As you wish dining questions

[retiredkid]

see??? I never knew about the beepers.

[Banditswife]

see??? I never knew about the beepers.

We usually book "as you wish" dining, only they called it something else. We never know exactly when we want to have dinner. After a long port day, we may wish to have a later dinner, or on a long sea day, we may want to have a very early dinner. We also had a bad experience in "set time" dining once. Sometimes we want a table for two, sometimes we want to join others. So "as you wish" works very well for us. Hope you enjoy it too.

[DaveOKC]

see??? I never knew about the beepers.

 

We were just on a 15 day cruise and never had to wait long enough for the beepers, but then again we eat early.

[cruz chic]

We were just on a 15 day cruise and never had to wait long enough for the beepers, but then again we eat early.

 

Me either. I generally eat before 6:30.

[catl331]

In our experience if you show up before 5:30 you should have no trouble getting a table for two as a walk-in. Sometimes they will seat you at a table for 4 and pick up two of the place settings. Once around 5:35-ish we were taken upstairs to table in Fixed seating that apparently wasn't being used by the regular people that evening.

 

Generally our experience is much like what Cruising-along said in post #21: sometimes we have had the Asst Manager set up the reservation for us automatically for three days at a time, and once for the full cruise after we had made reservations for the same table and time for the first two nights. Each day we got a card in the room that said the table was "not guaranteed" but it was always there waiting for us.

 

At http://www.wa70.com/hal/dining/llSig.jpg you will find a map of the N.A. lower dining room. (Click to enlarge) Some of the tables for two are, as another poster said, very close to another table and not very private, while others are very private. On the N.A. we like 127 or 122, as they are next to a divider wall and very private. However they have no view. At 127 one person faces a wall and the other a server station. Others that we like are along the aisles: 169, 171, 186, and 188.

 

After you board take a copy of that map to the MDR and scout out what table(s) you like, either at the Mariner's Embarkation Lunch or later on. Then find a steward at a podium near a dining area or call ext 88 to reserve.

Edited June 26, 2015 by catl331

[Cruising-along]

Carol, great advice about the dining room maps. I brought it along on our last cruise and we were able to get one of the more private tables for 2. From now on I'll be bringing that map! ;)

[catl331]

I forgot to ask..... are there any twos by a window?

Not unless you're really lucky and they give you a 4-top with two place settings removed. We've never had that happen.

 

A table by a window is not a big deal to us. When the ship sails at 5:00 there isn't a whole lot to see outside by 5:30. Also, because of sun, the drapes are often pulled shut at somebody's request and you can be next to a window and see nothing! ;)

 

IIRC at 122 one person could turn and see a bit out a window. If you get one of the 2-tops along the stern windows (112, 126, 134) you're only inches away from another table, so we don't like those.

Edited June 26, 2015 by catl331

[retiredkid]

fabulous info guys, thanks!!

[retiredkid]

 

A table by a window is not a big deal to us. When the ship sails at 5:00 there isn't a whole lot to see outside by 5:30. Also, because of sun, the drapes are often pulled shut at somebody's request and you can be next to a window and see nothing! ;)

.

 

Never thought of that. Plenty of other times to look out the window!!

Thanks, catl331.

[cindylynn13]

We just came off a week-long cruise on the Amsterdam with "as you wish" dining. I love the flexibility. We found a waiter we enjoyed on night two, and were then able to make several reservations in a row at his station at his tables by the window. We are a family of 3, so we always had a 4-top. Having the right waiter can make or break your cruise. We gave both him and his assistant a small extra tip at the end. The hostess was very friendly and helpful about making our reservations. There was never an indication that we were limited to 3 nights, but we had a night at the Pinnacle Grilll, so maybe that broke it up. By the way, the Pinnacle is completely worth the cost, probably the best meal I've ever had in my life, certainly the best on a cruise ship.

[cruz chic]

We just came off a week-long cruise on the Amsterdam with "as you wish" dining. I love the flexibility. We found a waiter we enjoyed on night two, and were then able to make several reservations in a row at his station at his tables by the window. We are a family of 3, so we always had a 4-top. Having the right waiter can make or break your cruise. We gave both him and his assistant a small extra tip at the end. The hostess was very friendly and helpful about making our reservations. There was never an indication that we were limited to 3 nights, but we had a night at the Pinnacle Grilll, so maybe that broke it up. By the way, the Pinnacle is completely worth the cost, probably the best meal I've ever had in my life, certainly the best on a cruise ship.

 

I think the reservation situation is on a ship by ship basis and is not the same on every ship.