Dining Preferences

[CTOM]

Forgive me if this is discussed elsewhere, but we're new, so here goes...

 

We're in the middle of booking our first cruise, and we wanted to make the best choice for meals. We plan to use the Lido Buffet and room service several times, but we'd also like restaurant dinners as well. We prefer sitting alone, a table for two would be ideal. (Yes, I know people suggest that you mingle and make new friends on cruises, but we want to take it slow and quiet at first. We're not outgoing talkers.).

 

The Dining options we see are 1) As you wish. 2) First Upper Sitting (5:45) and 3) Main Upper Sitting (8:00)

 

After we make that choice, there is an option for Size of Table, and we know to select Small, 2 People table.

 

If we select As You Wish, that means we just show up any time, and just wait for a table? We may wait for a table for 2 (longer wait) or get seated sooner at a larger table?.

 

If we select the 5:45 or 8:00 sitting, the waits will be shorter, and the possibility for a 2-table will be better since it's reserved?

 

What if we choose 5:45 but we are out on an excursion until later? Or we eat a big lunch and just aren't hungry at 5:45?

 

Thank you for any advice.

[kazu]

Forgive me if this is discussed elsewhere, but we're new, so here goes...

 

We're in the middle of booking our first cruise, and we wanted to make the best choice for meals. We plan to use the Lido Buffet and room service several times, but we'd also like restaurant dinners as well. We prefer sitting alone, a table for two would be ideal. (Yes, I know people suggest that you mingle and make new friends on cruises, but we want to take it slow and quiet at first. We're not outgoing talkers.).

 

The Dining options we see are 1) As you wish. 2) First Upper Sitting (5:45) and 3) Main Upper Sitting (8:00)

 

After we make that choice, there is an option for Size of Table, and we know to select Small, 2 People table.

 

If we select As You Wish, that means we just show up any time, and just wait for a table? We may wait for a table for 2 (longer wait) or get seated sooner at a larger table?.

 

If we select the 5:45 or 8:00 sitting, the waits will be shorter, and the possibility for a 2-table will be better since it's reserved?

 

What if we choose 5:45 but we are out on an excursion until later? Or we eat a big lunch and just aren't hungry at 5:45?

 

Thank you for any advice.

 

Welcome to CC and to the HAL board.

 

For any of your dining choices you can request a table for two.

 

For fixed dining (the 5:45 and/8:00 pm) there is NO wait. Your table is assigned and, after you find it the first night (or shown to it) you just go straight to it every night to eat.

 

For anytime dining, there may be a bit of a wait for a table for 2 depending upon the time and how many others want the same or, there may not be.

 

The advantage to the anytime dining is that you can eat when you want with no worries about excursions, being hungry, etc. The disadvantage is having a different table, different waiters, etc.

 

Now, for the anytime/open dining you can make reservations (if you want) but not at peak times. So,depending on the ship, before 6:30 and at or after 7:30/8:00 pm. If you do that there is no wait. You do need to check on board though as it can vary as to the timing of peak times.

 

For fixed dining (ie. 5:45) if you are late from an excursion, then you miss your dining in the MDR. (They usually keep the doors open for 15 minutes, so, there is a bit of leeway in our experience).

 

If you miss it, your options become either specialty dining (assuming availability), the Lido or room service.

 

Different folks like different options for different reasons. We prefer fixed, others prefer the opposite. It's nice that we have choices ;)

[canadianbear]

Kazu has pretty much summed it all up!

 

We are a couple who always pick As You Wish. We never know what we will be doing and like the flexibility of when and where we want to dine. We have had to wait at peak times but being aware of that we get a buzzer & go have a cocktail. Usually if you are willing to share a table you get in quickly but if you want to dine just the two of you it can be a longer wait. We enjoy both dining with strangers but some times just us.

 

If you do take set dining and know you'll miss your set dining time one night, let them know as a courtesy if you can.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[DaveOKC]

If you select Early or Late (Main) dining, you have to show up at the designated time, or you cannot dine in the main dining room that evening. This way you do get a set table, normally (but not always) for the size of table you request. Two tops are somewhat limited, so you might be assigned a larger table. There is no waiting involved however.

 

Open dining is very flexible - come to the main dining room whenever you want (within the opening and closing times of course). They will seat you at a table with the size you request, but you could have a wait during the popular times and table sizes. You should get a buzzer to take with you if the wait time is more than a few minutes.

 

From the details of your post, I would consider Open, but then try to dine either before 6:30 PM or after 7:30 PM (the peak time). We tend to do this when we are on a port intensive cruise.

[GradUT]

If you choose "As You Wish" dining, then you show up anytime during the dining room hours and wait to be seated at a table for 2. My experience with HAL is that the waits are short or nonexistent. You can also pre-book a dining time with AYW dining up to 3 days in advance, but only during non-peak times.

