How are MDR tables assigned?

[kelleherdl]

On our last HAL cruise (Sept 2007 Alaska Noordam) we were assigned a very nice window table (6) with four other very likable folks. We had late fixed seating. Everybody at the table enjoyed our lively conversation and liked each other enough to actually be seen together at times other than dinner. Please don't flame the next comment, but everybody at the table also was prepared to keep formal night formal, and did.

 

Question: Were we just lucky with the draw or is there some process by which tables are assigned? Some secret scoring system? ;)

 

Dennis

[Krazy Kruizers]

I really do not know how they assign people to the various tables.

 

Once I was told that they assgined them by the age of the people. I do not believe that as a few times we were with people not anywhere near our age.

 

Then someone said it was by cabin category -- I don't believe that as we book Deluxe Suites and a few times we were seated with people from inside cabins -- I have no problem with that.

 

But then about 7 or 8 years ago we ended up with some very bad table mates so we solved our problem by just asking for a table for 2.

 

Hope you continue to have good luck with your table mates.

[Jade13]

We just ask for a 2 top and get it every time.

[nycruise]

Here's another vote for a table for 2.

 

We just got off the Zuiderdam and we had a 7:45 PM reservation each evening and were seated at different tables each night. On some evenings we were seated close enough to make conversation with the table next to us, usually a 2 or a 4 top.

 

Since we also have no idea how tables are assigned, we refuse to leave our dining enjoyment to the luck of the draw.

 

Not only might you find you have nothing in common with your table mates, you might be seated at a table for 8 where the other 6 tablemates are traveling together and you feel like you're crashing their party.

 

Also when people decide not to come to the dining room, either to eat at the Lido, their cabin, or the Pinnicale, your left at a large table and seated alone or with one other couple.:(

 

Open seating was the primary reason we finally sailed HAL.:D

[CowPrincess]

On our last HAL cruise (Sept 2007 Alaska Noordam) we were assigned a very nice window table (6) with four other very likable folks. We had late fixed seating. Everybody at the table enjoyed our lively conversation and liked each other enough to actually be seen together at times other than dinner. Please don't flame the next comment, but everybody at the table also was prepared to keep formal night formal, and did.

 

Question: Were we just lucky with the draw or is there some process by which tables are assigned? Some secret scoring system? ;)

 

Dennis

 

Not certain if there's some secret formula :D but it has been my experience that the "dreadful" dinner tables are pretty rare. Sometimes it seems geographic -- Canadians with Canadians. Or more or less by age -- middle aged with middle aged. Or cabin category -- OVs with OVs. Other times, there seems to be nothing that the various people have in common.

 

I do know that some people have had such awful experiences they will never share a table again. For us, overall, dinner at a shared table becomes a highlight of the cruise.

[jtl513]

I do know that some people have had such awful experiences they will never share a table again. For us, overall, dinner at a shared table becomes a highlight of the cruise.

We've been very lucky in getting the 2-tops that we prefer, but a couple of times we have been within ear-shot of tables that we were very glad to not have been assigned to. Now we go with Open seating, and like the flexibility of going where we want when we want.

[FrankNJ]

Anyone care to elaborate on the "bad table mates " ?

Maybe there are some interesting stories here . Maybe someone's teeth fell in the soup ,

or they told bad jokes ? The possibilities are endless. Maybe someone wore a cap ?

[CtheW0rld]

Anyone care to elaborate on the "bad table mates " ?

Maybe there are some interesting stories here . Maybe someone's teeth fell in the soup ,

or they told bad jokes ? The possibilities are endless. Maybe someone wore a cap ?

 

i've been very lucky on all of my cruises, save for one. all one couple wanted to talk about was money and politics. the six of us changed to a different table and had a wonderful cruise.

[CowPrincess]

Anyone care to elaborate on the "bad table mates " ?

Maybe there are some interesting stories here . Maybe someone's teeth fell in the soup ,

or they told bad jokes ? The possibilities are endless. Maybe someone wore a cap ?

 

:D I have a few. One was on an Alaska cruise, when we seemed to get assigned "geographically" to a 6-top with grandma, grandpa, single mom and 8 year old daughter. Grandpa was hard of hearing, and spent a lot of the first night staring into space. Grandma and single mom were hostile and paranoid, and answered every question (e.g., so where are you from?) with "why would you want to know that?" Grandpa, grandma and single mom spent most of the dinner complaining about everything, including the dinner table :) Daughter was the only one who had any social skills, and we managed to keep the conversation going with her. Then we requested a change in table.

