All Open Seating in MDR (no "Fixed")

[SilvertoGold]

HAL is reported to be "leaning towards all open dining" according to the Hotel Director on the Amsterdam (WCB thread). Apparently, Open is cheaper.

 

Personally we would be very unhappy about this change. We dislike Open because 2-tops are hard to come by, whereas we never have a problem getting one in Fixed.

 

Any thoughts about this possibility and why it would be cheaper?

 

Thanks

[jtl513]

They like to try turn around the tables in Open twice each night, around 6:30>6:45 and 8:00>8:15. I guess serving more people with the same staff is a savings. One of the reasons we prefer Open is that it is generally faster.

 

Also when people from Fixed go to the optional restaurants their table most often goes unused for that sitting. Using those tables for Open would shorten the wait times and take some of the load off the lower level.

 

When we go to Open before 6:30 or so we have never had a problem getting a 2-top, although often it is a 4-top with two place settings removed.

Edited October 16, 2014 by jtl513

[sail7seas]

I wouldn't like that much but I'm curious why it is 'cheaper'?

Fewer stewards required?

[sail7seas]

They like to try turn around the tables in Open twice each night. I guess serving more people with the same staff is a savings. One of the reasons we prefer Open is that it is generally faster.

 

They have two seatings in the Fixed..... early and traditional main.

 

 

 

[SilvertoGold]

They like to try turn around the tables in Open twice each night. I guess serving more people with the same staff is a savings. One of the reasons we prefer Open is that it is generally faster.

 

Not sure how "turning around the tables in Open twice each night" different than two seatings of Fixed.

 

Oops: Sail and I were posting at nearly the same time with the same thought.

Edited October 16, 2014 by SilvertoGold

[SilvertoGold]

I wouldn't like that much but I'm curious why it is 'cheaper'?

Fewer stewards required?

I guess that is the idea, fewer stewards.

[DaveOKC]

I would think that all Open would require fewer stewards and would be easier to operate. In the Main Dining Room during the fixed dinner times you see some of the stewards running their tails off, while some (whose tables are empty that evening due to people dining elsewhere) are not very busy. I bet things like late port nights really mess up the routine.

 

Of course, most cruisers seem to prefer the traditional dining times. Personally, I like the fixed times better, unless we have a number of late ports.

 

DaveOKC

Edited October 16, 2014 by DaveOKC

[SilvertoGold]

I would think that all Open would require fewer stewards and would be easier to operate. In the Main Dining Room during the fixed dinner times you see some of the stewards running their tails off, while some (whose tables are empty that evening due to people dining elsewhere) are not very busy. I bet things like late port nights really mess up the routine.

 

Of course, most cruisers seem to prefer the traditional dining times. Personally, I like the fixed times better, unless we have a number of late ports.

 

DaveOKC

 

This makes a lot of sense.

 

I wonder how HAL would work the two levels of the DR, to spread out the pax: if a lot show up on the upper level and just a few on the lower level......

[take us away]

Maybe they would need fewer kitchen staff as they would not need to prepare and push out hundreds of multi-course dinners for early seating, then again for late seating - with down time between the 2 seatings. Also could be less wasteful as they could do more cooking to order rather than trying to anticipating the rush of orders and having a lot of food ready for final cooking / plating.

 

Cannot see using significantly fewer stewards as they same number of people will need to be seated and fed.

 

Does make one wonder as the Grand and world cruises only have assigned seating for dinner, no open seating in the MDR at all.

Edited October 16, 2014 by take us away

[Boytjie]

This makes a lot of sense.

 

I wonder how HAL would work the two levels of the DR, to spread out the pax: if a lot show up on the upper level and just a few on the lower level......

 

On our RSVP charters HAL has used open seating on both levels of the dining room. If one level fills up and the other is empty, you are directed up (or down) stairs.

[cruz chic]

Maybe if it was all open they could provide better service. The stewards seem to struggle so much. Maybe they are having problems with traditional because people think it's a guideline to show up for dinner at a fixed time. I used to always do fixed but I got tired of people showing up whenever they felt like it holding up the on time arrivals and throwing off the stewards timing.

[PathfinderEss]

With all MDR going to open seating, do you think that might push

more passengers into the Lido, just wondering?

