Shared tables for YTD dinner

[pellanor]

My wife and I been on 5 Carnival cruises. We like to chat with others over meals. For three of the cruises we booked YTD and requested shared tables for dinner each time while checking in on the app (25+ times). We were always given our own table (usually a small two person table) and was never given a shared table at dinner. The only time I've had a shared table assigned was at seaday brunch.  

 

Is there a point in requesting a shared table at dinner for Your Time Dining? Is the only way to get a shared table for dinner is through fixed dining?

Edited January 25 by pellanor

[Pyxie]

I imagine it's rare that people request this (for example, the main reason we do YTD is because we do NOT want a shared table). If no one else is requesting it, they can't really give it to you either.

[Megan_Strick]

5 minutes ago, pellanor said:

My wife and I been on 5 Carnival cruises. We like to chat with others over meals. For three of the cruises we booked YTD and requested shared tables for dinner each time while checking in on the app (25+ times). We were always given our own table (usually a small two person table) and was never given a shared table at dinner. The only time I've had a shared table assigned was at seaday brunch.  

 

Is there a point in requesting a shared table at dinner for Your Time Dining? Is the only way to get a shared table for dinner is through fixed dining?

You are literally 1 ft from the next table so we always end up talking to them anyway.

[ray98]

You can check the request but they will only match you up if they have other shared table requests at seating time which is pretty rare.

[StephPS79]

I don't think they plan much for shared tables during YTD.  It would involve several people who want to be seated with others requesting a table at the same time.  Sure, it's possible, but it's probably less likely to happen than not.

 

As someone else stated, we prefer YTD because we would prefer to not be seated with others, I'd imagine this is the case quite a bit. 

[pellanor]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Sounds like we should just do fixed dining for dinner going forward.

 

It's odd that Carnival gives shared table option for YTD but doesn't let people pick whether they want to share table or not during fixed dining.

Edited January 25 by pellanor

[DallasGuy75219]

1 hour ago, pellanor said:

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Sounds like we should just do fixed dining for dinner going forward.

 

It's odd that Carnival gives shared table option for YTD but doesn't let people pick whether they want to share table or not during fixed dining.

Before there was YTD, you could select your table size preference at the same time you selected early or late seating. Except it was pretty useless if you wanted a small (2-4 top) table, because there were not nearly enough small tables for the number of people who wanted them, so you got assigned to large tables anyway.

[1BDNANA]

Be careful what you wish for. On a Magic cruise we went on last year we sat at with a woman and her husband, and she really enjoyed her wine. How would I know this?...wellll she stated that " I Love My Wine and I Don't Care Who Knows It " with raised voice for all to hear about 7 times. We are talking about to the point that phones started pointing at our table. Spilled a glass of wine on the table and she shoes came off at one point because her GD feet were killing her. You could see her husband melting into his seat. Not a young filly who can't hold her drink , a woman of ripe age.  PS it was formal night. Now I always cross my fingers for a table for two.😒

[PayneAS]

2 hours ago, pellanor said:

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Sounds like we should just do fixed dining for dinner going forward.

 
I think you'd have better luck finding a shared table with fixed dining to be honest. You could even make it more likely if you went to the maître d' when you board and ask about it. I think it is like Steph said above, how likely would it be to find someone else who wants to share a table requesting a table at the same time you are? With fixed dining, I've been seated at shared tables twice now recently (August and then January) without me doing anything other than selecting my preferred dining time. 

[slavigne5577]

We have done the table for two and shared table. On our last cruise in Jan. 2023, we had the best time with our table mates and it truly made our cruise even better. Brunch is hit or miss. Maybe people are still sleeping or just have no manners but if you are in a dining room, leave your shoes on and do not put shoes or feet on chairs or table. Just saying!

[mz-s]

I think for the most part the shared table is a relic of the old era of cruising from when dinner was the major event of the evening. Nowadays people eat basically nonstop, especially on cruises, so it's nothing special.

[pjhootch]

53 minutes ago, 1BDNANA said:

Be careful what you wish for. On a Magic cruise we went on last year we sat at with a woman and her husband, and she really enjoyed her wine. How would I know this?...wellll she stated that " I Love My Wine and I Don't Care Who Knows It " with raised voice for all to hear about 7 times. We are talking about to the point that phones started pointing at our table. Spilled a glass of wine on the table and she shoes came off at one point because her GD feet were killing her. You could see her husband melting into his seat. Not a young filly who can't hold her drink , a woman of ripe age.  PS it was formal night. Now I always cross my fingers for a table for two.😒

Dinner AND a show!

 

[1BDNANA]

4 minutes ago, pjhootch said:

Dinner AND a show!

 

I also learned how to properly pic my teeth with a fork.😁

[Butterbean1000]

7 hours ago, pellanor said:

My wife and I been on 5 Carnival cruises. We like to chat with others over meals. For three of the cruises we booked YTD and requested shared tables for dinner each time while checking in on the app (25+ times). We were always given our own table (usually a small two person table) and was never given a shared table at dinner. The only time I've had a shared table assigned was at seaday brunch.  

 

Is there a point in requesting a shared table at dinner for Your Time Dining? Is the only way to get a shared table for dinner is through fixed dining?

I think the whole idea of YTD is that you don't have to share with strangers.  In the past, we have had some very, shall we say, undesirable table mates.  On one cruise we had a couple request that we not drink alcohol.  We always have wine with dinner.  From then forward, we have always used YTD.

[angelsfort]

We always choose a fixed dining time and HOPE that we end up sitting at a table with other couples -  and if we don't get along with our tablemates (which honestly, is rare) it becomes a great story to tell to others about the cruise!   

