As You Wish Dining - Opinions, Comments and Discussions

[Tazdog]

Thanks! The dining room map was very helpful! Thanks CC members!

[Jimmy Aloha]

I don't recall tables for 12 on the ships. There may be one, but a table for 12 is going to be very, very difficult.

What would be easy, though, is two tables for 6 next to each other. You would be able to chat back and forth at the table much better with fewer people, be able to visit with those at the other table, and be able to change the groupings around every night. That way people would have a real chance mix.

 

Consider this alternative.

 

I have only cruised for about 10 times, but I have seen table settings for 12 and more people on 3 different ships. They just join 2 or 3 long tables together to accomodate the number of guests.

[RuthC]

I have only cruised for about 10 times, but I have seen table settings for 12 and more people on 3 different ships. They just join 2 or 3 long tables together to accomodate the number of guests.

On HAL? From what I know, the tables are bolted down.

I remember a terrible storm one time, and the ship tossed about. The people sitting in their chairs in the dining room were toppled to the floor, and everything on the tables as well. But the tables themselves did not move. They were bolted to the floor.

[Debbie&Chaz]

On HAL? From what I know, the tables are bolted down.

I remember a terrible storm one time, and the ship tossed about. The people sitting in their chairs in the dining room were toppled to the floor, and everything on the tables as well. But the tables themselves did not move. They were bolted to the floor.

 

Ruth - you are correct, the tables are bolted to the floor. At a CC M&G last summer, a dinning room manager got quite irate when we wanted to scoot the tables together at an afternoon tea. Long story short - HAL provided a champagne & mimosa meet and greet with the Captain! Just wish the manager had told us the tables were bolted down instead of being beligerent!

[mearsfansinboise]

I remember a terrible storm one time, and the ship tossed about. The people sitting in their chairs in the dining room were toppled to the floor, and everything on the tables as well. But the tables themselves did not move. They were bolted to the floor.

 

3 days to our first cruise and I read this from Miss Ruth! :eek: :p

[RuthC]

3 days to our first cruise and I read this from Miss Ruth! :eek: :p

Different ocean. Not to worry.

 

(the storm was a very wild ride, though.;))

[itravel2much]

It was the worst storm we have had and we have been on many cruises. I loved the storm, but most people did not. The ships are very strong, so do not worry.

[terigo]

Not sure if this has been asked... (OK, so I am lazy... i only read the last 8 pages! :p )

My husband and I keep going back and forth with this... Here are the arguments we are having with ourselves....

 

Part of us likes the freedom of eating when we like, but the other part of us really enjoys knowing our servers and having them know us.

 

We have had tablemates who were fun and interesting, and we were so glad to see them every evening.

 

Then we have had the unfortunate experience of having tablemates who apparently knew each other, and had no desire to include anyone else in their circle... we spent the whole cruise feeling alone in a crowd... it was awful.

(I'm not going to even get into one cruise where we were seated at a table for 8, and all 4 couples spoke a different language.... none of them any that that any of the others spoke... sort of like going to a UN summit without a translator!)

 

When seated at breakfast, it is usually open seating, and you meet some wonderful people... so that is sort of like dine as you please..... and is pleasant.

 

We are booked for late sitting.... then we hear this can interfere with showtimes, which frankly is not that big a deal, but is a consideration.

 

Should we try it out, and if we are not happy, switch to "as you please"? (which i understand is not a problem)

 

So the upshot is.... I dunno... do I sound needy? :D

Which one of those arguments sounds more persuasive?

[Mary Ellen]

First, you already have "As You Wish" dining, as does everyone else on your ship.

 

Only you can decide what works best for your dinner needs, your traditional (fixed) seating or the open seating. There are good pro and cons for each and no 'one size fits all' answer.

 

It shouldn't be a problem if you decide to change to the open seating during your cruise. However, should you decide to change back to fixed seating, that probably won't be an option.

 

Good luck.

[mancunian]

Terigo

If however you change your seating to open seating before you go, you would have the option of changing back on your cruise. I believe you are allowed one change.

 

If you go along the open route and you like your waiter just book that table again. This of course does not work if you want to just turn up when you feel like it. We have played open sitting both ways and on a third cruise a mix of both. It is worth trying. The only time now that we would go back to traditional dining is if we were with friends and had our own complete table. You will find on open sitting if you get on well with someone they will say let's get together again. Best of both worlds really we feel.

[RuthC]

Terigo

If however you change your seating to open seating before you go, you would have the option of changing back on your cruise. I believe you are allowed one change.

It's only an option, though, if there's availability. Usually the fixed seating is waitlisted, making it tough to get.

 

Terigo, one thing I would consider, since you like having the same tablemates, but don't want any duds---how often does that happen? If you think about it, one dud in a long line of great tablemates is a pretty good average.

If you don't click with tablemates, there's no need to suffer for an entire cruise. You can change tables, or switch to open seating. Open is always, well, open!

[terigo]

Thank you, Mancunian....

That was a helpful reply. First-person experience is what I was looking for, not a generic response... and you gave it.

As a matter of fact, I think, since it is easier to change from a "set dining time" to the flexible dining, and we are only allowed one change, that we are going to see what our first night's table brings us, and then perhaps change over to flexible.... to get, as you put it, "the best of both worlds"

 

And thanks Ruth (your response showed after i posted)... i think that is exactly the right plan of action!

