table for 12?

[xrayvin]

I was not sure if I should ask this on the family thread or the RCCL, thought I would start by asking other parents!

We will be sailing with 4 families on the Liberty of the Seas in Dec! It will be my 2 sisters and their family, my parents, and my family. That makes 12 of us, which includes 5 kids ages 9-14.

My question is about dining. What is the largest table Liberty of the Seas offer? Can we get a table for 12? Or is it better to do 2 tables, and if we do that can we put the kids at one and the adults at the other? That leads to another question, on Carnival when we did the ATD we did not make reservations but on RC we will have to. How do we plan for kids that may eat with us or may eat with kids club?

[rebeccalouiseagain]

They do have anytime dining on Royal. Was it full? The other issue is- do you think that you'll be able to get a table for twelve in anytime? I wouldn't think that would be easy.

Talk to your travel agent. They will let you know. I'm sure they will accommodate a large group. They'll just put two tables together.

Are you doing the early seating? I wouldn't do the late one with kids. The kids activities usually start up at 8.

[SarahD112]

We'll have 13 on RCCLs Freedom of the Seas cruise in April. I was told 10 is the max for a table, but to see the maitre d when we boarded the first day to see what could be worked out. We had 11 last time...and they squeezed us at a table for 10. Not so comfortable.

[chipmaster]

The largest tables I ever recalled was officially "ten" but we squeezed 11. They are hard to come by and need reserving, the other option is the kids at table and adults at another for a more peaceful experience :D

[beachchick]

If you do two tables, please do not put the kids at one and the adults at the other. Either the older ones will have to spend the meal minding and taking care of the younger ones or adults from the other table will need to go over regularly to help out. The teens are on vacation too and shouldn't be expected to mind the younger ones every night for the long dinner time. At least, that's how I see it from the perspective of the oldest child often required to mind my younger siblings even on vacation. Sometimes it wasn't much of a vacation for me. As well, the tables in the dining room are fairly close together, which is good for a group, but also a challenge for others nearby. It can be quite disruptive to the dining room environment for people to go back and forth between tables throughout the meal.

Children will be children, Lord love them, and they will have times when they get unruly, it's only natural. I believe that adults need to be seated with children younger than about 14-16. Of course we'd love it if all of our (extremely mature for their ages) children would act perfectly at all times...but in the real world that's not going to happen and it's best to plan accordingly. Either one big table or two tables mixed with adults and children at each is best, IMO.

beachchick

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I think families should be together at dinner and I would do that. If you have fixed dining then arrange it so the tables are near each other and do the families. That way the talking won't get loud.

I think sometimes adults are louder anyway than kids. A group of adult friends can sometime get louder than the kids.