How do they choose dinner companions?

[HoustonLisa50]

Hi All,

 

Three of us are going on our first cruise October 6th on the Triumph and have chosen late dining. It's me (50), my Mom (72) and her friend (61). We're just wondering what criteria they use for putting people together at dinner. We're a very gregarious bunch of ladies and we always have a good time so we're hoping we get a good bunch of people, but what do you do if you don't?

 

Thanks,

 

Lisa, Bootsie & Pam

.

[riffatsea]

Hi,

The cruise line will try to put you with folks they think will be comparable to your group. For example they probably wouldn't put you with a young family with children.

IF you really dislike your tablemates you can ask the maitre d to try and change your table.

One reason we always do Your Time Dining is that we either like to be at a table for 2 OR we like to choose our own dining companions.

I am sure that you guys will do just fine since you seem outgoing and friendly!!

[LindseyButlerWilson]

Hi All,

 

Three of us are going on our first cruise October 6th on the Triumph and have chosen late dining. It's me (50), my Mom (72) and her friend (61). We're just wondering what criteria they use for putting people together at dinner. We're a very gregarious bunch of ladies and we always have a good time so we're hoping we get a good bunch of people, but what do you do if you don't?

 

Thanks,

 

Lisa, Bootsie & Pam

.

 

This was a big problem on our honeymoon. We were seated with younger couples, one of which was also on their honeymoon, but the group did not gel. In fact we were so uncomfortable that after the second night we all went to the maître d and asked to switch to anytime dining. We missed out on having the same wait staff each night (however we REALLY did not like our waitress and I think she contributed to the problem as a whole) but we had much better dinners from then on.

 

That said, on our Triumph cruise we became friends with our dinner mates and we still keep in touch to this day.

 

Basically, I think it's a crapshoot. Good luck and hopefully your dinner companions will be as fun and outgoing as your group! :D

Edited September 22, 2014 by LindseyButlerWilson

[Vitamin_Sea]

I just thought CCL will look to completely fill tables period.

 

No matter what ages are there. Does it matter anyway

[golfadj]

Generally fill tables by age and marital status.

 

If you dont like your table or mates see the MD for a change

[evandbob]

Generally fill tables by age and marital status.

 

If you dont like your table or mates see the MD for a change

 

 

As a solo male traveler, I have been seated at a large table with all women.....;)

[Orison]

Hi All,

 

Three of us are going on our first cruise October 6th on the Triumph and have chosen late dining. It's me (50), my Mom (72) and her friend (61). We're just wondering what criteria they use for putting people together at dinner. We're a very gregarious bunch of ladies and we always have a good time so we're hoping we get a good bunch of people, but what do you do if you don't?

 

Thanks,

 

Lisa, Bootsie & Pam

.

 

I've read over and over again it's special requests followed by demographics. Have to say we've been very lucky over the years. We've made many life long friends, and have re-cruised with some.

[golfadj]

As a solo male traveler, I have been seated at a large table with all women.....;)

 

That could have been very interesting;)

 

We were once at a table with another married couple and three single guys. Didnt understand that one but it worked out well.

[YB Nrml]

We've been matched up with others our age. Never had a bad group of fellow diners.

[kids-in-2-centuries]

My husband and I have always had good luck with being seated at a table with couples that were similar in age and have made some good cruising friends that way. The only slightly disappointing table pairing we have had happened two weeks ago on our Victory cruise. We had late dining and always go to the dining room ahead of time to find our table. We discovered that we were at a table for four people. We thought it would be really odd and uncomfortable to be seated with just one other couple we did not know, so we assumed that it would probably be just the two of us at a table for 4. Sure enough when we arrined there was a cute young couple in their 20's at our table. We are in our 40's. They were perfectly nice and we enjoyed our dinner with them. Right next to us was another 4 top with the same thing: an older couple and a younger couple paired together. We all were close enough and had the same waiter that we all got to talking. The next night we all decided to switch around our tables so that the younger group sat together and the older pair sat together. It all worked out fine and would have been fine if we had stayed the way it was originally set up. I just thought it was odd that they would put 4 strangers together at a table. In all other experience there have been 6-10 people at a table I have been at. If we had not gotten along with the other couple it might have been really awkward at dinner.

[ncovert]

I've read over and over again it's special requests followed by demographics.

 

No definitive "this is how it works" but it seems like it is how it works. Half of the cruises DW and I have been on we have been sat at a two top which is fine with me. The other half we have been sat with other younger couples. I have placed a special request to be seated at a 10 top for our up coming cruise because of the great experiences from our past cruises.

[JulieMcCoy]

Two of my cruises have been with large family groups, so we were our own dining companions. For each of my other cruises, on three different cruise lines including Carnival, I have always been amazed at how good a job someone does of assigning dining tables. Sometimes we have clearly been matched by age or similar family groups (mother-daughter, etc.). On our very first cruise, my parents, teenage daughter and I were seated with a group of three college women. Not until my dad mentioned one woman's Pittsburgh Penguins necklace did we realize that we were all from the same area (I guess we must have skipped the usual "where are you from" questions!).

