Question re Dining for Two

[sailorgirl]

We're booked on Celebrity for the first time, but are experienced cruisers. One of the issues I have with certain lines is having to be seated with others when we definitely just want to be only with each other (and 45 years married!) Of course we have made this request with Celebrity but can anyone give us an idea as to whether our request for two will be granted. Is Celebrity good about that? Is a generous tip to the Maitre'd the solution? Thanks.

[Lois R]

Hi Sailorgirl:) There have recently been at least 2 or 3 threads on this topic. Most of the replies have been the Maitr'd will always do their best to grant your request.

Since you are experienced cruisers, when you booked your cruise I am sure you let your TA or the cruiseline know of your request. Not sure how you booked.

Personally, I don't think an extra tip is necessary but I know other folks on here believe differently than I do.

They have deuces on every ship. After you board, there will be a card in your cabin with your table #on it. You can see the Maitr'd outside the dining room during the afternoon of embarkation day and verify it is a deuce and the table location as well.

[sailorgirl]

Thanks, Lois, for your input. We actually consider the dining arrangement when choosing a cruise since it's so important to us and we've had the experience on Crystal of HAVING to sit at a table of 6 which we didn't enjoy. Once on Royal Princess, for a long transatlantic crossing, we had a table for four but a little barrier was placed between us, making two separate couples happy. An occasional exchange of words was fine, but it wasn't necessary to constantly converse. I guess I know the chances are good that we will be accommodated. Of course I made the request upon booking.

[Lois R]

Sailorgirl, when are you cruising? Since the request was put in at the time of your reservation I would say the odds are pretty much in your favor.

[Jamara]

We have cruised 6 times with X and have always asked for a table for 2, we do not have the chance to see each other when working as most weeks I am away from home. Our holiday is special time together therefore we value our dining together. On our last cruise on the Mille transatlantic a card was in out room but we still checked the dining room to find we were at a table for 8. We immediately went to see the Maitre'd and after waiting for an hour he changed our table. He assured us that all passengers who ask to be changed are accomodated. Do not assume the card means you have what was requested.

 

My DH always says it is me who he wants to take to dinner - not other people he has never met!! would you ever go into a restaurant and ask to sit with strangers?

 

Saying that we have met many very nice people when cruising, we have lunched together but dinner is special and we prefer it au deux.

[mmp13]

Celebrity has always honored our request for a table for two. We lovemeeting people on a cruise but prefer eating alone.

[brigittetom]

Sailorgirl, The best thing would be to go to the diningroom as soon as you board and know your table number. Check to make sure you have a table for two, if not, the maitre'd will be somewhere near the diningroom with his charts and you can request a change at that time. :)

[Lois R]

Sorry, I don't compare dinner on a cruiseship with going to a restaurant at home. To me that is like apples to oranges.

 

But that is why we are all different. And that is why they have deuces, 4tops, 6tops, 8's and 10s!

Sizes of tables for all kinds of requests.:)

[MISSYLOU]

Yes, we have had a table for two on X on three different cruises. Didn't have to do anything special but ask for it. We talked to the Maitra Di' (sp) and we were accomodated each time. Sometimes we really enjoy a large table, other times we just have a need to be alone. After 40 years we still find plenty to talk about.

[hajekfam]

My DH always says it is me who he wants to take to dinner - not other people he has never met!! would you ever go into a restaurant and ask to sit with strangers?

Have you ever eaten at a Beni-hana's? If you come in with just two or four, you are put at a table with other people - no tables for 2 there. All tables are filled to capacity. So you do sit with strangers.

[babylene]

Memories...when I was young (!) and went to Durgin Park in Boston, I was fascinated by the fact that we ate at long tables, women in mink stoles (I said "when I was young!!") sitting next to butchers in their messy (read...bloody) white "uniform".

 

It makes me laugh to think of how the "Dress Code diehards" would react to this!!!

[Cruise Junky]

Have you ever eaten at a Beni-hana's? If you come in with just two or four, you are put at a table with other people - no tables for 2 there. All tables are filled to capacity. So you do sit with strangers.

 

Yeah, but that's one restaurant out of thousands if not millions of restaurants. 99.9999% you'd sit at a table for two or however many were in your party.

[travellgirl]

On Celebrity we have always asked for a table for two and have never had a problem. We have always been accommodated without any further compensation. We did have a problem on the one RCCL cruise that we took; it was finally worked out, but took a while.

We also always meet people to talk to, have gone on excursions with others, met for drinks and still communicate with some after we have gotten home; we just prefer to dine just the two of us.

[pooh1bear43113]

We love to meet people and have spent some enjoyable evenings around the dinner table with strangers who became friends....however, now, after 40 years of marriage, we just prefer dining alone in the evening after a full day.

 

Celebrity has been absolutely great about accommodating our requests for a table for 2 although our TA will remind us that she can only make the "request" but can't guarantee that it will be honored. (She will also request that the table for 2 be on the second dining level, second seating, overlooking the lower level by the railing - the last 4 cruises on M class ships, we've had the same table, same location: means a lot to us!) One of the reasons we like X.

 

Booked a cruise on RCL last December with request for table for 2 - of course we got a table for 4: but they were great about changing it for us the next night.

[idssms]

Durgin Park was a great place to eat. I was last there in the 80's.

 

We did sit at a large benched tables and the waitress' were so snippity to the customers. It was part of the ambiance and it added a certain touch to the event.

 

I wonder if Durgin Park is in business and if it is still the same? Hope so on both accounts.

 

idssms

[IggleDoer]

I go on cruises to hang out with my best girl. After 35 years of marriage and developing some very good friendships, we prefer to be with each other. We have never had a problem with X accomodating our request for a table for two. On our last trip (Infinity-Alaska), we checked out our assigned table and found it was a table for four. We freaked out and went straight to the Matre-D' . He assured us that although it was a table for four, there were no other pax assigned to that table and we just had a large table for two. We tipped him handsomely.