"As You Wish" dining... is it really over?

[ekerr19]

My TA told me the "As you Wish" dining concept being tried on board the Oosterdam ended on 1/31/07. Apparently, is was a huge mess.

 

When we received our docs last week, we had the letter explaining the concept, so I asked for clarification and my TA was told by HAL it is back to the set times for both levels, but with half hour time windows for arrival.

 

I am hoping someone else can confirm this - thanks!

[jhannah]

Wouldn't it be great if they scrapped the whole idea and went back to fixed seatings ... period? I hope someone can confirm this, and that it will include all other ships.

[Pete Jackson]

I don't see how you could have complete flexibilty in dining without having a lot of extra capacity in terms of seats and staff since most people would want to dine around 7 PM or so. Then few would want that table before you (would start at 5 PM) or after you (would start at 9 PM).

 

It would need a complete reconfiguring of the ship, pricing would go up and quality go down, and there would be much less public space or fewer cabins ($$$). Of course, if there is tremendous demand for it, regardless, and HAL thinks it needs to have it to compete in the marketplace, they could reconfigure one or more of their ships for it (and publicize that so all people booking that ship would know), establish fares for that ship accordingly, and see how it works out. The marketplace will tell whether people are willing to put up with the lower cruising value to get flexible dining!

 

Of course, we already have flexible dining at the Pinnacle for $30 per person per dinner. The marketplace seems less than overwhelmed...:D

[HeatherInFlorida]

Laura, this is absolutely the high point of my day!!!!:D I honestly can't think of any better news to arrive on my screen. I so hope you're right.

 

And I can't help but feel a little 'we told them so'. So many of us thought this was a disastrous plan that simply would not work.

 

I'm not saying you can't have "as you wish" dining, but the way they were trying to accomplish it just sounded horrendous ... as if some HAL exec had a nightmare one night and decided to run with it just for fun. The stories coming back to us, at least, were not positive.

 

Isn't someone returning today on Oosterdam? Is it John? I can't remember, but someone from that cruise will report back hopefully.

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

Wouldn't it be great if they scrapped the whole idea and went back to fixed seatings ... period? I hope someone can confirm this, and that it will include all other ships.

 

Completely agree with you! We tried, mostly because of the itenary, the "freestyle" dining this past August. What a disaster! Service was non-existent and food was horrible. Needless to say, will not be doing that again. HAL gives you options if you don't want to eat at a given time. Theres the Pinnacle or the Lido, both offering excellent food.

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

Sorry, WSOD & double post

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I do not have any confirmed information but this is my thinking and take on it. This was a 4 week trial period that they had planned it to be only 4 weeks so afterwards they could evaluate it. It is my understanding that it actually went very well and did better than the previous dining concept. If it was such aflop then they would have pulled it from the Noordam for Alaska but they are not. This new Dine As You Wish will start on the Noordam for her first Sailing In Alaska and currently is scheduled to remain fro the full Alaska season.

I believe that we will hear in upcoming weeks that the "Dine As You Wish" will in fact return to the Oosterdam. HAL spend a lot of money and time for this new Dining concept to just scrap it. So don't be surprised to hear that it returns bemay with some tweaks maybe not.

[ekerr19]

Heather -

 

I am not sure who is back today... John was on board over New Year's. I really, really hope my TA is right but I am trying not to get too excited yet.

 

Constructiondude posted his review and said the dining was the worst thing about the whole cruise. I've heard bits and pieces from others that is caused more chaos and difficulty for the staff, it simply wasn't worth it.

 

When we got our docs, and I read the enclosed letter from James Deering explaining the concept - my immediate thought was "They can't be serious! This will never work..." and I guess it didn't.

[sab490]

I do not have any confirmed information but this is my thinking and take on it. This was a 4 week trial period that they had planned it to be only 4 weeks so afterwards they could evaluate it. It is my understanding that it actually went very well and did better than the previous dining concept. If it was such aflop then they would have pulled it from the Noordam for Alaska but they are not. This new Dine As You Wish will start on the Noordam for her first Sailing In Alaska and currently is scheduled to remain fro the full Alaska season.

