Nieuw Statendam dining questions

[don731]

Currently on NS for the next 13 days, having left Port Everglades yesterday.  The ship is comfortable and well appointed, but the changes in HAL from our last voyage about 12 years ago are very evident.

 

Our first question is:  Could we have booked dinner in the MDR before the cruise?  It didn’t come up when we booked the other restaurants. We were under the impression that the MDR was always first come, first serves.  Dinner last night was a total cluster, with dozens of people waiting around 6:30pm, and the restaurant manager resorting to an old fashioned clipboard to keep track of his pagers.  We were quoted a minimum 45 minute wait, so we ditched out to Rudi’s which was empty, and walked in to a wonderful dinner.  Other guests reported that the upper level was not open.  We eventually found the x88 note in Navigator to book the MDR. Of course, for our first week onboard, there are no times available in the six o’clock hour.

 

Do savvy HAL guests immediately book the MDR upon boarding?  Or are high level elites permitted to book before the cruise?

 

Today’s excursion to the beach at Half Moon was also disappointing.  We booked a clamshell, but when we arrived, we found no control at all on who was using them.  We did eventually find one, but thought that those who paid to reserve one would get first pick.  Tendering took an hour from being in line on the ship to disembarking at the Cay.  
 

We’ve noticed used glasses, cups, and dishes left on tables in the bars and eating areas for half an hour or more.  We suppose the ship is understaffed.

 

We are hopeful that the guest experience will stabilize in the next few days.  We had outstanding cruises on Masdam and Zanndam some years ago. 

[ski ww]

You can book the MDR when you book your cruise, late, early or any time. 

[HUNKY]

First-night dinner is often a bit of a mess, regardless of the ship.

 

HAL guests skew to early dining, thus 6 PM can be a difficult time to book.

 

 

[don731]

Forgot to add, all of our restaurant and excursion bookings for next week have disappeared from Navigator. 😬

[0106]

You could have booked MDR fixed seating before the cruise.  Now you need to get the situation resolved…go to the maitre d asap preferably at a less busy time and asked for fixed seating early dining.  Do not accept no for an answer,  keeping working up the chain of command until you get what you deserve.  
 

Glad you enjoyed your dinner at Rudi’s. BTW, first night in the MDR is always the worst.

Have you update your Navigator App to the latest version? Can you see your excursion tickets in the “Wallet”?  Hopefully this is a glitch and all will reappear shortly.

 

The Navigator app is the easiest way to get through to Guest Services about other issues.  Every morning I try to compliment a hard working crew member but I also immediately report things like used dishes being left sitting for 30 minutes and the issue you had with the clam shell.

Edited February 19, 2023 by 0106

[don731]

Overall the Navigator app is great!  Nothing in the wallet after our return to FLL.  I did take screenshots of the Have It All restaurant bookings.  Rudi’s was outstanding, food and service.  We’re back there tomorrow night.  We’re usually favorite guests of our servers….try to be low maintenance.  Our MDR REZ tonight is at 7:45….so we plan to get a pager around 6pm, and hope for the best. We are checking with our TA to see if we could pay for CO next week, just to dine in their grill, and avoid this hassle.  In a VB, so don’t care about moving to a better cabin.  

[oaktreerb]

If you can plan your meals at 5:15 it should be pretty easy to have a designated table reserved in the dining room on deck 2, so you can walk in and be seated without being escorted to your table each evening.  The reason 6:00 is a problem is that every table in the “open seating” dining room is filled by 5:15ish and  those people will not leave the dining room until 6:30 at the earliest.   The ships are full and most people want to eat early, the dining room can’t/shouldn’t leave a table empty until 6:00.   It’s probably not going to get better.  Talk to the dining room manager asap.  If you are not there by 5:15 they will give it to someone else for that evening.

 

We have walked through the crowds outside the dining room on Deck 2 on the Koningsdam, a sister ship.    It’s a mess.  We either book Club Orange (upsell) private dining room or choose fixed dining when we book the cruise.  

[Cybercsp]

We just got off NS on Saturday.  We had the same experience.  MDR and Lido are understaffed relatives to the number of guests and service is suffering.  Sadly, fixed time dining, if you can arrange it, may be your best option. It did not get better as the week progressed.  

[don731]

We had a better strategy tonight.  Had a 7:45 res, but stood in line for a pager around 6:30, were seated by 6:45.  Same deal though, pagers and a clipboard.  

[0106]

Have you tried my suggestion to get a fixed dining table?

 

Didn’t realize you were working with a TA.  They should have asked you if you wanted fixed dining when you booked and they should be helping you solve this problem.  They should at least get you fixed dining for next week or pay for your CO upgrade.