Shared dining-does it still happen with anytime dining?

[latebuyer]

I went on a cruise pre covid and what i really enjoyed as a solo was the shared dining. Post covid some people seemed to think it had dropped off. Does it still exist? I’d be going on zaandam.

[Kay S]

Main dining is fixed dining with regular shared table mates.  You can ask to share with open seating, but you likely won't get the same tablemates.

[lcand1923]

With Anytime Dining, you will be asked if you want to share.  You won’t get the same table mates unless you make certain to always show up at the same time.

[latebuyer]

Thanks both. I liked meeting different people every night so that’s fine.

[Roz]

My last experience with solo anytime dining on HAL was on the Noordam in Alaska last September.  I like to share a table,  and it was very difficult.  

 

I would go to the 7 o'clock show, and then go to dinner around 7:45. There were few, if any, other passengers willing to share at that time.  I ended up just asking to sit by myself for the remainder of the cruise instead of sitting at a big table and waiting for no one to arrive.  

 

I also found other passengers unwilling to share a table in the Lido at breakfast and lunch.  I live by myself and have always enjoyed the social aspects of cruising, but I'm finding people less friendly post Covid.  Cruising,  and especially solo cruising,  is becoming increasingly expensive.  If I wanted to be by myself, I could rent a cabin at a state park and save myself a lot of money and rejection. 

 

I hope you have a good experience on the Zaandam. 

[leerathje]

My DH and I enjoy shared dining.  On our cruises in 2022 and 2023, we had open seating, and would usually go for dinner sometime between 5:30 and 6:30, We never had a problem being seated with others.  Met some very interesting people that way!

 

L.

 

[happytotravel]

Hi Roz,

I traveled solo on the Volendam this June for 14 days. I used open sitting dinner several times and had no trouble sharing a table with others.  I also went there for breakfast a few times but preferred a table by myself then.

I shared a table as well during Dutch tea service.

I never thought of sharing a table in the Lido.

Don't give up.  Maybe dine at an earlier time.

Take care, happytotravel 

[cccole]

Roz - I am shocked at you experience on the Noordam.  I can't imagine a fellow passenger saying "no" when you wanted to share their table.  Unbelievable. I would assume that if someone or someones came up to us in the Lido and asked if the seats were available our response would be "Of course, please join us."  I am shocked that people can be so rude.  First, in the MDR for dinner we would have welcomed others at the table we requested on anytime dining, usually a table by the window, and we were given a table for 4.  Second, I am more shocked that the MDR staff would seat you at a large table by yourself.  I wouldn't change my schedule for food!  We eat late and enjoy the late show.  If you are ever on a cruise with us you are always welcome at our table.   Cherie  

Edited June 23 by cccole

[Banditswife]

We were on Zaandam last Dec for 16 days over the holidays w/open seating.  We were asked each night if we wanted to share a table & usually had wonderful tablemates.  We met many interesting people that way.  Admittedly we usually eat a bit earlier-6 to 6:30.

[Wayward Son]

On 6/22/2024 at 11:48 AM, Roz said:

If I wanted to be by myself, I could rent a cabin at a state park and save myself a lot of money and rejection.

 

That's a bit extreme. 😀 But from our standpoint, my wife and I don't spend $1000's to dine with strangers. We'll meet them in the bar, and move on if we don't want to spend 2-hours with them.

 

To each their own.

 

[Nang]

Our experience is that since Covid we (DW and myself) more often than not end up dining by ourselves in the MDR despite asking each night for a share table. We always do anytime dining and go to the MDR sometime between 6:30 and 7:30 most nights. It is definitely a disappointing development from our perspective.

[cruiseaholic78]

We have never had any of the above problems requesting a shared table however we always stipulate max six preferably four. The reason being it is sometimes so difficult to have a proper conversation with a table for eight, and does take longer to fill up.

If seated at one for four and nobody turns up they just take the cutlery etc away and we are good to go. 
 

In April on the Statendam she was filled to capacity (and then some) if you hadn’t shared in the Lido you would have starved! We just ask if seats are taken and sit down. Do however follow our buffet rule (unknown unfortunately for some, find a table first then go for food) we often see people walking around with a plate of food going cold looking for a table.

