Do You Keep Your Same Seats?

[DeepWaterMariner]

Whenever we have traditional dinning we make a point of changing our seats frequently if we get to the table early enough to get a choice. I've never noticed it having a detrimental affect on the servers. Sometimes our table mates are surprised but they quickly get into the swing of things.

[Poohb]

We have been very lucky and always had fun tablemates. On one cruise, after the 3rd night we started playing musical chairs. The 2 waiters thought it was fun; they already knew who was who. So one night we also sat away from our spouses so no couples were next to each other. The waiters were laughing but also said we could not fool them and still knew what our individual requirements were. They did a great job and had fun too.

[CruisinManiac]

 

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.

 

We had 14 members on a RCCL cruise and had to sit at two separate tables. Children at one, and adults at the other.

 

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.

 

Autumn3 - I'll bet that couple thought they had the table to themselves until you arrived. If DH and I were seated at a table for four, we would also sit across from each other (although we do sit next to each other at home :D).

[Bethee99]

We always change it up a little too. One time the waiter joked with us after the 2nd or 3rd night that we were trying to mess with him.

[pcur]

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?

 

Since we always sit at a table for two, there's no "stealing chairs" going on, but DH and I switch sides every night. That way we both get the opposite view from the table every night. Sometimes there's a "good" side, and we both like that side (interesting table nearby, crazy lady with purple hair, that kind of thing).

[gagirl7143]

We ALWAYS start the first night and announce that we love to change seats and from then we do everynight. Sometimes we do all girls on one side, sometimes boy girl and even sit by others rather than ones own spouses. Always have fun!

[scayuga]

We just did an 11 night Med cruise on the VOS and we changed chairs on several nights - usually when we knew the regular occupants were skipping dinner that evening. :) As for the wait staff it was funny that they write down each occupants name on a piece of paper according to where you sat the first night. They had to laugh as well :D

[LuckiePuris]

Just wondering what size the tables come in? (etc, four, six, eight).

 

We are a group of 5...can we request to be seated by ourselves?

[MAZANDSTEVE]

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

 

 

Chair hogs in the dining room!!!! LOL:D

[CruisinManiac]

Just wondering what size the tables come in? (etc, four, six, eight).

 

We are a group of 5...can we request to be seated by ourselves?

 

Yes, you can request a seating assignment through your TA. It is not always granted and it seems that more of lately, we have to change ours when we get on board the ship. :rolleyes:

[sandytoes03]

We usually always get a table for 2, so yes, same seats. ;)

[kyriecat]

Hubby and I normally like to mix it up a little. We always request a large table, although we've been seated at tables for 6 a few times. I thought those were "medium". If we have a round table, hubby and I sit next to each other and (if the others will play along) switch seats so we can talk to different people. If we get a rectangular table, it's more fun. We've sat next to each other, across from each other, had gals on one side, guys on the other, sat at opposite ends, etc. I've never had a waiter mess up because we weren't sitting in a certain spot. I guess I don't get stuck on having a certain seat.

 

On our last cruise, we were seated with two couples who were both European and a bit older than us. One couple always arrived first and sat in the exact same seats. They didn't seem to want to make any changes so we we didn't want to be considered rude. Hubby and I sat in the same couple of chairs each night, although we did alternate chairs.

[suntanshipshape]

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?

 

I do the musical chairs bit to mix it up and don't try to keep the "best" seats.

[Mark_K]

We always switch it up, and purposely take different seats the second night (if available). It makes it more fun, and you get to talk to different people. On our last cruise we even did one night where the women sat on one end of the table and the men on the other.

[STEVE-O]

I prefer to sit in the same seats every night. The exception would be window-ocean view seats. If we had them the first night, we'd offer others the chance to sit there on subsequent nights

 

Other than that....there isn't all that much to see......

 

Never thought of mixing the couples....that could be interesting. ( Don't think I'd ever do it to the waiters....they work hard enough already!.....and don't even get me on the subject of the cruise lines making the waiters perform like circus animals for our "entertainment"!!!)

[RoofingPrincess]

Just wondering what size the tables come in? (etc, four, six, eight).

 

We are a group of 5...can we request to be seated by ourselves?

Yes, the tables seem to come with even numbers of seats. I think the biggest I've seen is a long rectangular table for 12.

 

Even if they give you a table for six for your party of 5... they may fill that sixth seat!

 

On our Vision cruise, there were 15 of us with our dinner reservations linked. They gave us two tables for eight, side by side.... and a solo traveller was assigned to that 16th seat! Luckily for all concerned, he was not bothered by this, and fit in very well.

[marci22]

I think we usually keep the same seats but if the other family sat in those seats, I wouldn't really care.

[gerif]

We usually keep the same seats as DH has hearing difficulties (stone deaf in one ear) so where he is seated can greatly impact on whether he is able to participate in dinner conversation. We prefer a round table for 6.

[cruisegirl1]

We try to move around. If sailing with friends, we try to change our seats and who we are sitting next to.

 

One short sailing , we had a large table and we were the only ones who showed up for dinner each night. We sat in “new seats” each night.

 

Even when we have a table for 2, we alternate seats to get a different view (sometime just of the dining room) each night.

 

Enjoy

M

[Annieeee]

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 do change seats usually on the third night, and do not sit next to each other. Doing this makes it easier to get to know your tablemates.

 

Annieeee

[kyriecat]

I've noticed several people post that it's harder on the wait staff if you switch seats. I guess I don't understand why. Can someone please explain? I don't want to continue to burden the staff if switching seats causes problems for them. However, I like the opportunity to converse with different people that switching seats provides. On past cruises, the wait staff seemed to know who you are no matter where you are sitting. I've even had waiters stop by to say hello when we were in Windjammer during lunch or breakfast. I did notice last May that our waiter was extremely surly, but I didn't attribute it to our switching seats each night. Maybe that was his problem. :confused:

[d&a Delaware]

Allen and I always ask for a large table and always try to mix up the seating from night to night. If we find that some people are arriving early and tend to sit in the same seats, we try to arrive earlier one evening and sit in those seats. Often we choose seats not together. Everyone gets a chance to sit next to and chat with someone new. It sometimes pushes someone's comfort level, but I'm good at dinner conversation and try to sit next to that person, show interest in them, and try to make their evening interesting and fun. This is one of the joys of a large table.

 

David