10/22 Oosterdam Dining Change - No, I'm not kidding...

[gizmo]

Is there anyway to get ahold of everybody boarding the Oosterdam and urge them to all show up at 7:30 and turn the place into a mad house??? That way, HAL will realize how Asinine this is and dump it mid-cruise?

 

This is where the beepers come in. Everyone shows up around 7:30 or so and cannot get seated. Princess fixed this by handing out beepers. THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I WOULD NEVER CONSIDER A CRUISE ON PRINCESS.

 

I can just imagine the mob scene starting to form at 7:00. This would be to insure a good table. As the week goes on, the mob will start forming earlier and earlier since no one wants to get shafted. Those leaving the dining room will have to push and shove just to get through the mob. :eek:

 

We will now have seat savers ! One person goes early then saves all the seats for everyone else in their group. I wonder if we could bring towels to save the seats ? :rolleyes:

 

The maitre'd will need to wear armor to fend off the attacks by those that did not get in line early enough. Maybe they could design the amor to match those samuri outfits displayed on the Rotterdam.

 

Forget selling any drinks in the lounges and dropping a couple of bucks in the casino. Everyone will be lined up trying to get a table.

 

THIS IS THE MOST IDIOTIC IDEA HAL HAS EVER COME UP WITH. THE PEOPLE WHO APPROVED THIS ROTTEN IDEA SHOULD BE HUNG.

[gizmo]

That's a very, very good point. HAL just updated their website last week too. It's interesting that if the dining times are changing on the Oosterdam, even if just for a short time, that the change isn't reflected on the website.

 

There is nothinhg unusual about Hal not having this on their web site. As stated earlier:

"It was stated on another thread that HAL would be testing the personal choice concept. This information came from James Deering personally and directly last week on board the Zuiderdam. "

 

This is a TEST. The 4 dining times were not posted on Hal's site either when it first began.

 

I found that talking to people at Hal can bring mixed results. Many are clueless as to what is going on. An example of this is the cruise schedule changes after 911. I was booked on a cruise leaving around Dec. of the following year. (I think KK was also booked on this cruise.) I read on this board that the cruise was cancelled. I called my TA, she called Hal, they told her it was not. Hal's web site did NOT show my cruise being cancelled. I called Hal and they told me the same thing.

Others starting posting with conflicting stories. I called at least 3 more times and so did my TA. Same answer, it was not cancelled. After another call and getting a supervisor type person who claimed it was not cancelled, I explained others on my cruise were being told it was cancelled. I hung on the phone forever while she checked it out further. You guessed it, it was cancelled.

[AirGorilla]

Don't Crystal, Radisson, Silversea, and Oceania- the cruiselines I consider in the luxury class- all have open seating dining. For those of you who cruise these lines, how does it work on those ships? Why should HAL have more of a problem than these lines, expecially if the early diners have eaten and are out of the way.

 

Just asking the question to see what the options are and how they work elsewhere. I just haven't heard friends who cruise Radisson and Oceania complaining about not having assigned tables and times.

 

Hi Neighbor --

 

Have been on Crystal twice. They have the same traditional dining that Celebrity uses -- early and late seatings. Can't offer any experiences on the other luxury lines.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We weren't scheduled for your cruise in 2001.

We were on the Ryndam in October out of San Diego doind the Sea of Cortez - not cancelled.

But I do remember others talking about a cruise that was cancelled.

[gizmo]

We weren't scheduled for your cruise in 2001.

 

We were on the Ryndam in October out of San Diego doind the Sea of Cortez - not cancelled.

 

But I do remember others talking about a cruise that was cancelled.

 

It must have been someone else on this board.

It was a 12 day Orinoco River cruise on the Amsterdam.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The more I read, the madder I get. I really hope that this new idea flops!!!

I can see it now - the dress code is gone. Because those who choose to eat at the "Leisure Dining Time" will say "Heck - this is called leisure dining. Why should I dress up? I'll just go to dinner leisurely dressed."

