Comments on: Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam….Wonderful Spam http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/ The official blog of Carnival Cruise Line's Sr. cruise director, John Heald Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:02:46 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: dminx http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/#comment-36269 dminx Tue, 20 May 2008 11:56:37 +0000 http://johnheald.wordpress.com/?p=3260#comment-36269 Plus the convienenve of adding gratuities at the front end of our cruise would go away as I would not want to do that and have crappy service one night and good the next and have the tips split equally. I would then have to go into the dining room and bring cash all the time to tip appropriately. Again, I say NAY, NAY! don't let it happen! Plus the convienenve of adding gratuities at the front end of our cruise would go away as I would not want to do that and have crappy service one night and good the next and have the tips split equally. I would then have to go into the dining room and bring cash all the time to tip appropriately. Again, I say NAY, NAY! don’t let it happen!

]]> By: dminx http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/#comment-36268 dminx Tue, 20 May 2008 11:54:50 +0000 http://johnheald.wordpress.com/?p=3260#comment-36268 2 votes for traditional. My husband and I agree, you have anytime dining on the lido deck and various other places on the boat. Other sister cruise lines have anytime as do other cruise lines. Don't fix what isn't broken. I doubt seriously that carnival is going to lose passengengers just because they don't go to anytime dining. If you have anytime you lose so much more then you gain with traditional dining. And why annoy past guests when they request traditional and then get freestyle? Check the choices, if there are more people that want traditional and you change them to freestyle, that sucks. Keep what is good good and leave freestyle to sister lines and other unnamed lines! 2 votes for traditional. My husband and I agree, you have anytime dining on the lido deck and various other places on the boat. Other sister cruise lines have anytime as do other cruise lines. Don’t fix what isn’t broken. I doubt seriously that carnival is going to lose passengengers just because they don’t go to anytime dining. If you have anytime you lose so much more then you gain with traditional dining. And why annoy past guests when they request traditional and then get freestyle? Check the choices, if there are more people that want traditional and you change them to freestyle, that sucks. Keep what is good good and leave freestyle to sister lines and other unnamed lines!

]]> By: Cruisin' Brian http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/#comment-36237 Cruisin' Brian Mon, 19 May 2008 19:00:33 +0000 http://johnheald.wordpress.com/?p=3260#comment-36237 One more comment on open seating: How would the gratuities work? Some dining staff do an awesume job. Others jump over hoops and bend over backwards and deserve more of a gratuity. If you have a different server each night, how would you know if YOUR servers got YOUR tip? One more comment on open seating:

How would the gratuities work? Some dining staff do an awesume job. Others jump over hoops and bend over backwards and deserve more of a gratuity. If you have a different server each night, how would you know if YOUR servers got YOUR tip?

]]> By: Cruisin' Brian http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/#comment-36236 Cruisin' Brian Mon, 19 May 2008 18:58:45 +0000 http://johnheald.wordpress.com/?p=3260#comment-36236 Regarding open dining, if Carnival can do it without creating a long "wait", then go for it. I would like having the choice, though. I do not like the open seating style they do for breakfast/lunch where they heard you in with the person in front and behind you. I would rather have the option of sitting at a table for 2 or 4; not 12. Perhaps an option of reservations for the day...another words at 3pm, decide you want to eat at 7:30 that night instead of 5:45 assigned seating. Change is good! Regarding open dining, if Carnival can do it without creating a long “wait”, then go for it. I would like having the choice, though. I do not like the open seating style they do for breakfast/lunch where they heard you in with the person in front and behind you. I would rather have the option of sitting at a table for 2 or 4; not 12.

Perhaps an option of reservations for the day…another words at 3pm, decide you want to eat at 7:30 that night instead of 5:45 assigned seating.

Change is good!

]]> By: Linda (Mom of DJ) http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/#comment-36217 Linda (Mom of DJ) Mon, 19 May 2008 14:49:58 +0000 http://johnheald.wordpress.com/?p=3260#comment-36217 While we have to have a "set time" because if DJ's autism, I do agree that offering BOTH is an excellent idea.....AS LONG AS it does not interrupt "the flow" of the service in any way. I realise the kitchen will be servicing both options at the same time. My hope is that the "anytime" dining does not mean longer waits between courses for us "assigned" people. As long as assigned seating keeps the same great service.... I have no problem with "anytimers" having a separate floor. While we have to have a “set time” because if DJ’s autism, I do agree that offering BOTH is an excellent idea…..AS LONG AS it does not interrupt “the flow” of the service in any way.

I realise the kitchen will be servicing both options at the same time. My hope is that the “anytime” dining does not mean longer waits between courses for us “assigned” people.

As long as assigned seating keeps the same great service…. I have no problem with “anytimers” having a separate floor.

