As You Wish Dining - Opinions, Comments and Discussions

[xpcdoojk]

It is undeniable that women today enjoy unprecedented educational and career choices. It is a near certainty that, had I been born 25 years earlier, I would not have earned a Ph.D. in engineering and would not be enjoying this financially rewarding and intellectually satisfying career of my choosing that matches my interests and abilities.

 

How anyone could argue that more choices are a bad thing for women is mind-boggling. :confused: But then again, there are those who would deny us the simple freedom of choosing when and where to dine.:(

25 years ago Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the UK.

 

Today women seem to want to be the next Britney Spears.

 

Progress is a beautiful thing. :rolleyes:

 

jc

[Dena]

25 years ago Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the UK.

 

Today women seem to want to be the next Britney Spears.

 

Progress is a beautiful thing. :rolleyes:

 

jc

 

25 years ago, I was in engineering school. Today, a woman is running for president and more women than men are entering college, law school, and medical school. And I honestly don't know anyone who wants to be Britney Spears.

[HeatherInFlorida]

................ It is a near certainty that, had I been born 25 years earlier, I would not have earned a Ph.D. in engineering ................

How anyone could argue that more choices are a bad thing for women is mind-boggling. :confused: But then again, there are those who would deny us the simple freedom of choosing when and where to dine.:(

 

Since I have no idea when you were born, we can't very well discuss whether it's a "near certainty" or not. But had you been born when I was (in the days of manual typewriters) you most assuredly could have received your Ph.D in engineering or anything else. I have many friends born in my decade who have or had professional careers as I did.

 

Did I miss the post that said that more choices are a bad thing for women? I know I never suggested that.

 

As to the balance of your post, there has not been one single solitary post here on this thread or anywhere else I have seen on this subject that ever maintained that you or anyone else should not be given the "simple freedom of choosing when and where to dine".

 

We have asked numerous times that these posts be pointed out and no one has been able to do it.

 

In fact, it is our belief that there should be a choice, not the other way around. The concern is that our choice will not be available ... a far cry from suggesting there not be a choice.

[mamaofami]

Moveup, thanks so much for answering my question and explaining how the dining worked on the Noordam. Very informative.

[RevNeal]

Thank you so much, moveup, for your excellent, detailed, and informative report. It answers some of my questions. Yes, your suggestion for solo travelers is a good one. Of course, the "what if" is true too ... one might not hit it off and be left looking. But, one could dwell on "what ifs" and never be happy. I prefer to "Wait and see."

 

Again, thanks for your excellent report!

[xpcdoojk]

25 years ago, I was in engineering school. Today, a woman is running for president and more women than men are entering college, law school, and medical school. And I honestly don't know anyone who wants to be Britney Spears.

 

Have you been to the mall this decade? Seriously? :D :rolleyes: I feel a bra burning festival coming to this thread in the near future. Except now women don't burn bras do they? They wear them as formal wear. :D

 

jc

[Dena]

But had you been born when I was (in the days of manual typewriters) you most assuredly could have received your Ph.D in engineering or anything else.

 

Yes I "could" have. But I would be shocked if greater than 1% of the doctorates in engineering were earned by women in the days of the manual typewriter. (Even today the percent is low.) Would I have beat those odds when so many bright and talented women did not?

[Dena]

Have you been to the mall this decade? Seriously? :D :rolleyes: I feel a bra burning festival coming to this thread in the near future. Except now women don't burn bras do they? They wear them as formal wear. :D

 

jc

 

I visit the mall maybe once or twice a year, seriously - "recreational shopping" has never interested me. The young adults that I interact with on a more regular basis are bright, dedicated, and studious young men and women - and the women do NOT dress like Britney. The young women who have nothing better to do than hang at the mall are not typical (I hope):eek: and yes their dress-code is vulgar at best:( .

 

Of course many thought the "flappers" were vulgar in their time, but again these "flappers" did not represent the average young woman of the time. Nor did the hippie women in their time. There will always be a fringe.

[KAYEF]

I thought this thread was about DINING....................if you come on "fresh" it's sounding more than a bit "snipey" and that's one reason I abandoned CC for a few months.

Let people state their opinion regarding THE THREAD and accept it; don't argue.;)

[RevNeal]

I thought this thread was about DINING....................if you come on "fresh" it's sounding more than a bit "snipey" and that's one reason I abandoned CC for a few months.

Let people state their opinion regarding THE THREAD and accept it; don't argue.;)

 

Yes, sadly, it can seem and, indeed, be a bit "snipey." That's one of the hazards of the different opinions being expressed on this board.

