How does CCL assign dinnermates?

[sylvasta]

Does anyone have any idea how the dining room seating is decided on Carnival?

So far, it's only been DH and myself cruising together. Our first cruise, we had a table for 2 (and that was at our request since we were new to cruising and had no idea what to expect). Our second and third CCL cruises, we had a table for 4 that we shared with another couple. Our last cruise, we also were originally supposed to sit at another table for 4 with another couple, but we decided we wanted to try for a bigger table and meet more people. Sometimes, it gets pretty awkward when you start running out of things to talk about with the other couple when you are a table for 4. Also, we never seem to be around the same age as our tablemates (DH and I are both 36 and we seem to always be seated with a couple 20 years our senior.)

All of our tablemates have been fine, but this last time on the Freedom (the one we asked for a bigger table) we had the best tablemates of all time. There were two other slightly younger cou ples and we all hit it off just great!

So, to sum up my question, I wonder why Carnival always seems to assign us to a table with one other couple-what is their criteria for that?

[Almost Packed]

i'm with you on this subject...
our first cruise, we had a 2 seater. i thought i'd be happy about it but we hated it!

we had some cc friends at a large round table and the invited us to theirs. we got with the maitre d' and had it changed....our entire dining experience was completely different and soooooooooooooooo much better.

the next cruise we were assigned an awful booth with another couple. they were around our same age but we didn't "click" and it did make dinnertime a little akward. dh & i are both very sociable people.

this next cruise, we are a party of 4...and i really really hope we are seated at a large table with others. if not, surely the four of us will at least be dining together.

[yahootelemundo]

I dont have an idea and I will follow this thread. thast why I always try to go with royal or ncl most of the time , With royal I always ask for a table of 2 a and I get it, unless I go with my friend and family. But I was told that you CANT request a table of two with carnival. I dont know if thats true or not. I had once a table for 6 with carnival and there people in the table were really nice , I even have them in my facebook page , but I had another experience with a table of 8. So , its my time and its my cruise. I rayher go with a table of 2

[twinklen01]

I want to know too! I'm curious how many people will be atr our table. We keep going back and forth on a table just for us or sitting with others.
Dh and I are 36 and dd is 10.

[jetskier]

There is a computer program in Miami that uses a person's demographics such as age, region, children, single/married, etc. Dining seating is then assigned and the file sent to the ship.
Dave

[garysol1]

Originally Posted by jetskier

There is a computer program in Miami that uses a person's demographics such as age, region, children, single/married, etc. Dining seating is then assigned and the file sent to the ship.
Dave

Thanks Dave......Always can count on you. Glad your here.

[yahootelemundo]

Originally Posted by jetskier

There is a computer program in Miami that uses a person's demographics such as age, region, children, single/married, etc. Dining seating is then assigned and the file sent to the ship.
Dave

realyy????????

it wasnt working for me LOL

do they classify you by demographics .????? You want carnival to be on cnbc cnn and msnbc tomorrow right jejejejejeje

[jetskier]

Originally Posted by yahootelemundo

realyy????????

it wasnt working for me LOL

do they classify you by demographics .????? You want carnival to be on cnbc cnn and msnbc tomorrow right jejejejejeje

DEMOGRAPHICS are the physical characteristics of a population such as age, sex, marital status, family size, education.

If you are in a business, this type of information is used all the time to properly market your product to the appropriate market.

In this case, it is used to try to group like folks together. Does it work most of the time, yes. I have had some great table mates on my cruises. On occasion, you are going to get someone you just dont relate to. As we all know, they are not going to please everyone as there is no perfect system when you are trying to seat that many people.

Dave

[airlink diva]

Originally Posted by jetskier

There is a computer program in Miami that uses a person's demographics such as age, region, children, single/married, etc. Dining seating is then assigned and the file sent to the ship.
Dave

I find this kind of odd because on my cruise in May, my dinner table had only one other solo that was close to my age. I had a couple in their early 60's and four friends in their mid 20's. This was an odd mixture. The young ladies only ate with us two nights,but the rest of us ate in the dinning room almost every night.
We got along well,but it wasn't like on the Miracle where my whole table was all solo cruisers. That dining table was a first also where there was only two women and four men. That table was a very good match and we also end up doing other things together.

[DEL67]

They also do it by group which seems to have higher priority than linked reservations.

Last summer we were traveling with our family (10 of us,) but were booked as part of a group with our TA's company. Even though our reservations were linked, we were seated at 3 tables, one of which was in a different seating. At first they would not do anything even when I pointed out that they had separated a 3 year old from his parents in thhe same cabin. We eventually got it worked out, but it took a lot of aggrevation.

Note: The previous summer they sat us in 2 tables saying that there were no large tables available. We were okay with this since they were next to each other until we found out we had different waiters. Since one of the waiters had a another table that consistently arrived late it meant that we ate on different schedules which complicated things.

