Staffing issues in the MDR.

[OlsSalt]

Even land based restaurant want reservations, so they can be ready for a fixed number of diners at any given time. Just drop into a busy restuarant without reservations and expect a wait. They are not "as you wish" either.

[Ipeeinthepools]

4 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Even land based restaurant want reservations, so they can be ready for a fixed number of diners at any given time. Just drop into a busy restuarant without reservations and expect a wait. They are not "as you wish" either.

 

I think it's a little different onboard a cruise ship.  There really aren't a lot of other options unless the ship is in port.  The cruise line knows that most everyone onboard is coming to the MDR between 6:30 and 7:30 and they should be staffed and ready to handle it.  Maybe your schedule will vary from day to day but on average the MDR will be packed in the peak hours.  Anything else is just irresponsible. 

[MicCanberra]

It is such a shame that HAL can't cope where as other lines can. Open, Anytime, My Time or Freestyle dining on other lines works very effectively on other lines once people are seated. This doesn't mean there aren't queues to get into the mdr at times or buzzers aren't  used to control mdr intake. Perhaps HAL need to control the MDR intake better, or even warn people that you can be seated but you won't get served for over 30 minutes or an hour.

[MicCanberra]

14 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Even land based restaurant want reservations, so they can be ready for a fixed number of diners at any given time. Just drop into a busy restuarant without reservations and expect a wait. They are not "as you wish" either.

Well I partly agree, partly disagree. Yes you need to book but just as with specialty dining, there is a multitude of booking times, like in 15 or 30 minute segments, not just 5pm or 8 pm.

[ChinaShrek]

31 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Carnival just introduced new technology where you enter your dining time in the app and they tell you how long the wait (in case you want to change to another restaurant, but that wouldn’t work on HaL because they don’t offer alternates to the MDR sit down that are complimentary). Then they notify you in the app when your table is ready to avoid crowding outside restaurant doors. Technology exists to streamline the process. 

I have sailed Carnival many times and I like their open dining. The APP tells you how long of a wait you have if you want to eat in the MDR. If you don't awnt to eat there, there are often other options to pick from without additional charge (in addition to the buffet). For open dining to work on HAL, I think they need more complementary dining options and an app that tells people how long the wait is.

[ChinaShrek]

14 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

It is such a shame that HAL can't cope where as other lines can. Open, Anytime, My Time or Freestyle dining on other lines works very effectively on other lines once people are seated. This doesn't mean there aren't queues to get into the mdr at times or buzzers aren't  used to control mdr intake. Perhaps HAL need to control the MDR intake better, or even warn people that you can be seated but you won't get served for over 30 minutes or an hour.

I will never do My Time dining on Royal Caribbean again. I sailed them last summer on the Ovation of the Seas and we would go down to eat and there was always a line. Typically we had to stand 15-30 minutes to get a table. This is before we made it to the podium.

[OlsSalt]

2 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I think it's a little different onboard a cruise ship.  There really aren't a lot of other options unless the ship is in port.  The cruise line knows that most everyone onboard is coming to the MDR between 6:30 and 7:30 and they should be staffed and ready to handle it.  Maybe your schedule will vary from day to day but on average the MDR will be packed in the peak hours.  Anything else is just irresponsible. 

 

No, they should not be "staffed to handle it". Do they call in Kelly Girls from offshore?

 

You need to recognize you need to handle what they offer. You are on a ship. It comes with built in limitations. As You Wish Dining sounds like it was well-intended to be "competitive", but is simply not working out. Try other cruise lines where they do a better job,  by your expectations. 

[mawvkysc]

4 hours ago, foodsvcmgr said:

I’m putting on my Kevlar as I type, but I for one rue the day open dining options began.

IMO it has made the MDR experience worse for everyone, food quality, service issues, overpriced and under delivering specialty restaurants, the list goes on…..

No need to argue, it’s just my personal belief.

It seems like open dining would also complicate the even distribution of guests between the 2 main theater shows. 

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, mawvkysc said:

It seems like open dining would also complicate the even distribution of guests between the 2 main theater shows. 

Perhaps they should have open theatre as well.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, mawvkysc said:

It seems like open dining would also complicate the even distribution of guests between the 2 main theater shows. 

 

Luckily that is not so much of a problem on HAL. So many of their shows are repeats that people are not exactly clamoring to get into the theater.

[MicCanberra]

4 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Luckily that is not so much of a problem on HAL. So many of their shows are repeats that people are not exactly clamoring to get into the theater.

Yes, some of the shows are very mediocre, except for when they have magicians jugglers and comedians, then they are poor.

[REOVA]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Perhaps they should have open theatre as well.

They do...it's called on demand in your cabin. 😉

 

I like the idea that Carnival states wait time on the app (similar to ERs in our area that show it as you drive by) but it's just another thing that CCL has not consistently implemented across all brands for some reason. 

 

HAL has data as to how many passengers are on board, how many specialty reservations on a given night and probably historical data of what time many of the passengers eat (and what they order) since many are regulars and for 7, 10, 14 days they are sequestered. Back in the day that I cooked in a hotel restaurant, we could estimate the number of people eating and what they may order off the menu (even with them never being there before) just based on occupancy. We may be off or "86" of inventory a few times, but service was always on point. 

[Haljo1935]

18 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I like it cool, in fact I love it cool. But the temp in that area on Nieuw Statendam was like being in a freezer and I'm not exaggerating. Way, way, below anyone's comfort zone. 

 

And was likely not related to work done during dry dock - it was freezing last cruise before dry dock and freezing 1st cruise after dry dock. Cooler is better than being too warm, but that was downright cold.