[auntmeg]

On 6/23/2024 at 5:05 PM, cccole said:

Roz - I am shocked at you experience on the Noordam.  I can't imagine a fellow passenger saying "no" when you wanted to share their table.  Unbelievable. I would assume that if someone or someones came up to us in the Lido and asked if the seats were available our response would be "Of course, please join us."  I am shocked that people can be so rude.  First, in the MDR for dinner we would have welcomed others at the table we requested on anytime dining, usually a table by the window, and we were given a table for 4.  Second, I am more shocked that the MDR staff would seat you at a large table by yourself.  I wouldn't change my schedule for food!  We eat late and enjoy the late show.  If you are ever on a cruise with us you are always welcome at our table.   Cherie  

It's not necessarily rude if someone doesn't want to share a table with others. Not everyone wants to be social. It's just a preference.

[cccole]

8 minutes ago, auntmeg said:

It's not necessarily rude if someone doesn't want to share a table with others. Not everyone wants to be social. It's just a preference.

I agree if you are in the MDR, or a specialty restaurant, because you would have told the host/hostess that you do not want to share.  However, if the tables in the Lido are chock-a-block at prime time dining times and someone wants to sit at your table...I consider it rude if you say "no".  The Lido is extremely busy at certain times so if you do not want to share a table possibly a different time would be appropriate.  You are not on your private yacht, you are not in a specialty dining area, and if someone needs a place to enjoy their lunch or dinner, what's wrong with that?  I think that erring on the side of inclusion rather than exclusion is important.  But that is me, and it is the way I was brought up.  I totally understand there are times when you do not want to share a table, but when traveling with 1500 of your best friends this may require some compromise at certain times, in certain venues.  JMO. Cherie 

[Catlover54]

1. I wouldn't be surprised if people are less social than pre-Covid.  Even though 'dying of Covid' and/or quarantine  fears are way down, there are still plenty of other contagious viral infections going around that can ruin your trip, and likely people have learned to be cautious about who is breathing (and often coughing, shedding plenty of airborne droplets) right next to them.  I recently was on the Rotterdam where juicy coughers were quite frequent, and became more frequent as the cruise went on, including on stuffed bus excursions. Even though not all the coughers were likely infectious (some have allergies, or COPD, or other non-infectious causes of chronic coughs) , some pax very likely were infectious , and neither DH nor I had an interest in ruining our trip getting sick (DH is particularly sensitive). The entire air is of course shared by all in the dining room or entertainment venue  but if someone is at your table or on your bus and is in the infectious stage of a virus  (and talking/laughing loudly very close to you), the general idea is that you are a bit more likely to get his infection than if you are off in a well-ventilated uncrowded corner by yourself.  And you obviously can't wear an N95 mask (for what it's worth) while eating.   

But for all the coughers on the ship,  we would have been open to sharing a dinner table, with a solo or otherwise.  But we chose to play it a little safer (or at least pretend to).  We were asked (in the crowded Cannelleto, where we had a reservation), if we wanted to share, and we said we preferred to wait until a table was clear. 

 

Another reason for not sharing is timing.  Shows on the ship were early, at 7:30 and 9, and we are not early eaters.  If we would come eat at 7:30, we wanted to be sure we would be finished by 8:45, in time to get a decent seat the the 9 o'clock show we were interested in , and not be held up by someone ordering extra courses and/or eating very slowly (as has happened on other ships). You cannot always predict who will be a slow eater (other than when a hostess in a crowded luxury ship dining room learned we were willing to share, and quickly sat us down near one couple where the man had a speech/swallowing and saliva control impediment (we learned from cancer treatment) , and the other man had an arm movement impediment from what we learned had been a stroke -- we were there 3 hours). 

 

2. 

As for joining a table at the Lido, 

I am relatively new to HAL and had just assumed straight off that on a non-luxury  line like HAL, in the  typically overcrowded Lido/buffet area (rather than a specialty venue) , if you are at a table that is not at capacity, others would understandably have the official right to join you and you wouldn't officially be able to say no, so just say yes straight off. Not that long ago, in every-man inexpensive European restaurants, it was common for people to join your table in a crowded venue, and then they would just carry on their own conversations without involving you, and it is no big deal. Some places that still happens, and sometimes you can meet interesting people (or at least eavesdrop on interesting conversations :). 

It is good for newbies like me to know that permission to join is required even in the crowded Lido, even if one person is sitting at a table for four. I'd rather eat in my cabin than impose on someone who wants to be alone.

