What size diner table to you prefer while on a cruise? We've had a table for two up to a table for twelve. The table for two was a special request and we really enjoyed it. We were treated like royalty while celebrating our actual wedding anniversary on board. The table for twelve was a request, as well, when we met up with others we cruised with in the past. Generally if we are cruising alone we like a round table for eight which is a great way to meet interesting people. We have been lucky so far (knock on wood) we have not had any table mates from hell! Of course, maybe some thought we were! Also, the rectangular diner tables we don't particularity like.
If we are bringing the kids, then I prefer (and request) our own private table. Otherwise it doesn't really matter to me. We haven't had any table mates from hell either, but we have been seated with others, where we just didn't "fit" and it wasn't a nice experience.
Have you been on NCL and tried their freestyle dining? I haven't, but I think I would like it.
My cruises:
Carnival Fantasy 9/7/06 Nassau/Half Moon Cay, Cabin V26, 4 nights Carnival Inspiration 3/17/07 Grand Cayman/Calica, Cabin R132, 5 nights Sovereign of The Seas 12/21/07 Nassau/Cococay, Cabin 8568, 3 nights Carnival Glory 6/14/08 Cozumel/Belize/Roatan/Freeport, Cabin 6481, 7 nights Carnival Liberty 5/30/09 Ocho Rios/Grand Cayman/Roatan, Cabin 8229, 7 nights Monarch of The Seas 09/21/09 Nassau/Cococay, Cabin 5529, 4 nights Majesty of The Seas 06/14/10 Key West/Nassau/Cococay, Cabin 9506, 4 nights Carnival Legend 10/03/10 Grand Cayman/Cozumel/Roatan/Belize, Cabin 5181, 7 nights Freedom of the Seas 11/28/10 Labadee, Haiti, Cabin 9489, 4 nights Carnival Freedom 08/26/2011 Colon/Cozumel/Limon, Cabin 8425, 8 nights Carnival Sensation 01/15/12 Freeport, Nassau, Cabin E37, 4 nights
We cruised on the NCL Sun for New Year 2006. We did not enjoy the free style dining as I guess we are just old traditionalists. This is what we wrote in our review: >> The food was probably as good as other cruise lines, however the service varied from poor to outstanding depending on your waiter and how busy she/he was. Some times they were doing double duty that an assistant waiter would normally do. <<
Don't put to much in to what we wrote based on only one experience with free style. We met others on the cruise that said they would never go back to traditional dining.
The first couple of group cruises I put together were great because we were 10 to a round table sort of in a cluster. We could see each other and visit and get to know one another. We usually have around 40 people in our group so we had 4 tables. We had 2 head waiters and 2 assistants for the entire group.
THIS year was totally different. (same ship, same group, same ports, etc BUT different travel agent -- BAD LONG story, but I will NEVER use that company again... EVER!).
They seated us against the windows at rectangular tables. We were in a straight row (like dominos) and it made it very difficult to converse and watch the rest of the group. Plus we had ONE waiter and he said he had an assistant, but we never saw him. It was very awkward and the service was not as good as it had been in the past.
..... I will also add that in the past they at least put the majority of our cabins on the same floor. THIS year our cabins were spread out from one end to the other, top to bottom. It was weird.
As there is just the two of us travelling, we enjoy the larger tables of 8 or 10 persons. As we mainly travel with Princess, we tend to go for the anytime dining and find a table with good waiting staff and build a table of people who are out to enjoy themselves and make a regular reservation, throughout the remainder of the cruise.
My wife and I had Anytime Dining on the CB this past February and all but one night, we simply let them seat us at whatever table they chose (it usually turned out to be a table for 8). We enjoyed it as there were enough people at the table that the burden of conversation didn't rest on one individual or one couple.
By the end of the week, though, we were ready for some solitude and on our final night we asked for a table for 2. That was nice too.
--- Upcoming cruises: Previous cruises: 01-08 Feb 2009: Caribbean Princess (Cruise to Run '09)
Me and my husband cruised twice, so my experiences are far fewer than yours are... but we had two very different experiences.
The first time we had a table of four with two dining mates who were very good company... We talked about all kinds of things, not only the "what did you do today, what are you going to do tomorrow" things.... We even met them on land for some nice time!
The second time we had a table of six. A young just-married couple, very nice, and a couple straight from hell!!! Elderly, very often been on cruises... BUT: complaining all the time about the food, the service (both were excellent), the cruise itself, everything. The worst thing was they were at each other all the time. The young couple fled after two dining sessions and the we were joined by a couple of our age (in their fifties) from Bruxelles, very nice people.
The four of us managed to survive the dominant elderly couple, who actually went into a physical fight one day in the bar before dinner, when he (or she, I forgot) was not at the place of meeting as they agreed... We had to call in help from security to get the two of them apart.... That night we were only the four of us and had a great night!
The Bruxelles people and us went on some excursions together, so that was all great... Next time I will certainly ask for a bigger than 4 or 6 table, as two awful people can actually spoil a good dining experience....
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