[satchiesmom]

Moveup, thank you for your detailed description of "as you wish" dining. We will be on the Noordam in January and have selected this option, it's nice to hear from someone who has experienced it.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Kayef, you are absolutely right ... this thread is about "Anytime Dining" which moved into a discussion about a choice between AYW and Traditional.

 

The traditionalists among us never suggested that passengers should not have a choice of two very different dining experiences. We fully support AYW dining for those who want it as long as it doesn't end up excluding my choice.

 

And as far as all the little Britneys running around out there, I only wish it were a "fringe". Sadly, it is not. JMO:)

[hammybee]

. The problem, in my opinion, is that the dinner hours in the Lido are far too restrictive. It's a thought anyway.Blue skies ...--rita

 

With the implementation of AYW, the dining hours in the LIDO also expanded to 8:30-9:00 P.M. They were doing this in May, on the Noordam. This was reported many times but no way am I going to wade through hundreds of posts to find it.

 

I am considering asking our host to kill this sticky and start a new one that begins with what AYW is and the roll out schedule. It's a shame that someone has to wade through all the "feelings" to get to the facts.

 

Anyone have a problem with killing this sticky and starting over? Everyone would be free to opine on the thing but at least the facts will be the first post.

[hammybee]

I agree with you 100%, but how are they gonna enforce it? Of course, the first night of your cruise, you'll probably have to show your dining assignment card in AYW, but I can't imagine the Matri 'd will be checking those cards throughout the cruise. --rita

 

In May, on the Noordam, we were asked for our cabin # everytime we hit the dining room and the LIDO. It was entered to a file on a lap top and timed.

 

HAL was proactive in managing the overall experience.

[hammybee]

I think you're overestimating the difficultly of checking a cabin number against a list of those registered for AYW.

 

Biker (s), you are right. It was a no brainer and they know who is AYW versus traditional and when.

[hammybee]

[quote name='terrydtx']My understanding is that HAL crew members will hold an orientation session on AYWD the day of departure and allow at that time [COLOR=red][U][B]only[/B][/U][/COLOR] those booked in traditional seating times the opportunity to change to AYWD. This should open up more traditional seatings for those passengers who are waitlisted for dining times and is the only fair way to further the opportunity to take care of passenger’s choice for dining options. To allow back and forth dining would not be fair to those who want only the traditional seatings and are waitlisted.:)[/quote]

AYW orientation is a super idea and one that was lacking on the Noordam, in May. I think they learned a lot about passenger behaviors during the Noordam's Alaskan season and are managing the experience.

[hammybee]

[quote name='mickeyfitz']Is it clear that AYW diners will be able to reserve a table for the same time every night? It would seem that there will be problems with that since so many people prefer a time right in the middle of the dining hours, neither too early nor too late, and the calculated capacity of the dining room needs most tables to turn over twice during an evening. If too many people are allowed to reserve tables for the same times every evening and so I see HAL limiting that option.[/quote]

As Moveup explained, HAL is not allowing diners to reserve during prime time dining time. This makes a lot of sense as it caused a lot of problems for Princess when it went for Open Seating. Those in the know, hogged all the prime times and those who did not know, were stuck working around them.

[hammybee]

[quote name='HeatherInFlorida']Moveup, thanks so much for posting your observations and reaction to AYW dining on the Noordam. It's great to read an actual experience:) .

I wonder if you happened to notice the upper DR? I'm sure you weren't exactly paying much attention, but I'm curious whether everyone was flocking to AYW as some have said or whether there was anyone choosing Traditional. [/quote]

Heather, as has been previously reported on this thread, those with traditional seating no longer have the ability to opt in and out as they did in May, on the Noordam.

[KAYEF]

Long ago (last year?) there was a discussion regarding this and it just seemed that HAL people (ME!!) were not about to give up Traditional Dining just because they hadn't even tried the other.
We took our kids on a Princess and were SO sad (as I've written before) that we had to have Personal Choice Dining AND WE LOVED IT.
Now, I long for it..............especially when rushing back from a port so we make our assigned time................
once you enjoy the freedom of functioning on your own schedule (and learn it's easy and comfortable and can be just what YOU want) you can be more accepting of change.
You're correct, the thread is too long and is way off track............
a new one is needed.:)

[HeatherInFlorida]

[quote name='hammybee']Heather, as has been previously reported on this thread, those with traditional seating no longer have the ability to opt in and out as they did in May, on the Noordam.[/quote]

Hammy, I know that. My post isn't asking about opting in and out which I already posted is completely unfair to everyone involved.

