Solos at dinnrer in the Grand Dining Room?

[Justalone]

New to cruising.   Are there tables available for solos?  

Thanks

Edited January 11, 2020 by Justalone

[Paulchili]

There are 2 tops and you can certainly ask for one of those if they are available.

[Jancruz]

I suggest you ask for a share..great way to meet people..

Jancruz1

[StanandJim]

14 minutes ago, Jancruz said:

I suggest you ask for a share..great way to meet people..

Jancruz1

+1

As you enter the Grand Dining Room there is a row of chairs where people who wish to share wait, after telling the Restaurant Captain that they would like to do so.

Everyone at your table, whether it be for 2 two or more, will be seated together, which makes conversation, and ordering, so much nicer.  

Oceania does this kind of thing VERY well.  

 

[marylovestotravel]

2 hours ago, Justalone said:

New to cruising.   Are there tables available for solos?  

Thanks

 

A few years ago my friend and I were on the Marina and were fortunate enough to link up with a "solo travellers group" put together by the social director/cruise director's department. We were invited to several lunches over the length of the cruise and had the opportunity to "break the ice"/be introduced to other people travelling by themselves. Men as well as women were invited, but for some reason, only the ladies came. 

 

You might be interested in finding out about this. Perhaps your travel agent could be a resource or perhaps once onboard, you can talk to the concierge. There is a desk in the lobby area. As previously mentioned, asking for a table to share is always a good way to get interesting dinner companions as well. I've found sharing is very  common on Oceania and people are for the most part, friendly. Best of luck and enjoy your cruise. 

 

Mia

[samiam0403]

3 hours ago, Justalone said:

New to cruising.   Are there tables available for solos?  

Thanks

Yes. Just sailed last month on Riviera, and dined alone every night in the specialty restaurants and GDR (except for 2 nights at La Reserve), as well as breakfast and dinner. Just my Kindle and me - it was perfect for my week-long solo cruise where my plans involved relaxing, reading, and relaxing some more. 

[Mura]

I believe that it is O's usual practice to announce the solo traveler get-togethers in Currents.  They don't try to keep these things secret!  Not that asking would hurt ...

 

Mura

[clo]

1 hour ago, samiam0403 said:

Yes. Just sailed last month on Riviera, and dined alone every night in the specialty restaurants and GDR (except for 2 nights at La Reserve), as well as breakfast and dinner. Just my Kindle and me - it was perfect for my week-long solo cruise where my plans involved relaxing, reading, and relaxing some more. 

I'm glad you 'spoke' up. People traveling alone, I'd guess, are doing that sometimes because they want to BE ALONE.

[samiam0403]

15 minutes ago, clo said:

I'm glad you 'spoke' up. People traveling alone, I'd guess, are doing that sometimes because they want to BE ALONE.

 

Exactly. I enjoy cruising with others most of the time, but about once or twice a year, I sail solo. On Riviera, I thoroughly enjoyed socializing with others throughout the day (I met so many lovely people!), and attended the solo gathering early on, but for meals I simply prefer to dine quietly. As an introvert, my solo cruises are my time to relax and recharge, and not have to worry if my traveling companions are enjoying themselves. 

 

Also, I've just noticed my error in my original post - I meant 'breakfast and lunch', not 'breakfast and dinner'. Oops. 

[Mura]

No one would object to your choosing to dine alone, at least I think no one would!  And I'm sure that you aren't the only one traveling alone who wants to "de-stress" from your regular life and may prefer solitude at meal times.  I'm another introvert (not everyone who knows me well believes that) but I tend to prefer company at meal time.  Not that it bothers me if I need to dine alone!

 

I'm remembering a dinner a few years ago on Marina where we were signing in with the Maitre d' at the GDR at the same time as a woman traveling alone.  If I'm recalling correctly they didn't have a table available for her alone right then so I asked her if she would like to join us.  She looked at us for a moment and agreed. (I can well understand that since she didn't know us she wasn't immediately sure about joining us!)  We wouldn't have minded at all had she said she preferred to dine alone.

 

We had a lovely dinner that night.  She was a very interesting Swiss woman who'd owned a pizzeria with her husband but was now widowed (and retired).  Conversation did not lag ...

 

Mura

 

 

 

[azam71209]

I don't remember ever being asked to sit in a row of chairs if I wanted to share. They usually seat you at a table with others already there or other people come to join you. Maybe this is something new.

 

Mary

[clo]

Just now, azam71209 said:

I don't remember ever being asked to sit in a row of chairs if I wanted to share. They usually seat you at a table with others already there or other people come to join you. Maybe this is something new.

 

Mary

That seemed kinda odd.

[JMM99]

In our experience the row of chairs is usually used for couples waiting for a ‘table for two’ to become available.  

[ORV]

The row of chairs is definitely there, to the right of the Host stand. 

[pinotlover]

I believe another issue should be considered with dining alone versus sharing with a group. The GDR and the Specialties provide a normally delightful meal at a very leisurely pace, more European style dining as opposed to American. Therefore, one should expect their meal to last 1.5 - 2 hours depending upon courses ordered. 
 

Even in groups, some become extremely frustrated that they can’t eat in 45 minutes or less and are in near agony. If therefore, sitting alone for 1.5 hours alone isn’t something you relish ( you may not enjoy reading a Kindle during a meal between courses), then enjoying the company of a shared table will often make time fly by more quickly. One is typically not served more quickly just because they choose to dine alone.

