Carnival MDR tables too close!!

[SomeGuy99]

Hi,

 

I just took a cruise and had a lot of fun but had bad experiences in the Main Dining Room. I'm now taking the Inagural cruise on May 1st on the Vista. The issue we had was in the MDR the tables were extremely close together. Every night I had a table for two with a friend near the window and I could literally reach out and touch the table for two next to me. They were less than a foot away from us every time. We sat in different areas of the MDR near the window and it was the same thing. On several occasions we had to make awkward small talk with people next to us looking to engage us in conversation. On another evening, the people next to us were very loud and rude and commented on our food and ordering two desserts, etc. We had several dining experiences in the MDR that were uncomfortable.

 

How can we get a table for two next to the window with privacy? I'm paying thousands of dollars for this cruise and I don't want repeat bad MDR experiences. Should we talk to the maitre d on the first day of the cruise before dining? We had YTD on the last cruise and will on this Inaugural one as well. I read somewhere that we should request a table for two along the half walls? I'm not sure what this means. Helpful advice appreciated.

[whataboutport]

The only thing is to get a table near a wall, the waiter's stand, or by a big pole, so you only have a table to one side of you. All the tables are close together. Not much you can do about that.

 

I would guess that tables in the specialty restaurants aren't as close to each other. Or eat in the buffet, that's what we do. Not many people in the buffet at all.

[Langley Cruisers]

I can say the exact same for Royal Caribbean - THISCLOSETOGETHER. It can be incredibly uncomfortable if you don't really feel like talking to your neighbor. Also, if they aren't talking to each other, and/or you're not talking to each other.... well... it's just weird. :p

[Keith1010]

I would ask this question on the cruise line board.

 

Keith

[SadieN]

Buffet or steakhouse.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[GUT2407]

I think it applies to all ships.

 

Real estate is expensive on a ship.

[sfaaa]

More tables mean less wait time. Or would you rather have it the other way?

[sparks1093]

OP, I hate to say it, but maybe cruising isn't for you. NCL's MDR set up is exactly the same. If an intimate dining experience is what you seek then you'll have difficulty finding it in a cruise ship MDR.

[Aquahound]

The issue we had was in the MDR the tables were extremely close together. Every night I had a table for two with a friend near the window and I could literally reach out and touch the table for two next to me. They were less than a foot away from us every time.

 

Welcome to modern mass market cruising. I've seen that on RCI, Princess, Celebrity, NCL and Holland America.

[Hflors]

Same on HAL's Amsterdam. But the gentleman (a very loose term) told his wife that he "couldn't wait to get off this F***ing boat! (I'm sure you will know the word I blanked out. He was no more than two feet next to me. Talk about uncomfortable!

 

Next day at port we saw him walking away from the ship with a carry-on bag. The lady wasn't with him.

 

No more two tops for us.

[cruzeluver]

Yep. We cruise on multiple lines and its the same on all of them. We request a large table and to be sat with others because we like to meet new people. But I feel for those wanting an intimate dinner for two. Not going to happen in the main dining room.

[NIATPAC29]

You can always eat at the buffet and sit in a corner !

[Floridiana]

Holland America and Oceania had tables for two in the main dining room that were along a railing overlooking another part of the main dining room. They were not close to each other. Not all tables for two are arranged that way!

[MCC retired]

We always request a table for 2 .

Every CCL, RCI, and PCL ship that we have been on , had many rows of tables for 2 , close together .

Ending up in one of those is fairly common as many people request tables for 2 nowadays.

[OCruisers]

There's nothing you can do about it. Tables for two in the MDR are extremely close together.

[notentirelynormal]

How can we get a table for two next to the window with privacy? I'm paying thousands of dollars for this cruise and I don't want repeat bad MDR experiences.

 

Basically every single person on the ship is paying thousands of dollars for their cruise. You aren't anything special in that respect. In fact, there are probably others on the cruise that paid much more then you did.

