Requesting to sit alone at dinner

[wendlle]

I see there are a few threads on requesting to sit alone for the rotational dinners. But most of these threads are about families of 4 or more and some have requests filled and others not (most did)

I am going with my Husband, we don't have any kids or anyone else in our party - just the two of us. My Hubby is extremely shy and for reasons that are my own I don't want to be seated with any kids.

Do you think we could request a table alone for just the two of us? I really want to dine in some of these restaurants especially Animator's Palate but really don't want to sit with other people.

 

[wilma-bride]

You can certainly make the request. I don't think there are many tables for two in the main dining rooms but it has been known for couples to be seated alone.

While I understand your reticence about being seated with strangers, is there anything you can do to make it easier, such as joining the group for your cruise and getting to know some of the others who are going and see if you can link up with them for dining

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I see there are a few threads on requesting to sit alone for the rotational dinners. But most of these threads are about families of 4 or more and some have requests filled and others not (most did)

I am going with my Husband, we don't have any kids or anyone else in our party - just the two of us. My Hubby is extremely shy and for reasons that are my own I don't want to be seated with any kids.

Do you think we could request a table alone for just the two of us? I really want to dine in some of these restaurants especially Animator's Palate but really don't want to sit with other people.

Magic and Wonder, very few table tops for two, Fantasy and Dream have some, if the cruise is full the chances of your own table is low, but on late dinner which is less popular you stand a better chance.

Also why not post with people on your cruise meets thread and see if there is another couple that you like and link ressies so you fit with them, it takes the random lottery of who you sit with away.


But always put in a request you may be lucky.

 

[julydreamer]

We are leaving next week on the fantasy and have a request in for me, DH and DM to sit alone. And have requested in September to be alone with DH. Due to hectic and cross schedules we don't see each other often and just get to have days together at a time so we like to be able have that time to ourselves and not share each other!

 

[Pixie Naseweis]

I have done 2 cruises so far (Dream and Magic) and requested both times to sit alone with my party (one and two other persons). The reason is mainly that I/we am/are not native english speakers and it won't be easy for us to chat along with others in english while dining. It is much easier and more relaxing to be on our own. Just ask Disney or your TA to put in the request and you will see.

You might have more luck if you choose the late seating. We had late seating on the Dream and first seating on the Magic (but this was on a Med cruise with lots of spanish and french people who preferred late seating).

 

[lorimay]

When we don't travel with our family of 8, I always ask for a table for just us.
5 of 5 times we have been given a 4 top for just the two of us.
Just give DCL a call after you make your reservation.
They will tell you its just a request no guarantee.

 

[Maddon]

My husband and I have cruised twice on the Dream alone. We have three children and wanted some time sans children. We needed alone time and had no interest in sharing a table with others on either of these cruises. Both cruises were in May so not peak season. Our request was granted on our first cruise. On the second one we were assigned a table with two other couples. I checked on this before dinner and request again that we be seated alone explaining why the request had been made. Disney was happy to move us to a table alone. We did have late seating and our cruise was not sold out. I'm not certain if our request could have been met if our cruise had been full.

We have shared a table before when cruising with our children. In all honesty we do prefer not to share but it wasn't a horrible experience. The other family was matched well with our children's ages. We all managed to get along well.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Ask for a private table (have your TA note it in your reservation or DCL note it if you booked direct). As others have mentioned, there are no 2-top tables, but DCL will seat you alone at a 4-top. Follow up with your request once you are onboard with wherever dining changes are being handled. Don't wait till dinner starts to confirm your request.

You stand a great chance of having your request honored if you have late seating, aren't cruising during peak dates, and aren't fussy about your dining rotation.

If, by chance, you are sailing concierge, you are pretty much guaranteed to dine alone, unless you request to sit with others.

Enjoy!

 

[DisneYE]

I see there are a few threads on requesting to sit alone for the rotational dinners. But most of these threads are about families of 4 or more and some have requests filled and others not (most did)

I am going with my Husband, we don't have any kids or anyone else in our party - just the two of us. My Hubby is extremely shy and for reasons that are my own I don't want to be seated with any kids.

