Traditional or "anytime" dining when solo?

[TessM]

Hi Todd:)

 

I do normally sail Celebrity so I am a bit chicken to try something else:eek:

I have plenty of time to decide though and I know 3 people who

are going on it. We all enjoy traditional dining, late seating and

would sit together so I would already have friends to sit with;)

I just have to decide if I want to try it.

Do you know if Princess offers any discounts?

 

Get out of here Lois! -- I told you we were going to end up on cruise together sometime. :)

 

I've been looking at a Feb 28 --- 10-day Carribean cruise on the Emerald. But, I could be persuaded to take a 7-day on the Crowne.

 

I've cruised Princess twice before (Alaska and Mexican Riveria). My Feb trip would be my first to the Carribean.

[Lois R]

Tess,:) I don't know that I am booking it yet so if you have

plans for another cruise please don't change them because of me.

I really haven't decided on anything~I just know I love to

sail for my birthday;)

[TessM]

Lois - I'm still trying to choose between Princess, Hal or Celebrity so my plans are far from finalized. Although, I hope to have something booked no later than mid-July. I'd have to check my notes but I recall finding a Celebrity cruise with a balcony price so low that I was actually considering it. (I've never had a balcony and I'm worried that if I get one, I'd never be able to cruise without one.)

 

But, I do think I'll be doing a 10 day Carribean especially if I book for March. I try my best to avoid the school breaks as my preference is to cruise without a lot of little ones around. :)

[JerseyJaguar]

I recently went on my first solo cruise and I had requested traditional late seating. I was worried because I kept reading horror stories about bad tablemates and horror stories about open seating for solos. My table consisted of 5 other people, a man my dad's age (and with his same lack of hearing but no hearing aid so I felt like I was at home), his wife and their daughter (who was about my age, in her 40s), and another couple who was around 60. Our table was at the aft windows and the wait staff (with the exception of the annoying head waiter who stopped by every night) was great. I loved having the same people to discuss the excursions we'd gone on and were going on and the same staff who knew who to have ice tea waiting for (and when I only wanted turf with my surf and turf brought me two filets).

 

I went to the dining room for tea three times and breakfast once. For tea they just lead me to a table and sat me with people, only one time (for the second tea) was this unpleasant, there was a horrible man with three other people and he was so rude to me that another solo woman who was seated at the table after me thought I must know him because of how horrible he was to me (figuring we were friends and that's why he could say that stuff to me). Fortunately I didn't let that stop me from going to the third tea, that was a huge round table and we had so much fun that we were the last to leave.

 

Breakfast was the only time I was asked if I wanted to be alone, and I did, I'm not good at socializing at breakfast, which is why I ate most of them in my room.

[tekdiva]

Anytime dining is my choice! I got to meet a lot of different people. Another lady and I decided to meet for dinner a couple of times and that led to the maitre d' just seating us together whether we asked or not! It was really nice.

[starboard view]

I have sailed solo many times and have tried both dinning options. I still prefer the traditional dinning primarily because I get to know the people I dine with through the week and have made some new friends by the end of the cruise. I often will share tables with others for breakfast and lunch so I get to meet different people through the cruise also.

When I have used the "anytime" style dinning, I have asked to be seated with others on some days and to dine by myself on others. This dinning format does give you a great deal of flexibility.

[tokathy]

Darcie,

 

I had been looking at Solstice in December to be my first solo cruise. You had mentioned the 12/14 sailing, I was considering the 12/7 sailing because the price was lower, any reason you know for the price difference between the 12/7 & the 12/14 sailing? Also, do you know if Solstice has freestyle dining or traditional?

 

Appreciate any help or comments...........

 

Kathy

[Lois R]

Darcie,

 

I had been looking at Solstice in December to be my first solo cruise. You had mentioned the 12/14 sailing, I was considering the 12/7 sailing because the price was lower, any reason you know for the price difference between the 12/7 & the 12/14 sailing? Also, do you know if Solstice has freestyle dining or traditional?

 

Appreciate any help or comments...........

 

Kathy

 

Hi Kathy,:) right now I am booked on 12-7. I know this and the 11/30

were recently put on the itineraries and the original inaugural was 12-14 but has been moved to Nov 23rd.

The pricing difference is probably the time on the books.

