As You Wish Dining - What and How

[dockrocker]

Thanks much, Ruth.

[Mary Ellen]

Yes, open seating is available on all HAL ships - excepting situations as detailed on the post above yours.

[mancunian]

Prinsendam indeed has not got two tiers, but as you wish dining is implemented in generally the same way. The middle of the main dining room and the smaller dining room are traditional and all round the edges of the main dining room are open sitting. If you wish to book you may do so for two days at a time.

 

We have just returned from Prinsendam and found open sitting worked well for us. We did a mix of early and later sitting and a mix of booking and not booking. Later we tended to book because we had found a group of people we got on well with and also a waiter we liked so we booked to sit there. However, on no occasion did we have to wait nor did I see anyone with bleepers. You could ask for the size of table you wanted or just take what was given.

[Kittycat2009]

On the Ryndam you could make reservations before 4pm. We only did it once, were disappointed that we got a table for 4 as we like being seating with other cruise members. It was nice to be seated with others and get to know our other cruisemates. All other nights we just walked up and were seated immediately with the exception of the first formal night. We were handed a pager and told it would be 20 minutes. That 20 turned out to be 10. It was the only night we waited.

 

Personally, I like the as you wish seating. We weren't sure what we would doing and when we would be ready for dinner. It was nice to not have to rush around for an "appointed" time.

 

P.S. We never asked about sharing a table, it was just done. We didn't know as this was our first cruise. Sharing is the way to go.

[RuthC]

Personally, I like the as you wish seating.

I do too. But then, I've always gotten what I wish---main, fixed seating. If ever I were to be assigned to open seating I would not like it.

[Saintpat]

I am just too old, I guess. I can't understand why people don't want to dine at the fixed times! I just can't. It's SOOOOO...OOOO....OOOO much easier. On my last cruise this summer, HAL Westerdam, a big ship, dining at early seating, I saw so many people waiting, looking impatient, irritated, standing there fuming.......it's not really as you wish; it's as you can. For example, if people made "reservations" and were late (took a long time gettting dressed; stayed ashore, waited for a slow member of their party), then they had to wait and wait.

 

You're building in an irritation on your vacation without fixed seating. All those people who say "never again" are giving you good hints. :D

 

When you want to "dine" as opposed to "eat", then you have to get organized to do it. My advice: dine at late (main) seating about 8 o'clock. Take 90 minutes to have dinner. Slow up....or as the young people say, "chill." YOur goal is to relax, presumably, on your cruise vacation, and have it all easy.

 

mmm.....Maybe it's because we're used to our local restaurants being open from 11 am to 11pm?

[hammybee]

I am just too old, I guess. I can't understand why people don't want to dine at the fixed times!

 

I think I have read every post on Open Seating since the concept was first introduced, on HAL. Over time, feedback is balanced. And surprisingly, many, including solos, who thought they would absolutely hate it, vow to never go back to fixed seating.

 

In life before Open Seating, there were always posts about not being able to get the preferred Fix Seating dining time. Some sailings skewed earlier and some later.

 

Used to be that sharing a table and meeting new people was the highlight of a cruise. Nowdays, I think many passengers prefer to not dine with strangers....they would not dream of it at home or while on a land vacation, so why do so on a cruise?

 

Fixed seating is predicated on sharing tables. There is not enough square footage to enable everyone to have the dining table configuration/location they prefer.

 

While many continue to dine with strangers in Open Seating, they do not have to do so for the duration of the cruise. Of course, some meet people they enjoy and they decide to dine together every evening.

 

So I think not having to share a table with strangers is as much a motivation as having a little more flexibility in timing.

[like friends]

we were waitlisted for late seating and this week we received confirmation of assigned late seating that we asked for.

[room010]

Next time we will definitely pick Fixed Seating and on a shared table if possible because meeting new and interesting (or maybe not so interesting!) people is all part of the fun. As HAL noobs we made the error of assuming that we could decide when to book As You Wish on a daily basis instead of booking for the whole week in advance and of course were offered either 5pm (WAY to early) or 8.30-9 which is too late. More than once we just gave up, grabbed a plate of food from the Lido Restaurant and ate on our verandah instead which was very pleasant anyway but that's not the point. It was particularly frustrating as a quick glance at the Vista Dining Room at, say, 7.30pm showed plenty of empty tables or spare seats at larger tables but when we asked if we could take those places we were told No because we hadn't booked.