 

I believe that we will hear in upcoming weeks that the "Dine As You Wish" will in fact return to the Oosterdam. HAL spend a lot of money and time for this new Dining concept to just scrap it. So don't be surprised to hear that it returns bemay with some tweaks maybe not.

 

I confirmed with HAL ship services 2 days ago, that "as you wish" will extend on Noordam beyond Alaska and will still be in effect for our 12/1 sailing. :( I would not be upset if this changes and they return to all traditional, but I am not holding my breath.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Hmmm ... well, time will tell. It almost seemed to good to be true.

 

Laura, the responses that all came in at once over the last few minutes don't jibe with what you were told by a TA who I know to be extremely reliable.

 

But one has to always wonder where the other info is coming from. Obviously, the person or persons responsible for the idea in the first place are going to report it's a roaring success. But at least here on the boards, it's not been reported that way.

 

Over the coming months, we'll just see what happens. I'm safe as long as they don't extend it beyond the Vista class. If they do, we'll simply have to sail Celebrity exclusively. I'd be sad to have to do that because HAL has so much to offer us, but the dinner hours are part of my reason for cruising and if that isn't fun and relaxing for us, we're out.

 

This won't matter to HAL, of course ... we just two tiny people out of thousands.

[ekerr19]

It is my understanding that it actually went very well and did better than the previous dining concept. If it was such aflop then they would have pulled it from the Noordam for Alaska but they are not. This new Dine As You Wish will start on the Noordam for her first Sailing In Alaska and currently is scheduled to remain fro the full Alaska season.

 

I believe that we will hear in upcoming weeks that the "Dine As You Wish" will in fact return to the Oosterdam. HAL spend a lot of money and time for this new Dining concept to just scrap it. So don't be surprised to hear that it returns bemay with some tweaks maybe not.

 

Lisa -

 

I don't know how good my information is, and yours is probably better. I've only heard bits & pieces from pax.

 

My TA is the one who told me it was a one month trial and for us (on 3/3) it is going to be back to set times. At this point, many of us booked on that voyage have gotten different letters with our docs and different information from TA's, so we're basically calling it "Mystery Dining". :D

 

I'll be interested to hear the reports over the next few weeks.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It certainly will be interesting to see what happens over the next number of weeks.

 

HAL -- bring back traditional on all ships!!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Lisa -

 

I don't know how good my information is, and yours is probably better. I've only heard bits & pieces from pax.

 

My TA is the one who told me it was a one month trial and for us (on 3/3) it is going to be back to set times. At this point, many of us booked on that voyage have gotten different letters with our docs and different information from TA's, so we're basically calling it "Mystery Dining". :D

 

I'll be interested to hear the reports over the next few weeks.

 

 

Laura Mystery Dining is exactly what it is;) This Dining Concept was only to be for 4 weeks but up till the end they had not decided what they would do so many different letters went out in the Docs. My guess is you will not actually know which Dining you have till you board. Personally this is just my opinon but I think they need to flip where fixed and open dining is. Use the Lower for fixed with more seating and the Upper for Dine As You Wish. If I have confirmed fixed Traditional Dining then nothing changes and you should not be concerned with the Dine As You Wish. What I definitely would not want is to have late Dining under that open window. To me that was a big pain. I don't want to have to decide with my tablemates what time to arrive for dinner nor do I want to be seated having my main course and have my tablemates arrive and start to order. To me that concept was not good. I would much rather have confirmed traditional dining on a ship that offered the Dine As You Wish. With booking our cruises so far in advance like we do we should be assured of having our fixed Dining. Although we are actually thinking of switching to the Dine As You Wish for the Noordam. In Alaska we have many different excursion we want to do so I am thinking that the Dine As You Wish may not be that bad:o

[ekerr19]

Lisa -

 

We actually had the window times on the Noordam this past summer and it worked out pretty well for us. Most all the table arrived within 15 minutes of each other and we just chatted until all had arrived.

 

For the upcoming Oosterdam, I just didn't like the idea of having to make a reservation once we boarded - to me that sounds time consuming and somewhat redundant.

 

I'll be curious to see how it goes. I understand James Deering will be on vacation while we are onboard, but we'll be sure to fill out our comment cards - if we actually do have the "As you Wish" and we end up liking it, I'd be sure to say so.

