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

[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:

[Iggipolka]

Great. Guess I'll be eating all of my dinners alone next month.

So much for HAL being considerate to solo diners.

 

I'm so pissed off right now. :mad:

[jhannah]

More than 100 posts in about 19 hours since the first post in the thread. Has any other one taken off this quickly in a while?

[serendipity1499]

Just in from Ship Services, they received this news today, our rep doesn't even know yet...

 

Starting with the 10/22 sailing of the Oosterdam, this is a test on the Oosterdam ONLY, early seating will be at 5:30 and is a combination of upper and lower. Only one seating time, both the 5:45 and 6:15 seatings are combined in this new early seating. Main Upper and Main Lower have been discontinued, it is now called "Leisure Dining" and you can show up from 7:30 until the doors close to dine. There are no confirmed late seatings... The only exception is any group that was scheduled for the later seatings will still have their confirmations honored.

 

It's possible that they may try to test it on another ship early next summer as Mr. Deering indicates, but do not believe it's happening now & in that fashion..

 

IMHO truly believe this is a HOAX to stir up trouble on this board..:(

 

If anyone wants to buy the Brooklyn Bridge, I can get you a great deal on it..;)

[sail7seas]

I have thought about this a bit and now think that this is the first step toward making dining/eating on the ships a pay as you go situation.

 

I think they will start to expect people bring some cash with them to dinner so you can tip each evening at the end of dinner the same as you do in a land restaurant.

 

Then, I think it will turn into, meals will be bought as ordered as in a land based restaurant. You skip dinner, you don't pay. You have dinner, you pay per the menu prices...just as at a land based restaurant.

 

I don't think I am that far-fetched in this theory.

 

I just wonder how gradually (or how rapidly) that idea will be 'tested' or 'introduced'.

 

[gizmo]

It's possible that they may try to test it on another ship early next summer as Mr. Deering indicates, but do not believe it's happening now & in that fashion..

 

IMHO truly believe this is a HOAX to stir up trouble on this board..:(

 

If anyone wants to buy the Brooklyn Bridge, I can get you a great deal on it..;)

 

I don't think it is a HOAX.

 

Stanford's girl called Hal they confirmed it.

[sail7seas]

Before everyone jumps to scream that dining steward tips are included i the automatic tipping, I know that. We are among those who tip above that amount.

[heavenly]

It's possible that they may try to test it on another ship early next summer as Mr. Deering indicates, but do not believe it's happening now & in that fashion..

 

IMHO truly believe this is a HOAX to stir up trouble on this board..:(

 

If anyone wants to buy the Brooklyn Bridge, I can get you a great deal on it..;)

 

Wow, thanks for the warm welcome.:(

[Iggipolka]

I have thought about this a bit and now think that this is the first step toward making dining/eating on the ships a pay as you go situation.

 

 

oh lord...don't give them any more ideas.

[Iggipolka]

Wow, thanks for the warm welcome.:(

 

You posted something very controversial with few previous posts. It's not surprising that people are suspicious of its accuracy. This news is not being taken well by the majority of the people on this board, so there are going to be strong feelings about it and hopes that the dining times haven't changed on the Oosterdam.

[K&RCurt]

Great. Guess I'll be eating all of my dinners alone next month.

So much for HAL being considerate to solo diners.

 

I'm so pissed off right now. :mad:

 

BTW Iggi:

 

I feel bad for YOU too!

 

I just hope that maybe HAL will see how stupid this is before your cruise and put things back as they belong!

[KAKcruiser]

I know this sounds crazy but could HAL be announcing this "experiment" to cover their backs because of the mess this past week on the Oosterdam? Maybe they know the problem they created by giving the large group the entire late seating times.

[Iggipolka]

Just got off the phone with Ship Services and it's true. So, we now have three verifications of the dining change on the Oosterdam.

 

What the rep told me (and who knows how accurate this is), is that they are going to try it for the 10/22 sailing and see what the pax response to it is. The HAL General Manager is going to be on board and will be having a discussion about the dining time with pax to get direct feedback about the dining change. If the feedback is negative, they will go back to the four traditional dining times.

 

Good thing we have a bunch of CC'ers on this cruise. I'm just sorry that you guys got screwed so badly. :(

[heavenly]

You posted something very controversial with few previous posts. It's not surprising that people are suspicious of its accuracy. This news is not being taken well by the majority of the people on this board, so there are going to be strong feelings about it and hopes that the dining times haven't changed on the Oosterdam.

 

I guess that excuses rudness then? If I was another new person with valuable information I wouldn't post it at all. Sorry, it just sits wrong to be slandered when what you are trying to do is help.:( I'll just go back to lurking, thank you...

[serendipity1499]

Wow, thanks for the warm welcome.:(

 

Heavenly..I'm so sorry I was completely out of line..I just could not believe that HAL would do such a thing!:mad:

As Peaches said, I figured HAL would make one level confirmed & the other level Personal Choice which could work, but this way is absolutely stupid!

What a way to greet long time HAL cruisers!:mad:

Again I'm sorry I sounded off & truly get upset knowing that I committed an in-excusable error & should know better..This is no way to welcome a new poster..:o

Please forgive me & welcome to the boards..Hope you Enjoy your cruise, in spite of the changes..:)

 

Betty

[KAKcruiser]

I wonder who the HAL general manager is?

