MDR table groupings

[cruzer0007]

With ships now sailing much closer to full than anytime in the past year, does anyone know if the MDR table assignments are back to mixing strangers at the larger tables ?  We are on the Allure in about 10 days and all indications are a very dense passenger load.  Our understanding was up to now only families or groups traveling together would be seated together at a larger table.  We are a couple, and want a table for 2 but it would seem there won’t be enough MDR tables of that size (2 top) to handle a nearly full ship.  We used to love the larger table arrangement and the interaction with other travelers, but with COVID still popping up on the cruise ships, it’s a real concern for us.  We understand that if anyone at a large table were to test positive, all at the table go to isolation and we do not want to take that risk.  Anyone know how that scenario is playing out ?

Edited April 12, 2022 by cruzer0007

[Ashland]

From what we have seen on our last three cruises this year getting a 2Top wasn't a problem...actually we were given a 4Top for just the two of us on all three cruises.

[UKWLDCruise]

back a couple of weeks and they were still sitting people in their travelling parties then.

 

[h20skibum]

A month ago, we were at a mixed table, but we had requested it.

[molly361]

On the Mariner last month they were seating people with strangers

[CBCDWV]

On the March 13 Anthem cruise my husband I were seated with another couple. We had a great time with them at dinner!

[cruiseguy1016]

Send an email to rcldining@rccl.com. Give them your booking number, ship, and sail date. Ask to be seated at a table for 2. Your wish will be granted.

[cruzer0007]

Thanks for that reference, but I did this a while back and got no response, so a few weeks ago I called and verbally requested a table for 2 in the MDR.  The RCCL agent warned me that due to high demand for a 2-top, they would not promise they could accommodate my request, hence my inquiry here about recent on board practices in that regard.  Anyone know the current practices regarding Covid isolation ?   If an MDR table mate tests positive, is the whole table put into the isolation protocol ?   We are both fully  vax’d and 2x boosted in case that matters.

Edited April 12, 2022 by cruzer0007

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, cruzer0007 said:

If an MDR table mate tests positive, is the whole table put into the isolation protocol ?  

Very likely - the ship will probably assume close contact for everyone at the table. But, a test and a day later (assuming negative) you rejoin the cruise (isolate in your own cabin). I don't recall any recent reports of positive passenger tests on board, but that was the routine during the Omicron wave.

Edited April 12, 2022 by Biker19

[SG65CB]

I booked a cruise yesterday and they asked me if I wanted a table for 2, 4, 6, 8 o r 10. 

 

We have 4 in our cabin. 

 

[cruiseguy1016]

2 hours ago, cruzer0007 said:

Thanks for that reference, but I did this a while back and got no response, so a few weeks ago I called and verbally requested a table for 2 in the MDR.  The RCCL agent warned me that due to high demand for a 2-top, they would not promise they could accommodate my request, hence my inquiry here about recent on board practices in that regard.  Anyone know the current practices regarding Covid isolation ?   If an MDR table mate tests positive, is the whole table put into the isolation protocol ?   We are both fully  vax’d and 2x boosted in case that matters.

 

I would try again. I have always gotten a response and have never been denied my request.

[molly361]

16 hours ago, cruzer0007 said:

With ships now sailing much closer to full than anytime in the past year, does anyone know if the MDR table assignments are back to mixing strangers at the larger tables ?  We are on the Allure in about 10 days and all indications are a very dense passenger load.  Our understanding was up to now only families or groups traveling together would be seated together at a larger table.  We are a couple, and want a table for 2 but it would seem there won’t be enough MDR tables of that size (2 top) to handle a nearly full ship.  We used to love the larger table arrangement and the interaction with other travelers, but with COVID still popping up on the cruise ships, it’s a real concern for us.  We understand that if anyone at a large table were to test positive, all at the table go to isolation and we do not want to take that risk.  Anyone know how that scenario is playing out ?

Try again  If you send the request more than 2 or 3 weeks out it tends to get lost in the shuffle.  I also have never been denied.  I usually send it about 2 weeks out.  

[kochleffel]

When I was on the Serenade in 2019, I was willing to share a table (in MyTime dining) but was always seated alone at a 2-top, except for the evening when the ship was overnight at St. Petersburg and  the dining arrangements were disrupted by evening excursions. So switching to MyTime might be a surefire way to get a 2-top.

[Ashland]

5 hours ago, cruzer0007 said:

Thanks for that reference, but I did this a while back and got no response, so a few weeks ago I called and verbally requested a table for 2 in the MDR.  The RCCL agent warned me that due to high demand for a 2-top, they would not promise they could accommodate my request, hence my inquiry here about recent on board practices in that regard.  Anyone know the current practices regarding Covid isolation ?   If an MDR table mate tests positive, is the whole table put into the isolation protocol ?   We are both fully  vax’d and 2x boosted in case that matters.

Our waiter in the MDR was quarantined on our day 5 of our cruise. We were not. We only knew this when another waitstaff replaced him.

[cruzer0007]

1 hour ago, Ashland said:

Our waiter in the MDR was quarantined on our day 5 of our cruise. We were not. We only knew this when another waitstaff replaced him.

Thanks for sharing that experience.   My suspicion is they can skate around the issue of isolating the associated passengers by leaning on the CDC definition of close contact (15 minutes of time or more). Waitstaff can be less time in the contact window, but table mates are there for at least 60 minutes (generally), well beyond that minimum time threshold.  I would love to have the interaction with others, but I admit some paranoia about the exposure consequences, and I seek to minimize that risk.  I see it as 6x higher risk if we did our typical preference of a table of 8.

