Dinner seating with others..

[katyringo]

We requested a private table on our first cruise and did not get it. We were seated with 6 other people but it turned out to be the best thing ever! We ended up bonding with 4 of the 6. We are all cruising together this September and we've been to Disneyland already with 2 of the 4! We have made lifelong friends so don't let it scare you!

I'm so glad for you but it would absolutely ruin the experience for us.

 

[Donna3271]

We are Platinum cruisers and have always had our private table request honored when I cruised with just my 2 girls, or my whole family of five. Our last cruise, just my husband and I were seated at a table of 12 (long table). When we walked in, 4 were seated on one side, and 6 on the other. meaning I had to sit on one side sandwiched between strangers, and he had to sit on the other. We left and went to dining services and got a private table at second seating. I am a cancer survivor and specifically called beforehand asking for a private table. The later seating worked out fine, and we did get our own table. For our cruise this Oct, I chose late seating to have a better chance at being seated alone.

 

[adamreisinger]

My first cruise was with my partner and my parents and we had our own table for four. For our second cruise it was just me and my partner and we didn't realize we needed to request private dining, so we ended up at a table for 12 with five other couples. It worked out fine because everyone was nice, but ever since then we've always requested private dining in advance AND gone to dining services upon embarkation, just to make certain the request was granted.

 

[auntlynne]

I agree. This is one thing I really dislike about DCL, but I know others enjoy it. I hate not being assured that I don’t have to sit with random strangers for a 1-2 hr meal each night. While I get you may make friends, I dont want to be forced to make small talk or be awkward and completely ignore people sitting with us. Or have an uncomfortable situation where we really don’t like the table mates and have to request to move and switch during the cruise. And since DCL doesn’t offer any other option for a dinner aside from MDR, room service, or Palo/Remy, it pushes you to do it. With the majority of cruise lines going to anytime dining, I can’t think of another one where this still occurs.

As a party of 3 once we were placed with a party of 5. I was surprised since I assumed that a 3 party would just get a 4 top table. Now I request private seating at late dining every time.

Princess and MSC have been shared tables a lot for me. Typically, round tables to seat 6-8.

NCL, with freestyle dining, offered a shared table if it was a busier time in the MDR. But often seated me (traveling solo) at a private table for two.

I have had those random awkward arranged groupings. I am sure I could drive some crazy, but it goes both ways.

I have just gone to the buffet most nights on some cruises to avoid weird tablemates (which also meant the food wasn’t so outstanding). Sadly, not an option on DCL.

I totally get that forced socialization is not the choice of some.

…Wait a minute. Was your party of 3 seated with our party of 5 on my birthday cruise?

 

[AquaDame]

I get it, and we're the same way. Our last cruise our TA promised we'd get our own table, then they sat strangers with us even though we were assured it was a done deal (the TA was also on the same cruise and had supposedly checked). TA fixed it for the rest of the cruise but man was it awkward... we of course kept running into them all over the ship the rest of the voyage. I will always check myself before we sit down now.

If it was more freestyle where you sat with different folk every night that'd be easier for me, heck I probably wouldn't bother asking for own own table. Something about sitting with the same group every night is harder if you're an introvert... you run out of pleasantries and getting to know you stuff after the first couple, and I'm just not the sort of person who wants to dig deeper on vacation, especially when its forced. My job requires me to be outgoing and talkative; I need a break.

 

[Cruisinonlydisney]

We have no desire to sit with another family for dinner. There is 4 of us. It would actually be a total buzz kill for me. Is there a way to request not to share a table?

This! We have been on 13 cruises. We had to share two times with six other people and I said never again. My husband is quiet, and I’m the one that has to do all of the talking. It gets a bit old, and I even liked the people! I was told by the dining team that it really depends on how full the cruise is. I felt on our recent Wish trip that the dining rooms were incredibly packed. There was 2 inches of separation between us and the table next to us, but oh well, we were still separated a bit and that was ok with me. My favorite ship for private dining is the Fantasy. Plenty of separation between tables.

 

[GhostHost24]

That's a good idea to go check upon embarkation.. May do that on our next cruise

 

[Cheburashka]

I've sailed DCL 12 times, usually as a party of two, a few times solo, sometimes on sold-out itineraries, and have always gotten a private table by selecting late dining, requesting private table pre-cruise, and then by checking at Guest Services or Dining Changes upon boarding. Sometimes the request was fulfilled in advance and sometimes not (they definitely do look at the requests), but when it wasn't fulfilled in advance, it was fulfilled when I asked in person upon promptly boarding.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I totally understand the OP, I'm not really for sharing tables either. We cruise a line (well we have our second cruise with them next year) where that is unlikely to occur as in it's not at all the standard practice, you don't ask for a private table, it's the default. If you want to sit with friends or with other passengers you request that.

We still met people around the ship especially on excursions and other events on the ship and I think my husband and I would prefer having drinks or chit chatting with passengers that way, dinner for us not so much at least on the cruise.

I hope you're able to get private dining and it sounds like with 4 people that's easier, otherwise once you're done with this cruise if you're uncomfortable with this idea to the point where it really would negatively affect your cruise you may need to seek out lines that are less traditional in this.

 

[vakamalua]

Keep in mind that especially on the Wish (& Treasure) the tables are placed sooooo closely together that you might as well be at a shared table; you'll hear your neighbors conversation & they'll hear yours. The 'magic' is that the servers can get through to deliver food.

 

[Goofy1932]

Keep in mind that especially on the Wish (& Treasure) the tables are placed sooooo closely together that you might as well be at a shared table; you'll hear your neighbors conversation & they'll hear yours. The 'magic' is that the servers can get through to deliver food.