[MikeT718]

for myself and DW we are used to eating early as I get out of work at 4:45 and am home by 5:00 (but note we do not need to get dressed up for dinner as we do on the ship)...But on vacation we like to eat a little later so we generaly get the 6:15 seating and that works out for us very well..We can go and get ready for diner between 5:00 and 5;30 now it will have to be now it will have to be earlier which is not good..So I can only hope that HAL sees the error of their ways and the experiment fails quickly and things get back to normal...:mad:

[heavenly]

Heavenly..I'm so sorry I was completely out of line..I just could not believe that HAL would do such a thing!:mad:

 

As Peaches said, I figured HAL would make one level confirmed & the other level Personal Choice which could work, but this way is absolutely stupid!

What a way to greet long time HAL cruisers!:mad:

 

Again I'm sorry I sounded off & truly get upset knowing that I committed an in-excusable error & should know better..This is no way to welcome a new poster..:o

 

Please forgive me & welcome to the boards..Hope you Enjoy your cruise, in spite of the changes..:)

 

Betty

 

Thank you Serendipity, I really appreciate it!:)

 

I know what they are doing is horrible, that is why I quite lurking and posted when I found out, I didn't want everyone to get hit upside the head with it when they boarded. It's so much better to get p*** off now and get it out of ones system so the cruise isn't ruined. I still can't believe this inept way of doing this, I agree with everyone else, make one dining room two set seatings and the other "Leisure Dining" the entire evening.

[heavenly]

duplicate

[K&RCurt]

I guess that excuses rudness then? If I was another new person with valuable information I wouldn't post it at all. Sorry, it just sits wrong to be slandered when what you are trying to do is help.:( I'll just go back to lurking, thank you...

 

PLEASE DON"T GO!

 

It was obvious to ME at least that you were no Troll. If this were the case you wouldn't have shared the specific information you had, and certainly would't have stayed around as long as you did.

 

NOT to defend the specific words which were used (Which were now appologized for), however, there are many posters who start a screen name only to make very few controversial posts, start a flame war and then dissapear. Some fellow posters get quite upset at this and sometimes come to the wrong conclusion about the posts of a low post number member who they don't "know" who posts a controversial thread that upsets them.

 

AGAIN...I'm not defending the actions, but trying to explain why it might have happened.

 

I for one appreciate the information, good or bad, people post. Over a very short time frame it becomes clear if the information is valid or not.

 

I hope you stay and keep posting. It is obvious you have good information to share and you also correct yourself if mistaken (i.e. Personal Choice dining thread)

[Iggipolka]

I guess that excuses rudness then? If I was another new person with valuable information I wouldn't post it at all. Sorry, it just sits wrong to be slandered when what you are trying to do is help.:( I'll just go back to lurking, thank you...

 

I don't think it excuses rudeness...I think it explains the suspicion.

 

Sorry you felt attacked.

[heavenly]

PLEASE DON"T GO!

 

It was obvious to ME at least that you were no Troll. If this were the case you wouldn't have shared the specific information you had, and certainly would't have stayed around as long as you did.

 

NOT to defend the specific words which were used (Which were now appologized for), however, there are many posters who start a screen name only to make very few controversial posts, start a flame war and then dissapear. Some fellow posters get quite upset at this and sometimes come to the wrong conclusion about the posts of a low post number member who they don't "know" who posts a controversial thread that upsets them.

 

AGAIN...I'm not defending the actions, but trying to explain why it might have happened.

 

I for one appreciate the information, good or bad, people post. Over a very short time frame it becomes clear if the information is valid or not.

 

I hope you stay and keep posting. It is obvious you have good information to share and you also correct yourself if mistaken (i.e. Personal Choice dining thread)

 

Why thank you! I really appreciate it and everything is fine.:) I know about bulletin boards, I am on a few, too many really! As you said a troll will not usually give out specific information. This whole change has me so angry!

 

As you know, I'm a TA, what really makes me furious is HAL doesn't understand why I'm upset, after all, our group has the same dining it always did - "we were saved" according to HAL. Why don't they understand that I have individual passengers on sailings and that I sail on my own at times???? I just hate that they leave the individual passengers hanging out there!:mad:

[serendipity1499]

K&R Kurt..Thanks for trying to explain, but I should have known better!:o

I'm the one who has told off others for being nasty...A lesson learned!

 

Hope all of you who are leaving on the OOsterdam stay safe & in spite of those changes, have a great cruise!

 

And to all others who are in "Wilma's" path, we hope you will be be safe

too..:)

 

P.S. Don't forget to tell the HAL G.M. that they should take their plan back to the "drawing board" or better yet, throw it overboard!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Dress policy is not being upheld around the ship!!!

As many of you know we are silver medallion holders and we have gone through a lot of changes on HAL the last couple of years.

Kyros you mentioned that HAL still has a dress code when it comes to the lounges and etc after dinner - WRONG!! - IT IS NOT BEING INFORCED. It is mentioned in the daily program. Many times on our last few cruises we have sat right beside people in the show lounge who were dressed in SHORTS while DH was in his tuxedo and I was also dressed in a long gown. People were walking all over the ship dressed casually - even in the bars and casinos - and no one said anything to them about being properly dressed. Each cruise we have noticed more and more people dressing as they want to after 6 PM!!.

This new leisure dining is only going to make people say "Why follow the rules? We will do and dress as we please".

[Krazy Kruizers]

Don't know if this new "Leisure Dining" will happen to us on our next cruise or not since right now it is being tested only on the Oosterdam.

But if on one of our future cruises we are introduced to this new dining, then we will think twice about tipping extra to our dining room steward even if we are assigned to the same table each evening at 5:30.

After all - why should we tip extra when those who dine at 7:30 each evening get a different dining room steward and helper and you know darn well they aren't going to tip anything extra each evening!!