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Six, Eight or Ten?

PrincessLuver

By PrincessLuver,
in Princess Cruises

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PrincessLuver

PrincessLuver

Posted
Posted

We have only done Anytime Dinning and have never done Assigned Dinning. We are going to be on the Ocean Princess later this year and the only option is Assigned Dinning. We like meeting people but are not sure which number of seat mates too choose in this dinning situation.

 

It has been our experience that when there are more then six people at a table it is easier to have conversations then when there are more.

 

We have also read that not everyone always shows up for Assigned Dinning and you can end up being the only one at the table. I would appreciate what your experience has been if you are traveling as a couple with no others. Also, we usually like to sit at round tables.

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cr8tiv1 Holiday Sharing Rare

cr8tiv1

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Posted

My preference is for a table of 6. On my last cruise, one couple left and there were just 4. We had a great time. Yes, there were a few nights we were the only ones at the table.

 

Even with a table for 6, I have found that dinners take so much longer. Could it be because I eat slowly? Too much? Or we just enjoy our table mates?

 

I've given up on anything larger. Most of the time, I've had great table mates regardless of table size. You make dinner what you want out of it. I have tried anytime and enjoy my traditional settings.

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cdnguy

cdnguy

Posted
Posted (edited)

Always ask for a table of no more than six. Seems to be everyone's favourite table size here. Probably why so many times it's difficult to get a table for six.:)

 

Even with a table for 6, I have found that dinners take so much longer
Any dinner longer than 1 1/2 hrs is too long for me. Edited by cdnguy
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WmFCoyote

WmFCoyote

Posted
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My wife and I prefer traditional dining. We have found that a table for 8 works best for us. Our logic :cool: tells us that with this table we probably will not be eating with 3 other couples traveling together as that many people would prefer to eat as a group. If there are 2 couples traveling together at the table and they are into their own trip then there will be one other couple for us to talk with. Unless all of the other 3 couples decide to eat elsewhere, we will still have someone to enjoy a conversation with. Table of 6 is too chancy. Table of 10 is to large to have conversations without a mega phone. JMVHO. :D

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Cruise_me_Crazy

Cruise_me_Crazy

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We opted for a table of 10. We figured at least a few won't show and the chances of a group will be small as they would have requested their own table. We ended up with 8 booked, & 2 never showed. The remaining 6 of us became firm friends & enjoyed each other's company during sea time. Perfect # for trivia teams! darts games & Cludeo games ;):D!

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Holomoku

Holomoku

Posted
Posted (edited)

We have been AT for quite a few cruises now, since the last time in TD we had the table for 6 to ourselves most nights.(I even took a shower before dinner??) In AT we just say two to share and usually get a 6 or 8 round, but once in while a 10 oval that really makes conversation hard. We really like meeting so many great people in AT rather than just being there with the same other couple each evening. Our next cruise is 25 days so too long to be lonely each evening. Anyway, AT with 6 or 8 is for us.;)

Edited by Holomoku
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Fuzzyape

Fuzzyape

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Posted

During our Hawaiian trip we dined at a table of 8. We had a good group, so after a few nights we started changing our seating around so we got to sit next to new people. We were lucky and as some have pointed out this idea doesn't work in every situation. However you decide, I hope you have a great cruise, and get the chance to dine with fun and great people.

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caribill

caribill

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Posted

Since the OP will be on the Ocean Princess where there is no anytime dining, it is unlikely that the others assigned to a table of six or eight would fail to show up most evenings.

 

There will be some evenings not all will be there due to wanting the buffet/bistro that evening or wanting to dine in the specialty restaurant, but the table will usually have all that are assigned to it eating almost every evenings.

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satxdiver

satxdiver

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Posted

We do ATD since it started. Sometimes they ask if we would like to sit at a table with others when entering the MDR. Our answer is yes but only for a table of 6. We have sit at bigger tables and it is hard to carry on any conversation and invariably we have one pax that is an extremely slow eater so we sit there twiddling our thumbs waiting for the next course.

 

We don't mind sharing the table with others and have for the most part met some really nice people. That experience far outweighs the skunks we have had so we continue to do it.

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Pam in CA

Pam in CA

Posted
Posted
We have also read that not everyone always shows up for Assigned Dinning and you can end up being the only one at the table.
The OP is sailing on the Ocean Princess so discussing Anytime is moot: there's none on this ship. When the only option is Traditional/fixed seating on a small ship, it's more likely that you won't be sitting alone at the table.

 

After boarding, go to the Maitre d' to check where you're assigned and the table size. You can request a change then.

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flamomo

flamomo

Posted
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I much prefer a table for 6, because it is easier to hear what others are saying and participate in the conversation. While I admit my hearing is not quite a sharp as it used to be, it's also not uncommon to have sufficient ambient dining room noise to make it hard to hear what tablemates are saying, particularly at larger tables.

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Gunner22aa

Gunner22aa

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We used to do assigned early dining but have since switched to anytime as it works best for us now. On our very first cruise my TA of over ten years now gave me one of the best pieces of advice ever about assigned dining. If you want privacy then try for a table of two. If you want to meet other people than the bigger the table the better and never ever a table for four. With a large table you stand a really good chance of meeting at least one other couple you will really hit it off with and maybe more. With a table for four if you don't hit it off with the only other people you are dining with it can become a very miserable trip. We did one cruise at a table for eight. Two of the couples were cruising together and totally ignored the other four of us. Actually so rude as to tell us, the other four to limit our conversation so they could talk to each other. We hit it off really well with the other couple so we totally ignored them and found even more things to discuss. Like a lot of things, bigger is better in this case.

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FritzG

FritzG

Posted
Posted (edited)

Our best ever dining experience was a table for 10. It wasn't what we requested, but we all hit it off so well that dinner was the highlight of the day. We switched seats every night so that we got to talk to each person at some point during the cruise. It was an oval table which made conversation easier than a round table.

 

On one trip several years ago there was a round table of 10 behind our table, and we kept getting bumped by waiters and those at the table. The dining room was full so there was nowhere to move us, and it was very inconvenient. I think an oval table is better for a group of 10.

 

On our last cruise we had a table for 8, and we were cruising with my cousin and her dh. We were seated with people that we were totally incompatible with including one man who wanted to argue the values of fracking at great length, and a man who put his wife down every time she opened her mouth. We were able to book a table in Anytime with the same waiter for the rest of the trip which worked out great.

Edited by FritzG
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Coral "Live from...." Rare

Coral

Posted
Posted
We prefer a table for two. Not interested in making small talk with others at diner. Anytime dining is our preference. Individual taste is what is important.:)

 

This is not a choice of theirs. Anytime dining is not available on this ship and Table of 2 is also not a choice.

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