Dining times change?

[TedC]

While checking upcoming cruises on the HAL website I noticed that they now just show early and late dining rather than the four dining times they have been showing.

 

I checked our cruises and a couple of others at random, so I don't know if it is fleet wide or not. Prinsendam never had the four-time option.

 

We weren't crazy about the four times and prefer the two, but it wasn't a biggie to us. I don't know if they are going back to two times or not. Perhaps it was an oversight when they made some website changes.

[Esme]

Ted - I just checked out next two cruises, Westerdam, 2004 and Volendam 2005 and it is only showing the 2 seatings.

 

I don't know what is going on :confused: Maybe they have decided the the 4 weren't working out. Who's to know. It seems to change from month to month. :confused:

[amqruzer]

We, too, were wondering about HAL dining times. Experienced the change on the Westerdam Inaugural out of Venice, Italy, in April. Didn't realize there were two 1st seatings (??). We made out okay, but not our preference as we were the very first seating at 5:45. We would have taken the 6:15 instead.

 

Also have a question about the Volendam. We want to know if the food has improved from Feb. 2003. We thought it was just okay then and almost decided not to book another HAL cruise. It wasn't that the food was bad. it was just ordinary. Things I could and do at home. We wanted their usual above par entrees. Something special. Well, we got a really good deal on the Oosterdam (Baltic, Sept. 03) and it was GREAT! The chef was fantastic and my husband had the opportunity to meet the chef and tell him how much we were enjoying his meals. They were spectacular! So, we booked the Westerdam and again had a wonderful experience.

 

So the question is--Has the food on the Volendam improved??? We are thinking of sailing her in February with friends.

[stillfrantic]

Interesting! I'm sailing 9/4 and just looked at the website. Where previously there were 4 times listed for dining,it is now 2, early and late! We were to sit at 6:15. If they go back to 2, is it 6 and 8, splitting the difference?

[FlorenceItaly]

I am sailing tomorrow, and I see the same thing, two dining times. I would welcome the change, as I am currently assigned to 8:30pm, and am waitlisted for 6:15pm.

 

Marie

[Krazy Kruizers]

OH - I really hope that HAL is going back to the old dining times.

We love to go to either the Ocean Bar or Crow's Nest or a pre-dinner cocktail with appetizers. But on our May Maasdam cruise happy hour didn't start until 5:15 and we had 5:45 dinner. By the time our drink order was taken, delivered along with appetizers it was after 5:30. Not very relaxing. We never went back.

[localady]

Wow I have to admit I too would be happy to see that if they have gone back to 2 dining times. I agree that many were not happy, noteably those at 5:45 and 8:30, both times being too early or late for my taste! The 2005 glossies for Europe and Panama Canal still note 4 dining times but they were printed earlier this year. Maybe the meatloaf will also go away as a "failed" experiment!!:rolleyes: :cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

I also hope that we don't find any meatloaf being served on any ship.

[trubey]

I also hope that we don't find any meatloaf being served on any ship.

Huh. No problem if the next item on the menu is a nice, rare steak.:D

 

If I had my way, we'd dine at 9:30 or 10:00! Dunno why, that's just when I like to have dinner. Always have.

 

Lane

[jhannah]

Could this possibly be a sign that HAL has brought some of the staff back into the dining room that they trimmed earlier, therefore serving can be properly accomplished in two sittings? Maybe? Huh? Maybe?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Hope we all aren't getting our hopes up. I checked everywhere on the HAL website and couldn't find any mention of the 4 dining times like they used to have posted. Hope it isn't a computer guitch on their part.

[tooalto]

We sail Aug.28 and I just called HAL res. to ask about dining times. The agent first said that they were, but starting later on, and when I asked that he check, he came back and said the 8/28 sailing was still 4 seatings. However, that may or may not be accurate. Would love to go back to 2. We like early seating and love our table for two upstairs but 5:45 was just a little early.

