How does DCL treat solo travelers in the Dining rooms?

[ajiuo]

I haven’t been on a cruise since Disney built its first ships. I was thinking of taking a 3 day solo cruise on the Dream during my Florida trip next year. I would love to go to Lighthouse Point.

My big hang up on the whole thing is the dining situation. I go on solo Disney trips, and eating alone does not bother me… but. The idea of being put at a table with other people who I don’t know as a solo traveler seems like it would be really awkward, and I feel extremely uncomfortable with the idea of it.

I know I could go to one of the separate restaurants to sit alone. But I would kind of like to experience the dining rooms. I’ve been on cruises with family as a kid. I didn’t particularly like the communal dining situation, then either… but at least I had people I knew there, so I could deal with it okay.

Kind of curious how many people have had to deal with this.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

You can request a private table in the App. Go to Special Requests, then click through to Table Requests, then you will see an option which says Please Select Where You Prefer To Be Seated and then select one of the following

1. Near a Window
2. In a Quieter Location
3. Near a Screen for Entertainment
4. At a Private Table
5. Near the Center of the Dining Room

I do solo travel a lot, I go to Disneyland California solo, so I am very comfortable dining alone. I was solo on my first cruise last year on The Magic, the Norway Fjords cruise. I didnt feel left out by my serving team, I still got excellent service and had a chat each night with my team, the same as every other table. I guess it helps that I'm a chatty person anyway but I also made the effort to introduce myself to the table beside me. I do Disneybounding and match my outfit to the restaurant theme, so it is a great ice breaker. I had no issues with the private table and I loved going to the MDR each night.

Im going on my second Disney cruise in a few weeks times, the 4 night Southampton Spanish Cruise on The Dream . I have requested a private table again.

 

[Dug720]

Just know that there is a chance they will not be able to honor a private table request. They will TRY, but sometimes they cannot.

You can always go to the dining changes area to see if the request was honored and if not, if it can be. The one time I didn't go there I was put at what I call the "solo dump" table - it legit seemed like they had just put the solos at one table. The 2 guys got along fine but it was NOT a match for me. And it was a 7-night cruise. I had Palo the second night, and I had figured I'd just go to Cabanas the remaining nights and try for Palo for the last night (this was when Cabanas was open as a sit-down at dinner). Well, it was like they took my least favorite items from each of the MDRs and put them on the Cabanas menu. So I went to my assigned MDR and spoke with the manager. She said to check back at the start of second seating and they'd try. They did find me a table - I had the same head server, which allowed me to ask him to please let my team know it was not them and he said "Oh, we knew from the time your table ordered that was not going to work." and assured me it was no problem.

The next time I went to check and because the cruise was completely full, there was no way they could honor the request - even if I was willing to switch dining times or rotations. But it worked much better that time - I was at a table with a mother and adult daughter and two young women who'd been best friends their whole lives. We all got along well, and our servers were awesome.

So just know that they will TRY to honor the request, but sometimes it's just not possible. Give it a shot though - it's not always horrible if you're seated with others.

I've never been treated as less-than as a solo. Especially when I've gotten a private table I feel like I actually get more attention from my servers. (And everyone else is too wrapped up in their vacation to worry about the solo diner.)

 

[motherdaughtercruisers]

You can request a private table in the App. Go to Special Requests, then click through to Table Requests, then you will see an option which says Please Select Where You Prefer To Be Seated and then select one of the following

1. Near a Window
2. In a Quieter Location
3. Near a Screen for Entertainment
4. At a Private Table
5. Near the Center of the Dining Room

I do solo travel a lot, I go to Disneyland California solo, so I am very comfortable dining alone. I was solo on my first cruise last year on The Magic, the Norway Fjords cruise. I didnt feel left out by my serving team, I still got excellent service and had a chat each night with my team, the same as every other table. I guess it helps that I'm a chatty person anyway but I also made the effort to introduce myself to the table beside me. I do Disneybounding and match my outfit to the restaurant theme, so it is a great ice breaker. I had no issues with the private table and I loved going to the MDR each night.

