First time Holland America and first time solo travelling

[CruisingCleo]

I am looking to book my first HAL cruise on the Rotterdam, leaving from Rotterdam on May 4th. Our earlier cruises have been on Oceania.

This cruise will also be my first one as a solo cruiser. The one thing I am not looking forward to is dining on my own. So I am looking to share a table. I also prefer to choose my own dining time. Is it in that case possible to do shared dining? 
 If I opt to buy the Club Orange package and dine in the CO dining room can I also ask for a shared table? 
And I do have the same question for the speciality restaurants. I have heard many good things about them so I would love to eat there as well and share a table with other guests.

And my last question: are there special events for solo travellers on board of the Rotterdam? 
Thank you for your help.

[Archipelago]

Yes wondering the same thing but in Oosterdam . Went on Amsterdam 20 years ago and had made great friends from Cruise Critic ..was really great and had a wonderful voyage ! Good memories .

[bcummin]

I requested early fixed dining 5:30pm at a table for six, when I sailed alone.  Two couples also shared the table, and we became like family on that long cruise.  You could also request late fixed dining.  There was a large round table for solos to enjoy lunch together, more than once.  You will find other solo passengers.

Barbara

[NanaJPB]

Anytime dining also offers shared tables, but your companions will be different each night.

[helby]

You will also meet people onboard and can arrange to eat with them in the dining room.  I've also eaten in the speciality restaurants with people I've met.   There are usually a few solo lunches offered in the dining room on sea days on all the cruises I've taken.

 

Going on shore excursions is also a good way to meet others for meals and socializing.

 

 

[mgtravelsalot]

I just go to the dining rm whenever I want and ask to share a table. Get to meet a lot of people that way.  as far as the speciality restaurants go I just eat in there alone but there are often people around you to strike up a conversation with them  Or wait until you meet others and arrange to go with them.

[regnig]

Agree with what @mgtravelsalot said about the main dining room as you should not have any  problem being seated at a shared table. If you do CO or one of the specialty restaurants probably not so much so.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, mgtravelsalot said:

I just go to the dining rm whenever I want and ask to share a table. Get to meet a lot of people that way.  as far as the speciality restaurants go I just eat in there alone but there are often people around you to strike up a conversation with them  Or wait until you meet others and arrange to go with them.

 

This is what I usually do. I agree that you do meet a number of people this way, which makes it more likely that you'll see a friendly face at other places around the ship.

 

It's also easy to meet others onboard during things like Trivia, crafts, and other activities. 

 

Edited March 6 by cruisemom42

[Love the beach]

You can also meet others by signing up for your Roll Call here on CC.:

I believe they also have Solo meet ups onboard the ship...check the daily info sheet.

 

Have a great cruise!

Edited March 6 by Love the beach

[CruiseIreland]

I wouldn't recommend Club Orange if you want to share a table. Most choose Club Orange, in my opinion, partly to dine with their partner or family, not with a stranger, no offence! 😉

[Ferry_Watcher]

4 hours ago, CruiseIreland said:

I wouldn't recommend Club Orange if you want to share a table. Most choose Club Orange, in my opinion, partly to dine with their partner or family, not with a stranger, no offence! 😉

 

I agree.

[YourWorldWithBill]

Although I agree with what @CruiseIrelandand @Ferry_Watchersaid about Club Orange, I think it might be worth a try one night. The Rotterdam has a very nice room; when we had dinner there we would have been happy to share our table with a solo traveler. It's a small room, so you'll see the same people there each night if you eat at the same time. You might try asking the manager there the first night and see what they say about it. 

The small room might lower your odds if it means no one wants to be friendly with others, or it might be the opposite.

Just a thought.

[kazu]

I had Club Orange on both my Koningsdam and Rotterdam cruises.

 

On the Koningsdam, the manager asked me if I would like to share a table & had cleverly figured out a couple he thought I would be simpatico with.  If they were there at the same time as I, I ate with them.  On the next segment, friends were boarding so I ate with them.

 

On the Rotterdam which has a larger CO dining room than the Koningsdam a number of people on my roll call had CO.  the manager would ask if friends were joining me and my reply would be “not sure”.  He would seat me at a two top with an empty two top next to me so that if any arrived and wanted to join me they could.  the table was always filled.

 

The two tops are close enough together that it is easy to carry on a conversation IF you want to.

 

I prefer CO dining room on the Pinnacle Class ships and I am a solo.  The manager and staff know you quickly, service is good & I have not had a difficult time having company at most meals.

[TV Dad]

A great idea would be to join the Roll Call thread and se if anyone wants to share a table. Also, ask the Maitre 'd if you could dine with an officer one or two nights. Those are fun!

[BruhnSisters]

11 hours ago, kazu said:

 

I prefer CO dining room on the Pinnacle Class ships and I am a solo.  The manager and staff know you quickly, service is good & I have not had a difficult time having company at most meals.

Anyone who has the privilege of eating at the same table, or near Kazu is indeed blessed. She is warm, bright and has a great sense and f humor. 

[oakridger]

1 hour ago, TV Dad said:

A great idea would be to join the Roll Call thread and se if anyone wants to share a table. Also, ask the Maitre 'd if you could dine with an officer one or two nights. Those are fun!

 

I haven't seen officers dining with guests in the MDR on HAL on any of my cruises since 2006.  Does this actually happen on HAL these days?  

