Open Seating Experiences

[Roz]

One way to avoid the seating debacle is to have staff escort you to tables as they do on every other cruise line. It’s not difficult to manage.

 

What river cruise lines do this? I've only sailed on Uniworld.

 

Roz

[philw1776]

One way to avoid the seating debacle is to have staff escort you to tables as they do on every other cruise line. It’s not difficult to manage.

 

We're talking RIVER cruises here. Viking, Uniworld and AmaWaterways do not typically escort you to your dining table. Who does?

[Lois R]

I have only sailed with AMA and I cannot remember them escorting me to a table (or anyone else). Which river cruise lines take you to a table?

[pully8]

We have never seen that done either, we have done about 10 European river cruises. Its open seating.

With Avalon we favour the tables for 2 near the entrance, and its quieter there. The noise levels increase further into the room generally.

With AMA there seemed to be more room between tables and noise levels were better, we sat anywhere but found some lovely people as table companions.

The dining area at the rear of the ship Chefs table? Has less tables and is by invitation so no rushing to tables or discourtesy displayed.

[Captiveguru]

I have tried the getting in the DR early strategy in the past. This had worked sometimes and caused major problems on a few others. Once I sat at an empty table for six and a group of passengers came up and said this was their table. The complained to the Maitre'd and he made me move. I was very angry so I just went up on the sundeck and skipped dinner. The hotel manager saw me up there and asked why I'm not at dinner. I told him the situation and he also became very upset. He asked me to come and sit at his table to the rest of the cruise.

 

Wow. I cannot imagine asking anyone to get out of a seat. And for an employee to enable such behavior is crazy.

[gnome12]

I was on a trip in Spain a few years ago (not a cruise) but we had dinner included almost every night at a restaurant. Sometimes it was one long table, sometimes a few smaller tables. Of the 20 people, there were 2 sets of 2 couples that seemed to feel that they absolutely had to sit together. They seemed to think that I as the single, and a gay couple should move to enable that. Unfortunately, our tour guide did nothing about it. I usually gave in, but I wasn't happy about it.

[Roz]

I was on a trip in Spain a few years ago (not a cruise) but we had dinner included almost every night at a restaurant. Sometimes it was one long table, sometimes a few smaller tables. Of the 20 people, there were 2 sets of 2 couples that seemed to feel that they absolutely had to sit together. They seemed to think that I as the single, and a gay couple should move to enable that. Unfortunately, our tour guide did nothing about it. I usually gave in, but I wasn't happy about it.

 

Gnome,

 

As a solo traveler, I've been in similar awkward situations, and it's no fun. Fortunately it's only happened a few times. On one cruise, due to extreme rudeness on the part of a few passengers, I ended up at a table with 2 gay couples and a cross-dresser. Turned out to be one of the best fixed seating tables I've ever had. We nicknamed our little group The Table of Misfit Toys and had a blast. We would meet in the Crow's Nest at 11 pm for a night cap, and sometimes got together for a pre-dinner drink.

 

Roz

[NanciEA]

To answer the question to my post from the first page, yes, the couple with the "reserved" table arrived at 7:30 every evening. After the first few evenings of numerous cruisers attempting to sit at "their" table, the waiter pored their wine before the dining room opened at 7:00. This way when people tried to sit there he would tell them it was taken and point to the wine. Sometimes you just have to laugh at people's arrogance and move on. Although I do feel for the cruiser who posted they had been asked to leave a table. How sad.

[Got2Cruise]

We had a similar experience once on Avalon and being from NY lol I just didn’t say oh well to the waiter pulling that stunt. I also included the incident in my official Cruise Critic review which was published. My hope is that management of all the brands make it clear to their staff that under no circumstances are tables to be reserved. Any staff should be immediately fired if accepting gratuities for reserving tables.

 

 

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[philw1776]

We had a similar experience once on Avalon and being from NY lol I just didn’t say oh well to the waiter pulling that stunt. I also included the incident in my official Cruise Critic review which was published. My hope is that management of all the brands make it clear to their staff that under no circumstances are tables to be reserved. Any staff should be immediately fired if accepting gratuities for reserving tables.

