LOVED my Oosty cruise; won't book HAL again

[sail7seas]

The interesting thing is that many cruisers DO want everything - even if some of those things have to be mutually exclusive.

 

Of course, it is important to have a common language: for people who prefer HAL, "behemoth" means anything over 2,500 or so passengers - while Royal Caribbean aficionados seem to think that "behemoth" only starts at 4,000 or so.

 

Thank you for all that info - I was just saying they are not all behemoths. And there is a cafe with good' date=' fresh food available 24/7.[/quote']

 

 

That's a good point, navybankerteacher.

We need to be more clear what each of us thinks is 'behemouth'. :)

 

For me, a ship that carries more than 2,500 or so passengers, as you say, is my definition of behemouth. :o

 

I agree with you, Marco's Tia. A cafe open 24/7 would be a very nice feature.

 

Edited May 23, 2014 by sail7seas

[pcur]

Princess is MUCH more accommodating when looking for a meal or light meal during odd hours. As stated above, when we returned from an excursion late afternoon we could just stop at the International cafe for a sandwich,quiche,salad,dessert,etc. Or go to the buffet. We also found Royal Caribbean very unaccommodating with their buffet...closed at 3PM after lunch and not open again until dinner..

 

We have always found RCCL to start their afternoon snack service at 3:30PM, and it's a good variety of sandwiches, taco bar, and salads. It goes until 5-5:30pm

Edited May 23, 2014 by pcur

[pcur]

I might be wrong, but the OP said they wanted a specific reservation for a specific time every night on their cruise, but chose Open Dining. I thought the point of Open Dining was that you just show up when you're ready to have dinner? A big problem at first seemed to be that they couldn't get a reservation for 8:30-9, but when it's suggested they just show up the OP says that dining that late would stop them from seeing shows. Why didn't they just go to the show first, and then go to dinner?

 

OP here:

 

Because we wanted the flexibility to do what we wanted in the evenings, especially on port days.

 

We also found the table for two options limited for fixed seating, and more flexible for open seating. We have found that the cruise lines think a table for two is to line a bunch of them up side-by-side along a bench seat along the wall. You are just as close to those diners as you are at a large table, and having a private conversation is impossible. We prefer a separate table for two, and open seating gives us the option of those tables, as well as a table for four with two place settings removed.

 

We don't like going to early shows before dinner. We've been cruising for over 40 years, and shows are after dinner events to us.

 

Just our preferences, and since we can be accommodated on RCCL, Princess, and Celebrity, we'll just go back to those cruise lines.

[Mytime2014]

darn - I thought there were some shows after main dinner seating....good thing its my first cruise - I don't have a "pattern" set

[3rdGenCunarder]

I won't speak to how it was on open seating on OP's cruise, but I do know that upstairs there was a definite sense that they wanted the dining room finished off for the night early.

 

I had main seating. My card clearly said 8:00; the daily program, clearly said 8:00. But every night the chimes were rung usually at 7:45 in the Ocean Bar area. A few nights they were rung a minute or two later; a few nights a couple of minutes earlier, but still about 15 minutes before dinner was supposed to start.

I was at a table for 6, and we had anywhere from 4-6 people there on any given night. There were nights we were done, and heading out by 9:00! :eek: That is unheard of at that size table at main seating.

 

When OP says they were "encouraged" to come to dinner by 8:00, even though open seating is supposed be until 9:00, I believe it.

 

(underscore is mine)

I agree. We like the early seating, but didn't get it on our last HAL cruise. The closest the maître d' would give us was open with a reservation at 5:15, although there are supposed to be later times available (isn't 5:45 or 6:00 reservable?) The other option was to show up and hope, but given how popular early dining is on HAL, we didn't want that. Plus we really like to have the same waiter. We had such a good waiter that we stuck with the 5:15 reservation, even though it was earlier than we like.

 

You never know how the system is being implemented. I don't know why the op wasn't given the latest possible reservation, but I'm not surprised that their dining time wasn't "as advertised."

[RuthC]

darn - I thought there were some shows after main dinner seating....good thing its my first cruise - I don't have a "pattern" set

Although some itineraries can be different, and some nights on the other itineraries will change, the usual show times are 8:00 and 10:00 PM.

If someone wanted to go to dinner at 9:00, they probably wouldn't make the 10:00 show, but could easily do the 8:00 show and be in time for dinner.

 

Shows are generally lasting 40-45 minutes these days; they used to be 50 minutes.

[Mytime2014]

Thank you Ruth - I 'thought' I had read that there were later shows but I"ve read so many reviews of other ship/lines I thought I may have been confused.

who knows what we'll actually do in 42 days

[AlohaPride]

OP here:

 

Because we wanted the flexibility to do what we wanted in the evenings, especially on port days.

