Will HAL Changes Discourage Regular HAL Cruisers

[mcrcruiser]

We are 3 star mariners & we have seen  many changes some good but some not good , We like the Club Orange Upgrade but dis like that   the World Stage does not have nightly entertainment like  live shows with singers & dancers , main line good comedians,  pianists that play concert music  , speciality acts ie .Additionally ,we hope that our MDR experience Dec 10 to Dec 22nd on Koningsdam of understaffed  & long lines to the MDR every night  & 2 hour dinners was just do to  those sailings during December ?

[HappyInVan]

No one knows how long this lasts.

 

Best thing to do is to cruise with low expectations. For me, it means being reluctant to pay up. HAL has to prove that it deserves to be paid more than the mass market cruises.

[mcrcruiser]

10 minutes ago, HappyInVan said:

No one knows how long this lasts.

 

Best thing to do is to cruise with low expectations. For me, it means being reluctant to pay up. HAL has to prove that it deserves to be paid more than the mass market cruises.

For our next cruises on HAL we booked with Club Orange to avoid those MDR hassles 

[oakridger]

5 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

For our next cruises on HAL we booked with Club Orange to avoid those MDR hassles 

 

My beef with that is that we shouldn't have to book Club Orange in order to get good service.  The MDR should have good service to begin with included as part of the cruise fare!!

 

~Nancy

[colbe]

1 minute ago, oakridger said:

 

My beef with that is that we shouldn't have to book Club Orange in order to get good service.  The MDR should have good service to begin with included as part of the cruise fare!!

 

~Nancy

We have not seen any change in the standard of MDR service. We have just spent 7 weeks on a cruise eating breakfast and dinner and some lunches in the MDR.

[oakridger]

@colbeThat's excellent news!  I felt that the MDR service on Nieuw Amsterdam and Rotterdam last fall was good to excellent (by one wait team), but I was only there once for lunch and a few times for dinner. The big problem for me at that time was the big line ups to get into the dining room unless I went at 8pm or a little later.  I like to eat later usually but the times I went to go earlier it was a zoo in the waiting area! I pivoted and boarded the elevator and went to the Lido more often than I would have liked.

 

~Nancy

[crystalspin]

1 minute ago, oakridger said:

The big problem for me at that time was the big line ups to get into the dining room ...it was a zoo in the waiting area! I pivoted and boarded the elevator and went to the Lido more often than I would have liked.

This was our experience on K'dam, 16-day B2B. Viewing the menu on Navigator, on last night -- saw Lamb Shank in MDR and called before noon for a reservation, to be told only opening was 8pm at a shared table. Passed on that, we had gotten in the habit of eating earlier as that was the common times that specialty restaurants had (either very early or very late). DH loves lamb shank and likes to be waited on, but we did not eat at all in the MDR. Instead we spend all of our OBC on specialties and Lido the other eight nights.

[colbe]

7 minutes ago, oakridger said:

@colbeThat's excellent news!  I felt that the MDR service on Nieuw Amsterdam and Rotterdam last fall was good to excellent (by one wait team), but I was only there once for lunch and a few times for dinner. The big problem for me at that time was the big line ups to get into the dining room unless I went at 8pm or a little later.  I like to eat later usually but the times I went to go earlier it was a zoo in the waiting area! I pivoted and boarded the elevator and went to the Lido more often than I would have liked.

 

~Nancy

Nancy - one example was when, as usual, I asked for extra vegetables with my main. One of the chefs came out to check that I had got what I wanted, and said that she had asked for my order to always go to her. 

 

 

[Mary229]

I had similar problems on the Koningsdam in 2019 and I am sure the new issues have only compounded the issues.  Best advice for the Klamath is to have fixed dining.  Something needs to be fixed on that ship.

 

as to the entertainment: cruise lines do need to change it up occasionally for various reasons.  The whole multimedia talk programs were idiotic in my opinion.  I am speaking about the cooking demos which were part tv series viewing with a live host or the port talks and other canned talks the CD gives which are part tv and part lecture.  I can stream the video of my choice and now that we are getting Starlink that might be possible.  I did like the Captain’s talk with multimedia. HAL has declared they are going to focus on long voyages, let hope that includes live enrichment programs in the theater.  

[VMax1700]

We love 2 hour dinners and detest singers and dancers, so HAL works for us.

Long may it continue this way.

[MISTER 67]

6 hours ago, colbe said:

We have not seen any change in the standard of MDR service. We have just spent 7 weeks on a cruise eating breakfast and dinner and some lunches in the MDR.

