Reserving an isolated table for 2 in anytime dining

[Dachsie5]

I've always had success asking for a table for two that is not bench seating. The 2-tops that have benches along the walls are usually less than a foot away from the next table (sometimes about 6 inches), those that are two chairs are usually more isolated. This separation is exactly what my wife and I want when we're eating our meals in the MDR.

I don't ever remember bench seating in a MDR on the Star, Dawn, or CB. We always had a table for two. Maybe we were just lucky! One time on the Dawn, they seated the two of us at a 4 top. Always on anytime dining too!

[caribill]

mabye a little something as a thank you, your wish will be granted for the cruise.

 

When did you hand him the little something? and for how much? Do we need to have it in envelop so to be discreet?

 

 

No need to bribe the Matre d' to do his job.

 

If it is possible for your request to be honored, he will happily make it happen.

[Coracii]

I don't ever remember bench seating in a MDR on the Star, Dawn, or CB. We always had a table for two. Maybe we were just lucky! One time on the Dawn, they seated the two of us at a 4 top. Always on anytime dining too!

 

I haven't been on either of those 3 ships yet, so I don't know whether they do have benches along the wall or not... The OP is sailing on the Ruby and while it's been a while since I sailed her I seem to remember her having the benches in the AD.

[wrtmlt]

Just off the Ruby last month. We had a great table for 2. Dining room on deck 5 when you go in dining room it was to the left it was in area with just 4 tables close to doors. go to the left and around corner there it was great waiter and asst waiter too.

[PescadoAmarillo]

EXACTLY!

 

It is not like they are weighing 250lbs and still eat like that. :rolleyes:

 

I just consider myself lucky that I can eat a lot and still maintain a 112 to 115lb weight with a 5'6" height but I never would have thought that having multiple items of one course would attract "horrified look"! I guess that adds one more reasons to insist on getting a Table for Two! :o

Well, I can't say I'm so lucky, but we very often order in a "non-standard" fashion, or "non-standard" quanties in the dining room, particularly when we are at a table for 2 (we've found, at a larger table, it does sometimes mess with the flow of the others' meals). I start with the cheese plate (dessert), get two salads if I like them, and an entree. And then we'll go back after the entertainment (around 9:30-9:45 at night) for DH to have his ice cream and me a cappucino. I'd hate to think that people were sharing looks about that behavior behind our backs. Particularly since there is so much other behavior to share looks about on a cruise ship!

 

Regarding tables for two, we just started asking for one occasionally in the past few years. We've changed as we've cruised. For years we loved traditional dining at a large table. Then, when we tried Princess, we discovered the joys of Anytime Dining, but still at a large table (DH says he likes to meet people, just doesn't want to know about their personal health history or how their son-in-law was a lazy good for nothing, both items that can come up after several nights dining with the same people). And just recently, when we started taking longer and longer cruises, we discovered the joy of a table for 2. Eat just how we please (horrified looks be damned) generally in half the time since we skip half the courses, and no need to be "on" every night. It's really quite enjoyable, with completely comfortable conversations and silences.

[MamieGoldberg]

What is so horrified about? :confused:

 

I always order more than one item of one course on every meal - usually they are the appetizer items, but occasionally they are the main course items. The waiter always ask how do I like them presented. There are nights when several choices are desired so I would order them - and often finish them all!

 

Sorry to offend. For all I know they were taking a bite of each thing and leaving the rest, but a table for two ordering four dishes for each course seemed rather gluttonous to us.

[pablo222]

Sorry to offend. For all I know they were taking a bite of each thing and leaving the rest, but a table for two ordering four dishes for each course seemed rather gluttonous to us.

 

Much better to go back to the dining room four times, as another

poster here suggested. That way, no one really knows what you're

eating.

 

Tables for two are ok with me. Tables for more are ok, too.

At bigger tables, I'm mostly met nice folks, with just a few duds.

 

What I would really like -- at a larger table -- is to interview other

prospective table-mates before they are allowed to sit down.

 

If you're in a hurry, a table for two is certainly the way to go,

as that's much faster.

[Jasperdo]

The Sapphire Princess has 4 Anytime Dining Rooms. Many of their tables for 2 are the bench style that's been mentioned in this thread. We didn't like them at all. Our cruise on the Star Princess was completely different. That ship has two large Anytime Dining Rooms, and we always sat at a private table for two. (At least as private as you can get in a large dining room.) The Dawn Princess was different again. Most of the tables for two were actually converted tables for four that had a divider down the middle of the table. So, I think it really depends on the individual ship. I believe the OP mentioned going on the Ruby, which has two large Dining Rooms, similar to the Star. It should be fairly easy to secure a more private table for two on that ship.

[lovevacadays]

You might try going into the anytime dining rooms the day you board and wandering around. You can look for the tables for two and get the table number. That way, when you call the dine line or if you request from the M'D you can ask for that specific table. Sometimes you might get a few frowns from some crew in the dining area but I've just smiled and looked around the dining area. Never been kicked out and found tables that I liked so I could request them.

[poodlewamp]

Our friends were told..."any time dining"...very hard to get table for 2.....fixed.....easier to get ???

 

 

Isolated in dining room...don't think that will happen !!!????

Princess cruises has only 1 level in dining room, whereas

rccl has 3 levels...( must easier for intimate dining !! )

 

 

 

i would contact your travel agent and ask..or better yet

seek out the head dining room person...as soon as you get

on board...( as usually a line up if you wait)..and see what they can do for you !!

 

 

 

B.j.

 

Good luck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

( 19 cruises )

[Jasperdo]

Our friends were told..."any time dining"...very hard to get table for 2.....

