Will dining be private tables now?

[I_love_Cruising]

I hope that they add a choice during the booking process for private table or shared, just like they have for main or second seating.

If not everybody is vaccinated onboard than i should have the choice if I want to risk eating with unvaccinated people.

 

[JWG]

I expect the Wish will launch in the pre-pandemic dining standard of mixed dining. Maybe with some more flexibility, but not the ability to allow all tables of 2 at the rate of guests of 2.
We haven't shared a table since 2005 as our trips since have been with 7+ family members and so we've been seated together.

 

[Sykes]

RIght? I'm one of them. I'm not particularly a social person, but I don't mind spending a couple of hours a night with strangers. In fact, sometimes, when we get lucky and have nice table mates, we actually enjoy it.

Same. I'm a total introvert, but I cruise as a party of two and meeting new table-mates is one of my favorite parts of the trip. I can totally understand how a family of 4 or more might feel differently though.

 

[DISNEYFAN3260]

Just today I booked a 5 night on the Wonder leaving from San Diego in September 2021 and asked about how dining is being handled. The CM said that they don't know whether private tables will be automatic for all parties yet so she recommended I still make the request.

 

[Meriweather]

I do not like dining with other people.....except family.
We always request a 2 top and have gotten it

 

[Robbydj13]

One can only hope.

I always enjoyed eating with other couples. Maybe we were just lucky and got people that were outgoing and talkative. Im sure there can be plenty that you would not want to eat with as well

 

[Dug720]

I always enjoyed eating with other couples. Maybe we were just lucky and got people that were outgoing and talkative. Im sure there can be plenty that you would not want to eat with as well

Yup.

My last cruise was sold out and they couldn't accommodate a private table for me, but it ended up being ok. A mother and adult daughter (honestly I was probably closer to the mother's age), a set of BFFs, and me. The BFFs kind of kept to themselves, but the mother, daughter and I talked and it ended up fine. Our server called us her Spice Girls.

I was on another one solo and it was like they did a solo dump - myself and two guys, all traveling alone. The guys hit it off and obviously had a lot in common in all aspects. I read my nook the first night, had Palo the second night, and the third night I thought I'd try Cabanas - but it was like they'd taken all my least favorite options to put on the menu, so I went to the dining room during first seating to see if there was a chance I could be moved. They were able to move me - my servers only had one very large table, so adding one solo diner was nothing. It was a MUCH better situation. I had the same head server, and I asked him to please let the other team know that it was NOT them and he said "Oh, we all were shocked you made it through the first night! We know."

My Wish cruise is now sold out, so unless it IS private tables, I'll be stuck with people again. I'll have the nook all set just in case. Then I can be the one people on here talk about being "the weird girl who read the whole time".

 

[wideeyedwonder]

RIght? I'm one of them. I'm not particularly a social person, but I don't mind spending a couple of hours a night with strangers. In fact, sometimes, when we get lucky and have nice table mates, we actually enjoy it.

We are a predominantly introvert heavy family, but we don’t mind eating with others; every family we’ve eaten with on our many cruises was wonderful. We’ve even made lifelong (although distant) friends with which we’ve even gone on cruises WITH after first meeting them on a previous cruise.

However, to each his/her own.

 

[ScrapHappy]

Yes, I wouldn't be surprised if they switched to this permanently. Eating at a shared table with another party does involve a lot of germs. Facing one another in close proximity for an hour+ with no masks, sharing a bread basket, etc. It will be hard to see DCL going back to shared tables anytime in the foreseeable future (and by that I mean years out, not just after the initial reopening period). So many people just won't want to do it, and DCL themselves won't want the germs to spread more than necessary. Switching out large tables for small ones is a relatively easy answer to this, although it will probably require more servers. Space between tables won't be huge, but it will be better than sitting right next to or across from the other party.

On the 2020 WBPC (aka the Pandemic Panama Canal cruise) we were seated at a table with 3 other couples. By mid-cruise when it became apparent that Covid-19 was a big deal, the wait staff changed how they did things. Each couple at the table got their own bread basket, own salt & pepper shakers and own dish of butter or dipping sauces for their bread. Basically any items that normally were shared at the table became traveling-group specific items. In Cabanas they took away all of the salt and pepper shakers and put out individually packets of salt and pepper. I'm pretty sure that if shared tables are still a thing once sailing begins again DCL will have a good plan in place to reduce or eliminate shared items.

 

[JWG]

Yup.

