How do "they" decide your table mates?

[Ephraim]

We have only been on two cruises with set dining, once on Carnival and once once on Princess.

 

On Princess the table worked out so well that we still talk to almost everyone at the table and we even spent afternoons chatting on board.

 

On Carnival, they put us at a table with four single (ravenous) women. Maybe it's because we are two men and they thought that we might hit it off.... but we are an openly Gay couple with no interest in the four women. There was another couple and they were quite nice, but they never returned to the table after meeting the four ladies.

 

We have much more in common with other couples than any other group. We will see in 2 months how RCI did. I'm going with the best of hopes and an open mind. As long as I don't end up at a table with someone proselyting to me, I'm fine. But if we are put at a table with single (ravenous) women again... I now know better!

[WhiteSoxFan]

First cruise we requested a small table, we were seated at a 6-top with another couple about our age with a son near our daughters age. We all got along great and went to the show a couple of times with them.

 

Second cruise I requested a large table as I thought it would be great to meet more people. Unfortunately several people did not make the ship out of San Juan due to an aircraft problem so we were seated at a 10-top with only one other couple, they were nice but not very talkative.

 

Our last cruise my parents went with us and we were seated again at a 10-top with a family of 5. With the exception of one night there was hardly any conversation between us and them. We tried to engage them in conversation but the answers were short with no other response. The only night there was a good conversation was the night the gentlemen spoke about his previous job as a prosecutor, we thought the ice had been broken but the next night it was back to normal.

 

Our next cruise will again be with my parents and we are going to request a table by ourselves. Not to be anti-social but when seated with others I feel an obligation to be very prompt for dinner so as not to hold up anyone else. With our own table we can be a little late without guilt.

[LBB]

When I was younger, it seemed like my family was always seated with a similar family...children of same age, etc.

 

My first "adult" cruise, I was sat with people my parents age and we are great friends now. They booked through the same travel agency. The next cruise, we were with a family, an older couple, and a couple our age. We didn't get along very well. It was disappointing, since dinner had been the highlight of our previous cruise. The last time, we went with the couple we met on the first cruise and it was just the four of us.

 

I think I'd take a gamble again and ask for a big table so we can meet new people. That's part of the fun! But I've learned my lesson, that I should ask to be switched if it's not working out.

[MsWitty1]

Of the 10 + cruises I went on, we have been very fortunate with tablemates. When traveling with a group of girls or friends, we tended to be sat with other singles or cabin mates who were traveling without "dates". When with family or mixed groups we would normally similar tablemates. On one cruise when we were fortunate to be upgraded to a Sky Suite on Celebrity, all of our table mates had similar cabins.

 

I think for the suites and such, they tend to keep these groups together if they fit the same categories. For everyone else it does seem to computer generated. I am betting some type of automated system.

 

The only bad "egg" we had was a couple where the husband thought he was "above" everyone else and couldn't believe he wasn't with the captain or an office of the ship. Him and his wife, poor gal, moved to another table and the rest of us toasted.

[kingsgirl]

I remembered where I heard the COMPUTERIZED system of putting tables together.

 

It was from the Freedom of the Seas tv spot that showed them getting it finished for it's first sailing. You know the one where they are worried it won't make it under that bridge?

 

They said that certain ppl can say where they want to sit (I am assuming that they meant like high up on the C&A or maybe speciality passengers) and EVERYONE ELSE IS PLACE BY RANDOM ON THE COMPUTER (minus of course the ppl who book their families together and thus sit together).

 

Just wanted to cite where I was talking from in my original post - hope that helps! I knew it came from a reliable source:rolleyes:

[SherriZ366]

We have only had one bad experience on RCCL. had an obnoxious woman who complained loudly and who was probably drunk. After awhile, DH turned to her and said that this was our vacation too. We then did not talk much to her and she left 10 minutes later. The other two couples were great (although one switched out of 2nd seating into first). All other tables on RCCL have been great.

 

I think demographics especially age play a role because when my friend and I sailed on Serenade in Alaska, we had no table number. But we went to the Maitre D' early (you will see this in your Compass) and he put us with other folks in our age group and gave us great wait staff.

 

We had to switch 2 times on Princess in traditional seating. The second table on both theose cruises was great.

 

I always check the position of my table when the open the dining room. Your dining and the companionship can be a very nice part of the cruise. So don't hestiate to switch. You do not have to dread dinner in the dining room or feel you have to eat at the Windjammer or other venues.

[sarahuk]

Hi

We live in the UK and when we booked our cruise, RCI asked us our age group . They said it was for the dining table alocation.

We prefer to sit at a table for two because although we enjoy meeting people and socialising, we dont like eating a big rich meal every night of the cruise and sometimes we prefer not to have to dress up and be at the table for a set time and just pop up to the buffet. If we are sharing a table we always feel we have to apologise the next night for not turning up as we dont want to offend anyone.

