Dining rooms for big parties

[chuletsmom]

We are a huge group traveling on the fantasy. Right now we are 12 adults

11 kids plus two babies, possibly adding 3 more adults 1 more child and baby. Has anyone had a group this big and can tell me about how dinner worked? We plan on eating together most nights. Last time we went as a big party was 2005 before all the kids!!

 

 

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[moki'smommy]

OK, a server's station is typically 18 people, but can be a few more if that gets a whole group together (we've seen as many as 24). In general, when you exceed 18 you will be divided among 2 stations which are next to each other. You can have the tables set up however you want--example, you can have a table for 8 and a table for 10 at one station. I would highly recommend that you not do one long table for 18 as you will not see or talk to the people at the far end of the table. You'll talk to the people near you and it would be easier to talk to those at your table and those at the next table.

 

Babies count when figuring people.

 

I would also suggest that you not do a kid table and an adult table...we were seated near a group who did this and it was AWFUL. It was a grandma with all her children and their children. Only one set of parents ever did/said anything to their kids. The other parents ignored their kids; perhaps they thought that the 10 year olds could parent the 3 year olds. There were literally kids running around the table, etc. The server (Sampong) deserved a medal for handling that table. In fairness, the one father did come over to our table and apologize--he explained the family set up and that he couldn't do anything other than control his own 2 kids.

 

So you have 25 people + possibly 4 more. You'd likely do 18 at one station plus a table at another station, but they won't break up cabins...so the exact configuration will depend on the number of people in each cabin. 29 won't get you two entire serving stations to yourselves, so it will likely be one station of 18-20 + one large table next to you to handle the rest of the gang. You can change seats and even tables on different nights--the servers will get used to it.

 

Normal set up at a station is a table for 4, one for 6, and one for 8 but for your group they won't do that. They will do an 8 and a 10 or 2 tables for 9 or whatever works within the cabin groups. Essentially whatever you want. What they can't do is put 25 or 29 people with one serving team.

Edited March 7, 2016 by moki'smommy

[chuletsmom]

Awesome info! I was thinking the same about the kids table. We do have kids that range in age from 3-13 so I wouldn't trust the little ones! I guess we set that up on embarkation day with the maitre d ? Thanks so much!

 

 

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[moki'smommy]

Awesome info! I was thinking the same about the kids table. We do have kids that range in age from 3-13 so I wouldn't trust the little ones! I guess we set that up on embarkation day with the maitre d ? Thanks so much!

 

 

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What you'll want to do is to "link" all the reservations (also called "cross referenced for dining") so that DCL will know that you are all together. That way they will have already put you close together. You can fine tune the plans after boarding to be sure that everyone is happy. As long as all cabins are linked, only one person is needed to do the fine tuning.