Favorite Table Size?

We can't seem to decide on the table size for our winter cruise. We will be in late fixed seating. Most often we choose a table for two, but once we had a table for eight and enjoyed it very much.

What is your favorite table size, and why?

We can't seem to decide on the table size for our winter cruise. We will be in late fixed seating. Most often we choose a table for two, but once we had a table for eight and enjoyed it very much.

What is your favorite table size, and why?

Either a table for two or a table of 6. 6 is nice sized group and easy to hear everyone. We've been doing two tops as of late though as we enjoy the time to ourselves after busy port days or sea days with roll call activities.

Either size is good as far as we are concerned. They each have their advantages.

We choose a table of six because there are many of those tables near windows. We prefer the aft part of the MDR. I cruise with my mother so we don't need "alone" time; we prefer to sit with others as it adds to our enjoyment of the cruise.

We tend to do a two top in Open Dining now. We meet people in Lido often for breakfast or lunch by sharing tables there, so we get our interactions that way.

Dinner can be slow with a large table and we like to get to the shows. Plus it's often difficult to hear conversation at a large table, getting moreso ;).

For fixed seating we've enjoyed every size table, except once at a table for 8 by the window, because we only had one other couple, a German-speaking couple so not much dinner conversation on that 21 night cruise, but nice window.

We had 3 very good experiences with tables for 4: one lovely couple to share a 10 night cruise, and 2 cruises where the other couple bailed out on us after the first night... once to do early dining, once to move to a bigger table that they invited us but we declined enjoying being left to ourselves. I guess we're a bit more on the introverted side. Something for everyone.

Interesting topic! m--

We always ask for a table for six. Larger tables interfere with normal conversations.

We prefer a table for 2 in early fixed dinner.

We used to go for either a 4 or 6 but then we started to get some bad table mates -- constantly bragging about this and that or repeated everything each night. No matter how many times we tried to change the conversation, they went back to their same repeating topics.

I'm not much of a night person, especially after a busy day in port. :) So if we aren't traveling with friends or family we usually get a table for 2 at dinner (like RMLincoln we get a lot of interaction at breakfast and lunch).

If we don't have a table for 2, I prefer tables of 6. Larger tables make it hard to talk to/hear everyone, and tables of 4 can be uncomfortable if you don't "hit it off". :D

It depends on if we are alone or with Friends..

On short cruises (14 days & under), when we don't have Friends along, we request tables for 2 late seating..

When our usual Friends are with us, we normally go for 6 (late seating) or sometimes larger but I seem to have problems hearing at the large tables since I wear hearing aides..

On the longer cruises we found that tables for 2 can get lonesome after two weeks & were very happy when another group of Psgrs. at the next table (from Cruise Critic) asked us to join them.. Some of their tablemates were gone for the evening..Tables for 6 & fixed late seating would probably be ideal for us on the longer cruises...

Next cruise in October we will have different Friends cruising with us to the Canal ..These Friends would like Open seating & a table for 4 which we agreed to..

I like the tables for 6. Many of these seem to be by the windows, plus the group size is perfect for my hearing issues. Too large a group is very hard for me to hear everyone.

I like a round table for 6, as that has enough people to stimulate some interesting conversation, yet is small enough to be able to hear. The rectangular tables, or larger round tables, make hearing difficult.

Fortunately, my friends also like a round table for 6, so if I am with them we can be together and still have what we like.

It depends. I like open seating because I can sit at a large table if I want to meet people and socialize or a small table if I'm dinning with a new friend or want faster service. Love the flexibility.

Recently, like our last four cruises, we've been cruising with another couple so have more or less gravitated to a table for four or six. Without the other couple we like tables for six.

2 or 8 (if round). We'll be doing 2 late seating on next due to anniversary. If we do a larger table with strangers 8 is the minimum to find interesting compatible table mates. We were really worried on first HAL cruise to be seated with strangers but by the end we were all friends. I agree that 4-6 can increase the odds of incompatibility by reducing the sample. I have mild hearing issues but 8 top rounds are not too large to talk across.

On our first TA on RCCL after the great Alaska cruise we opted for 8 top again and were seated with a couple related families who were Cuban Mariel Boat Lift refugees now operating very successful businesses in Miami. They mostly spoke Spanish with each other although fluent with English. Awkward. :o really nice people but we felt a little left out. Upside was one of the couples' adorable (and smart as a whip) 4 yo girl. A highlight of the cruise. :)

Our preference is for a table for two. Even as we approach our 50th Anniversary, each of our cruises is like another honeymoon and we enjoy dining as a couple.

We like round tables for 8.

We always choose a table for two. We're intrigued by the more traditional route of the same seating and tablemates each night, but are hesitant to commit in case we don't like it.

We ask for late seating at a table for 8. Have met many wonderful people, get to know our table mates, enjoyed the conversations after a port day or a day at sea. have always been lucky to have interesting people at our table. Our last cruise one single lady at our table spoiled all our evenings, everybody was glad when she left the table early, she was very negative about every thing. Other then that we still enjoy a large table because of the interesting people we have met.

Allan

We can't seem to decide on the table size for our winter cruise. We will be in late fixed seating. Most often we choose a table for two, but once we had a table for eight and enjoyed it very much.

What is your favorite table size, and why?

We've always gone for a 8 person table. We like the conversation and the wait (if any) is usually very short. Reading some of the comments here though may prompt us to try a sixer next time due to DW having some hearing issues.

A table for four is nice if you get pleasant table mates, adding another couple increases the odds. We prefer a round table for six or eight, any larger and you can not converse across the table. A rectangular table for six makes it hard for the corner seats to converse with everyone.

Table for 8, or at least 6 - gives a good chance of compatible dining mates - one of the aspects of cruising non-existent elsewhere. We've usually had round tables, so never had problem hearing others - plus we generally shift positions each night for better view or change of immediate neighbors.

We choose a table of six because there are many of those tables near windows. We prefer the aft part of the MDR. I cruise with my mother so we don't need "alone" time; we prefer to sit with others as it adds to our enjoyment of the cruise.

We like 6's best also. We're retired and have dinner just the 2 of us at home most nights thus we really enjoy sharing our meal with others. :)

We do late fixed seating. We've had great conversations with every group we've dined with even if at home they might not become your BFF their company at dinner was good. The vast majority of HAL passengers have traveled quite a bit either on cruises and/or on land so that's always an interesting topic for dinner chat.

8's are ok but it's often difficult to hear what tablemates are saying if they're not sitting near you.:)

Table for 2 only after a table mate insulted my military service we elected not to dine with strangers.

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As I usually cruise alone, I like a table for eight or ten. Very often that will include a couple or two and maybe a few other solos. Last two cruises I asked for a table for 8 or 10 and ended up at tables for ten but only seven people on one cruise and six on the other. It worked out nicely though as we were compatible and ended up with hosted tables six nights between the two cruises.

We enjoy the round tables of 8, but DH is having difficulty filtering out noise, so the larger the table, the less he is able to partcipate. For our next cruise we have requested a table for 6 - which I hope is round, rather than rectangle, and that should help him be an active participant in the dinner conversations.

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

We always do open seating. When we get to the dining room we request a table for 6 or 8 and it needs to be a round table. We get to meet different people every night and if we hit it off with a particular couple we'll have dinner with them another night. We have met so many wonderful people this way.

Helen