 

Good for you. Were this to ever happen on Viking I would also flag it big time on their passenger survey form and ask (they offer) to be contacted about it. Any cruise line can have employees subvert their standard of service. They need to know it's happening. I'd criticize a ship's Restaurant Manager for not spotting and stopping this.

 

Some people act as if they're the special and only ones on the ship. On a good ship you should feel that way, but not act that way.

[jpintrepid]

Iwannacruz:

We recently returned from the Viking Basel to Amsterdam cruise. Tables in the dining room are for six to eight, with several other long tables that accommodate more where you can sit opposite your partner or side by side, as you prefer. I was a bit concerned about the dinner seating arrangements, but it was no problem at all. We sat at tables that were already occupied — “may we join you” — and had others sit at our table with the same request. No problems. We spent many of our meals with two other couples we met on the ship, and we would arrange to go to the restaurant together when it opened and claim a table that would accommodate us. Most of the time we could sit in the section where our favorite servers worked, but no money changed hands in order to do so. We simply came to dinner on time and found a table. Previously on cruises m wife and I have sought tables for two, and sometimes that is very nice. But overall, the experience of dining with strangers who became acquaintances and then friends was a very positive one, even for a shy person like me.

[Frenchberet]

Finding tables at meal times seems to bring out the worst inpeople. We just returned from a cruise inJuly. I was truly surprised that people ploppeddown at our table without speaking to us or even acknowledging that we werethere. I expected them to say hello and askif the seats were taken. Not so. Apparently, politeness and civility go outthe window when folks are hungry.

 

One couple was particularly rude. We nicknamed the lady the “princess”. On several occasions I observed her orderingthe staff around and insisting that they reserve a table for her and herhusband. One poor waiter awkwardly satdown at the table to “save it” and the head waiter chastised him for doing so. Just unacceptable.

[pully8]

Perhaps someone should do a study and write a thesis about some of this reported behaviour!! Both funny and sad at the same time, reverting to basic primitive needs to control/conquer and maintain a place in a group/tribe?

Thankfully most are able to cohabit with some decorum and courtesy.

We can appreciate and respect that some prefer to always eat together at the exclusion of all others. Large groups do travel together and expect to dine together.

People form friendship groups on board and want to dine together. These preferences are reasonable and staff could facilitate those arrangements. Perhaps table reservations would be a good idea to prevent conflict?

Meanwhile we will all just have to take our chances with dining arrangements, an adventure by the sounds of it in some cases.

[Barrheadlass]

When I started river cruising in 2001, open seating was never a problem for me. I am a solo traveler and enjoy meeting other travelers. On my last few cruises I dreaded dinner time. Many times I had to ask 5+ times if a seat was taken only to be rebuffed. When I did finally get a seat, many times I was ignored and treated as an outsider. Travelers today do not seem to be as friendly as in past years.

 

 

Roger, I cruise with the same company as you do, and I’m glad I’ve never come across anything like this. Should we meet on a cruise, I hope we’ll sit together.

[Lois R]

Roger, I cruise with the same company as you do, and I’m glad I’ve never come across anything like this. Should we meet on a cruise, I hope we’ll sit together.

 

I agree....that experience sounds horrible:(…….. I sail solo too and we can all sit together:D

 

I have only taken one river cruise and it was on AMA...….I found it very easy to meet other people and dinnertime was great...…..I sat with various people throughout the cruise.....people were very friendly.:)

[twincheryl]

Restaurant tables are for 6 and up. Prepare to meet new people.

 

AmaStella has a few booths right as you enter the dining room. Our party of 3 sat there for every meal and never had anyone even ask if they could join us!

[Lois R]

AmaStella has a few booths right as you enter the dining room. Our party of 3 sat there for every meal and never had anyone even ask if they could join us!

