Golden Princess Alaska - table for 14?

[lbryant]

Will Princess create a table for 14 for either traditional or Anytime dining? Our family - Grandparents, adult children and teenage grandkids - are traveling together and it's rather important to the family to be able to have dinner together. We've cruised together on RCCL and though it's taken some convincing, they managed to make a table for 12 fit 14 of us. Is there a chance Princess will do the same. We've split up before for breakfast and lunch in the dining room (table for 8 + nearby table for 4), but it's just not the same as sharing a table together.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Colo Cruiser]

Will Princess create a table for 14 for either traditional or Anytime dining? Our family - Grandparents, adult children and teenage grandkids - are traveling together and it's rather important to the family to be able to have dinner together. We've cruised together on RCCL and though it's taken some convincing, they managed to make a table for 12 fit 14 of us. Is there a chance Princess will do the same. We've split up before for breakfast and lunch in the dining room (table for 8 + nearby table for 4), but it's just not the same as sharing a table together.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Princess does not have tables for 14.

8 and 10 are as big as I have seen.

[Kamloops50]

Will Princess create a table for 14 for either traditional or Anytime dining? Our family - Grandparents, adult children and teenage grandkids - are traveling together and it's rather important to the family to be able to have dinner together. We've cruised together on RCCL and though it's taken some convincing, they managed to make a table for 12 fit 14 of us. Is there a chance Princess will do the same. We've split up before for breakfast and lunch in the dining room (table for 8 + nearby table for 4), but it's just not the same as sharing a table together.

 

Thanks for your help.

I would suggest that you book two tables of 8. That way people can move around and talk with each other. Also talk to the Maitre'd as soon as you board to make sure every thing is OK.

[waltd]

We have been at a table for 12 and it was tight. Have not seen larger.

[Colo Cruiser]

We have been at a table for 12 and it was tight. Have not seen larger.

 

 

Hard to carry on a conversation with half the table too.

[UPGrandma]

2 tables for 8 - then change up the seating nightly. You likely will have same waiter(s) at both tables so can let them know the first night that you will do this. Enjoy the family time.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I seem to remember that the bigger tables are round, so awfully hard to put two together like you can with square or rectangular tables. And if the table was meant for ten people, it really would make it difficult to put more for various reasons (hard for the waiters to serve everyone, hard for those at the table to eat without bumping arms, etc.). I would suggest booking traditional for everyone and link your dining together. Then rotate every night.

[Loonbeam]

As noted, the table designs are not set up to handle 14. I suppose you could pull it off with children, but you would be bending the laws of Physics.

 

For this, traditional dining is strongly recommended, they will probably do 8 and 6. Since they would need 2 adjacent large tables to clear at the same time for anytime, you will be waiting a while.

[sfo2008]

I would swear we've seen some 10 and 12 tops. May be up to the discretion of the maître de. One cruise we had a party of 22 next to us split across 2 tables.

[Colo Cruiser]

I would swear we've seen some 10 and 12 tops. May be up to the discretion of the maître de. One cruise we had a party of 22 next to us split across 2 tables.

 

There are 12 tops, maybe 1 or 2 in the entire DR. the 12 tops are jammed and its very difficult to not only fit chairs comfortably but hard to carry on a conversation with the other end. Hardly a way to have dinner. IMO. :)

[sfo2008]

There are 12 tops, maybe 1 or 2 in the entire DR. the 12 tops are jammed and its very difficult to not only fit chairs comfortably but hard to carry on a conversation with the other end. Hardly a way to have dinner. IMO. :)

 

 

Ok glad I wasn't hallucinating the 12 tops.

[dchip]

We had a 12 top on the Star. It was really big and difficult to have a conversation...but we were all at one table. :eek: :D. It was important because 8 out of 12 were brand new cruisers and our family.

 

Cheers, Denise

[Pam in CA]

There are 12 tops, maybe 1 or 2 in the entire DR. the 12 tops are jammed and its very difficult to not only fit chairs comfortably but hard to carry on a conversation with the other end. Hardly a way to have dinner. IMO. :)

It's extremely difficult to talk to anyone further than the person next to you plus it's very cramped. The most important reason why you really don't want more than eight people at a table is that the waitstaff is assigned a total number of passengers at various sized tables in their section. Squeezing four or even two people additional puts a lot of stress on the waitstaff. They just can't carry that many entrees at once, for instance. Taking the additional drink orders alone adds time spent at the table while those at tables in the same section wait. Service is exponentially slower the larger the table. Not fair to the other tables and people being waited on. Edited February 22, 2014 by Pam in CA

[bonsai3s]

I would suggest that you book two tables of 8. That way people can move around and talk with each other. Also talk to the Maitre'd as soon as you board to make sure every thing is OK.

 

...wholeheartedly with Kamloops50. We have requested a table for 14 once...got it...and would never do it again.

 

First, the seating was tight. Second, the ordering and serving of food became a logistical nightmare. The table created a "flow" problem for the assistant waiter, waiter, and Head Waiter. Worse, the ones seated at each end really couldn't speak to each other.

 

Two tables for 8 is the perfect way for a family conversation...and it is fun to move around. :)

[Bucky3]

We had 9 family members, all adults, on an anniversary cruise one time on HA, not Princess. They sat all of us at a table for 8 rather than a table for 10, and it was not a pleasant experience. We were elbow to elbow, and the table was just too crowded. We ended up having dinner there only on formal nights. On other nights we were all more comfortable in the buffet area with the exception of our anniverdary evening.

 

On the actual night of our anniversary, we had reservations for the specialty restaurant and there we were well taken care of with all of us at one table. It was very private and wonderful.

 

As has been suggested, two tables next to each other in the MDR makes more sense IMO both for comfort and conversation. Changing seats could add to the fun! Have a wonderful cruise. It's the best family vacation ever in our opinion!

[Kamloops50]

We where on a Xmas Panama Canal cruise ,there was a family of about 30 people ( from about 3 yrs to seniors). They arranged 4 tables of 8 in the Anytime Dining. They had a ball with same wait staff every night.

 

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[lbryant]

Thank you for the information. I'm encouraged to hear they have a couple of tables for 12, though I will try and prepare the family for the possibility of having to have 2 tables. Are the specialty restaurants the same (largest tables for 6 - 8)?

 

In terms of conversation, I respect your opinions that a large table makes conversation difficult. We have been on a couple of cruises together (on RCCL) and always sat together for dinner. Yes, you can't always hear everything everyone says, but we've always managed to share conversation and really do enjoy being together at the table. I'm sure it's not ideal for everyone, but it's definitely preferred for us.

 

Thanks

Laura