Do You Keep Your Same Seats?

[packedandready]

After reading another thread, a question came to mind. When you are eatting in the MDR do you sit at the same place each night? I'm not talking about different tables....I know about assigned tables, etc..I mean same chair.

 

We've been on 6 cruises and we've always sat in the place we sat the first night. When arriving first (after the first night) we've sometimes wanted to have a new view but were afraid they would think we were "stealing" their seat.

 

What do most of you do? Do you play musical chairs to talk with different tablemates or do you stick to one spot or first come first served for the "best" seats?

[olemissreb]

After reading another thread, a question came to mind. When you are eatting in the MDR do you sit at the same place each night? I'm not talking about different tables....I know about assigned tables, etc..I mean same chair.

 

We've been on 6 cruises and we've always sat in the place we sat the first night. When arriving first (after the first night) we've sometimes wanted to have a new view but were afraid they would think we were "stealing" their seat.

 

What do most of you do? Do you play musical chairs to talk with different tablemates or do you stick to one spot or first come first served for the "best" seats?

 

We've always just stuck to the same chairs. Made it easier on our wait staff. I'm sure if you had a great group of tablemates they wouldn't mind playing musical chairs if you asked. The wait staff may find it amusing too - you could really test how well they know you!:)

[camofwilliamsburg]

We did a X cruise for 5 nights and on night one we sat according to who got there first. We really hit it off with the couple we sat next to. The next night we got there and the other couple who was across the way took our seats... I did not really care but ours eyes locked with the other couple and we raised our eyebrows to it....so it was more than noticed. I think if you find you interact better with someone there is no reason not to change seats as you get there. Even though it was done to me, the next night we beat them there and got our original seats back.. I do not think you really should care...do what you want. If the view is different and you wish to experience it then just do it. What can happen! On every other of our 14 cruises we usually sat in the same place unless we go with many friends and we then alternate who sits where. If they are strangers.... move as you see necessary!

[biomedbob]

By all means, move around. Easier to converse with someone closer, new views......

[yogimax]

We always sit at a table for two, but will reverse seats just for fun.

[linkerbink]

We always sat at the same seats except for our last cruise, this past April. There we had a table for 8 and we played "musical chairs" each night. At first the wait staff was a little surprised, but then they got into the fun of it.

[Shanafan]

I tend to stick to the chair we sit in the first night. I think it is easier for the wait staff to be able to write down special requests and know who it was meant for if you are in the same chair every night.

[wblynch]

Better to switch it up. You get to talk to different people each night too.

 

I have noticed on past cruises that there is always one couple that HAS to be there first so they can grab the seats with the best view and protect "their territory" for the entire sailing.

 

I have been known to ask to switch so they realize that others would appreciate the nice view once in a while. (I have also been known to offer...)

 

BTW, some people get totally freaked out by this.

[ortrud]

We always ask for a large table and switch seats almost every night, that way it's easier to get to know everyone. Also it's nice to get a different view. There was never any objection from the other Diners.

[Toddcan]

LoL, I love this question...

 

We have sat in the same seat each night.

 

But, here's another question that might be more of an etiquette issue: Assuming you are at a big table(4 or more), and it's square or rectangular, do you sit across the table from your spouse/partner, or beside them?

 

At a large round table, it's a no brainer.. you sit beside them.

[luvscruising2007]

So far we have been on 4 cruises with RC. On 2 of the cruises we switched and on 2 we did not. I don't really care; but it would be nice to have a different view of the dining room each night.

Either way the dining experience is usually a very good one.

[cb at sea]

It depends on who gets to the table 1st and if they want different seats! You are free to "switch it up", if you want!

On one cruise, we were at a long 10-top, so in order to talk to everyone, we switched around almost every night. At a smaller, circular 6-top, we stayed in the same seats every night, since conversation was easier at a round table.

Your choice!

[mjldvlks]

Lately, since we have been at tables with folks we know [generally 8 seat tables] there has been a lot of moving around -- some nights the ladies want to talk other nights it's by couple. We have tried to make sure the wait staff is aware so they don't get confused. Last fall we had our group at two adjacent tables. Ocassionally, we would even switch tables. [such as the night some of our D+ friends were (insert snootiest voice you can think of) dining with the Captain -- the rest of us plebians consolidated to one table]. The teams we've had lately are good enough that they recognize the switch immediately and quickly move the things they had set up based on the prior arrangement. We have been blessed with outstanding servers lately. [Here's another plug for Maria and Betty on Independence].

