cruz chic

:eek: I can't believe you're telling me to eat instead of exercise.

And I exercise a lot...seriously...but you wouldn't know it to see me:D. Still the pie sounds better.

We will be there from noon till 6 pm, supposedly. Will we have time to kayak AND get a chocolate-covered frozen keylime pie on a stick? (Gotta start planning, y'know :) )

I'd forget about the kayak and just go for the key lime pie;):D.

On all the HAL cruises I've taken Key West has only been a port once. That was in Nov.08. Because we missed Grand Cayman ( I think :confused:)we got to spend extra time in Key West. It was the first time I had been there and I loved it.

Sorry to hear it wasn't good... I got hooked back then but never got the opportunity again until 1999. I finally talked my husband into going, and he loved it - he was resistant because he thought he'd be bored, lol...

The cruise was way too long in 1984 for a first one. It was 14 days to Mexico. There were things I liked but it was just way too long and I was sick with a cold and seasick. Now I think 14 days isn't long enough:D . I can't wait to go on my 26 day in Nov:) .

Sorry to hear it wasn't good... I got hooked back then but never got the opportunity again until 1999. I finally talked my husband into going, and he loved it - he was resistant because he thought he'd be bored, lol...

The cruise was way too long in 1984 for a first one. It was 14 days to Mexico. There were things I liked but it was just way too long and I was sick with a cold and seasick. Now I think 14 days isn't long enough:D . I can't wait to go on my 26 day in Nov:) .

Have the menus and programs and tickets dating back to 1969. The who bunch take up a wall of file cabinets.

 

If I were industrious, Id scan them and put them online.

 

What a difference 40 years makes.

Now that would really be interesting to see. Next time you are bored you know what your project will be:D :D .

Have the menus and programs and tickets dating back to 1969. The who bunch take up a wall of file cabinets.

 

If I were industrious, Id scan them and put them online.

 

What a difference 40 years makes.

Now that would really be interesting to see. Next time you are bored you know what your project will be:D :D .

It's pretty 80's lol!!! I had it signed by many of the officers & staff on the final voyage of Noordam III in 2004. They couldn't believe I still had it after all those years... I still have the full menu set too. :)

I have a few sets of menus too but I think the oldest one is from 1999. I hated the first cruise I took in 1984. Couldn't wait to get off. I wonder if it didn't have something to do with meeting my now ex husband a few months before and missing him terribly. Fast forward to 1999 and divorced :D I took my next cruise. I was hooked at the point and have never looked back.

It's pretty 80's lol!!! I had it signed by many of the officers & staff on the final voyage of Noordam III in 2004. They couldn't believe I still had it after all those years... I still have the full menu set too. :)

I have a few sets of menus too but I think the oldest one is from 1999. I hated the first cruise I took in 1984. Couldn't wait to get off. I wonder if it didn't have something to do with meeting my now ex husband a few months before and missing him terribly. Fast forward to 1999 and divorced :D I took my next cruise. I was hooked at the point and have never looked back.

I was also on Noordam III in 1984!!!! That was my first cruise. I still have the brochure. It was touted as "maiden voyage" but it technically wasn't.

I'd love to see that brochure. That's great:) !

I was also on Noordam III in 1984!!!! That was my first cruise. I still have the brochure. It was touted as "maiden voyage" but it technically wasn't.

I'd love to see that brochure. That's great:) !

My first cruise was also on the Noordam in 1984. I think that was the inaugural year for that Noordam.

My first cruise was also on the Noordam in 1984. I think that was the inaugural year for that Noordam.

Hi, I have never been on HA before and asked for anytime dining. Now that I have been reading these threads I am a bit concerned. I know from other cruise lines that anytime seating means just walk in when you want. However, is that how HA does it? Or do I still need to make a reseravation?

 

I appreciate any help.

 

Theresa

No, you do not need to make a reservation. You may have to wait if you do the walk up approach. Much depends on what time you go.

I am confused by HAL's interpretation of all this. Given that on Rotterdam on our cruise there were more open diners and they put some upstairs with the traditionals, why I wonder does it not work the other way. Indeed will they get round to doing this eventually - I see no reason why not. On Rev Neal's cruise was the great discrepancy in figures because it was the first AYW and the dining staff were trying to figure the whole thing out.

 

Has anyone come across them mixing on any of the other ships?

