How do they pick table mates ?

[snzz]

1st timer. 2 adults 2 kids (9 & 11). Do they try & hook you up w/similar people ? Don't want to get stuck w/a couple of sr. citizens or conversely w/people who go "Oh, no - kids at our table...uhh " Any advice ?? Thanks!

[laseiber]

Usually they ask your preference when you make reservations thru your travel agent, if not when you board, they ask if you prefer a table of 6-8-10-12, when we have traveled with family (in-laws), I always had to eat with them, I wouldn't have asked any unsuspecting travelers to put up with them (adult relatives), ha ha. When it was just my husband and I we asked for a larger table. We have always been please with our table mates, on our last cruise, we had a table for 8 and only one other couble showed up throughout the week. My children have been cruising and traveling since they were 2 and we have always made sure they had table manners. Now they are adults, and appreciate the effort we made to have them behave. We always liked the early seating for dinner, that way by the midnight buffet (not many of those any more) you might be hungry. On our next cruise we are going to try the upscaled (Chops and Portifino's). On a side note, make sure to take bandaids and anticeptic for those small cuts and scraps, blisters, etc. These are costly, (you don't want to pay the doctor cost) and the ships shops are closed while in port. Also anti diarria, headache, and sunburn aids. Have a great first cruise, it won't be your last. Our next one will be our 8th (4th on RCCL).

[pmfan]

We have always been seated with like families. Not sure if we was just lucky or if this is normal.

[Redheadsmama]

Looking forward to meeting new people. Really don't care

whom I seated with.

[English Teacher]

We didn't have a choice of tablemates, but ended up with delightful people.

I'm sure you will, too!

 

Lou-Ann

[citcatt1]

We have one child, and have always been seated with other people with children.

[suezyq50]

This past month was the first time I classified us as senior citizen. (Being 55, we got a discount.) Those at our table were 73, 72, 67, and 65. This was the first time we were with older folks. With that said, yes you should be match up with another family.

[Carnival Game]

On our last cruise, they had my teenage son and I at a table with ten other seniors traveling together who conversed in Russian! I immediately asked for a change the next morning and we were put with another family with teens.

[jswrpw83]

I would definitely check in with the maitre d' as soon as possible after boarding to check the demographics of your tablemates.

 

We had a cruise when DD and I were seated at a table where everyone else was much older than I and two people spoke limited English. We did switch tables but I felt a little guilty as I carried most of the conversation. It's easier to avoid that from the beginning, so I'd talk to whomever booked your cruise or to RCCL customer service before sailing.

[laurspag]

My first cruise is this August, (Bermuda through RCCL) and my TA asked if we wanted to be seated with others or by ourselves. I am guessing based on some of the questions he asked that we will be seated with a family of similar ages and what not to us.

 

How will that all work with Portofino's? My husband and I plan to attend one night without our teenagers. I was wondering if we'd be at a table for two, with others, or if that is something you can chose.

[Saracruise]

You just make a reservation for 2 at Portifinos. Lots of their tables for 2 look out the window... how romantic.

[pmfan]

Is there actually a formula that they use? Does anyone know?

[TeeMarie]

I don't know how they do it but on our honeymoon cruise we were at a table with 3 other couples roughly our age. It was great that we didn't have to work around extreme age or language bariers but we were disappointed that they lived up to some people's expectations of us "young people"...cargo khakis and polos on formal night? come on. I guess asking them to pair you with people with your standards is asking a bit much :-) We had a great time with them all though!

[F355c5]

Funny on our transatlantic cruise we were seated w/tablemates that all had bought their passage at the same auction website. I quess RCL was afraid to have us spread the word about the very low price all of us paid. One couple paid under 800 dollars for both w/inside cabin. This was a 12 day crosssing.

Best tablemates ever. Age range mid 30's to 60's. 8 people at the table.

[laurspag]

You just make a reservation for 2 at Portifinos. Lots of their tables for 2 look out the window... how romantic.

 

 

Howdy, Sara! :D

[stampincarolina]

'bought their passage at the same auction website"

 

 

I have never heard of buying one there. Do you do it often? Has it always worked out for you?