We have no problems with the service in the MDR, it's the food that's bad and when you do get a decent meal the portions are tiny. I had some sole last month on the NA and I could have eaten the whole portion in 3 bites.

Edited January 22, 2023 by MISTER 67

[MISTER 67]

2 minutes ago, MISTER 67 said:

Delete.

 

Edited January 22, 2023 by MISTER 67

[Florida_gal_50]

3 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I had similar problems on the Koningsdam in 2019 and I am sure the new issues have only compounded the issues.  Best advice for the Klamath is to have fixed dining.  Something needs to be fixed on that ship.

 

as to the entertainment: cruise lines do need to change it up occasionally for various reasons.  The whole multimedia talk programs were idiotic in my opinion.  I am speaking about the cooking demos which were part tv series viewing with a live host or the port talks and other canned talks the CD gives which are part tv and part lecture.  I can stream the video of my choice and now that we are getting Starlink that might be possible.  I did like the Captain’s talk with multimedia. HAL has declared they are going to focus on long voyages, let hope that includes live enrichment programs in the theater.  

That probably a good idea to have fixed on the koningsdam.  Some people I met had a great experience in early dining on the koningsdam when I was on it.  It was an absolute zoo in open.  I could see the huge line up sitting in club orange when I went.  Hopefully cruises on that ship aren’t over capacity like they were from November until after new year.  That said it can be super difficult to get early never mind that it’s super early.

[ldog]

We book for the itinerary so as long as HAL goes to interesting ports we will put up with the other stuff. 

I do miss the guest lecturers, the folk singers, the jazz groups and the production shows.

I think the canned EXC talks are atrocious.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, MISTER 67 said:

We have no problems with the service in the MDR, it's the food that's bad and when you do get a decent meal the portions are tiny. I had some sole last month on the NA and I could have eaten the whole portion in 3 bites.

It’s true.  I had halibut one night and it was delicious but I doubt it was more than an ounce.  I know some people snack constantly and eat the huge desserts at the Dutch cafe but I eat pretty sensibly during the day so I would like more than that.  Before someone says you can order more I don’t know it will be tiny until served.  When I’ve asked for more sometimes I get asked if I’m sure or a fuss is made so I don’t bother.

[CNSJ]

7 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

That probably a good idea to have fixed on the koningsdam.  Some people I met had a great experience in early dining on the koningsdam when I was on it.  It was an absolute zoo in open.  I could see the huge line up sitting in club orange when I went.  Hopefully cruises on that ship aren’t over capacity like they were from November until after new year.  That said it can be super difficult to get early never mind that it’s super early.

I have found that I am best off booking MDR when it opens for booking in advance online.  I get my table for 2 with no wait.  Depending on post schedule and my desire for specialty restaurants on special nights - I select a time between 5:30 and 6:30 PM.  It just works.  Walk right past the long walk up line.

 

I always cancel a reservation by 4:40 PM  if we choose to eat in the lido, so they table can be reassigned right away.  

 

MDR Service has been good.  Yes its a 80-90 min meal, but then again its served in courses and that includes coffee with dessert!

 

For those who want extra entree portions, just ask....they will happily bring you two!

[PACD_JG]

3 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

 Before someone says you can order more I don’t know it will be tiny until served. 

Considering on Thanksgiving it took half an hour from the time we ordered to get our food, and 15 minutes from the time we sat down to the time our order was taken...yeah, nevermind on seconds.

[PACD_JG]

2 minutes ago, CNSJ said:

I have found that I am best off booking MDR when it opens for booking in advance online.

When's the last time you sailed?  Because as of my last cruise in November, you can't do that anymore.

[CNSJ]

Just now, PACD_JG said:

When's the last time you sailed?  Because as of my last cruise in November, you can't do that anymore.

Three cruises in past six months.  Last one in December.  Was able to pre-book on all.  Then again I pre-booked a while in advance. 

[Florida_gal_50]

2 minutes ago, CNSJ said:

I have found that I am best off booking MDR when it opens for booking in advance online.  I get my table for 2 with no wait.  Depending on post schedule and my desire for specialty restaurants on special nights - I select a time between 5:30 and 6:30 PM.  It just works.  Walk right past the long walk up line.

 

I always cancel a reservation by 4:40 PM  if we choose to eat in the lido, so they table can be reassigned right away.  

