MDR ? Do You Prefer Large group Table or Small Table

We like tables of 8. And of course we would prefer to sit with our own party before we sat with complete strangers. Unless we are going with in-laws or something, and even then...that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

We usually ask for a table for 6

We HATE tables for more than 8 and round tables. We can only hear the people sitting next to us without shouting at big tables. I usually email the Maitre'd and ask for a long table for 6 or 8. Sometimes there are 10 but that's OK. We like to change seats each night so everyone can see other parts of the dining room.

That is becoming a real problem as we get older.

We HATE tables for more than 8 and round tables. We can only hear the people sitting next to us without shouting at big tables. I usually email the Maitre'd and ask for a long table for 6 or 8. Sometimes there are 10 but that's OK. We like to change seats each night so everyone can see other parts of the dining room.

We are the exact opposite. Give me a round table any day. The long tables 8-10, are horrible for conversation

Always a table for two.:)

Large table...we LOVE tablemates! We look forward to dinner and conversation with our "dinner buddies"! It's fun!

 

Hubby and I love each other, too (just like a previous poster!), and eat 99.9% of our meals together all the time, every day....that doesn't mean we don't enjoy others for a couple hours! On the ship, we have 22 hours of "just us" time.

 

Some folks are just loners. We're not.

Are you ever going to get it? Just because someone may not want a table for two does NOT mean that they are a loner, or unfriendly or a snob. Maybe it just means that they prefer a table for two for a quiet dinner. If you (cb) want to state your preference (which you do often), that fine, but don't make disparaging, judgmental comments about those who have a different preference from yours. :rolleyes:

We like tables for 6-8 but not set dining times. We have found over the years that most times the set tables are not full, often sitting alone at table for 6 or more. So we like the My time dining (whatever it is called); sometimes asking for table for two, sometimes saying "share please." To me, the advantage is not only time choice, but size of table.

If we feel like dining alone, we can do that. If more sociable, we'll share.

When I travel with my daughter, she likes quiet at breakfast, so we sit together but not with others. But at dinner, she is interesting and funny so we choose a bigger table. Options..it is all about options.

Where were all you 'I don't care to eat with strangers' folks when they were roasting DD? :what:

If, and I do mean a big IF, you can convince me to go to the MDR, it will be a table for two. I have a hearing loss that makes conversing with others while dining in large, open and noisy places very uncomfortable and difficult.

We asked for 6 this time. Had 10 and 8 - not easy for conversation, felt that we need a smaller table.

Same here. I'm not an outgoing person, and DW talks to the public all day at work, so the last thing we want to do on a cruise is be with others while eating. Mealtime is private time. Elsewhere is fine for making new friends, but not then.

I couldn't agree more. I don't enjoy forced small talk and sitting with a bunch of strangers at a large table for dinner. I'm a friendly, but quiet person and haven't enjoyed being at the large dinner tables in the past. Best thing for me has been the Anytime Dining option where I can ask for a table for just me and the person(s) I'm on the cruise with. LOL, Like your DW, I also work with the public and just want to enjoy my vacation with the person or people I'm on vacation with.

I couldn't agree more. I don't enjoy forced small talk and sitting with a bunch of strangers at a large table for dinner. I'm a friendly, but quiet person and haven't enjoyed being at the large dinner tables in the past. Best thing for me has been the Anytime Dining option where I can ask for a table for just me and the person(s) I'm on the cruise with. LOL, Like your DW, I also work with the public and just want to enjoy my vacation with the person or people I'm on vacation with.

You can also get a table for two at Traditional dining.

I Like to be at a large table of at least 8

have also been at tables of 10. We have always met great people and enjoy meeting people from all over the country or world.

At times we have been able to organize a group from our roll call to sit together

that has always been fun. We just get our reservations linked for dinning

We no longer do assigned dining even on ships that have that option. We prefer flexibility.

I prefer a table for two. My husband prefers sitting with three or four other couples.

So we compromise. We eat breakfast at a table for two but most dinners we ask for a sharing table and eat with other passengers.

At lunch he eats with others at a sharing table in the MDR but I eat in the buffet by myself, occasionally with another passenger. Sometimes I eat lunch in the MDR at a different time than DH and have a table to myself.

This routine works for us.

Hoping for as large a table as possible on upcoming cruise, however I'm traveling with 8 other family members, so I guess it'll just be us. (Not sure of the largest table tops?) I like meeting new people so look forward to dining with others.

At lunch he eats with others at a sharing table in the MDR but I eat in the buffet by myself, occasionally with another passenger. Sometimes I eat lunch in the MDR at a different time than DH and have a table to myself.

This routine works for us.

I'd love to have the occasional lunch meal on my own, but DH believes in 'being joined at the hip'. :eek: How on earth did you manage to come to your arrangement without causing a fuss (as would happen in our case :)).