[clo]

1 minute ago, pinotlover said:

I believe another issue should be considered with dining alone versus sharing with a group. The GDR and the Specialties provide a normally delightful meal at a very leisurely pace, more European style dining as opposed to American. Therefore, one should expect their meal to last 1.5 - 2 hours depending upon courses ordered. 
 

Even in groups, some become extremely frustrated that they can’t eat in 45 minutes or less and are in near agony. If therefore, sitting alone for 1.5 hours alone isn’t something you relish ( you may not enjoy reading a Kindle during a meal between courses), then enjoying the company of a shared table will often make time fly by more quickly. One is typically not served more quickly just because they choose to dine alone.

We shared a table with another couple at our second dinner at Jacques. We ordered different types and numbers of courses and weren't all served at the same time and it was fine.

[Go-Bucks!]

On 1/12/2020 at 11:01 AM, pinotlover said:

sitting alone for 1.5 hours alone isn’t something you relish ( you may not enjoy reading a Kindle during a meal between courses)

 

I've eaten alone in both the GDR and specialty restaurants...no big deal. Just tell the hostess that you're a party of one. I always take something to read during dinner if I'm alone...they don't care. One thing I usually did was to ask that my whole dinner be served together at the same time...I rarely order an appetizer so usually got a salad and entree. Since it all came out together, I didn't have to wait between courses. 

[clo]

1 hour ago, Go-Bucks! said:

 

I've eaten alone in both the GDR and specialty restaurants...no big deal. Just tell the hostess that you're a party of one. I always take something to read during dinner if I'm alone...they don't care. One thing I usually did was to ask that my whole dinner be served together at the same time...I rarely order an appetizer so usually got a salad and entree. Since it all came out together, I didn't have to wait between courses. 

I'm more an app and a main but sometimes two apps and a salad. I don't care n what order it's served.

[ksolliday]

Just back from sailing solo on Sirena.  Oceania took SUCH good care of me.  If I came to the main dining room, I usually was given a window 2 top.  Always was greeted by name.

 

I always requested a sharing table at the specialty restaurants - the food was awesome and I was able to eat there many times (just ask!).  The first night i had dinner with a lovely couple from Germany,  next night a couple from Scotland .... 

 

The Solo travelers get together was a great way to meet people, and 5 of our group hung out for much of the cruise.   It was my first time traveling by myself... and I found it wasn't as scary as i thought it would be - and I met friends for life just by agreeing to share a table.

[Paulchili]

7 hours ago, ksolliday said:

Just back from sailing solo on Sirena.  Oceania took SUCH good care of me.  If I came to the main dining room, I usually was given a window 2 top.  Always was greeted by name.

 

I always requested a sharing table at the specialty restaurants - the food was awesome and I was able to eat there many times (just ask!).  The first night i had dinner with a lovely couple from Germany,  next night a couple from Scotland .... 

 

The Solo travelers get together was a great way to meet people, and 5 of our group hung out for much of the cruise.   It was my first time traveling by myself... and I found it wasn't as scary as i thought it would be - and I met friends for life just by agreeing to share a table.

That's a story with happy ending - I like that.

Thanks for sharing.

[cruisemom42]

12 hours ago, ksolliday said:

I always requested a sharing table at the specialty restaurants - the food was awesome and I was able to eat there many times (just ask!).  The first night i had dinner with a lovely couple from Germany,  next night a couple from Scotland .... 

 

 

As a solo traveler, that's interesting (and good) news. How do you reserve for additional nights via sharing a table (or do you just show up and hope)?  What's the process? 

[Redtravel]

Oceania GDR will always ask whether you want to share or not.  When we travel as a couple, we do a mix. There are times when we like to dine at a table for 2.  We meet lots of people during the cruise.  Have had great conversations.  On some cruises, we have had to share tables in the specialty restaurants.  If everyone wants the same time, it can force us into sharing.  Mostly shared with interesting people.  
I see singles dining alone.  Many are reading.  If I see a single in Terrace eating at a large table, I may ask to join them.  

[ksolliday]

Cruisemom42 - on the Sirena, there was a specialty dining room representative on the 5th floor - I just went and spoke to them on embarkation day, and asked for extra reservations.  The fact I was willing to share a table helped.... 

 

Also, later in the cruise when everyone had settled in, some reservations opened up and created more opportunities.   Great food, great people - I am so glad I opened up to sharing a table!!!

[cruisemom42]

19 hours ago, ksolliday said:

Cruisemom42 - on the Sirena, there was a specialty dining room representative on the 5th floor - I just went and spoke to them on embarkation day, and asked for extra reservations.  The fact I was willing to share a table helped.... 

 

Also, later in the cruise when everyone had settled in, some reservations opened up and created more opportunities.   Great food, great people - I am so glad I opened up to sharing a table!!!

 

Thanks for the extra details --- much appreciated!

[bob brown]

On 1/24/2020 at 8:22 PM, ksolliday said:

The Solo travelers get together was a great way to meet people, and 5 of our group hung out for much of the cruise.   It was my first time traveling by myself... and I found it wasn't as scary as i thought it would be - and I met friends for life just by agreeing to share a table.

That was my experience as well...

The night of the first solo meet, about 10 of us went to the MDR afterwards.   We had a great time, and I suggested that anyone wishing to dine together for the rest of the cruise, meet at the Barista lounge (just outside the MDR) at 6:30 each evening.  

We had a very good group, and there were usually at least 5 or more each evening...sometimes we even had to get two tables.

This was on the 2019 ATW cruise, and we invited solo's at the start of each new leg to join us, as well...