JordanLovesCruisin Posted October 18, 2016 #1 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Is there a way they create the table assignments? Do they try to put like parties together? On Carnival they are pretty good about this. For example, a cruise my mom and I went on, we were sat with their mother/daughter duos. It was neat! On our honeymoon cruise (FOTS) we were at an 8-top with three elderly couples that spoke Spanish. We asked to move and ended up loving those table mates. Just curious if they have a rhyme or reason or if Royal is truly random. We are traveling with our 3 year old and 10 month old this weekend and hoping we are out with another family, if not alone. Just don't want to "ruin" someone's dining experience if they don't like children. And yes, we plan on putting them in childcare. And no, they are not heathens like some CC'ers view children. They are really well-behaved. Don't worry, we would take them out of the DR if they were disturbing anyone. I don't need a lecture on that. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken at the beach Posted October 18, 2016 #2 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Our first cruise with kids 8 and 10 we sat still a table for 8 with 2 other couples (no kids). After that we started to request a table for 4 through rcldining@rccl.com about 3 weeks prior to our cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hansolosmom Posted October 18, 2016 #3 Share Posted October 18, 2016 I seriously don't know if they use any method to match people or not. When we were on Grandeur and the boys were 5 & 7 they put us at a 6 top with a dad and his tween daughter. The times we've cruise just us on Royal we have been at tables with other couples close in age. Don't know if it was luck or on purpose. The weirdest experience we had was on Celebrity where we were match with 2 older couples while it was us and the boys were teens. It ended up working out well as we had many similar interests, but they admitted they were nervous when they found out there were teens at the table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordanLovesCruisin Posted October 18, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted October 18, 2016 I seriously don't know if they use any method to match people or not. When we were on Grandeur and the boys were 5 & 7 they put us at a 6 top with a dad and his tween daughter. The times we've cruise just us on Royal we have been at tables with other couples close in age. Don't know if it was luck or on purpose. The weirdest experience we had was on Celebrity where we were match with 2 older couples while it was us and the boys were teens. It ended up working out well as we had many similar interests, but they admitted they were nervous when they found out there were teens at the table. Isn't that crazy? I'm glad it worked out well for you! We were not impressed being sat with the senior citizens that didn't speak English. Maybe they were all honeymooners too? Haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argana Posted October 18, 2016 #5 Share Posted October 18, 2016 My 7 yo son is special needs, and he, along with my 3 yo son can be a handful at dinner. I always email to request a four-top table away from crowded areas. When we sailed in April, they put us in the perfect spot, in a corner with not many people around us. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BND Posted October 18, 2016 #6 Share Posted October 18, 2016 (edited) We are usually at an 8-top. Sometimes with friends (a couple) and others who we do not know. Most of the time we are placed with people close to our age. We also have found, especially on smaller ships like GR, that we are with other D's and D+'s. We've made some good friends on a couple of cruises. One couple in particular that we have cruised with twice since we met them. I do think that they used to try a little harder to put people together who had something in common. We haven't found that as much recently. Our trip in two weeks on GR will be the first time we've cruised without friends so we'll see who we end up with. In July on Celebrity, we were at a 2-top which we found really weird. We are empty nesters and can eat together anytime we want lol. Edited October 18, 2016 by BND Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted October 18, 2016 #7 Share Posted October 18, 2016 They seldom put families with couples or singles....other than that, it's pretty much hit or miss! So far, we've never had tablemates that we couldn't get along with...maybe we are just easy to get along with...but we've enjoyed ALL of our table assignment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired LEO Posted October 18, 2016 #8 Share Posted October 18, 2016 They don't even try to put like parties together. Every cruise dinner time is a disaster and can't wait for it to end. Hmmmmm Maybe we should stop getting a table for 2. :D :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted October 18, 2016 #9 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Lately we have been seated with other folks who use our travel agency Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordanLovesCruisin Posted October 18, 2016 Author #10 Share Posted October 18, 2016 They don't even try to put like parties together. Every cruise dinner time is a disaster and can't wait for it to end. Hmmmmm Maybe we should stop getting a table for 2. :D :) Lmao I just spit out my drink! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sellwingri Posted October 18, 2016 #11 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Many years ago, RCI did an excellent job of seating us with people near our age and often a young person near our daughters age. That changed about 10 years ago when the 3 of us were seated with 2 ministers with their wives who did nothing but argue about theology. Needless to say, we changed our table the next night even though I am a woman of faith. DH and I are in our early 60s. On our last 2 cruises we were seated with couples in their 90s. They were lovely but it didn't make sense to us. On our last cruise, our table of 6 (7?) had 2 women age 91 and 92, a couple in their 30s with their 2 year old son, and us. Don't think a lot of thought went into that. We do enjoy meeting new people and will continue to choose traditional dining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted October 18, 2016 #12 Share Posted October 18, 2016 They don't even try to put like parties together. Every cruise dinner time is a disaster and can't wait for it to end. Hmmmmm Maybe we should stop getting a table for 2. :D :) Post of the day.