 

If you choose either Early or Late Dining, you have the same wait staff every evening and there is never a wait for a table. (I really like having the same waitstaff because they get to know your likes and dislikes and are more invested in serving you. When we cruised with AYW dining last month--because our travel partners wanted that--, some of the waitstaff were great; others were less invested in serving us as it was unlikely they'd see us again.)

 

If you have a set Dining time and fail to eat at that time, you may not show up for AYW dining. Your choices are the Lido buffet or room service.

[RVRCLC]

Forgive me if this is discussed elsewhere, but we're new, so here goes...

 

 

 

We're in the middle of booking our first cruise, and we wanted to make the best choice for meals. We plan to use the Lido Buffet and room service several times, but we'd also like restaurant dinners as well. We prefer sitting alone, a table for two would be ideal. (Yes, I know people suggest that you mingle and make new friends on cruises, but we want to take it slow and quiet at first. We're not outgoing talkers.).

 

 

 

The Dining options we see are 1) As you wish. 2) First Upper Sitting (5:45) and 3) Main Upper Sitting (8:00)

 

 

 

After we make that choice, there is an option for Size of Table, and we know to select Small, 2 People table.

 

 

 

If we select As You Wish, that means we just show up any time, and just wait for a table? We may wait for a table for 2 (longer wait) or get seated sooner at a larger table?.

 

 

 

If we select the 5:45 or 8:00 sitting, the waits will be shorter, and the possibility for a 2-table will be better since it's reserved?

 

 

 

What if we choose 5:45 but we are out on an excursion until later? Or we eat a big lunch and just aren't hungry at 5:45?

 

 

 

Thank you for any advice.

 

 

 

We select any time dining but enjoy the quiet of dinner in the buffet. If dining tables for two are jammed too close together we will go to buffet for all meals.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[mafig]

We select any time dining but enjoy the quiet of dinner in the buffet. If dining tables for two are jammed too close together we will go to buffet for all meals.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

How close are the tables for two on Koningsdam?

[slidergirl]

It really sounds like you should go for the any time dining option. You won't have to worry about getting back late or finding something interesting to do which would force you to miss your fixed dining time.

You can actually turn your any time into your own "fixed" time by merely showing up at the same time every night. I have not done this, but I have heard that, if you really like your server team on a particular night, you may request to be seated in their area subsequent nights. So, it is like the best of everything - your time, your team!

Also, by doing any time, you are giving a table to a couple who must have fixed dining - if you chose fixed and didn't show on different nights, that table goes to waste.

 

Personally, I never do fixed unless it is forced on me. I'm not big into scheduling my meals - I like to be able to eat when I am hungry, not when I am told to eat ;)

[xlxo]

Thoughts....

• I'm another one for anytime dining. I generally show up when the doors first open where I can pick a window seat and avoid the larger crowds 30 minutes later.
  
• by being the first through the doors, I have the option for a table to ourselves, or shared.
  
• specialty dining allows you eat whenever you want when you make your reservations.
  
• I avoid the Lido.... I use the MDR and only go to the Lido when I want more.
  

[Crew News]

Forgive me if this is discussed elsewhere, but we're new, so here goes...

 

The Dining options we see are 1) As you wish. 2) First Upper Sitting (5:45) and 3) Main Upper Sitting (8:00)

 

What if we choose 5:45 but we are out on an excursion until later? Or we eat a big lunch and just aren't hungry at 5:45?

 

Thank you for any advice.

 

Just for clarification, in my last 18 months of cruising, I have used early dining and the times have been 5:15, 5:30, and 5:45. Each time was a surprise to me so be prepared for an early dining time that may not be 5:45 PM.

 

It is my experience that if I notify my MDR waiter that I will be returning late from an excursion, they have promised to hold my table for two until I arrive. On evenings when the ship is in port during meal hours, the MDR seems very sparsely occupied and my waiters have been more than willing to hold my table up to 45 minutes after my scheduled dining time. Since i eat quickly, less than one hour, I will be long departed before the next seating.

[CTOM]

Thanks to EVERYONE who replied to my original post! So helpful. This may seem like a silly followup question to you experienced cruisers, but just to confirm: the Main Dining Room is open for breakfast and lunch too, but only at dinner can you pre-select your dining time? Breakfast and lunch you just show up?

We are leaning toward choosing the 8 pm dining time, and if we want to eat elsewhere a night or two, we can just call and let them know we won't be dining in MDR that night.

[Alberta Quilter]

Thanks to EVERYONE who replied to my original post! So helpful. This may seem like a silly followup question to you experienced cruisers, but just to confirm: the Main Dining Room is open for breakfast and lunch too, but only at dinner can you pre-select your dining time? Breakfast and lunch you just show up?

We are leaning toward choosing the 8 pm dining time, and if we want to eat elsewhere a night or two, we can just call and let them know we won't be dining in MDR that night.

 

The MDR is open for breakfast daily but not always for lunch. It is usually closed on port days. Yes, you just show up to both.

