Large group complementary dining

[Devo12]

Hi. We will be a group of 13 sailing on the joy over Christmas. For the complimentary dining, do we need to make reservations to sit together or can we just show up? I would think we would eat around 6:30-7. Or will they seat us at 2 tables?

 

thanks. Devo 

[FLAHAM]

Suggest seeing the MDR hostess a day or two before you want a table for 13.

[hallux]

A table for 13 is probably going to be several smaller tables moved together, making a long banquet-style table.  Talking from one end to the other is going to be difficult but not impossible.  Definitely see the maitre'd in advance.  If you want to dine as a group all trip you might consider seeing them on embarkation day and setting something up.

[vacation44]

 

On 5/6/2024 at 9:51 PM, Devo12 said:

Hi. We will be a group of 13 sailing on the joy over Christmas. For the complimentary dining, do we need to make reservations to sit together or can we just show up? I would think we would eat around 6:30-7. Or will they seat us at 2 tables?

 

thanks. Devo 

 

You should reserve your dinner reservations through group dining.    We have taken a few extended family cruises and have always made the reservations through group dining.   

[CruisnDeb]

@Devo12 not sure if you used a TA or not, but I would recommend calling them to set it up for you if you did.  We recently cruised with a group of 18.  We all sat together at the same time, same dining room, every night.  It was at two tables (it was 2 long rectangular tables end to end, with a space between them.)  We enjoyed this setup and mixed it up as to who sat at each table each night.  Our TA set it up, and I verified our reservation as soon as we embarked.  Also, I believe it makes it easier to set this up if all your reservations are linked.

[hallux]

35 minutes ago, CruisnDeb said:

Also, I believe it makes it easier to set this up if all your reservations are linked.

That shouldn't matter, all the DR needs to know is that someone wants a table for X number of people, they don't need to know WHO is dining...

[disneynan]

I am also a group of 13. I was instructed by NCL agent to contact group dining and ask for ressies for 14. He said they only do ressies for even numbers. I was easily able to book all the nights and times we wanted in the main dining rooms. 

[Turtles06]

3 minutes ago, disneynan said:

I am also a group of 13. I was instructed by NCL agent to contact group dining and ask for ressies for 14. He said they only do ressies for even numbers. I was easily able to book all the nights and times we wanted in the main dining rooms. 

Are you in an official group all booked together as a group (e.g. NCL has a group number for you), or an unofficial group of 13 folks traveling together. I’m asking because I may be in the latter situation and am wondering if “group dining” will handle such “groups.”  
 

Also, do you have a phone number for group dining? 
 

Thanks and enjoy your cruise. 

[disneynan]

52 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

Are you in an official group all booked together as a group (e.g. NCL has a group number for you), or an unofficial group of 13 folks traveling together. I’m asking because I may be in the latter situation and am wondering if “group dining” will handle such “groups.”  
 

Also, do you have a phone number for group dining? 
 

Thanks and enjoy your cruise. 

We are an "unofficial" group. We did book our 4 rooms at the same time with an NCL agent and have linked all our reservations but do not have a group number. 

 

Everything was done through emails to nclspecialevents@ncl.com

 

Enjoy your cruise as well.

 

 

[Panhandle Couple]

On 5/6/2024 at 8:51 PM, Devo12 said:

Hi. We will be a group of 13 sailing on the joy over Christmas. For the complimentary dining, do we need to make reservations to sit together or can we just show up? I would think we would eat around 6:30-7. Or will they seat us at 2 tables?

 

thanks. Devo 

That is pretty far in advance, I wouldn't start any reservations until October timeframe.

 

We sailed on Breakaway this last Christmas, and there were many large parties, 10-18 or so that we noted.

I would certainly consider breaking into 2 smaller groups, overall service (ordering, meal organization and delivery) will be faster that way.  Ask for 1 table of 8 and 1 for 6.

 

Also the specialty restaurants struggle with large groups.  We did see a large family at La Cucina, which has the most space on the Breakaway.  

We were disappointed when our family group of 5 (which we reserved as a table for 6) was constantly given a table for 4 with an extra chair squeezed in.  (We are all grown adults) We flatly declined this in Cagney's and La Cucina, even getting into an argument with La Cucina staff about what a reservation for 6 meant.

My advice for specialties, is book in 2 groups of 4 and 1 of 6 for flexibility, and refuse to sit at tables with extra added chairs.

 

[hallux]

8 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

We were disappointed when our family group of 5 (which we reserved as a table for 6) was constantly given a table for 4 with an extra chair squeezed in.

When I sailed with my sister and her BF on the Bliss in 2019 (3 of us) we were told at Le Bistro that they could NOT have given us a 2-top table and add a chair.  They're SUPPOSED to 'up-size' the table to the next higher party size when an odd number is dining.

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, disneynan said:

We are an "unofficial" group. We did book our 4 rooms at the same time with an NCL agent and have linked all our reservations but do not have a group number. 

 

Everything was done through emails to nclspecialevents@ncl.com

 

Enjoy your cruise as well.

 

 

Thanks so much for that helpful information!