[cruz chic]

With all MDR going to open seating, do you think that might push

more passengers into the Lido, just wondering?

 

How so?

[cbr663]

If HAL is contemplating doing away with fixed dining in the MDR, it is most likely because fixed dining is no longer working for the majority of passengers. I do wonder though if this has anything to do with the introduction of the new ship? Perhaps there are some more interesting changes on the horizon?

[Rowsby]

We enjoy open dining....usually ask to sit at a 4 or 6 top...and we have met some wonderful people....if you really hit it off you can arrange to meet for other meals....

I think the single biggest downside of the grand cruises is the required fixed seating....

[cruz chic]

If HAL is contemplating doing away with fixed dining in the MDR, it is most likely because fixed dining is no longer working for the majority of passengers. I do wonder though if this has anything to do with the introduction of the new ship? Perhaps there are some more interesting changes on the horizon?

 

The fixed dining is almost the first to go so I think it is working for the majority. I notice it's that way on Princess too.

[shrimp56]

All open seating would be horrendous. People would bunch up and the lines would be long. We had a foretaste of that on Veendam this summer when going at 5:30pm meant the line was down the hall and up the stairs. The first night we bailed and did a walk-in at Canaletto.One night they did seat us with our friends upstairs at a table they knew would be vacant because of a Pinnacle reservation. And we finally badgered them into giving us a fixed time 4 top downstairs. I had not run into this problem with what I call "any dam time dining", but learned from the FCC that it was because there were so many families on board for that particular cruise.

[Lizzie68]

I would think that all Open would require fewer stewards and would be easier to operate. In the Main Dining Room during the fixed dinner times you see some of the stewards running their tails off, while some (whose tables are empty that evening due to people dining elsewhere) are not very busy. I bet things like late port nights really mess up the routine.

 

Of course, most cruisers seem to prefer the traditional dining times. Personally, I like the fixed times better, unless we have a number of late ports.

 

DaveOKC

 

On our last cruise in fixed dining, a crew member would come round and check empty tables about 20 minutes after the door opened, and shortly thereafter they would begin bringing "open dining" people upstairs from the lower level. The table behind us (2 top) often had different people seated there. We always tell our server that if we are not there within 5 or 10 minutes of the door opening, we won't be there. And I know our table was used on at least one of those occasions.

[SeaBands]

and enjoy having the same servers every night. When we go in for late seating we see very few tables occupied downstairs.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We would be very unhappy campers if HAL went to all Open Seating.

We also only like tables for 2.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If HAL is contemplating doing away with fixed dining in the MDR, it is most likely because fixed dining is no longer working for the majority of passengers. I do wonder though if this has anything to do with the introduction of the new ship? Perhaps there are some more interesting changes on the horizon?

 

I was wondering the same thing -- what other surprises could there be?

[lazey1]

All open seating would be horrendous. People would bunch up and the lines would be long.

 

Exactly what we found on our Norwegian cruise with all open seating. Hate, hate, hate the idea of all open seating. Let those who want have open seating but continue to have fixed seating at 2 different times for those of us who prefer it.

[Shmoo here]

All open seating would be horrendous. People would bunch up and the lines would be long.

 

Exactly what we found on our Norwegian cruise with all open seating. Hate, hate, hate the idea of all open seating. Let those who want have open seating but continue to have fixed seating at 2 different times for those of us who prefer it.

 

Agree. I like fixed seating. I like being able to walk directly to my table when it's time to eat, and not having to wait in line.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On our last cruise in fixed dining, a crew member would come round and check empty tables about 20 minutes after the door opened, and shortly thereafter they would begin bringing "open dining" people upstairs from the lower level. The table behind us (2 top) often had different people seated there. We always tell our server that if we are not there within 5 or 10 minutes of the door opening, we won't be there. And I know our table was used on at least one of those occasions.

 

Since we pre-book the specialty restaurants, we know exactly what nights we will not be in the main dining room.

We always tell our wait staff as we are finishing dinner that we won't be eating in there as we have reservations elsewhere. This way they know in advance.

[MOcruiserman]

We don't care for fixed seating. We found that open seating without making a reservation involved a long wait so we made reservations whenever possible. If no reservation was available at the time we wanted, we went to the buffet.

 

If doing away with fixed seating results in shorter waiting time, I'm for it.