MDR closed for lunch on sea/sailing day?

[cruising cockroach]

I just read a TR somewhere else that on a very recent 15 day Westerdam cruise, the MDR was closed for 4 of the 6 sea days, resulting in an overcrowded buffet.  Just wondering if this is a new development?  Certainly wasn't the case 5 and 7 years ago on other HAL ships when the MDR was closed for lunch only on some port days.  Considering using the Westerdam for TPAC crossings later this year or next and won't be so keen if the MDR is closed for lunch.  The fact that the Crows Nest is shrunk away and there's no library isn't making it very attractive (not that the alternative Celebrity Millennium seems all that much better).

[Overhead Fred]

The MDR can be closed on sea days when it is being used for other functions such as the Mariner's lunch or the Indonesian lunch for collector cruise passengers. If there is a large group onboard, it is possible that they may "commandeer" the MDR for a lunch. 

[cruising cockroach]

Could be a large group.  I do remember portions of the dining room closed for special lunches but certainly not the whole thing.  The implication, however, was that the buffet and adjacent pool area was very overcrowded as a result. FWIW, the person who wrote the TR was booked in a Neptune suite.

[kazu]

I’ve never seen the MDR closed for lunch except for the special occasions mentioned above (Mariners, collectors lunch, etc.).

 

If that is the case, it doesn’t make the LIdo crowded since a good number of people are in the MDR 😉 

[Hawaiidan]

however, an excellent way of cutting cost in labor and food.. forcing people into using existing catering .

[kazu]

1 minute ago, Hawaiidan said:

however, an excellent way of cutting cost in labor and food.. forcing people into using existing catering .

Huh????

 

that’s a totally incorrect statement IMO.  

 

 

[Hawaiidan]

13 minutes ago, kazu said:

Huh????

 

that’s a totally incorrect statement IMO.  

 

 

 Help me....I dont understand  why it would not be a large saving?

 

13 minutes ago, kazu said:

Huh????

 

that’s a totally incorrect statement IMO.  

 

 

 

[kazu]

4 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

 Help me....I dont understand  why it would not be a large saving?

 

 

 

Why would it?  Whether you feed someone in the MDR or the LIDO, you still feed them.

Actually I find people eat more in the Lido than the MDR.

 

I can’t explain it much more than that which you as an experienced cruiser should know.

 

 

[Hawaiidan]

15 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Why would it?  Whether you feed someone in the MDR or the LIDO, you still feed them.

Actually I find people eat more in the Lido than the MDR.

 

I can’t explain it much more than that which you as an experienced cruiser should know.

 

 

you cut one galley  and  the service staff for the dining room       You produce larger quanity but with labor  for the   Lido...Restaurant  dining is very labor intensive... I used to work in such  and you have to have a larger store to take care of  special orders. and whims   Buffet  is figure  the potential use and make large economical labor produced selections.   Thats why I thought so...from my experience. in restaurants    NOW  having not been on  A Hal cruise for a few years does HAL,  in the Lido, take care of the serving rather than let patrons potentially cross contaminate food ?       All my recent experienced on other lines they served you and did not let  over zealous dinners serve them self and risk contamination for everyone else....    

Edited February 22, 2019 by Hawaiidan

[cruising cockroach]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

I’ve never seen the MDR closed for lunch except for the special occasions mentioned above (Mariners, collectors lunch, etc.).

 

If that is the case, it doesn’t make the LIdo crowded since a good number of people are in the MDR 😉 

 

Depends on how many people they hosted in the MDR.  If the ship was full (1,900 pax) and suppose the MDR was closed for 600 pax (probably an overestimate but who knows), that leaves 1,300 pax looking for  place to sit and eat.  Not even a larger ship can handle that.

[Hawaiidan]

2 minutes ago, cruising cockroach said:

 

Depends on how many people they hosted in the MDR.  If the ship was full (1,900 pax) and suppose the MDR was closed for 600 pax (probably an overestimate but who knows), that leaves 1,300 pax looking for  place to sit and eat.  Not even a larger ship can handle that.

 

2 minutes ago, cruising cockroach said:

 

Depends on how many people they hosted in the MDR.  If the ship was full (1,900 pax) and suppose the MDR was closed for 600 pax (probably an overestimate but who knows), that leaves 1,300 pax looking for  place to sit and eat.  Not even a larger ship can handle that.

Good point you make   But how about on port days when many are ashore.. 

 Wow, 1900 on a ship.... I wont go over 1000-1200 tops..... too many rats in the box for me.        1900 would scare me away... then I read of these 4000-5000-6000 passenger cities.   Oh well to each his own

[cruising cockroach]

19 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

 

Good point you make   But how about on port days when many are ashore.. 

 Wow, 1900 on a ship.... I wont go over 1000-1200 tops..... too many rats in the box for me.        1900 would scare me away... then I read of these 4000-5000-6000 passenger cities.   Oh well to each his own

 

The person who wrote the review stated that the MDR was closed on 4 out of 6 sea days.  I think that is excessive.  I don't mind closures on port days too much, when, as you say, many pax are ashore.

 

Yes, the numbers are frightening (though after the Prinsendam is gone, no HAL ship with under 1,000 pax exists?)  My "large" and full ship experiences have been on the Island Princess, Star Princess and Celebrity Millennium.  Not pleasant or enjoyable at all.  Rather not cruise.

 

Fortunately my HAL cruises (long repos) have apparently been a lot less than full.  Assigned late dining on the Zaandam had lots of empty tables, with at least 4 waiters doing nothing but folding napkins during dining hours!

[Hawaiidan]

10 minutes ago, cruising cockroach said:

 

The person who wrote the review stated that the MDR was closed on 4 out of 6 sea days.  I think that is excessive.  I don't mind closures on port days too much, when, as you say, many pax are ashore.

 

Yes, the numbers are frightening (though after the Prinsendam is gone, no HAL ship with under 1,000 pax exists?)  My "large" and full ship experiences have been on the Island Princess, Star Princess and Celebrity Millennium.  Not pleasant or enjoyable at all.  Rather not cruise.

 

Fortunately my HAL cruises (long repos) have apparently been a lot less than full.  Assigned late dining on the Zaandam had lots of empty tables, with at least 4 waiters doing nothing but folding napkins during dining hours!

Thank  for your kind reply. , I  am taking a 29 day on the massdam  to some very seldom visited ports and am hoping the ship which is at 1200 listed  wont be more than 75% full.   The last Time HAL ran this veterans cruise  it ran about that or 66%  

I feel for you having  been on the celebrity ant farms as I called them    We were in port and along side was a celeb... it looked lie thousands of tiny cabins   3 gangways  with massive crowds....  I t was in Kudassi  turkey  and I sat slack jawed as this  behemoth   slid out... and out and out and out.  Larger than an Aircraft carrier  and no planes... .. I still love being on a ship and experiencing the feel of ocean travel  love multi ocean days.     If HAL gets rid of her little boys then  I will have to move on... not worth the carnival at sea...    I agree no point is subjecting   yourself to such turmoil..      Good travels to you.....