Switch from anytime dining to traditional late on board

[carefree lady]

I'm new to Hal and I had to be wait listed for second seating. If nothing happens before the cruise I'm wondering what are my chances once onboard to get late seating.

[CruiserBruce]

As always recommended, see the maitre 'd as soon as you get on. You will have a good chance of changing your seating arrangements.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Can't predict what will happen.

Once on the ship, just go and talk with the dining room manager.

[RuthC]

Has final payment date arrived yet? If not, you may clear the waiting list when it does, as people will cancel their cruise making room for others in main seating.

If you do have to wait until you board, it may take a couple of days to get fixed seating, because sometimes it takes until the second night before people decide they want to change their arrangements. Don't give up home if you can't change right away.

[Scrapnana]

I was waitlisted for a year and my TA was never able to get me fixed dining. When I got onboard I talked with the dining room manager and it took less than 30 seconds to make the change.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Speak to the head of the Dining room. They are very nice.

[packercruising]

I'm new to Hal and I had to be wait listed for second seating. If nothing happens before the cruise I'm wondering what are my chances once onboard to get late seating.

 

I am a bit confused. Do you have anytime dining and want to switch to traditional late seating?

[POA1]

You can also call HAL to find out how far down the wait list you are. If you are not too deep, odds are good for being changed before embarkation. Otherwise, visit the dining reservation area as soon as possible after boarding.

[kazu]

I am a bit confused. Do you have anytime dining and want to switch to traditional late seating?

 

Yes, that is what I understood ;)

[kazu]

You can also call HAL to find out how far down the wait list you are. If you are not too deep, odds are good for being changed before embarkation. Otherwise, visit the dining reservation area as soon as possible after boarding.

 

Good points! Also, how soon are you sailing? Once you go to print your docs, you may find you have been assigned to main fixed dining (aka late). Until the docs are issued, they don't seem to make any changes.

 

I actually reached out to HAL for my last cruise. We were on a Collectors and there was only open available. It was something they were doing with the Collectors' - no group. The two segments had all choices.

 

I e'd HAL and asked why those of us on are longer were in "never ever land" and when they replied they confirmed we were confirmed for main dining and would have been later.

[navybankerteacher]

I was waitlisted for a year and my TA was never able to get me fixed dining. When I got onboard I talked with the dining room manager and it took less than 30 seconds to make the change.

 

To be put on a waitlist a year before sailing strikes me as very unusual- I have never experienced wait list for dining choice on any HAL cruise booked more than six months out. Also, the fact that the DR manager was able to be so responsive suggests to me that you might consider getting a new TA.

[CruiserBruce]

To be put on a waitlist a year before sailing strikes me as very unusual- I have never experienced wait list for dining choice on any HAL cruise booked more than six months out. Also, the fact that the DR manager was able to be so responsive suggests to me that you might consider getting a new TA.

 

Actually this has been the common policy for a long time. It seems to me that it was done in the pre- anytime dining situation to allow the DRM to assign suites and other VIPs to their first choices and then see what they could do for the balance of the requests.

 

We only do Anytime dining now, so we haven't been waitlisted for 3 or 4 cruises now.

[carefree lady]

I am a bit confused. Do you have anytime dining and want to switch to traditional late seating?

yes

[Reagan0712]

We booked an April 2018 cruise in January and are waitlisted.

[navybankerteacher]

Actually this has been the common policy for a long time. It seems to me that it was done in the pre- anytime dining situation to allow the DRM to assign suites and other VIPs to their first choices and then see what they could do for the balance of the requests.

 

We only do Anytime dining now, so we haven't been waitlisted for 3 or 4 cruises now.

 

I do not think I would qualify as a VIP, and I've never booked a suite; but in more than

ten HAL bookings - anywhere from four to eight months out - I have not been waitlisted. I

just booked a Sept. 20 sailing on Zuiderdam this past week and have confirmed large table.

[Florida_gal_50]

I do not think I would qualify as a VIP, and I've never booked a suite; but in more than

ten HAL bookings - anywhere from four to eight months out - I have not been waitlisted. I

just booked a Sept. 20 sailing on Zuiderdam this past week and have confirmed large table.

For early or late dining? When I have booked cruises more than a year in advance early fixed dining and sometime late ( main) have already been gone.

