As You Wish Dining - Opinions, Comments and Discussions

[LAFFNVEGAS]

LuckiestLady,

Why is it that some HAL reps will tell you where you are on the waitlist while others will not? I am booked with a TA and have not heard back from her regarding this. I am very curious about where we are so this is frustrating. I am not asking for any changes, just to know where I am.

Thanks,

Laura

 

Just yesterday I spoke with my TA, she claims it is just like Princess and that she can log into the booking number and it tells you where you are on the waitlist. As of yesterday I was 180 for Early Upper Traditional. Your TA should only have to log into the HAL site with your number and it will tell her, maybe you need to advise your TA of that.

[luckiestlady21]

LuckiestLady,

Why is it that some HAL reps will tell you where you are on the waitlist while others will not? I am booked with a TA and have not heard back from her regarding this. I am very curious about where we are so this is frustrating. I am not asking for any changes, just to know where I am.

Thanks,

Laura

 

some of the newer agents werent aware that they could give out dinning waitlist positions. best of luck i hope you hear back from your agent soon on this, it may also be that your agent may be trying to maneuver you into being prioritized, based on your cruising history or the standing of her agency

[hammybee]

Hammy,

I think we are in the same profession.

Laura

 

Real estate?

[bermuda triangle]

Real estate?

Correct!

[luckiestlady21]

Just yesterday I spoke with my TA, she claims it is just like Princess and that she can log into the booking number and it tells you where you are on the waitlist. As of yesterday I was 180 for Early Upper Traditional. Your TA should only have to log into the HAL site with your number and it will tell her, maybe you need to advise your TA of that.

most agencies are set up to do just that. large agencies have special easier to use programs that interact with the cruise line booking systems which allow them to both book without calling the line and to view the reservations easily. other agencies sign up to use an online version of our booking system. but some of the smaller agencies may not have signed up to be able to use it, it is free to the agents. some may not have begun using it yet though.

[bermuda triangle]

Real estate?

Do you represent a large broker? small? I am with Weichert.

[bermuda triangle]

some of the newer agents werent aware that they could give out dinning waitlist positions. best of luck i hope you hear back from your agent soon on this, it may also be that your agent may be trying to maneuver you into being prioritized, based on your cruising history or the standing of her agency

 

 

Well she has the weekends off, so not until monday at the earliest. why wont some HAL reps tell? some will some wont..

[serendipity1499]

 

.... and me, too. As I posted above, once LuckiestLady identified herself as a HAL employee here and became verbally abusive with those of us expressing our concerns, she is speaking for HAL. But she has also said she hopes to be fired, so who knows?

 

I find myself wondering why today LL seems to have become more pleasant. I wouldn't be upset at all with any of her recent posts, but when I read last nights posts by her, I took it very personally.

 

In fact, I'm reminded that she said "don't shoot the messenger". I suggest that it works both ways.

 

Heather, You are right realize you said the same thing...As you can see I too was outraged when I saw the post last night.. DH kept saying come to bed, but I'm like a dog with a bone & could not let it go...I've accepted her apology but understand why others are still outraged...

 

Wonder if LL realizes, that if you are "Dismissed for cause", it is very difficult to collect un-employment benefits under those conditions...

 

We all had friends in the business who kept in touch with each other..First line Managers could not give the reason why a person was fired, but if I had a friend in another Company & asked them for an off the record evaluation, they would either rave about a former Employee or I would hear, "Sorry, I can't tell you the reason he/she left & suggest you contact Personnell.." Often the Employee themselves would tell us they were fired & give us the reason as "they did not agree with Company Policy".. Both a non-response by a Manager or a negative response from the prospective applicant about his/her former Company's policies often would raise a red flag..Wish I could honestly say that we did not take these things into consideration but I can't...It often did have an impact on our decision about hiring them..

 

People in any kind of business, should learn that it's not wise to "Burn your Bridges" ;) ..JMO..Betty

[Roz]

Remember when the automatic tipping was introduced? If you read this board, you would thought it was going to be the end of Western civilization as we know it. :D I'm not thrilled about AYW dining, but we'll get thru it.

 

In fact, I may even try it. Who knows, I may even like it.

 

Roz

[hammybee]

Do you represent a large broker? small? I am with Weichert.

 

CB, here. The W. franchise just started here. Talk about timing :rolleyes:

[HeatherInFlorida]

CB, here. The W. franchise just started here. Talk about timing :rolleyes:

 

HB, I was with CB in Rockaway NJ years ago ... not for long. Small world:) .

