Main Dining with and without kids - HELP!

[momonthego17]

We have a late seating scheduled and DH and I are planning on having the DD's (5 & 7) eat earlier at Windjammer's (of course with us watching) or with OA when they have a planned "pizza party" then DH and I would have our dinner, chatting with other adults. There may be one night that we would have the DD's join us at the late seating. My question is, do we show up at the main dining room with DD's on that one night and expect to be seated or will we encounter issues? How does the dining room handle a party going from 2 people to 4 people and then back to 2?

Thanks!!

[PhoenixCruiser]

They will automatically have 4 seats for your family every evening, if your kids don't eat with you two of the chairs will be empty. :D

 

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[momonthego17]

They will automatically have 4 seats for your family every evening, if your kids don't eat with you two of the chairs will be empty. :D

 

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So, even if we say that we are a party of two, we will be considered a party of four? And we will sit with the same people every night? Our last and only cruise we were with another family who was part of our party so I have no clue to regular protocal. Thanks!

[PhoenixCruiser]

So, even if we say that we are a party of two, we will be considered a party of four? And we will sit with the same people every night? Our last and only cruise we were with another family who was part of our party so I have no clue to regular protocal. Thanks!

 

Yes, everyone is assigned a seat in the dining room. And yes, you will sit at the same table all week. :)

 

Are your kids in the same cabin as you? If so, all four will be assigned to the same table. If you have two cabins, you'll want to link the reservations so you are sat together.

 

Have fun planning!

 

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[cb at sea]

Hopefully, you will have a large table so you will have plenty of tablemates to talk to! If you are at a table for 6, and your 2 kids don't show, that only leaves the 4 of you! Bigger is better, when it comes to dinner on a ship!

[momonthego17]

Hopefully, you will have a large table so you will have plenty of tablemates to talk to! If you are at a table for 6, and your 2 kids don't show, that only leaves the 4 of you! Bigger is better, when it comes to dinner on a ship!

 

Do we need to request a large table when we board the ship or should I be taking care of that earlier (and if so, how?). I booked our upcoming cruise online so I am a bit (maybe alot:p ) clueless.

I think we would rather have adults to chat with rather than another family with kids. Is that choice available to me? Thanks!

[alcheme]

OK. As others have already said, when you booked a party of four on the cruise, you were considered a party of four for dining, so the seats will be there for your DDs. There is a choice in the booking process of what size table you prefer. I think the large table is the default choice, if you do not change it, but I'm not 100% sure. Look at your booking confirmation, and it may be detailed there. I know it was on mine, but I booked through a TA. If not, give RC a call and check what you've requested, and have them change it if it's not what you want.

 

I think they tend to group similar parties together, so there is a good chance you'll be seated w/ another couple with kids. If you definitely don't want that, talk with them about that, too, and they may be able to add that comment to your reservation.

[masonpips]

We did this on our last cruise. We chose late seating and were seated with our two kids (ages 7&8 at the time) at a table for 8. They will eat with you the first night (the kid's club only has an "open house" and you cannot check them in) if you plan on eating in the dining room.

 

We went in with our two kids and had two other retired couples (early 60's) from England. I thought "oh they are going to HATE us with these kids" and we quickly explained that the kids preferred eating at Windjammer's, having room service, checking out Johnny Rockets, etc., and that we'd be coming to dinner alone the other nights. Those couples LOVED our kids and were always asking about them and saying they wish they would have eaten with us!

 

The kids did join us on our son's birthday later in the week (under protest, they honestly wanted to be having fun in Adventure Ocean!) and the 8 of us had a blast.

 

Based on our experiences last year, we actually hope we are seated with some other adults and/or a family this year - it was such a good time!

[momonthego17]

We did this on our last cruise. We chose late seating and were seated with our two kids (ages 7&8 at the time) at a table for 8. They will eat with you the first night (the kid's club only has an "open house" and you cannot check them in) if you plan on eating in the dining room.

 

We went in with our two kids and had two other retired couples (early 60's) from England. I thought "oh they are going to HATE us with these kids" and we quickly explained that the kids preferred eating at Windjammer's, having room service, checking out Johnny Rockets, etc., and that we'd be coming to dinner alone the other nights. Those couples LOVED our kids and were always asking about them and saying they wish they would have eaten with us!

 

The kids did join us on our son's birthday later in the week (under protest, they honestly wanted to be having fun in Adventure Ocean!) and the 8 of us had a blast.