[Ipeeinthepools]

9 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

 

No, they should not be "staffed to handle it". Do they call in Kelly Girls from offshore?

 

You need to recognize you need to handle what they offer. You are on a ship. It comes with built in limitations. As You Wish Dining sounds like it was well-intended to be "competitive", but is simply not working out. Try other cruise lines where they do a better job,  by your expectations. 

 

Wow   I thought I was the customer and I thought the cruise line was working to exceed my expectations.

 

Yes, they should be staffed to handled it, anything else is just crazy.  It's all hands on deck for the peak periods.

[syesmar]

On 2/27/2024 at 4:54 PM, syesmar said:

…We then tried being familiar with the menu in advance and ready to order as soon as we sat down and telling them we were in a bit of a hurry. On that sailing it seemed to work…

 

On 3/1/2024 at 5:03 PM, Crew News said:

…When meeting my MDR waiter for the first time, I let them know that I will leave in 60 minutes whether I have had every course or not.  My NA October MDR complete dinner service times were 57, 52, and 49 minutes.  On the Eurodam last month, my dining times were 52, 49, and 43 minutes (best time in all of my cruises).  Meal courses can be staged at the wait stations and served within minutes of finishing each course.  Just ask….

I have found that letting the server know our time parameters works for us, too. Thanks @Crew News for your helpful advice!

[Gamelan1971]

We always select fixed dining for our HAL cruises and have been more than satisfied with the service from the dining room stewards.  The only cruise that was off in this regard was an Alaska cruise on the Oosterdam in 2019 (pre covid).  The service all around was mediocre and my mother commented several times that it seemed like the "B" team was working that cruise.  We also didn't like the ship in comparison to other HAL ships.  So we've avoided the Oosterdam ever since.

[MicCanberra]

I noticed a difference in layout for the Oosterdam and the Noordam despite them being the same class ship. I preferred  the Noordam as it had a Cafe by the library on the 3rd deck, so you could get coffee there or up in the Crows nest. 

I wonder is the Westerdam and Zuiderdam like the Noordam or the Oosterdam?

[foodsvcmgr]

Noordam was unique in this layout for many years.

Perhaps now that the long removed lower deck libraries are being reinstated they might consider a coffee option to go along with it.

In addition to the original library I remember another former venue from my first sailing on Zuiderdam in 2007 called the Windstar Cafe.

I think they offered coffee IIRC.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks

[OlsSalt]

33 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Noordam was unique in this layout for many years.

Perhaps now that the long removed lower deck libraries are being reinstated they might consider a coffee option to go along with it.

In addition to the original library I remember another former venue from my first sailing on Zuiderdam in 2007 called the Windstar Cafe.

I think they offered coffee IIRC.

 

The newly installed  Noordam library is directly next to the Explorations Cafe.  Your wish came true.

 

Not mine,  because I find the noise of the coffee making equipment intrusive if one wants to read, but since they offer so very few chairs in the new library space this marriage made in heaven for you won't be a problem. 

[MicCanberra]

27 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

The newly installed  Noordam library is directly next to the Explorations Cafe.  Your wish came true.

 

Not mine,  because I find the noise of the coffee making equipment intrusive if one wants to read, but since they offer so very few chairs in the new library space this marriage made in heaven for you won't be a problem. 

I think it a much better sort up on the Noordam, the Oosterdam only had 2 chairs in the library anyway.

[0106]

On 2/29/2024 at 8:24 AM, cruisemom42 said:

. I remember walking by CO on our way to the MDR and thinking "someone left the refrigerator door open". It was noticeably cold, even in the corridor passing by.

The temperature in CO last night on the NS was perfect, definitely not cold.  No wait at 6, outstanding service, delicious food.  My BFF liked her Peruvian chicken so much that we reschedule our Pinnacle dinner for next Sunday because our server told us it would be the special again next Sunday.  
 
Sea day. Going to try the MDR for brunch.  The menu looks nice.

 

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, 0106 said:

The temperature in CO last night on the NS was perfect, definitely not cold.

 

Glad to hear they've fixed it.

[yellowlablover]

We are also on Nieuw Statendam currently.  Last night was first night dining in the MDR at table for 2 fixed early seating on Deck 3.  

Very good sevice with no waits and no complaints about the food.  Our waiter asked if we are wine drinkers (we are) and we told him we have Signature Beverage Package so wanted wine by the glass.  We were asked if we wanted double serving for our wine which we  accepted so no wait for wine either 🙂.  Very happy with both food and beverage service last night.  
Our waiter also accommodated my request for a dish of mixed berries for dessert which was not a printed menu choice, and I also ordered two starters (salad and another appetizer).

Our last cruise was two years ago in 2022 and I feel last night we had just as good an experience in MDR as our past 5 cruises with HAL.

[0106]

Review of brunch in the MDR on the Nieuw Stemdam this morning.  We arrived at 9:25 and were seated immediately at a table for 2.  A beverage server greeted us immediately and took our order for fresh squeezed orange juice and a Bloody Mary.  We were presented with menus and received our drinks.  Ten menus after we were seated, no one had taken our food order.  I waved to a man in a jacket.  He came over, his name tag said Asst maitre’ d.  He asked if I wanted another drink.  I told him I’d like to order my brunch.  He took out a pad and wrote down our order.  Ten minutes later our food arrived.  Both courses arrived at the same time which I thought was odd.  I had goat cheese and mixed berries and a vegetarian black bean taco bake.  Both were delicious.  My friend had banana bread French toast which she said was ok and eggs Benedict which she said was very good because the yolks were still runny.  I flagged a random server and ask for hot sauce which was brought to me immediately.  Water and coffee were frequently refilled.At 10:15 we were finished eating and left the dining room.