[serendipity1499]

Can't believe all the threads that are discussing As you Wish Dining..There is little a heated discussion gping on between Mariner & Bruce Muzz..(he's writing a book)..See:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=603042

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Remember when the automatic tipping was introduced? If you read this board, you would thought it was going to be the end of Western civilization as we know it. :D I'm not thrilled about AYW dining, but we'll get thru it.

 

In fact, I may even try it. Who knows, I may even like it.

 

Roz

 

Roz, this is so very true, when I first joined this board was when the new Vista Class was introduced and the Zuiderdam had just come out. You would have thoguht then that HAL had no idea what they were doing and that the whole concept of making the ships a bit larger was going to ruin them. Beings at the time we were new to cruising and was preparing for our first HAL cruise we could not understand it at all but when we went on the Zuiderdam we loved it and loved HAL. We have since been on the R Class and S Class but in all honesty prefer the Vista Class and probably because that is what we were intoduced to when we first cruised HAL. The same goes for AYW, those new people starting to cruise and those new to HAL being intoduced to AYW will not know the difference and most likely find that they really like it and will not understand the fuss over those that do not want it. I can agree that for a single cruiser HAL will have to always keep traditional and I am sure they will. I am sure in another year or two we will be discussing something else that will have us all typing like crazy:D

[hammybee]

Roz, this is so very true, when I first joined this board was when the new Vista Class was introduced and the Zuiderdam had just come out. You would have thoguht then that HAL had no idea what they were doing and that the whole concept of making the ships a bit larger was going to ruin them. :D

 

Too funny Roz and Lisa,

Just yesterday someone asked me if the board has ever been this hot about a topic, as it is with the AYW, especially since almost no one has tried it. While the Zuiderdam build was the end of the world, I think the hottest topic ever, was when HAL went to auto tips. It sizzled. :eek:

 

And can you guess which side of the coin I was on?

[HeatherInFlorida]

Lisa, I agree with you that people coming into the joy of cruising will probably not have a problem with it because that is all they will know. I completely understand that.

 

But when you get to be older like me, there will be things that come along that you just don't want to adjust to anymore. I've been adjusting to so many things and every now and then I just miss what isn't there anymore.

 

We started out on ships of 650 people. We loved it! There was a passenger list so you would know if someone you know might be on the ship with you! It was so intimate. You felt like you knew everyone. I felt like that on the Prinsendam in December.

 

So we adjusted when it became 750, 850, 1000. I said no more than 1000, please!:( Then it's 1400. Okay, we'll go to 1500. Then it's 2000. Now there are ships with over 3000+.

 

After awhile you just want the world to stop spinning and changing just for a minute and go back in time.

 

With the dining, it's just one more change. And for some it will be fine. And just maybe we'll try it someday. But will I love it? Probably not. I'll miss the good old days.

 

I'm a positive person, I always look on the bright side, I really do try to be flexible. But I honestly get the feeling that HAL will phase out the "Traditional" completely after a period of time. And then the choice will be gone altogether. So I'll cruise Celebrity for awhile until they, too, phase in AYW/Freestyle/dine on the run.

 

It just makes me sad.

[hammybee]

But when you get to be older like me, there will be things that come along that you just don't want to adjust to anymore. I've been adjusting to so many things and every now and then I just miss what isn't there anymore.

It just makes me sad.

 

Heather, there is poetry in this.

 

But let's look on the bright side, everything old is new again, if we are fortunate enough to be around for it.

[bermuda triangle]

CB, here. The W. franchise just started here. Talk about timing :rolleyes:

 

W. has some franchises, some not. My office is not. Jim W. owns our office. There are 4 of us in CT. The franchises are growing rapidly. I am contemplating a switch to W. Raveis. However there are 3 seperate offices of WR in the town I work, so much competition.

How is the market near you?

 

Laura

[hammybee]

How is the market near you?

 

Laura

 

It's a great time to be a buyer.:eek:

[HeatherInFlorida]

Heather, there is poetry in this.

 

But let's look on the bright side, everything old is new again, if we are fortunate enough to be around for it.

 

ROTFLOL!!!:D :D :D ... well I guess I'm spanking brand new then ... lucky me!!!! Thanks, Hammybee:) ... that gave me such a great giggle that I'm shutting down for the night.