[garysol1]

We had very memorable table mates a few cruises back. It was my family of 4 sitting with another family of 4. Now we are a very happy go lucky fun loving family. The other family basically only spoke through the father. Every dinner he would tell us how much he hated his family, work and life and if he could end it all he would. Made for a very interesting cruise. Guess we should of asked to be moved but the dining room was booked and I hate making waves......so to speak.

[jerseygirl79]

I went on my first cruise with my BFF. We were both 27 and from South NJ. We were seated at a table for 8 with 2 women from MA also in their 20s and a group of 4 guys from North Jersey, also in their late 20s, early 30s. It was so much fun, since we were all about the same age and mostly from the same area. Also, we were all single.

The next cruise I took with my aunt. I was 28 she was about 42. We were seated with 3 men about my aunts age, a married couple in their 20s from Canada and the husband's mother, likely in her late 40s.

[cruisetobeaches]

We did a B2B last January on the Fantasy and decided that since it was just the two of us, we would opt for a table for 2. As soon as we boarded we went to the MDR and had it set up and also informed them that it was a B2B, so we had the same table and wait staff both cruises. Our new table was adjacent to the table for eight that we were originally assigned to. On the first leg, everyone was in their 20s at that table. Our kids are older than that! On the second leg, there was an age mix at that table. But,, after the first night, it was pretty much empty as most never came back. Our waiters were great and we really got to know them since we took the late seating and they were not rushed as with the early seatings. Our bar server was also top notch. Our drinks were waiting at the table when we arrived each night after the first night and he came by midway through dinner to see if we needed another.

On a previous Fantasy cruise, we were seated with two other couples, many years younger than us, but we all hit it off and had a blast.

We've had good dinner mates and some not so good, but never bad.

[kujobie]

They seat people according to attractiveness.

[marshhawk]

On the Sensation we were seated with a couple a few years older than us (part of a wedding Party) and two young girls(part of the wedding party too) in their early twenties. The couple gave us lots of cruise info, and really helped us learn about cruising. The two girls... were never seen at our table after the first dinner. Which gave us more room to spread out and really talk with the other couple. Maybe it's a good thing not to be in the same age group all the time, you can learn from people with more experience. Regarding the man with his family, when he said that he hated his family, his life, and his job, and said if he could end it all he would...I not only would have requested to be moved, I would have spoken to management regarding his well being. That man who killed his wife on the Western cruise earlier this year was probably an unhappy duck too.

[pokergirl34]

I really hope we are placed at a ''fun'' table! We are both pretty outgoing and it would be fun to make some friends we can maybe hang out with a little bit. I am a little worried since we have requested early dinner that it will be all families and older people, but I guess we will see.

[jenms2000]

on our first cruise, we were seated at a table for 4 with a couple from new york(we're from ga). they got a kick out of our accent. we were in our 30s and they were in their late 40s. since then we've cruised with them 3 more times. they're some of our dearest friends now. we've never connected with any other table mates like them. i don't know how they do it, but i'm sure glad they paired us up with them that time.

[Katmarha]

Originally Posted by airlink diva

I find this kind of odd because on my cruise in May, my dinner table had only one other solo that was close to my age. I had a couple in their early 60's and four friends in their mid 20's. This was an odd mixture. The young ladies only ate with us two nights,but the rest of us ate in the dinning room almost every night.
We got along well,but it wasn't like on the Miracle where my whole table was all solo cruisers. That dining table was a first also where there was only two women and four men. That table was a very good match and we also end up doing other things together.

My first cruise was also solo and our entire table were all young solos - it was nice meeting them all and by the end of the evening we were all fast friends. But a friend of mine who also has done a solo was grouped with couples - she felt very out of place and requested to be changed the following night. Guess whomever programmed the stats goofed!

[rottiemom]

Originally Posted by jetskier

There is a computer program in Miami that uses a person's demographics such as age, region, children, single/married, etc. Dining seating is then assigned and the file sent to the ship.
Dave

Well, I will offer support to this. On our first cruise on Destiny, Carnival knew that it was our wedding anniversary. They sat us with a couple, about our age, on the second floor overlooking the main floor, piano player etc. They were on their honeymoon. While we didnt have alot in common, we did get along pretty well. Then, we met another couple who just got married and we hung around with them at shows, the bars etc. The last few cruises have been with family and friends so we all sat together. This time, we are going alone and I cant wait to see where Carnival seats us. I am open to everything, even a big table!

[CruzVinnieCruz]

Originally Posted by jetskier

There is a computer program in Miami that uses a person's demographics such as age, region, children, single/married, etc. Dining seating is then assigned and the file sent to the ship.
Dave

On all but one of our cruises I believe the program worked as designed. We were always amazed how most of our table mates fit the criteria. An example when we take our children the other couple/s always seem to have children around their age. When we cruised alone we had just couples at the table and most were around our age.

Now that I am thinking about it the one cruise we had two sisters at our table and they were just a little different was on Celebrity.