can we do a table for 12?

[xrayvin]

I posted this in the family section as well, but thought someone with RC knowledge might have the answer for me!

 

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?

[cruisingsouth]

Try emailing rcldining@rccl.com. They should be able to help you out. Let us know if this worked.

[niksmom630]

We had a table for 12 on Liberty in November. However, there are not that many large tables available. You can e-mail rcldining@rccl.com with your request. We did this about 1 month before sailing, and were told to follow up the week before we sailed, which we did. and had the table and location confirmed via e-mail. They will do their best to accomodate you. Also, you will want to make sure your reservations are all linked together. We've also had to 6 tops for a party of 12, that were next to each other, but we had different wait staff, and really couldn't converse during dinner.

[cruiseguy1016]

We usually cruise with a group of friends/family that number in the 8 - 12 range. When there are 12 of us, we have always had a table for 12. We changes our seats every night so we get a chance to talk to other people in our group. One down side to such a large table is that you are not able to talk to everyone at the table so there are usually 2 or 3 conversations going on at the same time. 2 tables of 6 will allow everyone at the same table to share in one conversation. You can switch tables each night so that you're not sitting with the same people each night.

[johneeo]

I posted this in the family section as well, but thought someone with RC knowledge might have the answer for me!

 

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.

 

 

Having been at a table for 10, I found that too big. I would opt for two tables.

 

On one of our cruises there was a large family, about 10 adults and 10 kids, ages 4 to about 15. The kids sat at a table by themselves, right next to ours.

 

And let me tell you, they were the best behaved table in the MDR. They really had a great time and it was interesting and entertaining just watching them having a good time.

 

But, these kids were raised very well and had impeccable manners. You know your kids, and if they could handle it, then I would put them at their own table.

[xrayvin]

Thank you for the information! Very helpful and I am excited there is a possibility of everyone sitting together. We can put kids on one end and adults on the other and have our conversation areas!

 

Another question! We are thinking that Early seating is just that too early, and late seating might get too late for the kids and all the activities they want to join in. So we thought we would do MTD and just have a set time.

If we set up our dinner time at 7 each night for dinner online prior to the cruise but 2-5 of the kids decide not to eat with us what would we do? Do you just show up with the number we have and still use the 12 top or do we have to change reservation by a certain time?

 

Thanks again

[johneeo]

So we thought we would do MTD and just have a set time.

If we set up our dinner time at 7 each night for dinner ......

 

Just remember that entertainment shows are timed around the early and late seatings.

[niksmom630]

Thank you for the information! Very helpful and I am excited there is a possibility of everyone sitting together. We can put kids on one end and adults on the other and have our conversation areas!

 

Another question! We are thinking that Early seating is just that too early, and late seating might get too late for the kids and all the activities they want to join in. So we thought we would do MTD and just have a set time.

If we set up our dinner time at 7 each night for dinner online prior to the cruise but 2-5 of the kids decide not to eat with us what would we do? Do you just show up with the number we have and still use the 12 top or do we have to change reservation by a certain time?

 

Thanks again

 

I've never done MTD, but I'm fairly certain you cannot make reservations for a party as large as twelve, nor would you have much success getting a table for 12.

[spookwife]

I've never done MTD, but I'm fairly certain you cannot make reservations for a party as large as twelve, nor would you have much success getting a table for 12.

 

bet ya can.. our last trip we also had MTD and there was a large round table for 10 just inside.. including 2 high chairs. and in the area we sat every night, there was a large rectangular table with 10.

 

now granted, you may have to do so once on board, but 10 VS 12 is not going to be that much harder to arrange.

[gerif]

Just remember that entertainment shows are timed around the early and late seatings.

 

And the kids' club activities start at 7. A large group takes longer to serve, so it's likely the kids will be missing a lot of activities.

[niksmom630]

bet ya can.. our last trip we also had MTD and there was a large round table for 10 just inside.. including 2 high chairs. and in the area we sat every night, there was a large rectangular table with 10.

 

now granted, you may have to do so once on board, but 10 VS 12 is not going to be that much harder to arrange.

 

Probably best to e-mail rcl dining to get a definitive answer if you are counting on 12 for MTD, or maybe you'd also have some luck onboard, but the Q & A on RCCL says 10 maximum:

 

"To ensure quick seating, we encourage guests to place a reservation for each evening. If you're already booked and have chosen the My Time Dining option, you can easily pre-reserve specific days and times online. Seating can also be reserved while onboard. Maximum of 10 guests per reservation"

[Jiffymom]

we had a large group. 2 tables next to each other. We had a good routine. Each night we rotate one seat to the left. The one at the end actually traded to the next table. This might sound confusing but it was so much fun. Each night we sat across from a different person.

