Table for 2

[Petoonya]

I can’t remember if Windstar offers esp on a sold out cruise. Seems last time we cruised they did but not sure. Thanks.

[milepig]

I’m either out of it or there’s a typo I can’t get past. “ESP”?  Don’t recall ever seeing a psychic on board, although on one trip we had a rather odd alternative medicine person who was into crystals and suchlike. 

[wolverineinOH]

I think esp in this context means especially 😄. My hubs and I always get a table for two with no problems. We are introverted 😳

[milepig]

WS, in my experience, will never force you to sit with others. There are several tables for 2. You might want to get to the dining room when service begins, but you’ll be fine. 

[salmn]

On Wind Spirit, is there open seating or assigned seating for dinner?

[new_cruiser]

All Windstar ships are open seating. Generally, they will ask if you would like to share or have your own table.

[milepig]

1 hour ago, salmn said:

On Wind Spirit, is there open seating or assigned seating for dinner?

100% open. No assigned tables or times. Just show up within the dining hours, whenever you wish. 

[Petoonya]

Thanks for helping me out there on two fronts Wolverine. And we're definitely bashful types.

 

[Strenz]

When we are alone we always and easily had a table for two. We never eat with strangers only people we know. Introverted is a nice word. WS is so accommodating. No worries. Happy Sailing

[Doh15]

And I find after 1 or 2 seatings they remember what you prefer, which is nice.

[milepig]

1 hour ago, Doh15 said:

And I find after 1 or 2 seatings they remember what you prefer, which is nice.

 

True indeed. On a recent cruise on the Legend the most convenient route from our suite was to go down the back steps. We'd appear at the back entrance to the dining room, and our regular server would just point out that she'd saved "our table" for us. How it came to be "our table" is a mystery since it was just the one we were seated at the first evening.

 

We actually love dining companions and are happy to share. We've met some of the most interesting people that way, but there are times that we just like to be along, so I get it both ways.

Edited November 12, 2018 by milepig

[minidonuts85]

Great info here as we also prefer a table for two but wouldnt be 100% against sharing depending on the wait. On the larger ships, we've had to wait upwards of an hour for a table on open dining.

 

What are the usual serving times?

[CruiseOrLand]

We often tell the Windstar maitre d' that we're willing to share. That has led us to both 4-tops and 6-tops. A minor problem is that by the end of a cruise, many other deuces have paired up with people they like, and you get seated with the same (sometimes ... er ... disappointing) sharers again and again. We ended up with some singles (mostly widows and widowers, but also sick spouses or just one that asked to have room service that night) at shares last month, and that was fine.

 

One problem with sharing is that it's likely to add 20 to 30 minutes to service, often running until 8:45 or 9:00PM. We happen to like eating early, and a deuce can have dinner in a hour if they want to. We're at the door of the Amphora at 7:00 sharp.

[Petoonya]

Is dinner served at 7pm generally on all the ships? We'll be on Wind Spirit in a week and a half and have a feeling it might be earlier on that ship? We're usually 8pm diners but will get there at 7pm for a chance at a table for 2. If dinner's earlier than 7 will just impose our shy selves on someone else 😉

Edited November 14, 2018 by Petoonya

[ridethetide]

3 hours ago, Petoonya said:

Is dinner served at 7pm generally on all the ships? We'll be on Wind Spirit in a week and a half and have a feeling it might be earlier on that ship? We're usually 8pm diners but will get there at 7pm for a chance at a table for 2. If dinner's earlier than 7 will just impose our shy selves on someone else 😉

Dinner begins at 7:00 pm on all of the ships.

[Petoonya]

Excellent. Thanks very much.

[Strenz]

Dinner starts at 7 but you can come in for  dinner at  anytime until I think 9. Happy Sailing. 

[Petoonya]

Thanks Strenz. Hubby is asking specifically for table for 2 and we're later night diners. Maybe we could try 8:30 with early diners finishing up. I just always hate to do that to the kitchen.

[Ski Mom 2]

Our our recent back2back2back, we tried dining all different ways. The very first night we said we would be happy to share a table and as soon as they sat us at a table for 4, the second couple arrived. They were from Australia and became life long friends. We had also met 2 other couples while boarding the ship and we ended up eating together with them most of the remaining nights on cruise #1.

 

Cruise #2 we continued to eat with our new friends but added another couple from Australia into the mix and so some nights there would be 4; some nights 6.

 

By cruise #3, all of our new friends had to go home and for the next few nights, my husband and I asked for a table for 2 and it was no problem at all. I think one night we had to wait about 5 minutes. We hardly ever got to dinner until at least 8 p.m. We did meet another charming couple and had dinner with them a few times but mostly, on our 3rd cruise, we ate just the two of us.

 

One evening, we had 6 of us for dinner and went earlier to request a table for 6 at 8:15 p.m. It was waiting for us when we arrived. I wouldn't worry too much about seating; they will take good care of you!

[Strenz]

Well said Ski Mom 2. Happy Sailing

[Petoonya]

We like dining 2, 4, 6, 8 even 16 too. But on this cruise some extenuating circumstances make dh feel dining alone is most comfortable for him. I'm with you there Ski Mom, and we're not worried at all about dining. I just want dh to enjoy himself- he loves socializing, just this time he's feeling a little off his game.

[Ski Mom 2]

It was pretty funny on the first night of our third cruise of our back2back2back. My DH and I looked at each other when the maitre d asked us if we wanted to join a larger table (since we had never sat just the two of us) and we both said no pretty quickly. We kind of laughed about it at dinner saying we were all small talked out. It was almost a relief to just sit the two of us. But it was nice too when we met the other couple and enjoyed their company a few of those last nights. I would just do whatever is most comfortable. The nice thing is you can always change your mind! Have a wonderful cruise!!