[RevNeal]

The more I read, the madder I get. I really hope that this new idea flops!!!

I can see it now - the dress code is gone. Because those who choose to eat at the "Leisure Dining Time" will say "Heck - this is called leisure dining. Why should I dress up? I'll just go to dinner leisurely dressed."

 

The nomenclature choice is horrible. Just horrible. HAL is really screwing up. Someone slap Kruse up side the head for us, please.

[CDRMark]

While we only have one cruise under our (now further stressed) belts, this does not excite us. I think the last time we ate at 5:30P.M. it was lunch. Maybe an attempt to pump up Pinnacle attendance?:)

Cheers

MarkB

[kryos]

The more I read, the madder I get. I really hope that this new idea flops!!!

I can see it now - the dress code is gone. Because those who choose to eat at the "Leisure Dining Time" will say "Heck - this is called leisure dining. Why should I dress up? I'll just go to dinner leisurely dressed."

True, but ... HAL has a policy that Princess doesn't have. HAL's policy is that the dress code is the dress code for the EVENING ... not just for dinner. Therefore, if someone wants "leisure dining" ... casual dress ... they are going to have to either forego the show lounge and all other activities on the main decks, or they are going to have to go back to their stateroom and don their formal wear. If one has to get dressed up anyway, why not just dress before dinner?

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[beargal]

Having just sailed the Westerdam at the end of Sep, I can just imagine the long lines to enter the dining room if there are not assigned tables! People lined up for the traditional dining with reserved tables and were definitely not happy if people "cut" into the line. And just imagine the line as it goes through the entire photo gallery, the crowd coming off the aft elevators who try to get into line, the atmosphere is not conducive to a fine dining experience!

I also thought of the poor dining room stewards who would end up bearing the brunt of the passengers unhappiness, let alone no more additonal tipping since the likelhood of having the same table or servers would be small.

Also, for those who have complained about the food not being HOT when it arrives, what do you think the quality of the food will be when there is even less of an assurance as to when it will be served?

We have now completed 3 HAL cruises and 1 Celebrity. We are currently scheduled for our next two on Seabourn hoping for a little more tradition and fine service. Unfortunately, it seems the folks in Seattle make all the decisions and leave the implementation to the servers on board who have to make the best of the situation.

It would seem that a workable solution would be to have one level of the dining room be the open seating with the other one kept for the assigned tables and times.

Good luck to all the guniea pigs who have had no warning of the changes.

[jhannah]

It will be interesting to see what really happens. We don't really know at this point. But the idea as presented smells of fish! We have cruised Princess. Personal Choice dining offers fixed seating or open seating ... you choice ... but it's for the entire dining timeline. Not just for a certain window of time. What has been described here is not that. If they'd go to the upper/lower split with one dining room being traditional and the other open seating, it would stand a better chance of working. But you will still have waits for dinner if you show up at your chosen time and the DR is full.

 

This is not what the "faithful" HAL cruiser wants. HAL, ARE YOU LISTENING?

[bepsf]

From what I was told, this will not be possible, we probably will not know for real until a couple of weeks have passes and it all shakes out.

 

Anything is possible when you slip the right person a couple of bills...

;)

[zackiedawg]

If it is simply a test, then I do hope the result of the test is that it is a poor idea and should be abandoned outright. and I certainly would be less than happy to find out that a cruise I booked some time ago decided to run a 'test' like this on my cruise.

 

I loved the 8pm main seating on HAL - and always book late traditional on all of the other lines I've been on. I'm certainly not a traditionalist, and I'm usually up well into the AM hours...but I still enjoy having a set time for dinner to base my evening around.

 

What I don't like about an open seating period replacing main seatings - times when the dining room may get overcrowded and other times when it will be mostly empty...either way is uncomfortable and loses the atmosphere of cruising IMHO; not having a consistent table and wait staff to become familiar with, and who will get to know all of your preferences and habits; having food be cooked as you come in may increase service times during 'rush' hours since the chefs cannot begin cooking a certain number of each dish at the same time with expectation that there will be a particular number of orders of that dish...which can extend dining times and cause someone to be late for a show they wanted to see; reduction of 'people-watching' time, when the dining room opens for everyone on that seating and everyone comes in at once; more interruptive dining experience, with people streaming in an out too randomly throughout your meal, passing by your table.