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rala Posted October 18, 2016 #13 Share Posted October 18, 2016 They don't even try to put like parties together. Every cruise dinner time is a disaster and can't wait for it to end. Hmmmmm Maybe we should stop getting a table for 2. :D :) Hehehehe ! I love it! :D:D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoGurl Posted October 18, 2016 #14 Share Posted October 18, 2016 They seldom put families with couples or singles....other than that, it's pretty much hit or miss! So far, we've never had tablemates that we couldn't get along with...maybe we are just easy to get along with...but we've enjoyed ALL of our table assignment! But it does happen. 2 cruises ago my tween daughter and I got put at a table with several young couples in their 20's with no kids. It ended up ok and we made friends out of the deal. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP3o Posted October 18, 2016 #15 Share Posted October 18, 2016 We have a party of 10 in linked reservations. Are 10 top long rectangle tables typical? Pushing together smaller tables? It would be undesirable to have 2 in the party at a different table. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickyshocker Posted October 18, 2016 #16 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Is there a way they create the table assignments? And yes, we plan on putting them in childcare. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Try communicating with Royal's FB. Yesterday I asked them about dinner reservations and couple hours later I received an email from the Concierge. Today I requested a table just for 6 in MDR and I got it, they however can't guarantee the location (I asked for a table near the entertainment).Oh yeah, they also sent me all the information pertaining to Adventure Ocean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioMike2016 Posted October 18, 2016 #17 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Same question as CP3o but ours is a linked reservation of 12. Would that be 2 tables of 6 or some combination of 12 since I am sure there are no 12-toppers (or are there)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted October 18, 2016 #18 Share Posted October 18, 2016 We have a party of 10 in linked reservations. Are 10 top long rectangle tables typical? Pushing together smaller tables? It would be undesirable to have 2 in the party at a different table. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Long rectangle. Impossible to converse, end to end. I would rather have two smaller tables. (just had this problem on the Explorer earlier this month) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted October 18, 2016 #19 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Try communicating with Royal's FB. Yesterday I asked them about dinner reservations and couple hours later I received an email from the Concierge. Today I requested a table just for 6 in MDR and I got it, they however can't guarantee the location (I asked for a table near the entertainment).Oh yeah, they also sent me all the information pertaining to Adventure Ocean. What entertainment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted October 18, 2016 #20 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Same question as CP3o but ours is a linked reservation of 12. Would that be 2 tables of 6 or some combination of 12 since I am sure there are no 12-toppers (or are there)? There are. They are awful, IMO. See my response above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted October 18, 2016 #21 Share Posted October 18, 2016 Long rectangle. Impossible to converse, end to end. I would rather have two smaller tables. (just had this problem on the Explorer earlier this month) They are great if you are trying to avoid talking to someone. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanley Posted October 18, 2016 #22 Share Posted October 18, 2016 We've only done MTD on Royal because traditional has always been fully booked. On Carnival me, my husband and our 9 year old were seated at a table for 6. A young, early 20 Russian couple was about to be seated with us, took one look at us and turned around and walked out. We sat alone at the table for the 12 day cruise. It was great some days we all sat on the same side and looked out the window. Other days we switched it up. Two older couples were at the 4 top next to us and we had quite a few conversations with them as we were almost seated together. But those few inches separating us meant we never felt obliged to talk to them. I've met lots of interesting people at breakfast in the MDR on Royal and enjoy having dinner just the three of us. I think its very difficult for cruise lines to match people up. There is so many variables like age, children, countries of origin and language to make the size of the table work out. Plus you have special requests and the people that are not going to be happy with anyone you put them with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcamp317 Posted October 18, 2016 #23 Share Posted October 18, 2016 (edited) Ive always wondered how they chose this as well. We've never had any uncomfortable experiences before but it does seem kinda random. We are in our mid 30s and on our most recent cruise we were seated with a couple in their 70s and another couple in their 60s. It worked out well, both couples were absolutely hilarious and we enjoyed their company, had some great conversations and laughs especially for being complete strangers the first time we all met at the table. Earlier this year we had a 3 year old daughter with us and were seated by ourselves. I will say a few years back we were seated randomly with a spanish only speaking group as well that didn't seem to enjoy our company for some reason even though we attempted to be polite and cordial. They were only there the first night and we never saw them again. Had a 6-top to ourselves the following 6 nights. I guess it does provide some memories. We were seated with a group of complete strangers 10 years ago with a guy who was a very picky eater as is my wife. Both of them would always order a steak and baked potato every night no matter what was on the menu and we always got joked at from our waiters.....in a nice way of course, all in fun. But after that amount of time I still remember them and their names. Edited October 18, 2016 by kcamp317 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjdixon4 Posted October 18, 2016 #24 Share Posted October 18, 2016 They don't even try to put like parties together. Every cruise dinner time is a disaster and can't wait for it to end. Hmmmmm Maybe we should stop getting a table for 2. :D :) Bwahahahaha!!!!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haoie Posted October 18, 2016 #25 Share Posted October 18, 2016 I hope my friend and I [travelling together] get a 6 top. Anything larger and it gets too hard to conduct conversations with strangers, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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