Waitlisted for Late Dining

[Lindancer]

When I booked my upcoming cruise on the Prinsendam over 2 months ago, I told my travel agent it was "imperative" that my husband and I be assigned to the later (Main) dining time. When the agent made and confirmed the reservation, there was no problem being assigned to the late dining, and that is what is says on the invoice which I received shortly thereafter and subsequently paid.
Yesterday I received my documents and it appears we are "Waitlisted" for the Main Dining time. My agent says Holland America "screwed up" but I have a funny feeling that too many people requested late dining and since we were among those who booked last, we are the ones being treated like chopped liver. Also we are only in Cat. E and I wonder if those who paid more for a better stateroom might get precedence.
My agent knows my dining request was not "optional" and called Holland America. They claim that they now have moved us to the top of the WaitList. She claims she told them they have no option--that they have 2 weeks now to get us into the later seating.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this if the cruise line cannot get us into the later dining? I am already fit to be tied. Even at home we don't dine until 8 or 9 p.m. and that is how we like it. Truthfully, if I thought I had to eat at the earlier time, I would have booked a different cruise.
Help! And Thanks.

[hammybee]

Interesting, usually it's the earlier seating that gets waitlisted. I have also known crusies where, for reasons I do not understand, report that everyone has been waitlisted.

Once onboard, go to the dining room and check your status. I think there is every chance that they will satisfy your original request.

[Golfette]

This happened to us when we cruised with Delta Queen Steamship Lines. We had a paid receipt showing the second seating, but our boarding documents showed 1st seating. We told our agent we would cancel if we did not get the second seating cuz, like you, we can't see eating dinner at 5:30 -6 p.m. We got a second written confirmation of 2nd seating, but upon arrival at the ship they showed us booked as 1st seating! We would not accept it & they put us on second seating without telling us that months before the second seating had been sold out to a large group. We had made our reservations a year in advance. But they still bumped us. Well, they put us in the 2nd seating all right - at a table for 2 crammed between jolly tables of 8 & 6 of a large crowd who all knew each other & totally ignored us. It was a miserable cruise & we complained immediately. Finally, by writing several letters documenting all we had done to get the second seating & the fact that they knew we had prior rights & didn't inform us of the sellout to the large group, we received approximately half of our money back. I understand this is a miracle, but it still didn't make up for the whole 10 days of sitting in a corner by ourselves. If they can't guarantee you the second seating, I would cancel & rebook another cruise.

[CCCM]

For Westerdam cruise main seating is waitlisted. We were told we could do that but forfeit early seating if we do so.....so we are eating early (too early if you ask me). At least one night will be in Pinacle and then another we will be on a tour so it will either be eat on shore or in cabin.

I called and spoke with customer service and was told I had to go through my travel agent, that they couldn't even tell me if there was a waitlist or not. So off I go to online travel agent who then gets HAL rep on other line (what a waste of time and energy).

I guess I would just keep calling and then when you board the ship go directly to maitre d.

[Lindancer]

Now I'm confused, CCCM. You mean if you put yourself on the Waitlist for Main dining, they won't guarantee you early dining? They've got to let you eat at one or the other, so I guess I don't understand.
I sure wish the cruise lines would level with us.

[CCCM]

That is what they told me. If I waitlist for main, then I forfeit my early. I don't understand either. But after 20 minutes of hold on HAL and 5 minutes of customer service telling me that I have to go through travel agent. Then 10 minutes with travel agent with me on one line and HAL on the other, I just didn't have the time to get an explanation. Although I would love to have one.

I might have tempted fate and done the waitlist if DD (age 8) wasn't traveling with us.

Good Luck getting your seating! Our family is late eaters also (and besides it would allow for an afternoon slice of pizza).

[refman]

don`t worry, they`ll accommodate your request. more want early than late.

[Himself]

Waitlisted for the main seating doesn't happen too often. Most of the times I have been on HAL people are complaining that early seating is booked.