 

I think the funniest group I had was when my college student daughter, her boyfriend, and I were seated with three college guys during a spring break cruise on Carnival. There were a couple of empty seats at our table, so maybe those people were supposed to be the parental types to match me, but they never showed. Dinner was always entertaining (and I will add that one of the three guys had cruised before and always made sure his cabin mates followed the dress code of the evening!), but it wasn't until the last night that I impressed them. I came to dinner carrying a can of Foster's, and the guys were dumbfounded that the "old lady" of the table knew what the best single-beer deal was, and that they had been "wasting" money all week. :D

 

My next cruise is my first-ever solo cruise. I'm looking forward to seeing who my tablemates will be!

[mrstriceasnice]

The last cruise I was on I watched the table across from our group every night. One couple was very friendly and talkative, the other couple would not even speak to each other, let alone their meal companions. On the last night something changed, not sure what but suddenly the quiet couple was very talkative and out going. You just never know.

[cru-cru]

On our first cruise, we were excited to see who we would meet at dinner. We were the first ones at a table for 8. Then they asked if we would like a 2 top b/c they needed that table for a large froup that some how got seperated. The 2nd time we cruised we went on the first day and requested a 2 top. We like meeting people but a 2 top was quick with our dinner. On our upcoming cruise we are debating on seating with some other people. a 4 top would be fine. I just don't want to sit at a 10-14 top and have dinner take 3 hours!!

[Krissica]

Agree with what another poster said, that is why we love Your Time Dining. We have the option to have a quiet intimate dinner for two when we want (usually once on the cruise towards the end) while still having the option to sit with a large group to meet people - we are social butterflies and have met some great people this way!

[ncovert]

I came to dinner carrying a can of Foster's, and the guys were dumbfounded that the "old lady" of the table knew what the best single-beer deal was, and that they had been "wasting" money all week. :D

 

lol... you would think that three college guys would have done their beer math! Best bang for your buck is often time the only reason a specific brand is bought over another in college. Good of you to give them this piece of education.

[cmich068]

I'm sure some strategy goes into it, but at some point they must just play roulette to figure out how to fill empty seats that are remaining. :D

[sanmarcosman]

We were told software called "Table Mates" (or similar sounding) is used to compose tables.

[HoustonLisa50]

We really are hoping to get seated with some great people. God knows, none of us has ever met a stranger and we really are fun to be with so we get along with most people as long as they have a sense of humor and aren't offended real easily! It'll be interesting to see if people change tables after sitting with US!! lol

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Lisa, Bootsie & Pam

[cruise_girl2002]

I am just of the conquest. I sailed solo and choose early dining. I'm 31 and at our table we were between the ages of 28-35. Only 4 if us showed up. All other solo cruisers as well. We got along great. When I do ytd, they ask if we want a private table or share with others. My brother and I get along with anybody. We don't care who we sit with

[YB Nrml]

We've cruised twice with just the 2 of us. (Number 3 coming up Saturday :D) The first time we were seated at a table for 8, two of the other couples were great, the third couple not so much, they complained A LOT about EVERYTHING! It was funny because when we saw them out and about either aboard ship or on an excursion they seemed to be enjoying themselves. :confused: The other time we were seated at a 4 top and really enjoyed the other couple. They were our age and lived in the same town my boss grew up in. We look forward to seeing who we'll be dining with this next cruise. If it doesn't "gel" we'll ask for a change but not a big deal really.

[Davey Wavey]

When DW and I go, we get a 6 top with 3 other couples our age. When with our teenage DD, we got 8 top with 3 other parents with teenage kids. When we took all 3 kids of different ages, we got random table sizes and random groups. We like breakfast in the MDR because of all the new people we meet.

[YB Nrml]

When DW and I go, we get a 6 top with 3 other couples our age. When with our teenage DD, we got 8 top with 3 other parents with teenage kids. When we took all 3 kids of different ages, we got random table sizes and random groups. We like breakfast in the MDR because of all the new people we meet.

 

I do have to say that I don't like the random seating at breakfast in the MDR. I can't tell you how many times the person I'm seated next to has decided that they don't need to brush their teeth before they eat breakfast. Totally gross!

[Warm Breezes]

Our first 3 cruises we sailed with friends/family. On our Elation cruise they seated us (Family of 4 with 2 kids 9 and 12) with a young couple on their honeymoon and an older retired couple. We all had nothing in common. On our first Freedom cruise they sat us by ourselves at a 4 top. All other cruise were anytime/freestyle where we chose who we sat with. We chose just us.

[rocketship]

Its definitely based on some sort of considerations like age and type of cruiser.. For example, we are a younger couple and when we sail solo, we are usually paired up with other couples our age. Never been paired up with older couples or single individuals....