[kazu]

Thanks to EVERYONE who replied to my original post! So helpful. This may seem like a silly followup question to you experienced cruisers, but just to confirm: the Main Dining Room is open for breakfast and lunch too, but only at dinner can you pre-select your dining time? Breakfast and lunch you just show up?

We are leaning toward choosing the 8 pm dining time, and if we want to eat elsewhere a night or two, we can just call and let them know we won't be dining in MDR that night.

 

I like the 8 pm time slot. There's always bites to be had (Happy Hour, Dive In until 5, Explorations Lounge, etc.) if one happens to be hungry and, of course, room service.

 

and, yes, as pointed out, you just show up for breakfast and lunch. Lunch in the MDR may not be offered on port days or on Mariners Luncheon days but it will be posted in the When and Where (the daily schedule).

 

For lunch, if I may suggest - book the Pinnacle Grill on a sea day. It's a nice switch up and very reasonable at $10 pp. It's delish and we always enjoy it. :). You need to wait until you are onboard to book.

[OlsSalt]

Another consideration in the time of the main shows if you want to see them - when you pick 8pm fixed, the shows usually don't start until 10pm, which may or may not be "too late" for you.

 

Used to be dinners in the Main Dining Room took a long time, but of late we are getting our around 9pm - only one hour for a three course dinner. So for us, (old) it is quite a wait at that hour to stay up for a show if we have had a busy day already. There is plenty to do until the show starts so that is not the problem (Adagio, Piano, shopping, other music venues depending on the ship and the casino), but if you are already wound down from a busy day this may be later to wait for the show than you would like.

 

I agree with the prior poster, if you already plan on being away from a fixed table on a number of evenings, it might be better to give up having a fixed table for two and make it available for someone else who does want the fixed MDR dining time permanently. Tables for two are limited and there can be a waiting list for those fixed dining for two options.

 

That also depends on the numbers of night of the cruise overall -a few nights away on a longer cruise is to be expected but if you already plan on being away on most nights of a shorter cruise, then I too suggest you pick the as you wish dining. We always take late fixed for two and have always enjoyed it, but we are also part of the in bed by 9pm crowd. A few walks around either the interior or exterior the promenade after dinner and we are done.

 

So all that being said, what we also notice is the upper fixed dining room gets very full the first few nights and then people who picked fixed dining no longer show up and empty tables start appearing. Which means you can probably ask for one later if you find this better suits your needs, wants and schedules.

 

And they will also set up a table just for two at a normal table for four if this works out with the numbers of diners they need to accommodate.

[57redbird]

We prefer AYW dining & a 2-top table. We check out the dining room seating chart & have a couple of tables in mind when we board. At the 1st opportunity, we check in with the person at the desk at the MDR & make known our preferences...the 1st couple of dinners there might be some shifting around but after that, we usually end up with one of our requested tables & the waiter, his assistant & the wine steward become our friends &, on our last cruise, one of the officers often came back just to chat. Having the staff know your likes makes it a little easier when you have a special request.

[Heartgrove]

One consideration for choosing either of the two fixed dining times are the sail-away times. We always enjoy watching the ship leave port. We use to choose based on the sail-away time.Sometimes there is even a sail-away buffet by the Seaview Pool (Mexican Riviera cruise) to forego the MDR for. We do enjoying mingling with other passengers so always chose fixed dining. But our previous cruise was a nightmare at our table and never returned after the second night. On our recent 12-night cruise we did Anytime Seating and even waited for a Two-Place one night. The cruise was port intensive so ate in the MDR four times, twice at Canaletto, and the remaining six in the Lido because of being tired from excursions. Our favorite is to sit outside by the Seaview Pool to eat the Lido food.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[take us away]

If you choose fixed dining and know you will be late, with a table for 2 they will often hold your table for quite a while - 30 minutes?. Just ask your dining steward and area captain.

[3rdGenCunarder]

It really sounds like you should go for the any time dining option. You won't have to worry about getting back late or finding something interesting to do which would force you to miss your fixed dining time.

You can actually turn your any time into your own "fixed" time by merely showing up at the same time every night. I have not done this, but I have heard that, if you really like your server team on a particular night, you may request to be seated in their area subsequent nights. So, it is like the best of everything - your time, your team!

Also, by doing any time, you are giving a table to a couple who must have fixed dining - if you chose fixed and didn't show on different nights, that table goes to waste.

 

Personally, I never do fixed unless it is forced on me. I'm not big into scheduling my meals - I like to be able to eat when I am hungry, not when I am told to eat ;)

 

(bold is mine) That was our experience on Maasdam a few years ago. We prefer early fixed in order to have the same waitstaff. When an "oops" put us into late fixed--discovered on embarkation--we couldn't get back into early. So we changed to anytime. We were so pleased with the waiters the first night, we made reservations for the next few nights. I think the "rule" is 3 days ahead. But after we kept stopping at the podium every night to verify the next night, we were told we could have that table and time for the rest of the cruise. It was VERY early, I think 5:15, but Rianto and Henry were worth it.