[dakrewser]

The Westerdam is a very different situation from the Prinsendam. On every ship except Prinsendam there are 4 seatings for dinner early-upper, early-lower, main-upper, main-lower. You're probably waitlisted for main-upper (8:00) and got end up with 8:30 (main-lower) if you give up the early seatings. If 8:30 is OK, then tell them to waitlist you for 8:00.

You always have to go thru your TA, because HAL would need to hire scads more phone people if every passenger decided to spend an hour on the phone checking tables, asking about bathrooms, moving around dining times, etc. That's why the TA makes a commission.

[CateW]

We are just off the Noordam and had the same problem. We booked our cruise a year ago and requested late/upper. When the documents came, it listed main upper and that we were waitlisted for late. I called HAL and they told me that we were waitlisted #40 and that the first 50 that are wait listed will clear for the late seating and they were right. That said, there were many others who I spoke to on this cruise who were wait listed and did not clear the wait list. If they did move you to the top of the list you should have no problem. I would head right over to see the matre'd as soon as you board to get this straightened out if you really don't want to the early seating. I with you, never eat early.

[Marlster]

We are waitlisted #75 for the 8:00 PM seating and our TA said that we would automatically be put to the 8:30 PM seating if they couldn't accommodate us for the 8:00 PM seating. Marlene

[thomasale]

Easy way for the cruiselines to solve this, I know I don't care when I eat. If they gave the option of "will take any dining" there would be enough of us flexible ones to satisfy everyone. Hey, if they did that I bet there would be those that insist on a table of 2, 4,6,or 8...:)

I do understand that for some people this is a deal breaker...my Dad used to always insist we eat right at 5:30. He was obsessed with this. Maybe thats' why I don't care now...

[sweetcat]

There are so many people who are unhappy with their seating arrangement (including me) that my solution is to go to the MaitreD and if he does not fix it immediately, I will just sit next to his desk and wait for a complainer who matches my request. Then I am going to jump up and say "solved" and get it fixed myself. I dont care about dinner companions or size of table just the eating hour.

I tried eating at late main and cannot do it. I have to have early dining and so we ate at the LIDO for several nights.

So, barring the huge group mentioned by another poster, this might be a solution if you cannot get immediate change from the MaitreD.

[twoatsea]

Sweetcat - I definitely relate to your desire for early dinner seating, but meeting w/the Maitre'd does not work the way you described. Anxious folks appear at the correct spot & are given a number. When # called, they are escorted into a separate room to sit across from the Maitre'd. The change request is submitted & one is told whether the change will happen (has never happened for us & we sail about 2-3 times a year w/HAL). If it doesn't happen, one is placed on a list - have never been notified of a change from the list either!. Then the sad requester is excused before the next # is called.

Even if you find someone who will change with you, it is not allowed because of the folks on the "list" who requested before you. Even if you are first in line, there are still folks on the "list" from pre-cruise requests that were not met.

One way to get what you want is to book a suite, which we do not do. Anyway, good luck; I hope you get what you want. IMO, this is why HAL needs to make the change for at least one level of the dining room to be "anytime dining". There are always many unhappy folks eating in the Lido! However, we like the Lido for dinner.

Regarding dining confirmations - they are not worth the paper on which they are printed - except for suite folks. If a group comes along, one can get "bumped", which has happened to us. Once our family group of 8 got split up 4 & 4 & we had booked almost a year in advance. Went to Matri'd when boarded; we were first in line; no luck!

So good luck everyone with traditional dining!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I am beginning to think HAL has a problem with this dining assignment. In 6 weeks we will be on the Veendam for 4 nights. We booked this cruise August 2005, our TA received paperwork in 2005 stating we had Early Lower Dining which is what we requested. Yesterday when I got our Docs for this cruise it stated Confirmed Main Lower. Our TA will call HAL Monday but this is upsetting because both DH and I do not want to eat that late. There is a big difference between eating at 6:30 and eating at 8:30. Especially when we tend to be in bed by 10. Now at this late date they may not be able to put us back even though it was there mistake somewhere in this past year.

