As You Wish Dining - Opinions, Comments and Discussions

[twinkletoes4445]

never mind.

[twinkletoes4445]

Again, I have not said ALL negative postings about AYWD are untrue or fictionalized only that some are so unbelievable and preposterous to be anything but made up or fictionalized. Do you really think any HAL DR Manager is going to tell a passenger that they can not eat in the DR because it will be full for the entire night and that they will have to eat in their cabin or the Lido for the rest of their cruise?? :confused: :confused: I am of the opinion that these "stories" are intended in hopes that HAL management rethink their AYWD program and to scare others away from considering it on their cruises.:eek:

 

I admit that there have been some problems with AYWD but the overwhelming opinions have been positive.

 

 

 

 

I could be wrong, but I doubt HAL would make too many dining changes based on what they read on a forum. I have no doubt they read here, from time-to-time, but I'll bet changes come about from feedback from TA's, or HAL's booking agents...or even comment cards and feedback on the ship when it comes to things that will fly and things that won't.

 

I do believe AYWD is here to stay. I also believe formal nights are going to be obsolete in the not too distant future. Do I like this? It doesn't matter. They're going to do what the bulk of the passengers want and it might be that AYWD goes and formal nights stay. Who knows...but I do know that I either have to adapt, or go elsewhere.

[terrydtx]

I could be wrong, but I doubt HAL would make too many dining changes based on what they read on a forum. I have no doubt they read here, from time-to-time, but I'll bet changes come about from feedback from TA's, or HAL's booking agents...or even comment cards and feedback on the ship when it comes to things that will fly and things that won't. .

 

I do know from a pretty reliable source that cruise companies do read the posts about their cruise lines on CC and can be influenced by the poster's comments. And who's to say that stories aren't being made up to TA's and on comment card feedback? The possibility does exist as it seems some HAL traditionalist seem to be more vehemently and passionately against AYWD than those on this forum who are in favor of it.

[twinkletoes4445]

I do know from a pretty reliable source that cruise companies do read the posts about their cruise lines on CC and can be influenced by the poster's comments. And who's to say that stories aren't being made up to TA's and on comment card feedback? The possibility does exist as it seems some HAL traditionalist seem to be more vehemently and passionately against AYWD than those on this forum who are in favor of it.

 

I am sure they read here from time to time. I don't know how much weight a post would carry, but I am sure they look at what posters have to say.

 

I think the way HAL will know what's real and what isn't is when they see a shift in their bookings and see some of their long-time cruisers not return. Or they see a large number of people trying to get fixed dining and can't (and have to be waitlisted). And those that can't be accommodated, will show up on the ship wanting to be moved to fixed dining.

 

They are going to know if AYWD is a success or not by the number of passengers who request fixed when booking their cruise. If they can accommodate only a fraction, then that's a problem. It is. But I am sure they'll give this new concept a chance to work...or not work. And if AYWD goes, it's not because of "fictitious" complaints. It will go because the majority of cruisers don't want to do AYWD. But it remains to be seen if that happens.

[mancunian]

I really do not see much of an issue here. Both traditional and open dining are here to stay. I cannot believe that HAL would abolish traditional - too many regular cruisers would be incensed. On the other hand no way will open sitting be abolished - a large number of passengers have already shown they like it and in any case they would risk losing out on new passengers to other lines. There are now comparatively few lines that do not either offer both or just open in the case of the luxury lines. Even P&O the British bastion of traditional cruising has introduced a choice of traditional or open on two of its ships - sadly not the two we are booked on - but it will get round the fleet eventually.

 

What I see as more of a problem is this waitlisting. It has been suggested, and I think it may be true that it is to do with giving some TA's preference. It seems to me that this is what the traditional diners should be fighting HAL about and persuading them that it must be on a first come first served basis.

[terrydtx]

What I see as more of a problem is this waitlisting. It has been suggested, and I think it may be true that it is to do with giving some TA's preference. It seems to me that this is what the traditional diners should be fighting HAL about and persuading them that it must be on a first come first served basis.

