Second Seating Pet Peeve

[alwaysfrantic]

On Royal Caribbean after requesting a table for just us, 5, we were put at a large table, must have been 10 seats. Part of the extra 5 was a mom who hit her kids at the table. We never returned.

 

I did find the single woman at the table who had been very nice. She certainly understood why she never saw us 5 again.

 

Table for 2 now. Only.

[catl331]

Another advantage we really enjoy with a fixed table and time in the MDR is that your waiter and assistant get to know your likes and dislikes, ... In open seating at the busiest times, you usually get a different wait staff each night.

We've always been able to ask for and get the same wait team in Open - but we always go early.

[cruisemom42]

Another advantage we really enjoy with a fixed table and time in the MDR is that your waiter and assistant get to know your likes and dislikes, your beverages, your favorite type of dinner roll, if you like extra helpings of certain entrees, etc. This is a nice thing to experience, especially on a longer cruise. In open seating at the busiest times, you usually get a different wait staff each night.

 

 

I totally understand that this is nice when one has fixed preferences. Perhaps I am one of the very few (?) that doesn't always want the same thing. I may want only water to drink on a given night, or I may order a glass of wine (which may be red or white or sparkling, depending on what I plan to eat). Or I may have a bottle of wine waiting for me from a previous evening. I may want bread sticks or I may want a hard roll. I might want to linger over the menu and enjoy my dinner slowly, or I may want to have only a couple of courses and get out fast if I am going to a show or I am tired....

 

In short, I am not a creature of habit. (I also like to dine at different times, depending on when I returned from port, when I ate lunch, how much I ate at lunch, etc.) For this reason, I really prefer Anytime Dining...but I don't like to dine by myself. I am starting to become concerned, with so many people wanting ONLY a table for two, that I will be forced to choose fixed dining if I don't want to dine alone. I really hope this isn't the case.... :(

[Florida_gal_50]

I totally understand that this is nice when one has fixed preferences. Perhaps I am one of the very few (?) that doesn't always want the same thing. I may want only water to drink on a given night, or I may order a glass of wine (which may be red or white or sparkling, depending on what I plan to eat). Or I may have a bottle of wine waiting for me from a previous evening. I may want bread sticks or I may want a hard roll. I might want to linger over the menu and enjoy my dinner slowly, or I may want to have only a couple of courses and get out fast if I am going to a show or I am tired....

 

In short, I am not a creature of habit. (I also like to dine at different times, depending on when I returned from port, when I ate lunch, how much I ate at lunch, etc.) For this reason, I really prefer Anytime Dining...but I don't like to dine by myself. I am starting to become concerned, with so many people wanting ONLY a table for two, that I will be forced to choose fixed dining if I don't want to dine alone. I really hope this isn't the case.... :(

I think that if people prefer to dine alone that is not a bad thing. I'd rather sit with people that want to be at a larger table and will engage in conversation. There is a finite amount of tables for two so I don't think you should be concerned. I'm like you. It's not important to me to have the same things nightly. I like to choose.

[dfish]

In short, I am not a creature of habit. (I also like to dine at different times, depending on when I returned from port, when I ate lunch, how much I ate at lunch, etc.) For this reason, I really prefer Anytime Dining...but I don't like to dine by myself. I am starting to become concerned, with so many people wanting ONLY a table for two, that I will be forced to choose fixed dining if I don't want to dine alone. I really hope this isn't the case.... :(

 

I am totally with you. I wouldn't worry that everyone wants just a two top. There are plenty of people who aren't participating here that will be willing to share and expect to share. I've never had a problem with that. The only time it was in question was once on Gala night and since I was willing to wait awhile, it didn't matter.

 

I like Anytime because I know that if I ask to share, I can and I won't have to dine alone. I fear Fixed dining where my table is empty except for me. On my very first cruise, before Anytime Dining, that happened to a gentleman at a table nearby. They did find him another table quickly, but imagine how lonely you'd feel expecting to dine with others and ending up at a table for 8 by yourself.

[kazu]

ok, so for those that like open dining - we have fixed booked currently but are flexible and interested.

 

We have a lot of ports on our upcoming cruise where we are in late and won't be back from tours and/or our diy's until late.

 

If everyone does the same thing we do and makes the most of their days, open will be very busy once we are at sail a way time which in some cases will be around 6 or 6:30. So our regular fixed seating makes sense to me. Have I missed something?

 

Of course for our overnight in Lisbon, we won't be eating on board. We have a Fado show booked with typical Portuguese food. ;)

 

We do like having the same waiters and some basics attended to plus our wine steward knowing where we are and our red wine on the table and the white chilled close by.

[geoherb]

Well my wife and I are new to cruising. We picked the anytime dining which was recommended to us. We have no idea as to early or late seating times and what it means. I was told that we could make reservations ahead of time while on the cruise for an early or later time to eat. As far as sitting at your table on the last night we can sit and enjoy conversing with other passengers or just that simple we can sit with each other. We do not know what the RULES are pertaining to dinning on a cruise but the person original poster is a person that I would not need to sit with. I really don't know what all the fuss is all about.

I'm the original poster of this thread. You apparently already know the rules pertaining to dining since you picked anytime dining. You can show up when you want, ask for a table for two or to join a larger table, depending on your preference for that night. If you know ahead of time when you'd like to eat, you can make reservations for a specific time.

 

My pet peeve was with people who treat traditional fixed dining like anytime dining.

[Baddabing]

My first and it was last cruise was 18 years ago, so I consider this my first cruise. We will be going to Alaska and when booking our cruise we were asked and it was suggested by quite a number of experts and TAs that we should take the anytime dinning and not lock in early or late set times. We took the anytime option which is what we believe would be best for our lifestyle never thinking how taking a set time would effect other passengers. We did not know that you are seated with the same people each night. Glad we took the anytime since in Alaska sunset is later and one of our full day excursions ends around 8:45 PM. at least we will not impact other passengers dinning in the MDR that night.