How to dine with 13 person party?

[emlu82]

My family of 13 will be aboard the NA at the end of December. We are not all attached at the hip, but it would be nice to dine together when in the main dining room.

 

Do you generally sit at the same table every meal?

 

Are there large party tables?

 

Is this even possible?

[kazu]

I think you will need to request 2 adjacent tables - one for 6 and one for 8 (for the 7). I haven't seen any tables this large on a ship.

[Alberta Quilter]

We were a party of ten and had requested early fixed dining. All of our reservation numbers were linked so that we were all together for dinner. We were assigned, as Kazu indicated, two adjacent tables, one of six and one of four. There was a small aisle in between the tables.

 

We mixed ourselves up every evening so we could sit beside someone different each night. One night, we even had a boys' table and a girls' table.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[KirkNC]

Are you in fixed seating or open dining? Either way I doubt you can get one table, I think 10 is the most I have ever seen at one table. I would suggest going to the MDR first thing once on board (or even calling Ship Services prior to going) and trying to at a minimum get two tables side by side.

 

Kirk

[sail7seas]

A number of times, I have seen two and even three adjoining tables of friends and family and they are rotate around from night to night so all eventually dine with everyone at one point or another. Sometimes the same stewards will be serving the two or three tables and sometimes it may be two teams.

 

It always seems to work out fine and all seem happy.

 

Have fun.

Be SURE to have all your confirmation numbers linked so there is no confusion you all want to dine together. You or your TA can do that.

[excruisestaff]

My family of 13 will be aboard the NA at the end of December. We are not all attached at the hip, but it would be nice to dine together when in the main dining room.

 

Do you generally sit at the same table every meal?

 

Are there large party tables?

 

Is this even possible?

 

 

You should also have all of your bookings cross-referenced, so that prior to sailing, HAL is aware that you all want to be seated together, no matter which type of dining you chose. Hopefully, you chose "fixed" dining (main or late), as then your tables are guaranteed to be there for you. However, if some or all of you decide not to dine at your assigned time/place any night, it's best to let the dining staff know in advance, so they are not waiting for people who are definitely not showing up. They might be able to also then accommodate other fellow passengers for that evening.

 

If you didn't choose "fixed" dining, I personally suggest that you get a consensus from your group as to when and where they'd like to dine (maybe have a couple of choices as well), at least the first night or two, then see the Maitre D' upon boarding. He/she will help you work out something. HINT: If you like your first night's seating, ask them if you can reserve the same time/place for every night. Lots of times they will.

 

Love the other poster's idea of switching seats nightly so you all get to dine with everyone! HAVE FUN :)

[mor mor]

We often cruise with our family of 10 and they give us one table. We switch who we are sitting next to every night.

[jbhcw]

We were on the NA last week...15 of us with two tables for 8, early fixed seating. It worked well except for the first few nights...We had two different teams and our table was very understaffed the first night so we finished dinner very late, but it improved as the week went by.

 

We also switched seating and the the staff handled it very well.