 

Only time will tell if HAL's test proves this new style to be popular or rejected, and I'll pray for the latter. As it is, ships today offer so many more dining options than cruising 10 or 20 years ago that I feel they should be able to retain some traditional touches that long-time cruisers enjoy, including fixed dining times. For those who don't like fixed dining, there is always Lido dining, room service, Odyssey/Pinnacle restaurant, not to mention 4 seating options to choose from in the dining room.

 

And it isn't just traditional HAL cruisers who want this - nor only older folks. I'm 36 and just stepped off my first HAL cruise...but I thoroughly enjoy fixed dining options and choose them on every cruise, including Princess. I want to enjoy the same table, get to know my waiter and assistant waiter and enjoy good conversation, sit with the same table-mates from day one and develop friendships, and I want to do all of that starting some time between 8-8:30pm!

[gizmo]

Having just sailed the Westerdam at the end of Sep, I can just imagine the long lines to enter the dining room if there are not assigned tables! People lined up for the traditional dining with reserved tables and were definitely not happy if people "cut" into the line. And just imagine the line as it goes through the entire photo gallery, the crowd coming off the aft elevators who try to get into line, the atmosphere is not conducive to a fine dining experience!

 

Hi Beargal,

 

Glad you agree with me about the lines, although I referred to it as a mob scene. :rolleyes:

 

The decision makers at HAL are 'OUT OF THEIR MINDS'.

[WillK]

Somehow, HAL has managed to survive for over 130 years. I doubt that this wonderful legacy has been the result of inept stewardship. The proposed dining changes are nothing more than a temporary test. If the results are poor, HAL will adjust accordingly. Interesting that there's so much talk about "tradition". Isn't loyalty (until proved otherwise) an integral value in the positive sense of the concept of tradition?

[KAKcruiser]

I don't see how this will work. They are forcing people to either eat at 5:30 or wait until after 7:30. The only possible solution would be the upper dining room for PC and the lower dining room for traditional with two dining times.

[stanford's girl]

Just got off the phone with Ships Services and what Heavenly posted is TRUE!:eek: I am so angry right now, I can't even see straight.

My confirmed table of 8 at 8:30 is gone. We won't have the same table or waiter every night, and they can't even say if we will be able to sit together. She said we all just have to show up at the same time and they will see what they can do. Are you flippin' kidding me HAL???

 

This is not the cruise I booked and paid for.:mad: :mad: If I wanted "Leisure Dining" I would have booked with NCL or Princess.

I guess I know what all of us will be talking about when we meet at 11 am Sunday in the Crow's Nest.;)

[peaches from georgia]

People lined up for the traditional dining with reserved tables and were definitely not happy if people "cut" into the line. And just imagine the line as it goes through the entire photo gallery, the crowd coming off the aft elevators who try to get into line, the atmosphere is not conducive to a fine dining experience!

 

It would seem that a workable solution would be to have one level of the dining room be the open seating with the other one kept for the assigned tables and times.

The lines going through the Photo Gallery and pax cutting into line was EXACTLY what we experienced on the Oosterdam WITH traditional dining (until we realized the only thing to do was to stay in the Ocean Bar until long after the chimes rang and let the pushers and shovers get seated).

 

I agree that the best solution would be to have one level 2 seating traditional and one level open seating. That we would be interested in trying. We have too many friends who love that arrangement not to be willing to at least try it. It's not the end of the world to try something different to see if we like it. The last 2 cruises on HAL with a larger table than for 2 have been disasters, to tell you the truth. We would be like to try open seating where you are not locked in to either a table for 2 all cruise and can make spur of the moment arrangements with other pax you may meet.