 

Good posting, you are right, it is the problem of waitlisting for traditional fixed dinning that has so many "traditionalists" in a tizzy over AYWD. HAL's concept of AYWD is NOT just open dinning as many think, it means that (in theory)all passengers will have their "at your wish dinning" choice of either fixed or open seating. With the splitting up of the two tier dinning room only so many can be seated in fixed early or late dinning in the fixed portion of the dinning room and not everyone will get their first choice of either early or late seating, much the same as in the pre-AYWD days. Just the same if you wanted early dinning and it was full you had the option of taking late seating or "waitlisting" for your first preference, but HAL only accepted so many wait-listed and then showed the particular seating as sold out and unavailable.

 

It appears that HAL reservations have put many more people who request fixed dinning into the wait-listed category until they get closer to the departure to see how many can be accommodated in both options. But just as in the pre-AYWD if 75% of the fixed seating passengers request early fixed seating only 50% will get what they wanted. The dinning rooms still can only seat so many people. It has been posted that fixed seating requests have been accommodated in the open dinning room and in some cases because of the large requests for open seating there have been many empty tables in the upper fixed seating DR. On the Volendam last November we usually sat to dine in the open DR between 7:15 and 7:30 with reservations for the same table and waitstaff. There was a table of 10 behind us that had 8:00 fixed dinning group that could not be accommodated in the upper DR, so HAL gave them a fixed table in the lower DR. One night I walked through the upper fixed DR after the 8:00 seating started and at least 30% of the tables were empty. The DR manager told me that they had a vast majority of passengers who wanted fixed dinning but also wanted only the early seating who opted out from their late fixed seating and took the open option. He also told me that this was no different than before AYWD that more wanted the early dinning over the late fixed dinning on this particular itinerary.

[Odd Ball]

Again, I have not said ALL negative postings about AYWD are untrue or fictionalized only that some are so unbelievable and preposterous to be anything but made up or fictionalized. Do you really believe any HAL DR Manager would tell a passenger that they can not eat in the DR because it will be full for the entire night and that they will have to eat in their cabin or the Lido and that this happened ever night for the rest of their cruise?? :confused: :confused: I am of the opinion that these "stories" are intended in hopes that HAL management rethink their AYWD program and to scare others away from considering it on their cruises.:eek:

 

I admit that there have been some problems with AYWD but the overwhelming opinions have been positive. The HAL traditionalists are apparently in the minority about AYWD.

 

I am curious. I would like to read the SOME posts. Can you provide the links ? It would be interesting reading.

[terrydtx]

I am curious. I would like to read the SOME posts. Can you provide the links ? It would be interesting reading.

 

The rules of this forum do not allow for attacks or criticism on any one individual or their postings, and to stay within those rules I will not reference any one's posting. Just go back and read the postings for your self and I am sure you will find some of the ridiculous postings against AYWD that in my opinion have to have been fictionalized or fabricated.:p

[zimabeer]

We just returned from Alaska on the Ryndam and had the anytime dining. They prefer that you make a reservation ahead of time, but we didn't one nite and had to wait about 10mins for a table. I liked the option just for the fact that if we were busy or "napping" we didn't have to hurry to be at the dining room for the early dining. Service was just as good, and the food was great, hot dishes were hot. So I'm in favor of it.

[sail-a-bration]

I wanted AYWD, I am looking forward to sitting with different people each night. They feed you so much on these cruises that waiting 10 min will not be a big imposition and best of all I can ask for a table away from familes with small children. Not that I do not love small children my grandboys are 5 and 7 and I also am a sunday school teacher, that being said I understand when a child crys because it is tired, I just do not want to sit with parents who care more about themselves than the child. Order room service or get pizza at the Lido and let the poor kid go to bed.

[pisces223]

I was a little disappointed to learn that we did not get our choice for fixed dining on our recent Zuiderdam cruise through the Mediterranean. However, things worked out very well. For the first 3 nights, my partner and I were seated in the same section and had the same table steward, Afton. He was incredible - funny, attentive, personable. On the third night, I just casually mentioned this to him and said we'd like to sit in his section again the next night. Well, he took out his notebook and told us he'd put us down for a standing reservation for each night of the cruise. He asked what time we would like. We choose 8:15. Every day from that point on, we received a card in our mailbox inviting us to our table (#144) that evening at 8:15. We had told Afton that we'd be happy to sit with others. So our table was for 4 and we sat with a different couple each night. It was wonderful!