[Seatravelers]

We always mix it up, that way everyone gets to sit with their back to the doors, lol.

[MrPete]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=619380&highlight=

[packedandready]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=619380&highlight=

 

 

It wouldn't bother me where I sat. I've just never really thought about moving...something that just didn't cross my mind. I guess next we'll be hearing about people taking jackets or sweater into the dining room early each day to save "their" seat:D

[WooWooGirl]

this last cruise we moved around each night because we wanted to talk to each other and it was a big round table..there were 6 of us women traveling as singles, it was a great table!!

[katiel53]

On our last cruise we were with friends at a booth for 4. Our seats seemed to have a better view than theirs so I suggested that each night we switch sides of the table.

 

I think because it was a small table, it didn't present any problems for the servers.

 

When we have been with family at a large table, we pretty much sit in the same seats. Last year though we had about 20 family members at two 10 tops. We switched adults around frequently and kept the kids along with some of their parents at one of the tables. Each night one set of parents got to eat at the adult table, but the grandparents stayed at the kids table all week.

 

Only once did we have trouble and that was when a couple was seated with us when the rest of us were family. It was awkward and the wife of the couple was really self-impressed. Gold-digger wasn't even strong enough of a description of her, lol. We lived through it and had lots of laughs about her after the cruise.

[CruisinManiac]

We have always switched, with the exception of a cruise on the Celebrity Century where we encountered some sour sports. The two other couples were always first to the dining room, and never once sat anywhere else. :mad: the funny thing was that we all had a view of the waiters station, where we could have been facing the beautiful staircase. :confused:

 

When we do play "musical chairs", everyone at the table moves one seat to the left each night. Never have we encounter a puzzled waiter.

 

wblynch - Love your JRT! :D

[rrgreennc]

On one cruise we had 16 people at one table, all family members. We switched seating every night, so that we all had a better chance to visit with others. This was a rare occasion that the whole family was together, so this was very important. The waiters didn't seem to have a problem with it, and we all had a great time doing it this way.

 

On our other cruise, there were 6 people, all family. We pretty much stayed the same, but since we were at a 6-top, it was very easy to talk to everyone regardless of seat location.

 

On our upcoming cruise, there will be 14 family members, hopefully all at one table. I'm sure we'll take the same approach as the first time.

 

Never shared seating with strangers, so I don't know I would handle that.

[Mollypuss]

We did a X cruise for 5 nights and on night one we sat according to who got there first. We really hit it off with the couple we sat next to. The next night we got there and the other couple who was across the way took our seats... I did not really care but ours eyes locked with the other couple and we raised our eyebrows to it....so it was more than noticed. I think if you find you interact better with someone there is no reason not to change seats as you get there. Even though it was done to me, the next night we beat them there and got our original seats back.. I do not think you really should care...do what you want. If the view is different and you wish to experience it then just do it. What can happen! On every other of our 14 cruises we usually sat in the same place unless we go with many friends and we then alternate who sits where. If they are strangers.... move as you see necessary!

 

Hi!!! My husband and I cruised w/you on the Navigator in 1/08. We were a 4 nighter and you and Cori were on a b2b. We did the Cozumel sailing trip with you. How are you?

 

And to answer the OP....it is about a 50/50 for us. We usually keep the same seats, but sometimes our tablemates switch it up before we arrive.

[bplazo]

I sit in the same spot every night on the cruise.

[gadaboutgal]

We always ask to sit at a large table so we can meet new and interesting people, and so we usually try to change seats every night. We have met some people who seems a bit surprised to have us sitting "in their seats" on subsequent nights. I can't understand why. We are assigned a table--not a chair.

[RoofingPrincess]

All of my recent cruises have been with groups of friends. We switched seats every night for two reasons:

To chat with someone else from the group

So no person/couple would get stuck with the high-traffic seats on the aisle for the entire cruise

 

And our waiters never seemed to have any problem keeping track of who was who. Those guys are amazing, knew us by name by the second or third night!

[lovemylab]

But, here's another question that might be more of an etiquette issue: Assuming you are at a big table(4 or more), and it's square or rectangular, do you sit across the table from your spouse/partner, or beside them?

 

On our first cruise, we were at a rectangle shaped table for 4 and on the first night we sat across from each other. This wasn't by choice, the other couple arrived first and were already sitting across from each other. We switched it up the second night by arriving first and sitting beside each other and it stayed that way the rest of the week.

 

On our second cruise we were at a table with 3 other couples. We all kept our same seats the entire week and had no problems getting to know each other.