 

On the occasions we did get to dine the service and food were impeccable but as others have suggested, we took our time to actually DINE and enjoy the conversation instead of rushing at it.

 

I think HAL will have to pick one system or the other because trying to run both of them in tandem clearly doesn't work.

[RuthC]

we were waitlisted for late seating and this week we received confirmation of assigned late seating that we asked for.

Congratulations on getting As You Wish Dining.

[hammybee]

Next time we will definitely pick Fixed Seating and on a shared table if possible because meeting new and interesting (or maybe not so interesting!) people is all part of the fun. As HAL noobs we made the error of assuming that we could decide when to book As You Wish on a daily basis instead of booking for the whole week in advance and of course were offered either 5pm (WAY to early) or 8.30-9 which is too late. More than once we just gave up, grabbed a plate of food from the Lido Restaurant and ate on our verandah instead which was very pleasant anyway but that's not the point. It was particularly frustrating as a quick glance at the Vista Dining Room at, say, 7.30pm showed plenty of empty tables or spare seats at larger tables but when we asked if we could take those places we were told No because we hadn't booked.

 

On the occasions we did get to dine the service and food were impeccable but as others have suggested, we took our time to actually DINE and enjoy the conversation instead of rushing at it.

 

I think HAL will have to pick one system or the other because trying to run both of them in tandem clearly doesn't work.

 

Interesting that they did not accommodate walk ins on your cruise.

I wonder the reason.

 

Regardless of individual preference, it's likely that open seating is permanent. All the mass market cruise lines, including Celebrity now offer fixed and open seating.

 

Smaller upscale cruise lines offer only open seating and cannot accommodate all passengersin a single seating. If too many present, at the same time, some have to wait.

 

I think Cunard and Crystal are the only cruise lines that are holding with their version of fixed seating, for now. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

[room010]

Interesting that they did not accommodate walk ins on your cruise.

I wonder the reason.

 

I don't know the reason either although I have to say that the whole booking system did seem fairly chaotic with one poor steward sitting outside the Lido Restaurant with his bookings computer and people bombarding him with requests and questions. Perhaps HAL needs to give people all the FAQs and other info about the two dining options well in advance to avoid so much confusion.

[paul914]

After reading some of this board, I am concerned that the AYW dining experience will be stressful. There are elements of it that sound good like choosing your table mates if you meet someone aboard. However, I do like knowing my waiter since they get to know your preferences. I don't like to eat early so maybe this will work for us. I am crossing my fingers (hopefully not my arms!)

 

Paul

[IRL_Joanie]

After reading some of this board, I am concerned that the AYW dining experience will be stressful. There are elements of it that sound good like choosing your table mates if you meet someone aboard. However, I do like knowing my waiter since they get to know your preferences. I don't like to eat early so maybe this will work for us. I am crossing my fingers (hopefully not my arms!)

 

Paul

 

 

Paul, There is NO STRESS to As You Wish Dining!! No matter what you've read, it is a stress free experience.

 

Basically eating when and where you want is what makes it AYWD.

 

If you choose to eat in the Lido any time during the dinner hours (no matter what time that may be), eat at a specific time that you have reservations for, whether it is in the Main Dining Room, Pinnacle Grill, Tamarind, Canalletto or even in your statreoom, you are eating by what is called AYWD. This includes waiting to make reservations for whatever time you want to make them for at any of the restaurants that need them on any given day.

 

You choose your time and where. That is AYWD. Plain and simple.

 

IF you do not care for your table mates, PLEASE feel free to go to the Maitr de' and let him know you need to be moved. He will have experienced this many times and will be happy to help you!! I know, I've been there and done it and was much happier.

 

DO NOT let these boards scare you or make your cruise stressful!!

 

Joanie

[PenelopeCorelli]

I don't know the reason either although I have to say that the whole booking system did seem fairly chaotic with one poor steward sitting outside the Lido Restaurant with his bookings computer and people bombarding him with requests and questions. Perhaps HAL needs to give people all the FAQs and other info about the two dining options well in advance to avoid so much confusion.