Edited April 13, 2022 by cruzer0007

[D4]

We were B2B on Oasis March 20 - April 3.  There were plenty of tables for 2, however there was only about a foot of space between most of those tables.  So you were basically at a table for 4 if your table was on the end of a row or a table of 6 if you had tables on both sides of you.

[Sunshine3601]

7 hours ago, cruzer0007 said:

Thanks for that reference, but I did this a while back and got no response, so a few weeks ago I called and verbally requested a table for 2 in the MDR.  The RCCL agent warned me that due to high demand for a 2-top, they would not promise they could accommodate my request, hence my inquiry here about recent on board practices in that regard.  Anyone know the current practices regarding Covid isolation ?   If an MDR table mate tests positive, is the whole table put into the isolation protocol ?   We are both fully  vax’d and 2x boosted in case that matters.

You typically want to email rcldining when you approach 30 days or less.  Phone reps have no control over table settings.   Email rcldining again and when you board go to mdr to see where they placed you.  If unhappy ask for a different table.    They will take care of you, no worries.

[cruzer0007]

1 hour ago, D4 said:

We were B2B on Oasis March 20 - April 3.  There were plenty of tables for 2, however there was only about a foot of space between most of those tables.  So you were basically at a table for 4 if your table was on the end of a row or a table of 6 if you had tables on both sides of you.

Thanks for your inputs, I had that expectation based on a prior cruise.  Tables for 2 were quite close together, but for my selfish objective, if I ultimately get a table for 2 in the MDR that should eliminate my risk of getting into COVID isolation due to a positive test by someone at my dining table.  Privacy was not my motivation, no worries about that aspect.  Maybe we will get the best of both worlds ... get some interaction with other cruisers, and avoid the COVID isolation protocol baggage.

[D4]

1 hour ago, cruzer0007 said:

Thanks for your inputs, I had that expectation based on a prior cruise.  Tables for 2 were quite close together, but for my selfish objective, if I ultimately get a table for 2 in the MDR that should eliminate my risk of getting into COVID isolation due to a positive test by someone at my dining table.  Privacy was not my motivation, no worries about that aspect.  Maybe we will get the best of both worlds ... get some interaction with other cruisers, and avoid the COVID isolation protocol baggage.

I don't know for sure, but I could see Royal deeming you as a close contact if a person tests positive that is assigned the table for 2 a foot away from your table for 2. 

 

[PhillyFan33579]

8 hours ago, D4 said:

I don't know for sure, but I could see Royal deeming you as a close contact if a person tests positive that is assigned the table for 2 a foot away from your table for 2. 

 

They have more or less been sitting different parties close together since cruising resumed last year. On our first several cruises starting last July, we were seated at a two top. In theory we were sitting alone, but there was literally another two top less than two feet away from us. This was our experience on Adventure, Mariner, Odyssey and Freedom. On more recent cruises we have been seated with other passengers we didn’t know at larger tables. 

[rdtpm64]

On 4/12/2022 at 7:12 AM, cruiseguy1016 said:

Send an email to rcldining@rccl.com. Give them your booking number, ship, and sail date. Ask to be seated at a table for 2. Your wish will be granted.

Thank you for posting this.  I just emailed them and asked for our party of 4 (2 different reservations) to be seated at a 4 top.  Fingers crossed!  We sail on the 22nd.

[jdg623]

With almost everyone vaxxed and negative tests on a sailing, we really do feel safe, we just prefer to continue to be cautious. We always do MTD but since resuming cruising have mostly been avoiding the MDR b/c of the close positioning of tables. We did dine there a few times on a recent Jewel sailing and they were asking guests if they were willing to share a table. We said no and were able to get a 4-top table in a corner for the two of us, with no one else sitting less than 6 feet away. They will do their best to honor guest preferences. We're planning to make the same request on the Vision next week.  🤞

 

 

[cruzer0007]

23 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

I would try again. I have always gotten a response and have never been denied my request.

Thanks cruiseguy1016 for that recommendation, I did so and within about 12 hrs I got a reply, indicating my request had been forwarded to the ship for processing, and that my request was noted.  I doubt I will hear any further updates, but this is probably all I would expect. This has to be the next best thing to making an in person request on board.  I guess being ~10 days out was a factor in the level of priority handling, at least in my case. Thanks again for the suggestion.

Edited April 13, 2022 by cruzer0007

[Sunshine3601]

2 hours ago, cruzer0007 said:

Thanks cruiseguy1016 for that recommendation, I did so and within about 12 hrs I got a reply, indicating my request had been forwarded to the ship for processing, and that my request was noted.  I doubt I will hear any further updates, but this is probably all I would expect. This has to be the next best thing to making an in person request on board.  I guess being ~10 days out was a factor in the level of priority handling, at least in my case. Thanks again for the suggestion.

We cruised early Jan when omicron was blowing up and we had concerns about sitting at a table right next to someone so I emailed rcldining and asked for a 2 top table that would Not be right next to another table. They replied saying basically the same thing you were just told.     

When we got onboard I went to MDR and they showed me where the table would be and it was perfect - it was a 4 top along a wall with the walkway dividing us from anyone else.    We had tables behind us with plenty of separation.      

Was a great location too!     We loved it so much that when we just did a b2b on same ship the other week we asked for the same table as this time we had our Son and his Fiance traveling with us.      Worked out perfect and we now have a new favorite table seating.   Of course, they will change it around by the next time we are onboard - LOL!

[Ashland]

We (two of us) also had a great table for 4 for our B2B. On our 2rd night on the 2nd leg (we had missed coming there on night one) we came to the table and found one gentleman (not really) sitting there he had switched table numbers. They moved him to a table for two right next to us and he was very unhappy...not sure how he thought he could get away with this.