[bthom70]

We were a 10 top,

2 couples married within 2 days of the cruise, 1 couple 3months prior, us 8 months prior and lastly 2 sisters.

We all had a blast.

The youngest were a 20 and 21 yo couple from Canada, they were so cute, we even ended up spending 90% of our Cozumel port day with them at the beach para-sailing and hanging out.

 

In the end there wasn't a day we didn't end up not seeing at least 2 of the couples daily. It was a game we played, 'who have you seen today, we saw Blah and Blah" it was such a fun game.

 

Now on our other cruise we had a horrible time, a stuffy grandmother and her 19yo grand daughter, a mother daughter celebrating 2 divorces and a couple from Argentina we didn't see ever again after the first night.

 

 

I'd have to say, the table dynamics can be hit or miss.

We've had meals in the main dining area at all three meals and have a wide range of experiences.

 

In my opinion, go with the flow and try it. If after the 1st or 2nd meal its not working then go complain.

PS: not everyone gets a window table. Don't get upset if you don't.

[kbt2]

We have always typically been with others our age on our cruises...like our honeymoon, there were 2 other couples at our table on their honeymoon our age. And for several cruises after it was couples close in our age as well.

BUT, this past Explorer cruise it was an odd seating, then we figured it out. There was us 30 somethings, then a couple 40 something, and then a couple 50 something, and a couple 20's on honeymoon (so I felt for them...all of us were so past the just got married stage..LOL)...anyhow we all were in Junior Suites...so figured that was the "common factor" for that.

We always enjoy meeting different people and have never had a bad experience, but this cruise we are taking our young children for the first time, so will only dine with our family, I do not want to make it uncomfortable for someone else being around my 3 small children.

[BillOh]

A headwaiter on Monarch told me that they try to match ages and similar cabins. We usually end up with other JS or SO people between 40 & 60 on Monarch, but on Jewel we had ages from 30-something to 60-something, and everything from inside cabins to JS, plus two Diamond Plus couples and two first time cruising couples. So who knows?

 

 

I booked my first reservation through a TA. I remember her asking me if I wanted to dine with a younger crowd (under 30) or older crowd (over 30) But when I did my next reservation online it only asks you for early or late seating, so I have wondered.

 

On my first cruise, we were all in our 40s, or 50's and couples. One had a aft balcony suite, one balcony and one ocean view. It was a great week with them.

 

[PattyW]

i just realized that this will be my first cruise with kids where we are traveling without friends/family to fill up the table.

 

I hope, hope, hope we get a table for 4 (for my family of four). As much as I would like to meet new people, my son (age 1) will more likely than not require a bit of attention (like reading books, etc) to keep him calm and well behaved during the lengthy dining room dinners.

 

I know I'll end up feeling guilty that I'm bothering the other people at my table by doing this or at my inability to keep up with conversation.

 

I actually had not even contemplated this until today; I hope it all works out.

[nanfromatlanta]

I hope, hope, hope we get a table for 4 (for my family of four). As much as I would like to meet new people, my son (age 1) will more likely than not require a bit of attention (like reading books, etc) to keep him calm and well behaved during the lengthy dining room dinners.

QUOTE]

 

I hope that your 1 year old can sit through a 2 hour dinner, even with you giving him a lot of attention

[PattyW]

I hope, hope, hope we get a table for 4 (for my family of four). As much as I would like to meet new people, my son (age 1) will more likely than not require a bit of attention (like reading books, etc) to keep him calm and well behaved during the lengthy dining room dinners.

QUOTE]

 

I hope that your 1 year old can sit through a 2 hour dinner, even with you giving him a lot of attention

 

With a little help he can - this is my third cruise with a one year old (different child, of course) so I know the drill. We've just always either cruised with friends or family and had a complete table. But, if not, well, we'll get to know the evening staff at the Windjammer pretty well by week's end.

[Fang]

When my family cruises together we always ask for a table of four. When its just my wife and I we get a large table.

 

It is my understanding that cruise lines put people together by the type of cabin they have.

 

I think this is pretty true, as our last two cruises we have had a JS and everyone else at the table has been in either a JS, GS or OS.

 

We have had some pretty bad tablemates, but then again some very good ones. More better than worse.

[Schplinky]

 

I hope that your 1 year old can sit through a 2 hour dinner, even with you giving him a lot of attention

 

Two hours is a bit of a stretch (our dinners rarely take 90 min on a cruise) but even so, we've noticed the waiters are marvelous at keeping the smaller ones entertained with napkin tricks and making sure they're as well taken care of as the rest of us.

[Mach1]

We have had very good luck with table mates. Our first cruise we had a mother and her teenage son, very nice.

Our last crusie (just off) we orginally had a table for 2! It was just my sister and I, we really wanted a larger table. We had no problem switching as they needed 2 top's. We were seated at a 10 top with 4 other couples, they were all older then us - but we had a great time. They had so many good stories to tell, we looked forward to dinner each night.