Is it true that you can no longer pre-reserve MDR dinners?

[canadarocks]

I've been waiting for Dining Reservations to open for our cruises early next year. Just read some comments that reserving dinners in the MDR on a daily basis is no longer an option. Is that true?? 

[Cruise Suzy]

Seems to be. I had reserved MDR times for our July Alaskan and upcoming November cruises, but the option disappeared from both before June. It was nice not to do this once onboard.

[canadarocks]

Wow that truly sucks. We're cruising with Princess directly after our HAL cruises, and I pre-reserved our MDR meals there weeks ago. Add that to their Signature Dining Package being available for in room delivery and on Princess Cays. 

 

Not happy with my usually favorite cruise line right now. 

[KroozNut]

You can still pre-reserve your MDR  accommodations by choosing traditional fixed dining (early or late) at time of booking. 😉

[CruiserBruce]

It seems to vary a little by ship. On Koningsdam in March, they only had one floor of the dining room open...so some tables were for fixed, some for Any Time dining, an some, like ours...the same table at the same time, but not the standard fixed seating time. Last month on N. Statendam, we essentially got pushed into fixed seating. We aren't picky about our table...we ask for a table for 2, doesn't have to be by a window. We would much rather people watch. 

[Mary229]

I agree with Bruce.  Adding this is likely an evolving situation.

[VMax1700]

As I mentioned on another thread, we were able to reserve times on Oosterdam in June, but cannot reserve on Rotterdam for 2 weeks time 😭

Very useful if you can successfully guess the Dressy Nights 🤫

[cruiser02]

Do Neptune Suites have a special dining area in the MDR?   We have not been on HAL for several years 

Thank you 

[PACD_JG]

Made MDR reservations for Koningsdam in June.  Can't do it for Nieuw Statendam in November. 

[sofietucker]

1 hour ago, cruiser02 said:

Do Neptune Suites have a special dining area in the MDR?   We have not been on HAL for several years 

Thank you 

Yes and no. If you are on a Pinnacle-class ship, there is a separate dining room, Club Orange, reserved for NS guests and for those who choose to pay for the CO benefits. That restaurant features the regular MDR menu plus one extra, CO-only entree. For the folks who purchase CO, as opposed to having it due to suite, the bennies include eating there, priority boarding and tendering, a dedicated concierge--but not access to the Neptune Lounge. Because there is no separate dining room on the other ships, a part of the MDR has been cordoned off* as CO, and that is where suite guests eat dinner. 

*I have heard, have not personally experienced this. But there were photos awhile back... Someone will weigh in. But certainly NS guests get priority seating in the MDR anyway.

Edited August 19, 2022 by sofietucker

[rover16]

We were able to do so but only after we were onboard. Even so, there was 1 night where no reservations were available. Still only had about a 5 min. wait for a table,,

[LMaxwell]

Does Open Dining require a reservation or now it's just show up and see? 

[CruiserBruce]

2 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

Does Open Dining require a reservation or now it's just show up and see? 

You can just show up.

[Cruise Suzy]

9 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

Does Open Dining require a reservation or now it's just show up and see? 

Open Dining never required a reservation. Reserving a time before the cruise was an option for a period of time that many of us took advantage of. Now you can reserve once onboard (maybe max of 3 days in advance) or just show up.

[LMaxwell]

1 hour ago, Cruise Suzy said:

Open Dining never required a reservation. Reserving a time before the cruise was an option for a period of time that many of us took advantage of. Now you can reserve once onboard (maybe max of 3 days in advance) or just show up.

Ok got it, thanks that works.  Taking first HAL cruise and have Open Dining assignment. 

[Cruise Suzy]

25 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

Ok got it, thanks that works.  Taking first HAL cruise and have Open Dining assignment. 

And you can ask to be seated with others or not. Open Dining is truly flexible.