Is there a way to request having a certain kind of family to have as tablemates?

[justmestace]

Last time we went, our tablemates not only never showed up but we found out that they had a young daughter instead of a son. We have a 7 year old boy and we know that he would have enjoyed meeting a new friend at our table. Is there a way to request being assigned to a table with boys our son's age? I know we can't do anything about the family not showing up

To answer your question simply, no. There really isn't a way to do this. If you have a travel agent, they can put in a request for you, but odds are it won't happen.

Or...you could request your own table, that request is more likely to be fulfilled.

Or....you could go to the room they have set up on the day you board, for making dining changes, and see if they can help you.
But the best suggestion so far was for you to get involved in the Meets Thread for your cruise and see if there's another family with a boy your son's age. Someone else

SORRY....SEE NEXT POST...my phone and fingers messed up.

 

[justmestace]

Last time we went, our tablemates not only never showed up but we found out that they had a young daughter instead of a son. We have a 7 year old boy and we know that he would have enjoyed meeting a new friend at our table. Is there a way to request being assigned to a table with boys our son's age? I know we can't do anything about the family not showing up

To answer your question simply, no. There really isn't a way to do this. If you have a travel agent, they can put in a request for you, but odds are it won't happen.

Or...you could request your own table, that request is more likely to be fulfilled.

Or....you could go to the room they have set up on the day you board, for making dining changes, and see if they can help you.
But the best suggestion so far was for you to get involved in the Meets Thread for your cruise and see if there's another family with a boy your son's age. Someone else is bound to have a boy who'd be excited to know he'd be sitting with another "guy". You don't have to join in all the activities they might come up with, like the Fish Extender gifts, etc, but if they make a list of who's going and ages of kids, you might find a good fit. You could PM the other family and discuss linking your dining.
Good luck!

 

[justmestace]

Sorry for the double (half) post. Stupid phone and fat fingers!

 

[justmestace]

This is interesting because I'm debating the idea myself. We are concierge so I don't know if we will get our own table, though I suspect that that level if we request it, it will be granted. On our first cruise it was Me, DH, and DS2 and the first night we sat with another couple with a DD who was 2, but they had requested first seating and were accommodated so the other nights we had the table to ourselves. On the one hand, DH and I have enjoyed shared tables on other cruises. On the other, DD (who will be 2) is very much a "monkey see, monkey do" child and will imitate inappropriate behavior, and I worry about another child demonstrating that to her--she gets enough inspiration from her own brother!

You won't automatically be seated alone because you have a suite. That info was false. BUT...you are correct, your request for a private table will be granted if it is at all possible. Rarely would it not be.
You should ask well ahead of your sail date, via shoreside concierge. If you don't manage to relay it ahead of time, you can ask them to move you when you meet with the staff onboard first thing. But better to not wait that long.

 

[cgolf]

When did they change this??

We've almost always cruised concierge level, and unless we arranged to be seated with friends, we weren't put at a table by ourselves. Ever.

And according to your signature, your last DCL cruise was the same year as mine.

When we upgraded last fall we called shoreside concierge to request that we get early dining and our own table with us and the res we were linked to. We were told this happened the instant we upgraded to concierge. It could be that this happened because we were a group of four?

 

[jm106]

Good luck op- Asking for your own table is a good option.
I have a 7 year old boy and an almost 5, honestly I never consodered that we should/would be seated with boys or girls just children. It wouldnt matter, its dinner, a small portion of time in the trip. I wouldnt worry too much over things like that. Kids find a natural way to get along and you are their to open communication a bit if he needs help.
But like pp, my ods fav kid in class is a girl. Sure most boys tend towards the same things but they are kids, kids have things in comon overall and if you are open minded, he will be too I am sure.

 

[cgolf]

I would roll the dice personally. My DD thankfully as a dad is a tomboy and would rather play catch than with dolls. Over our cruises, we have always been seated with boys, and interestingly it has been a mix, where some of the boys for lack of better words were more girly than she was.

Kids are kids and they tend to either get along or not regardless of gender, and even then that varies depending on the day especially when they hit the teens.

cgolf

 

[wallawallakids]

OP, It doesn't hurt to ask but I just would not depend on it. Maybe prepare your son for that in advance so he isn't disappointed. My children play equally with boys and girls, maybe because they are equally divided at home, but maybe not. I don't think they really see the difference between boy friends and girl friends. They just see friends. Also it isn't true that girls are not into "boy" stuff. I think that is an over generalization. I have an 11 year old girl who prefers ALL BOY stuff. She has never been "girly". She lives and breaths Star Wars. Loves Harry Potter. Refuses to wear dresses. Begs to wear her brother's boy jeans. Is sporty, outgoing, and smart. She had a Lord of the Rings birthday party this year and her best friend is a boy. You might just end up with a girl like her at the other end of the table.

I am a first grade teacher (although teaching kinder this year- and this year only!). I will say my really sporty boys tend to hang with really sporty boys (although there is always a girl or two ruffing it up on the soccer field right with them). And, the future "mean girls" tend to stick with girls. But other than that, they mix pretty well. Somedays the girls stick together, some days they all play together. My students last year frequently got a whole class conga line going at recess- girl or boy. Even the two polar groups, will and do play and interact with the other sex- just not as often. So, I don't find it super unusual to seat and girl and a boy of the same age together, in fact, I wouldn't even hardly look at that with 7 year olds. Maybe with the tween and up age group, once puberty and that associated shyness comes into play.

I completely agree. Only I think my tween will never be shy! She has "hit" that time but still prefers boys over girls. I am waiting for the day that will change but wonder if it is just her personality. She doesn't get it from me because I was a girly girl. Her little sister seems to be more like I was at that age. I think some girls have a lot wrapped up in that "I can do anything a boy can do" mentality. I think it gives them strength.

 

[mmouse37]

Since OP got many good options and this seems to have turned into a gender debate it is being closed.

MJ