That has not been my experience at all. All 3 Princess cruises I've been on we have always had a table for two, usually with no wait at all. The set up of the dining room varied from ship to ship, sometimes the tables for 2 were very close together. But, all would be considered tables for 2.

[JNB]

When you are able go to the anytime dining rooms and find a table that you like and note the number (or numbers). Then call the DINE line and make your dinner reservation including a request for that table.

 

If you are unable to get into the dining room or get through the DINE line, go early the first night and nicely ask for a quiet table. We always eat at a table for 2 and have never had this request refused. You can make your reservations through DINE line thereafter.

 

We do not, however, ask for a table near the window as we think these should be shared.

[Passin Thru]

Did you know before hand there would be 2598 other people aboard or was it a complete surprise? GOSH! Maybe you need a desert island instead of a cruise. I'm funny about "that" too.

[nho9504]

Sorry to offend. For all I know they were taking a bite of each thing and leaving the rest, but a table for two ordering four dishes for each course seemed rather gluttonous to us.

 

Well, they may want to try each dish, or just like a particular item in each dish.

 

Let me tell you how in the old days the dining room service was done.

 

Our first cruise was with Princess almost 20 years ago, first Regal, then Crown.

 

At that time, the dishes were not pre-plated. They came in big serving dish / bowl to the work station. Then your waiter would ask you what size of the portion you like and which side dishes you prefer more, or not at all. These days, all the dishes are pre-plated. There is NO CHOICE if you want the meat in one entree but want the veggie varieties in another entree. The waiter often just say I would bring you both and then you can get what you want from the plate and disregard the rest. Sometimes if they are not super busy, they would bring a new plate and get the chosen foods to the new plate. Sometimes I have to do this myself - hence I would have 2 plates in front of me but I may only take a little from each plate.

[Princess422]

What I would really like -- at a larger table -- is to interview other

prospective table-mates before they are allowed to sit down.

 

LMAO! Sort of like speed-dating, but probably not as awkward. :p Speed-dining! Love it!

[caribill]

These days, all the dishes are pre-plated. There is NO CHOICE if you want the meat in one entree but want the veggie varieties in another entree.

 

We have had no problem requesting one entree with sides that are offered on another entree. Usually it comes to our table direct from the galley the way we want it.

 

Sometimes the other sides are in a dish of their own,.

[mytime53]

We have had no problem requesting one entree with sides that are offered on another entree. Usually it comes to our table direct from the galley the way we want it.

 

Sometimes the other sides are in a dish of their own,.

 

We've had waiters who fix it out of our sight, and others who do it at the table.

[myba16]

So with anytime dining you can make reservations for the MDR? I thought you needed to get a beeper/ wait. And they will honor those kinds of requests?

[Jasperdo]

So with anytime dining you can make reservations for the MDR? I thought you needed to get a beeper/ wait. And they will honor those kinds of requests?

Depending on the Maitre'd you can do it either way. Some allow reservations, some don't.

[paul929207]

So with anytime dining you can make reservations for the MDR? I thought you needed to get a beeper/ wait. And they will honor those kinds of requests?

It depends on the ship and the Maitre 'd. Some allow reservations anytime. Some don't accept them at all. Others before 5:30 or 6:00PM and after 8:30PM.

 

Making a reservation does not guarentee you will not have to wait. Even if you have requested a specific table. It may be occupied and you will have to wait until it is vacated.

[RMorningglory]

Who am I to say but... I have found that if you're willing to eat early or late, are flexable, make friends with a dining room manager by simply being nice on the first day... you can request what you're looking for and usually get it. We have been on several Christmas Cruises ( The most demanding group sails along during the Holidays) with big groups and did anytime... and they were great about it.

 

A Tip: If you are not early diners, Try Adagio for a drink prior to dinner and show up for a table in a dining room a little later instead of having that cocktail sitting at your dinner table. It is romantic, quiet and convenient to the aft of the ship where the dining rooms are located. It's a great place to actually have a little quieter alone time just in case you end up at a table a little too close for comfort in the dining room. You can also have Sabatini's desserts up there (There is a fee) so you can escape if you end up with a less than optimal dining neighbor.

[Wishing on a star]

There are very few self-standing tables for two...

There are more couples who would prefer these tables.

It is a simply supply-demand thing.

 

We didn't 'befriend' or 'bribe' the maite D', therefore, we never got one of these tables... they even tried to sit us at a 4 top where another couple were dining.... Actually quite rude... never offered to find us an acceptable table (such as a 4-top just for us) if we did not care to wait... etc...

 

Many of those pre-claimed (think chair hog) tables for two sat empty the entire time... Yes, the entire time...

 

edited to add: This was on the Ruby.

[sonomaphil]

Don't know what anyone means by the tables being close together or hard to get a table for 2. We do anytime dining every cruise and have had no trouble. On the Sapphire and Diamond they do have tables for 2 lined up "bistro style" by some of the outer walls but I don't believe any of the other ships dining rooms are like this. We have never had to share a table or wait longer than 15 minutes or so.

[RMorningglory]

Wishing on a star... I hear things didn't go so well. The question is, what would you do differently next time? (Just asking ;))

[Morgsmom]

We HAD to do Anytime dining our first cruise, though we would have preferred assigned seating. Except for the chaos and madness of the first night when we waited about 45 minutes, we always got a table for 2, though it would have been nice to share. It is a challenge, however, as it has just been DD and myself cruising since she was very small. It's tricky because you have to have to try to judge if folks who are willing to share are willing to share with a mom & child....

 

We have had very thoughtful maitre d's on some cruises who have sat us with other solo parents with their kids. On one memorable Christmas cruise there were 3 four-tops side by side of moms traveling solo (some were single, some had husbands who couldn't get away) and their daughters. That was lovely -- and showed a lot of thought by the maitre d.