 

 

[KruisinKath]

21 hours ago, Wayward Son said:

 

That's a bit extreme. 😀 But from our standpoint, my wife and I don't spend $1000's to dine with strangers. We'll meet them in the bar, and move on if we don't want to spend 2-hours with them.

 

To each their own.

 

But then you still have each other’s company. It’s a little different if you are by yourself…

[cccole]

22 hours ago, Wayward Son said:

 

That's a bit extreme. 😀 But from our standpoint, my wife and I don't spend $1000's to dine with strangers. We'll meet them in the bar, and move on if we don't want to spend 2-hours with them.

 

To each their own.

 

But you don't need to dine with others in the MDR or specialty restaurants, just let the Host/Hostess know. And, you meet "strangers" in the bar, enjoy a beverage and they decide they don't want to share a dinner table with you.  Great you are not offended.  The only place it is a problem is the Lido.  And, there are many on the same cruise as you who are possibly spending more than you.  HAL is not a private yacht in any category of cabins.  JMO. Cherie 

[Kay S]

1 hour ago, Catlover54 said:

 

It is good for newbies like me to know that permission to join is required even in the crowded Lido, even if one person is sitting at a table for four. I'd rather eat in my cabin than impose on someone who wants to be alone.

 

 

I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it "permission," but it seems like common courtesy to ask.  I have never said "no" to anyone and I've never been told to get lost.  The rules in the Lido are different from in the dining rooms where there is staff to seat people.

[cccole]

On 6/21/2024 at 6:48 PM, latebuyer said:

I went on a cruise pre covid and what i really enjoyed as a solo was the shared dining. Post covid some people seemed to think it had dropped off. Does it still exist? I’d be going on zaandam.

Does your cruise have get togethers for solo cruisers.  I recently had a friend who cruised solo and enjoyed this group and had a great time.  I don't know if on your roll call you could connect with other solo cruisers.  Cherie

[Hlitner]

On 6/21/2024 at 9:48 PM, latebuyer said:

I went on a cruise pre covid and what i really enjoyed as a solo was the shared dining. Post covid some people seemed to think it had dropped off. Does it still exist? I’d be going on zaandam.

If you want to share, we did it using the Anytime dining options.  DW and I seldom know when we want to dine, since we enjoy pre-dinner cocktails and will often meet other folks and get into interesting conversations.  But usually, around 7:30 - 7:45 we head to the MDR and simply tell the door folks that we would be delighted to share a large table.  Never a problem, as long as anyone else on Hal dines that late :).  I should add that our later shared tables are usually a lot of fun, and we have met many fine folks during shared dinners.  As to the idea of spending thousands of dollars to dine with strangers, we do spend many thousands to cruise with strangers. Our goal is that many of them change from "strangers" to friends.  That is what cruising used to be all about (in the olden days) when everyone shared tables.  We keep that alive on our voyages, which is one reason why after more than 50 years of extensive cruising we still enjoy every voyage.

 

We get it that some cruise for the itinerary and some for the ship  We cruise for the people....with the ship and itineary also a consideration

 

 

Hank

[kevingastreich]

2 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

1. I wouldn't be surprised if people are less social than pre-Covid.  Even though 'dying of Covid' and/or quarantine  fears are way down, there are still plenty of other contagious viral infections going around that can ruin your trip, and likely people have learned to be cautious about who is breathing (and often coughing, shedding plenty of airborne droplets) right next to them.  I recently was on the Rotterdam where juicy coughers were quite frequent, and became more frequent as the cruise went on, including on stuffed bus excursions. Even though not all the coughers were likely infectious (some have allergies, or COPD, or other non-infectious causes of chronic coughs) , some pax very likely were infectious , and neither DH nor I had an interest in ruining our trip getting sick (DH is particularly sensitive). The entire air is of course shared by all in the dining room or entertainment venue  but if someone is at your table or on your bus and is in the infectious stage of a virus  (and talking/laughing loudly very close to you), the general idea is that you are a bit more likely to get his infection than if you are off in a well-ventilated uncrowded corner by yourself.  And you obviously can't wear an N95 mask (for what it's worth) while eating.   

But for all the coughers on the ship,  we would have been open to sharing a dinner table, with a solo or otherwise.  But we chose to play it a little safer (or at least pretend to).  We were asked (in the crowded Cannelleto, where we had a reservation), if we wanted to share, and we said we preferred to wait until a table was clear. 