[bermuda triangle]

It's a great time to be a buyer.:eek:

 

Prices haven't really come down here, but the absorption rate (time places are on the market) is long. We are getting a Trump Tower here though so that is the talk of the town.

 

Laura

[bermuda triangle]

Okay so does HAL still have the baked alaska/farewell song with AYW dining? If so, how does it work? I guess if you have 2nd sitting it is less chaotic, but if early I am sure it is confusing and harried (if they still have it).

 

I really hope they do.. I haven't had any in years..12 to be exact:eek: These are going to be the longest 5 mos. of my life...lol..trying to talk dBF into a tux. Some progress made though... he actually tried one on :cool:

 

Laura

[puli]

The purpose and thought and lastly hope of AYWD was that by offering it more dinning requests could be accommodated. I dea being that if the dinning times werent so rigidly defined, some people would chose 5:15 some 6 some 6:30 and so on. the problem has always been getting people the early dinning that they request. the idea o staggering the crowd a bit was accepted to alleviate some o the pressure on the matrade to accomodate everyone who didnt get their desired dinning through traditional means. this was not designed to detract from traditional dinning.

 

one quick tip for those who like verandah suites if you upgrade to deluxe ones you get guaranteed dinning, not this may be common knowledge but remember with all the turnover in the travel industry the rep you talk to may not offer it, so dont be afraid to ask them to call ship services to get you confirmed. as many of you said money talks so if you are paying for a premium room dont be hesitant to ask for the premium services available to you. especailly if you want traditional dinning

 

The above statement about deluxe suits getting guaranteed dinning is not always true. If a large group has taken over the entire traditional seating you want you are out of luck and as recently as mid July I was told that the HAL reservationist cannot call ship services to request a specific seating for a deluxe suit occupant. You must call your self and only after you have booked!

[bUU]

And when some of us have said that they were doing this they have been severely savaged by AYW proponents, called names, and otherwise castigated for their being unwilling to "wait and see how it goes." Hence, some people have just shut up about doing so.

And that is a shame. People shouldn't be made to feel bad about making the best decision for themselves.

[bUU]

To the bold part of your post above, YES we were assured of our choice.

No, you were not. It depended on whether early or late dining was still available at the time you booked. If you booked early enough, both were available. Later, only one was available. The current system is only a little different in that it seems that, in this first year of the program, the traditional seatings are booking-up earlier than before. However, the point of my message was that if there isn't availability, and it is a critical aspect for you, then don't book. This is an essential part of the consumer-feedback system. Talk is cheap. Money talks.

 

In addition to that problem, there are those saying they are "confirmed" on their reservation, but not getting what they asked for aboard ship.

That is a problem that should be fixed aboard ship. If you have a document showing that you're in the late traditional seating, then they should be made to honor that.

 

The rest of your post about "consumer-feedback system"...."talk is cheap" and "money talks" makes absolutely no sense to me. I'm not being rude; I really don't know what you're saying:confused: .

This goes to the more general issue of customer service in this country, and why, to a great extent, customer service has declined over the years. It is because, principally, customers, in general, have abrogated their power. The customer's power stems from doing without. If something isn't a good value, the customer doesn't purchase it. When a customer purchases something (which is not a necessity), a good business has no choice but to interpret that action as a clear communication that the customer values the offering.

 

Now each of us want to look at the world from our own perspective, how it affects us, and how we interact with the world. However, in the grand scheme of things, we are all individually meaningless. What matters is what the vast majority of customers do, and unfortunately, more and more, customers are making choices based principally on price.

[rangeley]

Wow I cant believe there is 15 pages just for dining! Well let me put my 2 cents in... Last spring we sailed on the Crown Princess, while the ship and the room were great, we hated the rest of it. Way too many people!! We like the smaller ships like HAL. Also we HATED the anytime dining!!!!!!! We tried to get traditional dining and although we booked 8 months in advance, we didnt get it. Most nights we sat in an empty dining room. I guess everyone eats at 8:00. We prefer to eat earlier. We like eating in a room filled with people. We love HAL and already booked our next cruise and got our confirmed dining! On Princess they only had one dining room for traditional dining. I guess they couldnt see more people didnt want their anytime dining. To me thats part of the cruise experience. I dont know why one cruiseline does something and all the others feel they have to follow suit. Sometimes following everyone else is not always the right thing!!!! Ive already written to HAL about this. Hope everyone else will too!!