 

Hi Cheryl, I remember seeing those booths ( I sailed AMAStella too)…….this is a sincere question......do you think

a booth can make folks hesitate to ask if they can share? Sometimes I think a booth can have a more intimate feel to it...and maybe puts off people from asking to sit?......just curious about your thoughts on it.

[Captiveguru]

AmaStella has a few booths right as you enter the dining room. Our party of 3 sat there for every meal and never had anyone even ask if they could join us!

 

I am not surprised. Unless I knew you were a party of three I would assume your fourth was not yet there. Same for a table of four. And only solos could join you.

 

Not sure how many solo travelers were on our recent cruise. My wife thinks there might have been two women, but after the first day they sat together for meals.

[twincheryl]

Hi Cheryl, I remember seeing those booths ( I sailed AMAStella too)…….this is a sincere question......do you think

a booth can make folks hesitate to ask if they can share? Sometimes I think a booth can have a more intimate feel to it...and maybe puts off people from asking to sit?......just curious about your thoughts on it.

 

We wondered that, too! One night I remember seeing a server or maitre'd asking the booth next to us if people could join them.. but maybe there were only 2 sitting at that table? It would have been a tight fit for 6 at those booths... especially people you don't know... lol

[twincheryl]

I am not surprised. Unless I knew you were a party of three I would assume your fourth was not yet there. Same for a table of four. And only solos could join you.

 

Not sure how many solo travelers were on our recent cruise. My wife thinks there might have been two women, but after the first day they sat together for meals.

 

Well, we'll get the experience of eating with others when we sail AmaDante next year... it appears there are no booths on that ship.

[Captiveguru]

It would have been a tight fit for 6 at those booths... especially people you don't know... lol

 

We sat in a booth for breakfast one morning. They are not designed for more than four...

[iwannacruz]

Going on the Viking Var in December. We were told they have seating on the Aquavit and that they close it in so you can sit out there when it is cold. Is that really possible to eat a meal out there in December or will it really be too cold to enjoy yourself? Interested if anyone has done this.

[jpintrepid]

Going on the Viking Var in December. We were told they have seating on the Aquavit and that they close it in so you can sit out there when it is cold. Is that really possible to eat a meal out there in December or will it really be too cold to enjoy yourself? Interested if anyone has done this.

 

There are two sections of the Acquavit. The very front is outside, but the section further back can be closed off by glass doors. In the latter section, dining is possible in any weather because they close the doors when it’s cold outside. The forward portion would be too cold to eat a meal in cold weather. It is a very pleasant space.

[newbie60]

We are ocean cruisers but did our first river cruise on Scenic this past June. We were surprised with the rigidity of the dining room rules - dinner at 7 sharp and if you're not there, they would send out looking for you. Apparently they didn't even want to begin dinner service unless everyone was seated. First water was served to the entire room. Then bread was delivered to the entire room. Then wine service began and finally, the waiters began to take orders for food. If one wanted a wine other than the two 'recommended bottles' that were being poured that evening, it was another long wait to get a different bottle from the cellar.

 

Regarding table saving - the doors were kept closed until 7 pm. There was always one gal who was first in line and bolted to the same table every night. A few minutes later, her husband and parents arrived. I'm sure there were others who did the same and by the last night of the cruise, when we had a congenial group of six who wished to dine together, we did send two of the husbands down to wait by the door to insure we'd have one of the few, round tables for six.

[Captiveguru]

We are ocean cruisers but did our first river cruise on Scenic this past June. We were surprised with the rigidity of the dining room rules - dinner at 7 sharp and if you're not there, they would send out looking for you. Apparently they didn't even want to begin dinner service unless everyone was seated. First water was served to the entire room. Then bread was delivered to the entire room. Then wine service began and finally, the waiters began to take orders for food. If one wanted a wine other than the two 'recommended bottles' that were being poured that evening, it was another long wait to get a different bottle from the cellar.

 

Our experience on AmaStella was significantly different. Most people came in between 7:00 and 7:15. Water and bread were on the table. Wine was served immediately. Orders taken quickly.