[BRUCENLYNN]

LaffnVegas,

I believe I know you -- were you a member of the Crystal Fanatics?

~Lynn

[Lindancer]

Thanks everyone for all your responses. I talked to my TA today and she is going to continue to bug Holland America. I will let you all know what comes of it, if anything.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

LaffnVegas,

I believe I know you -- were you a member of the Crystal Fanatics?

~Lynn

Lynn, Yes, I am one in the same;) How are you and Bruce doing? I still collect but not buying like we were. It was almost like "Game Over" once we got all the annuals but we still buy a few pieces here and there. As you can see we are now very hooked on cruising:D

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Lindancer, hang in there. I just got off the phone with my TA. It seems that they show we are Confirmed for Early Lower NOT Main Lower and there was just a mistake on the Documents. She is waiting for a fax from them confirming the correct dining time.

[Alexborngal]

When I booked my upcoming cruise on the Prinsendam over 2 months ago, I told my travel agent it was "imperative" that my husband and I be assigned to the later (Main) dining time. When the agent made and confirmed the reservation, there was no problem being assigned to the late dining, and that is what is says on the invoice which I received shortly thereafter and subsequently paid.
Yesterday I received my documents and it appears we are "Waitlisted" for the Main Dining time. My agent says Holland America "screwed up" but I have a funny feeling that too many people requested late dining and since we were among those who booked last, we are the ones being treated like chopped liver. Also we are only in Cat. E and I wonder if those who paid more for a better stateroom might get precedence.
My agent knows my dining request was not "optional" and called Holland America. They claim that they now have moved us to the top of the WaitList. She claims she told them they have no option--that they have 2 weeks now to get us into the later seating.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this if the cruise line cannot get us into the later dining? I am already fit to be tied. Even at home we don't dine until 8 or 9 p.m. and that is how we like it. Truthfully, if I thought I had to eat at the earlier time, I would have booked a different cruise.
Help! And Thanks.

Back in January when we booked our October Zaandam sailing we requested early dining and were waitlisted. Kept on checking, we went from 107 to 68 to 47 and were told wait until final payment is due and then you'll see if you have early dining. Well, final payments were paid, we were still 47 and were told not much chance. I called Ship Services inquiring about what night was Dutch Night and said "by the way, it's very important to us to have early dining." She took my booking number, clicked a few keys and voila, we're confirmed for early dining. I would suggest that you ask a question of ship services and then say by the way, it's important to us to have late seating and I hope you'll have the same success we did. Good luck.

[BRUCENLYNN]

Lynn, Yes, I am one in the same;) How are you and Bruce doing? I still collect but not buying like we were. It was almost like "Game Over" once we got all the annuals but we still buy a few pieces here and there. As you can see we are now very hooked on cruising:D

Lisa,
What a small world! I don't blame you for getting hooked on cruising -- we like it ourselves. We are doing great. Not into crystal much any more. Just sold our Wild Horses recently matter of fact.
Send me an email sometime and we'll catch up! ljoren@cfl.rr.com
Hello to Tom!

~Lynn

[txaggiemom]

We just returned from a Zuiderdam cruise - Alaska. While on the land tour, everyone we talked to was concerned that they were "waitlisted" for their dinner preference. Well, as it turned out all 12 of us got the time we wanted. Those that had gotten a time they didn't like were able to immediately ask for a change and they were acommodated. Hopefully, you will get the same preference. We found HAL staff to be more than gracious and acommodating.

[Ineke]

