Main dining room

[KroozNut]

4 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

I used to call Ships Services and ask for the particular ship coordinator.  But, now they don't seem to know what I'm talking about or say they can't release that information.  Ships Services used to be very reliable but I think some of the old employees are gone and the new ones are not used to the routine.

Interesting.. I've never ran into that issue when contacting Ship Services. Most recently for our upcoming sailing on NS in 3 weeks. 🙂

[KAKcruiser]

I was surprised at this since I've been dealing with Ships Services and Coordinators for years.  I wonder if calls go to a backup department when they are busy.

[Colorado Klutch]

18 hours ago, KroozNut said:

 

How did you book your cruise.. directly with HAL, via an external TA? Depending on this information, your dining arrangements (i.e., Fixed early/late or open) should be noted in the 'cruise details' section of your emailed booking confirmation from HAL.

If through a TA, they should have the same information and you need to get it from them. If they don't have it, they can contact HAL on your behalf and get the info.

 

My brother and I had the same experience recently booking two separate HAL cruises. We both booked the cruises ourselves using the HAL web site. MDR dining times did not come up in the booking process. In both cases, early and late dining were sold out, but that wasn't indicated anywhere. We were simply assigned Any Time dining by default. I didn't know this until I called HAL and asked. 

[KroozNut]

11 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

I was surprised at this since I've been dealing with Ships Services and Coordinators for years.  I wonder if calls go to a backup department when they are busy.

 

Could be.. One time I was asked why I needed the name and email address for a particular coordinator, and when I explained, they provided it.

[KroozNut]

6 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

 

My brother and I had the same experience recently booking two separate HAL cruises. We both booked the cruises ourselves using the HAL web site. MDR dining times did not come up in the booking process. In both cases, early and late dining were sold out, but that wasn't indicated anywhere. We were simply assigned Any Time dining by default. I didn't know this until I called HAL and asked. 

 

Wow, I have never seen that in a booking process directly with HAL (via their site). There has always been a question (step in the process) asking which dining arrangement we preferred, similar as to how they ask if you want the beds in the cabin configured as two separate or one queen size.

The dining preference requested is then indicated as 'confirmed' or 'wait listed' if fixed, or 'open' at the end of the booking process, and in the confirmation email.

[mikebsxm]

I contacted the Ship's Coordinator for the Oosterdam, gave her the booking number, cabin number and my mariner number, plus a list of table numbers in the upper dining room, where fixed dining is served.  I go to HAL FACTS dot com, and they have PDF's of each ships MDR, with table numbers.  I make a list  of 10 tables from that.  I've always gotten one in MT top 5.

[KroozNut]

10 minutes ago, mikebsxm said:

I contacted the Ship's Coordinator for the Oosterdam, gave her the booking number, cabin number and my mariner number, plus a list of table numbers in the upper dining room, where fixed dining is served.  I go to HAL FACTS dot com, and they have PDF's of each ships MDR, with table numbers.  I make a list  of 10 tables from that.  I've always gotten one in MT top 5.

 

I typically only submit 4 or 5 choices, and have always received the first table listed.

I should add that we typically do this about 3 mos out.

Edited March 1, 2023 by KroozNut

[moscow123456]

16 hours ago, mikebsxm said:

I contacted the Ship's Coordinator for the Oosterdam, gave her the booking number, cabin number and my mariner number, plus a list of table numbers in the upper dining room, where fixed dining is served.  I go to HAL FACTS dot com, and they have PDF's of each ships MDR, with table numbers.  I make a list  of 10 tables from that.  I've always gotten one in MT top 5.

Thank you so much for this information!  I wasn't even aware that there was on-line information about the seating arrangements in the MDRs.  It sounds like the upper dining room might be marginally quieter than the lower one, so I will look into 4 tops in the upper dining room.

 

Thanks again!!

[3rdGenCunarder]

19 minutes ago, moscow123456 said:

Thank you so much for this information!  I wasn't even aware that there was on-line information about the seating arrangements in the MDRs.  It sounds like the upper dining room might be marginally quieter than the lower one, so I will look into 4 tops in the upper dining room.

 

Thanks again!!

 

In my two times on the K, I was upstairs. Once at a 2-top by the railing with a view of the lower level, and once way back near the corner. The 2-top wasn't bad, but the large table at the corner was good. We could hear each other speak easily. 

On embarkation day, the first time I was on the K, we sat at the back on the lower level and it was too loud. It was hard to hear other people speak, so we had to talk louder. Of course, that just adds to the overall noise level...

[jeh10641]

On 2/28/2023 at 12:52 PM, Eaglecw said:

Thanks Suzy

Hi, Eaglecw,

When we were on Rotterdam (12/21), we had anytime dining. However, before we boarded (weeks before) through our travel agent, we requested 6:45 for every night in the MDR (7 nights) and got it. Even linked my cousins who were traveling with us using their booking number.

Jim

[jeh10641]

10 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

In my two times on the K, I was upstairs. Once at a 2-top by the railing with a view of the lower level, and once way back near the corner. The 2-top wasn't bad, but the large table at the corner was good. We could hear each other speak easily. 

On embarkation day, the first time I was on the K, we sat at the back on the lower level and it was too loud. It was hard to hear other people speak, so we had to talk louder. Of course, that just adds to the overall noise level...

When we were on the Rotterdam, we sat 2/3 of the way back on the port side at a 6 top. Never had a noise problem.

