Awkward Seating

[GORDONCHICK]

As long as we are at the table, we don't care where we sit!

[wrp96]

Heck on my cruise last week we changed seats after ordering!:p

[UlvaZell]

It's nice to get a different perspective of the dining room...

[okgirl]

I actually prefer to have dinner with just sister........I take most of my meals in the DR and accept open seating so I've been talking to people all day.......At dinner, I prefer to relax and plan for the next day.....Sister and I are rarely together during the day since we enjoy different things, so it's a nice time to catch up with each other.

When we've been seated at larger tables it does seem like most people will tend to sit in the same place......It doesn't really make any difference to me unless it is a rectangular table against a window......It annoys me that the 1st people that get there don't go all the way to the end of the table by the window......when they fill up the aisle end of the table then it's difficult getting others seated.

[Sea Hag]

In the OP's case, I'd consider that the other couple had a preference for moving around, and I'd sit anywhere I wanted. On the other hand, if my tablemates wanted to sit in the same place every night, I'd do it that way. I'm a little picky about where I sit - I hate to sit out in the main traffic - but I think I'd just deal with that rather than upset my tablemates.

[suezyq50]

We have done both.

[ehfl]

First come, first serve. If available, I would sit in the same seats as the previous evening...if not, I would just select another.

[patches12]

My husband and I are taking our 24 year old daugher with us on the Destiny for her graduation present. We have not requested early or late dining yet, but I was wondering if they would put us with a large table or small table. Others our age....others her age.....with a family with small children! Teacher on vacation here...needs a break from little ones.

 

Carnival Destiny in July

[lysolqn]

We like to change seats at the table but found on some of our cruises that some tablemates were particularly territorial - once they staked their claim to particular seats, they were there for the duration.

[lady_cruiser]

Our first cruise we sat at a table with our family members so everyone stayed in their original seats. Our second cruise was "free style dining" so we usually ate by ourselves. On our last cruise we requested a table for two and go it so the seating arrangement wasn't a problem for us. On our next cruise we will just have to go with the flow.

[CruisenLexie]

We usually ask for a table of 8 or 10. I am 50 and my mother 72. We have never had children or even teenagers at our table. We usually end up with couples from 50 to 80, once we had a great mix that included 2 couples in their 20's, another in their 70's, and another around 60. It was a great mix. We've never had a bad table. We did however sit at a table for 8 once and for the first 2 nights no one else showed up so we moved to a table for 2. Hope you have a great time and I bet great tablemates!

[LV2COOK]

We usually move around. However, some folks don't want to so we go with the crowd.

 

On a side note, 2 cruises ago we had a table for 10 with only 9 people, all veteran cruisers. We decided immediately to have fun with the waiter. We told him the empty seat was "Bob" and that I would be ordering for Bob all week. Then we would decide what everyone wanted to taste but not have a whole order such as shrimp cocktail etc. Our waiter of course caught on and played with us all week. We even gave a tip from Bob....it was a fun week.:D

[Plant]

In the OP's case, I'd consider that the other couple had a preference for moving around, and I'd sit anywhere I wanted. On the other hand, if my tablemates wanted to sit in the same place every night, I'd do it that way. I'm a little picky about where I sit - I hate to sit out in the main traffic - but I think I'd just deal with that rather than upset my tablemates.

 

My preference is similar. I really don't like sitting with my back to an open space or a door. I don't know why (I'm not expecting anyone to come after me :eek: !), I'm just more comfortable against a wall or a window.

 

Like Sea Hag, I'll go with the flow if needed :) .

[Jade13]

Heck on my cruise last week we changed seats after ordering!:p

 

Are you going to tell us more about that?

[Web]

Hey I like my rut- we usually sit in the same spot

[househunter]

My husband and I are taking our 24 year old daugher with us on the Destiny for her graduation present. We have not requested early or late dining yet, but I was wondering if they would put us with a large table or small table. Others our age....others her age.....with a family with small children! Teacher on vacation here...needs a break from little ones.

 

Carnival Destiny in July

 

You should call your TA ASAP to put in your request for dining time and table size. It actually should have been done at the time of your booking. It might be too late now to get what you want but I would call now!

[chasetf]

My preference is similar. I really don't like sitting with my back to an open space or a door. I don't know why (I'm not expecting anyone to come after me :eek: !), I'm just more comfortable against a wall or a window.

