HAL considering no longer offering set seatings at dinner

[Jade13]

Is HAL considering doing away with the set seating dinner option?

 

Right now early seating is typically 5:45 p.m with main seating at 8 p.m.

 

We are scheduled on the Koningsdam next year, and were told our only option right now is open seating.

 

So I asked HAL last week and the reservationist said they were considering only having As You Wish open dining, and were considering just trying this out on Koningsdam next year before rolling it out across the fleet, but of course that could change.

 

Has anyone booked on Koningsdam in 2016 been given either early or main seating in the MDR?

 

We like the set 8:00pm dining because we always have a table waiting for us, but confess to doing open seating on all other cruise lines.

Edited August 19, 2015 by Jade13

[Ricktan]

I'm sure things could change but my paperwork for Dec '16 on the Koningsdam shows "confirmed early"

[Boytjie]

We all know how wrong those HAL phone people can be! ;)

 

That said, it seems that most major cruise lines are moving in the direction of more flexible dining options. I understand there are fans of traditional, fixed dining but that seems to be becoming less and less popular.

 

Reading up on Royal Caribbean recently to answer questions for a friend going on his first cruise (and not having sailed with them myself), it seems like they where they are heading is multiple dining options which includes a restaurant that is always formal, for those that want it when they want it.

 

Things are changing with more and more dining options and with the bigger ships there could perhaps be venues that cater to everyone's wishes.

[sail7seas]

HAL has been considering stopping verandah smoking for ...... who know how long?

They certainly have considered changing to Come Whenever you Want Dining at least since they changed to the current styles.

 

Neither have yet happened but sooner or later both are inevitable.

 

I wouldn't begin to guess if sooner will be Koningsdam Inaugural Cruise or later at some unknown time.

 

[OlsSalt]

Cruise lines must be getting ready for the special snowflake crowd. Fixed seating dining really is retro, though it is our own preferred option. But it makes no sense with the new ship designs and food service delivery models. They used to serve everything family style off a large serving plate too - for that one did need fixed dining. Glad I knew cruising when I did. But I also think I can go with this change, as long as it remains possible to reserve a special time and table.

[1ANGELCAT]

My booking for the Koningsdam Premier voyage shows confirmed Main dining since the day I booked it last December 1st

I always take fixed seating.

[cruz chic]

I'll believe it when I see it. Hal is known to give out incorrect info.

[GUT2407]

I'll believe it when I see it. Hal is known to give out incorrect info.

 

I think all lines do.

[GUT2407]

I wonder if the Call Centres have a prize for the dumbest answer given each day.

[cruz chic]

I think all lines do.

 

Maybe but princess seems to strive a little harder because they have a survey at the end of the call. I think the world of my PCC but sometimes I have to tell her she is incorrect on details of the ship.

[RuthC]

It's a shame that you titled this thread as a definitive statement, rather than the question you are actually asking.

I was rather taken aback when I read the subject, and very upset at the news until I actually opened the post and read it.

[boscobeans]

Reading up on Royal Caribbean recently to answer questions for a friend going on his first cruise (and not having sailed with them myself), it seems like they where they are heading is multiple dining options which includes a restaurant that is always formal, for those that want it when they want it.

.

 

The RCCL Dynamic Dining concept has run into many snags. The idea was to have 4 small complimentary restaurants (one to be formal every night) for non suite passengers with an additional complimentary venue exclusive to suite guests. They would also have a few other extra charge venues one of which was as an example a Jamie Oliver Italian place. There was to be no set seatings and the menus in each restaurant would remain the same night after night no matter the cruise length. It gets even more complex when trying to schedule reservations for thousands of guests who all want different dining times at different restaurants.

 

The program has been worked over and now has more traditional dining mixed with the new format somehow. Many love the new system and many do not. I hope it stays contained to RCCL and doesn't spread. I made a reservation before the DD system was fully explained and later cancelled it. Since I had booked a non-suite veranda I would have the same four menus during the ten days unless I went to specialty venues... There is of course always the buffet.

