Are tables for 10 in traditional dining too tight?

[wildabouttheworld]

We have a party of 17. We were going to ask for a rectangle table for 10 and a round table for 8 to accomodate our party. Will we be squished or are the tables comfortable for the number of quests they put at them?

[Pam in CA]

A rectangular table for 10 is fine. We had one on the Royal Princess last April/May and while we had only 8 people, the two "missing" places were set for a couple of nights. We were not on top of each other.

[rtroeh]

The tables for 10 are fine as far as seating/crowding go, but they are so big that with the background noise in the dining room it is impossible to carry on any conversation with people at the other end of the table. Have you thought about three tables for 6?

[Druke I]

rtroeh above has a very good point.

 

Round tables for 6 are great for carrying on conversations - bigger gets difficult.

 

My wife & I usually ask for a round table for six, 1st Traditional.

[Colo Cruiser]

Round tables for 10 are crowded in my opinion. We had a hard time fitting 10 chairs around the table on both the Diamond and the Island.

[regnig]

A rectangle table for 10 should be just fine. We actually sat 11 people at one on our cruise 2 years ago with no problem. Since conversation is limited I suggest you make the rule that no one sits in the same seat more than once. In that way at least everyone gets to converse with someone new each night. We usually travel with a group of at least 8 and we always play the chair game each evening regardless of the table shape. We had a GREAT table waiter on our Coral trip and one evening late into the cruise when one of the group sat down in the same place he had been the evening before he reminded him that he must move to a chair he had not previously occupied. We all just howled!

[JLC@SD]

Round tables for 10 are crowded in my opinion. We had a hard time fitting 10 chairs around the table on both the Diamond and the Island.

Which ship will you be on. I do not remember any rectanglar tables on the current ships. We had 10 on the Dawn and it was much too crowded.

 

3 tables for 6 makes sense.

 

Do you have older kids in your group. We sat next to a goup that had a table of six kids, next to the parents of course. The parents and kids all had a great time at tables of their own age group. The waiters and assst waiters enjoyed entertaining the kids.

[MaryPoppinz]

I think some of the larger tables are actually oval, rather than rectangular.

 

I've eaten with 11 and didn't feel crowded, but you obviously can't converse across the table if you're near either end. But, if you prefer to have it set it up this way, you can make it work.