Lounge can handle this for you.

 

Another option is to speak with the main dining room manager when you board, and ask him what would be the best thing to do for your family. As I recall, you are traveling with young children, and perhaps he will take pity on you and them.

 

Sorry if this is too much information:o

 

 

Karin

 

It is not, Karin, really apreciate it (muchas gracias!). We'll try to be there, thanks so much for the invitation!

We don't have any of those suites (just an ordinary exterior view room). And now I get clearer that I/wife should wake up early. Thanks again.

[dandro]

We absolutely loved open seating! We got to choose when to eat, and we met so many fabulous people from all over. The service was never lacking, both the wine steward and the waiters were all very attentive and gracious.

 

I would never do fixed seating, I don't like ruts and like a sense of adventure.

 

DH and I would say "I wonder who we will meet tonight, and wonder where they're from?" Very exciting.

 

Some nights we were ready to dine at 6PM, sometimes a bit later, sometimes a lot later.

 

The dining room matre 'd was very nice every night and he had a smile for us always, and said "I will seat you with very nice people". And they did!

[debnjoe1438]

Can I reserve daily for the same time, table and waiter than the previous night?

 

My husband and I reserved the same table with the same waiter and the same tablemates each night with the exception of the nights (2) when we had dinner at the Pinnacle.:D Also the first day of the cruise we called ahead and asked for a "window" table. Got it every night except the 2

[brucory]

On the day of boarding, the dining room Maitre de or assistant is usually at one end of the lido, or in a specific spot such as a lounge. You can talk to them about your dining preferences. We have found they really try to help you out with what you want. While there is a procedure of calling for reservations in advance with open, we have found that we were able to let them know as we were leaving dinner (admit it is usually quiet by the time we leave), what we would prefer for the next few nights.

 

We have never had a problem - Each afternoon, we recieve a reservation card with our time and preferred table number...

 

On our last cruise, we had a table mix up and had to go upstairs to sit in the fixed area, away from our beloved table by the window in open seating. We found we were not as impressed as the open. Our regular excellent waiter and wine waiter even came up from open dining, to see us and told us they missed us....

 

I would recommend open to anyone... While we all have different preferences, I don't understand why there is so many tantrums (eg. will not travel) when fixed is not available...

 

Each to their own... I hope you get what you want...

 

:D:D:D

[CowPrincess]

I don't understand why there is so many twisted knickers and tantrums when fixed is not available...

 

No tantrums or twisted knickers from me -- my PCC knows now that if we can't get "fixed" dining, we'll take a different cruise. No tantrums, just a fact. We find that it adds to our enjoyment of our cruise.

 

For us, we found open to be somewhat like "speed dating". "Hi, where you from, have you cruised on HAL before, have you been to Alaska before?" Rinse, and repeat. Night after night. In our experience the service in open was not as good as in fixed. On the last night we did open dining, we did meet a congenial, diverse group of people. All 8 of us agreed that had we met sooner in the cruise, we'd have become a regular table. As it was, none of the 8 of us really cared for the "open" dining.

 

When I returned home, I described "open dining" to my DH as being similar to eating breakfast and/or lunch in the dining room. He doesn't want to try "open", based on that comparison. And we are fairly certain we will not cruise NCL, based on our preferred dining style.

 

I'm glad you like "open" -- you are certainly entitled to your opinion and preference. As am I, and my preference is "fixed".

[garydm]

We had open seating on Ryndam in April and it was great and we never did make a reservation. We never had to wait at all for a table and they tended to put us in the same waiter area each night with the same wine steward. I believe it shows on their check in computer where you were the evening before.

 

Gary

[DebbieS732]

No tantrums or twisted knickers from me -- my PCC knows now that if we can't get "fixed" dining, we'll take a different cruise. No tantrums, just a fact. We find that it adds to our enjoyment of our cruise.

 

For us, we found open to be somewhat like "speed dating". "Hi, where you from, have you cruised on HAL before, have you been to Alaska before?" Rinse, and repeat. Night after night. In our experience the service in open was not as good as in fixed. On the last night we did open dining, we did meet a congenial, diverse group of people. All 8 of us agreed that had we met sooner in the cruise, we'd have become a regular table. As it was, none of the 8 of us really cared for the "open" dining.

 

When I returned home, I described "open dining" to my DH as being similar to eating breakfast and/or lunch in the dining room. He doesn't want to try "open", based on that comparison. And we are fairly certain we will not cruise NCL, based on our preferred dining style.

 

I'm glad you like "open" -- you are certainly entitled to your opinion and preference. As am I, and my preference is "fixed".

 

I would never try to talk someone out of their preferred dining options because I can see there are pluses and minuses to both options, which is precisely the reason so many cruise lines are giving a variety of options these days.

 

But I am sincerely curious, as to what people (with fixed dining) do when they find themselves stuck at a table with people they don't click with, especially on a long cruise like the one we just finished (10 nights). While I generally enjoy most people, there are some people (whether they be chronic complainers, the type who monopolizes the conversation, the non-stop bragger or maybe they don't speak more than broken English so the conversation is very strained, etc) with whom if I was forced to eat with them for 10 nights it would absolutely ruin my cruise.

 

So, what do you do? Ask to change tables?

[PCruzer]

We had open seating for the first time on the Oosterdam in March. As it turned out, we loved it. We got to meet lots of different people this way. We never made a reservation and never had to wait for a table. I think that as long as you are willing to be seated with other people, there is no waiting for a table. I don't think we would ever choose fixed dining again.

[Hflors]

I would never try to talk someone out of their preferred dining options because I can see there are pluses and minuses to both options, which is precisely the reason so many cruise lines are giving a variety of options these days.

