Upper dining room, lower dining room?

Seasail · #1 (**permalink**) May 11th, 2006, 08:12 PM

We are on Oosterdam 12/2/06 sailing. Early dining upper is waitlisted and early lower dining room is available. What is the difference? Why would one be more popular than the other?

DeeDee · #2 (**permalink**) May 11th, 2006, 08:50 PM

Absolutely no difference in my opinion.

We happen to like the 8pm seating, which is in the Upper level, because we feel that 8:30 is just too late for us.

Seasail · #3 (**permalink**) May 11th, 2006, 08:57 PM

Ok DeeDee [great name, it is my sister's] I don't care what level we are on as long as it is early seating. My husband is diabetic and late seating would throw his insulin off.

hombre · #4 (**permalink**) May 13th, 2006, 08:39 AM

upper is probably full because dinner is a half hour earlier and some folks are starving after not having eaten since 4pm.

willsot · #5 (**permalink**) May 13th, 2006, 09:04 AM

There was a thread discussing this on another board. We've had only three HAL cruises, two with upper main seating(8:00) and one with lower main seating(8:30). I think it is just a matter of personal preference, but we did prefer upper. On our cruise last month it seemed warmer (too warm) in the lower level, but of course we were not on the upper, so it could have been just as warm there.

big apple · #6 (**permalink**) May 13th, 2006, 06:56 PM

If you take the last seating you are sometimes somewhat rushed to make the evening show but no difference in service etc.

Seasail · #7 (**permalink**) May 15th, 2006, 11:37 AM

hombre, you cracked me up!! I ended up calling HAL and changed to early lower. Upper level early is 5:45 and lower level early is 6:15, so I didn't see any reason to not confirm lower. Thanks to all!

crazycruiser · #8 (**permalink**) May 20th, 2006, 01:07 AM

This is really quite simple. Upper dining is in the balcony area, Lower is in the Main Or Larger room. this was a good call on HAL

lougee1043 · #9 (**permalink**) May 22nd, 2006, 01:38 PM

the odam is running a test regarding dining room times -- if you are booked for either of the early times your dining time window is between 5:30 and 6:00 you must be in the d/r by 6---- you will be assigned a specific table--- no difference between upper and lower---

bergenske · #10 (**permalink**) May 25th, 2006, 04:50 PM

i have always preferred the upper level because it dosn't seem quite as conjested. have a great time on your cruise.....

hunzabunz · #11 (**permalink**) May 26th, 2006, 10:14 PM

Hi,
We are also on that sailing and I booked late dining upper. I'm reading now that the ship does open dining so don't know what that is all about. We like the upper because it's more quiet (no engine noise) and not so claustrophobic to us. Either way can't wait for this trip.