 

Wow, really strange. May I ask what HAL ship & cruise were you on? A small ship? It is so unlike my cruise on the O in July, or other's experiences that I read here. We did open seating - and always got in, usually right away or with a few minutes wait. Of course, there are 2 Vista Dining Rooms, the upper for fixed times, the lower for open. It wasn't that, was it? We never booked, but saw someone upset who did book, as they still had to wait a few minutes. Those sitting alone had a bit of a wait. Anyone else on your cruise or these boards have the same problem with a HAL cruise? :confused::confused::confused:

[IRL_Joanie]

Wow, really strange. May I ask what HAL ship & cruise were you on? A small ship? It is so unlike my cruise on the O in July, or other's experiences that I read here. We did open seating - and always got in, usually right away or with a few minutes wait. Of course, there are 2 Vista Dining Rooms, the upper for fixed times, the lower for open. It wasn't that, was it? We never booked, but saw someone upset who did book, as they still had to wait a few minutes. Those sitting alone had a bit of a wait. Anyone else on your cruise or these boards have the same problem with a HAL cruise? :confused::confused::confused:

 

 

Sounds to me like the poster tried to be seated, as you suggest, in the Upper Dining room.

[room010]

Wow, really strange. May I ask what HAL ship & cruise were you on? A small ship? :confused:

 

Far from it! It was the Zuiderdam :D We tried the correct dining room but in all honesty I think they were having more general problems with their booking system. Whether it was inexperienced staff, the computers or some other glitch I don't know and as I said it really wasn't a big deal for us because food and eating aren't our top priorities on a cruise anyway. But for people for whom dinner is the highlight of the day it might have been more frustrating. However, I think the main problem was that we just didn't understand how the system works due to lack of information beforehand and from what we could see there were other passengers in the same boat (as it were!).

[Mary Ellen]

After reading some of this board, I am concerned that the AYW dining experience will be stressful. There are elements of it that sound good like choosing your table mates if you meet someone aboard. However, I do like knowing my waiter since they get to know your preferences. I don't like to eat early so maybe this will work for us.

Are you talking open seating or fixed seating? I can't tell from your post. They are both part of AYWD.

[IRL_Joanie]

Far from it! It was the Zuiderdam :D We tried the correct dining room but in all honesty I think they were having more general problems with their booking system. Whether it was inexperienced staff, the computers or some other glitch I don't know and as I said it really wasn't a big deal for us because food and eating aren't our top priorities on a cruise anyway. But for people for whom dinner is the highlight of the day it might have been more frustrating. However, I think the main problem was that we just didn't understand how the system works due to lack of information beforehand and from what we could see there were other passengers in the same boat (as it were!).

 

 

Sorry for the misunderstanding. As long as you were happy on the cruise. Though I'd have been an unhappy cruiser. But as you said, food was not the highlight:)

[pinkcruiser2009]

I'm so confused. If we are on the freestyle approach to dining must we make a reservation or just show up? We are two and would probably prefer a table for two as we have to meet/greet all year long. As for the other restaurants, can you book before the cruise? Thanks.

[Mary Ellen]

If we are on the freestyle approach to dining must we make a reservation or just show up?

If you have the open seating, you can do either. Wanting a table for two may mean a longer wait until one is available. Depending upon the ship, you might not get away from meet/greet as some have the 2-tops are VERY close together. We often notice a row of 2-tops talking among the different tables.

 

You can book the Pinnacle prior to departure and possibly dinner at the Tamarind (if on the E'dam). Either of those restaurants have more separation among the 2-tops than some in the MDR.

[RVRCLC]

We have always had fixed seating.

Anxious to give anytime a try.

This is our first cruise ship that offered the option.

Some days we'd like earlier, some later, maybe anytime will work for us.

[Maximus2265]

Hi,

 

My wife and i are going on the Eurodam in december, we are celebrating are 15 wedding anniversary and want to have a table for 2 for all our trip. How can we procced?

thanks in advance :)

[Mary Ellen]

Maximus2265 -

 

If you have fixed seating, just tell your TA to request a table for 2 (a mention of your anniversary wouldn't hurt - may not help, but you never know). Once you board if you don't have your table for 2, check your boarding information. There will be a notice about what to do to change your seating.

 

If you have open seating, you can either make reservations by calling every other day (you can only make reservations for two days at a time) or you can just show up and ask for a table for you. You will probably have to wait longer than if you took what was available. I've seen a podium in the Lido where you can also make reservations for the MDR and Pinnacle Grill (and any other specialty restaurants onboard). If you have a Deluxe suite (or PH), the concierge in the Neptune Lounge can also help with your reservations.

[klw144]

We have an upcoming cruise and are a party of 8...we are currently with open seating -- not at a fixed time. Being we are a large party, will that fact make it easier for us to be seated at open seating or harder to all sit together? THANKS!