[jora333]

My hubby and I are in our 30's and have almost always asked for a large table. We've been really lucky with some of the interesting and funny people we've met. Some of our favorites have been older (60's and 70's) people. On a recent cruise, we actually asked for a table for two. We were surprised when we were seated at a table for four with a 60's-ish couple from another country. They seemed equally surprised to see us. The first two nights were filled with awkward silence. Finally, they asked if we'd ever seen the show 'Friends'...odd question to ask two Americans our age ;). However, that put us on a great start to wonderful conversation each night after that one. That being said, I don't know if there is any method to their dinner seating madness.

[realent]

Is there actually a formula that they use? Does anyone know?

 

Actually the do group you by age. If you have a reservation form from the cuiseline it will state an age group. You are grouped with similar age people usually. My husband is 60+ and I am 48 and we always reserve with the 25-45 age group on RCI. You can chose what catagory they put you in. Just as whoever is making your reservations.

I don't know if they group people traveling with children together but I have never been seated with any.

On one sailing we were traveling with our then 20ish son and our entire table was his age.... and first time cruisers....it was, let's say, *interesting*...LOL

[Baxter]

On Princess, it seems to have been purely random. We have always been seated with MUCH older people. That said, we've loved the company. The table mates were always excited to hear what the "young folks" did for excursions, and we loved to hear about their travels.

 

On Carnival, we sailed with our infant daughter. I wanted to make sure that we were seated with others with children (so as not to end up with those who didn't want to dine with kids), so we checked with the Maitre'D as soon as we boarded. We were seated with a lovely woman with two of the best behaved kids we've ever encountered.

[NEWYORKER55]

Kind of strange...when we sailed on the Carnival Miracle out of Tampa we were seated at a table for two. On NCL Spirit the 3 of us were only seated together. I didn't realize that you could be seated with strangers during dinner.

[bmacri]

First I noticed all the cruises you've taken.

Then, I noticed the cruise-type picture with you and your beautiful dog.

Are dogs allowed on certain cruises?

[mrsneurotic]

First cruise my DD was 13, DS was 15 and we had our concerns about who we would be seated with-to be honest. We ended up seated with a family who had 2 daughters roughly our children's age and they were from our home state, also. Coincidence? Not sure, but the fact is we still keep in touch with them years later. Our children loved the experience and actually like eating in the dining room for lunch in hopes of meeting new folks sometimes. Last cruise, we were a larger party and had table to ourselves...both kids said it wasn't as fun. I can go either way-it's fun.

[kjunea]

I don't know how they do it but on our honeymoon cruise we were at a table with 3 other couples roughly our age. It was great that we didn't have to work around extreme age or language bariers but we were disappointed that they lived up to some people's expectations of us "young people"...cargo khakis and polos on formal night? come on. I guess asking them to pair you with people with your standards is asking a bit much :-) We had a great time with them all though!

 

On my first cruise, my DH and I were sat with 3 other couples who were on their honeymoon, but close to our age (It was our 10th anny). There was a HUGE language barrier between some of us..... I spoke southern and one couple was from "lang ahlind"! It was the running joke with us, that neither of us could understand the other one.

[julianne74]

On our Disney Cruise last fall the only thing we all seemed to have in common were that we were all inside cabins on deck 6. It wasn't just couples, there was also a lovely mom and daughter (turning 18 on the trip!) in the group of 8. One couple was young and from Japan and spoke little English, one couple was around 50 and from Long Island, and then we were in our early 30's.

 

 

They were all lovely people. :)

[Arsinoe]

On our last MSC cruise we asked for a large table, and were seated with a group of adults that might have seemed random--different ages, countries and backgrounds. It was fabulous! By the end of the trip we were all fast friends and have kept in touch.

 

The person who made up the seating plans had penciled us in at another table, but chatted with us for a while before making the assignment. He then moved us from one place on the chart to another. My sense was that it was something intuitive on his part. (For the record, I was a single female in my late-50s, travelling with my parents in their 80s. The table was all adults, but ranged from 40-ish to 80-ish.

 

Arsinoe