 

So, if you'd also like "fixed dining", but don't receive it, try this!:)

[Boomer47]

Wow! I haven't read all 76 pages of opinions, but all this hoopla over dining is amazing. We have just booked our first HAL cruise (have been on RCL, Celebrity, & Princess) and one of the reasons was that they now had open seating. We like to be able to go to dinner at a time of OUR choosing, depending on the day's activities. If we have to wait a bit, so be it. We're on vacation, someone is cooking for us, and I'll relax and enjoy!!

[marcb71a]

We were on the July 3rd sailing of the Prinsendam to the British Isles.

We received our 50 day pins on this cruise, so we have been on a few HAL cruises, though we pale in comparision to some seasoned CC posters.

We booked this cruise one year in advance on the ship (Maasdam, Voyage of the Vikings 07)and thru our travel agent. We requested late fixed seating. Our TA told us only AYW on this ship. Now was she lied to, or lied to us I don't know.

First the good news, we were able to get 7:45 reservations every night at a large table with other people. We met some great cruisers and sat with another couple most nights and a smattering of others, all lovely.

We sat in only two wait teams stations for the entire 15 days so we did get to know them. The host at the dining room remebered our name and preferences. I believe he arranged for our table placement and it was great.

Now for the bad news.

Say good by to long dinners with fabulous service. No pepper, no elaborate sauces, no cutting of fish. The dishes seem now designed to eliminate that. Lobster served without shells etc. The elegance we all knew is gone. Also the outfits that some people wear in the dining room are terrible. Jeans, shorts etc. The staff tried to steer a few folks but manners are not universal.

We want to take an Asia Australia cruise in the near future. I hope things are better are the long cruises. Maasdam in 07 was fabulous in every way.

[medfordgirl]

I haven't read thru all the pages but if anytime dining is so popular then how come when I made my reservation, it was the fixed dining that was closed and not the open seating? I couldn't even get wait listed. I like tradition and dressing up. I also read that you will probably encounter a wait time if you go to open seating at about 6pm. I have 4 elderly people in my group and I would hate to have them wait especially since I was the one who suggested this cruise. I had no idea the dining had changed, I was last on HAL back in '05. I loved seeing the same people every night all dressed up. Even if you don't sit with them, you still feel like you know them because you see them every night. you get the polite hellos and smiles and seeing what everyone is wearing. If I want to be that casual I can just go to Outback steakhouse. If Westerdam in November turns out to be a disappointment (I was hoping for a new favorite line, since my Radiance of the Seas left FL after I just fell in love with her) then I don't know where to go?

[Roz]

Anytime Dining doesn't automatically translate into casual dress. You'll still be observing that night's dress code.

 

Roz

[wdw1972]

I haven't read thru all the pages but if anytime dining is so popular then how come when I made my reservation, it was the fixed dining that was closed and not the open seating? I couldn't even get wait listed. I like tradition and dressing up. I also read that you will probably encounter a wait time if you go to open seating at about 6pm. I have 4 elderly people in my group and I would hate to have them wait especially since I was the one who suggested this cruise.

 

There are more tables downstairs, where the anytime dining takes place. The dining room is 2 stories, with the center of the 2nd level open to down below, so no tables & chairs are suspended from the ceiling in that space.

 

I did anytime last April, and never waited to be seated. I usually showed up with the couple in the cabin next to mine, so we were a party of 3 & always opted to be seated with others. Just as you mentioned seeing people you've seen before as you wander the ship, and exchanging polite greetings? Well, I had far more of that on this anytime dining cruise than I ever did with traditional dining. I'm not on the cruise to make lasting friends, but I do enjoy meeting a wide variety of people during the week - and anytime is the best way to do that. As for your people being "elderly" - what does that have to do with anything?? An elderly person can wait or not wait just like a 20-something or a child. What happens when they go to a restaurant back home? There's a lounge right nearby where your party can go sit (with a beeper) in the unlikely event you have a wait at 6pm.

 

Sue/WDW1972

Westeram 1/11/09

[medfordgirl]

There are more tables downstairs, where the anytime dining takes place. The dining room is 2 stories, with the center of the 2nd level open to down below, so no tables & chairs are suspended from the ceiling in that space.

