Tables for two in river cruises

[Lil Puppy Dog]

Does anyone have any input on which river cruises have tables for two?  We enjoy spending time with our fellow passengers during lunch and shorex, but we prefer to be at a table for two for dinner. 

 

We're open to all river cruise lines.  So far, my understanding is that Viking river cruises have practically no tables for two.  If I'm mistaken, please let me know.

 

If this has been discussed elsewhere, please point me in the right direction.

 

Thank you.

[familytravellers]

We sailed with Emerald (Regensburg to Budapest) last year and they had quite a few tables for two. We never had a problem getting a table for two.

[Got2Cruise]

We were on Uniworld La Venezia and there were maybe 6 tables for 2. Be the first ones in the dining room if you want to secure one. 

Edited August 28, 2023 by Got2Cruise

[sharkster77]

Maybe other Viking veterans might remember, but there may have been tables for 2 on the Aquavit terrace?  Dinner is also served there.

[RJMAROB]

We just finished a Viking River cruise. There were two tables for 2 on the Aquavit terrace for both lunch and dinner.

[CDNPolar]

Viking don't have tables for two in the main dining room - they are tables for 6 and 8 and 10.

 

The problem with this was we wanted to move tables to get away from 2 of the people we started with, but everyone is so territorial of their table groups as they are of their bus seats.

 

HOWEVER, we did the Portugal river cruise with Viking a few years ago and they did have a few tables for 2.  This is a smaller ship than the standard longship, but don't know if they still have tables for two on this river.

 

As the others say, Aquavit Terrace has tables for two.  We found some people that always eat on the terrace (which has an indoor and outdoor section) because they find it quieter.  We never ate on the terrace, but also understand that it was rarely full, especially at dinner.

Edited August 28, 2023 by CDNPolar

[Daisi]

Avalon has tables for 2, however you will be sitting quite close to the next table. If you wish to see how many, and what they look like, you can do a virtual tour of the ships. There are several, they run on the "inside" areas on both sides of the dining room.

 

Here's a screen shot for you : 

Edited August 28, 2023 by Daisi
Added photo

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, Daisi said:

Avalon has tables for 2, however you will be sitting quite close to the next table. If you wish to see how many, and what they look like, you can do a virtual tour of the ships. There are several, they run on the "inside" areas on both sides of the dining room.

 

Here's a screen shot for you : 

I have always found that this is a very flexible arrangement (on a variety of cruise lines).  When you sit down you can ignore the couples on either side and your privacy will be respected; or you can say Hello and signal that you are open to conversation (which may or may not happen, depending on what your neighbors want).  Much less pressure than sitting at a table for 6 and being expected to mingle.

[Canal archive]

Scenic have quite a few tables for two but they are fairly close but yes a table for two is for two if they join in or not is up to them. But a smile or odd remark helps if some are a little shy also useful for singletons at the beginning of a cruise. Just because you sit closish at a meal doesn’t mean you have to sit with them for the rest of the evening or cruise.

[RobInMN]

I know AmaMagna does. My wife and I almost always sat at one for dinner.

I can't remember whether or not AmaDante did, but we were a party of 9, so I wasn't really looking for 2 tops.

[bundtkate]

8 hours ago, Lil Puppy Dog said:

So far, my understanding is that Viking river cruises have practically no tables for two.

 

5 hours ago, sharkster77 said:

Maybe other Viking veterans might remember, but there may have been tables for 2 on the Aquavit terrace?

While I'm far from a Viking veteran, I was just on a Viking river cruise in July and can confirm there are a whole two tables for two on the Aquavit. Do not, I repeat DO NOT count on getting these. All tables at the Aquavit go quickly and people camp them literally hours ahead of time. We got one the very first day and that was it. Once everyone realized they were there, people were sitting at them with their drinks basically non-stop from the time they were back on board after the day's tours. There was even a bit of drama on our sailing when a large group took over the Aquavit one day. Needless to say the rest of the ship's population was none too pleased and plotting some form of mutiny during dinner. If you're not down with table sharing at dinner (my husband and I prefer to avoid it as well), Viking is not a great option.

