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If you are planning a cruise with Holland America Line, making dining arrangements before or during your voyage can make your evenings much easier to plan. Holland America Line offers several dining choices, including the Main Dining Room, specialty restaurants, flexible As You Wish® Dining, and casual venues.
For many dining arrangements, you can use your Holland America Line account before departure. The Navigator app can also be used to browse menus and make dining reservations.
The process is slightly different depending on whether you want a main dining time, a specialty restaurant reservation, or a large-group booking. This guide explains the process step by step.
Holland America Line provides several dining styles, so not every meal requires a traditional reservation.
Dining choices include:
The Main Dining Room offers both traditional assigned dining and a more flexible schedule, while As You Wish Dining allows guests to choose when and where they want to dine within the available options.
Specialty dining is different because these restaurants generally involve reservations and may have an additional charge. Examples include Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto, Tamarind on selected ships, Morimoto by Sea, and Sel de Mer on selected ships.
The simplest way to manage dining before your cruise is through your Holland America Line account.
Go to your Holland America Line account and sign in using your account credentials.
Your booking should be connected to your account so you can manage the available dining options.
Go to your My Cruise page and locate the sailing you want to manage.
From there, you can access dining-related options available for your cruise.
Holland America Line allows guests to select dining times and meal reservations through their account.
For dining times, the cruise line says selections can be made beginning 90 days before departure, or while onboard.
Select the dining time that works for your schedule.
Availability can vary depending on the sailing, restaurant, party size, and time requested.
Review the restaurant, date, time, and party details before confirming.
After confirmation, keep the reservation information available in your account or Navigator app.
Specialty dining reservations can be made before your cruise.
Holland America Line says specialty dining reservations are usually available six to nine months before the cruise voyage.
To make a specialty dining reservation:
The exact restaurants available depend on the ship and itinerary.
Yes. The Holland America Navigator app is one of the main tools for managing your cruise.
Holland America says the app allows guests to browse restaurant menus and make dining reservations. Before sailing, the app can also be used to pre-book specialty dining.
You can download the app for your mobile device and sign in using your Holland America Line account credentials.
Once onboard, the app works through the ship's internal Wi-Fi, and Holland America states that an internet package is not required for its onboard functions.
Main Dining Room arrangements can work differently from specialty dining.
Holland America Line offers traditional preset dining as well as flexible dining through its As You Wish® Dining concept.
To select your dining time before departure:
Holland America currently states that dining times can be selected beginning 90 days before departure or while onboard.
As You Wish Dining gives guests flexibility rather than requiring one fixed dining schedule.
Depending on the available options, guests can choose from:
The concept is designed for travelers who prefer to decide when and where they eat instead of following a fixed dining schedule.
You can also confirm daily dinner-time preferences through your Holland America account.
If you already know which specialty restaurant you want, booking early is sensible.
Holland America says specialty dining reservations are generally available six to nine months before departure.
Popular dining times can become unavailable, particularly on busy sailings. Holland America also advises guests not to delay making reservations once onboard.
A practical approach is to:
Yes, but the process depends on the type of dining reservation.
For complimentary dining reservations, Holland America says you can change the reservation online when another dining time is available. If no open time is available, you need to contact Holland America to request a change.
For specialty dining, you can cancel and rebook online subject to the applicable cutoff rules.
Yes. Holland America allows eligible specialty dining reservations to be canceled and rebooked online before the applicable cutoff.
However, there is an important restriction: online cancellations are not accepted during the three-day period before cruise departure. During that period, guests need to cancel onboard, and onboard cancellations are subject to at least a 10% cancellation fee under the current policy.
Because cancellation rules can change, check the terms associated with your reservation before canceling.
Yes, but large-group reservations have a separate process.
Holland America currently defines large-group specialty dining reservations as parties of seven or more for Pinnacle Grill, Tamarind, and Morimoto by Sea. Canaletto and Sel de Mer cannot accommodate group reservations because of their limited size.
For an eligible large group, Holland America asks guests to contact Ship Services by email and provide:
The cruise line recommends submitting the request at least 30 days before sailing. Requests are not guaranteed, and Holland America recommends reconfirming the reservation once onboard.
Don't assume that an unavailable time means you cannot dine at that restaurant.
You can try:
Availability can change as other passengers modify or cancel their reservations.
For specialty dining, checking again closer to your sailing can sometimes reveal newly available times, although availability is never guaranteed.
Yes. Holland America's Navigator app can be used onboard to browse restaurant information and make dining reservations.
You can also seek assistance from onboard staff if you have difficulty making a reservation through the app.
Holland America specifically recommends using the Navigator app to manage dining and other onboard activities.
Some specialty restaurants have supplemental charges.
Holland America identifies specialty dining as table-service dining outside the main Dining Room, and its specialty venues may have additional charges.
Depending on your booking, you may also have a dining package or dining credits included in a promotional package such as Have It All. Always check your booking's specific inclusions before assuming a restaurant is fully covered.
Special dining requests should be made when booking and before the cruise begins.
Holland America recommends submitting special requests in advance so they can be recorded and considered before sailing.
Examples might include requests related to:
Guests with significant food allergies or special dietary requirements should communicate their needs as early as possible rather than waiting until the first meal onboard.
If you have a particular restaurant or dinner time in mind, make the reservation when it becomes available.
Install the Navigator app and sign in before departure. This gives you time to become familiar with the app before boarding.
For dining-time selections, Holland America currently allows reservations starting 90 days before departure.
If your preferred time is unavailable, consider another time rather than waiting until the last minute.
If your booking includes dining credits, understand which restaurants and reservations qualify before making a purchase.
If you could not find your preferred time before departure, check the Navigator app after boarding and ask onboard dining staff about current availability.
You can make dining reservations through your Holland America Line account and use the Navigator app to browse menus and reserve dining.
Holland America says dining times and meal reservations can be selected starting 90 days before departure, or while onboard.
Specialty dining reservations are usually available six to nine months before the cruise.
Yes. The Navigator app allows guests to browse restaurant menus and make dining reservations.
Yes. Complimentary dining reservations can be changed online when another time is available. Specialty dining reservations can also be canceled and rebooked online before the applicable cutoff.
Yes, but online cancellations are not accepted during the three days before departure. During that period, cancellations must be handled onboard and are subject to at least a 10% cancellation fee under the current policy.
Yes, eligible parties of seven or more can request group reservations at Pinnacle Grill, Tamarind, and Morimoto by Sea. Requests should be made at least 30 days before sailing.
The Navigator app itself is free, and Holland America says its onboard functionality works through the ship's internal Wi-Fi without requiring an internet package.
Yes. As You Wish Dining provides flexible dining options, including flexible scheduling in the Main Dining Room and other dining choices.
No. Not every dining venue requires a reservation. Holland America offers casual options and flexible dining, while reservations are particularly relevant for specialty restaurants and certain dining arrangements.
Making dining reservations on Holland America Line is relatively straightforward. Before your cruise, you can manage dining through your Holland America account, while the Navigator app provides another convenient way to browse menus and reserve dining.
For specialty dining, reservations are usually available six to nine months before departure, so booking early is useful if you want a particular restaurant or dinner time.
For main dining, Holland America provides both traditional and flexible options. Dining-time selections can currently be made starting 90 days before departure or while onboard.
The best approach is to check your account early, reserve specialty dining as soon as it becomes available, and use the Navigator app to manage your plans during the cruise. This gives you more flexibility while keeping your dining schedule organized.
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