Solo Open Seating Dinner

I sailed my first solo cruise in March and I did the late seating dining. I was seated with other solo cruisers and it was a diverse group, 3 Americans, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Russian, 1 French. I really loved the diversity, what I did not like was one of my fellow Americans who was a jerk, he reminded me of a former boss, and he acted like he was the tables social host as if he had the say of what we as a group would do after dinner, of course that did not fly with many of us and he'd make rude comments when we'd decline the invite as if we were losers for not wanting to go to the dance club. Anyway he and the French guy would also pick fights with the Russian woman. Seriously one night the French guy and Russian woman were asking me to referee their "who's English pronunciation is correct". Also every arrived for dinner at different times, and the waitstaff accommodated them but it just wasn't a overall enjoyable time. Since it was the Carnival Victory there were no specialty dining for me to try.

Well just booked and awesome deal on Carnival Freedom and I selected Open Seating dinner, and I hope I can get a table by myself. When I cruise with my boyfriend we like the set seating time, but going solo it just wasn't that great so I figure let's try the other option. Freedom has other dining options too so I might find that I do not even dine in the MDR each night.

Well just booked and awesome deal on Carnival Freedom and I selected Open Seating dinner, and I hope I can get a table by myself. When I cruise with my boyfriend we like the set seating time, but going solo it just wasn't that great so I figure let's try the other option. Freedom has other dining options too so I might find that I do not even dine in the MDR each night.

Sorry your first solo dining experience didn't go well.

Carnival's My Time Dining isn't true open seating. You will be assigned a dining room and you can't choose any of the others. You can, however, dine outside the MDRs instead (steakhouse, buffet, etc.).

You should be able to get a table to yourself when you want, with two provisos:

1) You might have to tell them that you don't want to sit with others and you don't want others to joint you, and

2) I found the seating to be pretty tight, so even though you have a table by yourself, it's probably going to be close enough so that you can hear other peoples' conversations. And they can hear yours. Your mileage may vary.

I hope things go better this time around.

Just FYI, I normally cruise on NCL and never have a problem getting a table by myself (which is my preference).

Sorry your first solo dining experience didn't go well.

 

Carnival's My Time Dining isn't true open seating. You will be assigned a dining room and you can't choose any of the others. You can, however, dine outside the MDRs instead (steakhouse, buffet, etc.).

 

You should be able to get a table to yourself when you want, with two provisos:

 

1) You might have to tell them that you don't want to sit with others and you don't want others to joint you, and

2) I found the seating to be pretty tight, so even though you have a table by yourself, it's probably going to be close enough so that you can hear other peoples' conversations. And they can hear yours. Your mileage may vary.

 

I hope things go better this time around.

:D I'll to talk to myself very quietly. =D Well Freedom only has the 1 two level dining room so not an issue, just also by myself I found I didn't like waiting for 8:15 to eat and early would be too early. I figure just overall despite how much I like some of the meals, I will probably dine at buffet, try steakhouse once...and just do more of my own thing.

Cruised on Freedom last October and had the same situation. There were two guys who insisted on arguing throughout the entire first nights dinner. Next day, I found the Maitre 'D and asked if he could move me to another table. He quickly moved me to the other side of the room at another table for solo cruisers, all of which were great dinner mates. Just ask, don't put up with that crap.

Here is what is going to happen with open dining. I did it on one weekend Carnival cruise after the Maitre D screwed up my seating in the main dining room.

They will give you a table by yourself but they will seat you so close to the other tables you might as well be sitting with them. It was awful.

The couple next to me felt so awkward and felt they had to talk to me. I mean, they were nice and it was ok but it definitely wasnt the situation you seem to be asking for.

Another night i was at a table by myself but right up next to a large party. A couple of them kept glancing over giving me wierd looks, like what am i doing there, or what's the deal. It was really wierd.

The food also was worse there. Poorly cooked. Bad Experience.

Good luck though.

Excellent conversation everyone! I have a question of my own. I'll be going solo on the Carnival Freedom on 5/10/14. I've picked the my-time dining and was hoping they'd just sit me wherever there's an empty chair at a group/large table. But what I'm getting from this conversation is that what Carnival will actually do is sit me by myself at a small table, unless I tell them I want to sit with a group? And another question...if sitting solo at a solo table in the main dining room, does anyone read? I love reading when I eat by myself, but is this not done in the main dining room?