 

In all honesty, I can see how it may work better in Alaska & Europe. Many excursions are all day. :)

[sail7seas]

I want our table for just the two of us and I want it at 8:00 P.M. I don't want to hear about any other 'options'. Inflexible on this point. I want what I want and I want it!! Picture a spoiled brat child on the floor kicking my feet and screaming..... Yup, that's how I feel. I don't want to hear about when you wish, how you wish, if you wish, if you don't wish or whatever.

 

I want my table for the two of us at 8:00 P.M. :mad:

 

[ekerr19]

II don't want to hear about when you wish, how you wish, if you wish, if you don't wish or whatever.

 

 

 

Sail - I feel the same way. If it isn't broken, it doesn't need fixing. ;)

 

I've heard some horror stories about it, but since I've yet to experience it first hand, I guess I will reserve judgement. I thought the "window" concept sounded bad, but the reality was that it worked "ok" for us...

 

I still prefer the traditional times - by far. I'm not sure what it is HAL is hoping to gain with all these "experiements".

 

As Constructiondude points out in his review - it is unfair to spring something like this on pax after they have booked. They have paid for a certain product and to change it without notice or recourse simply isn't right.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Sail, that actually is the good thing about this because the way it was done on the OSDM you would have had you table for two, fixed traditional Upper level at 8 PM so nothing changed. You would not have to be the least concerned about any of the Dine As You Wish.

 

As for the Open Window concept, we hated it a lot!!! We had early so the window was only 30 minutes but Tom is one that no matter what time our dinner is he want to be the first one down there and to our table. We had some very nice table mates but they did not like to arrive till the final minute. By the second night Tom decided the heck with it he was not going to wait and we should order, we would be done with appetizers when they arrived. We felt it would have been better to have a table for 2. No, I just don't want to go thru that again. That is why I really don't think the Dine As You Wish is that bad. I prefer fixed but like Alaska and Europe it may work very well. But like I say we book so early plus we most always have a S Suite so Dining should not be an issue. (Unless they go back to that open window:( ) Fortunately this next Oosterdam cruise we are dining with a very big group. Two tables of 6 maybe more and I am pretty sure we will have the tables we want so it will be a lot of fun. I got bets they will be kicking us out of the Dining Room every night;)

[sail7seas]

We had the 'experiment' on Noordam and it was fine. It was fine because we could be at our usual 'general' location on upper level and had a table for the two of us.

 

If they move those of us who want the same table and the same steward nightly to the lower level, it will NOT be fine. We have never dined on the lower level in hundreds and hundreds of days aboard and don't wish to start now. If they have to make the lower level the fixed seating one because it has more seating, the message is clear that more people want fixed seating than do not. So what is wrong with democracy on HAL ships? Majority rule and all that.

 

If more people want things the way they are and they have to switch around to access more seating than why can't they scrap all this nonesense and leave things the way they are?

 

Of course I'm only thinking of myself and our own desires but isn't that what everyone does? The young couple with three young children to get dressed for dinner isn't thinking about those of us who want to stick with Traditional Dining.

 

Dining is one of the most important parts of the day on any ship for most people. The majority of HAL cruisers want Traditional. The time is not right to change it IMO Maybe someday but not now. Still too many of us traditionalists sailing too many times a year; too many who will feel our cruises severely impacted and won't be happy.

 

JMHO.....as always.

 

 

 

[Chivalrygirl]

We are sailing Grand Princess in September doing the New England/Canada cruise. This is a port intensive cruise so I have requested Anytime Dining thinking this will take the pressue off us and we can eat when we are ready rather than rushing for early sitting. We had the choice of traditional or anytime. I have been reading the Princess boards to try and get a feel for this, the comments are relatively good towards the anytime dining. However when we were on the Statendam in Sept/Oct I got to know Brendan the IT guy on board quite well and we are still in touch. When he left the Statendam he was sent to the Grand Princess so I emailed him for his comments on this ship, they were mostly good but he said the "food was definitely better of HAL", bugger we couldn 't afford to do HAL and there were no balcony cabins anyway and I think we need at least that for this cruise. So it will be a very interesting finding out, I just hope it is reasonably OK, I fair I might never get DH back on a ship again if it isn't.