Edited August 29, 2023 by bundtkate

[sharkster77]

WOW, when we sailed with Viking 4 years ago, we had a full ship, and had NONE of the drama @bundtkate recounted!  We expected to sit with other people and always found a table that had 2 empty seats and people that welcomed us to sit with them.  Nobody "camped out" in order to get certain tables.  Then again, we didn't care where we sat.

[Host Jazzbeau]

20 minutes ago, sharkster77 said:

Then again, we didn't care where we sat.

That's the point.  Most people (on all river cruise lines) do care, and there is a stampede at the end of the Cruise Director's daily talk with designated runners claiming tables the minute the dining room opens.  That's just one of the 'features' of river cruising...

[bundtkate]

10 minutes ago, sharkster77 said:

We expected to sit with other people and always found a table that had 2 empty seats and people that welcomed us to sit with them.  Nobody "camped out" in order to get certain tables.  Then again, we didn't care where we sat.

To be clear, we had zero issues finding seats in the dining room. The drama centered entirely around the Aquavit, and god knows passengers are a variable on all cruises, so we may have just been sailing with an excess of people particularly obsessed with eating there. Still, given there were still only two tables for two, I'd still not count on getting them and choose a different line if that's a dealbreaker for the OP.

[CDNPolar]

On our (just returned) cruise, some folks actually left the lounge where the Program Director was giving the talk for tomorrow to go and stake out their table.

 

I find that there are some that care and some that don't and the same rules seem to apply on busses that you hear rumblings when someone comes to the bus and the seats they sat in the day before are taken.

[pontac]

18 hours ago, Lil Puppy Dog said:

Does anyone have any input on which river cruises have tables for two?

 

I understand your concerns, it is one we had when we started river cruising. I am not that outgoing and have little in the way of small talk and Mrs P is shy.

 

However we didn't have a problem.

 

To answer your specific question, I have cruised on two lines, Viking and Scenic. Viking has two tables set for two in the Aquavit Lounge which serves the same dinner as the main restaurant. Scenic has tables for two in the main restaurant but they are packed so close we found it embarrassing not to say hello to the neighbouring table. And you can't be guaranteed to get a table for two.

 

But it's not really a table for two which is the issue; it's that you don't want to sit on the same table as others and feel you have to make conversation.

 

We have just got back from a cruise of the Rhone with Viking on a Longship. They can take a maximum of 190 passengers and this cruise had 183 so it was almost full. However we had no problem being on our won when we wanted. We sat at table that would seat four and there were just us two, or we sat at the end of a very large table in the middle of the main restaurant and there may be two of the other end but we were much further apart than we would have been on a table for two.

 

However this was August and there were tables for lunch and dinner set on the open bow area in front of the Aquavit lounge that wouldn't be there in winter or rain, so there'd be fewer tables overall.

 

So it also depend on when you travel, more table in summer, but conversely there may be fewer cruisers in the winter.

 

Unless a cruise line has only tables for two you cannot guarantee getting one.

 

You ask which cruise lines have tables for two, but some cruise line use different types of boat, for instance the boat Viking used on our (most enjoyable) Ukraine cruise had plenty of tables for two. Sadly this cruise is currently not possible.

 

 

[island lady]

16 hours ago, Daisi said:

Avalon has tables for 2, however you will be sitting quite close to the next table. If you wish to see how many, and what they look like, you can do a virtual tour of the ships. There are several, they run on the "inside" areas on both sides of the dining room.

 

Here's a screen shot for you : 

 

Pretty much like the set up on Royal Caribbean.  So called "tables for two" are not far enough apart to be tables for two, IMHO.  But at least you are free to eat when you want, versus having to wait for the larger tables to be filled first.  