 

We also found the table for two options limited for fixed seating, and more flexible for open seating. We have found that the cruise lines think a table for two is to line a bunch of them up side-by-side along a bench seat along the wall. You are just as close to those diners as you are at a large table, and having a private conversation is impossible. We prefer a separate table for two, and open seating gives us the option of those tables, as well as a table for four with two place settings removed.

 

We don't like going to early shows before dinner. We've been cruising for over 40 years, and shows are after dinner events to us.

 

Just our preferences, and since we can be accommodated on RCCL, Princess, and Celebrity, we'll just go back to those cruise lines.

 

Makes perfect sense. I'd do the same. :)

[cbr663]

You can't make a reservation for 7. Hal is very rigid about that. I don't know where you read you could.. Might be able to in the ph.

 

Now that you have brought it to my attention, I may have read somewhere else that reservations were only available at an earlier time. I really wish the staff would have been more helpful and reminded us of the times that the reservations were available, but that was apparently too much to ask for this time.

[cruz chic]

Now that you have brought it to my attention, I may have read somewhere else that reservations were only available at an earlier time. I really wish the staff would have been more helpful and reminded us of the times that the reservations were available, but that was apparently too much to ask for this time.

 

They really should say. Personally I don't get what the big deal is for them to take reserves at any time. When I'm on Princess I can make a reserve for 6:30 every night all at the same time. No problem at all. Before someone asks why I do open it's because the traditional is way too early and I seem to get tablemates in traditional that have no respect for time. They show up when they feel like it.

[kazu]

They really should say. Personally I don't get what the big deal is for them to take reserves at any time. When I'm on Princess I can make a reserve for 6:30 every night all at the same time. No problem at all. Before someone asks why I do open it's because the traditional is way too early and I seem to get tablemates in traditional that have no respect for time. They show up when they feel like it.

 

Now this is interesting cruz chic, I don't do open dining but cruise mates of ours do. They made reservations for 6:30 pm every night on both the Maasdam and Prinsendam when we were on with them. No problem at all. Maasdam cruise was just a couple of months ago and the Prinsendam cruise was in May, 2013. Wonder if the size of the ship makes a difference????

[RuthC]

Now this is interesting cruz chic, I don't do open dining but cruise mates of ours do. They made reservations for 6:30 pm every night on both the Maasdam and Prinsendam when we were on with them. No problem at all.

Jacqui, I think what cruz chic is saying is that on Princess she could make one standing reservation for one night, and be done with it. Whereas on HAL you can make reservations a night at a time; sometimes for three nights. Then you have to start the process again.

 

Did your friends make one reservation that went cruise long? Or did they have to keep at it? There are many reports here about making daily, or every three days, reservations, including on the smaller ships (not Prinsendam).

[SpokaneDan]

HAL's status as my favorite cruise line has been seriously challenged by my experience on Explorer OTS this Spring, my first RCL cruise. It's an "old behemoth", but kept spotless, and despite its size, orderly and smooth flowing on day to day function of the ship. Its MDR is the best I have experienced judged collectively on service, food quality, wait time, and organization. The only complaint I have against Explorer, opposite to OP's, is that Lido buffet close too "early" -every night by 9pm.

A friend of mine, a loyal HAL customer, went on NCL at the same time, returned beaming with positive feedbacks, and already booked another NCL cruise for the future.

 

To HAL cheerleaders, there are other excellent cruise lines out there.:eek: As minute a complaint as breakfast hours seemed, OP simply has too many other options to choose from, so why should she change her breakfast habit to accommodate HAL's? For those who criticize OP's "inflexibility", you should try other CL just to see how "flexible" a cruise pax you are.;)

[iancal]

SpokaneDan...agree with you wholeheartedly. Cannot imagine not trying other cruise lines/ships.

 

Also cannot understand why so many people seem intent on challenging the OP. Why try to convince someone that they really should cruise your favorite cruise line when they have no intention of doing so.

 

Is it an ego thing? Just let it go as a comment from someone who wants to try something else. It is not the end of the world.

Edited May 24, 2014 by iancal

[cruz chic]

SpokaneDan...agree with you wholeheartedly. Cannot imagine not trying other cruise lines/ships.

 

Also cannot understand why so many people seem intent on challenging the OP. Why try to convince someone that they really should cruise your favorite cruise line when they have no intention of doing so.

 

Is it an ego thing? Just let it go as a comment from someone who wants to try something else. It is not the end of the world.

 

Totally agree. So what of people like other cruise lines. There is something for everyone.

[cruz chic]

Now this is interesting cruz chic, I don't do open dining but cruise mates of ours do. They made reservations for 6:30 pm every night on both the Maasdam and Prinsendam when we were on with them. No problem at all. Maasdam cruise was just a couple of months ago and the Prinsendam cruise was in May, 2013. Wonder if the size of the ship makes a difference????

