MDR Seating - Group

[Seafan22]

I am traveling with a number of family members, there will be five cabins, 11 people.  I have a few question about dinner seatings:

 

1. We have all started our reservations with "Anytime Dining," but now I think choosing a time might be better after reading more about the dining experiences of others.  Can we do that after our reservations are already made?
2. How do we link our dinner reservation time together as a group?
3. What happens if one (or more) nights someone goes to a specialty restaurant or the buffet?  Does that mess up the reservation?

 

Thanks

[Kathscof]

I don't know how to do it with 11, as the max I think to schedule together on the cruise planner (I guess for me?) was 8.  We had to link our cabins (multiple calls, random website linkings, permissions given in different ways) and we could book together, 6:45 reservations for the nights all aboard is before then.  If it is possible, I would guess it would be possible once you got them linked by calling and/or getting permission from the folks who book tables for larger groups.  You would be booking night by night, so as long as people arrange those meals in advance, you can book for however many you want.  

[Seafan22]

Can we all change from Anytime Dining to the Early Seating? and the be grouped?

[Kathscof]

1 minute ago, Seafan22 said:

Can we all change from Anytime Dining to the Early Seating? and the be grouped?

I have no experience with this, but if there is room, yes you can, and I know on CC I have seen people have sat all together, but I don't know who they talked with to make those arrangements, one would think the groups department (is there something like that for larger families above 8?) would do all of that. 

[lulabelle]

I booked for early dining on the oasis for July.  I know they have a large table for 12 in their dining room.  I will request it 3 weeks before our cruise and hope they comply.

[Seafan22]

Thank you everyone

 

[nelblu]

As you get closer to your sail send your request to rcldining@rccl.com.  On my recent December Oasis sail there was a table set up for some 16 passengers, however this was a set time in early traditional.

Edited March 17, 2023 by nelblu

[taglovestocruise]

Just now, Seafan22 said:

Can we all change from Anytime Dining to the Early Seating? and the be grouped?

You or your TA, who ever made the booking, just needs to call Royal and request a dining change to traditional. You can then link all reservations to dining. You should be able to email Royal a few weeks before your cruise to ask for two tables next to each other. When ever we have a specialty night we just let the waiters know we will not be there the next night.  A table for ten makes conversations impossible. 

[Fouremco]

We too are a family group of 11 spread over 5 cabins. I took the lead and first linked all of the other bookings to mine once they were completed, with everyone on MTD. I then went day by day and made two reservations each night for 6:45, one for 5 people and one for 6. When we get closer to the sail date, I'll request both tables to be next to each other. We will change who sit where from night to night.

 

As for you switching to the early seating, I don't know as there may or may not be vacancies. As for sitting together as a group, the last time we travelled as a group we totalled 12 and they accommodated us at a single table.

[lulabelle]

Yes, oasis has a large round table for 12. 

[cruiseguy1016]

Here's a piece of advice from someone who has "been there, done that". Don't try to seat everyone at a large table. Conversations will be very difficult to the point where it might be disruptive to neighboring tables. Our large group used to all sit at one table and found it to be bad. We now sit at 2 tables of 6 next to each other. It is much easier to have conversations with your tablemates. We switch up seats every night so we can sit and talk with different people each night.

[Fouremco]

14 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

Here's a piece of advice from someone who has "been there, done that". Don't try to seat everyone at a large table. Conversations will be very difficult to the point where it might be disruptive to neighboring tables. Our large group used to all sit at one table and found it to be bad. We now sit at 2 tables of 6 next to each other. It is much easier to have conversations with your tablemates. We switch up seats every night so we can sit and talk with different people each night.

I guess it depends on your table mates. We had a table for 12 for our last family cruise and enjoyed having all of us sitting together. As we often went separate ways during the day, this allowed everyone to catch up on what others did. There was never a problem with conversations, sometimes a single one with everyone contributing and at other times several smaller, simultaneous conversations. We're not against having two tables (see post #9), but would prefer a single table if possible.