Holland American dining times

"Charles" wrote in message
d...
In article , Jean
O'Boyle wrote:

We leave our cabin at the dining time that we are assigned or a few
minutes afterwards and still usually arrive before the menus are
handed out.

Don't forget they will have to leave a few more minutes time on HAL. It
takes time to get those walkers inside.


HA Ha! Thus speak those who have never set foot on a HAL ship!
Bet I could beat you in a foot race, Charles! Well, keep up with you
anyway!
And by the way, I never see any of the HAL passengers asleep in the show
room either. ;-)

--Jean

"Tom K" wrote in message
...

"Jean O'Boyle" wrote in message
. net...

"Tom K" wrote in message
...
Target getting there around 3-5 minutes after they open the doors.
They're still handing out menus but by then the initial crowd has mostly
been seated.

I agree, Tom,

Finally.... VBG


Well, you are right,......sometimes! ;-)

--Jean

Answered Inline:
"Tobie Gerbrandt" wrote in message
news:RLM7h.332235$1T2.250513@pd7urf2no...
We prefer having a set dining time. On HAL we prefer the "late-early"
seating. That's usually at 6:15. Over the years we have had a few people
at our table who habitually came in late. I'm talking about 45 to 50
minutes late, and they have never been refused service.

Whew! I thought that you were talking about us Tobie! ;-)

It is, however, common courtesy to let the dining staff know if you are
going to miss an evening, or if you're running late. They will hold the
whole table's service about 15 minutes for people who just don't show up,
but if they know ahead of time they can continue with their job on
schedule.

Sometimes they just take the orders of the people present and don't hold
anyone up...but you are right, it is not fair to the waiters as they do not
have that much time to set up for the next seating...But I have never seen
anyone turned away myself when they came late.

--Jean


Tobieon an Island in the Pacific

"Frank F. Matthews" wrote in message
...


J Carnaghie wrote:



Sue and Kevin Mullen wrote:



Rosalie B. wrote:

It has been a very long time since I have had to be at dinner at a
specific time. We are going to take a HAL cruise next month. How
does it work? Does everyone line up at the door like at the Boston
Marathon and then
all head out for their table at a the same time? Or is it like it
used to be at college where we all stood behind our chairs until the
housemother took her seat, and then we sat down in unison? If someone
is a few minutes later, are they refused service? Does everyone stare
and point? :-) How many minutes grace does someone have?


It is like the Boston Marathon most people line up at the door, waiting
for it to open.lol It is ok to be a few minutes late, but not much
more, I think they refuse to seat you after 15 minutes. Also if you are
late, the others at your table will have to wait to be served untill
you arrive.

sue

Ah yes, the memories of the starving hoards waiting for the door to open
and the scrum to begin (I think it is more like rugby). Those at the
rear of the dining room can really pick up speed as they head for their
tables. You would think, at times, that there was only enough food for
the first to arrive at the table (LOL).
The good news is that if you oversleep or are otherwise distracted at
"opening time" there is always the Lido. Arriving at a table
"fashionably late" may cause you to be greeted by less than friendly
faces, as they will have been waiting to be served the first course.
Of course if it is a table for 1 or 2 it is no problem! If you plan to
be a "no show" at a meal it is very nice to tell the headwaiter.
Cheers, and have a great cruise, HAL does a good job.
John in LALALand (On the Left Coast)

It looks as though someone who regularly uses the buffet will not be
liked as well. After all the whole table will be kept waiting until the
expiration of the wait time. Then they will be permitted to eat?

"Tom K" wrote in message
...

"Charles" wrote in message
d...
In article , Jean
O'Boyle wrote:

We leave our cabin at the dining time that we are assigned or a few
minutes afterwards and still usually arrive before the menus are
handed out.

Don't forget they will have to leave a few more minutes time on HAL. It
takes time to get those walkers inside.

--
Charles

Do they HIDE the walkers after everyone is seated, so that they don't
appear in any of the photos?

--Tom

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...
My mom had a kind of rolling seat that she could also use as a walker.
Should I bring it? g Since I'm coming by car, I think I could fit
it in. (Although it will be difficult for me to use since I am taller
than she was so I'll have to stoop down to hold onto it) It might be
useful to sit on when waiting for the doors to open.

Not a good idea, Rosalie, you would get run over in the stampede! They have
some feisty people on HAL!

--Jean ;-)

I was on a HAL cruise last month when they announced that dinners had a 30
minute window to arrive in the dining room. This applied to both seatings.
On time arrivals were accommodated upon arrival and later ones when they
arrived.

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...

It has been a very long time since I have had to be at dinner at a
specific time. We are going to take a HAL cruise next month. How
does it work?

Does everyone line up at the door like at the Boston Marathon and then
all head out for their table at a the same time? Or is it like it
used to be at college where we all stood behind our chairs until the
housemother took her seat, and then we sat down in unison? If someone
is a few minutes later, are they refused service? Does everyone stare
and point? :-) How many minutes grace does someone have?

"Jean O'Boyle" wrote in message
et...

"Charles" wrote in message
d...
In article , Jean
O'Boyle wrote:

We leave our cabin at the dining time that we are assigned or a few
minutes afterwards and still usually arrive before the menus are
handed out.

Don't forget they will have to leave a few more minutes time on HAL. It
takes time to get those walkers inside.


HA Ha! Thus speak those who have never set foot on a HAL ship!

We will... in like 20 years or so...

Bet I could beat you in a foot race, Charles! Well, keep up with you
anyway!
And by the way, I never see any of the HAL passengers asleep in the show
room either. ;-)

Don't they hold the shows earlier?

And if you're in bed by 8:30... it's easier to stay awake... VBG

--Tom ----- ducking


--Jean

Most cruise staff will cut you a break...

On Century this summer, the excursion most of our group (excluding me and a
few others) was on in Oslo, Norway retured to the ship very late. The group
came to the dining room about 45 minutes late and got served dinner. We had
early seating.



"WRD" wrote in message
...
I was on a HAL cruise last month when they announced that dinners had a 30
minute window to arrive in the dining room. This applied to both seatings.
On time arrivals were accommodated upon arrival and later ones when they
arrived.

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...

It has been a very long time since I have had to be at dinner at a
specific time. We are going to take a HAL cruise next month. How
does it work?

Does everyone line up at the door like at the Boston Marathon and then
all head out for their table at a the same time? Or is it like it
used to be at college where we all stood behind our chairs until the
housemother took her seat, and then we sat down in unison? If someone
is a few minutes later, are they refused service? Does everyone stare
and point? :-) How many minutes grace does someone have?

"Tom K" wrote in message
...

"Jean O'Boyle" wrote in message
et...

"Charles" wrote in message
d...
In article , Jean
O'Boyle wrote:

We leave our cabin at the dining time that we are assigned or a few
minutes afterwards and still usually arrive before the menus are
handed out.

Don't forget they will have to leave a few more minutes time on HAL. It
takes time to get those walkers inside.


HA Ha! Thus speak those who have never set foot on a HAL ship!

We will... in like 20 years or so...

I don't think they have nursing home facilities on HAL...better do it now
while you able!



Bet I could beat you in a foot race, Charles! Well, keep up with you
anyway!
And by the way, I never see any of the HAL passengers asleep in the show
room either. ;-)

Don't they hold the shows earlier?

For the younger crowd.

And if you're in bed by 8:30... it's easier to stay awake... VBG

Nope, if one goes to bed that early, by their internal clock, they would
want to be in bed instead of watching the show.. pffft!

--Tom ----- ducking

You and Charles both will, next time I see you! ;-p

--Jean

"Tom K" wrote:

Most cruise staff will cut you a break...

On Century this summer, the excursion most of our group (excluding me and a
few others) was on in Oslo, Norway retured to the ship very late. The group
came to the dining room about 45 minutes late and got served dinner. We had
early seating.

That's good to hear. I would certainly not want to keep the other
people at the table waiting (or be kept waiting because we are usually
early for things), but if something happened and we couldn't make it
within 15 minutes, I'd rather not be turned away.

We have the early-early seating for both cruises. I have read that
the early early is in the upper dining room and the seating half an
hour later is in the lower dining room and then the next seating is in
the upper dining room again. What is the advantage (other than time)
in having the lower dining room?

BTW how do they do breakfast and lunch? Are there set seating times
for that too? I've been used to doing breakfast and lunch at the
buffet but I might not always want to..

"WRD" wrote in message
...
I was on a HAL cruise last month when they announced that dinners had a 30
minute window to arrive in the dining room. This applied to both seatings.
On time arrivals were accommodated upon arrival and later ones when they
arrived.

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...

It has been a very long time since I have had to be at dinner at a
specific time. We are going to take a HAL cruise next month. How
does it work?

Does everyone line up at the door like at the Boston Marathon and then
all head out for their table at a the same time? Or is it like it
used to be at college where we all stood behind our chairs until the
housemother took her seat, and then we sat down in unison? If someone
is a few minutes later, are they refused service? Does everyone stare
and point? :-) How many minutes grace does someone have?