We have just returned from 10 days on the Noordam. We had the same predicament, we never eat before 8 p.m., and did not expect to have any trouble getting late seating. Wrong! We received a very nice little note saying our request could not be accommodated. We went to see the gentleman in charge of the dining room, who did meet with us (and many others). He told us that there were 471 people waitlisted for late dining, and we were numbers 66 and 67 on the list. Needless to say we did not get late dining. We wondered if this was because of the new dining hours. In any case, it did give us an entirely different kind of cruise than we have been accustomed to, as we did not feel like going for our usual pre-dinner drinks and appies at 5:00 p.m., nor did we feel like sticking around for late drinks etc. in the Crowsnest, and when the early show was over things were dead up there, so we only went there once. I figure HAL lost a tidy sum of money on our account alone, as we ended up sitting on our balcony in the evenings, along with many others, I think, drinking wine we'd brought on board ourselves, ordering a cheese tray from room service, going to bed earlier and getting up much earlier than we usually would. We saw a lot of gorgeous sunrises! It sure was different, but we surprised ourselves by enjoying it all. On the second to last day, we were told that we could have just shown up at 8:00, and ask to be seated, and that there always were extra places available, we just would have been seated at different tables each night. No matter, we had a wonderful cruise. Would I opt for early seating from now on? No, I wouldn't, but it was a good experience, none the less.

[SueOverend]

Back in January when we booked our October Zaandam sailing we requested early dining and were waitlisted. Kept on checking, we went from 107 to 68 to 47 and were told wait until final payment is due and then you'll see if you have early dining. Well, final payments were paid, we were still 47 and were told not much chance. I called Ship Services inquiring about what night was Dutch Night and said "by the way, it's very important to us to have early dining." She took my booking number, clicked a few keys and voila, we're confirmed for early dining. I would suggest that you ask a question of ship services and then say by the way, it's important to us to have late seating and I hope you'll have the same success we did. Good luck.

How do you find out whether you're moving up the waitlist. We only booked on Tuesday and are waitlist number 26 for late seating (upper) for Jan 6th on the Oosterdam. Is there a way to check on line, or do you have to keep phoning your TA.

[Alexborngal]

How do you find out whether you're moving up the waitlist. We only booked on Tuesday and are waitlist number 26 for late seating (upper) for Jan 6th on the Oosterdam. Is there a way to check on line, or do you have to keep phoning your TA.

I just call the main HAL number, give them my booking number and they tell me where I stood. It takes too long when I call the TA. They have to call HAL and then have to get back to me. This way I go straight to the horse's mouth and they're willing to look it up for me even though it's a TA booking. 26 at this time is very good. I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting it. Good luck and happy sailing.

[Copper10-8]

As Dave said, Prinsendam has only two seatings and the La Fontaine diningroom has a single floor layout (as opposed to the multiple level diningrooms on the "S", "R" and Vista class vessels) so there are no Early Upper/Early Lower/Late Upper and Late Lower seatings. Prinsendam's diningroom does have a "L-shape" extension on the starboard side but this area has the same "starting" time as the area behind it that covers the back part of the ship.

My feeling is that you have a pretty good chance of getting that second seating request unless you have some very large group on your cruise that has taken over second seating. On our just finished cruise on Prinsendam, there were several folks that succesfully wound up switching. The Maitre 'D (actually, they now call him Dining Room Manager) is a Dutchman by the name of Sander Vogtlander. I would see him (or his replacement) as soon as you can when you come aboard ship. Hope it works out and have a great cruise! Prinsendam is a great ship and Captain Halle Thon Gunderson a very nice and open guy.

[barriesdad]

This is probably a silly question but I just want to make sure being 1st timers!

Our docs show Main Upper as confirmed dining. I think this is the late sitting? We are on the Zuiderdam to Alaska so what time would this be?

Lloyd

[Copper10-8]

This is probably a silly question but I just want to make sure being 1st timers!

Our docs show Main Upper as confirmed dining. I think this is the late sitting? We are on the Zuiderdam to Alaska so what time would this be?

Lloyd

Main Upper is 8:00 PM - Main Lower is 8:30 PM

[Mary Ellen]

One way to get what you want is to book a suite...NO one should 'count' on this. Our family group of 8 was split between 2 tables (not near each other) on the Zaandam several years ago. You would think a table for 8 was a no-brainer. :confused: We all used the same TA and our reservations were 'linked'. We had 2 'S' cabins in the group, but the smug, pompass (you know what) Maitre 'd was 'unable' to accomodate us. I don't care about being in an 'S' and not getting 'what I want', but splitting up a family (no matter what type of cabins they booked).... :mad:

The waiters were wonderful and let us dine together 1 night in the King's (Queen's??) dining room to celebrate Dad's 80th, step-mom's and a brother's birthdays (we have a LOT of May birthdays in the family, but they were the only ones there). Not just our waiters were great, but also the other waiters who covered the rest of their tables that evening.