Being retired it would be nice whilst on board to have some Me Time, but apart from when he goes to the gym we are never apart. The spa is not for me so that is out as an option.

BTW, just to ease people's minds - I do love him, but there are times...:D

When available I always request a table for two in the MDR. We also make sure to choose the late sitting if our ship doesn't offer any time dinning mainly because we eat dinner quite late at home and find that a table for two lets us enjoy our dinner at our own pace. I'd rather not rush or inadvertently be rushed by fellow table mates during dinner (we like to savor that over priced bottle of wine we ordered :)). Far from snotty or anti social, we enjoy the company of all our fellow travelers - especially - after the two of us have enjoyed a wonderful and relaxed dinner for two. Now how late do the bars stay open ;):D.

You can also get a table for two at Traditional dining.

I prefer the flexibility of anytime dining as I don't care for set dining times.

We like large tables. We enjoy meeting people.

We prefer a table for eight. Ten is too large for us. Four is definitely too small. We've had a couple of tables for six that have worked out OK, but a table for eight gives more opportunity to switch things up.

We always have a table for two. I prefer my wife's company at mealtime over that of strangers.

My husband and I are both okay either way. We both enjoy meeting new people and make friends easily. However, we are fine if we dine by ourselves.

We have only cruised by ourselves twice. The first time was our honeymoon and that was an 8 top. Two other honeymoon couples and a couple on their

40th anniversary.

The last cruise we went on in April we had a 4 top and shared with another couple. They were quite nice, but I think they were hoping no one would show up.

All of our other cruises have been with my family, so we have had either a 6 or 8 top but all family. We had a great family next to us one night. Half of our party didn't show and half of their party didn't show, so we joined up as one table. We had a great time.

I'd love to have the occasional lunch meal on my own, but DH believes in 'being joined at the hip'. :eek: How on earth did you manage to come to your arrangement without causing a fuss (as would happen in our case :)).

 

Being retired it would be nice whilst on board to have some Me Time, but apart from when he goes to the gym we are never apart. The spa is not for me so that is out as an option.

 

BTW, just to ease people's minds - I do love him, but there are times...:D

I can totally understand this. My husband is up early most mornings in real life, and he sleeps in on the cruise. We usually barely make breakfast, but he is crazy in that he wants breakfast food for sure, so I have to be sure to get him up. He eats everything in sight and then doesn't want anything else until dinner. I am more a "bowl of cereal and some juice" for breakfast kind of person. I like a snack mid day and then reasonable dinner.

So sometimes when he goes to read, I sneak away to the Windjammer and have a little salad and sandwich.

I like him, but we do enjoy quiet time on our own.

It's funny. I work in an office, but have very little contact with others. My job is very paper intensive and I might actually see others in my office once a day if someone just happens to stick their head in. So I enjoy the interactive nature of cruising.

I couldn't agree more. I don't enjoy forced small talk and sitting with a bunch of strangers at a large table for dinner. I'm a friendly, but quiet person and haven't enjoyed being at the large dinner tables in the past. Best thing for me has been the Anytime Dining option where I can ask for a table for just me and the person(s) I'm on the cruise with. LOL, Like your DW, I also work with the public and just want to enjoy my vacation with the person or people I'm on vacation with.

I am right there with you. I cruise and vacation solo 90% of the time. I tried larger tables on a suggestion from a friend and did not enjoy them. Too much inane small talk, the sounds of pity from the other people when they know I'm solo, the boors who wanted everyone else at the table to know how superior they were to the rest of us, the family who seemed annoyed that I was assigned to their table, etc. I do not go a vacation to meet people; I go on a vacation to relax and explore and unwind. I work daily with the public; I have no desire to keep forcing conversations with more strangers. I'm NOT a loner, but when I travel alone, I like to keep it that way. I would rather get in, eat my dinner, get out and do other things, NOT have to wait for the rest of the table to order, eat (as slowly as they want), order another entree, another dessert, etc… If a spontaneous conversation starts up with someone next to me in one of the lounges, or at the pool, I'll be more than happy to talk. But, don't place me in a situation where I can't walk away.

Too much inane small talk

I think that's what bothers me most about it. It's the inane small talk and people not feeling comfortable being themselves out of trying to impress others. Inane is a polite word for it. Many times we'll know people we cruise with and will dine with them on some, but not all nights. My wife and I are going to a restaurant tomorrow night. I doubt that we will see anyone sharing a table with total strangers in an attempt to make new friends. Why should it be different at sea? For those who enjoy it, great for you. It's not for everyone.

We used to ask for tables for 4 and 6. But after missing too many shows because of slow eaters, or having to wait until everyone arrived at the table (sometimes up to 1/2 hour), we now get a table for 2.