[RevNeal]

Could this possibly be a sign that HAL has brought some of the staff back into the dining room that they trimmed earlier, therefore serving can be properly accomplished in two sittings? Maybe? Huh? Maybe?

 

If this were for AFTER the Noordam leaving the fleet I would say "yes." The Noordam's departure will allow a redistribution of staff across the fleet which SHOULD help some. Also, I imagine that the SS Jakarta has been working overtime to graduate new stewards and waiters, so PERHAPS they've managed to pick up the slack that adding the Zuiderdam, then the Oosterdam, and finally the Westerdam (all within 2 years) has caused.

 

COULD BE. I'll look forward to hearing what happens. Thus far we're scheduled for MAIN seating ... no upper or lower ... just MAIN. So ... it could be that they've been planning to go back to 2 for a while now. How knows?

 

One CAN hope.

[anjan]

When I booked the Oosterdam we were given two choices Early or Main. When we got our cruise document the books says that there are actually four dining times that Holland offers. They are: 5:45P First Upper, 6:15P First Lower, 8:00P Main Upper and 8:30P Main Lower.

[gizmo]

My vote is to go back to the 2 dining times. I would love to see this.

[RuthC]

May I join the choir singing the praises of going back to two dining times!

 

On my last cruise we had the four staggered times; I had dinner at eight. Since the music kept playing---at least in some lounges---folks continued to dance and came in very late. Sometimes as late as 8:45!

There are games typicaly held at 7:45. You either miss them, leave early, go to dinner late, miss dinner---a part of the traditional cruise experience was lost.

Then there was the baked alaska parade. We sat, and sat, and sat at the table for at least 20 minutes after the entree was cleared waiting for the lights to dim. Had it started as in the past the lower level wouldn't have even started dinner yet.

 

Oh! Please! I hope the info on the website isn't a computer glitch.

[Gypsy025]

Maybe, just maybe Holland America has been listening to and reading the comments from recent passengers and has decided to abandon the 4 evening dining times.

 

If so, thank you Holland America.

[Nasmas]

I, too, hope they change the times. We are on the 8:30 seating on our cruise and I think its too late. The 8:00 was booked as were all of the other times. I don't understand how this could be but when we booked, they waitlisted us for late seating. I e-mailed HAL and they confirmed us for 8:30, but I really think its too late. 5:45 is way too early. We've always done the late but there were only two & the late was 8:15. I know its only 15 minutes, but....

[BCEagle78]

Just checked hollandamerica.com for the Volendam Nov 26 sailing. Still showing 4 seatings.

 

Another vote for returning to 2...

[cruisinjudy]

We just received a confirmation for a Ryndam cruise today and it still lists two dining times.

[RevNeal]

Well, I just checked HAL's website for my cruise on the Zaandam next month ... it's still listed has have 4 dinner times -- with only the "Main Lower Dining" still "Available." The others are all "waitlisted."

 

I sure hope I get assigned to the upper level this time. I've never eaten on the upper level, but it would be nice to eat at that slightly earlier time. I won't hold my breath, though ... I suspect I'll be downstairs, as always.

[Krazy Kruizers]

A couple of weeks ago when I checked our cruise on the Statendam for October, there were 4 dining times listed. Today when I checked there were only 2 listed.

Also a couple of weeks ago when I was browsing through HAL's website, they talked about the 4 different dining times under "Dining" experience or something like that. Today those times aren't listed.

[cruisinjudy]

I just reread what I wrote earlier, what I meant is it lists two early and two late!

[Krazy Kruizers]

This sounds tipical of HAL.

It's just like the alcohol policy.

We won't know until we get to the ship what is actually happening AND without notice.

[Tricia724]

I wonder whether HAL may be offering the choice of early or main eating...and then reserving the right to assign passengers to the times of THEIR choice. I'm sure with the four dining choices that 90% of the passengers either want the 6:15 pm or the 8:00 pm seating. It seems to me that HAL expanded their dining options thinking they were offering more choices to the passengers....and perhaps more effectively utilizing their DR staff....and instead they just created more problems and passenger dissatisfaction.