Open Seating on HAL

[sstepson]

Hi guys,

 

My wife and I are going on our first HAL cruise on the Amsterdam this summer. We have signed up for open seating in the dining room, but we were wondering if it is possible to request a table for 2 ahead of time, or if we should just wait until we show up each night to make that request?

 

Anyone out there have any experience or suggestions with requesting a 2-top with open seating?

 

Thanks in advance!

[3rdGenCunarder]

You may make a reservation for open dining. But they only do reservations for very early (like 5:30) and very late (like 8 or 8:30). Dining times in the middle of the dinner period may not be reserved. So if you want a table for 2 at 7 PM, you have to just show up and ask.

[Cruising-along]

Also if you find a table and servers you like, they're very good about giving you a reservation for that table and time for several days in a row. On our last cruise they made it a standing reservation for the whole cruise!

 

We always ask for a table for 2 in Open Seating and have never had a bad experience. That said, we have never tried just walking up and asking. From what I've heard, each ship and each cruise is different as to how well that works.

[B Russo]

We like late fixed seating and always have table for 2 reserved. Bill

[Hflors]

On our cruise to Hawaii/Tahiti (30) days they allowed us (a party of six) to pick out the table we wanted and we had a standing reservation for 7 pm for the whole 30 days. No problem. IF we made other plans for the evening we just called and cancelled the reservation for that day. The dining room staff was very nice to us.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You can not make reservations until you are on the ship for a table for 2 in the Open Seating.

Once on the ship, you can then make your request. But reservations can only be made for times between 5:15 - 6:15 and from 7:30 - 9. And you can make reservations for 3 days at a time. The times between 6:15 - 7:30 -- you just show up.

Many people who get a table and servers that they like, ask for the same for the entire cruise and many of the dining room managers will arrange that for them in the Open Seating.

[3rdGenCunarder]

You can not make reservations until you are on the ship for a table for 2 in the Open Seating.

 

Once on the ship, you can then make your request. But reservations can only be made for times between 5:15 - 6:15 and from 7:30 - 9. And you can make reservations for 3 days at a time. The times between 6:15 - 7:30 -- you just show up.

 

Many people who get a table and servers that they like, ask for the same for the entire cruise and many of the dining room managers will arrange that for them in the Open Seating.

 

I think the reservation times must vary from ship to ship. The only times we were offered on Maasdam were 5:15 or after 8:00.

 

We prefer to eat early, but 5:15 was earlier than we wanted. It was all we could get so we took it. We had excellent servers, which more than made up for the inconveniently early time. We asked for that table for the rest of the cruise.

[Kesstral]

I'm interested in this topic too. We have a group of 9 travelling in a few days (YAY!!!) and we all ended up with Open Seating as the fixed seating times weren't available. I'd like to see if we can get a table together for the cruise (probably later like 730 or 8). Would this be reasonable or should I expect to be shot down by the dining room staff?

[Hflors]

I'm interested in this topic too. We have a group of 9 travelling in a few days (YAY!!!) and we all ended up with Open Seating as the fixed seating times weren't available. I'd like to see if we can get a table together for the cruise (probably later like 730 or 8). Would this be reasonable or should I expect to be shot down by the dining room staff?

 

I would call the Matre"D the first day and ask them for the table at your preferred time. He will meet with you and take you around the dining room to pick out a table that you will like (and willl accomodate your group). That is what we did on oru 30 day Hawaii / Tahiti cruise, though we were a party of 6. From the first night thru the whole cruise that table was ready for us (we picked 7pm) unless we called and cancelled the reservation for that night. I hope we can do the same thing on our next cruise as it was really convenient.

 

Helen

[3rdGenCunarder]

I'm glad to hear that HAL is so good about seating family groups. Friends sailed on another line (which has only open dining), and they tried to make a reservation. It was all "yes sir, no problem, what time do you want?" when they made the reservation in the morning. But at dinner time, the reservation wasn't found, and they were put at two tables because there supposedly wasn't any table that would seat them (I think there were 9 of them) in the dining room.

[Typhoon1]

Get to know one of the dining room managers.

If you want a table for two, he will make sure it is arranged.

[Oldgoat61]

Having never cruised on HAL, what is the difference between fixed seating and open seating? The reason I ask, is we have been considering trying different cruise lines, and I would like to know if HAL would be a good fit for us.

[RuthC]

Having never cruised on HAL, what is the difference between fixed seating and open seating?

Fixed seating is a set time, table, and tablemates for the duration of the cruise. Early seating is normally at 5:45, and late seating is at 8:00. You may have a table for 2, 4, 6, or 8. Some of your tablemates may excuse themselves on any given night to dine elsewhere, but otherwise you can expect to see the same people at your table every night.

 

Open seating means you show up at the dining room when you want, as long as the dining room is open. Generally, the dining hours are 5:15-9:00. You may ask to be seated at any size table, and you may or may not see the same people again.

You can also make a reservation, if you prefer, but only for the early or later times. The prime time of 6:30-7:30 or 8:00 cannot be reserved. You may or may not have to wait.

 

Once you choose a dining preference, you may ask to change once during the cruise. If you can be accommodated at the other selection, you will be switched.

[fatcat04]

We have done open seating past three cruises and I would say we have gotten a table for 2 75% of the times we have asked. The other times were generally a 4 top with maybe a larger one in there once. We like open seating because we always have our son who does not eat in the MDR with us but prefers a quick trip to the Lido and then the kid's club opens at 7pm. That gives us time for a lazy drink or 2 in the bar and then a nice dinner from 7:30 or so until 9 when we generally retreat to the piano bar. Works out well. :)