 

I did anytime last April, and never waited to be seated. I usually showed up with the couple in the cabin next to mine, so we were a party of 3 & always opted to be seated with others. Just as you mentioned seeing people you've seen before as you wander the ship, and exchanging polite greetings? Well, I had far more of that on this anytime dining cruise than I ever did with traditional dining. I'm not on the cruise to make lasting friends, but I do enjoy meeting a wide variety of people during the week - and anytime is the best way to do that. As for your people being "elderly" - what does that have to do with anything?? An elderly person can wait or not wait just like a 20-something or a child. What happens when they go to a restaurant back home? There's a lounge right nearby where your party can go sit (with a beeper) in the unlikely event you have a wait at 6pm.

 

Sue/WDW1972

Westeram 1/11/09

 

I understand that but we expect to wait here at a restaurant, even if I have a reservation, but we don't expect to wait on a cruise. All the cruises I have been on and the ones they have been on, when 5:45 pm comes, the doors open and you go to your seat. The doors do not open and then I have to wait. As a matter of fact, when I get to a restaurant at opening (say 4pm at bonefish grill) I get right in and seated. I don't like that now we have to wait. I am a huge fan of the fixed dining. I am not a fan of the anytime dining. It is just the way I feel about the subject. I don't think bad of the people who like the anytime dining but myself, I prefer fixed. that is all I am saying.

[Marmarjudy]

I haven't read thru all the pages but if anytime dining is so popular then how come when I made my reservation, it was the fixed dining that was closed and not the open seating? I couldn't even get wait listed. I like tradition and dressing up. I also read that you will probably encounter a wait time if you go to open seating at about 6pm. I have 4 elderly people in my group and I would hate to have them wait especially since I was the one who suggested this cruise. I had no idea the dining had changed, I was last on HAL back in '05. I loved seeing the same people every night all dressed up. Even if you don't sit with them, you still feel like you know them because you see them every night. you get the polite hellos and smiles and seeing what everyone is wearing. If I want to be that casual I can just go to Outback steakhouse. If Westerdam in November turns out to be a disappointment (I was hoping for a new favorite line, since my Radiance of the Seas left FL after I just fell in love with her) then I don't know where to go?

 

If you loved Radiance of the Seas, then you should truly love Westerdam...I have been on both ships and Radiance ranks right up there among the WORST ships for service, food, cabin size, pretty much everything, that I have sailed in 25+ cruises, and Westerdam is among the best. Radiance was my 3rd RCCI ship and never again. The food tasted like it was put through a "blander," etc., etc.

 

Dining: if you speak to the maitre de, you should be accomodated...if the fixed seating dining is not available, you will most likely be given a set time and table in the anytime dining room.

 

Enjoy your cruise.......

Judy

[dlretired]

My wife and I have sailed with HAL about a half dozen times. We just attempted to book the 26 day April, 2009 Trans-Atlantic + Med cruise on the Noordam.

 

Even at this early date, both early traditional seatings were closed and according to the HAL rep, "They have no plans to open either of them even for waitlisting".

 

Since repositioning cruises do not usually sail at full capacity, I find this decision by HAL to be dissappointing and arbitrary at best.

 

They obviously are trying to force people into the "Open Seating" option by closing the traditional seatings even though neither of them at this time are really full.

 

In my opinion, HAL's dining room policy should be, " As You Wish Dining----As long as you pick the "Open seating" option. By adopting this policy HAL's excutives who made the decision to impliment this plan can point to the statistics and say, "Look how popular Open Seating has become, this has been a complete success and we need to encourage more passengers to select Open Seating".

 

I suspect that eventually, HAL will decide to adopt NCL's model of dining in which there will be no traditional fixed seating dining choice.

 

I don't choose to get up at 6 in the morning every day in order to assure an early eating time of my choosing.

 

It seems that HAL has decided that our money is not worth the effort on their part. Guess we'll have to look elsewhere for a cruise line that doesn't treat its potential customers in such cavalier fashion as to offer no real choice in dining options.

[RuthC]

My wife and I have sailed with HAL about a half dozen times. We just attempted to book the 26 day April, 2009 Trans-Atlantic + Med cruise on the Noordam.

 

Even at this early date, both early traditional seatings were closed ....

Unfortunately, when it comes to confirmed fixed dining, booking 8 months out is no longer considered an "early date". It's possible to book one year, or even as far out as 18 months, and not get confirmed fixed seating.