 

I prefer the same table, waiters and time even if I can't get into one of the traditional seatings.

 

OMO

 

bosco

Edited August 19, 2015 by boscobeans

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

Sorry I would not like it. As a solo traveler I like to do late seating fixed.

 

 

Mary

[Scrapnana]

Hi

 

Sorry I would not like it. As a solo traveler I like to do late seating fixed.

 

 

Mary

 

My feelings, as well. I like to have familiar faces at the dinner table each night.

[cruz chic]

The RCCL Dynamic Dining concept has run into many snags. The idea was to have 4 small complimentary restaurants (one to be formal every night) for non suite passengers with an additional complimentary venue exclusive to suite guests. They would also have a few other extra charge venues one of which was as an example a Jamie Oliver Italian place. There was to be no set seatings and the menus in each restaurant would remain the same night after night no matter the cruise length. It gets even more complex when trying to schedule reservations for thousands of guests who all want different dining times at different restaurants.

 

The program has been worked over and now has more traditional dining mixed with the new format somehow. Many love the new system and many do not. I hope it stays contained to RCCL and doesn't spread. I made a reservation before the DD system was fully explained and later cancelled it. Since I had booked a non-suite veranda I would have the same four menus during the ten days unless I went to specialty venues... There is of course always the buffet.

 

I prefer the same table, waiters and time even if I can't get into one of the traditional seatings.

 

OMO

 

bosco

 

I think that the chance of this happening on Hal in the near term is slim to none. I think their present IT systems could not handle anything like this.

[taxmantoo]

We are scheduled on the Koningsdam next year, and were told our only option right now is open seating.

 

They tend to do this for cruises that are still far from sailing. I have been in that position twice and our travel agent was still able to get us confirmed for late seating and sent me the HAL confirmation (from their own internal system) even though their website still showed us as Open Seating. At some point later and closer to the cruise, the correct seating just showed up our reservation page.

[POA1]

We looked at a Koningsdam "The Only HAL Ship in the Caribbean - Winter 2016" ;) and had our choice of early, late or open. (The correct answer is "late.")

 

Considering that even Carnival offers fixed seating options, I can't see Holland America, a more traditional brand getting rid of it. It's easier operationally. A big percentage of the clientele likes it.

 

I'm waiting for the rumor that says you'll be able to stay in your room in your robe while food is delivered out of a chute - on demand.

[Cruiser Andi]

They tend to do this for cruises that are still far from sailing. I have been in that position twice and our travel agent was still able to get us confirmed for late seating and sent me the HAL confirmation (from their own internal system) even though their website still showed us as Open Seating. At some point later and closer to the cruise, the correct seating just showed up our reservation page.

 

 

Agreed. When I booked my cruise for next April (not on Koningsdam) I was told only open seating was available. I called ships services and the placed me in fixed. No problem.

[LMaxwell]

The RCCL Dynamic Dining concept has run into many snags. The idea was to have 4 small complimentary restaurants (one to be formal every night) for non suite passengers with an additional complimentary venue exclusive to suite guests. They would also have a few other extra charge venues one of which was as an example a Jamie Oliver Italian place. There was to be no set seatings and the menus in each restaurant would remain the same night after night no matter the cruise length. It gets even more complex when trying to schedule reservations for thousands of guests who all want different dining times at different restaurants.

 

The program has been worked over and now has more traditional dining mixed with the new format somehow. Many love the new system and many do not. I hope it stays contained to RCCL and doesn't spread. I made a reservation before the DD system was fully explained and later cancelled it. Since I had booked a non-suite veranda I would have the same four menus during the ten days unless I went to specialty venues... There is of course always the buffet.

 

I prefer the same table, waiters and time even if I can't get into one of the traditional seatings.

 

OMO

 

bosco

 

It's only on Quantum class ships and will not be deployed on any other ships. The "set" times in those ships is called. Dynamic Dining Classic. It involves prebooking in a set order rotation amongst complimentary restaurants.

 

Menus DO change midweek at the restaurants as well.

