Dining times change?

[localady]

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.

Tricia-

I sure hope this isn't true! Needless to say, those that book our cruises early feel we should have priority to determine which dining time we choose (first booked, first choice ) and I think that their assignment of folks at their convenience would lead to more customer dissatisfaction. :eek: I have sent an email to my TA to ask if he has the scoop, additionally I hope that Carol (Jazzsea) sees this as she seems to get the "skinny" from HAL as she should being a top HAL TA!!:cool:

[jhannah]

... I think that their assignment of folks at their convenience would lead to more customer dissatisfaction.

You have that right!!!

[ekerr19]

Our 3/20/05 Volendam sailing is still showing 4 dinner times - though I WISH they'd go back to two....

 

Also the price has just jumped about $800 for our party of four... good thing we booked and paid our deposit. :)

 

I think fares for 2005 will continue to increase...

[gizmo]

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.

I suspect there might be some truth to this.

[jazzsea]

I have requested a clarification from Ship Services. I will post the reply that I receive from them.

[boards]

Sorry folks it's only wishful thinking, the 4 times are again listed on the web site bookings. I checked last night and they was only 2, now at 8:26 am Sunday morning there are 4 listed once again. Guess we will just have to wait still we get on the ship to know for sure.

[jazzsea]

Main Dining Room

A tradition of elegance, service and selection

Each evening as the dinner hour approaches, the melodious call of the chime master invites guests to the main dining room, where another incredible experience awaits. Rare art, elegant staircases and panoramic windows surround tables laid with fine linens, silver and sparkling stemware. Servers greet guests and present menus of sumptuous five-course selections, from appetizers and drinks to entrées and dessert.

 

..................

 

Although Holland America offers open seating for breakfast and lunch, there are four sittings for dinner on our ships. * Dinner times are 5:45 pm (First Upper), 6:15 pm (First Lower), 8:00 pm (Main Upper) and 8:30 pm (Main Lower). You may request any sitting time, table size and with whom you wish to sit. All such requests should be made in advance of sailing through your travel agent. Requests will be confirmed or waitlisted at the time of booking. Table numbers and table size are on request only and will be assigned by the Maître d' on board.

*Except the ms Noordam and ms Prinsendam, which have two sittings; 6:00 pm (First) and 8:15 pm (Main).

[Krazy Kruizers]

When I checked yesterday afternoon, our Pan American cruise showed only 2 dining times. Just checked, it now shows all 4.

Also checked our Caribbean cruises - they also now show 4 dining times.

Think HAL had a computer glitch yesterday.

[RevNeal]

Think HAL had a computer glitch yesterday.

 

That's what I've been thinking too. The site was down for an update Friday Night/Sat Morning ... perhaps there were several problems among which one of them was this issue.

 

Sounds to me like, just perhaps, there's going to be a change, but HAL policy is that they're not going to advertise it until they're ready to put it into effect? PERHAPS. But I wouldn't hold my breath. I fully expect there to be the 4 dining times when I'm aboard the Zaandam next Month.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't expect there to be any dining time changes either when we get on the Statendam in Feb.

Like I said earlier, HAL is losing money on us when we don't have pre-dinner cocktails. I figure we usually have 2 drinks each before dinner which in May were $4.75 each plus gratuity times 22 days - that's $418 + $62.70 = $480.70 plus the extra tip we would normally leave.

[localady]

I have requested a clarification from Ship Services. I will post the reply that I receive from them.

Thanks Carol!!! As usual, you are wonderful!!:D

To bad HAL doesn't read the comments, I have not heard one person say "I'd be devastated if they changed the seating back to 2 traditional vs. the 4" :eek: I thought I was the only one unhappy about the change. Hopefully HAL is listening!!:cool:

[ualtim]

Looks like the change on the website took place yesterday. On Friday, there were 4 seatings listed for the 1/29 Veendam cruise. Yesterday morning, it only showed two options. When I called an booked the cruise, there was only one seating available and it was the 8:30 PM seating. Looks like it is just a website glitch or a policy change that has yet to be announced.

 

Put us in the book for going back to the traditional two seatings. Only advantage to the four was being able to choose seating level, but they could still do that with two seatings if they so desired.

[peaches from georgia]

I don't think there will be a change from staggering the dining times because the purpose of doing it was to improve service from the kitchen and, as we were told on the Maasdam by officers who would know, it has proved to be a great success in fulfilling this goal.

 

I wouldn't surprise me if the times were tweeked a bit somewhere in the future.

[Roadwork]

I was hoping to find good new when I started to read this thread but as I fot to the end I was disappointed. My wife and I both dislike the 4 dining times. We preferr the 2 standard times much better.

[RISKMGR]

I prefer 2 dining times.....I hope HAL listens to the passengers requests, and scraps the 4 tier dining

[Roadwork]

Folks, please excuse the spelling in my above post, sometimes I type too fast. :o

[sail7seas]

Just as an FYI, Roadwork.

In the event you wish to correct spelling (or anything else) in the future, you can click Edit at the bottom of your post and make any desired corrections/changes.

There is a time limit on how long the feature is available.

[Roadwork]

Thank you for the FYI but I was already aware of the Edit feature. My time limit had expired.

[sail7seas]

[quote name='localady'][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]Tricia-[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]I sure hope this isn't true! Needless to say, those that book our cruises early feel we should have priority to determine which dining time we choose (first booked, first choice ) and I think that their assignment of folks at their convenience would lead to more customer dissatisfaction. :eek: I have sent an email to my TA to ask if he has the scoop, additionally I hope that Carol (Jazzsea) sees this as she seems to get the "skinny" from HAL as she should being a top HAL TA!!:cool: [/color][/size][/font][/QUOTE]



[b]Localady....That is one of the major things the Maitre D's look at first when making the table assignments. The always look at the date of booking and do everything they can to accomodate as many requests as possible. I am sure we all know they would far rather have a dining room full of happy people than folks who walked in already grumbling because they are unhappy about their assignment. Sure makes it even harder to please them with the dinner if they enter unhappy to begin with.[/b]

[b]There are other things they look at, of course.[/b]

[b]Also.... There are times when there is a large group which must be accomodated with the same seating and in the same area. That impacts on the requets of the rest of us but there is little that can be done about that.[/b]

[RevNeal]

[QUOTE]HAL is losing money on us when we don't have pre-dinner cocktails. I figure we usually have 2 drinks each before dinner which in May were $4.75 each plus gratuity times 22 days - that's $418 + $62.70 = $480.70 plus the extra tip we would normally leave.[/QUOTE]

Your math reminds me of mine. :) Christopher will often have 2 pre-dinner cocktails, but I rarely manage more than 1. However, in the end the result ends up close to the same.

And, you're right, HAL will lose money in your case. However -- and this is Christopher's suggestion -- just have after dinner drinks!!!! :D