Anyone else amazed at the way Carnival......

[westcruzer]

I have been on a few cruises and have been amazed how Carnival (and other cruise lines as well) has done so well matching up me and my wife or me and my brother with other people/couples for dinner. We have been matched up with great tablemates and really only had a small issue with one couple but easily ignored their attitude of "I'm always right." We have not always been set up with other couples and not always our age either. In fact the only one we had a slight disconnect with was a similar age group and we newlyweds on our honeymoon cruise.

 

Anyone know the method to the madness??

[firefly333]

I have always said the same thing, that they do a amazing job. I love traditional dining.

[vanityfur]

Really? On our first cruise (Inspiration), we had people that had nothing and I mean NOTHING in common. They were all in their 40s. We are in our early 30s. They wanted to talk nonstop. We just wanted to eat and relax.

 

I hate feeling like I have to talk nonstop... Big groups make me feel very uncomfortable...

 

Anytime dining was faboo! We really loved having a small table to ourselves on the Elation.

 

In April, me and my best friend took a pack-and-go. We got late seating. (We like eating late.) But, would have preferred not to have been in traditional seating. I think we will go and see if the MD can put us at a smaller table. (Hopefully, once he sees how anti-social we are, it will help his decision, lol.)

[westcruzer]

Really? On our first cruise (Inspiration), we had people that had nothing and I mean NOTHING in common. They were all in their 40s. We are in our early 30s. They wanted to talk nonstop. We just wanted to eat and relax.

 

I hate feeling like I have to talk nonstop... Big groups make me feel very uncomfortable...

 

Anytime dining was faboo! We really loved having a small table to ourselves on the Elation.

 

In April, me and my best friend took a pack-and-go. We got late seating. (We like eating late.) But, would have preferred not to have been in traditional seating. I think we will go and see if the MD can put us at a smaller table. (Hopefully, once he sees how anti-social we are, it will help his decision, lol.)

 

I can see how if you are anti-social this wouldn't really be a fit for you. My wife and I or my brother and I are very social. I enjoy talking with people and learning about the differences in the world.

 

Cruises pre-2002 were when I was a minor and really just enjoyed the cruises and only think all the cruises being absolutely perfect.

 

On our Honeymoon cruise in 2002 we were at an 8 person table and it seemed that was pretty easy....most were in their 20's and engaged, newlyweds or married for less than 5 years.

 

In 2009 my brother and I took the deal of the century when the week-long cruise on splendor that was diverted from Mexico to Canada and it was only $199 pp for an inside cabin for a one week cruise! We were mated with a Mother/Daughter, a lesbian couple, and 2 friends that were girls. So 2 married men and 6 unmarried women was kinda wierd if you just look at it on paper but in person they were all great people to chat with.

 

In 2009 on Elation we had our own table with 7 people but with 3 adults (me, wife and wife's friend) and 4 minors (14 and under) they put us right by a window which was just GREAT!

 

In 2009 on Caribbean Princess I had earned a cruise through my work out of San Juan my wife and I were at an 8 person table. The easy way would have been to pair us up with the other people that earned the trip from my work as well. Instead we were paired with 2 other couples that were in their 50's from the 48 states and 2 friends that were in their late 40's from San Juan on a last minute purchase for super cheap. My wife and I were 29 and 31 at the time.

 

So when I think about these "pairings" on paper I just don't see it. But yet everything has been great. I must say whatever it is, they do a great job.

[TNNative]

DH and I are taking second cruise on Carnival in May. We are sort of newbies but were really looking forward to all the fun of meeting new people on our first cruise at the dinner table. It was our anniversary cruise, however, we were disappointed that we were seated at a private table for two instead of having the chance to meet people. On this second cruise, we chose the Anytime dining plan, and wouldn't mind meeting people if we can but don't know how to go about making this happen. We'll be classified in the VIP boarding because of our cabin choice, but don't want to be isolated. We sat beside one couple at another table for two during the whole first cruise, and finally just approached them ourselves at one of the evening shows, and then talked with them several times during the following days. After we returned home we connected on Facebook, and it's fun to have a new "penpal" of sorts from another part of the country. How does one get "matched" with people at the mealtimes? Any advice would be appreciated.

