Noordam - Dining Questions

[Travelingsisters]

I am new to Holland America and am booking the Noordam for the March 19th cruise. I apologize if this has been gone over before, but when I searched I only found whether people liked or disliked it. Can someone explain the As You Wish Dining. Do you need to make a reservation? Can you just show up at whatever time? Do you sit alone? Any help would be appreciated, I need to contact my TA today to finalize.

 

Thanks,

[grannynurse]

I am new to Holland America and am booking the Noordam for the March 19th cruise. I apologize if this has been gone over before, but when I searched I only found whether people liked or disliked it. Can someone explain the As You Wish Dining. Do you need to make a reservation? Can you just show up at whatever time? Do you sit alone? Any help would be appreciated, I need to contact my TA today to finalize.

 

Thanks,

 

I hadn't heard that "as you wish dining" was being extended into the Caribbean season. It's just a pilot program in Alaska now. Maybe your TA knows something we don't know.

As it is now, one level of the DR is traditional and the other is open seating. They say you can make a reservation for a particular time but most people just show up between 5:30 and (?) 9:00 pm.

We prefer the traditional seating so we can have the same table mates and waiters. The main DR is open seating for breakfast and lunch anyway, and that's enough for us.

GN

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Traveling Sisters:

 

Last week on the Noordam, we received this information in our documents, and I quote verbatim:

 

As You Wish Dining Service

 

"Simply stated, As You Wish Dining Service means not always having to dine at a specific time. Instead, we have created open seating dining which you can use as you please. Come to the Vista Dining Room, 2, any time between 5:15 pm and 9:00 pm. Reservations for Open Seating Dining can be made by dialing 85 until 4:00 pm. Guests with confirmed fixed seating dine on deck 3 at 5:30 pm or 7:45 pm."

 

I have read that some TAs have been informed that this system is going to be spread fleet-wide by the end of this year. Dining times may vary slightly depending on itinerary and/or ship.

 

Karin

[Travelingsisters]

Grannynurse and Middleaged Mom:

 

Thanks for your quick replies. I decided I would try the As You Wish Dining.

I keep hearing good things about Holland America and can't wait to go.

Hopefully next time I'll be asking questions about a suite.

 

Barbara

[Gonzo70]

I just did my first HAL cruise last month and had a blast. Enjoy your cruise! :D

[Welove2cruise2]

Traveling Sisters:

 

Last week on the Noordam, we received this information in our documents, and I quote verbatim:

 

As You Wish Dining Service

 

"Simply stated, As You Wish Dining Service means not always having to dine at a specific time. Instead, we have created open seating dining which you can use as you please. Come to the Vista Dining Room, 2, any time between 5:15 pm and 9:00 pm. Reservations for Open Seating Dining can be made by dialing 85 until 4:00 pm. Guests with confirmed fixed seating dine on deck 3 at 5:30 pm or 7:45 pm."

 

I have read that some TAs have been informed that this system is going to be spread fleet-wide by the end of this year. Dining times may vary slightly depending on itinerary and/or ship.

 

Karin

 

Karin: this is EXACTLY what I've been looking for! Thanks!!

[Momee]

Hi I Am On The Same Cruise As Your Going To Book. My Ta Asked Me If I Wanted Anytime Dining So They Are Doing Something For That Cruise But I Do Not Know What. I Am A Single Mom Traveling With My Teen Daughters First Time On Holland America

[jtl513]

I hadn't heard that "as you wish dining" was being extended into the Caribbean season. It's just a pilot program in Alaska now. Maybe your TA knows something we don't know. GN

In the list of dates for conversion to AYWD for each of the ships (shown in the "Anytime Dining" Sticky post #12), for the Noordam it simply says "Implemented". That says to me it's already there to stay.

[bUU]

I am new to Holland America and am booking the Noordam for the March 19th cruise. I apologize if this has been gone over before, but when I searched I only found whether people liked or disliked it. Can someone explain the As You Wish Dining.

In the Sticky thread on "Anytime Dining" on HAL, which you can find at the top of the forum, I noted the same thing (that all the discussions were just people addressing whether they liked the sound of it or not) and that there was no real information available about how it actually worked.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=10971453&postcount=115

 

Could folks please post any hard information about As You Wish Dining that they may have in the Sticky thread (or alternatively, could a Moderator please make THIS the Sticky thread instead)?

[Old As Dirt Mom]

In the Sticky thread on "Anytime Dining" on HAL, which you can find at the top of the forum, I noted the same thing (that all the discussions were just people addressing whether they liked the sound of it or not) and that there was no real information available about how it actually worked.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=10971453&postcount=115

 

Could folks please post any hard information about As You Wish Dining that they may have in the Sticky thread (or alternatively, could a Moderator please make THIS the Sticky thread instead)?

 

Bicker:

 

Whatever factual information I have concerning As You Wish Dining, I have just now posted to the Sticky thread on the top of the page.

 

Karin

[bUU]

Thanks!