Thanks!

Maggie

Excellent conversation everyone! I have a question of my own. I'll be going solo on the Carnival Freedom on 5/10/14. I've picked the my-time dining and was hoping they'd just sit me wherever there's an empty chair at a group/large table. But what I'm getting from this conversation is that what Carnival will actually do is sit me by myself at a small table, unless I tell them I want to sit with a group? And another question...if sitting solo at a solo table in the main dining room, does anyone read? I love reading when I eat by myself, but is this not done in the main dining room?

 

Thanks!

Maggie

I'm sure this varies by ship and by date, but if you want to sit with a group that you didn't come with, they can likely accommodate you. You may have to tell them once, but after that they may figure it out. Again, your mileage may vary.

I'm not a reader during dinner, and I didn't see it done on my last voyage, but I've heard of it being done. I don't think you'd stand out that much.

I don't know about Carnival, but when I've sailed solo on Celebrity and come to the dining room by myself for dinner, they ask if I want to share a table or not.

And when I prefer to eat by myself, that is also no problem and I've brought my Kindle to dinner with me and read while I ate and as far as I could tell nobody was giving me funny looks at all! :)

I did anytime dining on a solo cruise on the Carnival Valor last September. I was seated at a two-top as I requested the first night and every night thereafter. The tables are very close together, but there was never an issue with unwanted conversation or any odd looks. Both passengers and staff seemed very respectful of solo diners privacy. That being said, you never know who you will be seated with or next to.

Awesome! Thanks everyone. I cruise in about 3 weeks! Getting excited. :D

Read, people watch and enjoy your meal. You should find also that when eating at a table alone you get much faster service and are out quickly. I loved it on my one solo cruise. Have fun!

I'm cruising solo on Royal this weekend! I have MTD and will probably request my own table, unless I make friends on the ship. I've traveled solo before and eating alone doesn't bother me. It's also nice because I usually don't eat three courses at dinner, so I won't have to sit around and watch other people eat appetizers.

I'm cruising solo on Royal this weekend! I have MTD and will probably request my own table' date=' unless I make friends on the ship. I've traveled solo before and eating alone doesn't bother me. It's also nice because I usually don't eat three courses at dinner, so I won't have to sit around and watch other people eat appetizers.[/quote']

 

 

Oh, that's a great thought! Thanks!! I also didn't think about getting served faster, etc. I actually figured it would be longer as they would have a tendency to ignore you since you're by yourself. Huh, go figure. Thanks!

I also didn't think about getting served faster, etc. I actually figured it would be longer as they would have a tendency to ignore you since you're by yourself. Huh, go figure. Thanks!

You're welcome! I hope I'm right, though. I haven't actually tried it yet!

But at the least, it should be less time than the 2 hours for traditional dining!

You're welcome! I hope I'm right' date=' though. I haven't actually tried it yet!

 

But at the least, it should be less time than the 2 hours for traditional dining![/quote']

 

 

No doubt! I'll find out in about 18 days, tho! :D

I'll try to remember to post back here to update everyone (and future everyones) on how it went.

I will be back from my cruise next Thursday and will report back!

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Seagull, Ramblin' & Sarah,

I can't wait to hear your reports from how your dining experiences went! I cruise in a month

Sarah - I asked this same question on the Carnival board and you posted your thoughts there. So thanks again!

Ok, I am back from my cruise. I LOVED it (embarkation and disembarkation were a nightmare, but that's another story). However, the open seating dinner really didn't work for me. It seems that most solos do traditional dining, so you really stand our eating alone. I live in Boston and often will see people eating alone in restaurants. Same deal in other cities I've traveled to, probably because there are always business travelers around. Not so on the cruise ship.

But, what really bothered me is that I had brought a book to read while waiting for my meal. At the end of dinner the waiter said, "You really like to read, huh?" I felt like saying, "Would it be better if I stared at the wall?!" I know he didn't mean anything by it, but it made me pretty self-conscious.

Happily, I made friends on the cruise who had late seating dinner and had extra space at their table. So after the first night, I ate with them every night (we also did a night at Chops).

I usually ate breakfast and lunch alone at the buffet, Cafe Promenade or pizzeria, and that was fine. Saw lots of people eating breakfast/lunch alone, although I never did those meals in the MDR so I'm not sure if people eat solo there.