Point is - a suite means didly-squat to the Maitre 'd.

[RuthC]

Main Upper is 8:00 PM - Main Lower is 8:30 PM
Except in Alaska, John, where the times are 15 minutes earlier.
So barriesdad will go to dinner at 7:45.

[SHayesShip]

Every HAL ship has a POC (Person of contact) specifically as a ship services supervisor. Call HAL and ask for Ship Services - NOT the general help desk and ask to speak to the Prinsendam specialist and explain your concern. You WILL NOT have to go through your TA for this. I just did this for my Volendam cruise in 12/06. Not only was I e-mailed the restaurant layout but was able to specify my table for three AND a received an e-mailed confirmation letter back for my records. I have used ship services several other times for specific items and each and every concern was always addressed. I have asked for a specific table each of my last 4 HAL cruises and been granted that request ALL four times. There is not guarantee that you will get the same response but the POC has the authority to make these decisions.

When I booked my upcoming cruise on the Prinsendam over 2 months ago, I told my travel agent it was "imperative" that my husband and I be assigned to the later (Main) dining time. When the agent made and confirmed the reservation, there was no problem being assigned to the late dining, and that is what is says on the invoice which I received shortly thereafter and subsequently paid.
Yesterday I received my documents and it appears we are "Waitlisted" for the Main Dining time. My agent says Holland America "screwed up" but I have a funny feeling that too many people requested late dining and since we were among those who booked last, we are the ones being treated like chopped liver. Also we are only in Cat. E and I wonder if those who paid more for a better stateroom might get precedence.
My agent knows my dining request was not "optional" and called Holland America. They claim that they now have moved us to the top of the WaitList. She claims she told them they have no option--that they have 2 weeks now to get us into the later seating.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this if the cruise line cannot get us into the later dining? I am already fit to be tied. Even at home we don't dine until 8 or 9 p.m. and that is how we like it. Truthfully, if I thought I had to eat at the earlier time, I would have booked a different cruise.
Help! And Thanks.

[Copper10-8]

Except in Alaska, John, where the times are 15 minutes earlier.
So barriesdad will go to dinner at 7:45.

Thank you ma'am! Why is that by the way? For the Alaska dairy farmers?

[barriesdad]

Except in Alaska, John, where the times are 15 minutes earlier.
So barriesdad will go to dinner at 7:45.

Thanks John and RuthC for the information. We never eat earlier than 8pm at home so an early sitting would really have spoilt it for us. I know we asked for late sitting when booking but when the docs say "Main" rather than late or early I had a little panic.

Lloyd

[Lindancer]

I just called HAL supposedly with a question about the dress requirements on the different nights. Then I tried to segue into my waitlisted dining requirement. The agent took my booking number and when she saw I had booked through a travel agent, she said she couldn't help me, and any questions I had about this had to go through the TA.
I appreciate everyone's advice, however. But it seems that different things work for different people at different times (often due to different circumstances) and I think I am just going to have to wait to see how this plays out. With a few more nudges and phone calls to the TA to make sure she doesn't get complacent!

[CruisinGrams]

Don't agonize over the seating. If you don't get changed before you sal just talk to the Maitre'D when you arrive. On our May cruise to Alaska on the Westerdam, there were so many empty tables because people just didn't come to the dining room that anyone could have changed seating even after the second day. Many tables were never occupied, not even on formal nights. Too bad, there is something so special about eating in the formal dining room.

[Lindancer]

Okay, I talked to Ship Services and found out we are #24 on the waitlist. The person I spoke with also said to speak with the maitre d' as soon as we get on board.
Can someone tell me where the maitre d' will be? Does he have an office, or will he be hanging around the dining room?
Thanks again, everyone.