That's the gunfighter's seat. That's so they don't get "backshot" :D

[hajekfam]

We also like to change seats each night - not only do we get to know our tablemates better, but the waiter, asst waiter, and sommelier have to get to know us by sight rather than by chair. It's always fun the second night when the asst waiter starts putting the iced tea in front of the wrong person and realizes its not the same person as the night before. The sommelier learns to put the leftover wines and different wine glasses in the middle of the table and then after we sit down, places them in the correct spots.

[Annieeee]

Ok so most of us like to move around. Does anyone sit apart from their hubby/wife/friend? Or "must" you seat next to your significant other? As for me, I don't mind on one or two nights sitting apart from whomever I am traveling with, sometimes it can be a blessing!!

 

Annieeee

[martinimadam]

I've done both; however, like the woman who couldn't sit near the window, I have to sit facing the bow, or I start getting a little green. I usually ask for a table of eight, and love mixing it up!

[figs]

Interesting discussion! Although, as someone who would prefer to sit in the same seat (usually), I resent being called "uptight" and someone that you guys would "worry about"!! ;)

 

I think that if I got along with the people seated next to me the first night, I would be put out to find someone in my seat the next night, forcing me to meet to MORE strangers (who I may or may not get along with). My preference/hope would be to become good friends with the 2-4 people directly around me, as opposed to becoming "acquaintances" with a whole large table, as the seating rotated.

 

Talk about the difference between introverts and extroverts! One of the general criteria is a preference toward "a large circle of acquaintances" vs "a small circle of close friends". I lean toward the second, you guys seem to lean toward the first! Of course, this would all change if I'm not compatible with the people I happen to sit with the first night.....maybe I've just been lucky!

[chasetf]

Interesting discussion! Although, as someone who would prefer to sit in the same seat (usually), I resent being called "uptight" and someone that you guys would "worry about"!! ;)

 

I think that if I got along with the people seated next to me the first night, I would be put out to find someone in my seat the next night, forcing me to meet to MORE strangers (who I may or may not get along with). My preference/hope would be to become good friends with the 2-4 people directly around me, as opposed to becoming "acquaintances" with a whole large table, as the seating rotated.

 

Talk about the difference between introverts and extroverts! One of the general criteria is a preference toward "a large circle of acquaintances" vs "a small circle of close friends". I lean toward the second, you guys seem to lean toward the first! Of course, this would all change if I'm not compatible with the people I happen to sit with the first night.....maybe I've just been lucky!

So.... what happens if the first people you sit next to the first night fall into that "may not get along with" category. :confused: Wouldn't you want to find out if there is someone else at the table you may have more in common with. ;)

[figs]

Exactly---that's what the end of my post was intended to say. I don't know what I'd do in that situation! It hasn't come up yet, thank goodness.

 

But yeah, I generally would be unhappy switching seats every night. From past experience, I can imagine making plans to "chat about the day's excursions" at dinner with the person in the next seat....only to find that I would have to shout across a table to do so. Weird. Talked to my cruisin' roomie---she's never switched seats on any of her 9 cruises, either. She said, like me, it would never occur to her to do so after the first night, unless someone specifically asked to 'cause of seasickness or something. No one at any of her tables has ever done so. We had no idea this was a common thing until I saw this thread! :D

[CruisenLexie]

Just because you change seats (maybe to get another view) dosen't mean you cannot sit next to the same person. Just a thought.

 

The thought of sitting at a table with other people was a complete stresser for me. I'm on vacation and I am stressed out because I have to eat dinner with strangers. Not fun. And if you add in changing seats every night and I have to get to know someone else...well that was to much stress for me. Talk about an introvert. However, over the cruises I have learned to relax more, perhaps gain a little more confidence, and have been fortunate that we have always sat with nice, friendly people. Some you continue to have a relationship with after the cruise, some you dont and some I still think of today even though I have never seen them again. Point is I enjoy going to dinner now instead of dreading it. It has actually turned out to be good practice I can use to gain confidence speaking with strangers. May sound silly to some of you but I'm not as introverted as I once was. Sometimes I feel like I am the one who is putting other people at ease.

[gizmo]

I have done both. It doesn't make a difference to me. Either way is fine.