 

HAL is making attempts in various ways to meet the competitions' options in many areas and this is all part of it.

[heavenly]

Just got off the phone with Ships Services and what Heavenly posted is TRUE! I am so angry right now' date=' I can't even see straight.[/size']

 

My confirmed table of 8 at 8:30 is gone. We won't have the same table or waiter every night, and they can't even say if we will be able to sit together. She said we all just have to show up at the same time and they will see what they can do. Are you flippin' kidding me HAL???

 

This is not the cruise I booked and paid for.:mad: :mad: If I wanted "Leisure Dining" I would have booked with NCL or Princess.

 

I guess I know what all of us will be talking about when we meet at 11 am Sunday in the Crow's Nest.;)

 

 

Oh Janice, I'm so sorry, I was really hoping they would go ahead and let you have that table if you called. I've read the entire roll call thread and know you set that up long ago.:mad: I have a feeling it is going to be like sitting in a fish bowl for us "How did they get to keep their tables??":(

[heavenly]

Duplicate

[gizmo]

The best solution is to drop the entire idea.

[stanford's girl]

Oh Janice, I'm so sorry, I was really hoping they would go ahead and let you have that table if you called. I've read the entire roll call thread and know you set that up long ago.:mad: I have a feeling it is going to be like sitting in a fish bowl for us "How did they get to keep their tables??":(

Don't be sorry Debbie, it's not you fault.:)

I am hoping that after talking with them once we get on board, that somehow we can all still sit together.

[K&RCurt]

This is just unbelievable! I sure hope this little "experiment" falls flat on it's face.

 

Janice I'm so sorry your's and Rita's plans got caught up in this!

 

I think it's unconsionable for HAL to accept and "Confirm" dining arrangements and then just say "So sorry, you're on your own!" I wonder if people are filing out comment cards requesting this, or if Carnival has decided to "Princessize" HAL. Does anyone know if they are making any changes on Carnival to the dinning arrangements? I don't keep track of "things Carnival" but don't they have "traditional dining" on Carnival ships?

 

I find it hard to believe that this is something HAL came up with on their own. I didn't think they could be that stupid!

 

Even though we've only been on 1 cruise, the tradditional dining was one of the highlights for us. We got to meet a great bunch of people at our table, one of which "teamed up" with us on some shore excursions we were scheduled for. We also really enjoyed getting to know our wait staff and having them know our preferances, having our beverage of choice placed in front of us as soon as we sat down....all of this will be gone with this new arrangement, as there is NO WAY we want to eat at 5:30!

 

If anyone from HAL is reading these boards....

 

BAD IDEA HAL.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Just got off the phone with Ships Services and what Heavenly posted is TRUE!:eek: I am so angry right now' date=' I can't even see straight.[/size']

 

My confirmed table of 8 at 8:30 is gone. We won't have the same table or waiter every night, and they can't even say if we will be able to sit together. She said we all just have to show up at the same time and they will see what they can do. Are you flippin' kidding me HAL???

 

This is not the cruise I booked and paid for.:mad: :mad: If I wanted "Leisure Dining" I would have booked with NCL or Princess.

 

I guess I know what all of us will be talking about when we meet at 11 am Sunday in the Crow's Nest.;)

 

 

Janice, I too feel so very bad for you. I am thinking about how we were just last week and with our shore excursions and just wanting to spend time in town 5:30 for us is just too early and this "Leisure Dining is TRULY BS" I just feel bad you are the guinea pig but I hope after a couple of weeks they decide this is really really bad.

 

Plus I cannot imagine the crew being too happy many of those Dining Room Stewards and Assist. waiters receive extra tips at the end of the week along with the Wine Steward. Also what happens for those that buy a wine package and have wine or champagne set up everynight. If you are setting at a different table with different people what a BIG Pain to be tracked down. Then the service also goes to crap, I ordered Ice Tea our second night and every night after that I had a glass already sitting at where I sat the night before it was great. Gee, I could go on and on about how absolutely terrible this is.:mad:

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Double post ugh!!