 

Another reason for not sharing is timing.  Shows on the ship were early, at 7:30 and 9, and we are not early eaters.  If we would come eat at 7:30, we wanted to be sure we would be finished by 8:45, in time to get a decent seat the the 9 o'clock show we were interested in , and not be held up by someone ordering extra courses and/or eating very slowly (as has happened on other ships). You cannot always predict who will be a slow eater (other than when a hostess in a crowded luxury ship dining room learned we were willing to share, and quickly sat us down near one couple where the man had a speech/swallowing and saliva control impediment (we learned from cancer treatment) , and the other man had an arm movement impediment from what we learned had been a stroke -- we were there 3 hours). 

 

2. 

As for joining a table at the Lido, 

I am relatively new to HAL and had just assumed straight off that on a non-luxury  line like HAL, in the  typically overcrowded Lido/buffet area (rather than a specialty venue) , if you are at a table that is not at capacity, others would understandably have the official right to join you and you wouldn't officially be able to say no, so just say yes straight off. Not that long ago, in every-man inexpensive European restaurants, it was common for people to join your table in a crowded venue, and then they would just carry on their own conversations without involving you, and it is no big deal. Some places that still happens, and sometimes you can meet interesting people (or at least eavesdrop on interesting conversations :). 

It is good for newbies like me to know that permission to join is required even in the crowded Lido, even if one person is sitting at a table for four. I'd rather eat in my cabin than impose on someone who wants to be alone.

 

 

One time by the SeaView pool I asked if I could sit at a table that only had one person at it...it was the only spot still available in the shade.  The guy said "no" but I ignored him and sat there anyway.  While he was up getting more food, the server brought him some OJ and I said thanks and drank it. If I'm at a table with extra space and see someone with a plate of food searching for a place to sit...I wave them over.  

[ellieanne]

On 6/22/2024 at 11:48 AM, Roz said:

My last experience with solo anytime dining on HAL was on the Noordam in Alaska last September.  I like to share a table,  and it was very difficult.  

 

I would go to the 7 o'clock show, and then go to dinner around 7:45. There were few, if any, other passengers willing to share at that time.  I ended up just asking to sit by myself for the remainder of the cruise instead of sitting at a big table and waiting for no one to arrive.  

 

I also found other passengers unwilling to share a table in the Lido at breakfast and lunch.  I live by myself and have always enjoyed the social aspects of cruising, but I'm finding people less friendly post Covid.  Cruising,  and especially solo cruising,  is becoming increasingly expensive.  If I wanted to be by myself, I could rent a cabin at a state park and save myself a lot of money and rejection. 

 

I hope you have a good experience on the Zaandam. 

I am sorry this was your experience. I can't say as to as-you-wish dining, as I had a large table for 6 with my travelling companions at fixed dinner.

But I can say that on all my cruises, many people have asked to share my table in the Lido, both before and after Covid. And I can say that when I needed to I asked to share other's table. Now, some people are willing to share the table, but don't really want further interaction. They just need a place to sit to eat. That's fine. Other people are far more social and want to share a table to meet new people, or at the very least have a conversation with someone different. That's fine too. I had a lovely chat with fellow cruisers about how after moving to Australia I discovered cricket, and more importantly, I discovered Test Cricket. That led to a spirited discussion of the merits of long-form cricket vs. limited-overs cricket. It was fun. That was the only time I saw that coupe the whole 10 day cruise, but it was a great experience.

I know people want more of those kinds of good experiences, but sometimes you have to accept that other people may just want to eat and not interact. My husband calls it "not being able to people today." Some days you just can't people. I hope more of your days are with people who can "people today" on future cruises. But it never hurts to ask to share a table, or the view at the rail on the Promenade Deck.

[Banditswife]

In Lido Buffet area, we have  rarely ever had anyone refuse to share their table, nor have we ever refused to share our table.  The only exception to this has been when they/we are expecting others to join us & need the chair/table for their/our own group.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Yes just ask.at the podium 

[Wayward Son]

On 6/24/2024 at 6:49 PM, cccole said:

But you don't need to dine with others in the MDR or specialty restaurants .. The only place it is a problem is the Lido.

 

I apologize if I misunderstood your post. I thought your concerns about dining alone included the MDR. We have no problem sharing a table in a crowded buffet. It's a fast madhouse. You don't really need to speak to your new tablemates. Not so easy in the MDR.