 

Another Alaska cruise (with my same cruising buddy ^^) and another friend, we chose open dining. Won't do that again -- we got a variety of "interesting" tablemates. One woman spent the entire first formal night berating me because I didn't know anything about cruising, the ship, or Alaska, and I had SOME NERVE trying to discuss things I knew nothing about (my 3rd trip in a year on the same ship, 5th trip to Alaska with HAL). I mentioned somehow that I thought she and her husband and I were neighbors on the Lower Promenade Deck, and she completely lost it. Completely. It was absolutely IMPOSSIBLE that we'd be anywhere NEAR each other. Her husband looked grateful for the fact that her vicious mouth was turned on me for a couple of hours -- he got a break.

 

Finally, on our evening after Ketchikan, we had a great dinner table (8-top) in open, and we all agreed we'd wished we'd met the first night onboard :D because everyone's experience had been similar to ours. We met a couple in the Pinnacle who'd decided to skip open dining after two of their tablemates started screaming at each other and throwing things. Two complete strangers who were discussing politics :rolleyes: and eventually had to be removed from the dining room.

[cb at sea]

We LOVE having tablemates...the entire table has much more fun than those lonely 2-tops!

We've always been lucky with tablemates (or maybe, we're just easy to get along with!) and look forward to dinner everynight because of our dinner-time friends!

We've been seated with folks in our age range, and with older/younger folks....it's always worked out well! I mean, everyone is there for the same reason...cruising and vacationing!

Don't worry HOW they seat you....just know you'll have a blast with whoever your tablemates may be!

[Taxguy77]

Were were on a cruise from Miami to Chile and had a sixtop with 2 very compatible couples. Every night a different couple took the window seat and before the cruise was over everyone had sat next to everyone else. Discussed many subjects especially shore experiences.

HOWEVER

We met two ladies and became friends. They had been assigned to a table with the cruise lecturer and his wife plus another person. The lecturer was a retired professor whose topics were all about the countries we were visiting. The history and geography of Latin America is fascinating and I attended his first lecture, given in the showroom to hold all thoses in attendance. BUMMER:( he was so boring I went to sleep, the first time I had slept in a lecture in 30 years! The second week he was in a small room, so many did not come back. The ladies said he would be speaking when they sat down and didn't stop for the entire dinner. :eek:

Wish I had know then to tell them to talk to the M'D.

[exBFF]

with Open Seating, are you allowed to seat yourself (meaning if you want a two-person table you can get it) or do they seat you?

 

Sorry...I'm one of those who prefers not to eat with strangers. I know, I know. In my job, I spend so much time with strangers, when I'm on vacation, I like a little isolation.

 

:-)

[CowPrincess]

with Open Seating, are you allowed to seat yourself (meaning if you want a two-person table you can get it) or do they seat you?

 

Sorry...I'm one of those who prefers not to eat with strangers. I know, I know. In my job, I spend so much time with strangers, when I'm on vacation, I like a little isolation.

 

:-)

 

You tell the Maitre D' you'd like a table for two when you arrive in the MDR. There may be a wait, depending on how busy it is. There are also times available for reservation (so you can phone & request a specific time at a table for two), but darned if I can tell you what those times are :) Someone will be along with that info.

[exBFF]

thank you!!

[janiceah]

When we were on the Eurodam we had open seating/dining & we were asked on the 1st night if we (4 of us) wanted to sit with other people. We said no & they politely said it would be a while & I said that was fine. Within 5 seconds they said, ok we can seat you now.

My guess is they try and encourage that by hinting you may have to wait for a table.

After that 1st night our dining steward Chipta told us we could ask for him, at a certain time & at that table & we did that every time we dined in there. It worked perfectly.

[chefchick]

I would never want a table for 2. Maybe we've been lucky (sorry for you cow princess) but meeting new people at dinner is one of the best things about cruising in my opinion. Now, I do hedge my bets a little by physically going to the MDR once on board and speaking to the Maitre D and asking who our table mates are. When its just me and my husband, we've have been seated with other couples roughly our same age from all over the world and we have loved meeting all of them. The last few times we have taken our son with us and have met families with kids, but I just tell the maitre d that our only request is to be seated with cruisers who are fun and want to have a good time. On one cruise we were having such a great time that others requested to join us :D Our son is very well behaved (now 15) and is used to adult conversation so being seated with families isn't necessarily a priority, but we have had good luck so far (knock on wood).

 

This next cruise we are a party of 5 because my in laws are also traveling with us so we have requested a table by ourslves. I wouldn't want to be the single person or couple that got seated with a whole family, but if they don't mind I'm sure we would welcome them.

[Travalerie]

:D I have a few. One was on an Alaska cruise, when we seemed to get assigned "geographically" to a 6-top with grandma, grandpa, single mom and 8 year old daughter. Grandpa was hard of hearing, and spent a lot of the first night staring into space. Grandma and single mom were hostile and paranoid, and answered every question (e.g., so where are you from?) with "why would you want to know that?" Grandpa, grandma and single mom spent most of the dinner complaining about everything, including the dinner table :) Daughter was the only one who had any social skills, and we managed to keep the conversation going with her. Then we requested a change in table.