]]> By: jerry Calvert http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/#comment-36038 jerry Calvert Thu, 15 May 2008 22:19:53 +0000 http://johnheald.wordpress.com/?p=3260#comment-36038 Re "anytime dining" Just got off the Carri. Princess where we did "anytime dinig for the first time. (after 18 trad. dining sails) All was well , except it seems waiters and ass't waiters were very impersonal (probably tip related) nor did we ever see a Maitre D or Ass't M.D.. Service therefore was rather poor and people didn't always get the right stuff. I don't know what we'll do on the Legend , which will be our next ship, but you you need to do something to provide accountability for the waitstaff. The feedback form doesn't handle anytime dining. Re “anytime dining” Just got off the Carri. Princess where we did “anytime dinig for the first time. (after 18 trad. dining sails) All was well , except it seems waiters and ass’t waiters were very impersonal (probably tip related) nor did we ever see a Maitre D or Ass’t M.D.. Service therefore was rather poor and people didn’t always get the right stuff. I don’t know what we’ll do on the Legend , which will be our next ship, but you you need to do something to provide accountability for the waitstaff. The feedback form doesn’t handle anytime dining.

]]> By: Cassie http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/#comment-35997 Cassie Thu, 15 May 2008 05:56:03 +0000 http://johnheald.wordpress.com/?p=3260#comment-35997 Just got back from a Princess cruise (San Francisco - Vancouver). They had one dining room for traditional and one for any-time. And two great cover-charge restaurants, so the first night we went to Sabatini's and had those 18 dishes you wrote about a while ago. The second (and last) night we went to the any-time restaurant and were immediately seated at a 2-top, separate from but very close to another couple at their 2-top. We had a very enjoyable conversation and were happy to meet them. The food was great. The only other cruise we've done was on the QM2 in the Princess Grill, where you have your own table you can eat at whenever you want, same waiters every night, etc. The best of both worlds! So that's the best, and we did like any-time dining on the Coral Princess. However, the restaurant was very quiet, as we'd had rough seas since sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge. I might not have found it as relaxing if the restaurant were full and noisier, plus a long wait to get a table. Next trip: QE2, Queen's Grill, expect we'll like that! Just got back from a Princess cruise (San Francisco – Vancouver). They had one dining room for traditional and one for any-time. And two great cover-charge restaurants, so the first night we went to Sabatini’s and had those 18 dishes you wrote about a while ago.

The second (and last) night we went to the any-time restaurant and were immediately seated at a 2-top, separate from but very close to another couple at their 2-top. We had a very enjoyable conversation and were happy to meet them. The food was great.

The only other cruise we’ve done was on the QM2 in the Princess Grill, where you have your own table you can eat at whenever you want, same waiters every night, etc. The best of both worlds! So that’s the best, and we did like any-time dining on the Coral Princess. However, the restaurant was very quiet, as we’d had rough seas since sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge. I might not have found it as relaxing if the restaurant were full and noisier, plus a long wait to get a table.

Next trip: QE2, Queen’s Grill, expect we’ll like that!

]]> By: LambKnuckles http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/#comment-35887 LambKnuckles Tue, 13 May 2008 21:58:35 +0000 http://johnheald.wordpress.com/?p=3260#comment-35887 John... I just don't see how you can say every one of us says we want a choice?? I don't see that in these posts... I do see we acknowledge there ALREADY IS A CHOICE, in fact MANY choices for those who want anytime dining... But I don't think MORE choices need to be added... I'm glad you asked us!!! Lambie John…

I just don’t see how you can say every one of us says we want a choice?? I don’t see that in these posts…

I do see we acknowledge there ALREADY IS A CHOICE, in fact MANY choices for those who want anytime dining… But I don’t think MORE choices need to be added…

I’m glad you asked us!!!
Lambie

]]> By: adias.angel http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/#comment-35860 adias.angel Tue, 13 May 2008 15:10:05 +0000 http://johnheald.wordpress.com/?p=3260#comment-35860 John, Sorry for the late post, things have been a bit hectic and I am just now catching up on the last few blogs. ;) As far as anytime dining, one word - YUCK! When trying this on another cruise line the service was very poor. It was very cold and impersonal, like dining at a restaurant. I love having our wait staff know us and getting to know them. To this day my BF's sister has a lifelong email friend who was her waiter on a cruise. I hope to always have assigned seating when we sail with Carnival. Carla :) John,
Sorry for the late post, things have been a bit hectic and I am just now catching up on the last few blogs. ;)

As far as anytime dining, one word – YUCK! When trying this on another cruise line the service was very poor. It was very cold and impersonal, like dining at a restaurant.

I love having our wait staff know us and getting to know them. To this day my BF’s sister has a lifelong email friend who was her waiter on a cruise.

I hope to always have assigned seating when we sail with Carnival. Carla :)

]]> By: Bob Murta http://johnhealdsblog.com/2008/05/09/spam-spam-spam-spamewonderful-spam/#comment-35828 Bob Murta Mon, 12 May 2008 22:18:06 +0000 http://johnheald.wordpress.com/?p=3260#comment-35828 Yes on anytime dining. As you experienced on Princess -- it works! Yes on anytime dining. As you experienced on Princess — it works!

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