Dining room dinner room service, currently?

[rubytue]

Oh our first HAL cruise, we enjoyed room service from the dining room a couple times. But on our most recent HAL cruise, a couple years ago, we tried a couple of times and the phone would just ring and ring. We once let it got for 5 minutes and it was never answered (and yes, calls were made during the prescribed times, to the correct number). 
 

I’m guessing Covid has affected room service in all sorts of ways. More people choosing to eat in their room, people quarantined and having to, etc. On the other hand, perhaps less people in the dining may free up a couple of staff? Plus, the past year might have allowed things to get into a grove. So, it seems I’m curious for recent reports, especially on the Westerdam. Are people able to *successfully* order and get dinner room service?   

[Crew News]

5 hours ago, rubytue said:

Oh our first HAL cruise, we enjoyed room service from the dining room a couple times. But on our most recent HAL cruise, a couple years ago, we tried a couple of times and the phone would just ring and ring. We once let it got for 5 minutes and it was never answered (and yes, calls were made during the prescribed times, to the correct number). 
 

I’m guessing Covid has affected room service in all sorts of ways. More people choosing to eat in their room, people quarantined and having to, etc. On the other hand, perhaps less people in the dining may free up a couple of staff? Plus, the past year might have allowed things to get into a grove. So, it seems I’m curious for recent reports, especially on the Westerdam. Are people able to *successfully* order and get dinner room service?   

With the ship capacities hovering around 60%, everything should be less crowded and that includes the demands on Room Service. 

[BobbiSox]

It has been my experience that a dinner from the dining room can only be delivered to the Neptune Suites guests. If you want dinner in any other cabin, you have to order from the In-Room Dining menu.

[rubytue]

1 hour ago, BobbiSox said:

It has been my experience that a dinner from the dining room can only be delivered to the Neptune Suites guests. If you want dinner in any other cabin, you have to order from the In-Room Dining menu.

Dang, really?! I thought I was reading on here the other day and people talking about it like it was still a normal thing. I suppose they could have been suite guest talking about it, but I didn’t get that vibe. It use to be normal, or at least balcony and above. 
 

for example, here is a recent mention of this ability. 

 

Edited June 22, 2022 by rubytue

[Serious Cruisers]

1 hour ago, BobbiSox said:

It has been my experience that a dinner from the dining room can only be delivered to the Neptune Suites guests. If you want dinner in any other cabin, you have to order from the In-Room Dining menu.

Nope I always order dinner from the dining room to my balcony cabins a few times on each sailing for those busy port days 

[rubytue]

37 minutes ago, Serious Cruisers said:

Nope I always order dinner from the dining room to my balcony cabins a few times on each sailing for those busy port days 

And you have been successful? I don’t know if it was just that one ship we were on where they stopped the service manually, or if it was a fleet wide issue. 

[DaveOKC]

20 minutes ago, rubytue said:

And you have been successful? I don’t know if it was just that one ship we were on where they stopped the service manually, or if it was a fleet wide issue. 

Much like everything else on HAL - I think it depends on the ship and who is in charge of that service.  

[Sea42]

2 hours ago, BobbiSox said:

It has been my experience that a dinner from the dining room can only be delivered to the Neptune Suites guests. If you want dinner in any other cabin, you have to order from the In-Room Dining menu.

We have been able to order from the dining room in veranda and signature suites in the past with no issues. I've only sailed once post covid but was able to order on the NA last November without any problem.

[rubytue]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

Much like everything else on HAL - I think it depends on the ship and who is in charge of that service.  

So true. As I read responses, I’m thinking that our Eurodam experience was just a case of someone deciding that wasn’t a service to be offered, by leaving the phone off the hook.
 

I’m really hoping to not have a repeat this time.  😁 But, I’m also kind of realistic that Covid everything gives arguments on both ends. 

[Crew News]

There are two forms of in-room dining. 

 

One is ordered by Neptune Suite guests from the Concierge anytime during the day and served course by course by a dedicated waiter.  Since this is a course by course delivery, you can order ice cream and it will arrive frozen. Delivery should come with white tablecloth and napkins.

 

The other form is via Room Service order by all stateroom categories during the MDR mealtime and delivered at one time.  This is not a course by course delivery.  If you order ice cream, it may be melted by the time you finish your dinner. Sometimes comes with salt and pepper.