[Thoth]

Yep...great job usually.

[hermajestylanie]

We had a great couple the same age as us and lived near the same city we did. Last cruise they also set us up with a young couple. But they were insane. Literally. They were drunk off their butts and high on something. They were inappropraite, talked about vasious sexual positions at dinner, and insulted the wait staff. Thanfully they only came one night toward the end of the 7 day cruise. The next night we asked to not be seated with them, but the waiter was hesitant even though their were tons of tables available as it was late seating. Thankfully they didn't show up again. Yikes. It was really terrible.

[Baxy]

Last cruise we went on was the miracle we were seated with a couple on their 2nd cruise but first time on 8 day their first was a shot 4 day to test the waters... anyways the gentleman was a few years older than my wife and I and mentioned he had decided in his 40's it was time to lose a bit of weight , start taking better care of himself.... SO on nite 2 it was prime rib and lobster nite , I of course order the usual BOTH. I could see that he was a little confused by my order and said, not being rude at all "my personal trainer gave me a few trips to survive the cruise without gaining too much" and proceded to order I think the salmon or one of the lite choices.

WELL when the meals started arriving he takes one look at my plate(s) and immediatly signals the waiter to "change his order if it wasn't too much trouble" LOL after that the wine, food and laughs just kept rolling !!

He did exercise first thing in the morning but definatly took part in the fabulous food and abundant drink options

[golfadj]

Strangely enough we have had to make changes to our tables on most of our last 6 or so cruises.

 

This was due to getting wrong dining time, giving us anytime dining last month and tables for two on multiple occasions when we requested large tables.

 

When we went to the MD we were always matched up well.

[wmjrdn4ever]

Our last cruise in February 2011, we were matched with a family from China who had some difficulty with English (much better than our Chinese).

 

We had traditional dining at 6 PM. The Chinese family would show up somewhere around 7 o'clock every night, sit down like nothing happened and start to order. Because of the language issue, ordering was a painful, drawn out process and they would usually get their appetizer just before we would get our dessert.

 

The third night they showed up around 7:15, we were having dessert and the father looked very hurt and said "you didn't wait again?"

 

Very awkward.

[H82seaUgo]

we love meeting people.

 

but we found there's no real magic to it. when we go to the mdr for open seating during breakfast and lunch, we find the same kind of conversations kick up.

 

it's a bunch of people on vacation away from the monotony of life, willing to have and share a good time.

[Marysunshine]

This is a great opportunity for me to ask my question: I read somwhere on the boards that the waiters tend to wait until everyone at the table arrives to start taking orders and serving. Is this true? We are trying to decide whether to sit alone or with others and if we have to wait for everyone to arrive, we would rather sit alone.

[H82seaUgo]

they will probably ask you if you wish to wait. your choice. unless i know for sure, the answer is usually no. there are other dining venues that may be partaking in.

[Chris41]

This is a great opportunity for me to ask my question: I read somwhere on the boards that the waiters tend to wait until everyone at the table arrives to start taking orders and serving. Is this true? We are trying to decide whether to sit alone or with others and if we have to wait for everyone to arrive, we would rather sit alone.

 

They will wait a short amount of time however on all my cruises I have noticed that most people show within a few minutes of each other so it was reallya non issue.

 

most people will also inform the other diners at the table and the waitstaff if they are not planning on being at the table the next night due to other dining arangements

[MiamiSpartan]

We had a time where my mother, sister and I were all on a cruise....

Mom and Dad had moved to Wheaton, IL back in the mid 50's, so we were all born and raised there....

We sat with two couples who did not know each other, but both had spent time in Naperville, which is the town on the southern border of Wheaton....

The next couple showed up to the table and I jokingly asked them what part of Chicago they were from (prior to formal introductions), they looked at me very surprised, and said they were currently living in Glen Ellyn, the town that borders Wheaton to the east.....!!:eek:

Very odd, since we had all moved to various parts of the country....

[bmoranmd10]

I have been on a few cruises and have been amazed how Carnival (and other cruise lines as well) has done so well matching up me and my wife or me and my brother with other people/couples for dinner. We have been matched up with great tablemates and really only had a small issue with one couple but easily ignored their attitude of "I'm always right." We have not always been set up with other couples and not always our age either. In fact the only one we had a slight disconnect with was a similar age group and we newlyweds on our honeymoon cruise.

 

Anyone know the method to the madness??

 

DW and I generally avoid larger tables. We've had a couple real tablemate trainwrecks. When we cruise with friends we get a table for the group and when we cruise by ourselves we get a table for 2.

[elcuchio24]

We have not had similar luck. We have been matched with 'similar' folks, but really only by age (of course how else can CCL know interests, etc) but nothing else and have not often found much in common with anyone at our table. In fact we have never really hit it off with our tablemates, and a few times we have been stuck with some real stinkers. Funny thing is, the people we have met on the ship, changed tables and ended up eating with most nights we a middle aged couple from canada and a couple in their 70's from England who were awesome (ended up giving us the keys to their vacation house in cancun for a week the next year!).

 

For us, we never liked traditional dining and started going mostly with NCL because of this a few years ago. Now we are back with CCL but ONLY do anytime dining.

[laurenpie]

I was on the Valor in October & they matched me and my husband (who are in 20's) with people in their 50's.

They were like us, from Australia.

 

We don't go to America to hang with other Aussies (other than each other), we got along well with alot of other American's and Canadian's that we saw would have been nice to have dinner together

 

Year before, Royal Caribbean put us with 2 couples our age.. we got on well & kept in contact via Facebook/email.

 

:)

[MagnoliaFly]

I believe the Maitre'd does this as his/her job. Who was the person that said they didn't understand why they should tip the Maitre'd?

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Do they really "match" people up? I figured it was random.

[SadieN]

Do they really "match" people up? I figured it was random.

 

They try to match based on age and group makeup. There is nowhere on the form about personality except table size request. Only time we've had problem was when we had a table of four and the table next to us had 'the icky noise people' one night.

[CruzKnitr]

Do they really "match" people up? I figured it was random.

 

I usually travel in a group so table mates are almost never an issue but last trip there were just 2 of us and I was amazed that we were matched up with 3 other pairs, no couples, just older long time friends and a MIL and DIL pair. It was a really nice group.

[H82seaUgo]

They try to match based on age and group makeup. There is nowhere on the form about personality except table size request. Only time we've had problem was when we had a table of four and the table next to us had 'the icky noise people' one night.

 

i`ve yet to be seated with anyone my age. we have always been the youngin`s.

[musicgal]

Our HAL cruise table was fully attended- and everyone was very well put together for the cruise. It was Alaska, so there were few sleeveless shirts to be seen;) On Carnival, our extended table was fairly empty- the one night we ate in the Lido, our waiter in the MDR told us he was disappointed that no one showed up that night. The most attended night was elegant night- after that, people dropped in occasionally. I'm pretty sure it had to do with the nature of the excursions people took, and their willingness (or lack thereof) to dress for dinner. The night we missed, we had climbed the waterfall in Jamaica- and I love the MDR, but ended up using the Lido and room service.

[Martini Mom]

Carnival has done a good job of matching us up age-wise, and family wise when we sailed with our kids, but they can't know everything. They do their best.

 

On our first cruise we were seated with 1 other couple at a table for four. We ordered a soda and then a glass of wine later. Our tablemates were very uncomfortable and told us so. They were of a religion that doesn't drink soda or alcohol. It was hard to not have others, like you have at a large table, to ease the tension.