 

Jim

[Cruise Suzy]

21 minutes ago, jeh10641 said:

When we were on Rotterdam (12/21), we had anytime dining. However, before we boarded (weeks before) through our travel agent, we requested 6:45 for every night in the MDR (7 nights) and got it. Even linked my cousins who were traveling with us using their booking number.

The availability to pre-book MDR was discontinued in early 2022. 

[KroozNut]

2 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

The availability to pre-book MDR was discontinued in early 2022. 

 

I pre-booked table 251 (6-top) for every evening at 5:30pm (fixed early seating) for our NS sailing in two weeks.

[Cruise Suzy]

10 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

I pre-booked table 251 (6-top) for every evening at 5:30pm (fixed early seating) for our NS sailing in two weeks.

Yes, you can still pre-book fixed dining.  It's the availability to pre-book anytime dining in the MDR that was discontinued in early 2022. 

[Colorado Klutch]

On 3/1/2023 at 3:16 PM, KroozNut said:

 

Wow, I have never seen that in a booking process directly with HAL (via their site). There has always been a question (step in the process) asking which dining arrangement we preferred, similar as to how they ask if you want the beds in the cabin configured as two separate or one queen size.

The dining preference requested is then indicated as 'confirmed' or 'wait listed' if fixed, or 'open' at the end of the booking process, and in the confirmation email.

 

When I called HAL, they said even the wait lists were full. 

[Native Floridian 26]

13 hours ago, KroozNut said:

 

I pre-booked table 251 (6-top) for every evening at 5:30pm (fixed early seating) for our NS sailing in two weeks.

Sorry, error in my post.  

Edited March 3, 2023 by Native Floridian 26

[Colorado Klutch]

13 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

Yes, you can still pre-book fixed dining.  It's the availability to pre-book anytime dining in the MDR that was discontinued in early 2022. 

 

I was pre-booked for anytime dining by default. 

[Cruise Suzy]

Trying to clear up any confusion I caused.

 

From the time of the restart from COVID until early 2022 those with anytime dining could pre-book a specific time in the MDR; it was under Specialty Dining. I was able to pre-book times (different on each day) for cruises in 7/21, 11/21, 2/22 and 7/22.  Those who waited to prebook a time on the 7/22 cruise were unable to do so by May.

 

I really miss not being able to pre-book a specific time in the MDR - now I have to make MDR reservations on Embarkation Day.

[mcrcruiser]

On 2/27/2023 at 11:53 AM, jeh10641 said:

Madie and I like Any Time dining around 6:45-7 PM. We usually ask for a table for 6 or 8 when we check in as we like to meet as many people as possible. That is unless we are traveling with other couples (once). Never had to wait, make the reservation on the first day on HAL, book in advance on other cruise lines.

That time would conflict with a show at the World Stage ,if they have it ,at that time ,so not for us . We would schedule  our diner to coincide with the show 

[KroozNut]

2 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

 

When I called HAL, they said even the wait lists were full. 

 

Then it has to have something to do with the timing of your original booking. As I've mentioned before, we almost always book 9-12 mos out, and have never been wait listed (except for one time that was a mistake on HAL's part).

[Colorado Klutch]

1 minute ago, KroozNut said:

 

Then it has to have something to do with the timing of your original booking. As I've mentioned before, we almost always book 9-12 mos out, and have never been wait listed (except for one time that was a mistake on HAL's part).

 

I'm sure you are correct. I booked only four months out. I'm new to cruising. Pardon me for being a biscuit, but I was under the impression most people booked their spring and summer cruises in January. I am now aware people book cruises one or two years in advance. 

[jeh10641]

7 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

That time would conflict with a show at the World Stage ,if they have it ,at that time ,so not for us . We would schedule  our diner to coincide with the show 

Hi, mcrcruiser,

I know that shows can conflict with our preferred dinner time but we work around that by changing the time and/or dining venue to suit our needs. In reality, we prefer the Music Walk options most of the time, even if the music is repeated. We did get to see Cantare on the main Stage and it was excellent.

 

Jim

[mcrcruiser]

41 minutes ago, jeh10641 said:

Hi, mcrcruiser,

I know that shows can conflict with our preferred dinner time but we work around that by changing the time and/or dining venue to suit our needs. In reality, we prefer the Music Walk options most of the time, even if the music is repeated. We did get to see Cantare on the main Stage and it was excellent.

 

Jim

 Jim aren't the show times on the World Stage 6 & 8 PM  .if the ship has a show scheduled at those hours  ?

 

.We book with any time dining ,so we can work around the show times  . We too enjoy music walk ;but ,as you know not all ships have a music walk .

Cliff

[islander47]

Am I correct that once we are on board we can make reservations with the maitre d' for various times each evening for an anytime dining time?

[Cruise Suzy]

11 minutes ago, islander47 said:

Am I correct that once we are on board we can make reservations with the maitre d' for various times each evening for an anytime dining time?

 

There will be a table/podium near Pinnacle Grill on Deck 2 to make reservations for anytime dining in MDR and Specialty Restaurants. There is also one on Deck 9 - sometimes near Canaletto, sometimes near the spa. If the maître d is at the MDR, you can also book there. Depending on who staffs the table, you can make reservations for all nights or just the next 3. If just 3, try the other one. You can also call for dining reservations but expect to be on hold.