 

Another Alaska cruise (with my same cruising buddy ^^) and another friend, we chose open dining. Won't do that again -- we got a variety of "interesting" tablemates. One woman spent the entire first formal night berating me because I didn't know anything about cruising, the ship, or Alaska, and I had SOME NERVE trying to discuss things I knew nothing about (my 3rd trip in a year on the same ship, 5th trip to Alaska with HAL). I mentioned somehow that I thought she and her husband and I were neighbors on the Lower Promenade Deck, and she completely lost it. Completely. It was absolutely IMPOSSIBLE that we'd be anywhere NEAR each other. Her husband looked grateful for the fact that her vicious mouth was turned on me for a couple of hours -- he got a break.

 

Finally, on our evening after Ketchikan, we had a great dinner table (8-top) in open, and we all agreed we'd wished we'd met the first night onboard :D because everyone's experience had been similar to ours. We met a couple in the Pinnacle who'd decided to skip open dining after two of their tablemates started screaming at each other and throwing things. Two complete strangers who were discussing politics :rolleyes: and eventually had to be removed from the dining room.

LOL! Your post has me cracking up here! I am not supposed to be having this much fun at work!

[nycruise]

I just tell the maitre d that our only request is to be seated with cruisers who are fun and want to have a good time.

 

Aren't table assignments made before boarding? Also how will the maitre d know who's fun on the first night?:confused:

[CowPrincess]

Chefchick, we DO enjoy fixed dining at a largish table, and that is the one we choose when we cruise. Fixed, 8 pm, table of 6, no kids. Our PCC has that on our file :) We are in regular contact with some of the people we've met as tablemates, and have agreed we are going to try to cruise with them again.

 

Travalerie, glad you enjoyed it :)

 

I'm sure our dining stewards considered us the "table from H*ll" on several cruises -- we seem to always be one of the last tables to vacate every evening. :D

[chefchick]

I don't know HOW the maitre d knows who's fun and who isn't but they seem to get it right (at least so far they have)

 

On our last cruise we requested our standard thing (large table/late seating) only to arrive to the MDR the first night at a table for 3. I love my family but I eat with them every night - and we've established I like meeting new people! SO, the next morning I met with the maitre d and told him of my dilemma. He told me of a charming family from Denver he met that have a large table with some extra room and would we prefer to move there. I said, "well, yes, we would". And that night we met the funniest, kindest family that had a lot of cruise experience with their 2 teenager daughters and a woman traveling alone that practically cruises for a living (about 7 or 8 a year) who had some really great stories to tell. We couldn't wait to get to dinner every night to hear about everyone's day and yes, we were probably the last ones out every evening, so the dinning room attendants were nice enough to put up with us.

 

The dining room personnel are there to make your experience great. They gather information about passengers and are matchmakers of sorts. Do they get it wrong sometimes?, I'm sure they do but don't ever put up with boorish people, just move. You may get lucky like I have.

[Modern_Viking]

For the folks in fixed dining, my experience on HAL is that one's table is on the same side of the ship (port or starboard) as one's cabin. In other words, if you have an even cabin number, you will have an even table number. If you have an odd cabin number, you will have an odd table number.

 

It also seems like they assign tables based on the deck your cabin is on. Since some decks have both suites and inside cabins, it seems reasonable for such people to be seated together (as Krazy Kruizers described). Since different people have different table size and dining time preferences, and since some people traveling together don't always have adjoining cabins, it certainly isn't all that likely that your dining companions will be your cabin neighbors. But, it seems like a decent chance that your dining companions might have cabins just down the hall from yours.

[jtl513]

For the folks in fixed dining, my experience on HAL is that one's table is on the same side of the ship (port or starboard) as one's cabin. In other words, if you have an even cabin number, you will have an even table number. If you have an odd cabin number, you will have an odd table number.

That doesn't track my experience at all. On our last three cruises we've chosen Open seating, but on our first seven (on HAL) with Fixed seating, only once was our table on the same side as our cabin.

[IRL_Joanie]

That doesn't track my experience at all. On our last three cruises we've chosen Open seating, but on our first seven (on HAL) with Fixed seating, only once was our table on the same side as our cabin.

 

 

Does not fit with what we had either. This last cruise we were in 8104 (port) had table 17 (starboard). And our table mates were from Deck 1 on up. Basically the same our other 2 cruises.

 

Joanie

[kelleherdl]

Full circle from the OP

 

So, given the feedback so far (and from our more experienced board members) and barring any additional comment from DBA I will take the consensus to be:

 

'nope, no particular system, have a good cruise'

 

And we shall.

 

thanks all

Dennis

[jtl513]

'nope, no particular system, have a good cruise'

There might be a system or set of reasons, but I think none of us know what they are. Kinda like the Upgrade Fairy! :)