 

Based on our experiences last year, we actually hope we are seated with some other adults and/or a family this year - it was such a good time!

Masonpips, thank you for the insight and your experience dealing with a situation similar to ours. I forgot about the first night meal being with the kids (my first and only cruise is a bit of a blur!) so this info will help. I'm thinking my DDs will be hungry earlier and wanting the AO as well, so we will more than likely be on the same plan as your family.

Happy Cruising!

[BethCarp]

OP, the first night would be your "one night" for the kids to join you in the dining room. We plan on doing the same thing. I will probably even feed them before going to the dining room that night. Rest of the trip they will eat at the WJ then go to AO. I'm not looking forward to that first night because I'm sure they'll be too excited to sit nicely at the table.

 

 

After that, I'll probably tell the Maitre'D that the kids won't be back in case they need to fill the seats.

[momonthego17]

OP, the first night would be your "one night" for the kids to join you in the dining room. We plan on doing the same thing. I will probably even feed them before going to the dining room that night. Rest of the trip they will eat at the WJ then go to AO. I'm not looking forward to that first night because I'm sure they'll be too excited to sit nicely at the table.

 

 

After that, I'll probably tell the Maitre'D that the kids won't be back in case they need to fill the seats.

Smart thinking! My DDs would probably do well with some WJ grub in their tummies especially since they are used to eating no later than 7 pm. Crayons and paper might help, but I agree that sitting nicely will be difficult. And I'm not just talking about the kids, I can hardly wait!!:D

Thanks for your guidance in this!

PS. What does "OP" mean?

[ColoradoMom!!]

But the first night is the one you can't do with the kids if you have late because that is the during the meet time for the kids' clubs that everyone says is so essential. We are having the same problem and have been told that the waitlist for early seating is closed.

[masonpips]

But the first night is the one you can't do with the kids if you have late because that is the during the meet time for the kids' clubs that everyone says is so essential. We are having the same problem and have been told that the waitlist for early seating is closed.

 

I think as long as you drop by and the kids meet the counselors, you're fine. Dinner the first night is later too (8:45 last year on Navigator) and I think the Open House starts at 7 or so? Once you get past the first night, you'll love late seating; no rushing to get ready and everyone relaxes a bit on board (I throw our "typical" schedule completely out the window and the kids eat pizza at 11 or midnight every night before they go to bed!)

 

OP means Original Poster

[Inshape]

And we always take a table for 4 sine we do eat with our 2 kids, ages 12 and 10 now. They are very well behaved but this is our time and even though I do miss the adult conversation at dinner it is their time to have us to themselves too. We also feel that we do not want to infringe our kids on someone else who probably want adult conversation.

[momonthego17]

I think as long as you drop by and the kids meet the counselors, you're fine. Dinner the first night is later too (8:45 last year on Navigator) and I think the Open House starts at 7 or so? Once you get past the first night, you'll love late seating; no rushing to get ready and everyone relaxes a bit on board (I throw our "typical" schedule completely out the window and the kids eat pizza at 11 or midnight every night before they go to bed!)

 

OP means Original Poster

 

So, I could get my DDs fed around 6:30 at WJ, take them to Open House at 7, be done with all of the enrollment stuff and DH and I hit dinner by 8:45? If that is the case then it doesn't seem like there is a time problem.

 

Thanks for the "OP" heads-up!;)

[VernRDH]

So, I could get my DDs fed around 6:30 at WJ, take them to Open House at 7, be done with all of the enrollment stuff and DH and I hit dinner by 8:45? If that is the case then it doesn't seem like there is a time problem.

 

Thanks for the "OP" heads-up!;)

 

AO may or may not be open on the first night. Depends on the ship. On our Jewel cruise it was open right after the AO Welcome Aboard show. On our Legend cruise, it did not open until the next day. I would plan on taking your DDs to dinner the first night but should they have program that night, you could feed them at WJ and then go to dinner by yourself. You can ask at the desk where you get the muster station wristbands for the kids when you board as someone from AO handles this. Then you would know what the hours are.

 

We always take main seating dinner and our DD eats with us. The dining room is a great experience for kids-learning about manners, proper use of silverware and making conversation with others. Plus trying out all the new foods (our DD does not order from the kids menu-likes the grown up food better).

 

No matter what, have a great cruise and enjoy!!!