Seating for Reserved Dining in MDR

[Desertliving]

When you reserve a table for the same time every night in the MDR, is it the same table every night?  If we book a table option to "share" a table, is it the same table and people every night?

[riffatsea]

I don't know about sharing but you can certainly get the same table each night for yourselves

[Doug R.]

11 minutes ago, Desertliving said:

When you reserve a table for the same time every night in the MDR, is it the same table every night?  If we book a table option to "share" a table, is it the same table and people every night?

No. You would have to confirm that with the headwaiter the first night. We found a wait staff we liked in during our October cruise and arranged to be seated in their section for the remainder of the cruise.

[MissP22]

1 hour ago, Doug R. said:

No. You would have to confirm that with the headwaiter the first night. We found a wait staff we liked in during our October cruise and arranged to be seated in their section for the remainder of the cruise.

We found the same thing. In order to get the same table & waiter you'll have to confirm it otherwise they'll sit you anywhere there's room. 

I will say they do try to accommodate people's request if at all possible especially if you arrive early enough. 

[Torfamm]

No, you will not be reserving the same table each night. You have to make that request onboard in the MDR.  They can usually accommodate that request.

There is no way to request that the same people be seated with you each night unless you know them and can list them as travel companions in the app. If you meet people onboard who also want to dine with you you can arrange it then

[lovinit2012]

We found on the Echanted that they were not even looking at reservation times.  We had to line up with everyone who had no reservations 

[Steelers36]

Once we had "our table" arranged, there was no need to wait in line as it was ready and allocated to us.  So, we could just walk in, acknowledge and say "HI" to door staff and walk to the table.  This is the way it should work if you have arranged same table and waiters for full voyage.

 

[Over from NZ]

It's not going to be the same people unfortunately. The old system is gone. Sucks.. but I don't think they're listening to people wanting a return to traditional dining. 

[Ombud]

32 minutes ago, Over from NZ said:

It's not going to be the same people unfortunately. The old system is gone. Sucks.. but I don't think they're listening to people wanting a return to traditional dining. 

Unless everyone at the table requests it. Then it's just walk in to your table. At least that's been my experience on my last 5 cruises. I was misled by the app on my 1st MC cruise (8/15/21 cruise) and tried to do it as stated on the app. Never again. That's too frustrating 

[Over from NZ]

47 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Unless everyone at the table requests it. Then it's just walk in to your table. At least that's been my experience on my last 5 cruises. I was misled by the app on my 1st MC cruise (8/15/21 cruise) and tried to do it as stated on the app. Never again. That's too frustrating 

True - but that's going to be like trying to herd cats. Because you go and pick your times for each night ahead of the cruise.. what's the chances that you and the other people have all picked the same? 

[Ombud]

I guess my post was confusing. As the HW circulates we asked to sit at the same table, same time, same waiter the only time I dined with others. That was lunch each day in MDR. I always have dinner solo. I ask the HW if I can just return to that table. And they prefer that I do. (Allergies) But on my last 2 voyages I noticed that all the tables in my section were also same diners so it wasn't just me. 

 

Makes it so much easier. Just say hello & walk right in. Same table / same staff / same time / vegetarian menu waiting for me

[Torfamm]

7 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Once we had "our table" arranged, there was no need to wait in line as it was ready and allocated to us.  So, we could just walk in, acknowledge and say "HI" to door staff and walk to the table.  This is the way it should work if you have arranged same table and waiters for full voyage.

 

I was told that they like to scan medallions to keep track of dining room usage. While I’ve never waited in that situation, I’ve still been asked to scan occasionally 

[bjkTX]

On our Oct cruise we had requested a table for 2 at the same time each night.  We never got the same table twice - but we didn't care and didn't ask to have the same one so I don't know if they would have accommodated it had we asked.  We never had to wait or stand in line.  I'm sure like pretty much everything Princess - your mileage may vary!

[sirclean]

11/27/2022... Just off The Discovery.  I asked the same questions (and the answers above reflect the situation).

You can get the same table every night. On the first night you go to the dining room, and as you leave, ask the front desk to give you the same table every night.  That was no problem, and we got the same one every night. 

We would have preferred the 'old way' of the same wait staff AND visitors.  We were told that would not be available unless we knew the people ahead of time and made a group reservation.  So that is unlikely to happen before hand, and not very likely to happen on the first night, I suspect. 

 

It is unfortunate, as I have made several friends that I still email because of dining together.  But, as others have indicated, those days appear to be 'history... in the archives'. 

 

More unfortunate, but perhaps a result of the very crowded ship, was that the service of the staff, even when the same every day, and at the same time of day, the service was not what i had been.  For instance, in the past, certainly after the second day, IF i ordered the same drink (sprite) every day, then by the third day, the Sprite was waiting for me.  This time, it was not, and it was as if the staff didnt remember it the entire trip.  Also, again, perhaps because the ship was at or above capacity (with lots of youngins out for the Thanksgiving week), the staff seemed stretched and service was below what it was when I last traveled (pre-covid).

[Torfamm]

1 hour ago, sirclean said:

 

More unfortunate, but perhaps a result of the very crowded ship, was that the service of the staff, even when the same every day, and at the same time of day, the service was not what i had been.  For instance, in the past, certainly after the second day, IF i ordered the same drink (sprite) every day, then by the third day, the Sprite was waiting for me.  This time, it was not, and it was as if the staff didnt remember it the entire trip.  

For me, staff trying to anticipate my order is a big negative. The fact that I order white wine the first three nights of a cruise doesn’t mean that I won’t want beef for dinner and red wine on night 4. I hate being presented with unordered food or drinks that just go to waste. It makes me as well as the server feel bad. 

[sirclean]

9 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

For me, staff trying to anticipate my order is a big negative. The fact that I order white wine the first three nights of a cruise doesn’t mean that I won’t want beef for dinner and red wine on night 4. I hate being presented with unordered food or drinks that just go to waste. It makes me as well as the server feel bad. 

I had not considered that. 

I was thinking about it more on the lines that I dont have to wait for someone to take the order, go to the drink spout, wait for their turn there, get my drink and all the others, come all the way back and then deliver them.  If they have it ready, then it saves a lot of time and adds to the enjoyment.

 

On the other hand, Sprite is not subject to a substantial upcharge/package cost .... If I changed my mind, then the waste is minimal, and I am sure that Day 4 would not have anything waiting for me!  (and Sprite goes with either fish or beef!!!) 

[KarmaCruisers]

On 11/25/2022 at 8:32 AM, Desertliving said:

When you reserve a table for the same time every night in the MDR, is it the same table every night?  If we book a table option to "share" a table, is it the same table and people every night?

No; it’s not. But if you ask for a “private table” they give you it. (Ie: a 2-top; or a 4-top)