This was on Liberty of the Seas. Hope this is helpful!

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Ok' date=' I am back from my cruise. I LOVED it (embarkation and disembarkation were a nightmare, but that's another story). However, the open seating dinner really didn't work for me. It seems that most solos do traditional dining, so you really stand our eating alone. I live in Boston and often will see people eating alone in restaurants. Same deal in other cities I've traveled to, probably because there are always business travelers around. Not so on the cruise ship.

 

But, what really bothered me is that I had brought a book to read while waiting for my meal. At the end of dinner the waiter said, "You really like to read, huh?" I felt like saying, "Would it be better if I stared at the wall?!" I know he didn't mean anything by it, but it made me pretty self-conscious.

 

Happily, I made friends on the cruise who had late seating dinner and had extra space at their table. So after the first night, I ate with them every night (we also did a night at Chops).

 

I usually ate breakfast and lunch alone at the buffet, Cafe Promenade or pizzeria, and that was fine. Saw lots of people eating breakfast/lunch alone, although I never did those meals in the MDR so I'm not sure if people eat solo there.

 

This was on Liberty of the Seas. Hope this is helpful!

 

 

 

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Welcome back! I'm glad that you loved the cruise!

 

Thank you for the "solo dining" report. I'm beginning to second-guess my choice of doing YTD. But even if I did traditional dining, I'm thinking i might want to eat alone anyway. Decisions, decisions!

 

I plan on Vlogging while on the cruise... :eek: something else for me to stand out like a weird crazy woman talking to a camera! LOL

I originally signed up to do YTD, but changed it to early in the MDR. I'm kinda shy and find it difficult to start conversations with strangers on my own, so I was rather hoping that if I sit with a table of other people, they would be starting the conversations. :p And I also figured that if I was uncomfortable, I could change seats or do the buffet. All-in-all, I'm flexible and I'm sure I won't go hungry.

I understand being a bit shy, but remember as you are on your own no one knows you. By default they assume you are confident because you are travelling on your own, so I started believing that myself - it's amazing the confidence boost you bring home. A great conversation starter is "what did you do today?" because you've either done the same so can compare or you've done something different which everyone will be interested in - so you're more I interesting than you know. Sometimes you end up with people who aren't interesting - if you are that unlucky remember it's them not you. For me a holiday is what you make it - go with the right attitude & you'll enjoy yourself no matter what. Enjoy!!!

I originally signed up to do YTD, but changed it to early in the MDR. I'm kinda shy and find it difficult to start conversations with strangers on my own, so I was rather hoping that if I sit with a table of other people, they would be starting the conversations. :p And I also figured that if I was uncomfortable, I could change seats or do the buffet. All-in-all, I'm flexible and I'm sure I won't go hungry.

Can't wait to hear how it went for you! 1 week to go!!! :)

I understand being a bit shy, but remember as you are on your own no one knows you. By default they assume you are confident because you are travelling on your own, so I started believing that myself - it's amazing the confidence boost you bring home. A great conversation starter is "what did you do today?" because you've either done the same so can compare or you've done something different which everyone will be interested in - so you're more I interesting than you know. Sometimes you end up with people who aren't interesting - if you are that unlucky remember it's them not you. For me a holiday is what you make it - go with the right attitude & you'll enjoy yourself no matter what. Enjoy!!!

Gary, thanks for posting this. I never thought about it like this, so it's nice to read this perspective.

In my case, it's not that I'm shy, it's that I'm an introvert and I like spending time alone (a lot!). I do enjoy meeting new people, but don't like too much small talk... But I'm going to try your suggestion of asking "what did you do today?" As a conversation starter.

I understand being a bit shy, but remember as you are on your own no one knows you. By default they assume you are confident because you are travelling on your own, so I started believing that myself - it's amazing the confidence boost you bring home. A great conversation starter is "what did you do today?" because you've either done the same so can compare or you've done something different which everyone will be interested in - so you're more I interesting than you know. Sometimes you end up with people who aren't interesting - if you are that unlucky remember it's them not you. For me a holiday is what you make it - go with the right attitude & you'll enjoy yourself no matter what. Enjoy!!!

Gary, excellent insight and advice. Thank you!!

Maggie