[Daisi]

When we sailed the Rhine, we were looking forward to meeting fellow guests. We went into dinner the first night, chose one of the tables for 6 and sat beside the window. Another couple came and joined us, but sat at the other end. It was great, we got to meet them, but also felt as if we were on our own....and I think we had more space between us than a regular 2 seater. We sat at the same table almost every meal, and it became a joke as we would go to eat, and someone would be sitting there. We'd go to look for another table, but no, they wanted to meet us, so they rushed to get there first!

 

The only time we had a "runner" was the last night, as we were looking for one of the tables for 8. There were 3, 2 round ones that were taken regularly by a large group from the Philippines, and one other. We had to have someone stationed to get the other one that night.

 

[CDNPolar]

We are Viking loyal for the most part, and on Ocean, unless we are travelling with friends we always take a table for two, but like some other comments here, the tables are so close you can barely squeeze between them and you are almost sitting together.  It can sometimes be awkward not to chat with those beside you.

 

I have worked in sales and taught sales all my career and a big part of that is talking to people.  I can do it at work, but don't want to in my personal and vacation life...

 

But, I have learned that it can be enjoyable to make new friends especially when you are forced to.

 

I also find that some will talk your ear off and you don't have to say a word, and others are quiet if you are quiet.

 

 

[Canal archive]

CDNPolar very interesting my DH was in sales all his working life after finishing his apprenticeship. He can talk the hind legs off a donkey with anyone, I’ve seen him bring out the shyest person with smoothness and sympathy no forcing involved. We had a newly married male couple on one cruise some years ago who he managed to, with no obvious intentions, inveigle into joining in with the rest of us. We’ve met some super people on our cruises that if we had tucked ourselves away we never would have as neither of us are ‘in your face’ just there.

[CastleCritic]

On 8/28/2023 at 7:16 PM, RobInMN said:

I know AmaMagna does. My wife and I almost always sat at one for dinner.

I can't remember whether or not AmaDante did, but we were a party of 9, so I wasn't really looking for 2 tops.

AMADante has them, all the AMA ships do, I should know Ive sat at one on every European ship class outside the Portugal ones including AMADante herself (and AMAMagna as we've discussed obviously).

 

I did find that there were not enough of them on AMAMagna, I ended up sitting alone at a table for 6 as much as a table for 2 (3/4 passenger load, the table was only set for 4).

 

If you get there at opening time you should be able to get a table for 2, but most of the tables will be larger you can still probably get a table with just the two of you even if its a 4 top. On said AMAMagna trip I only had table mates once (yes this was my choice to eat alone outside that one time when there were no more open tables).  

 

If you dont want people at your table they arent going to force them on you, at least I hope no cruise line would.

 

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by CastleCritic

[Canal archive]

Just watch out for the ‘smug brigade’ the group that considers themselves above all others and sends out the forward party to grab their considered table regardless of others on board. Luckily they are usually after one of the larger tables situated where they can be - to their eyes - seen by all and proceed to be loud and overbearing, they can be of any nationality and not only on cruises. 

[island lady]

4 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Just watch out for the ‘smug brigade’ the group that considers themselves above all others and sends out the forward party to grab their considered table regardless of others on board. Luckily they are usually after one of the larger tables situated where they can be - to their eyes - seen by all and proceed to be loud and overbearing, they can be of any nationality and not only on cruises. 

 

That's funny...I seem to remember that table in the cafeteria at school too.  😉 😄 

[sharkster77]

5 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Just watch out for the ‘smug brigade’ the group that considers themselves above all others and sends out the forward party to grab their considered table regardless of others on board. Luckily they are usually after one of the larger tables situated where they can be - to their eyes - seen by all and proceed to be loud and overbearing, they can be of any nationality and not only on cruises. 

Yes, those who ask folks to move, referring to "our table", should be made to walk the plank--after all they could probably walk to shore!!

[island lady]

25 minutes ago, sharkster77 said:

Yes, those who ask folks to move, referring to "our table", should be made to walk the plank--after all they could probably walk to shore!!

 

Or sent to the Principles office.  Call the parents to teach them about bullying!.  😉