Dinner seating

[TheBigErn]

We have cruised as a family in the past and have always had our own table. This cruise is just my wife and me for our 30th anniversary. Will we be assigned to sit with others? Can we request not to sit with others? We're not socially awkward, we just want to be alone for a change.

 

[miss0033]

You will likely be assigned to sit with others. You can call DCL (or your Travel Agent) and request to be seated alone. Disney always makes it clear that this is just a request and may or may not be honored. Then check again with the dining services when you get on board the ship that first day to see if it was granted.

It also never hurts to mention you are celebrating your anniversary. Is it a guarantee? No. But it boosts your chances of getting pixie dusted.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

We have cruised as a family in the past and have always had our own table. This cruise is just my wife and me for our 30th anniversary. Will we be assigned to sit with others? Can we request not to sit with others? We're not socially awkward, we just want to be alone for a change.

You can make a request to sit alone. Call at least a few weeks before your cruise and request it. I requested my DD and I sit alone on our last cruise, and the request was granted. You can go to the location for dining changes on embarkation day and ask if you are alone, and ask if they can change it if you aren't.

 

[Dug720]

You can always request. But even on late dining if it is a full ship they may not be able to accommodate regardless of the reason. They could not for my birthday this summer.

 

[Travel60]

I understand that you would like to dine alone for anniversary cruise but, If your request is not granted, you might end up with great table mates. Our experience is that the "magic" Disney uses to assign tablemates usually matches you with other couples the same age range (or when with kids, the same kids age). We have met some very nice people, shared great stories, etc. Some we still keep up with. Only a couple of clunkers in 12 cruises. Only a couple of hours a night ....request but don't obsess about it.

 

[Dug720]

I understand that you would like to dine alone for anniversary cruise but, If your request is not granted, you might end up with great table mates. Our experience is that the "magic" Disney uses to assign tablemates usually matches you with other couples the same age range (or when with kids, the same kids age). We have met some very nice people, shared great stories, etc. Some we still keep up with. Only a couple of clunkers in 12 cruises. Only a couple of hours a night ....request but don't obsess about it.

I agree. I was disappointed to not get a private table in July because the last time I was solo on Disney it did feel like a solo dump table and was horrid (thankfully they were able to move me to my own table in that case because of no-shows or late cancels). But in July it worked out - two young women who have been friends since childhood and a mother and adult daughter. (In a weird twist, the friends were from TN close to where my parents live and I lived a little while after college, and the mother/daughter were from NJ and I live in NYC now.) We all got along - our server called us her Spice Girls.

 

[CM Dad]

My wife and I have done most of our cruises with just the two of us. We have not had a bad experience when DCL has assigned us to a table with other people. Made good friends on one cruise with a couple from New Zealand and are still Facebook friends with them. Unfortunately we have not been able to coordinate another visit with them yet.
My wife was disappointed when on the last couple of cruises we were seated by ourselves. After hanging out with me all day, she looks forward to talking with other people . I think we may have actually asked our TA to request that we be assigned to a table with other people, but it didn't happen.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

We have had the good, the just ok, never anyone really bad, thankfully. We don't feel the need to endlessly chat all throughout the dinner with our tablemates. Sometimes the conversation goes just between the families. I don't know, it can be fun. We relax around it. If things are bad, we would just request a table change. We haven't had to make that request in 10 cruises.

 

[ChipNDale86]

We requested our own table the first time we cruised without the rest of my husband's table but ended up being sat at a table with another couple and 2 friends. It worked out really well and we still keep in touch on social media with all of them.

So after having such a great experience we decided our next time not to request our own table and sat at a table with 3 other couples. We became really good friends with one of the couples and talk with them all the time and are about to cruise with them again in October.

If I were you, I'd go ahead and request your own table but go ahead and make up your mind now that you'll make the most of it if you do end up being sat with strangers.

 

[Dug720]

And just keep in mind... They are only “strangers” the first night.

(Said as one who still prefers a private table.)

 

[Pandy220]

My wife and I have done most of our cruises with just the two of us. We have not had a bad experience when DCL has assigned us to a table with other people. Made good friends on one cruise with a couple from New Zealand and are still Facebook friends with them. Unfortunately we have not been able to coordinate another visit with them yet.
My wife was disappointed when on the last couple of cruises we were seated by ourselves. After hanging out with me all day, she looks forward to talking with other people . I think we may have actually asked our TA to request that we be assigned to a table with other people, but it didn't happen.

I totally understand . DH and I have made some amazing friends on past cruises so when we went on the Mediterranean cruise , we were disappointed to find out we were at a table alone . Meeting people has always been part of the experience for us . The problem is , is that we’re in our upper 30’s , early 40’s and no kids , so I imagine Disney has a tough time finding others who are similar to us. Maybe it’s just easier for Disney to put us by ourselves .

 

[MomOTwins]

I totally understand . DH and I have made some amazing friends on past cruises so when we went on the Mediterranean cruise , we were disappointed to find out we were at a table alone . Meeting people has always been part of the experience for us . The problem is , is that we’re in our upper 30’s , early 40’s and no kids , so I imagine Disney has a tough time finding others who are similar to us. Maybe it’s just easier for Disney to put us by ourselves .

I think you'd be surprised by how many childless adults (or parents who stash the kids with grandma and go out for a parents-only vacay) cruise on Disney.

 

[Pandy220]

If that’s the case , maybe it’s because we prefer the earlier seating ?

It was so sweet because on our med cruise , we explained to our server that we requested to be moved and when we were told we couldn’t , he made it a point to spend a lot of time with us before and after our meal chatting with us . This is why I love DCL!

 

[AusDan]

We’ve always requested a private table and have done so again for our November cruise. We prefer late dining so that probably helps with our request. I’m always a bit nervous that it won’t be fulfilled so I usually check on boarding that it has been granted. I know I’d survive having to share a table but I’m much more relaxed not having to make small talk with strangers. As others have pointed out previously the tables are pretty close together anyway, on our last cruise we ended up chatting to the family next to us but we can still have our own time as well.

 

[Disney_Life84]

Call DCL and request a private table. Like you (OP), we have always sailed as a family and were granted private tables by request. My husband and I sailed alone for the first time in June, and we were worried about having to share a table. We booked our cruise on opening day and called immediately after booking to request a private table. Even though we requested early, I was still worried our request would not be granted. So, on embarkation day, we went to the area they have for dining changes and asked if our request for a private table had been granted. The ship was full and we were not granted, however, they gave us a card with a different table number than was shown on our KTTW card. We were told they were not guaranteeing anything, but would try hard to give us a private table. We were very happy to learn that evening at dinner that they were able to make it work for us to have a private table. I don't know how they did it, but we were very happy. DCL really does go above and beyond to try and make all guests happy. Also, be sure and let them know that it is your anniversary!

 

[Fire14]

On our last cruise we didn't request squat, wanted a table w others and we got table alone granted it was 2 cabins and we were celebrating annv. and had ordered a cake but still was kinda bummed. The couple at next table over were alone also not sure if because of no show table mates or just luck

 

[Fire14]

I think you'd be surprised by how many childless adults (or parents who stash the kids with grandma and go out for a parents-only vacay) cruise on Disney.

in my 5 cruises we've had table alone once and it was this last cruise where we were 2 cabins but total 4 adults.