My last cruise was sold out and they couldn't accommodate a private table for me, but it ended up being ok. A mother and adult daughter (honestly I was probably closer to the mother's age), a set of BFFs, and me. The BFFs kind of kept to themselves, but the mother, daughter and I talked and it ended up fine. Our server called us her Spice Girls.

I was on another one solo and it was like they did a solo dump - myself and two guys, all traveling alone. The guys hit it off and obviously had a lot in common in all aspects. I read my nook the first night, had Palo the second night, and the third night I thought I'd try Cabanas - but it was like they'd taken all my least favorite options to put on the menu, so I went to the dining room during first seating to see if there was a chance I could be moved. They were able to move me - my servers only had one very large table, so adding one solo diner was nothing. It was a MUCH better situation. I had the same head server, and I asked him to please let the other team know that it was NOT them and he said "Oh, we all were shocked you made it through the first night! We know."

My Wish cruise is now sold out, so unless it IS private tables, I'll be stuck with people again. I'll have the nook all set just in case. Then I can be the one people on here talk about being "the weird girl who read the whole time".

I don't think we're on the same Wish cruise next summer, but we're a group of 5 and would be happy to have you fill out our 6th seat. Our daughter can talk to anyone (and sometimes we're ok if it's not us ).

 

[Dug720]

I don't think we're on the same Wish cruise next summer, but we're a group of 5 and would be happy to have you fill out our 6th seat. Our daughter can talk to anyone (and sometimes we're ok if it's not us ).

I'm on 8/29.

I've got some friends from a running group on it, but they're on early dining and I'm on late. I just like my early evening ship time too much to switch.

 

[JWG]

I'm on 8/29.

I've got some friends from a running group on it, but they're on early dining and I'm on late. I just like my early evening ship time too much to switch.

We're 6/24... and also late dining finally. We've done early the past 3 cruises because my very young nieces and/or nephews were with us. I look forward to switching back.

 

[wideeyedwonder]

On the 2020 WBPC (aka the Pandemic Panama Canal cruise)

Totally off topic, but did you guys have to miss 3 of your stops, due to COVID-19 ramping up and other things? I remember what March 2020 was like on dry land, the tail end of that cruise must have been...interesting.

 

[Snowwhyt]

If this is a trend going forward, I could see them removing the round tables and making all the tables rectangular 2 and 4 tops. This would allow them to rearrange the dining more easily.

Round and oval seemed classy to me. I will be sad to see it all corners and oddly numbered tables. (2 on one side 3 on another)
If people need privacy, it’s $45pp a meal at Palo?

 

[JWG]

Round and oval seemed classy to me. I will be sad to see it all corners and oddly numbered tables. (2 on one side 3 on another)
If people need privacy, it’s$40 pp a meal at Palo?

$45 unless Platinum
But room service is free.

 

[HiStitch626]

Round and oval seemed classy to me. I will be sad to see it all corners and oddly numbered tables. (2 on one side 3 on another)
If people need privacy, it’s$40 pp a meal at Palo?

I understand that, but if they are all 2 and 4 tops, you can move them together or apart as much as needed. Party of 2, no problem. Party of 20, no problem.

 

[Micca]

I'd assume for the next year or so it'll be private tables and over time go back to the larger tables.

This makes sense. They need to build confidence with guests that they have the virus situation under control. As the covid threat diminishes (fingers crossed) I think we'll see restrictions lifted, and if it goes really well it could happen pretty fast.

 

[Snowwhyt]

I understand that, but if they are all 2 and 4 tops, you can move them together or apart as much as needed. Party of 2, no problem. Party of 20, no problem.

Only problem is conversation. Do you ever gone to a mom and pop restaurant with a large party? Square tables can be pushed together but the people at one end of the table never get to listen/talk to the people at the other end. Always trying to look in front, or worse, behind someone further down from you that you wanted to speak with. I can see that at buffet/cafeteria settings but not the main dining rooms.
Perhaps the ability to add leaves to round tables to make oval would be best.

 

[JWG]

We've had parties as large as 11 on the cruise ship and the round table was the best. The rectangular table meant we could only talk to half of our group.

 

[HiStitch626]

Only problem is conversation. Do you ever gone to a mom and pop restaurant with a large party? Square tables can be pushed together but the people at one end of the table never get to listen/talk to the people at the other end. Always trying to look in front, or worse, behind someone further down from you that you wanted to speak with. I can see that at buffet/cafeteria settings but not the main dining rooms.
Perhaps the ability to add leaves to round tables to make oval would be best.

We've had parties as large as 11 on the cruise ship and the round table was the best. The rectangular table meant we could only talk to half of our group.

All of this is true, but if they really are going to give every party their own table, the round tables may go.