[sail7seas]

It's true that Maasdam and her Canada/New England Itineraries sell out every year. Those are very popular cruises. I'm happy we made our bookings early and we are all set for June and again August this summer. Really Can't Wait. We Love doing Canada/New England on the beautiful and elegant ms Maasdam. :) Of course, Maasdam is not that huge a ship and only carries roughly 1,200 guests so that is another reason it sells out early.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise. Hope you'll share some comments about it with us when you return.

 

 

[GeriatricNurse]

Wouldn't it be great if they scrapped the whole idea and went back to fixed seatings ... period? I hope someone can confirm this, and that it will include all other ships.

 

 

Vegas Jim, I am with you 100%!

[Chivalrygirl]

It's true that Maasdam and her Canada/New England Itineraries sell out every year. Those are very popular cruises. I'm happy we made our bookings early and we are all set for June and again August this summer. Really Can't Wait. We Love doing Canada/New England on the beautiful and elegant ms Maasdam. :) Of course, Maasdam is not that huge a ship and only carries roughly 1,200 guests so that is another reason it sells out early.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise. Hope you'll share some comments about it with us when you return.

 

 

 

Actually it was the Veendam we were looking at, Maasdam only seems to do 7 days, we want to see as much as time will allow while we are in the States. In December I had no idea that I would even be considering a trip up there, I am really a very bad long haul flight pax, but our son is living and working in DC and he is the only little darling, so whats a gal to do, but go for it. Not looking forward to the getting to it bit, I did make it to Vancouver last Sept. with a few complications which I managed to get over. So here is hoping and I am really excited about sailing out of NY its a long time dream I have held :)

[sail7seas]

Hope you have a great time. Veendam, I'm sure you know, is sister ship to Maasdam. She is also a great ship IMO We are booked to sail her in November for 14 days.

 

I agree it is very far to travel and not see as much as possible. We live in Boston and are doing back-to-backs on Maasdam as we don't think 7 days long enough to be on the ship. What a dream to board the ship a short car ride from home. I'm like you and do awful with very long flights. Good luck. You'll do fine, I'm sure. Hope you have 'Grand' time on Grand. :)

 

[kryos]

I confirmed with HAL ship services 2 days ago, that "as you wish" will extend on Noordam beyond Alaska and will still be in effect for our 12/1 sailing. :( I would not be upset if this changes and they return to all traditional, but I am not holding my breath.

I hate to say it, but I was thinking the exact same thing. It was an experiment, for a fixed period of time. That time period is over, so they went back to traditional and will now evaluate how the "As You Wish" dining went. They need to talk with the kitchen staff and the wait staff ... as well as read the passenger comment cards over that period of time. Then they will make a decision whether to implement this fleet-wide ... or at least on the Vista and beyond type of ships. I'm hoping against hope that HAL decides the dining rooms are too small on the other ships to accommodate both types of dining.

 

If HAL decides to implement "As You Wish" dining on some ships, the evaluation period will be critical. By talking with their staff and getting their takes on it, HAL management will be able to add some minor "tweaks" to the program to hopefully get any kinks out.

 

I hate to say it, but "As You Wish" dining is the coming thing, and I wouldn't be surprised if passenger comments ... especially on the ships/itineraries where it was implemented ... were highly favorable.

 

For my money, though, I will always choose traditional dining. If I want "As You Wish," I'll go to the Lido in my tee-shirt and blue jeans and enjoy my dinner there. But, in the dining room, I want it to be traditional all the way ... even if that means I have to "gussy up" on formal nights if I want to eat there.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

I'm like you and do awful with very long flights.

I am getting to the point that I can't bear the thought of getting on an airplane ... not for a long flight. Maybe it's my skydiving background, but my idea of flying is to get up to 15,000 feet or so and then get the heck out!

 

On my upcoming Veendam cruise, I used a ton of bonus points to upgrade to first class for the trip to Tampa from Philly, and avoided the long flight back to the US (from Venice) by simply booking the QE2 for the return trip. LOL ... a much, much more civilized way to travel, huh? :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita