Move away from seating with 'strangers' in MDR

[poncho1973]

I used to work at a small company with a woman who complained that every cruise she went on, by the end of the cruise there was no one left at the table other than her & her husband. "It's not like they could leave the boat or anything, but they disappeared."

 

Oddly, every time she was in the break room at work, no one took a break or ate lunch.

 

I'm not saying those 2 things are related, oh wait, nevermind... they are completely related. Absolutely related.

[ladytaekwondo]

My DH and I love meeting new people----!! It would be sad not to continue with this cruise tradition!!!!!

[ryano]

Nah, I'm with mema... it's just kind of a strange thing to do. :confused::cool:

.

 

People cant win for losing around here :o So often when someone brings up a topic, people tell them to use the search feature. When someone uses the search feature and find an old thread relevant to their needs and its bumped to the top, people complain about bumping old threads LOL.

[reallyitsmema]

I'll check that out for our 3 April 2016 Celebrity Eclipse Cruise. Thanks for bring this thread back from the archives no matter what a couple of whiners posted. I didn't realize threads had an expiration date on them.

 

People cant win for losing around here :o So often when someone brings up a topic, people tell them to use the search feature. When someone uses the search feature and find an old thread relevant to their needs and its bumped to the top, people complain about bumping old threads LOL.

 

Didn't know asking a question was considered whining or a complaint. At the time I asked my question, there were multiple older threads that were bumped up. Feel free to put me on ignore if a simple question upsets you.

[tip]

I'm glad more tables for two or four will be available, so it will be easier to get one. I don't dine with strangers in land-based restaurants and don't see the attraction of dining with strangers on a ship.

 

That said, I can see the benefit of having some tables for ten or twelve for big groups and for folks who do wish to meet others when they dine on a cruise ship.

 

I would certainly agree with the above.

[time4u2go]

Why all the bumping of old threads? This one is from 2013, a couple of others from 2014.

 

Probably so that people don't get chastised for not using the search feature.

[TomAceEsq]

My wife and I are always down to sit with and meet new people. The problem always seems to be bringing up politics. It's awkward enough debating family. Literally the last thing I want to do on vacation next to breaking my neck, is to talk any politics.

[Paulette3028]

Why not, as long as the new post is relevant to the thread still?

 

Old threads have just as much relevance as anything else depending upon topic. No need to start a new one...is that is the case.

[powelweb]

We've solved this problem by requesting MTD and then requesting to be seated with others who arrive at the same time we do who also request to dine with others.

 

This has worked well for us (family of 3) on our last cruise as we were seated with several different groups each evening, so no issue with the empty seats of traditional dining when folks enjoyed the specialty restaurants for a night or 2, and we met some really great people- probably more than if we had traditional with just a single table assignment!

Edited December 4, 2015 by powelweb

[not2old]

We are an older couple but we love the larger tables, we've met the nicest folks from many different countries and walks of life. I am the chatty one but my husband joins in at times. We still keep in touch with some of the friends we made and in March 2016 will sail a reunion cruise with a Mom/Daughter duo from New Zealand that we met 2 years ago and also a couple that we met and have sailed with for the past 4 years. Probably never would have met any of these people if we stuck with a small table....

[TravelinGert]

We were just on Oasis last week and had asked to be seated at a large table in hopes to meet some new people. We ended up at a table for just our family of 4. When I asked the head waiter about moving tables, he said they were moving away from seating people with 'strangers' unless they are solo cruisers, as most couples and individual families are usually asking to be seated separately. He even mentioned that with all the new ships, they are being designed to accommodate more and more tables of 2 and 4, or pushed together for groups of 5 or 6, and the larger tables (8-12 people) are usually only used by people who are cruising as a group of 8-12 people.

While I was dissapointed to not have tablemates, I feel that Royal should move towards having only MTD, given all the specialty restaurants that are also available. I know now for my next cruise to book MTD and not hope for tablemates. Or that I should try to find tablemates in my roll call and reserve to be seated with them.

 

I think this may vary somewhat. When we were on the Quantum, they asked everyone did they want to be seated alone or with others. We ended up seated with lovely people all but one night. A little different because Quantum class ships don't have a main dining room, though.

 

Last month on the Majesty some of the MTD hosts gave the option to be seated with others and some didn't. We ended up seated with others on one of the two nights. We still converse with some of the people we met on the Quantum at dinner online.

 

For us this is the perfect balance. Nice to be able to eat alone when you are tired, but share dinner when you are feeling more social. I hope Royal decides to maintain eating with others as a request option.

[davekathy]

Didn't know asking a question was considered whining or a complaint. At the time I asked my question, there were multiple older threads that were bumped up. Feel free to put me on ignore if a simple question upsets you.

 

Feeling guilty. I didn't say who. Just a couple posters. Sounds like you're the one upset.

[mcatmcat]

I don't mind meeting new people in a cruise but dinner time won't be our time to do it. I don't go to a restaurant in my city and ask for a table with strangers so I do the same when I'm at sea

[Paulette3028]

We've solved this problem by requesting MTD and then requesting to be seated with others who arrive at the same time we do who also request to dine with others.

 

This has worked well for us (family of 3) on our last cruise as we were seated with several different groups each evening, so no issue with the empty seats of traditional dining when folks enjoyed the specialty restaurants for a night or 2, and we met some really great people- probably more than if we had traditional with just a single table assignment!

 

 

Interesting suggestion....never thought of that.

[perditax]

People cant win for losing around here :o So often when someone brings up a topic, people tell them to use the search feature. When someone uses the search feature and find an old thread relevant to their needs and its bumped to the top, people complain about bumping old threads LOL.

 

 

FWIW, I only point out zombie threads when someone digs up one from 2010 and starts remarking on the OP's choices about a cruise that has already been over for years. Reading the date and also skimming the last few posts are basic forum courtesy.

[Midwestgal]

For us sitting with other cruisers is part of what I love about cruising.

[John&LaLa]

Hope not, but can see a trend that way just naturally when you book all over the ship for dinner. We have enjoyed table mates for our cruises, but can attest that when we are booking an individual meal, we do not look to sit with others for one meal. Thus, as this trend moves forward, it like fixed dining in general will fade away.

 

I have never gone to a nice land based restaurant and asked to be seated with the next group coming in the restaurant as an example.

 

Tepenyaki (Benihana) does it that way

[tingyyy]

Since this thread has been resurrected, I'll throw in my two cents. I seem to be in the minority, but I have absolutely no desire to dine with people I don't know.

 

Whether it is just my husband and me sailing, or whether it is my husband, me and any number of our six young adult children sailing with us, we enjoy dining with just the family. Upon boarding, one of the first things we do is check our table in the MDR to make sure it is the size we've requested.

 

Even when we go to the MDR for breakfast, I always request a table for just the number in our party. We sometimes have to wait, but that's fine with us.

 

For us, vacation time is time to reconnect with family. Dining is an intimate experience. We don't eat on land with strangers and certainly don't find it appealing to eat at sea with strangers.

 

For those of you who have made lifelong friends in the dining room, how wonderful for you. It is just not our cup of tea.

 

 

Just stepping out to say that I share your sentiments!! For me, I can't enjoy my meal while dining with strangers since I have to eat and at the same time keep a ear in on the conversation and make polite small talk.

 

On my first 2 cruises I didn't know we had the option of requesting a table for 2 so I endured an awkward first night with subsequent dinners in the buffet. Thanks to the wealth of information on CC i put in a request for a table for 2 on my last cruise and had wonderful dinners in the MDR with DBF

Edited December 4, 2015 by tingyyy

[tip]

Tepenyaki (Benihana) does it that way

 

This is certainly off post, but that is exactly why we have no desire to sit with strangers either in a land based restaurant or a ship. We have been to Benihana once and will not visit again. We were seated with an uppity family who did not talk with us at all. I best remember the snot nosed teenager's comment about a friend who was dating a, "Non Gentile!"

[John&LaLa]

This is certainly off post, but that is exactly why we have no desire to sit with strangers either in a land based restaurant or a ship. We have been to Benihana once and will not visit again. We were seated with an uppity family who did not talk with us at all. I best remember the snot nosed teenager's comment about a friend who was dating a, "Non Gentile!"

 

Totally on post if you show the post I quoted

[Karma5]

It works both ways for me. Sometimes a fixed dining rm time with a table for 6 or 8 has worked out just great other times not so great. In that case, there is always the Windjammer………and specialty restaurants…….

[Paulette3028]

It works both ways for me. Sometimes a fixed dining rm time with a table for 6 or 8 has worked out just great other times not so great. In that case, there is always the Windjammer………and specialty restaurants…….

 

One of the things I have learned in life, is that I can make the best of any situation. Dinner with people of different backgrounds, interests, habits make for an education for me, but also for them. It is 45-60 minutes of interaction, not to be missed unless I am heading to a special dinner at Izumi.

[Toddcan]

I'm glad there are more options to sit with your own party. On our first cruise, it was more difficult to find a table for two (our preference). As long as they keep enough tables to satisfy both preferences, that's great.

[KiwiGal117]

I think having options is great. I don't mind sitting with other people, it's usually (not always) interesting. However, on our last cruise we were in the Med with lots of non-English speaking people on board. I felt really sorry for one family we sat with from Sweden. The husband spoke excellent English, but his wife and daughter appeared not to. And of course, our Swedish is non-existent!! So, they seemed to suffer through dinner. I felt terrible for them.

 

For people in those situations, having smaller tables is a nice option.

[GBM]

Different people prefer different options. On our last cruise we had been assigned the later dining time, but prefer earlier. So, first thing, we requested the earlier time, and said we enjoy dining with a group, so they seated us with 9 other people at a table for 10. (9 + 2 = 11). We were with 2 couples that cruised together with their total of 5 children. We had a GRAND time. Toward the end of the week, they did specialty dining one evening, and our waiter asked where the rest of our family was. We explained that we hadn't met them until the first evening. We FB friends with them. On some of out other cruises we have been seated with people we probably would not have chosen, but still have a wonderful time. However, I realized that some people would prefer to not be seated with "strangers". So, it's nice that both options are available.