Group dining for 19?

[Mr and Mrs C]

Just wondering if anyone can share any experience with eating together as a large group? We do not plan on eating every meal together, but it would be nice once in a while, we do not plan on eating in the specailty restaurants. We will be on the Sun in January.

[DAGVBSB]

I have been on several NCL cruises with large, extended family groups of 14, 17, 18. Although I have not been on the SUn, I was on the Norweigan Sky when she was known as the Pride of Aloha so I am familiar with that layout as well.

 

 

Once you get above 12, it becomes very difficult to get one table together on most ships since the tables can't be moved. I know in Aqua on Dawn & Star, they could do it. Many times we would be seated at two adjacent tables for 9 or 10. This worked well for a couple reasons... many times the people are actually closer together than on a long table and you also can have two different waiter teams which makes the meal service go faster. In fact, I think I prefer the two adjacent table idea to one long one now.

 

The other issue is reservations, the NCL ships would accept large group reserveations, but they were restricted to before 6:15 p.m. or after 8:00 p.m. so as not to mess up the main dining period. We found that 5:45 p.m. reservations were perfect....far enough after the rush at the 5:30 p.m. opening but still within the contraints. And even with a 5:45 p.m. reservation, it was easy closer to 6:15 before you saw any food....lol. Many times these 5:45 meals would not end until 7:15 or later.

 

We found that we could get better times in the specialty restaurants as they will take groups at any time where they can fit you in. So if you are specifically after a time between 6:15 and 8:00, you may have to go to the specialty restaurants.

 

As far as the Sun/Sky, I seem to remember more table flexibility in the "Palace" restaurant. (which was the mid ship restaurant on Deck 6 or 7 I believe). We had a favorite waitress there and so we dined almost exclusively there, not venturing the back restaurant (Crossings on the POA) much at all, but I seem to remember only round tops or 6 or 4 square tops back there. (forgive me, it was 7 years ago that I was on the Pride of Aloha.)

 

Hope this helps. (and are you sure you aren't my parents in disguise? My parents nicknames were "Mr. and Mrs. C when they were youth group leaders at church...lol)

[Froggitt]

We were on the Sun last year. From memory, there is a small semi-private dining area attached to the aft restaurant, that a small group seemed to eat at together every evening.

 

I think you would need to contact them in advance i.e. before you sail, to book it.

[Mr and Mrs C]

Thanks for your help! 2 tables might work as we are cruising with kids, and teens. And no we are not your parents (lol), I am Mrs. C for my candle business, it works!

[cruisingisfun3]

hi we was on the Spirit about 4 weeks ago and had a group of 13, what we did is as soon as we checked in went to reservations and was able to make reservations in the dining rooms for all of us and they were able to sit us all together. no waiting in lines it worked perfect. enjoy your cruise!

[DAGVBSB]

Thanks for your help! 2 tables might work as we are cruising with kids, and teens. And no we are not your parents (lol), I am Mrs. C for my candle business, it works!

 

Trust me, I know you aren't my parents....mom has no idea how to turn computers on and when dad uses one, I usually have to go over and fix it!

 

Good luck with your business.

[CruisingGoddess]

This is really helpful. I'm organizing a CC Dinner for our roll call since POA doesn't have sea days. We have about 20 right now and we're planning to eat at 6 pm so I'm hoping they can accommodate our group. (Not all at the same table but maybe 2 tables close together.)

[laxlove6]

Its great to have everyone sitting together buy I find service really goes down with a big group. I can only imagine how long it would take for drink orders.

[jimswims]

You really should consider contacting the Group Services coordinator of the ship you are sailing for a party of that size. They can help you with the reservations on the days you want. You most likely be limited to the group dining times that someone had listed. This was our experience on the Spirit with a group of 13. If you go to the sticky on this NCL board and read the info on the Meet and Greet it will tell you how to find the e-mail of the group services coordinator of the ship. As your date gets closer you can expect an e-mail back from them on what they can arrange for you.

 

We also did dinners in smaller groups/families and only had 2 or three dinners together.

 

I hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise.

[DAGVBSB]

This is really helpful. I'm organizing a CC Dinner for our roll call since POA doesn't have sea days. We have about 20 right now and we're planning to eat at 6 pm so I'm hoping they can accommodate our group. (Not all at the same table but maybe 2 tables close together.)

 

The POAm does have more longer tables than the other ships I have been on. We were able to eat in a group of 16 one night but as I said before....when you have one long table, it really is not that much fun as there is no way to be involved with the people at the far end of the table.

 

We also had two adjacent round tables on the POAm and that seemed to work out very well and we could all be involved with each other. Skyline has larger tables than Liberty so plan on choosing that one.

 

(sorry.. the Pride of Aloha will always be the POA for me...lol).

[Princess Nancy]

We just sailed on the Dawn in late July with 19. My sister called before we left and we had standing 5:30 reservations in the Venetian. They would hold them for 15 minutes. We had 2 tables next to each other.

 

 

As it happened we all ate there every night except one. That night we fed the kids at the buffet and headed to the Aqua with 9 of us and had no trouble getting seated pretty quickly.

 

Have Fun!!