[take us away]

Greatly prefer fixed seating as like to develop relationships with the same people, hear about their days and plans and not have to go through the standard 'here are you from', etc. etc. Have booked rather late and a condition of booking was fixed seating and have always been accommodated even when the website says fixed seating is closed. Sounds like HAL may save a few openings at each seating. May they never change having fixed seating available.

 

Interesting that the grand cruises (world, So Amer, Med) are ONLY fixed seating unless you eat in the Lido.

Edited August 19, 2015 by take us away

[Krazy Kruizers]

Hopefully that person was wrong.

 

We prefer the early fixed dining time which for the last last couple of years has been at 5:30 on the ships we have been on.

[ellieanne]

I sincerely hope that Holland America does not decide to discontinue fixed seating dinner. I greatly prefer it. I like having the same table, I like having the same waiters -- who know that we like iced tea with our meals and that it's on the table when we arrive. I like the effortless ease of being able to show up at the dining room for 5:30 and knowing where I'll be sitting without having to deal with making reservations every day and just hoping for consistency.

 

I prefer my vacations to be as effortless as possible, and fixed seating dinners are one thing that adds to my vacation experience.

[sammiedawg]

Fixed dining helps insure the most banquety food they can possibly serve. Fixed dining on cruise ships is like running a catering operation, plating and food prep begins hour and hours in advance so they can serve hundreds of courses simultaneously.

All open dining makes sense to implement marketplace dining options on Kdam. My guess is they will probably continue a reservation system in the specialty dining.

[boscobeans]

It's only on Quantum class ships and will not be deployed on any other ships. The "set" times in those ships is called. Dynamic Dining Classic. It involves prebooking in a set order rotation amongst complimentary restaurants.

 

Menus DO change midweek at the restaurants as well.

 

So it has changed since I rebooked to another ship.

 

Originally the entire fleet was to eventually go over to this system and all new ships starting with the Quantum, which was the ship I had booked, would be Dynamic Dining.

 

When I switched the menus DID NOT change no matter how long the cruise, one of the main reasons I cancelled. This was verified by RCCL many times to many members of the CC boards and the reservation process was horrific to say the least when it started. Hopefully it is better however I do think it was a failure as far as a new and Dynamic system for cruise ship dining.

 

OMO as always.

 

bosco

[3rdGenCunarder]

So it has changed since I rebooked to another ship.

 

Originally the entire fleet was to eventually go over to this system and all new ships starting with the Quantum, which was the ship I had booked, would be Dynamic Dining.

 

When I switched the menus DID NOT change no matter how long the cruise, one of the main reasons I cancelled. This was verified by RCCL many times to many members of the CC boards and the reservation process was horrific to say the least when it started. Hopefully it is better however I do think it was a failure as far as a new and Dynamic system for cruise ship dining.

 

OMO as always.

 

bosco

 

A friend sailed on Quantum last winter. It took three tries at more than an hour each to get her dinner and show reservations organized. The first time, she had it all worked out and when she went to submit/save, it said something stupid like "Sorry, while you were planning your vacation, our computer seems to have taken a vacation. We cannot complete your reservations." The second time, she called RCCL and had an agent there help her. Same thing happened. Third time was a charm, the system actually worked. And then RCCL changed some of the show times, causing a conflict and she had to go back and make additional changes.

 

I hear it's better now. But I like what Ellianne said a few posts ago. I like my vacation as simple as possible. Fixed dining, dependable show times.

 

 

It's only on Quantum class ships and will not be deployed on any other ships. The "set" times in those ships is called. Dynamic Dining Classic. It involves prebooking in a set order rotation amongst complimentary restaurants.

 

Menus DO change midweek at the restaurants as well.

 

Are you sure. This friend just booked Anthem (I think that's Quantum's sister) and was told the menus stay the same all week. She also said the "classic dynamic dining" sounded good until she looked at show times, which vary depending on the show. She could see potential conflicts.

Edited August 19, 2015 by 3rdGenCunarder