Anytime Dining Reservations

[CM1984]

We are leaving on the Rotterdam on Sunday!  😊  As soon as we get on the ship, we want to make dinner reservations in the open seating dining room for our first night.  In your experience will we need to go to the Dining Room to do this, or will someone be in the same area where tables are set up near the entrance?  Thanks CCers.

[catl331]

We've never been on the Rotterdam, but on most ships we have there is usually a podium near the Canaletto where you can make reservations, or near the MDR, or you can call extension 88, or you can use the Navigator LAN from you phone/tablet/laptop.

[VTcruisenut]

You can also call for reservations.  We thought we could reserve "any time" that's what we were told.  On the Oosterdam, we found out they only take reservations for 5:45 and 7:45  every other time is show up and check in with the Dining Room manager and waits for a table.  Or if you are lucky, get seated immediately!

[CruiserBruce]

20 minutes ago, VTcruisenut said:

You can also call for reservations.  We thought we could reserve "any time" that's what we were told.  On the Oosterdam, we found out they only take reservations for 5:45 and 7:45  every other time is show up and check in with the Dining Room manager and waits for a table.  Or if you are lucky, get seated immediately!

 

Please know this is NOT the normal HAL anytime dining procedure. The normal procedure is reservations can be made from opening to 6pm, and from 7:15 to closing.

 

I am not sure what is happening on Oosterdam... a test, a fluke, a whim by the DR Manager...?

[VTcruisenut]

4 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

 

Please know this is NOT the normal HAL anytime dining procedure. The normal procedure is reservations can be made from opening to 6pm, and from 7:15 to closing.

 

I am not sure what is happening on Oosterdam... a test, a fluke, a whim by the DR Manager...?

I don't know either!  However, that was our experience as well as many we spoke with on the Oosterdam.  We reliquished our 8:00 p.m. fixed dining for As You Wish and then found out we could only reserve 7:45.

[3rdGenCunarder]

26 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

 

Please know this is NOT the normal HAL anytime dining procedure. The normal procedure is reservations can be made from opening to 6pm, and from 7:15 to closing.

 

I am not sure what is happening on Oosterdam... a test, a fluke, a whim by the DR Manager...?

 

I have never been able to make a reservation as late as 6 PM. Usually I've been told 5:15, and if I push it I might get 5:30. 

 

[Cruising-along]

33 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I have never been able to make a reservation as late as 6 PM. Usually I've been told 5:15, and if I push it I might get 5:30. 

 

That has been my experience on all cruises as well.  Usually it's 5:15 or 7:45.

[CruiserBruce]

Last cruise (Eurodam) we had 5:30 reservations. Maybe it was the Neptune Lounge ladies strong work...

[MTAK]

We didn't have any problem getting 5:15 or 5:30 on the Eurodam.  Although we didn't request any other times than those, because we're early eaters.

 

Except for the 2nd Gala night, when I was unable to get a reservation in the MDR at any time.  I was led to believe that they would not do reservations on Gala night, even though we were successful for the 1st Gala night.  Maybe they were already too booked by the morning I called?  We ended up eating in Tamarind instead because it was our anniversary night and we were considering a specialty restaurant anyway.

 

 

[Snowesha]

Honestly we just show up when we are ready to eat and get seated. We have never had to wait very long. We enjoy being seated with a variety of people so we are willing to be seated anywhere. We have met a variety of good people that way from all over the country.