Designated Seating/With other guests or not?

[Zoolander]

First time cruiser on Disney, we normally cruise Free-Style with Regent or Silver Sea, the designated seating is new to us. Now, I know we have the early seating, but I initially thought we would be seated with another group. But then, after reading some threads, I am not so sure. I looked at the pictures of the restaurants and it looks like the tables are not all set up for just 8 to 10 people groups. We will be a group of five, with four adults and one four year old. So...will we sit by ourselves or be seated with a group of three to five?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Dale-N-Chip]

I think it's a crapshoot, personally. Sometimes they can match up groups and sometimes they can't. I think it's a matter of who's signed up for the cruise you are on!

 

We were a party of five much like your group (4 adults, 1 6 year-old) on our Aug '07 4-night Wonder cruise and were seated with a family of 3 (Grandma, Dad and 4 year-old) who happened to be from DFW, too. I wouldn't say we became the best of friends, but we did have very pleasant meals with them.

 

Happy planning!

 

mk

[belle907]

I'll also post my answer here in case others don't see the reply on the other thread.

 

 

You could be a table for yourselves or you could be seated with others - it's the luck of the draw. I've been twice where we have been a group of 5 and have been seated with others both times.

 

Tables are set up for 4, 6 or 8.

[cruisecrazymama]

If you prefer to be seated by yoursleves, you can call DCL or your TA,and put in a request. I did that today for our Christmas cruise. We are four, DH, myself and 16 yr old twins. DH insisted on early seating, which pretty much means we will be eating with families who have younger children. Rather than force the teenagers to interact with children they have nothing in common with, we thought we would try to get a table of our own. There is no guarantee, but they will note your reservation.

[gatour]

They also have 2 tops. On both of our Disney cruises, we were seated at a two without even requesting it. For fixed seating time cruises, we enjoy sitting with others. On anytime dining cruise lines (Princes) we always ask for 2 tops by ourselves. On our first anytime dining cruise, we found we were having the same conversations over and over again each night the difference was the people) By the 3rd night I told my wife I would go nuts if this keeps up, so we started ask for 2 tops.