 

MDR Service has been good.  Yes its a 80-90 min meal, but then again its served in courses and that includes coffee with dessert!

 

For those who want extra entree portions, just ask....they will happily bring you two!

Can you still book the mdr ahead anymore?  I’ve been asked many times if I’m sure I want a second, usually an app. Probably 7 or 8 years ago I wanted to order a second app at lunch in the pinnacle and the guy made such a fuss about it I was totally embarrassed.  I’ve also heard comments like “you sure cleaned that up” which embarrasses the heck out of me.  I’ve never heard that comment made to anyone else. 

[SilvertoGold]

16 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

That probably a good idea to have fixed on the koningsdam.  Some people I met had a great experience in early dining on the koningsdam when I was on it.  It was an absolute zoo in open.  I could see the huge line up sitting in club orange when I went.  Hopefully cruises on that ship aren’t over capacity like they were from November until after new year.  That said it can be super difficult to get early never mind that it’s super early.

This is an excellent suggestion.  We spent nearly 11 weeks on the Koningsdam last year and the MDR was always lined up early. Breakfast lines were bad, dinner ones atrocious.

[Hlitner]

8 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

No one knows how long this lasts.

 

Best thing to do is to cruise with low expectations. For me, it means being reluctant to pay up. HAL has to prove that it deserves to be paid more than the mass market cruises.

WOW.  Lower expectations.  Why not book a cruise line that better meets expectations?  HAL is not the "only game in town."  Just this past week we were looking for a short, 14 day cruise, in the Caribbean for early December.  As 5 * Mariners you would think we would have considered HAL, but that was not even a consideration.  We looked at Oceania, Princess, Seabourn and MSC and eventually booked Princess (we have over 30 cruises with that line).  Why?  Partially because of their entertainment (they still have Production Shows, have a piano bar, and usually have a decent jazz group in another venue.  We also prefer their extended Lido hours, Princess pizza (the best at sea) and the International Cafe (open 24/7).  Our 2nd choice would have been MSC (in their Yacht Club) but they lost out because Princess has a far better itinerary.

 

Why not HAL?  Lack of Production Shows, showing BBC documentaries and calling it their main entertainment, an opening night slide show that is supposed to be entertainment, truncated Lido hours, downgraded cuisine with too many add-ons, etc.  We also considered that we will be on a 42 day HAL cruise this Spring, and even their dance productions will likely be repeated next December as will the slide show, BBC thing, etc.   In the past we would have had HAL near the top of our list.  Now, unless we are looking for a long exotic itinerary we do not even consider HAL.  We hope that HAL soon gets their act together, realizes that they are in a competitive business, and gives us cause to put them at the top of our "list."

 

Hank

[PACD_JG]

2 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

WOW.  Lower expectations.  Why not book a cruise line that better meets expectations?  HAL is not the "only game in town." 

HAL...the cruiseline for masochists.

[*Miss G*]

Open seating is a complete failure in the MDR.  (On Princess as well.)   The servers are unhappy; the guests are unhappy; and I imagine the galley is none-too-happy either.  I wish they would limit the free-for-all to the Lido Market and return/expand fixed seating to the MDR.  On Pinnacle class I can escape to Club Orange but on the rest of the fleet it is a battle to find good personalized service.  In October (Oosterdam) we locked down a specific section as soon as we discovered the gems who were on service.  This was after days of being tossed from section to section at the mercy of frazzled servers who were barely aware we were there.  It reflects poorly on the cruise line and makes them look like amateurs.

 

Also, I truly am puzzled about the comments on portion sizes.  I have never found them too small.  In fact, I am thankful they’re not large because it would be such a waste… and a little overwhelming to be honest.  It’s far better for them to have the smaller servings and have people ask for extra than to have larger servings and have to throw them away.

 

As for entertainment, I am happy with the current Music Walk, hate ventriloquists and comedians who make me cringe instead of laugh, and love interesting lectures.  Outside of cruising I enjoy the theatre but somehow cruise ship performances always make me feel like I’m at a grade school production.  If they could get it to college-level I’d enjoy it.

[Florida_gal_50]

31 minutes ago, CNSJ said:

Three cruises in past six months.  Last one in December.  Was able to pre-book on all.  Then again I pre-booked a while in advance. 

Was this on a short cruise? On a pinnacle ship?  I find that things can vary greatly from ship to ship and length of cruise.  I’ve seen people mention things that they experienced on a 30 plus day cruise that I’ve never seen.  Also if you are sailing under capacity that makes a huge difference.