Looking for dining answers from HAL cruisers

[halcruisers2]

We have not done a HAL cruise in many years, so it's basically going to be a "new" experience for us this year. Hoping to find some answers on this forum, but I'll start with just one topic for now. We selected the As You Wish dining. Is there any kind of reservation system that we need to know about, or do we just show up somewhere between the early and late seatings and see what's available? Is it possible that we can get the same table (for 2) regularly, or is that unlikely? Thanks for any answers.

 

[seamom]

I’m going in April, so if that is before you I can get a definite response. However, this is how I recall last year on the Koningsdam. We just showed up at the time that worked for us and lined up. Some say going after the first rush when the doors open is better. It didn’t take long for them to tell us to wait a few minutes if we wanted a particular table. I recall sitting at the same window table often with no problem as we liked the waiter. Maybe we were just lucky and there was only two of us so easier to fit in (especially if you choose to share and meet others!). Open dining is a separate dining room than the set early/late sitting group who are upstairs. On Celebrity, we could book in advance to have set times for the week but I don’t recall on HAL. Maybe someone else can respond to that.

 

[BSeabob]

I'm still not comfortable with "Anytime" on Hal. Real Bad experience on a 5 day mess last year made us try to book early seating on last falls 17 dayer to Hawaii on the Koningsdam. That was not possible to do so we were waitlisted and put into Anytime. When we boarded we made arrangements first thing with a M'D and after the first evening were assigned a table. So to you question. It's obvious that a lot of folks want to east at "Dinner time" and thats the 6-7 pm and things work out over time around that. Some Anytime pax then come earlier and the some come later and things flow a lot better. That's just from my observations while dining and leaving after early seating. Folks came from deck below line for anytime pretty soon after our early seating closed so they obviously used the empty seating in Early to work in those that were waiting below. So it does work out but I'm still not willing to try it and have booked early once again. There is of course the option always of using the buffet to eat exactly when you want. Hope that helps.
BTW early is waitlisted already for us for an OCT cruise once again.. I agree with seamom if it's just two people there seems to be fewer issues and if you are regular you can get fitted in easier.
Talking with staff it was pretty easy to ascertain that we Pax were not the only people not completely happy with the "System" . A full ship (Koningsdam for sure) meant there would be some issues by just doing the math. There are only two Main dining rooms in play and Deck 2 was "Anytime" Deck 3 was fixed.

 

[seamom]

I asked on another board where I’m a member and their response was to go to the desk near the Ocean Bar and book your dinners ad hoc for the 2nd floor dining room. The host is not always there but does attend during the day to book specialty dining. Also, someone added that you could book on the HAL app but I don’t recall seeing that so perhaps it is an updated feature.

 

[halcruisers2]

Thanks for the replies, seamom and BSeabob. Early dining is too early for us and late dining is too late for us. We hope to keep is loose and go when we want to go, depending on how our schedule goes for the day. This cruise is 35 nights, so lots of ports and multiple excursions already booked. We might need to just be content to sit wherever there is a table for two and see how it goes.

 

[BSeabob]

Thanks for the replies, seamom and BSeabob. Early dining is too early for us and late dining is too late for us. We hope to keep is loose and go when we want to go, depending on how our schedule goes for the day. This cruise is 35 nights, so lots of ports and multiple excursions already booked. We might need to just be content to sit wherever there is a table for two and see how it goes.

Great attitude . With a cruise that long you will have time to figure out the flow and get into a routine and be able to adjust to the different tour times without too much trouble I'm sure.

 

[neutral333]

What about specialty restaurants? Does it worth it with so much free food available?

 

[halcruisers2]

What about specialty restaurants? Does it worth it with so much free food available?

For the cruise we are doing, the Have It All feature gives us two Pinnacle Grill dinners and one Canaletto dinner.

 

[seamom]

What about specialty restaurants? Does it worth it with so much free food available?

I always chuckle at “free food” though I understand what you mean. You paid for it within the cruise price and I hope you enjoy it. I’ve found the food reliable and good. The specialty restaurants are hit and miss but by accounts, seemingly more ‘hit’, at a substantial price. Again, which is the best is subjective. We’ve been most happy with Canaletto, one of the least expensive. I used to like Tamarind but not as impressed now that some of the once exotic dishes are more common in our neighborhood. We used to waddle away after the rich and huge portions of the Pinnacle but sizes and richness have changed over the years and frankly, I wasn’t as impressed last time, especially after a failed pavlova meringue which was literally hard as a rock! But, you’ll find more folk that enjoy everything I didn’t.
If the menu looks good to you and you can afford to try and be pampered a bit more than the more rushed MDR, do it for the added experience. In addition to the MDR and vast buffet, you still have to reserve room for the great “free” lol burgers at Dive In and I missed trying the “free” Deli and Pizza last time so it’s on my list for the next cruise. Have a terrific time! Hope there will be many future ones to try what you don’t this time out.

