Seating at dinner post-COVID?

[Rebecca Pocahontas]

Before covid I would always call DCL to make sure my party of 3 would get a private table in the MDR. I will be going on the Wonder in January 2022 and I am wondering so they still try to put 2 different parties together at dinner or does every group get their own table?

I am mostly wondering, do I still need to contact DCL to ask for a private MDR table?

 

[lorimay]

All families had their own tables this week on The Magic. There was an empty table in between the tables as well.
I would still call and request it for January, I did.

You can do it through the chat feature online too.

 

[delo4]

We were just on the 5 day Fantasy cruise and our Head Server told us that they will only be seating people who have linked reservations. She said this will be a permanent thing. We used to always ask for private dining too, but apparently it will no longer be necessary to do.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

She said this will be a permanent thing.

I hope it's "permanent" for the time being. We really enjoyed sitting with others (as in someone new to us) on cruises.

 

[Pens Fan]

We were just on the 5 day Fantasy cruise and our Head Server told us that they will only be seating people who have linked reservations. She said this will be a permanent thing. We used to always ask for private dining too, but apparently it will no longer be necessary to do.

That's fantastic news! Even before Covid we didn't like being seated with random strangers. After the last year and a half? Yeah no thanks.

 

[LAX]

I hope it's "permanent" for the time being. We really enjoyed sitting with others (as in someone new to us) on cruises.

I supposed you can request to be seated with others either in advance or onboard when the pandemic is finally in the rearview mirror.

LAX

 

[Cheburashka]

Before covid I would always call DCL to make sure my party of 3 would get a private table in the MDR. I will be going on the Wonder in January 2022 and I am wondering so they still try to put 2 different parties together at dinner or does every group get their own table?

I am mostly wondering, do I still need to contact DCL to ask for a private MDR table?

I sailed the Magic solo a few weeks ago and was automatically given my own table. There were plenty of empty tables, too. This was with about 1,450 passengers onboard. I have another solo cruise booked for early January and am not worried at all about having my own table at that time- I'm sure it's going to be automatic because Covid isn't going anywhere and DCL is still taking full precautions: vaccine requirements, testing, masking, limited Cabanas offerings to allow several serving stations, etc. They aren't going to negate all of that by making unrelated guests share a table for meals where they will be maskless in close proximity for an hour plus each day, sharing a breadbasket, etc. Not going to happen.

 

[Cheburashka]

I supposed you can request to be seated with others either in advance or onboard when the pandemic is finally in the rearview mirror.

But unless the policy is reversed, you could only be seated with strangers who had also requested to be seated with strangers. Not many people are going to do that. DCL was already dealing with a fair number of small parties asking for their own table before the pandemic. I am inclined to believe the PP that the pandemic has nudged them into changing this part of their business model. Most passengers will probably be happy with the change.

 

[rhinodadz]

We were just on the 5 day Fantasy cruise and our Head Server told us that they will only be seating people who have linked reservations. She said this will be a permanent thing. We used to always ask for private dining too, but apparently it will no longer be necessary to do.

I'm all in for this! We've had more duds as random tablemates than not. I'm not on vacation to make new friends. Happy to chat with folks at the pool or in a bar, but not at all interested in a full week of forced togetherness. Plus, I'd rather spend that time with my family.

 

[tvguy]

Certainly not an issue for us. But Disney was the only cruise where they gave us a table to ourselves long before covid. Our kids particularly enjoyed have others at the table.

 

[jktmom]

I'm all in for this! We've had more duds as random tablemates than not. I'm not on vacation to make new friends. Happy to chat with folks at the pool or in a bar, but not at all interested in a full week of forced togetherness. Plus, I'd rather spend that time with my family.

Could not agree more. I can't stand that you had to request a private table pre-covid. We go on vacation to enjoy each other's company as we have busy lives at home. Not to meet and dine with strangers.

 

[lorimay]

Great news!

 

[MomOTwins]

I was on a Dream cruise in October with over 2,000 guests and while we had a private table, the dining room was very much packed. When the ship gets back to 4,000, I don’t see how private tables will be possible. January will likely still be reduced capacity though so I think it is a fair assumption things won’t change before then.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

When the ship gets back to 4,000, I don’t see how private tables will be possible.

It's been mentioned that they're going to 3 dinner seatings, to spread out the numbers.

 

[juxtapose]

This is good news, I have 2 loud and messy kids, and I'd hate to be seated without another party especially if they were adults only! I remember hating being seated with people I didn't know when I cruised as a kid (I'm super introverted lol).

 

[DisneyMom_13]

It's been mentioned that they're going to 3 dinner seatings, to spread out the numbers.

Hmm that could be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

[TreeFalls]

Related question, we have 9 people in our group, will they put us together or split us up? Or do we need to request one way or the other? And I assume they can figure out who's in "our group" by the fact that the three reservations are linked.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Related question, we have 9 people in our group, will they put us together or split us up? Or do we need to request one way or the other? And I assume they can figure out who's in "our group" by the fact that the three reservations are linked.

If your reservations are linked, then you should be seated together. You can confirm this once onboard. Head for the dining changes location and ask about your table seating.