How does MSC work with dinner seatings?

Do they tend to sit you with those from your own country? Those whose native language is the same as yours? Or is it a total gamble?

Do they tend to sit you with those from your own country? Those whose native language is the same as yours? Or is it a total gamble?

In my experience, mostly Med. Cruises, they have tried to arrange for table companions to have a common language.

So i've been sat with some British, some US and Canadian citizens, German , Scandanavian, Italian, and South African . And on 4 cruises had a table for two.

On one occason we were sat on a table with 2 US citizens (father and daughter cruising, for her 21st birthday) and an Italian mother and her two daughters, only one of the daughters(Tiziana) spoke English.

We had a great time, chatting, tellling stories and telling jokes which Tiziana translated for her sister and mother. Most nights were were the last table to leave the MDR as all seven of us enjoyed the fun and laughter at some of the translations.

So MSC make an effort to accomadate language but in an interesting manner.

I think it would be total fun to sit with people from different nationalities. That's the reason we're choosing to go with MSC this time.:)

I've always been seated with English speakers, although sometimes those speaking it as a second language (Dutch, Swedish for example).

I've noticed they have a tendency if they have enough people of the same nationality wanting to share a table and on the same seating, to lump those all together, so I've often been at a table that was only Brits.

They are suppossed to take account of what you specified on your booking. I did meet a lovely Swiss lady once at lunch who had specified French or English speakers for dinner but they'd assumed she was from the German speaking part of the country and lumped her in with them. She was not a happy bunny and was trying to get that changed. I did meet up with her a few times as I can speak French (badly).

I by all means do not have to be seated with Americans! There are six of us traveling together so we may be seated with just us. I've sat with all kinds of people on my previous cruises but we had the language commonality.

You can sometimes be seated with people of other nationalities at lunch in the MDR as it's freestyle. We had a particularly wonderful lunch one time with a couple from Rome who had some words of English. I had a couple of Italian words I'd learned just before the cruise. We had such a laugh with very few words and lots of hand gestures. We even went for coffee and a smoke with them (well, I tagged along - I don't drink coffee nor do I smoke LOL).

I can get by if they speak French and slowly. I'm definitely not afraid of being seated with other nationalities but it's nice sometimes to meet people you're able to converse with! After this cruise we are going to Northern Italy to meet my father's extended family. I do not believe they speak English and we do not speak Italian! Definitely not afraid! Haha

Do they tend to sit you with those from your own country? Those whose native language is the same as yours? Or is it a total gamble?

On our MSC cruise last September we sat with 3 American couples of which one was working with the military in London. We're Canadian so I assume they do their best in matching up languages and regions.

On the three MSC cruises we have been on (Divina, Preziosa & Fantasia) we have been assigned a table to ourselves. Travelled with Wife, Daughter & Mother. :)