Best time to get a table for 8 for Dinner on the Gem?

[Sail Girl]

I'll be traveling as part of a party of 8 on the Gem 11/20/10 cruise.

Haven't traveled on NCL as part of a group before. We'll "do our own thing" during the day, but want to meet for dinner nightly. Considering that 2 of the group are children (ages 7 and 12), what would be the best timeframe to meet and get a table for 8 without a long wait?

Thanks in advance for your help with this issue.

[hamrag]

I'll be traveling as part of a party of 8 on the Gem 11/20/10 cruise.

Haven't traveled on NCL as part of a group before. We'll "do our own thing" during the day, but want to meet for dinner nightly. Considering that 2 of the group are children (ages 7 and 12), what would be the best timeframe to meet and get a table for 8 without a long wait?

Thanks in advance for your help with this issue.

 

No such thing as a best timeframe to arrive looking for a table for 8 without a wait. Best to call dining room ahead to book your table each day.

[Sail Girl]

No such thing as a best timeframe to arrive looking for a table for 8 without a wait. Best to call dining room ahead to book your table each day.

 

hamrag,

I appreciate your reply.

Didn't know you can make reservations for dinnner as I'm not a regular NCL cruiser.

Thanks!

[Got Tequila?]

Shouldn't be too bad if you go right when the main dining rooms open for the evening. This will work out well for the 2 children getting them done in time to go to the kids club for the evening, or to the early show at 7:30.

 

You can make a set dining room reservation for a table of 8 at one of the main dining rooms, just check in with the restaurant when you get on the ship and ask them about times available.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[tgptmp]

We had the same situation on the Jewel this past spring. We were a part of a group of 8 at dinner each night. Let me give you a couple of suggestions.

 

Have you cruised with a large group before? I had not. I discovered that I am a selfish cruiser. I like to go to the main dining and dress up a bit for dinner. I like to rent tux's do the formal night and all. That is part of what I look forward to. My wife is the same way.

 

I also have a routine. We eat dinner early enough to go to the second theather production. I go each evening. Then we hit the lounges (not huge drinkers but like the music).

 

When you go with a group some may grumble--"lets just do the buffet tonight" or "lets skip the show and do later dining" or "I don't want to dress up tonight".

 

That was VERY DIFFICULT for me to deal with. Like I said with three cruises under my belt I had my routine. My theme when I step on a cruise ship is---"its all about me". When you travel with a group it may not be all about you. Yes we were the same way--we did our own thing during the day and met up at night. I simply say that as a word of caution--to be prepared.

 

As far as dinner--if they will let you make reservations do it. If not the term freestyle does not apply. If you show up at 6pm you may wait till 7pm to get a table. If I were to travel with a large group again--I would push to use a non-freestyle cruise line --unless they allow you to make dinner reservations and they hold them for you.

[flowerchild]

LOL, TGPTMP, you sound like us.

 

We are used to it being just the two of us and it is hard to get everyone on the same page in a large group. Who is punctual, who is late, who wants to eat where, what time, etc. PITA, I tell you!

 

We've done cruises with another couple and it was all good because we all had a long talk about how it would go down on the ship. We were together a lot, but still gave each other space and privacy. We were even next to each other and opened up our balconies to each other!

 

We have an upcoming 13 day cruise with my family and to avoid conflict, we decided we would only eat dinner together on sea days. We had a long talk about punctuality, budgets, time frame and expectations. Talking about it and getting it all out in the open helped tremendously.

[Sail Girl]

tgptmp,

Sorry, but for some reason my reply to you did not get completed.

Wanted to thank you for your reply to me and for your suggestions.

[Sail Girl]

LOL, TGPTMP, you sound like us.

 

We are used to it being just the two of us and it is hard to get everyone on the same page in a large group. Who is punctual, who is late, who wants to eat where, what time, etc. PITA, I tell you!

 

We've done cruises with another couple and it was all good because we all had a long talk about how it would go down on the ship. We were together a lot, but still gave each other space and privacy. We were even next to each other and opened up our balconies to each other!

 

We have an upcoming 13 day cruise with my family and to avoid conflict, we decided we would only eat dinner together on sea days. We had a long talk about punctuality, budgets, time frame and expectations. Talking about it and getting it all out in the open helped tremendously.

 

I really like your suggestion about discussing the different aspects of the cruise with your family up front.

Haven't done that yet, but sure will do so!

Even though my DH and I are footing the bill for the cruise, we don't expect our son, dtr, sil, dil and grands to be attached to us during the cruise.

I was hoping for dinners together, though.....

The talk sounds like the best way to go.

 

We also usually cruise alone so this will be quite a change for us.

Thanks for your reply and suggestions!

[Sail Girl]

We had the same situation on the Jewel this past spring. We were a part of a group of 8 at dinner each night. Let me give you a couple of suggestions.

 

Have you cruised with a large group before? I had not. I discovered that I am a selfish cruiser. I like to go to the main dining and dress up a bit for dinner. I like to rent tux's do the formal night and all. That is part of what I look forward to. My wife is the same way.

 

I also have a routine. We eat dinner early enough to go to the second theather production. I go each evening. Then we hit the lounges (not huge drinkers but like the music).

 

When you go with a group some may grumble--"lets just do the buffet tonight" or "lets skip the show and do later dining" or "I don't want to dress up tonight".

 

That was VERY DIFFICULT for me to deal with. Like I said with three cruises under my belt I had my routine. My theme when I step on a cruise ship is---"its all about me". When you travel with a group it may not be all about you. Yes we were the same way--we did our own thing during the day and met up at night. I simply say that as a word of caution--to be prepared.

 

As far as dinner--if they will let you make reservations do it. If not the term freestyle does not apply. If you show up at 6pm you may wait till 7pm to get a table. If I were to travel with a large group again--I would push to use a non-freestyle cruise line --unless they allow you to make dinner reservations and they hold them for you.

 

Somehow I blew away my last full reply to you and thus sent just a thanks.

 

My DH and I usually cruise by ourselves and we do like to dress for dinner - Tux and all - and like a set dinner time - so we usually opt for a more "traditional" type of cruise experience.

Guess we are "selfish cruisers" too as we are used to doing what we wan twithout having to coordinate with others.

 

This cruise is different as we are taking our small family to celebrate our 40th Anniversary.

 

We hope to get together for dinner each night after we all enjoy our day's activities.

 

We'll take your suggestion and that from another poster and make dinner reservations so we won't have to wait for such a large table.

 

Thanks for your reply.