why can't HAL honor your table size request

[m steve]

Since I don't play well with others (like the gluttons who order two and three of an appetizer or several main courses) or loud and poorly dressed people, I expect that the cruise line should place me at a table for two if I request same. They always screw it up and then it takes an hour and a half just to speak to the maitre d' to request a change. There are better ways to do this.

[sail7seas]

There are just so many tables for two and lots of requests for them. Maitre d's do their best to accomodate as many request's as they can but they have a fixed number of tables and everyone has to have a dining assignment. Inevitably, every cruise, someone is not going to get their first choice.

 

What is Maitre d' supposed to do with all his tables for six and eight if a huge number of folks want tables for two?

 

The earlier you book the better chance you have for having your request met.

 

[bUU]

Do keep in mind that they don't promise to honor every table-size request, so technically it isn't a mistake when they fail to honor your request. Regardless, there are a lot of options. One that guarantees avoiding having to dine with others is taking advantage of the complementary room service.

 

From a practical restaurant-industry standpoint, a two-top takes up more room per diner than a four-top or an eight-top. A dining room that is full of two-tops would have to be significantly larger than existing dining rooms. So therefore such tables are at a premium, in a context like a cruise ship, where space is truly a relatively scarce resource.

[maxout]

Nevermind.

[hammybee]

The art of cruising with 2000 other people is all about compromize, meaning no one is certain of getting what they want, when they want it, particularily as it relates to dining preferences. There are only so many seats at a given seating and of those seats only so many are two-tops.

 

Those who tend to consistently get a table for 2 on HAL, tend to:

Book early, and/or

Sail in a Deluxe Suite, or

Dine in the Open Seating Dining Room and wait for a table for two, if one is not immediately available.

 

The other alternative is to upgrade yourself out of mass market cruising and sail with Crystal, Regent or any of the other higher end lines. When you pay multiples of the average price of a HAL cabin, you are more likely to get what you want.

[iamirish]

It is my understanding that the earlier you request the table for two - the more likely you will get one. The main office will e-mail the ship with the requests, in order of YOUR (or your TA's) request and they are filled in that order.

 

Tom

[WeLoveCruising]

If a table for two is a "deal breaker" for you, then you should either sail on a HAL ship using AYWD, or perhaps try another cruise line like NCL that offers freestyle dining.

[MercedMike]

Since I don't play well with others (like the gluttons who order two and three of an appetizer or several main courses) or loud and poorly dressed people, I expect that the cruise line should place me at a table for two if I request same. They always screw it up and then it takes an hour and a half just to speak to the maitre d' to request a change. There are better ways to do this.

 

Well, being one of those gluttons who like to order several appetizers, and frequently four lobster tails -- I would imagine that you consider me loud and poorly dressed too. God forbid that a wonderful gentleman with fine manners and clothes like yours should have to share a table with a boor like me. I am sure that my off the rack tux would be deeply offensive and ruin your dinner, and if it did not then surely when I ordered dessert AND the cheese plate your evening would be destroyed.

 

If you have the money to afford to be so particular and snotty, then I suggest you book a suite and have your dinner delivered by room service every night.:rolleyes:

[bUU]

To be fair, Mike: Would you enjoy dining with him? Without condoning the disparaging tenor of Steve's comments, I suspect his instinct that he won't get along with diners other than himself is probably accurate, and so his need in that regard is therefore validated.

 

(I know, I am really reaching to find the good in everyone, this holiday season...)

[tommytune]

QUOTE- Merced Mike

 

If you have the money to afford to be so particular and snotty, then I suggest you book a suite and have your dinner delivered by room service every night.:rolleyes:

 

As far as I know he doesn't even have to book a suite. I believe every cabin can have dinner brought by room service.

[jhannah]

The earlier you book the better chance you have for having your request met.

I believe that's the answer. But it's still only a "better chance" and not a guarantee.

[Copper10-8]

Nevermind.

 

Enlighten us;)

 

Back to work with the bad boys?

[maxout]

Enlighten us;)

 

Back to work with the bad boys?