 

~Nancy

[kazu]

16 minutes ago, oakridger said:

 

I haven't seen officers dining with guests in the MDR on HAL on any of my cruises since 2006.  Does this actually happen on HAL these days?  

 

~Nancy

 

I haven’t seen it since 2019 on the Prinsendam.  On a Gala Night (now dressy) we were invited to join an officer at his table and to the Captain’s quarter’s pre-dinner for drinks.

 

On a previous cruise a couple of years later, we were joined by an officer on dressy nights. (Same ship).

 

I haven’t seen it since post covid.  Even before covid, some stuff started disappearing like the special parties, get together and chocolate fountains.  I only saw those on the Prinsendam.

[mgtravelsalot]

they used to have dance hosts as well

[Rubyfisch]

Don't forget the MDR for breakfast as a way to meet others as well. I am much more of a breakfast person than my partner, so several mornings I got up and went to the MDR. They ask if you don't mind sharing. The shared tables were at the back with the best water views. I met lots of folks doing that. Same for lunch and/or tea on sea days 

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 3/6/2024 at 4:54 PM, CruiseIreland said:

I wouldn't recommend Club Orange if you want to share a table. Most choose Club Orange, in my opinion, partly to dine with their partner or family, not with a stranger, no offence! 😉

 

That's how I felt about it on Koningsdam. CO was new, and at the time, only for Neptune and Pinnacle suties. It hadn't existed when I booked the cruise and requested early fixed dining. I was not happy to see the change to open dining on my booking. And when I got onboard, I took one look at that glass box and saw all those two-tops and figured I would be eating alone, poor sad me, for all the world to walk by and see. I was newly widowed (6 months), so probably over-sensitive, but I just had a horrible reaction to the place. I think there was one table for 6, and what were the odds that I would arrive when other people looking to share arrived? 

 

So I asked to go back to the MDR, large table early fixed dining, and I was allowed to do that. At breakfast, I prefer to eat alone, so I did go back to CO for that. I appreciate that they accommodated my wishes. 

 

I like the fixed table because I get to know my dinner companions. It's fun to meet and talk about what you did that day and what your plans are for the next port. Even when DH was alive, we liked a large table. I know people worry about not liking their dining companions. In more than 50 cruises, I can remember two less than wonderful companions. But one person at a table for 6 or 8 won't bring down the group if the rest of you don't let them. 

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, Rubyfisch said:

Don't forget the MDR for breakfast as a way to meet others as well. I am much more of a breakfast person than my partner, so several mornings I got up and went to the MDR. They ask if you don't mind sharing. The shared tables were at the back with the best water views. I met lots of folks doing that. Same for lunch and/or tea on sea days 

 

That's assuming you are a morning person, lol. I don't want to talk to anyone, not even my own family, until I've had a couple of cups of coffee and preferably eaten my breakfast. Only then do I start to feel human. 😂

 

[Rubyfisch]

16 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

That's assuming you are a morning person, lol. I don't want to talk to anyone, not even my own family, until I've had a couple of cups of coffee and preferably eaten my breakfast. Only then do I start to feel human. 😂

 

Understandable - my partner is definitely a "leave me alone until I wake up" sort if person. 

[malony33]

Do passengers in a Vista suite on the Rotterdam get an expanded breakfast room service menu?

Any changes in any other room service menus in this level suite?

Thanks; all info gratefully accepted.😊

[oakridger]

3 minutes ago, malony33 said:

Do passengers in a Vista suite on the Rotterdam get an expanded breakfast room service menu?

Any changes in any other room service menus in this level suite?

Thanks; all info gratefully accepted.😊

 

Please read the other comment I gave you on the other thread.

 

It's best if you start your own thread with questions you have specific to you.  You are posting on another person's thread that doesn't really pertain to your questions. 

 

Thanks,

~Nancy

[Lakesregion]

On 3/6/2024 at 10:29 AM, CruisingCleo said:

I am looking to book my first HAL cruise on the Rotterdam, leaving from Rotterdam on May 4th. Our earlier cruises have been on Oceania.

This cruise will also be my first one as a solo cruiser. The one thing I am not looking forward to is dining on my own. So I am looking to share a table. I also prefer to choose my own dining time. Is it in that case possible to do shared dining? 
 If I opt to buy the Club Orange package and dine in the CO dining room can I also ask for a shared table? 
And I do have the same question for the speciality restaurants. I have heard many good things about them so I would love to eat there as well and share a table with other guests.

And my last question: are there special events for solo travellers on board of the Rotterdam? 
Thank you for your help.

Sailed 30 days on the Zaadam and asked for a sharing table and was assigned to one for each segment but on one leg only a fine couple from Canada showed up on the other leg no one showed for the saaring table even though the Maitr'd assured me that I would have a full table of lively people. So I got a single for the second 15 days and enjoyed my own company. Terrific service I might add. My observation is that people are more and more traveling as couples that are loath to share with strangers or in gangs of 6 - 10 and do not care to incluse an outsider. Also many of the assigned large tables are reserved by groups tat use them only on Dressy night or for a special occasion the rest of theime they are off at the income generating outlets or the cafeteria. This leaves the dining rooms lacking in ambiance and vitality and is hard on the staff as they never really know who is coming and when.

 

Yes to answer your other question, thee is one solo single meet and greet on sail away at 6:30 pm. After that you are your own. Ladies will have a better time of it than gentlemen.