 

[red stripe]

Seamon.. you must have been on our last HAL cruise..

we have always loved the Pinnacle. But we also found that the quality of the food had fallen. Plus.. Einstein wanted soup and salad.
two different courses that had never been a problem before.
but this time he was told “ only one of them”!
if he wanted both, he had to pay extra.lol

love the tamarind..and about the Canaletto .. we have found that the food choices and quality have actually improved!

we usually get the “ free” meals there, and on one of our recent cruises we were about to just pass it up ..Because of past dissatisfaction. But we ended up going and enjoyed ourselves. So now we do not pass it up.

These days you just never know.

 

[seamom]

Seamon.. you must have been on our last HAL cruise..

we have always loved the Pinnacle. But we also found that the quality of the food had fallen. Plus.. Einstein wanted soup and salad.
two different courses that had never been a problem before.
but this time he was told “ only one of them”!
if he wanted both, he had to pay extra.lol

love the tamarind..and about the Canaletto .. we have found that the food choices and quality have actually improved!

we usually get the “ free” meals there, and on one of our recent cruises we were about to just pass it up ..Because of past dissatisfaction. But we ended up going and enjoyed ourselves. So now we do not pass it up.

These days you just never know.

Yes, bowling ball pavlova.. it did give us a memorable laughing connection with the next table who probably thought we were nitwits not able to break into it, til they got one themselves. Thunk, thunk on the tabletop..lol. I’m truly shocked about the soup and salad diss though! I can understand a limit on mains but way to upset a good customer by cheaping out, only to lose on the revenue on selling meals to you on future cruises. I understood you were able to chose reasonable multiple appetizers…if you can in the MDR, when paying extra it should be a no brainer!
Undecided whether it will be Pinnacle or Tamarind for next dinner with Have it All but will use OBC for Cannaleto, most enjoyable. I think Bob’s even splurging on Rudy’s for us… we must have become richer when I didn’t notice! Lol
Not on your last cruise but would be fun if we ever do end up on another again... checking out the flower arrangements and entering scavenger hunts..

 

[BSeabob]

Similar experiences to the above posters. Who seem to never cruise with me... Enjoy going once or twice and manage a "Free" one from TA usually the Pinnacle. Last experience was on a 17 day Koningsdam. Service was so rushed and off that I sent my main back because it was cold. (Do not leave your experience to the last night too many of us did) Tamarind was very enjoyable but I'm not saying where it is on the ship. Great for sail aways. I was surprised at the meal in Canaletto was a good experience for the fee I thought. On the off moaned about 5 dayer to the crowded Pacific Coast last year in the spring..... We Only ate in Specialty restaurants as the Main dinning room was a zoo. It was only 5 days & just a fling and won't be repeated anytime soon but it gave us a chance to try them all out. The Rudy's experience was worth it for sure. But it is spendy. The main dining room was good on our fall cruise and we have used the Buffet a few times for dinner also. Lots of choices and not rushed ever.

 

[the real usha]

Thanks for the replies, seamom and BSeabob. Early dining is too early for us and late dining is too late for us. We hope to keep is loose and go when we want to go, depending on how our schedule goes for the day. This cruise is 35 nights, so lots of ports and multiple excursions already booked. We might need to just be content to sit wherever there is a table for two and see how it goes.

Are you on Koningsdam Hawaii/Tahiti/Marquesas, by any chance? I ask, because we recently got off that ship/itinerary last month. We were SO GLAD we booked fixed seating, since it was kind of nightly mess in open seating downstairs, and it seemed like EVERYBODY wanted a table at 7 o'clock.
If your ship is Koningsdam, I'd really, really, REALLY recommend that you get fixed seating upstairs. Just my opinion.

 

[markzily]

Welcome back to HAL cruising! With As You Wish dining, you can typically show up between the early and late seatings and choose from available tables. Reserving the same table for two regularly might depend on availability and ship policies, but it's worth asking the dining staff once onboard. Enjoy your cruise!