Evening Dining

This is my first cruise, going on a Transatlantic with RCI. I am uncertain whether I should reserve evening dining. I recently had weight loss surgery and at most would eat an appetizer. I am travelling solo. I would like the opportunity to meet other cruisers but would fill up on the app and after that maybe a bite or two. The dining would be mainly a social interaction for me. What do you recommend? I assume they seat me with a larger group?

This is my first cruise, going on a Transatlantic with RCI. I am uncertain whether I should reserve evening dining. I recently had weight loss surgery and at most would eat an appetizer. I am travelling solo. I would like the opportunity to meet other cruisers but would fill up on the app and after that maybe a bite or two. The dining would be mainly a social interaction for me. What do you recommend? I assume they seat me with a larger group?

Welcome to Cruise Critic Riverviewnb. Which Royal Caribbean ship are you sailing aboard?

If it's an Oasis class ship it might have the new Dynamic Dining in place where you have a selection of different complementary and up charge restaurants to choose from.

If you are traveling on most of the the other ships in the fleet that still feature traditional dining you will have the opportunity before your cruise to choose a table size. Contact your travel agent and tell them you would like to placed at a large table for 8, 10 or 12 people and you will meet many new friends.

Enjoy your cruise.

Jonathan

Sure..go to dinner....preferably, at a larger table! Meet your table mates! You can eat slowly, pick and nibble....not a big deal!

Go to dinner every night, theres no requirement you eat the whole meal. Find something small on the menu, have coffee or another drink and enjoy your dinner mates.

This is my first cruise, going on a Transatlantic with RCI. I am uncertain whether I should reserve evening dining. I recently had weight loss surgery and at most would eat an appetizer. I am travelling solo. I would like the opportunity to meet other cruisers but would fill up on the app and after that maybe a bite or two. The dining would be mainly a social interaction for me. What do you recommend? I assume they seat me with a larger group?

Any dinning would be just fine.

If I was you I would absolutely eat in the main dining room and would request a table of 8 or more. Lots of people leave half their meal and if anyone questions or pushes you, just stay firm! 'I have a small appetite! No, there is nothing wrong with the food.' will become your mantra :)

If you find you don't enjoy the people you are seated with, speak to the maître d' and ask for another table. Far better to move than to sit with people you don't enjoy.

As other posters comments, yes, book traditional (aka "fixed") dining in the main dining room. And ask to be seated on a large table.

Cruise lines usually put singletons on the same table. And they're usually the liveliest tables in the dining room - your best opportunity to mix & make friends, and you're bound to gel with most of them. Nett result you may go off to the theatre or a bar as a group, and go ashore mob-handed.

How much you eat, & whether you eat or not - is irrelevant.

Just want an appetiser? Perhaps ask for it to be served when others are served their main course.

On most ships you are automatically offered a choice of traditional dining on first or second sitting, or "anytime" dining when you go to dinner whatever time suits you.

As a singleton, choose traditional - you'll be seated at the same table every evening & can build lasting friendships. Second sitting tends to be livelier than first though that's a minor point.

More importantly, don't choose Anytime (aka freedom or my-time dining or other names for it on different cruise lines). Each evening you will be seated with whoever goes to the dining room at the same time as you. Preferred by many cos they don't want to be stuck with any or the same table companions every evening, but not a great idea for a singleton. At worst there might be an evening when you are seated on, say, a table of six with a family of 5 who consider the sixth person to be an intruder on their evening.:eek: Or a table of Spanish-speakers. Or on your own.

Although you're guaranteed a place in the main dining room, you don't have to use it. Instead you can opt to use the buffet.

As said, dinner is a great way to meet folk. But ships also offer singletons' events - like a breakfast get-together or an afternoon tea-party. Check the literature, and ask at Guest Relations on the ship.

And quizzes and other events are a great opportunity to mix

Socially, cruising is very different to holiday hotels. You'll feel part of a huge family of kindred spirits.:cool:

Have a good one.

JB :)

BTW, acknowledged that you've explained your situation in order to get advice. But at dinner, details of surgery are taboo along with religion, politics, and bragging about how many cruises you've done or how little you paid for this one. :D

Sure..go to dinner....preferably, at a larger table! Meet your table mates! You can eat slowly, pick and nibble....not a big deal!

Just warn the waiter so s/he won't wait for you to finish before serving the entree to everybody else at the table. They usually wait to bring the dishes together for all diners.

Dining is as much the social interaction as the food. Just prepared to have people at the table ask you why you are eating almost nothing. They will probably word as "are you feeling OK?".

DON