[Philob]

Some of the finer **** dining establishments on land have tables very close to each other too. I remember getting the inside seat and had to squeeze my cheeks between the two tables to get in :eek::cool:

[Warm Breezes]

Hi,

 

I just took a cruise and had a lot of fun but had bad experiences in the Main Dining Room. I'm now taking the Inagural cruise on May 1st on the Vista. The issue we had was in the MDR the tables were extremely close together. Every night I had a table for two with a friend near the window and I could literally reach out and touch the table for two next to me. They were less than a foot away from us every time. We sat in different areas of the MDR near the window and it was the same thing. On several occasions we had to make awkward small talk with people next to us looking to engage us in conversation. On another evening, the people next to us were very loud and rude and commented on our food and ordering two desserts, etc. We had several dining experiences in the MDR that were uncomfortable.

 

How can we get a table for two next to the window with privacy? I'm paying thousands of dollars for this cruise and I don't want repeat bad MDR experiences. Should we talk to the maitre d on the first day of the cruise before dining? We had YTD on the last cruise and will on this Inaugural one as well. I read somewhere that we should request a table for two along the half walls? I'm not sure what this means. Helpful advice appreciated.

 

Ruby Princess had tables just inches apart. The hostess kept trying to get us to join a group table, we kept telling her we wanted a table for 2 and she would roll her eyes and sigh at us (Maitre'd was standing right there watching it all). The first night she stuck us in a row of tables inches apart. Just barely enough room for skinny person to squeeze through. The second night they started bringing us there again and we asked for more private table. We got one after the eye roll and sigh again. We never went back to the MDR after that. Too much of a hassle.

[Warm Breezes]

OP, I hate to say it, but maybe cruising isn't for you. NCL's MDR set up is exactly the same. If an intimate dining experience is what you seek then you'll have difficulty finding it in a cruise ship MDR.

 

I've never had it as tight on NCL as I've had it on Carnival and Princess. Princess being the worse.

[wowzz]

Isn't part of the problem the fact that most diners want to eat between 5 and 8 ? (Although personally I would not consider even entering the dining room before 8:30.)

If the OP were to eat at, say, 9, there would be far fewer people dining, and therefore more chance of privacy.

[sparks1093]

I've never had it as tight on NCL as I've had it on Carnival and Princess. Princess being the worse.

 

I didn't really pay attention on the Gem but the 2 tops on the Sky were inches apart.

[Honolulu Blue]

Basically every single person on the ship is paying thousands of dollars for their cruise. You aren't anything special in that respect. In fact, there are probably others on the cruise that paid much more then you did.

 

Some of us don't pay thousands. Sometimes a single thousand and change will cover it. Sometimes less. :p

 

Back on the main subject, I'd like to thank everyone for commenting that the tables for two in the MDRs of many of the major cruise lines are tightly bunched together. That was something I had wondered about.

[Lady Chew]

We've sailed on several different cruise lines ... and all of the tables are JAMMEDTHISCLOSETOGETHER, not just the tables for 2

[Warm Breezes]

We've sailed on several different cruise lines ... and all of the tables are JAMMEDTHISCLOSETOGETHER, not just the tables for 2

 

I've never noticed the closeness until DH and I started sailing without the kids. We've sailed 10 times with them and other family members and never had an issue with closeness on Disney, NCL, or CCL. Our first couples cruise was on NCL Jewel and we did not have that problem with close tables there. The first time we had an issue was on our next cruise Ruby Princess and we only let them shove us into those tight tables once. It was like a table for 14 and we were stuck right in the middle of it. DH barely squeezed in to take his seat and to get out. The second night we asked for a more private table when they started leading us back to the same spot. Which they did get us....but we never returned to the MDR after the hassle they gave us for asking for it. On CCL Splendor the first night in the MDR they did it the first night. Our table was 2 inches from the table next to us the waiter treated us like we were one table. We were basically a table for 4. After that I requested a more private table. Which they delivered for us without the eye rolling and sighing we got from the Princess hostess.

[paul929207]

Isn't part of the problem the fact that most diners want to eat between 5 and 8 ? (Although personally I would not consider even entering the dining room before 8:30.)

If the OP were to eat at, say, 9, there would be far fewer people dining, and therefore more chance of privacy.

I agree. Eat late. Dining rooms are emptying, so they are not using every table.