I am hoping that the small gap in the table will be enough of an indicator that the people next to us do not start a conversation with us. I have pretty bad issues with this if I am eating. I can talk to my wife or other family at the same table as me but if I do not know the person then my anxiety goes up if the person starts talking to me. I also do not like eating with others because there is a good chance that they are going to ask me a question just as I put food in my mouth. Now I am sitting there with a mouth full of food and I can either sit and awkwardly chewing the food and swallow and then answer them or I can spit out the food on my plate to answer them.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I am hoping that the small gap in the table will be enough of an indicator that the people next to us do not start a conversation with us. I have pretty bad issues with this if I am eating. I can talk to my wife or other family at the same table as me but if I do not know the person then my anxiety goes up if the person starts talking to me. I also do not like eating with others because there is a good chance that they are going to ask me a question just as I put food in my mouth. Now I am sitting there with a mouth full of food and I can either sit and awkwardly chewing the food and swallow and then answer them or I can spit out the food on my plate to answer them.

Well, you know, surely they saw you take that bite of food. Most people will understand if you need to finish the bite before answering. Generally, if you just point to your mouth and chew, nodding you head, that seems to be the universal "just a minute, I'm eating" message.

 

[CeCe0906]

I sailed on the Wish last summervwith my niece and grandchild. We had a "private" table, but honestly the table spacing was such that you easily spoke to others, very close together.

 

[Goofy1932]

Well, you know, surely they saw you take that bite of food. Most people will understand if you need to finish the bite before answering. Generally, if you just point to your mouth and chew, nodding you head, that seems to be the universal "just a minute, I'm eating" message.

Yeah, but that doesn't keep it from being irritating. The worst is when the server comes up to the table and asks me a question right as I am taking a bite because now they are standing there staring at me while I chew my food.

Long story short (too late) I just do not want to sit with people I do not know. I am not going to make life-long friends with them. My wife and I tend to be introverts and do not like socializing like that. I will make the best of it if we are stuck at a table with other people I suppose since I am not going to be a jerk about it but it is going to be a long and uncomfortable dinner.

 

[Goofy1932]

I sailed on the Wish last summervwith my niece and grandchild. We had a "private" table, but honestly the table spacing was such that you easily spoke to others, very close together.

Think they'd notice if I brought a large peice of cardboard to put in that table gap?

 

[bbn1122]

10 Cruises...

In the beginning we cruised as a family of 5 and never requested to sit by ourselves and we always were sat alone. The last family cruise in early 2020, they sat with a family of 3. My sons were all over 18 and the other family had a daughter, around their age. It was okay.
They went to Palo and we went to Palo another night, so we only sat together 3 nights.

For DH and me, I always try to remember to request a private table. One time I forgot on a short cruise out of NYC and we sat with 2 other couple, from the tri-state area, similar ages to us. It was a nice experince, but again we went to Palo one night.

One time after that I requested a table by ourselves and did not hear that it was decline. (I got that notification just last month for the first time on my most recent cruise with my BFF). When they were bringing my DH and me to the table and I saw it was a table of 8, I told the server no and mentioned that I had request the table because we were celebrating out 30th Anniversary (true). Without hestiation he brought us to the Maitre D and were immediately brought to a private table. Now it was 2nd seating and their were many empty tables. We graciously thank everyone and especailly our new server for accomdating us.

On my last cruise this past June, as mentioned above, I requested a private table for my BFF and me. I did get a notification, as mentioned, that indicate the cruise was full and they could not accomodate my request. I had never seen that before and 2 times our request wasn't honored with no notification till we got to our table.

They sat my BFF and me, with two married couples. It was fine. One of the women was very out going. The other couple were very quiet and conserative (non-drinkers), which is fine, but my BFF and me want to cocktail (before/during/after dinner) a little and felt a little funny. We were celebrating her first time cruising and a big milestone in both our lives.

I always reserve 2nd seating, which I think makes it easier to get a private table. I have meet so many wonderful folks on my cruises, but I do prefer to dine alone, with just my family or guest.

Here to my next cruise in February, celebrating my DH's 65th Birthday. We are cruising Concierge, so hopefully that will buy us (literally) a private table.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

On my last cruise this past June, as mentioned above, I requested a private table for my BFF and me. I did get a notification, as mentioned, that indicate the cruise was full and they could not accomodate my request. I had never seen that before and 2 times our request wasn't honored with no notification till we got to our table.

This is the first I've heard of DCL notifying that a table request has been denied (or granted). We've always just found out when we went to the dining room the first night.

 

[kandt]

On my last cruise this past June, as mentioned above, I requested a private table for my BFF and me. I did get a notification, as mentioned, that indicate the cruise was full and they could not accomodate my request. I had never seen that before and 2 times our request wasn't honored with no notification till we got to our table.

Were you notified before you were on the ship?

 

[RedHead0186]

Here to my next cruise in February, celebrating my DH's 65th Birthday. We are cruising Concierge, so hopefully that will buy us (literally) a private table.

That is one of the perks of concierge; you are guaranteed a private table!

 

[Mango7100]

This is the first I've heard of DCL notifying that a table request has been denied (or granted). We've always just found out when we went to the dining room the first night.

Last summer we were notified on the app message features from dining services when we embarked that our private table request was denied. We went to dining services once onboard and they said they would see but as of that moment the app was correct and we were denied. Later that evening before our late seating we noticed our assigned table number was changed and it ended up being private.