 

But I am sincerely curious, as to what people (with fixed dining) do when they find themselves stuck at a table with people they don't click with, especially on a long cruise like the one we just finished (10 nights). While I generally enjoy most people, there are some people (whether they be chronic complainers, the type who monopolizes the conversation, the non-stop bragger or maybe they don't speak more than broken English so the conversation is very strained, etc) with whom if I was forced to eat with them for 10 nights it would absolutely ruin my cruise.

 

So, what do you do? Ask to change tables?

 

 

In a work "YEP". Been there done that!

[Hflors]

I would never try to talk someone out of their preferred dining options because I can see there are pluses and minuses to both options, which is precisely the reason so many cruise lines are giving a variety of options these days.

 

But I am sincerely curious, as to what people (with fixed dining) do when they find themselves stuck at a table with people they don't click with, especially on a long cruise like the one we just finished (10 nights). While I generally enjoy most people, there are some people (whether they be chronic complainers, the type who monopolizes the conversation, the non-stop bragger or maybe they don't speak more than broken English so the conversation is very strained, etc) with whom if I was forced to eat with them for 10 nights it would absolutely ruin my cruise.

 

So, what do you do? Ask to change tables?

 

 

OOPs sorry duplicate post.

[Himself]

I have done the "open seating" on three cruises and I love it!

[CowPrincess]

I would never try to talk someone out of their preferred dining options because I can see there are pluses and minuses to both options, which is precisely the reason so many cruise lines are giving a variety of options these days.

 

But I am sincerely curious, as to what people (with fixed dining) do when they find themselves stuck at a table with people they don't click with, especially on a long cruise like the one we just finished (10 nights). While I generally enjoy most people, there are some people (whether they be chronic complainers, the type who monopolizes the conversation, the non-stop bragger or maybe they don't speak more than broken English so the conversation is very strained, etc) with whom if I was forced to eat with them for 10 nights it would absolutely ruin my cruise.

 

So, what do you do? Ask to change tables?

 

On our May/08 cruise we had a couple at our table of 4. One spoke some English, one spoke VERY little. We managed, and actually got to know something about their home, their lives, their families. There were moments when (because we could not speak their language at all) we would all be scrambling for alternative words and such, but we still did fine.

 

Only once did we get complete "duds" as tablemates (rude, hostile, paranoid), and we requested & got a different table for the balance of the cruise. If we'd not been able to change tables, I think we'd have Lido'd and Room Serviced a LOT. As it was, we got moved to a table for 6, where 4 of the people at the table had DEMANDED that the other 2 be removed as they were drunken boors who abused the waitstaff :(.

 

As for braggarts and such, I'm pretty much entertained by them :) and fortunately we've not often encoutered them. When we do, I manage the occasional perfect understatement, and that often just stops them in their tracks. We have generally had AWESOME tablemates in fixed, and some we still stay in touch with.

[Aunty Pat]

Debbie,

I’ve never had the problem on a HAL cruise of being assigned to a table with people we didn’t enjoy having dinner with. But then when I’ve cruising solo or there are just the 2 of us we’ve always requested a table for 6 or 8. When I’ve cruise with my adult children we would always have a table for the 6 of us.

The only time I’ve had unpleasant table assignment was on Celebrity and my ever resourceful son meet some other people on a shore excursion and we all requested a change of tables so that we could sit together for the rest of the cruise. On NCL with Freestyle dining we kept running into people who were part of groups for some type of sales training (Amway or similar) who kept trying to sell us their product.

Aunty Pat

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ‘07

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Cunard - QM2 ’08

Pending Cruises:

HAL – Westerdam, September 6, 2009

Oceania – Insignia, June 17, 2010

[DebbieS732]

That's good to know - that you can request a change. I just assumed you were 'stuck' with the group for the duration of the cruise.

 

We did meet several groups of people on our cruise that I would have been perfectly comfortable dining with every night. One group we met on a private tour in Russia. Another group we met at a table for 8 and then a few nights later we ended up at a table with them again and had some fascinating conversation. In the past, we had requested a table just for us but this cruise we sat at big tables 1/3 of the nights and really enjoyed it. It was fun to run into those people again and again on the cruise.

 

On the other hand, one night we dined with a couple of siblings who, while mildly entertaining, would have driven me crazy had I been stuck with them for 10 nights.

[cruz chic]

I would never try to talk someone out of their preferred dining options because I can see there are pluses and minuses to both options, which is precisely the reason so many cruise lines are giving a variety of options these days.

 

But I am sincerely curious, as to what people (with fixed dining) do when they find themselves stuck at a table with people they don't click with, especially on a long cruise like the one we just finished (10 nights). While I generally enjoy most people, there are some people (whether they be chronic complainers, the type who monopolizes the conversation, the non-stop bragger or maybe they don't speak more than broken English so the conversation is very strained, etc) with whom if I was forced to eat with them for 10 nights it would absolutely ruin my cruise.

 

So, what do you do? Ask to change tables?

Count me as another person that will choose another line if I can't get traditional. I have asked before to be moved. The worst table I was at was at a table for 4 and 2 people didn't show up. I'm a solo (female)and they sat me with another solo male. The guy answered all the questions I asked with one word. I got tired of that real quick and got moved. I ended up with a great table. I've had more bad experiences with open at breakfast and lunch then I've had with traditional at dinner. I'm happy that you enjoy open but I don't know why you feel compelled to question us that do enjoy the traditional. I have to laugh at your suggestion that 10 days is a long cruise. That would be a short one for me:).

[Himself]

I never go to the Dining Room for Breakfast or Lunch. I always eat in the Lido for those two meals.