So, I do agree with your premise---there are many subtle, and not so subtle, pushes to open seating.

[Alaska05]

I for one am happy that HAL is now offering anytime dining. It's the only reason I have not tried HAL in the past, especially on Alaska cruises. My DH and I prefer to eat "whenever" and usually by ourselves because we don't like a long, drawn out dinner as is the case with larger tables.

 

I'm now looking to go on HAL next July and experience what all you "dam" folks like so much.;)

[kryos]

So, I do agree with your premise---there are many subtle, and not so subtle, pushes to open seating.

I don't see this as a push to open seating at all. Rather, I see it as a necessity on the part of the cruise line.

 

A year, 18 months or even as little as six to eight months out HAL does not know what demands will be made for fixed seating. They have suite passengers who are supposed to get priority. Maybe there are still some that haven't made known their dining preferences, or there may be a lot of suites that have not yet been booked. Also, you have the added variable of groups. They too get priority. If you have an affinity group of 200 that come onboard the sailing, they may decide that they all want late seating, with a cluster of tables set aside strictly for the group. They have to be accommodated before a regular passenger is. This is exactly the case on my Carnival cruise next month. I'm attending a fan's convention onboard, and where people were originally told to select a dining time, the group leaders made the decision about four months ago to move everyone to late seating. We had to pay our standard gratuities upfront, but now we get to hop from table to table each night ... as long as we stay with the tables set aside for our group. Surely, some others lost out on late seating to accommodate us, but that's just the way it is.

 

So, to be honest, if I were HAL, I wouldn't confirm fixed seating for anyone either. I'd automatically either waitlist them for fixed seating, or list their dining as flexible. Then, when they get onboard they can queue up for changes. If I have extra tables, I accommodate them. If not, they eat in AYWD or they go to the Lido. Simple as that.

 

I'd rather tell someone that they are stuck with flexible dining and then make them happy by giving them a slot in fixed when they get onboard, than tell someone they had fixed dining, late seating, and then have to disappoint them because a large group took over their table.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

We just returned from Alaska on the Ryndam and had the anytime dining. They prefer that you make a reservation ahead of time, but we didn't one nite and had to wait about 10mins for a table.

Now this is something I find laughable. Why on earth should you have to make reservations ahead of time? It makes no sense. Isn't the entire purpose of flexible dining to be able to decide on the fly when you want to eat? You should just be able to walk into the dining room and request a table. Sure you might have to wait a few minutes, especially if you want a specific size or location of table, but otherwise HAL shouldn't even be taking reservations in flexible dining. It should be just that ... flexible.

 

I know that I have AYWD on my upcoming HAL cruise, and I have no intention of making reservations. HAL wants to stick me into AYWD, then I'm gonna make it work for me by giving myself total flexibility. When I'm hungry, I'll show up for dinner (within the set hours, of course). And since I have no problem sharing a table with others, I expect to be seated quickly as well.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[bUU]

Yes, Rita, very sound logic. Which cruise lines, in the same price range, are highlighting fixed seating as a feature of their offering? As yourself why none are.

[kryos]

Yes, Rita, very sound logic. Which cruise lines, in the same price range, are highlighting fixed seating as a feature of their offering? As yourself why none are.

I'm not familiar with all the cruise lines, obviously, but I believe among the mass market lines only NCL and Princess offer flexible dining (NCL offers it exclusively). I believe Royal Caribbean may also be experimenting with it.

 

It seems that flexible dining is very popular with younger families and on Princess I've seen the fixed seating dining room become empty towards the middle of a cruise because lots of passengers bolted from fixed seating when they saw how much other folks onboard were enjoying flexible dining.

 

The only thing I can assume is that HAL must have a lot of people wanting flexible dining as well. I can't believe they would have just made a change this major on a whim. They must have had comment cards complaining about the lack of such a dining option, and thus decided to institute one. So, obviously someone likes it.

 

But HAL has a lot of traditional type cruisers who don't want any parts of AYWD. For those staying in suites, they don't have to deal with it. For those traveling in groups, they probably don't either. But for the rest of us, many are gonna get stuck in AYWD simply because there's a whole dining room whose capacity needs to be utilized, and another that's filled to capacity. So, unfortunately, some people are going to have to be switched around and are not going to dine as they wish. :( That's just the way, unfortunately, that it is.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita