Holland America Line Introduces As You Wish Dining
Monday July 16, 2:05 pm ET

Open Seating and Open Times Offer Greater Choice

SEATTLE, July 16 -- Holland America Line launches As You Wish dining, an innovative program that allows guests to choose from the best of both worlds -- either traditional pre-set seating and dining times, or a completely flexible dining schedule. One level of the two-tiered restaurant will offer a flexible/open dining service from 5:15 to 9 p.m. daily, and the other will host two seatings, an early and main seating.

"Providing more options for our guests has been a hallmark of our Signature of Excellence initiative," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales, and guest programs. "Since flexible dining options have become more desirable by many of our guests, we will roll As You Wish dining out across the fleet to provide the most flexibility, choice and service to our guests.

"We've operated As You Wish dining in a pre-launch phase aboard the ms Noordam and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive," Meadows added.

Prior to their cruise, during the booking phase, guests will choose flexible/open dining or Holland America Line's traditional pre-set dining time (early or main). Guests with flexible seating may make reservations daily during a cruise up to 4 p.m. or simply walk up anytime during dining hours. Holland America Line manages reservations and guest preferences through a unique computer system ensuring the same efficient and high quality service for the flexible/open dining as with the traditional pre-set format.

In addition to fixed and flexible/open dining options in the main dining room, Holland America Line features the reservations-only Pinnacle Grill restaurant with Pacific Northwest steak and seafood specialties and casual Lido dining with waiter service and the option to select dishes from the main restaurant menu or regular Lido offerings. For guests who choose an evening "in," 24-hour complimentary room service includes dishes from the main restaurant during dining hours and a selection of meals and snacks.

As You Wish dining will be introduced on the Holland America Line ships with the following sailings:

Date Ship
Operational Now msNoordam
10/11/07 ms Ryndam
11/13/07 ms Volendam
12/18/07 ms Statendam
1/5/08 ms Oosterdam
1/27/08 ms Rotterdam
2/3/08 ms Zaandam
2/24/08 ms Westerdam
3/15/08 ms Zuiderdam
4/6/08 ms Veendam
4/24/08 ms Maasdam
5/16/08 ms Amsterdam
5/23/08 ms Prinsendam
7/5/08 ms Eurodam (upon delivery)

If I am with a group of 4 or more I prefer assigned seating since there is little need for meal coordination. We are usually by ourselves so tablemates are not an issue.

My upcoming cruise on the Summit is with Peid Piper which is a group and has assigned seating.

[ 07-16-2007: Message edited by: desirod7 ]

With Freestyle/Anytime I don't have to schedule my day around meal time. There was more flexibility and I could get more things done for the day...

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Originally posted by Waynaro:

I am surprised that HAL is switching to the half-n-half. I am wondering what the traditionalist HAL cruisers think?

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Their traditional market will simply choose traditional seating, just as on Princess. At least they are still given a choice, but I think this highlights the changing nature of HAL's demographics.

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
Like many lines HAL are trying to win new 'younger' passengers, yet ratain their traditional ones.

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Just like Cadillac here in the States. They offer their large traditional models as well as new sporty SUVs and cars to attract a younger 'hipper' base.

HAL is going after a younger base as seen w/the new modern decor of Eurodams cabins recently. Floral chintz is out-clean modern design is in but of course modern design has been a trademark at HAL for years as seen w/Nieuw Amsterdam in 1938 or Rotterdam V in '59.

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Originally posted by lasuvidaboy: HAL is going after a younger base as seen w/the new modern decor of Eurodams cabins recently.

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I swear I think I have heard about how Holland America is attracting a younger clientele for about 10 years now! The first time was probably when they had those Olsen Twins christen one of their ships. Pathetic move. Next it was ZUIDERDAM which had wild colors, a first ever dedicated disco HAL, and destined to the Caribbean year round. Another failed attempt and the year round Caribbean cruises lasted all of one season I think. Next it's "Club HAL" with a total redue of the kids area so younger families will be attracted to HAL. I don't know how that is going?

What I do know is I've been suckered into the HAL hype more than once about how they have lowered their average age and are no longer your Grandmother's cruise line. Every time I come away disappointed. The latest was just this last March on OOSTERDAM down to Mexico for 7-days. My brother picked based on the cheap price for a mini-suite. It was on the dreaded Vista which old time HAL's cronies are supposed to hate, and on a short milk run to Mexico. By all accounts it should have had a younger, more active crowd. One walk around the ship on any of the seven nights at midnight was proof enough that nothing had changed on HAL. It was probably the least active group of passengers I've ever encountered, except on previous HAL cruises of course.

So while these new cabin and corridors look like the best thing HAL has done in years, I'm not falling into the same trap. I know it will take more than cabin decor on one ship and flexible dining times to truly change things. Frankly I don't know why HAL is trying so damn hard to be something they are not. Why don't they just accept the fact they are the #1 pick for seniors and run with it? I already know the answer but that is for another thread.

Ernie

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Originally posted by eroller:

Why don't they just accept the fact they are the #1 pick for seniors and run with it? I already know the answer but that is for another thread.

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Originally posted by eroller:

Frankly I don't know why HAL is trying so damn hard to be something they are not. Why don't they just accept the fact they are the #1 pick for seniors and run with it? I already know the answer but that is for another thread.

Ernie

ps - we had a variation of "as you wish" dining on OOSTERDAM, which was the pilot ship for this program. There was a lot of grumbling from HAL regulars.

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One of the reasons Oceania does well is that they are not all things to all cruisers. They stick to their niche and refine it.

HAL being for seniors: The 70yos 20 years ago are not like the 70yo today. They danced to big band, wore jacket, tie and skirts most of the time, and few smoked pot. In 20 years most 70yo will be computer literate, and dress casually for most occasions, wore bell bottoms, and danced disco in its prime.

I share Waynaro's thoughts on this as well. This is both a good and bad thing mainly for the reasons mentioned. I can't argue with the ability to dine without having to rush to the dining room if you come off a late afternoon excursion, and yet I see the disadvantage of not getting to know your dining staff. When I was on the Caribbean Princess earlier this year, we sort of went both ways on this, but you could sense the difference in the way you were handled when you were dealing with the open seating mentality. The staff sort of handled you as a "here today, gone tomorrow" commodity. And when we hooked up with the folks who had the traditional seating later in the week (their table was otherwise empty, thus we were able to switch), the staff seemed more attentive.

I suppose as the generations wear on, HAL will be a much different line. It's not so much trying to be all things to all people, although it certainly appears that way. Once you take into account that there are generational preference differences, then this becomes a more understandable strategy. In all honesty, the folks who made HAL what it is right now aren't going to be there forever, and HAL is simply trying to survive. There simply aren't enough people in the younger generations who adhere to the older traditions of cruising. In fact, they may not even be aware of such things. A lot of people in my age group haven't cruised before, and what they would be getting now is so unlike the product that I was first exposed to back in 1989, that they would find it difficult to imagine. And this condition gets exacerbated by the continued weakening in pricing that I've been seeing on HAL's cruises (some of which is the result of increasing capacity), which is something to which I attribute the clientele aberrations I recently witnessed on Princess. But there are additional reasons for this as well, which I will not get into here.

Just to put it into perspective, when I sailed on the Nordic Prince in '89, it was recommended that I somehow reserve a deck chair (I don't even remember what that was all about now - something about there just not being enough to go around on the Lido Deck); we had not only two formal nights, but at least one informal night as well, which HAL continues; and of course, two fixed seatings. Now, you almost never have to worry about deck chairs; you're bound to find one somewhere. The informal night, other than on HAL and probably some other lines, has largely disappeared, and formal night is under attack. They don't want to dress for the occasion, but they have to have their lobster and filet mignon. Sorry, this is one area in which I will not compromise. Formal night is what it is. If you don't like it, go to the buffet. I'm glad that the climate on HAL is such that there is a greater tendency towards the wearing of tuxedos on formal night than not. I actually felt self-conscious on the Caribbean Princess after being told, "It's a Caribbean cruise; most of the guys are wearing business suits;" only to find that a good number were wearing tuxedos anyway, and I was in a suit. Next time, back to the tux.

[ 07-18-2007: Message edited by: BigUFan ]

Of course, the possibility exists that HAL is now having an identity crisis of their own, which would not be good.

[ 07-19-2007: Message edited by: BigUFan ]