6 months is "close to sailing" (according to the company) where

the others have been offered for over a year now.

 

As for dining, Celebrity does not offer Freestyle.

The M and C class ships are Traditional. If they will offer

both on Solstice is unknown at this point. I can tell you she

will offer quite a few restuarants (other than the Main Dining room)

Some are extra $, some are not.

 

Oh, hope it was ok I answered....I know I am not Darcie...but wanted

to help.

[tokathy]

Thanks for the info.....I am 58 so you would think I should have a little more courage (but I don't)..... I think I would feel a little more secure on my first solo going with Celebrity and traditional dining as they are both very familiar to me. Just wondering if Solstice would be traditional or not.....but might book the 12/7 sailing anyway as I really like leaving from FLL and love Celebrity. FLL is an easy flight from where I am in NJ and the port is so convenient.

[Lois R]

Oh, I am sure they will offer traditional in the Main Dining room:)

It is the other choices that might vary.

I LOVE traditional dining too:D....getting to know my tablemates

and wait staff is some of the most fun part of my day!:D

I know Darcie enjoys traditional dining as well:)

[tokathy]

Thank you.........is Celebrity one of the lines that charges 200% for solos? I have been reading various sites/boards trying to get as much info on solo cruisers as I can.

 

I love traditional also, have made so many long lasting friendships over the years....

 

I noticed some online cruise agencies have different itineraries for the Solstice sailings. One agency had Tortola & Labadee as a port for the 12/7 sailing. I would think the Celebrity site would be the actual correct itinerary ! :)

[Lois R]

The 12-7 Itinerary is St Kitts, St Martin and San Juan.

Yes, they charge double.

[tokathy]

Lois,

 

I booked the Soltice 12/7 sailing and took late traditional dining at a large table. Do they take requests to be placed with other solo cruisers? or do they just seat you where ever they wish and it is the luck of the draw?

[Lois R]

Lois,

 

I booked the Soltice 12/7 sailing and took late traditional dining at a large table. Do they take requests to be placed with other solo cruisers? or do they just seat you where ever they wish and it is the luck of the draw?

 

Hi Kathy, did you book directly with X or with a Travel Agent?

If the latter, I would let them know what you want and they

can relay the request to the ship.

If you booked directly, call back Customer Service and put

that request in as well.

After boarding the ship (on the other X vessels) there is

a Maitr'd outside of the dining room. They are usually

very helpful. I am guessing Solstice will be the same

set up.

[tokathy]

Thanks Lois....I booked with a TA so I will call them with my request. Didn't know that was possible, I thought the only choices were main/late seating and table size.

[Lois R]

Thanks Lois....I booked with a TA so I will call them with my request. Didn't know that was possible, I thought the only choices were main/late seating and table size.

 

Kathy, I cannot guarantee you will get all solos. I never

request that but I do request a large table. The wait

staff on all of the Celebrity ships are fabulous:).

 

You could find out if other folks on the roll

call want to share a table and link your reservations

together.

[Deb1113]

I prefer late traditional dining. Carnival is very good about placing solo cruisers together at large tables.

[airlink diva]

I prefer late traditional dining. Carnival is very good about placing solo cruisers together at large tables.

I agree! When I was on the Miracle in 2005, my table was all solo cruises, three men and one other women (our sixth person never came to dinner, oh well their lost!). We had a diverse group. One man was a WW2 paratrooper, we had another person that split his time between New York and Isreal,we had a stockbroker and a researcher.

We were at the late seating with a table in the back against a set of windows. I ate with dinner every night except for my Nick & Nora dining.

Last year on the Maasdam I had late dining, but was placed with two families. I was worried at first, but had a wonderful time. When I went to the solo lunch, several of them mentioned that they had opening at their table and ask me to join them.

HAL went to open dining also. I'm hoping that since my cruise was booked early that I get the late dining. If I get the open dining, I'm willing to work with it.

[wowomen]

In regards to dining, I've done what you call anytime for lunch on other lines, you would just fill up a table, but for dinner I prefer traditional,

my TA told me that HAL would know I was a solo and place me with other solo's when I asked how the dining worked, I hope that is true, I really want to eat in the dining room for dinner not the buffet, or room service for that matter. I guess I'll see