Any problems for solo diners?

[IUSteve]

I will be traveling solo on Equinox.  I want to dine alone (just me and a good book), not be seated with random people I don't know.  I plan to check out the specialty dining as well as the main DR.  Should I expect any problems in any of the venues when I ask for a table by myself? 

 

Also, I find that solo diners in restaurants sometimes get poorer service.  Should I expect any problems like that?  Thanks!  

[drakes2]

1 minute ago, IUSteve said:

I will be traveling solo on Equinox.  I want to dine alone (just me and a good book), not be seated with random people I don't know.  I plan to check out the specialty dining as well as the main DR.  Should I expect any problems in any of the venues when I ask for a table by myself? 

 

Also, I find that solo diners in restaurants sometimes get poorer service.  Should I expect any problems like that?  Thanks!  

I dined solo in November on the Silhouette and had excellent service from my waitress and sommelier.  Since the ship was below 50% capacity waitress would stop by quite often to see how I was doing and we had some nice conversations. The first night a big upset at having to eat alone for a 10 night cruise but after that I really enjoyed it. 

[cublet]

Hello,

 

Depending on the latest iteration of Covid precautions, you may be seated on a MDR table by yourself anyway. You will always be on a table of your own in any of the specialty restaurants with the possible exception of the 'Le Petit Chef' - as if you needed another reason for not going there.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[Pushkin]

I traveled solo for the first time in October.  I, too, was nervous about eating alone.  As it turned out, it was fine -- some nights I did not even bring my book!  I always asked for a table for two - had no problems.  I also met a new friend and had dinner with her two nights.

I thought I got extra attention from the wait staff as well as the sommelier!

Edited April 3, 2022 by Pushkin

[IUSteve]

2 minutes ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

Depending on the latest iteration of Covid precautions, you may be seated on a MDR table by yourself anyway. You will always be on a table of your own in any of the specialty restaurants with the possible exception of the 'Le Petit Chef' - as if you needed another reason for not going there.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

 

Yes, that is the one specialty dining I planned to steer clear of!

[RTShaker]

1 hour ago, IUSteve said:

I will be traveling solo on Equinox.  I want to dine alone (just me and a good book), not be seated with random people I don't know.  I plan to check out the specialty dining as well as the main DR.  Should I expect any problems in any of the venues when I ask for a table by myself? 

 

Also, I find that solo diners in restaurants sometimes get poorer service.  Should I expect any problems like that?  Thanks!  

I have done it solo half a dozen times, pre-covid though. I dined alone for all. Never a problem in the MDR, even at full capacity on the ships. Service was better in my opinion. The really nice part is dining at your own pace, and not that of 7 other people. I do not have any experience with the specialty dining though.

[Honolulu Blue]

1 hour ago, IUSteve said:

I will be traveling solo on Equinox.  I want to dine alone (just me and a good book), not be seated with random people I don't know.  I plan to check out the specialty dining as well as the main DR.  Should I expect any problems in any of the venues when I ask for a table by myself? 

 

Also, I find that solo diners in restaurants sometimes get poorer service.  Should I expect any problems like that?  Thanks!  

 

Aw, a cruiser after my own heart. 😍

 

I don't have any experience with the MDR or specialty dining on Celebrity, so I'm glad that others have answered your question about that.  I just want to note the obvious - in the buffet, you can always pick your own seat and no one will care if you bring a book or not.  Indeed, on the Summit back in September, I could often choose a window seat that wasn't within 20 feet of any other passenger.  Then again, there were only a few hundred other passengers on board and I don't expect you to be so lucky on your cruise.

 

As for service, I've dined at restaurants solo occasionally on land and on other cruises.  I've never had a problem with service, but then again I neither need nor ask for much in that department.  YMMV.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, IUSteve said:

I will be traveling solo on Equinox.  I want to dine alone (just me and a good book), not be seated with random people I don't know.  I plan to check out the specialty dining as well as the main DR.  Should I expect any problems in any of the venues when I ask for a table by myself? 

 

Also, I find that solo diners in restaurants sometimes get poorer service.  Should I expect any problems like that?  Thanks!  

Almost always cruise solo, the one time I accepted an invite to dine with others, I said never again, one and done.  Never feel uncomfortable at all either, great attentive service.  Also when I do cruise with a guest or friends, if just two of us we get a two seat table or a table that will accommodate only those in our group.  

[AndyB]

On my recent Millennium cruise, I dined solo at all the specialty restaurants (including Le Petit Chef, which I really enjoyed) and the MDR.  I got great service at all of them.  

[drakes2]

56 minutes ago, IUSteve said:

 

Yes, that is the one specialty dining I planned to steer clear of!

What is it about Le Petit Chef? Its either a love or hate attitude. Kinda steep at $55.

[hrhdhd]

I travel without DH a bit, and I've never had a problem dining solo. I am treated well, especially in the specialty restaurants. Hope you enjoy!

[cublet]

4 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Almost always cruise solo, the one time I accepted an invite to dine with others, I said never again, one and done.  Never feel uncomfortable at all either, great attentive service.  Also when I do cruise with a guest or friends, if just two of us we get a two seat table or a table that will accommodate only those in our group.  

Hello,

 

What I like about X is they spread solos around. What I hate about P&O is they put all the solos together.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Cruise solo almost all the time, and (with 2 exceptions on DCL - one of which I was able to change) I always dine alone. LOVE it!!

 

Servers have always been attentive without being over the top. On one cruise, the couples at the tables around mine and I would chat briefly if we wanted, but never felt forced to. I think for Celebrity (and others that have the fixed dining vs. select/you choose the time) the key is to have Select Dining. That's what I do, and then I'll make my reservations for each night. I've never had a problem being seated alone. On Edge because I was trying the different dining rooms I didn't have the same tables - but on ships with one dining room since I would book my reservations for the same time each night (between early and late seatings for regular dining) I was able to have the same table and servers each night.

[JamieLogical]

I have sailed solo on Celebrity several times post-restart. The first time was pre-delta and I was able to request a shared table (my choice) without issue. I sailed in Retreat and Aqua a few times since, so can't speak much to the MDR solo experience, except to say that when my husband and I sailed together on the Equinox in late January, we were seated at a table for two in the MDR and occasionally a solo sailor was seated next to us and would strike up a conversation with us if they chose.