Do you think we could request a table alone for just the two of us? I really want to dine in some of these restaurants especially Animator's Palate but really don't want to sit with other people.

highly unlikely they will give you a table just for the 2 of you.
why not ask to be seated with other adults without kids? lots of non kids couples on the cruise...
you can even ask for similar aged couples, who speak your language, etc..
we've done this 3/4 times and all of them DCL accommodated our requests..

 

[tweis]

I see there are a few threads on requesting to sit alone for the rotational dinners. But most of these threads are about families of 4 or more and some have requests filled and others not (most did)

I am going with my Husband, we don't have any kids or anyone else in our party - just the two of us. My Hubby is extremely shy and for reasons that are my own I don't want to be seated with any kids.

Do you think we could request a table alone for just the two of us? I really want to dine in some of these restaurants especially Animator's Palate but really don't want to sit with other people.

My DH and I cruised sans kids on the Dream last year. We had our TA request a specific dining rotation AND that we be seated alone. We were given the rotation AND a 4 top to ourselves. This was during the late seating and we requested it many months in advance.

highly unlikely they will give you a table just for the 2 of you.
why not ask to be seated with other adults without kids? lots of non kids couples on the cruise...
you can even ask for similar aged couples, who speak your language, etc..
we've done this 3/4 times and all of them DCL accommodated our requests..

I don't think it is unlikely that they will be given a table to themselves IF it is requested far enough in advance. We were given the rotation we requested and seated by ourselves. Obviously, DCL cannot accommodate everyone's requests, but they do try.

You gave the OP very good options though that do not involve being seated with children.

 

[tinkerone]

highly unlikely they will give you a table just for the 2 of you.
why not ask to be seated with other adults without kids? lots of non kids couples on the cruise...
you can even ask for similar aged couples, who speak your language, etc..
we've done this 3/4 times and all of them DCL accommodated our requests..

not highly unlikely at all. we have requested this for dh and myself on all but one cruise and have always been granted it, in fact our last cruise was a b2b on the fantasy and had it for both sailings, 14 days. we have even always had first seating.

the only time I did not request it we were seated with three other couples who were all very nice. the only reason I often asked for our own table was because my job was interacting with people on a daily basis and I wanted a little alone time that did not entail interacting with more strangers.
but its not highly unlikely.

opp, when you board make sure to go to the dinning requests station (usually opens at 1 or 1:30) and make sure your request was granted. if it wasn't this will be your opportunity to see about changing it.

 

[wendlle]

Wow thank you I didn't expect so many replies.

We are on the Fantasy Sept 20 Sailing, 7 night Eastern Caribbean with the late seating.
The main two reasons we want to sit alone is because I don't want to be one of the people that gets talked about on here about not talking to the tablemates. My Husband WILL NOT talk to anyone he doesn't know and even then he is very shy. He barely talks to my parents and we have been together for 8 years! It's just how he rolls LOL
The other reason is that I'm afraid we will get seated with children, now don't get me wrong I LOVE kids but I just found out that I can't have kids (unless we do very expensive IVF and then no guarantees) and we already have this vacation booked so there is no going back. It is very hard for me to be around children at the moment, maybe by September I might be feeling better but not right now anyway. Also my job means i'm talking talking talking all the time to people and this vacation is about me relaxing, not having to converse with people all the time.

I'll have my TA put in a request and hope that it is fulfilled. If not we will get room service. I hope it is because I really want to experience the restaurants.

 

[abja09]

I have been on 2 DCL cruises and requested a table alone for my son and I. Both times the request was granted. We were at the early seating and were seated at a 4 top for the two of us. I will also be requesting a table alone for our upcoming DCL cruise in August.

 

[LenaN4fun]

Wow thank you I didn't expect so many replies. We are on the Fantasy Sept 20 Sailing, 7 night Eastern Caribbean with the late seating. The main two reasons we want to sit alone is because I don't want to be one of the people that gets talked about on here about not talking to the tablemates. My Husband WILL NOT talk to anyone he doesn't know and even then he is very shy. He barely talks to my parents and we have been together for 8 years! It's just how he rolls LOL The other reason is that I'm afraid we will get seated with children, now don't get me wrong I LOVE kids but I just found out that I can't have kids (unless we do very expensive IVF and then no guarantees) and we already have this vacation booked so there is no going back. It is very hard for me to be around children at the moment, maybe by September I might be feeling better but not right now anyway. Also my job means i'm talking talking talking all the time to people and this vacation is about me relaxing, not having to converse with people all the time. I'll have my TA put in a request and hope that it is fulfilled. If not we will get room service. I hope it is because I really want to experience the restaurants.

