HAL Staggered Dining Times

How are the 4 new dining seatings working out? Is it actually enhancing
our dining experience, or should I plan more dinners at the Pinnacle?

Candy -- 5 days 'til Zuidy

Candy wrote in message ...
How are the 4 new dining seatings working out? Is it actually enhancing
our dining experience, or should I plan more dinners at the Pinnacle?

I had the later of the late (they call it "main") seatings on the
Zuidy this past March. I don't know if the 4 seating system "enhanced"
the dining experience - not sure why it would. It felt like a regular
dining room to me. On the Zuidy, the upper level of the dining room
was seated a half-hour earlier than the lower level. So, I guess on
the "baked Alaska" evening, their service was slowed, so that they'd
still be seated for the parade.

This was my second HAL cruise, and as much as I love HAL, these two
cruises had the worst dining room service of all of my cruises. The
first cruise, there wasn't the 4 dining seatings so that can't be the
reason. And, I really don't think it played a part in the poor service
this more recent time either. The service in the Odyssey (Zuidy's
Pinnacle) was terrific, but once was enough. Menu is the same there,
all week.

Lee

Candy -- 5 days 'til Zuidy

It seems that serving all pax over 4 seatings instead of two would
make the areas half as crowded. So half the tables could be removed
and the rest moved to make more room in between, or they could try not
to squeeze 12 people at a table for 8. The downside may be that the
din of the clearing/setting process in the area you're NOT dining in
would be annoying.

Get ready... here it comes...
Then they could really call it the "Dinning" Room.

Sorry, 4 days out and I'm a little meshugeneh
Candy http://CandyBrock.com

Lee wrote:
Candy wrote in message ...

How are the 4 new dining seatings working out? Is it actually enhancing
our dining experience, or should I plan more dinners at the Pinnacle?


I had the later of the late (they call it "main") seatings on the
Zuidy this past March. I don't know if the 4 seating system "enhanced"
the dining experience - not sure why it would. It felt like a regular
dining room to me. On the Zuidy, the upper level of the dining room
was seated a half-hour earlier than the lower level. So, I guess on
the "baked Alaska" evening, their service was slowed, so that they'd
still be seated for the parade.

This was my second HAL cruise, and as much as I love HAL, these two
cruises had the worst dining room service of all of my cruises. The
first cruise, there wasn't the 4 dining seatings so that can't be the
reason. And, I really don't think it played a part in the poor service
this more recent time either. The service in the Odyssey (Zuidy's
Pinnacle) was terrific, but once was enough. Menu is the same there,
all week.

Lee

Candy -- 5 days 'til Zuidy

Candy wrote in message ...
How are the 4 new dining seatings working out? Is it actually enhancing
our dining experience, or should I plan more dinners at the Pinnacle?

Candy -- 5 days 'til Zuidy

Got off Rotterdam May 5th. We had 8:30 seating and found service very rushed.
Don't like slow service but this was ridiculous. We were out the door by 9:45
nearly every night. Like a little break between courses. Otherwise was a good
relaxing cruise.
Doncee

Candy Brock wrote in message ...
It seems that serving all pax over 4 seatings instead of two would
make the areas half as crowded. So half the tables could be removed
and the rest moved to make more room in between, or they could try not
to squeeze 12 people at a table for 8. The downside may be that the
din of the clearing/setting process in the area you're NOT dining in
would be annoying.

Well, that's not how they're doing it on the Zuidy, which has a
two-level dining room. Not sure how it's working on HAL ships with
single-level dining rooms (are there any one level dining rooms on HAL
anymore? We had one on the old Westerdam, but she's out of service).
Anyway, on the Zuidy, early early seating was upstairs (6:00), late
early seating was downstairs (6:30), early main seating was upstairs
(8:00) and late main seating was downstairs (8:30). Still the same
number of passengers to get into the dining room, but it's just
staggered a bit. So, tables are still full (and tables weren't
removed) and the din's the same, since it's only staggered by a
half-hour. Upstairs was mid-meal when we were seated downstairs. When
upstairs finished there was clearing and setting, but it was not at
all noticeable by us still eating downstairs.

Lee

I'm slated for the 1st early seating on my next HAL cruise in Oct.
...This new "staggered" system hadn't been implemented yet for my last
one in March.
...Probably has more to do with the food preparation facilities and
procedures, rather than the lack of room between the tables.. ...I
think if HAL wanted to improve their dining room service, they should
hire a few more guys (or use the wine stewards) whose only duties would
be to clear the dirty dishes, and cart them away. I have found, at
least on HAL ships, looking after the dirty cutlery and plates is the
fundamental priority for both the waiter and his assistant. ..In fact,
these items get more attention than the passengers!! ... We have sat
waiting no end of times for our soup or whatever while the waiters
scraped the plates, and carried them into the back. ..And all this
while our next course was sitting right there on his counter (going
cold).
-- This current system is also unsanitary, too. Probably one of the
ways that disease is spread around the ship.
...This "look after the dirty dishes, first" system was actually worse
on the "Sun Princess" cruise I took a few years back ... The waiters
there actually separate various aspects of the left over food into
different bins. ...I know this can't be true, but my initial thought at
the time was: " Geez, I wonder if the one bin is for the food that can
be re-used?". ...Jon

THE 4 SEATING PLAN is to make service better IN the kitchen. Give it
time to smooth out.

Got off Rotterdam last Sunday ,had 8 pm seating! Worked out fine! Main
meal would come by 8.45 & we would leave for show about 10.
No rush! (my wife talks a lot).
Great cruise,except for our table mates! They had medical emergency &
had to leave ship at San Juan!
Hope Bob is ok!
BILL & RITA

(Lee), Stated:

Not sure how it's working on HAL ships with
single-level dining rooms (are there any one level dining rooms on HAL
anymore? We had one on the old Westerdam, but she's out of service).

Hi Lee,

The only HAL ship I can recall that definitely still only has a one level
Dining Room is the Noordam; not sure about the Prinsendam, but she may also
have only a one level Dining Room.

We are scheduled on the Maasdam this weekend and have confirmed Main Seating
(Late) Dining on lower level. Moving tables would definitely not be worth the
effort and would cause major disruption. I do believe that the tables may well
be bolted to the deck.





Ray

Wishing light winds and smooth seas to all

You're right, Ray, Prinsendam does have only a one level dining room.

Have a great cruise on the Massdam!

Eileen

Zegarskis wrote:



(Lee), Stated:


Not sure how it's working on HAL ships with
single-level dining rooms (are there any one level dining rooms on HAL
anymore? We had one on the old Westerdam, but she's out of service).


Hi Lee,

The only HAL ship I can recall that definitely still only has a one level
Dining Room is the Noordam; not sure about the Prinsendam, but she may also
have only a one level Dining Room.

We are scheduled on the Maasdam this weekend and have confirmed Main Seating
(Late) Dining on lower level. Moving tables would definitely not be worth the
effort and would cause major disruption. I do believe that the tables may well
be bolted to the deck.





Ray

Wishing light winds and smooth seas to all