 

I just wonder how many times WE'VE been the subject of other folks "great" stories about their cruises!! 

here's my favorite, so far.  We had a very nice older lady on one of our cruises who was sailing with her teenaged granddaughter.  (granddaughter was maybe 13 years old)  During dinner the young lady was all proper, had manners and spoke very well.  During the day, when we'd see her - she had her shirt tied up (so that a lot of skin was showing) and she was galivanting around the ship with 4 boys that were around her age...  she was wearing lots of make-up and flirting incessantly with the boys (at one point we saw her grab one of the boys in the nether regions!)    She was a COMPLETELY different kid when she wasn't around her grandmother!!   And my daughter (who was 15 at the time) and I laughed at the comparison and wondered if the grandmother had any idea of how her granddaughter acted when she was off on her own!

[Jeafl]

21 hours ago, Megan_Strick said:

You are literally 1 ft from the next table so we always end up talking to them anyway.

On the Magic in November it was more like 5-6 inches.  Not even enough room to  walk through.

[jsglow]

14 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

I think the whole idea of YTD is that you don't have to share with strangers.  In the past, we have had some very, shall we say, undesirable table mates.  On one cruise we had a couple request that we not drink alcohol.  We always have wine with dinner.  From then forward, we have always used YTD.

Wow. That's awfully presumptuous of them. I honestly wonder why they would have taken that position? 

[ledges1]

We ate at a shared table for seaday brunch on the Glory last week. I sat across from my wife. A man sat next to my wife and she immediately put her hands over her nose and mouth. She ate quickly and left. She said the man had terrible BO. Table for two next time.

Edited January 26 by ledges1
Grammatical

[Butterbean1000]

51 minutes ago, jsglow said:

Wow. That's awfully presumptuous of them. I honestly wonder why they would have taken that position? 

I'm guessing religious reasons, they were giving off that vibe.  Good for them, but I never impose my religious beliefs on anyone.  BTW, drank our wine at dinner.  We ate a lot of our meals away from the MDR that cruise.

[Butterbean1000]

20 hours ago, 1BDNANA said:

Be careful what you wish for. On a Magic cruise we went on last year we sat at with a woman and her husband, and she really enjoyed her wine. How would I know this?...wellll she stated that " I Love My Wine and I Don't Care Who Knows It " with raised voice for all to hear about 7 times. We are talking about to the point that phones started pointing at our table. Spilled a glass of wine on the table and she shoes came off at one point because her GD feet were killing her. You could see her husband melting into his seat. Not a young filly who can't hold her drink , a woman of ripe age.  PS it was formal night. Now I always cross my fingers for a table for two.😒

This was the exact opposite of my experience. 😆

[Butterbean1000]

12 minutes ago, Butterbean1000 said:

I'm guessing religious reasons, they were giving off that vibe.  Good for them, but I never impose my religious beliefs on anyone.  BTW, drank our wine at dinner.  We ate a lot of our meals away from the MDR that cruise.

After readying BDNANNA'S post, I just want to state we had 1 glass of wine with dinner. 😁

[jsglow]

28 minutes ago, Butterbean1000 said:

I'm guessing religious reasons, they were giving off that vibe.  Good for them, but I never impose my religious beliefs on anyone.  BTW, drank our wine at dinner.  We ate a lot of our meals away from the MDR that cruise.

That makes the most sense. I certainly respect others choosing not to drink but I can't imagine anyone objecting to my wife and I sharing a simple bottle of wine. Now coming to dinner intoxicated or getting intoxicated? Different story.

[1BDNANA]

On 1/26/2024 at 10:00 AM, angelsfort said:

We always choose a fixed dining time and HOPE that we end up sitting at a table with other couples -  and if we don't get along with our tablemates (which honestly, is rare) it becomes a great story to tell to others about the cruise!   

 

I just wonder how many times WE'VE been the subject of other folks "great" stories about their cruises!! 

here's my favorite, so far.  We had a very nice older lady on one of our cruises who was sailing with her teenaged granddaughter.  (granddaughter was maybe 13 years old)  During dinner the young lady was all proper, had manners and spoke very well.  During the day, when we'd see her - she had her shirt tied up (so that a lot of skin was showing) and she was galivanting around the ship with 4 boys that were around her age...  she was wearing lots of make-up and flirting incessantly with the boys (at one point we saw her grab one of the boys in the nether regions!)    She was a COMPLETELY different kid when she wasn't around her grandmother!!   And my daughter (who was 15 at the time) and I laughed at the comparison and wondered if the grandmother had any idea of how her granddaughter acted when she was off on her own!

Shoot...If we put a hidden camera on our kids and grandkids when they hit their teens they would never make it to 21 without shekels and a ball and chain on them. Heck when i was a teen in the 60s as soon as I got to school, I would flip the waistband of my skirt over so my skirt would be a mini, put on some lipstick and blush that I had hidden in my locker and boom I went from little girl with braids to a groovy chic💄. We all did it and you know it...The bad part is every generation pushes the level of what they show off and what they could do in public farther and farther. We are only a few generations from pasties and thongs walking in the mall shopping.🤯

[ninjacat123]

On 1/26/2024 at 10:38 AM, jsglow said:

Wow. That's awfully presumptuous of them. I honestly wonder why they would have taken that position? 

Right!  What if they were vegetarians and said "don't order any meat"? If you are offended then you should eat on Lido.  Or maybe not😉

[DallasGuy75219]

5 hours ago, 1BDNANA said:

Shoot...If we put a hidden camera on our kids and grandkids when they hit their teens they would never make it to 21 without shekels and a ball and chain on them. 

Banishing them to Israel sounds rather harsh.