Edited July 6, 2010 by terigo

[BarbRN]

I say relax, I've never had a bad experience with dining mates. The pure luck of the draw is exciting in itself. I've learned something from every contact and the food is always excellent!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you, Mancunian....

That was a helpful reply. First-person experience is what I was looking for, not a generic response... and you gave it.

As a matter of fact, I think, since it is easier to change from a "set dining time" to the flexible dining, and we are only allowed one change, that we are going to see what our first night's table brings us, and then perhaps change over to flexible.... to get, as you put it, "the best of both worlds"

 

And thanks Ruth (your response showed after i posted)... i think that is exactly the right plan of action!

 

Also keep in mind that not everyone shows up in the dining room for fixed sitting. On our last few cruises there has been a BBQ by the Lido pool which attracts a lot of people.

Thus you may not really know who your table mates will be until the second night.

[westlab]

As you Wish Dining...

We will be on Voldendam in late August and have AYWD

I read that we can make reservations each day. If we do not make reservations, will we wait in line a long time on formal nights?

[Mary Ellen]

Everyone, on all ships, has AYWD. We never make reservations and have the same table mates, waiters, and time each evening when we dine in the MDR. We also enjoy the flexibility to have dinner in the Pinnacle Grill (we do make reservations for here) or Lido should we wish. AYWD works great for us!

[Cruising-along]

As you Wish Dining...

We will be on Voldendam in late August and have AYWD

I read that we can make reservations each day. If we do not make reservations, will we wait in line a long time on formal nights?

 

To answer your question (as I'm assuming you meant Open Seating), you can make reservations for up to 3 days in advance. And yes, if you don't have reservations, there's a possibility you can wait awhile on formal nights, especially if you ask for a table for 2. If you're willing to take the first available table of any size, your wait will be shorter.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Twickenham]

As you Wish Dining...

We will be on Voldendam in late August and have AYWD

I read that we can make reservations each day. If we do not make reservations, will we wait in line a long time on formal nights?

 

They have pagers that go off when your table is ready. You just get a pager, then go off to wherever to wait (we went to one of the lounges).

[kabjk]

Anytime dining means a cafe style dining without a reserved time. Jeans, t-shirts, swimsuits; very casual; go through the serve yourself line and find a seat. It does not mean the dining is open at all times. We just got off the MS Rotterdam and the hours were 7-10 breakfast, 11-2 lunch, 5-7 dinner, 11-12 snack; the caferteria was closed the rest of the time.

 

I would not recommend the MS Rottordam or Holland America Cruise lines after my experience on the Alaska cruise.:(

[markpark]

As you Wish Dining...

We will be on Voldendam in late August and have AYWD

I read that we can make reservations each day. If we do not make reservations, will we wait in line a long time on formal nights?

 

Just got off Volendam last week with AYWD. Got a beeper on one night only for about 10 minutes. Always set with others so that helped. Met a lot of neat, diverse people. Would definitely do it again in Alaska for flexibility.

[Boytjie]

Just got off Volendam last week with AYWD. Got a beeper on one night only for about 10 minutes. Always set with others so that helped. Met a lot of neat, diverse people. Would definitely do it again in Alaska for flexibility.

 

 

Everybody on a HAL ship has AYWD. :) You had the flexible open dining option in the Main Dining Room; traditional fixed times in the MDR, specialty restaurants, the buffet, room service etc are other AYWD options.

[markpark]

Everybody on a HAL ship has AYWD. :) You had the flexible open dining option in the Main Dining Room; traditional fixed times in the MDR, specialty restaurants, the buffet, room service etc are other AYWD options.

 

Thanks for clarifying.

[Mary Ellen]

Anytime dining means a cafe style dining without a reserved time. Jeans, t-shirts, swimsuits; very casual; go through the serve yourself line and find a seat. It does not mean the dining is open at all times. We just got off the MS Rotterdam and the hours were 7-10 breakfast, 11-2 lunch, 5-7 dinner, 11-12 snack; the caferteria was closed the rest of the time.

:confused: The Main Dining Room is table service. The only time there is any sort of 'self service' there is during one the afternoon teas. :confused:

[mercinursi]

I am confused, I will admit. There is a group of us going on the Zuiderdam doing a cruisetour leaving on Aug 28th. Most of the group was wait listed for the early seating and our TA told us that we could get the early seating if we requested it as we boarded the ship. But DH and I got Open Seating. We did book thru a different TA because of some credit that we had, but does that mean we will not be with our group? Do need to add this is a cruisetour so we will only be on board the first 3 days, but that is the same with our entire group. This is our first time on HA and this would be a problem as we are going to celebrate my brother's 50th birthday. I would hate that our family could not be together. We all booked over a year ago, how early do you have to book to keep a group together with HA?

[traveler11]

It may take a day or two, but they may be able to eventually accomodate you all in fixed seating. You don't have to worry about being separated. They will do everything that they can to accomodate you.

 

However, if you are a group, why not just make reservations every night in the as you wish dining option? You'll always be together and can alter your time if you'd like.

 

We dined AYW the entire time, never made a reservation and never waited more than 5 minutes for a table.

 

For a group, I'd recommend reservations. Make your reservations on your way out each evening!