Difficulty in Getting Table for Two

[cwis]

They split the 4-tops into 2-tops that are MAYBE a salad plate's width apart and labeled A and B.

I assume you are doing first seating? On second seating they spread more liberally. (source: our wait staff from previous cruises)

 

[Dug720]

I assume you are doing first seating? On second seating they spread more liberally. (source: our wait staff from previous cruises)

Nope. This was second seating. And no - other than maybe putting tables together for larger parties or possibly doing some separating, they are NOT removing entire tables between seatings. That's definitely a new one to try and bump up tips because of the extra work. If the second seating was "more spread out" during the second seating, it was because there were more tables of larger parties.

I always do second seating and even then they cannot guarantee private tables.

 

[lizzyb]

I have requested a private table on my last 2 cruises, the Magic and the Wish. Both were in the late dining, and both times it was not granted.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

Dont rely on just the request, make sure to stop by with the dining tram upon boarding. Sometimes it hasnt been honoured but they still can make it happen. It all depends on the capacity of your sailing but I ve had times I got it after all ; sometimes I needed to change seating etc. I ve done 31 dcl sailings and barely any where they honored it based on my request on beforehand but only had one sailing where they couldnt make it happen when speaking to the dining team

 

[PetePanMan]

I have requested a private table on my last 2 cruises, the Magic and the Wish. Both were in the late dining, and both times it was not granted.

What seating arrangements did you end up getting? Thx

 

[Dug720]

Dont rely on just the request, make sure to stop by with the dining tram upon boarding. Sometimes it hasnt been honoured but they still can make it happen. It all depends on the capacity of your sailing but I ve had times I got it after all ; sometimes I needed to change seating etc. I ve done 31 dcl sailings and barely any where they honored it based on my request on beforehand but only had one sailing where they couldnt make it happen when speaking to the dining team

I did stop by and request. It wasn't possible - even with second seating, even offering to change my rotation or change to early seating. There are going to be times it's just not possible.

 

[chuff88]

Just chiming in on the late seating recommendation. My mom and I usually travel as just the two of us, and in 7 DCL cruises we've always had a private table and have also always had the late seating. Even on full/almost full cruises, the late dinner seating never seems to be at 100% capacity.

 

[PetePanMan]

OP here. For those who wanted and requested a table for two but were unsuccessful, what was your experience sitting with others? Did you get sat with another couple or with a group at larger table or…?

 

[sponica]

OP here. For those who wanted and requested a table for two but were unsuccessful, what was your experience sitting with others? Did you get sat with another couple or with a group at larger table or…?

We went on our honeymoon and were seated with 3 other couples about our age (Another was also on their honeymoon). I do think the seating assigners try their best.

It was a little weird at first, but by night 4 it was like we'd known each other forever.

My husband will talk to anyone, so he loved it.

 

[PetePanMan]

We went on our honeymoon and were seated with 3 other couples about our age (Another was also on their honeymoon). I do think the seating assigners try their best.

It was a little weird at first, but by night 4 it was like we'd known each other forever.

My husband will talk to anyone, so he loved it.

Thanks for the insights. I’m reasonably outgoing but my wife is more introverted. Would definitely prefer table for two but will have to adapt if need be.

 

[mathgeek]

I had a similar situation as one of the previous posters. My last two cruises I did my request for a private table online instead of calling, and it was not granted. I will be calling for this next one in the hopes that it might get fulfilled. I've had it fulfilled most of the time when I've called.

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

OP here. For those who wanted and requested a table for two but were unsuccessful, what was your experience sitting with others? Did you get sat with another couple or with a group at larger table or…?

I'll start out by saying that we have cruised 4 times now with 2 more planned next year as a B2B. On all four cruises we have never requested a solo table. With that being said, we have twice been seated by ourselves.

On our first cruise, we had 2nd seating and the other couple that should have shared our table never showed up to eat in the MDR so we had the table that would seat 4 or 5 to ourselves. The serving team was wonderful, which made the dining experience was great.

On our 2nd cruise, we did 10 days in the Med and had 1st seating, we were assigned to a table that seated 4 and we had another couple as our table mates. I got along ok with the husband we could talk computers and a sports, but the wives didn't click so while there was some small talk each evening, dinner was awkward at times, so the experience was just ok.

