HAL Dining options

[newbie53]

Hi,

 

I will be doing my first HAL cruise this summer. I've been filling out my paperwork and going through the website, but I cannot find what dining I have. My TA has me wait listed for first seating, but I want to check periodically to see if it's come through. Can anyone walk me through where to find it?

 

Thanks,

 

Sue

[POA1]

If you booked through a travel agent, they'll receive the information.

[OlsSalt]

We never know what exact table we will get, until we check in and get our ships card. Though I believe we do know which dining time has been set before we board - online "reservations" confirmation on the HAL website (???)

 

However, you can go to the Explorers Lounge once you get on board and see if you can make any seating changes if what you get - from tour TA or when you board -- is not what you would like. Early dining does seem to be the most popular and former HAL cruisers will probably have priority for that time if requested.

 

Hope you enjoy your first HAL cruise. There are good tips here to help you get around some of the traffic jams and early hang-ups until you get the lay of the ship and what it can offer.

[CaveDiving]

Hi,

 

I will be doing my first HAL cruise this summer. I've been filling out my paperwork and going through the website, but I cannot find what dining I have. My TA has me wait listed for first seating, but I want to check periodically to see if it's come through. Can anyone walk me through where to find it?

 

Thanks,

 

Sue

 

Hi Sue,

 

Sorry to tell you, that you will probably not receive any additional information about your dining plan until you board the ship. I would suggest strongly that you speak to the Dining room manager quickly upon boarding. I have done this many times and always was able to get the dining plan I requested. There is no guarantee, but it has always worked out.

 

Scott & Karen

[newbie53]

Thanks all for the replies. I'm surprised that the information as to whether or not you have early, late, or As You Wish isn't listed on the booking information page. I think we currently are assigned "As you Wish". Any guidance on how well that works? Are there times when there is a line to be seated, or does the traffic flow fairly smoothly? Can one make a reservation for a particular time? Does it vary from ship to ship?

 

Thanks,

 

Sue

[Krazy Kruizers]

If you do end up with Open Seating, you can make reservations for 3 days at a time -- once you are on the ship. Reservations can be made for times between 5:15 - 6:15 and 7:30 - 9. And you can request any size table you want.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Thanks all for the replies. I'm surprised that the information as to whether or not you have early, late, or As You Wish isn't listed on the booking information page. I think we currently are assigned "As you Wish". Any guidance on how well that works? Are there times when there is a line to be seated, or does the traffic flow fairly smoothly? Can one make a reservation for a particular time? Does it vary from ship to ship?

 

Thanks,

 

Sue

 

When you get your final docs, the time (but not the table) should be listed on the first page. Of course, it may change when you get on board, so definitely check your key card to see what it says there.

[newbie53]

Thank you for the additional information!

 

Sue

[lorimay]

We were on the Koningsdam recently and had a terrible experience with Open Seating. We booked only a couple of months before the cruise so both regular seatings were full and we thought we might enjoy eating between 7 and 8:30 instead of early or late seating. We never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a table BUT the tables we were given were always upstairs and the worst tables in the dining room. Even when we finally got a good table the service bad. One night they didn't quite know what to do with us because we were eating at the time the second seating started to arrive. Our waiter disappeared and no one came to collect our entree dishes. Finally one of the dining stewards took our dishes with no explanation but we waited and waited for our desserts - and then one of the waiters thought we had just arrived and put down a bread basket. Every night similar stories.

 

We did try to get reservations after the first night but they were only available (for each night of the cruise) before 6 or after 8:30.

 

Based on my experience (which I'm sure many people on this board will regard with disbelief like I'm making it all up) I would say try your hardest to get a table during one of the regular seatings.