Tables for two

[UiHyt]

Do Saga ships have many tables for two in their dining areas including the buffet? Are you given a set table in the main dining room. What's the chance of a table for two in there?

[Kohima]

In the MDR it is possible to book a certain number of tables, for the entire cruise, before boarding. Some of these will be tables for 2. The number of pre booked tables is restricted to allow most passengers freedom of choice. They usually have to be occupied fairly early in the evening, otherwise they are reallocated. When booking the speciality restaurants you can ask for a table for 2. Other than that, you can ask for a table for 2 on arrival in the MDR or Grill. However you will find, throughout the ship, that, although there are numerous tables for 2, they are quite close together. Generally dining on Saga ships is quite sociable, with many people enjoying meeting and conversing with a range of others.

[JMMKUK]

A lot of the tables in the grill can be set up as 2 or pushed together to seat 4. Some of the twos in the MDR are in an area which we found much too noisy. Be careful, because it was in that area that allocated tables were.

[NorbertsNiece]

We had no trouble being seated at a table for two whenever we wanted. As previously stated seating in the grill is quite close.

[FatBoy20]

23 hours ago, UiHyt said:

Do Saga ships have many tables for two in their dining areas including the buffet? Are you given a set table in the main dining room. What's the chance of a table for two in there?

See Page 2 of this Post Title under Restaurant Seating & this will give you further information.

[Dermotsgirl]

There are tables for two, but, if you like dining as a couple, be warned some of the tables, in both dining room and buffet are VERY close together.  When I say close together, I mean a couple of inches apart. They place two tables for two so close together, it's akin to being on a 4 seater table.

 

We did our first  Saga cruise in August. We enjoyed the cruise and liked most things that Saga had to offer, but have to admit, the way the dining tables are set up did place a slight cloud on the cruise for us. We are both introverts, and don't really enjoy making small talk with other people.  But the tables I described were so close together, when we were assigned to one of those tables it would have been plain odd not to have spoken to our neighbours. But it meant that we didn't enjoy the experience quite so much.

 

We had already booked another cruise on SOA for next year, so we will be attempting to make it better for  ourselves. I've contacted Saga, and have requested a fixed table for dinner, so we can (hopefully) secure a table for two in a position to our liking.  We generally go to the buffet for breakfast and lunch, and will go early before it gets busy, and will be a lot more proactive in our table choice when being led to our table, so that we can get one to our liking. Or, as suggested by a Saga regular on this board, simply go in the back doors and pick our own table. 

 

 

[Bloodaxe]

7 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

There are tables for two, but, if you like dining as a couple, be warned some of the tables, in both dining room and buffet are VERY close together.  When I say close together, I mean a couple of inches apart. They place two tables for two so close together, it's akin to being on a 4 seater table.

 

We did our first  Saga cruise in August. We enjoyed the cruise and liked most things that Saga had to offer, but have to admit, the way the dining tables are set up did place a slight cloud on the cruise for us. We are both introverts, and don't really enjoy making small talk with other people.  But the tables I described were so close together, when we were assigned to one of those tables it would have been plain odd not to have spoken to our neighbours. But it meant that we didn't enjoy the experience quite so much.

 

We had already booked another cruise on SOA for next year, so we will be attempting to make it better for  ourselves. I've contacted Saga, and have requested a fixed table for dinner, so we can (hopefully) secure a table for two in a position to our liking.  We generally go to the buffet for breakfast and lunch, and will go early before it gets busy, and will be a lot more proactive in our table choice when being led to our table, so that we can get one to our liking. Or, as suggested by a Saga regular on this board, simply go in the back doors and pick our own table. 

 

 

We had a regular table for 2 which we had requested on with our booking, it was fine and not that close.

The closest was in the speciality restaurant which did surprise us.

We did enjoy the cruise and will probably book again soon.

[Dermotsgirl]

3 minutes ago, Bloodaxe said:

We had a regular table for 2 which we had requested on with our booking, it was fine and not that close.

The closest was in the speciality restaurant which did surprise us.

We did enjoy the cruise and will probably book again soon.

Yes, I was surprised at how close some of the seating was in Khukuri and Amalfi. When we visited those venues, we had banquette seating which was fine. We also went in the Supper Club, and I thought most of the seating was ok in there. 

[Glenndale]

44 minutes ago, Bloodaxe said:

We had a regular table for 2 which we had requested on with our booking, it was fine and not that close.

The closest was in the speciality restaurant which did surprise us.

We did enjoy the cruise and will probably book again soon.

I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed your cruise. Now we no longer fly we have found Saga to be a good fit for us.

[GerryL13]

On 10/3/2023 at 7:52 AM, Dermotsgirl said:

Yes, I was surprised at how close some of the seating was in Khukuri and Amalfi. When we visited those venues, we had banquette seating which was fine. We also went in the Supper Club, and I thought most of the seating was ok in there. 

Oddly, one of the very few times I ate as a solo during 22 nights on SoA was at the Amalfi. I was seated at a two-top, and the closest table, which was for four (or maybe six?), was several feet away and we had no interaction. On almost all other occasions, I was seated with others or at a two-top in the Grill with less than an inch gap between tables.