[jakesmom04]

we had a large group. 2 tables next to each other. We had a good routine. Each night we rotate one seat to the left. The one at the end actually traded to the next table. This might sound confusing but it was so much fun. Each night we sat across from a different person.

 

Thanks for that idea...we are a group of 15 and know that we are going to be at 2 different tables. We where trying to figure out a way that everyone at one time or another could change. We thought about not sitting next to our own spouse as we have dinner together everynight. Our group consists of family and friends from MO, IN, WA and FL. But love your idea and going to mention that to our group.

[Rala]

we had a large group. 2 tables next to each other. We had a good routine. Each night we rotate one seat to the left. The one at the end actually traded to the next table. This might sound confusing but it was so much fun. Each night we sat across from a different person.

 

We used this "system" with a group of 10....worked great.:)

[Isaboo]

We had a table for 12 on the Oasis last summer. It was a very long table all the way at the back on the left next to the door where the waitstaff come out with the food.

 

The summer before that we had 17 and they separated us into two tables.

[chadbeck]

We actually had this issue on Jewel over Christmas and found that two tables works really well. Its nice to be able to change seats every night so you are with a different part of your group. The waiter and asst. had no issue with it and everything ran smooth. As others have said when you get to a table of 10 or 12 it is really hard to talk with the other end of the table as you are always trying to talk over someone else.

[woehwdy]

My Time dining has very limited large tables and will seat one group of 10 at a time. So two tables of 6 is the best way to go. You can also do the My Family time dining and kids will be served in about 45 minutes and the Adventure Ocean staff will pick them up after the 45 minutes and escort them to Adventure Ocean.

[jenrie]

Last month on the Serenade we had a table for 12 in MTD it worked well, a couple of nights some of the group didn't eat with us and we explained to the head waiter that this would be happening and he said that was ok. One of the group arranged it all with the Maitre D as soon as he boarded no problem.

[ctp365]

I recently came home off a trip on Rhapsody. We did MTD. There was a group of 16 of us dining together. We were placed on a table together every night. We booked on the first day, then our booking just became a standard booking each night. On the 2 nights we decided to eat at the Windjammer we just called the dining room to cancel our booking.

 

We had the same table and same waiters each night and had a great dining experience.

[stewpapa]

We usually cruise with a group of friends/family that number in the 8 - 12 range. When there are 12 of us, we have always had a table for 12. We changes our seats every night so we get a chance to talk to other people in our group. One down side to such a large table is that you are not able to talk to everyone at the table so there are usually 2 or 3 conversations going on at the same time. 2 tables of 6 will allow everyone at the same table to share in one conversation. You can switch tables each night so that you're not sitting with the same people each night.

 

We too have done this on several family/friend cruises. We get two tables and then 1/2 of us change places each night so that everyone gets to eat with everyone during the cruise. Kids to what they want, eat with family or eat in kids club. Everyone's happy happy happy.

[VillaHappy]

We had a group of 8 adults and 7 kids, and it worked out relatively well to have an adults and a kids table. We were right next to each other. For the most part, the kids behaved. And if they needed us, we were right there.

[xrayvin]

Villahappy- just wondering if you did MTD or traditional?

 

Thanks for all the replies. I have emailed RCL but have not heard back yet. I was afraid it would be frowned on to have a kids table, but I think that is the way to go.

 

We are planning to do MTD, who knows we might end up eating at 6 anyway. I think it will give us some flexibility if some kids don't want to eat with us.

 

Is it better to do online reservations prior to the cruise and then modify if needed or just wait till each morning?

[Langley Cruisers]

we had a large group. 2 tables next to each other. We had a good routine. Each night we rotate one seat to the left. The one at the end actually traded to the next table. This might sound confusing but it was so much fun. Each night we sat across from a different person.

 

Totally fun! I would much rather sit at a smaller table and be engaged in conversation than to sit at a large one and try to hear what others are saying (and probably not succeeding!).

[leerobbs]

I remember one time when a coworker was retiring we had about 25 people go to lunch and they were able to put us all in a separate room. They shoved several tables together and we had a great time. Ryans is so easy to work with. They were very attentive and made sure we had plenty of tea and hot fresh rolls (yummy). Their dessert bar is to die for they have the soft serve ice cream and sprinkles. Most places will just push tables together when more people are coming so I don't think 12, 14, 16, or even 18 would be a problem. Hope you have a wonderful vacation!

[tarheel3559]

Did a table for 14 of us on Allure last November. Dining room staff put the table together by joining 2 smaller tables with a custom cut piece of plywood they had to join tables together. I was told to be careful because I was seated where the plywood section was and the wait staff warned me it could come loose if I hit it the wrong way. Talk about possible disaster! It worked though.