[disneynan]

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

Thanks so much for that helpful information!

Welcome!

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 5/6/2024 at 6:51 PM, Devo12 said:

For the complimentary dining, do we need to make reservations to sit together or can we just show up?

Why would 13 people want/need to sit at a single table.  If I'm at a table with more than six, I'm not hearing what the others are saying.  Would you miss those other seven people that much for an hour if you couldn't be watching them eat?

[CruisnDeb]

4 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Why would 13 people want/need to sit at a single table.  If I'm at a table with more than six, I'm not hearing what the others are saying.  Would you miss those other seven people that much for an hour if you couldn't be watching them eat?

We recently cruised with a group of 18.  Dinner time was the only time we were able to all be together and connect each day. We sat at the same time, same dining room, every night.  It was at two tables (2 long rectangular tables end to end, with a space between them.)  We enjoyed this setup and mixed it up as to who sat at each table each night.  

[PugM0m]

1 hour ago, CruisnDeb said:

We recently cruised with a group of 18.  Dinner time was the only time we were able to all be together and connect each day. We sat at the same time, same dining room, every night.  It was at two tables (2 long rectangular tables end to end, with a space between them.)  We enjoyed this setup and mixed it up as to who sat at each table each night.  

Hello, can you tell me if the menus the same in each of the main dining rooms each night?

[zqvol]

1 hour ago, PugM0m said:

Hello, can you tell me if the menus the same in each of the main dining rooms each night?

Yes

[CruisnDeb]

1 hour ago, PugM0m said:

Hello, can you tell me if the menus the same in each of the main dining rooms each night?

Yes they are.

[PugM0m]

8 minutes ago, CruisnDeb said:

Yes they are.

 

31 minutes ago, zqvol said:

Yes

thank you. Can my group of 8 make a "standing" reservation in one of the dining rooms for the entire cruise and expect the same table and wait staff? This will be our first cruise with Norwegian, all prior cruises were on Royal Caribbean, so just kind of unsure what to expect. thank you

[CruisnDeb]

4 minutes ago, PugM0m said:

 

thank you. Can my group of 8 make a "standing" reservation in one of the dining rooms for the entire cruise and expect the same table and wait staff? This will be our first cruise with Norwegian, all prior cruises were on Royal Caribbean, so just kind of unsure what to expect. thank you

We had a standing reservation in the same dining room, same time, and same tables.  But the wait staff changed.  The earlier you reserve it, the better chance you have of being in the same dining room with the same table.

[PugM0m]

1 minute ago, CruisnDeb said:

We had a standing reservation in the same dining room, same time, and same tables.  But the wait staff changed.  The earlier you reserve it, the better chance you have of being in the same dining room with the same table.

Am I correct in that I have to wait until I am on the ship to make that reservation?

 

[CruisnDeb]

Just now, PugM0m said:

Am I correct in that I have to wait until I am on the ship to make that reservation?

 

No.  I believe the dining reservations open up at 60 days before....I could be wrong on the number though lol.

 

Also, I want to add, since we were such a large group (18 of us) it was really important to be in the same dining room each night to avoid confusion.  When you first embark, they will have an area setup for dining reservations.  I headed there as soon as I embarked to double-check our reservations.  Glad I did because they had moved us one night to a different dining room.  This was easily changed back to the correct dining room.

[PugM0m]

1 minute ago, CruisnDeb said:

No.  I believe the dining reservations open up at 60 days before....I could be wrong on the number though lol.

 

Also, I want to add, since we were such a large group (18 of us) it was really important to be in the same dining room each night to avoid confusion.  When you first embark, they will have an area setup for dining reservations.  I headed there as soon as I embarked to double-check our reservations.  Glad I did because they had moved us one night to a different dining room.  This was easily changed back to the correct dining room.

I have always double checked on our cruises as well. While my group isn't near as large as yours, they are kind of like herding cats. So much easier on me if I can just tell them " meet here every night at whatever time for dinner". 🤣

Thank you so much for the information. 

[CruisnDeb]

Just now, PugM0m said:

I have always double checked on our cruises as well. While my group isn't near as large as yours, they are kind of like herding cats. So much easier on me if I can just tell them " meet here every night at whatever time for dinner". 🤣

Thank you so much for the information. 

Yep..sounds like you are the organizer just like me.  Ages ranged from 82 (grandparents) down to 25 (grandkids) and there is no way I'm going to tell everyone, every night, where to be for dinner (especially after a few cocktails 🍹😛

[PugM0m]

Just now, CruisnDeb said:

Yep..sounds like you are the organizer just like me.  Ages ranged from 82 (grandparents) down to 25 (grandkids) and there is no way I'm going to tell everyone, every night, where to be for dinner (especially after a few cocktails 🍹😛

Yep that would be me. In the past we were always in rooms near each other, so I could gather everyone in the hall and herd them where I needed them to be. This cruise, started out just my husband and I so, we went with a guarantee and when the rest decided they would join us, they did as well, so I am sure we will be all  over the ship and they will have find their own way to some extent. Should be interesting.