Our 3rd cruise was just after covid, so we had first seating again and were just assigned a table to ourselves.

Our last cruise, we were assigned to a table that could handle 6, and we had a mother/daughter and a single lady for our table mates. We had the greatest time with all three of them. We all got along great and went to some of the shows and activities together. We also now inform each other when we have cruises scheduled to see if any of us are on the same cruise to try and request seating with each other again.

In short, we have had table mates twice, one time was just so-so while the other was great.

Psy

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

I did stop by and request. It wasn't possible - even with second seating, even offering to change my rotation or change to early seating. There are going to be times it's just not possible.

Exactly but some of the dining managers just seem to ignore the request though they have the possibility

 

[happycamper47]

Exactly but some of the dining managers just seem to ignore the request though they have the possibility

Just remember, the initial dining assignments are done by shore side, not the ship.

 

[Cruisinonlydisney]

There are three of us and we have been on every ship Disney has, with the exception of the Treasure coming up this summer. Assuming the dining rooms on the Treasure are the same as the Wish, we found that with the big dining rooms that had the shows (Frozen and Marvel) it was pretty tough for them to make a table for three…but they did it. There may have only been an inch and a half between us and the next table, but at least there was enough separation that we felt a little less awkward with having to talk to the table next to us and it then only affected one individual.

 

[chuff88]

OP here. For those who wanted and requested a table for two but were unsuccessful, what was your experience sitting with others? Did you get sat with another couple or with a group at larger table or…?

So even though we've always had our own table, we've often befriended the people sitting at the table nearest to us. On our most recent cruise (on the Treasure) we ended up chatting with the people at the adjacent table most nights, and ended up teaming up with another couple at a nearby table one night for trivia.

I am generally not an outgoing person, but I've told my friends that I become someone else entirely on cruises and will talk to anybody. I think I still prefer not having strangers AT our table, but we've generally had a good time chatting with the people we end up sitting near.

 

[mollygirl13]

We got off the Treasure on Sat and had a private table. Second seating. We called DCL before the cruise to put in the request and also stopped by Triton’s upon boarding just to confirm. We saw quite a few couples seated alone. We love to meet other people on our cruises but we just prefer to eat just the 2 of us as our real lives are hectic and vacation is a time for us to reconnect.

 

[Joel0917]

Just off fantasy. Requested table for two. Got sat table for six, two other couples. We bailed and ate palo two nights and remy third night!

 

[lizzyb]

What seating arrangements did you end up getting? Thx

On the first one, we were at a table with three others, and on the last one, we were at a table with two other couples - one of whom refused to join us since they had requested a private table and were given one.

 

[AquaDame]

We have been on 15 cruises now, always main dining, and denied a private table three times. Every time they have sat us with one other couple - a larger table with more people would be better IMO as you have more chances to find someone you get along with.

First time we sailed with a group and sat with them at a table for eight, so it was a moot point. I didnt even know it was communal dining for everyone until we got there.

Second time we just went with it (we could have moved to late dining but it was only a three night cruise, how bad could it be) and really struggled with our tablemates. We clearly had very different views - they were disturbed we didn't have kids by choice and were on a Disney line (they were sailing without theirs) and we were disturbed they told us about sneaking a gun into Disneyland when they go. This was years ago... I'm sure with the metal detectors that trick wouldn't work any longer. That experience has 100% turned me off of the idea.

The third time we were initially told by our TA (also on the cruise with us) that our request was a done deal and not to check ahead of time, just show up for dinner so we did. Just to have another couple be led to our table where we immediately like, oh there is no way, they must have the wrong table. Nope, the right table.... They sat, we had a pleasant enough dinner but during it the head waiter came over and explained it just was not possible, then my TA's boss who was also on the cruise came over and whispered to me with them sitting there... I am sure we seemed like complete jerks. By the following night we magically had our own table, but running into them on the ship was awkward as heck... they were fine, it would have been fine, but everyone wanted to 'make it right'. Oh well.... >_<

We've since been on river cruises and expedition cruises, land tours etc where you sit with groups and it's always fine, we did prima notte at Palo this past cruise and were with one other couple and it was fun, but I still prefer to have our own table when sailing. Ahead of our Treasure cruise we were prepared to just eat on the pool deck or at Palo the entire cruise if we didn't get our own. Luckily it was fine.