We are Also on the sept 20th sailing. See you on hoard

 

[I❤MICKEY]

We sailed on the Magic in February 2013 and Fantasy in October 2013. We saw a lot of tables with only 2 people. Most were sat at a 4-top but they were able to get tables to themselves. At least a dozen tables if not more during our late seating.

DCL does there very best to accommodate. I would submit the request via TA and then follow-up when you get on the ship.

Based on a recent DCL survey I participated in I think DCL is realizing more and more families would prefer to sit alone. There were a few questions related to tables for just your party including if you would be willing to pay an additional fee. I hope that does not happen.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Aw, OP, hugs to you. I'm sorry you are going through that. You don't owe anyone an explanation as to why you want to be seated by yourself. Plenty of us want to as well, all for our own reasons. I was once told (on these boards) that I should try being seated with others, it's what cruising is about, I might like it. Um, no, I don't want to, not at dinner, and I sure don't like other people telling me how to vacation, especially when my decisions have no impact on others. To each his own!

We sailed on the Magic in February 2013 and Fantasy in October 2013. We saw a lot of tables with only 2 people. Most were sat at a 4-top but they were able to get tables to themselves. At least a dozen tables if not more during our late seating.

DCL does there very best to accommodate. I would submit the request via TA and then follow-up when you get on the ship.

Based on a recent DCL survey I participated in I think DCL is realizing more and more families would prefer to sit alone. There were a few questions related to tables for just your party including if you would be willing to pay an additional fee. I hope that does not happen.

Good grief! I hope that they don't start charging for private tables too!

 

[starwarsdisney]

I see there are a few threads on requesting to sit alone for the rotational dinners. But most of these threads are about families of 4 or more and some have requests filled and others not (most did)

I am going with my Husband, we don't have any kids or anyone else in our party - just the two of us. My Hubby is extremely shy and for reasons that are my own I don't want to be seated with any kids.

Do you think we could request a table alone for just the two of us? I really want to dine in some of these restaurants especially Animator's Palate but really don't want to sit with other people.

My wife and I have been on 2 Disney cruises (about to be 3). Each time we have requested a table for just us (we don't have kids). My wife is hearing impaired so sitting with strangers is not really something we want to do. It would stress her out on what should be a relaxing time. For the 2 cruises that I meantioned before we have been given our own table, both times during the first seating. Hopefully, that will be true for our 3 cruise in a little under 3 weeks...

We just explain to them that we don't have children, my wife's condition and that we would really prefer to have our own table. I hope this helps.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Yes you can absolutely request. There are very few if any tables for two in the MDRs though. You'd be placed at a four top.

 

[Satarma]

I'll have my TA put in a request and hope that it is fulfilled. If not we will get room service. I hope it is because I really want to experience the restaurants.

As an alternative to room service, if you are unable to get a table to yourselves in the MDRs, you can go to the buffet restaurant on the Fantasy, Cabanas. It's set up for a buffet for breakfast and lunch, but they turn it into full-service dining at around 6-ish or so. No reservations needed, no extra charges. The only bad thing about this is that it's not in one of the MDRs, so you wouldn't get that experience.

My mother and I have gone to Cabanas for dinner (on both the Dream and Fantasy as well as Beach Blanket Buffet on the Wonder) before and the menus are the same as what's being served in the main rotations. It's also much quieter because most people tend to go to the MDR anyways.

 

[AshleeH]

I called earlier this week and put in this request. I know there's no guarantee and we have cruised (not DCL, but cruised) in the past and enjoyed our tablemates. This will be our first family cruise and it would be nice if we could all have a table alone. If it doesn't happen, no big deal, but if it does, bonus .