[kazu]

To be put on a waitlist a year before sailing strikes me as very unusual- I have never experienced wait list for dining choice on any HAL cruise booked more than six months out. Also, the fact that the DR manager was able to be so responsive suggests to me that you might consider getting a new TA.

 

I do not think I would qualify as a VIP, and I've never booked a suite; but in more than

ten HAL bookings - anywhere from four to eight months out - I have not been waitlisted. I

just booked a Sept. 20 sailing on Zuiderdam this past week and have confirmed large table.

 

I am no VIP either, but I can tell you with certaintly that for my last 3 Collectors' cruises we were waitlisted for main dining. If you booked the B2B you had all options. Collectors' did not.

 

I go back at least 3 years with my experience. We booked about 11 months to over a year out in each scenario. It made no difference when you booked. It was a wait list on Vista's and R ship. In all fairness, we received our preferred seating but IMO no need to waitlist someone just because they are on a Collectors'.

[shipgeeks]

We were in exactly the same situation several months ago. When we checked in at the terminal, we were told we had been assigned to our desired Late Dining, and it was on our cards. So I got to do my jumping with joy there instead of onboard.

[packercruising]

yes

 

Okay, thanks. I am not familiar with HAL's anytime dining. They didn't have it when we sailed the Veendam. Is there a reason you can't just dine late like you want to and keep anytime? You can still usually keep the same table and wait staff if you want.

[kazu]

Okay, thanks. I am not familiar with HAL's anytime dining. They didn't have it when we sailed the Veendam. Is there a reason you can't just dine late like you want to and keep anytime? You can still usually keep the same table and wait staff if you want.

 

no anytime dining on the Veendam? It's been a while since you sailed on HAL.

 

Sure you can keep the same table on anytime as long as you ask to reserve at certain times and don't mind making the request every 3 nights.

 

If you know you want to eat at 8 pm anyways, why not do fixed? There is a different ambience IMO.

 

but that's JMO and I have been in the anytime dining room. It's a totally different feeling as people come in and out.

[navybankerteacher]

I am no VIP either, but I can tell you with certaintly that for my last 3 Collectors' cruises we were waitlisted for main dining. If you booked the B2B you had all options. Collectors' did not.

 

I go back at least 3 years with my experience. We booked about 11 months to over a year out in each scenario. It made no difference when you booked. It was a wait list on Vista's and R ship. In all fairness, we received our preferred seating but IMO no need to waitlist someone just because they are on a Collectors'.

 

Did you book your cruise yourself or through an agent. In my case I book it myself - and make it clear that I am not interested in booking unless I can have desired dining.

[kazu]

Did you book your cruise yourself or through an agent. In my case I book it myself - and make it clear that I am not interested in booking unless I can have desired dining.

 

I don't see what difference it makes. I look at the HAL site before I book and it shows the same thing. I have also called them and been told "too bad so sad" - "we'll do our best". IMO collectors are treated badly. The cabin choice is limited (although I have had them pulled out of inventory).

 

To answer your question, I used a TA the last couple of times FWIW, but what I found worked, was to email HAL and ask why Collectors can't get the dining of their choice.

 

I had an email back from HAL last time that my main dining was confirmed. Sadly, I wasn't astute enough to do that previously, but we did end up with our dining of choice.

 

This time I have booked B2B to switch cabins so there is no issue.

 

You must be more VIP than I because for me to state I will not book if I can't get dining will end in me not booking. If there's a ship I like and an itinerary I like I will just work my way around or, not do a collectors' ;)

[navybankerteacher]

I don't see what difference it makes. I look at the HAL site before I book and it shows the same thing. I have also called them and been told "too bad so sad"

 

...

 

quote]

Perhaps the cruise consultant believed that I would not book without choice of dining - but whatever the reason, I have had desired dining at time of booking.

[packercruising]

no anytime dining on the Veendam? It's been a while since you sailed on HAL.

 

Sure you can keep the same table on anytime as long as you ask to reserve at certain times and don't mind making the request every 3 nights.

 

If you know you want to eat at 8 pm anyways, why not do fixed? There is a different ambience IMO.

 

but that's JMO and I have been in the anytime dining room. It's a totally different feeling as people come in and out.

 

yes, 2005.

 

You would be right if they already had fixed, but it sounds like they don't.