Large Group Dining

[e050377]

I just noticed that our next sailing is also a sailing for a singles group. I've heard in the past that large groups can reserve a whole dining room. We are using anytime dining and i am worried about not being able to eat in the dining room if there is only one left for any timers. I like the buffet, but don't want this to be my only option. My husband also hates eating with others as he prefers this to be our alone time to catch up from two busy lives. Has anyone been on a sailing when one of the dining rooms was reserved for a large group?

[Colo Cruiser]

I just noticed that our next sailing is also a sailing for a singles group. I've heard in the past that large groups can reserve a whole dining room. We are using anytime dining and i am worried about not being able to eat in the dining room if there is only one left for any timers. I like the buffet, but don't want this to be my only option. My husband also hates eating with others as he prefers this to be our alone time to catch up from two busy lives. Has anyone been on a sailing when one of the dining rooms was reserved for a large group?

 

 

What sailing?????

[e050377]

Sorry... 12/6 Ruby Princess from Fort Lauderdale.

[cinderella29]

I just noticed that our next sailing is also a sailing for a singles group. I've heard in the past that large groups can reserve a whole dining room. We are using anytime dining and i am worried about not being able to eat in the dining room if there is only one left for any timers. I like the buffet, but don't want this to be my only option. My husband also hates eating with others as he prefers this to be our alone time to catch up from two busy lives. Has anyone been on a sailing when one of the dining rooms was reserved for a large group?

 

I doubt there would be a group big enough to book out the whole restaurant. lol. Anyway there are two anytime dining rooms on the ship and one set dining. You can always sit at a table for two no problem even four or six, but sometimes on formal nights they ask if you would mind sitting with another table as everyone comes at the same time on those nights, mostly after captains speech. There was four of us the last time and sometimes we were asked to share a table of eight and it was lovely we met 4 really nice people but if you want a table for two , that will not be a problem.

 

Cat

[Queenston]

You might want to read the recent reviews for Emerald Princess where this was an issue. One complete Anytime Dining venue was taken up with such a large group, so that those who wanted to dine early in the Anytime Dining rooms were completely out of luck. I gather that this group was in the range of about 500 people. We were fortunate enough to have been confirmed for early traditional for a table of two, but there were alot of very unhappy people on this cruise because of that one complete dining room being blocked.

[e050377]

That's the review I read!!

 

I hadn't realized we had a large group on that sailing until I read the whole roll call yesterday. Then I also read the emerald review and got a bit nervous.

 

When a group reserves the whole dining room do they only have it for a specific time? I would be fine eating earlier, I just don't want to be tied into it.

[girlcruiser]

Having been part of these singles groups a number of times although not on Princess the groups can get up as high as 500 people and when there is traditional dining we always had late seating. And yes we did take up at least one floor of a 2 floor dining room. i think you will find the group will be eating later rather than earlier although like I said I have not been part of a group on Princess with anytime dining.

[e050377]

I wonder if this group is using traditional dining. That would make sense to guarantee them altogether. I am just worried about them using one of the anytime dining restaurants, like the one reviewer said, and us having to eat buffet every night!

[Queenston]

As I understand it, on the Emerald Princess sailing of Feb.4/08, the group was one that preferred early dining and so were lined up very early (we saw them in a line from 5:30 p.m.) at the Anytime Dining room. I gather they had evening events (eg. concerts) such that this was important. Perhaps the singles crowd would have a different preference?