Yes on my Ryndam cruise in Oct.07 when the AYWD was implemented I had traditional which should have been on the upper level. They had some traditional tables on the lower level. Could not tell you how many.

I am aware of a few sailings where Open Seatig was full and passengers who chose HAL because of this, were forced into Fixed Seating.

Boy, I find that really hard to believe. How is it that you are privy to so many things that other are not?:D

We had traditional fixed late seating on the 3/8 Noordam sailing. One night I didn't fell well so we opted to try ayw dining. Didn't want to wait for salad bar in the lido. Glad we only had to do that one night. Service was slow, finished plates stayed in front of you a long time. Servers were very overworked on the 2nd floor. We stayed at our regular table everynight after that

I'm surprised they let you go back and forth like that. Everything I've heard, and experienced is that you could not go back and forth. Here we go with more HAL inconsistencies.

Lorekauf,

 

We didn't get a letter saying we could switch. However, I didn't ask, so that may have been a possibility.

 

Roz

Strange.....more inconsistencies with HAL......:rolleyes:

My last cruise I had a bad bag to begin with for tablemates but ended up with some excellent people in the end. I have always gone traditional as I am a solo traveller. I haven't warmed up to the idea of trying the anytime..

David,

 

I had traditional dining on my recent cruise, but was very interested in how AYW was going. I went out of my way to talk to passengers in AYW to get their impressions. Honestly, I was surprised to hear the positive responses I got. At least on the cruise I was on (Oosterdam March 8-15), passengers did not, to use your words, have to "constantly fight" each night for a table. It seems like the process developed its own rythm.

 

My traditonal dining mates left a lot to be desired (worst table I've had), and at times I wistfully wished I had chosen AYW so that I could dine alone without being subjected to biting remarks and insults. I considered just opting for the Lido.

 

Roz

Just wondering if you could have switched from traditional to anytime once on board. When I was on the Ryndam we received letters saying that we could make a one time switch from traditional to anytime. Is that option still available?

....... and the beat goes on. None of this surprises me. I really think I should get work as a soothsayer:) . One of the benefits of growing older is that you begin to know when you are being led down the garden path. If they make the other path unattractive enough, they figure sooner or later you'll choose the path they've chosen for you.

 

There are some, though, who won't bite. There are some who will say (as someone suggested) .... "sorry, not being confirmed for Traditional Dining is a deal breaker" and move to another cruise line.

 

That would be me. And it makes me sad because I've yet to find another line who offers ships like Prinsendam, Maasdam, Veendam, etc., in a similar price range. I'll keep watching to see how it all plays out, but so far I'm not impressed.

I'm with you on this Heather. Not getting traditional is a deal breaker for me as well. I like Princess quite a bit and have been going with them more and more.

Actually, he is onboard the Noordam, right now and open seating is working out for them with a reservation and not.

 

Experiences will vary depending upon the dining whims of other passengers.

 

It's been years since Princess went to open dining and nary a week goes by that someone does not start a thread, pro or con. Sometimes the concept works well and sometimes not.

Hmmmmmm...I wonder who you guys are talking about. It's going to be tough to crack this one.....:D :D

lol Especially to know we shouldn't talk about our dog at breakfast but that's pretty much okay since I don't really talk to anyone til after my second coffee.

It's not a problem to talk about your dog a breakfast...just please no gory pet operation or puking stories. I assume you are referring to my post here.:D

Enjoy your upcoming cruise in 20 days! I wish mine was that close.:)

I'm all for each person having the option of as you wish or standard dining times. My main concern is as a solo cruiser, I want the fixed time.

I don't want to be like the last kid being picked to play ball each day hoping that I get a table with some great people.

I think that this option is great for the day you want to eat at 5:30 p.m. because you want an early start the next day, to eating at 9:00 p.m. because you wanted to rest and catch a show before dinner.

I'm a solo cruiser as well and traditional is important to me too.

If someone misses the ship it will be noticed at the check-in where cruisers reboard...That's one of the uses of the cruise cards...Hopefully it would be noticed long before dinner time.

You would think that. Once I was on a cruise and they came to the dinner table asking if (my name) was at the table. I said yes, that's me. He told me that my card hadn't registered when I got back on the ship. I've heard them page passangers before when they don't appear to be on the ship before it leaves. Didn't hear a peep.

A cynic would wonder if HAL has asked that open seating be pushed---or at least defaulted to. A real cynic would wonder if there's a little something in it for the :rolleyes: TA to "forget".

Funny!:D