Someone just above wrote that everyone was "flocking to" AYW dining (not opting in and out ... choosing it overall). I just wanted to find out if anyone at all is choosing Traditional.

Kayef, the thread will end when it ends as all threads do. Eventually people just stop posting. But this subject is a hot topic right now so I would guess it's not going away anytime soon. I'm so glad you enjoyed flexible dining. That's why it's great to have a choice.

But for those of us who still enjoy Traditional dining, we'd just like to keep the choice available to us. To each his own :).

[Marmarjudy]

[quote name='KAYEF']Long ago (last year?) there was a discussion regarding this and it just seemed that HAL people (ME!!) were not about to give up Traditional Dining just because they hadn't even tried the other.
We took our kids on a Princess and were SO sad (as I've written before) that we had to have Personal Choice Dining AND WE LOVED IT.
Now, I long for it..............especially when rushing back from a port so we make our assigned time................
once you enjoy the freedom of functioning on your own schedule (and learn it's easy and comfortable and can be just what YOU want) you can be more accepting of change.
QUOTE]


Very well stated. The "functioning on your own time" is key. (Since I got semi-flamed before, I won't mention the lining up every night at the assigned time for the cattle call to an assigned table to make small talk with assigned strangers....that is not our idea of "fine dining" on vacation.)

There is, hopefully, room for all of us on every ship.

Judy

[DesertDogs]

We are confirmed for Early Seating next year but are waiting to change to AYW if tables for 2 are not long waits. All we want is a table for 2 and we would prefer to dine whenever we wish so we hope AYW dining works out for us.

[onthegogirl]

I have been fretting about not being confirmed for traditional seating, but your suggestion for solo's for AYW dining is making me rethink my selection. Thank you for your excellent review.

Carole:)

[RevNeal]

[quote name='Marmarjudy'](Since I got semi-flamed before, I won't mention the lining up every night at the assigned time for the cattle call to an assigned table to make small talk with assigned strangers....that is not our idea of "fine dining" on vacation.)[/QUOTE]

And in saying that you won't mention it, you do. :D
Marmarjudy, while I am very sorry that you believe you were "flamed" in that exchange, I do not agree that you were -- "semi" or otherwise. Myself, and several others, took a degree of offense at the characterization, and disagreed with it, but that does not in any way constitute "flaming" you for it, nor were you "flamed" for it. And neither is [I]this[/I] post a flame. If it is, then any post of disagreement is a "flame," and that simply isn't so.

To "flame," in internet chat parlance, is to post "deliberately hostile and insulting" messages which personally attack someone. Such attacks are posted, often in response to baiting posts, but sometimes from the context of a long exchange of flame-thrower wars. While flaming may well be "in the eyes of the beholder," and while there [I]are[/I] matters of degree in the experience, to describe the disagreement expressed for your characterization (as above-mentioned) a "semi-flame" is an exaggeration.

I, at least, was not "deliberately hostile and insulting" toward you in my disagreement with your insulting characterization of Traditional dining and those who enjoy it (see above reference). I felt (and still feel) somewhat offended by the imagery used, disagreed with the opinion and the observations described, and posted that disagreement and my counter opinion on this board. We had a short exchange in which you attempted to defend your characterization, and I countered it with my own defense, and that was pretty much it. A standard, non-flaming, exchange of differing opinions in which there was no resolution.

Again, I'm sorry you felt semi-flamed, however I don't agree that you were.

[RevNeal]

[quote name='onthegogirl']I have been fretting about not being confirmed for traditional seating, but your suggestion for solo's for AYW dining is making me rethink my selection. Thank you for your excellent review.[/QUOTE]

Agreed, Carole. And, indeed, it is a suggestion that has been batted around several times on this and other threads dealing with the issue. It really seems to be one of the only ways that solo cruisers, who are placed in AYW, can end up not being footballed every evening. Sadly, as has also been articulated, it will take some pro-active effort on our part and it will take the "luck of the draw." Chances are, with AYW being what it is, we will be seated with a group of people ... 4 or 6 people who know each other, are taking this cruise with each other, and who may not be particularly welcoming to the "odd-people" that we solos can tend to be.

Another alternative for dealing with AYW is to make the "single and solo cruisers" get-togethers more meaningful by arranging single dining groups for those in AYW. Of course, that means that we're only going to get to meet and eat with other solos, and not couples or groups of people, but that may be the kind of trade-off we have to endure in order to not be "footballed" from table to table and unwelcoming family/group to unwelcoming family/group every evening.