 

Original comment was more along the lines of MercedMike's, though perhaps a little less forgiving... :D

[Copper10-8]

Original comment was more along the lines of MercedMike's, though perhaps a little less forgiving... :D

 

Mike has no problems calling a spade a spade!:) Often wondered if he and Dave Dakrwser are related;)

[cantwait2cruize]

I think you'r the type of person they should give a table for two too!:D

[hammybee]

(I know, I am really reaching to find the good in everyone, this holiday season...)

 

Too much nog? :D

[bUU]

Too much nog? :D

Perhaps not enough! :p

[maxout]

Too much nog? :D

 

"I LOVE You, Man" :D ;)

[Lynne Myrna]

Those who tend to consistently get a table for 2 on HAL, tend to:

Book early, and/or

Sail in a Deluxe Suite, or

Dine in the Open Seating Dining Room and wait for a table for two, if one is not immediately available.

 

We didn't have a duluxe suite, we sailed with HAL twice, & twice got a table for two, we had called the home office & asked, in fact this past Nov, we had gotten the same table for 2 that we had last year. Yes, we did book early.

[Jade13]

Since I don't play well with others (like the gluttons who order two and three of an appetizer or several main courses) or loud and poorly dressed people, I expect that the cruise line should place me at a table for two if I request same. They always screw it up and then it takes an hour and a half just to speak to the maitre d' to request a change. There are better ways to do this.

 

We have one confirmed for next year, and were able to do this by booking over 12 months in advance. We have also gone on other lines (smaller ships, not mass market) where there is open seating and it has worked well on those type of cruises (More adventure type) and we enjoyed meeting others, but we did request a 2 top on HAL. We also ask for late seating which is not as popular as early.

 

Just curious how far out you booked on these cruises? A request is not a confirmation.

 

Also, we are young, not gluttons and have ordered two appetizers so I can try something new, but have something I know I will definately eat.

[dakrewser]

Since I don't play well with others (like the gluttons who order two and three of an appetizer or several main courses) or loud and poorly dressed people, I expect that the cruise line should place me at a table for two if I request same. They always screw it up and then it takes an hour and a half just to speak to the maitre d' to request a change. There are better ways to do this.

 

Hmm, HAL is - in my experience - the only line that consistently honors our request for a 2-top - Princess, Cele3brity and NCL blew us off...

[dakrewser]

Mike has no problems calling a spade a spade!:) Often wondered if he and Dave Dakrwser are related;)

 

While we both have gray beards, and live in the better part of California (:)) there's a whole mountain range in between us and at least 6 degrees of separation!

[Copper10-8]

While we both have gray beards, and live in the better part of California (:)) there's a whole mountain range in between us and at least 6 degrees of separation!

 

OK, Grizzly Adams, the Kings just lost again - we're going for that #1 draft pick:rolleyes: - so what's with "the better part of Calif?" dude!;)

[Tricia724]

I think there are a number of things that could factor into the dining assignment.

 

Years ago, I recall an incident when our dining room assignment came in an envelope, and there were some very light pencil notations on the envelope. The information listed was: 1) table size requested; 2) booking date; and 3) how many cruises taken with HAL.

 

So, first of all, obviously a lot depends on how many other people want the same size table you requested. If there are a few, you probably have a good chance; if there are many, other factors come into play. Perhaps the booking date gets priority or perhaps a Mariner with a few hundred days under his/her belt gets priority. I don't know. But I doubt that the table sizes and table requests match up too often.

 

We always request a table for 6. We used to get it most of the time, but on our last two cruises on the "S" class ships, we were assigned a table for 4. One of those cruises was booked 6 months out, and the other was booked 14 months out. We had nice people, and it worked out fine for us, but we would prefer more people. For our next cruise.....booked 14 months ahead.....we requested a table for 8. We'll see how that goes.

 

It's not just HAL. We also had a similar experience on a couple of other cruise lines when we booked a year ahead of time and didn't get our preference for table size.

 

Sometimes you get it, and sometimes you don't. It's not a deal breaker for us, but if it is for you, you need a "Plan B."

[dakrewser]

OK, Grizzly Adams, the Kings just lost again - we're going for that #1 draft pick:rolleyes: - so what's with "the better part of Calif?" dude!;)

 

You southland folk wouldn't understand... ;)