MDR Same Table Every Night?

[stevendom57]

I am new to NCL, having done two cruises on RC. This question must have been answered before, but I couldn't find it.

 

On our last cruise my DW and I were seated at a table for 6 , with two other couples. We totally hit it off with one of the couples on the first night and, for the rest of the cruise, went to the shows after supper. We partied until midnight every night. We had a great time.

 

Now we are going on Norwegian Joy in September and wondered if we could be seated at the same table with the same couples every night. If that is not the default, I know that we could meet beforehand and enter the MDR together, but is much simpler to show up on our own time and know that we could get together that way.

 

How would NCL handle this?

[CardFanDubG]

5 minutes ago, stevendom57 said:

How would NCL handle this?

As a party of two the hostess will ask if you would like to share a table when you arrive at the hostess stand. DW and I have met many nice people this way. 

[BirdTravels]

39 minutes ago, stevendom57 said:

I am new to NCL, having done two cruises on RC. This question must have been answered before, but I couldn't find it.

 

On our last cruise my DW and I were seated at a table for 6 , with two other couples. We totally hit it off with one of the couples on the first night and, for the rest of the cruise, went to the shows after supper. We partied until midnight every night. We had a great time.

 

Now we are going on Norwegian Joy in September and wondered if we could be seated at the same table with the same couples every night. If that is not the default, I know that we could meet beforehand and enter the MDR together, but is much simpler to show up on our own time and know that we could get together that way.

 

How would NCL handle this?

NCL embraces freestyle dining. You show up when you are hungry or when it fits your schedule. You are seated as you arrive, just as you would at a restaurant at home. It is the same as My Time Dining on RC. 

 

You can ask to sit with others, but most people would prefer to eat with their own group. 

 

You would not get the same table every night. And you would be seated with whom ever showed up at the time you showed up, if you asked for group seating. 

[Jembeccatoo]

I’ve only even on three NCL cruises and have never been asked if I wanted to sit with others. My DH and I have just always been given a table for two.

[stevendom57]

Ok. Thanks for the info.

[zqvol]

23 hours ago, CardFanDubG said:

As a party of two the hostess will ask if you would like to share a table when you arrive at the hostess stand. DW and I have met many nice people this way. 

 

The hostess will not ask if you want to share. If you want to share tables you have to ask for it.

[sanger727]

I agree that I haven’t been asked to share; you will have to ask. Either way, they will never do a standing table reservation for you and any other couples you wish the way traditional dining does. If you have 2-4, just meet up prior to going in and you can request a server if you like your wait staff. If you have a larger table you can make a reservation for the same time, again, can try requesting the section. I found that if I came at the same time each night I would often be seated at the same table. But there’s no system in place to set that up.

 

as others said, think of NCL dining like dining at a restaurant at home. Reservations yes, but standing table waiting for u, no.

[casofilia]

The norm is that they try to spread the "load" among all the available wait staff.  Also remember that the number of wait staff in the first 30 minutes, or even hour, is far less than after that.  Another thing to remember is that the wait staff may be moved between restaurants depending on the numbers at any one time and also that they do rotate staff from restaurant to restaurant weekly.

 

To get the same table with the same wait staff would be almost impossible even if they tried for you.

[casofilia]

Another thought; some hostesses have excellent memories and if you have shared on previous occasions (s)he might well ask if you want to share.  Especially if (s)he has someone waiting. 

[lenquixote66]

We are always asked if we want to share.

[stevendom57]

We find that sharing tables is a lot of fun. I am normally an introvert, being a software engineer, but I really enjoy meeting new people at dinner. It seems that this is one of the differences between RC and NCL. And one reason why I want to branch out and try a different line. Viva la difference!

Edited June 2, 2019 by stevendom57

[All-ready2cruise]

17 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

We are always asked if we want to share.

I agree, I'm always asked if I want to share. 

[myjillian]

If you ask to share and end up liking the time  location, table, couple or anything you can ask for the same for the next night  .  It will be OK and the next night you just go in the other line and go directly to your "saved" table.

[CardFanDubG]

3 hours ago, zqvol said:

 

The hostess will not ask if you want to share. If you want to share tables you have to ask for it.

We have had different experience as we have been asked numerous times on many different NCL ships. Met many new friends. The other posts are correct also. If they do not ask mention to the hostess that you are interested in sharing. 

 

[vince_g]

19 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

We are always asked if we want to share.

Agree that the hostess does ask, particularly if the dining room is getting really busy.  We have been asked on a couple of occasions.  Anyone who says the hostess won't ask, is simply wrong.  Just because it has not happened to them does not mean it doesn't happen.

[gymbomb]

21 hours ago, vince_g said:

Agree that the hostess does ask, particularly if the dining room is getting really busy.  We have been asked on a couple of occasions.  Anyone who says the hostess won't ask, is simply wrong.  Just because it has not happened to them does not mean it doesn't happen.

 

We have been asked, but not in about 10 years/cruises.