Im going on my second Disney cruise in a few weeks times, the 4 night Southampton Spanish Cruise on The Dream . I have requested a private table again.

I didn’t know it was this easy now to request a certain type of table. (And yes, I know they will try, but no guarantee. I just didn’t know they had streamlined it.) Thanks for sharing!

 

[loislane]

Edited to note my bad - there are some Dream cruises later in the year that I missed. Just ignore me.

 

[auntlynne]

Just wanted to note that the Dream is not sailing to LP. The Fantasy is doing the inaugural from PC and then it's the Magic out of Fort Lauderdale. Wanted to make sure you knew that in case you had your heart set on the Dream.

The Fantasy is also cruising to LP and Castaway Fall 2024. At least a few longer cruises.

 

[auntlynne]

(Duplicate post)

 

[RedHead0186]

I cruised solo on the Wish back in April. I had the same worry you did. I was fine with a private table (dining alone), but being placed with random strangers gave me anxiety.

I did request a private table (as PP suggested). I went to dining changes once I got on the ship to confirm it. They hadn't done it, but did it for me on the spot so I was able to have my own table. I'm really glad I did, because I saw the table I was supposed to be at-it was a guy in his mid-to-late forties maybe? I'm a mid-thirties woman, so I think it would have been really awkward to be seated with him (think awkward blind date vibes).

I think it's easier to get a private table if you do late dining-that seating is less popular so there's more 'room' to move people around. And definitely check with dining changes once you're on the ship to see if they gave you a private table (and if not, see if they can do it for you then). It's not a guarantee, as others said, but worth an ask!

 

[Lizgistix]

I'm the wrong person to respond to this. I was sat with 3 other solo travelers and I had a blast! And then during the cruise I periodically would run into one of my tablemates, so it was kinda fun to have someone to at least say hi to, knowing I'd see them again later at dinner. I did choose a quiet table, away from all the commotion, but that's so I had a chance to talk to everyone and get to know them. I also got to chat with people at the table next to us and periodically ran into them on the ship as well.
I'm a bit of a social butterfly.

 

[CarolynFH]

@Bad Pink Tink 2.0, thanks for the clear instructions on making a request. I had tried last night, but the drop-down box was empty or wouldn’t drop or something. I tried again just now and requested Near a Window, because DH and I agree we don’t mind meeting new people, but we really love to be near a window, even when it’s dark outside.

 

[TBLaube]

I cruised solo on the Wish back in April. I had the same worry you did. I was fine with a private table (dining alone), but being placed with random strangers gave me anxiety.

I did request a private table (as PP suggested). I went to dining changes once I got on the ship to confirm it. They hadn't done it, but did it for me on the spot so I was able to have my own table. I'm really glad I did, because I saw the table I was supposed to be at-it was a guy in his mid-to-late forties maybe? I'm a mid-thirties woman, so I think it would have been really awkward to be seated with him (think awkward blind date vibes).

I think it's easier to get a private table if you do late dining-that seating is less popular so there's more 'room' to move people around. And definitely check with dining changes once you're on the ship to see if they gave you a private table (and if not, see if they can do it for you then). It's not a guarantee, as others said, but worth an ask!

Great advice! I have done over a dozen solo trips with DCL and enjoy sitting with other people. However, I have also sat alone several times, especially after the pandemic.

I always go to the dining changes area to find out the table situation. I want to know if I am alone or with other people. They always offer to make changes according to my needs and wants. I am easygoing and go with the flow, but I like to know if I am walking into a solo table or if there will be others.

I have lucked out, remained friends with most of my past tablemates, and met some extremely interesting and amazing people. However, I have no issue sitting alone and enjoying a book or time to myself.

I hope you enjoy your solo experience. I love it! Happy to answer any questions.