 

Were they in a Neptune suite? That is the only way I ever have seen people get a reserve at that time. As a matter of fact I was only allowed to have 6 not 6:30 on the Westerdam and I was in a Neptune. Your friends were very very lucky if they were not in a Neptune. Different ships, different rules.

Edited May 24, 2014 by cruz chic

[cruz chic]

Jacqui, I think what cruz chic is saying is that on Princess she could make one standing reservation for one night, and be done with it. Whereas on HAL you can make reservations a night at a time; sometimes for three nights. Then you have to start the process again.

 

Did your friends make one reservation that went cruise long? Or did they have to keep at it? There are many reports here about making daily, or every three days, reservations, including on the smaller ships (not Prinsendam).

 

Yes I called one night and it was good for the entire cruise.

[kazu]

Jacqui, I think what cruz chic is saying is that on Princess she could make one standing reservation for one night, and be done with it. Whereas on HAL you can make reservations a night at a time; sometimes for three nights. Then you have to start the process again.

 

Did your friends make one reservation that went cruise long? Or did they have to keep at it? There are many reports here about making daily, or every three days, reservations, including on the smaller ships (not Prinsendam).

 

They made it for the length of the cruise RuthC. I think they did have to reconfirm every now and then (on Maasdam), but they were given their table and waiters for the entire cruise from day one. 6:30 pm, same table, every night. This was both on the Prinsendam and the Maasdam. I think the Prinsendam was throughout with no problem if I understood them correctly.

[kazu]

Were they in a Neptune suite? That is the only way I ever have seen people get a reserve at that time. As a matter of fact I was only allowed to have 6 not 6:30 on the Westerdam and I was in a Neptune. Your friends were very very lucky if they were not in a Neptune. Different ships, different rules.

 

Yes, they were in a Neptune Suite.

[HokiePoq]

OP, glad you enjoyed your cruise and to each their own on preference.

We sail a number of lines and have found RCCL food the absolute worst we've tried. However, as a faithful return passenger, I imagine OP's DH misses the Diamond reception each evening (a very generous return customer benefit). We've had several Diamonds tell us that that was the only reason they sailed RCCL over other lines. Dinner must go down a lot easier that way, lol.

HAL's buffet is the best of all the lines we sail.

Ruth and others have a good idea about the room service breakfast.

My money is on the missed Diamond reception. I love HAL but do have to say that the Mariner program is the least generous of the lines we sail. Four stars (200) days to get benefits not as good as what we get at 75 on NCL.

I am not sure how many it takes to make Diamond but free drinks each evening would be a money saver as well as an incentive to return again. DH says it takes a lot less marketing money to keep a customer already booked once than to find a totally new customer.

Edited May 24, 2014 by HokiePoq

[pcur]

OP, glad you enjoyed your cruise and to each their own on preference.

We sail a number of lines and have found RCCL food the absolute worst we've tried. However, as a faithful return passenger, I imagine OP's DH misses the Diamond reception each evening (a very generous return customer benefit). We've had several Diamonds tell us that that was the only reason they sailed RCCL over other lines. Dinner must go down a lot easier that way, lol.

HAL's buffet is the best of all the lines we sail.

Ruth and others have a good idea about the room service breakfast.

My money is on the missed Diamond reception. I love HAL but do have to say that the Mariner program is the least generous of the lines we sail. Four stars (200) days to get benefits not as good as what we get at 75 on NCL.

I am not sure how many it takes to make Diamond but free drinks each evening would be a money saver as well as an incentive to return again. DH says it takes a lot less marketing money to keep a customer already booked once than to find a totally new customer.

 

My husband doesn't drink, but we did enjoy going into the Concierge Lounge on the Radiance this past trip (we did b2b on the Radiance, then the Oosty cruise). We are Diamond Plus on RCCL. This lounge on the Radiance is absolutely beautiful with floor to ceiling windows much like the Crow's Nest, but smaller.

 

We also very much enjoyed the happy hour on the Oosty. I had a few drinks with the special pricing, and he used his soda card.

 

Hubby thought the food on the Oosty was a little better, but we ate well on the Radiance. I'm a fish, veggie, fruit eater, and I'm more adventuresome about food than him. I like just about any food if it's well prepared, and most cruise lines do a great job with fish.

[cruz chic]

Yes, they were in a Neptune Suite.

 

That would be the reason then. I can say that would likely not happen otherwise but I'm sure someone will say I'm wrong.

[kazu]

That would be the reason then. I can say that would likely not happen otherwise but I'm sure someone will say I'm wrong.

 

not me. :) That factor never struck me until you asked.