Tablemates on all cruises?

[caviargal]

I guess, maybe then, the typical cruise is NOT the vacation that "suits" you...

Cruises tend to be an extremely "social" vacation...

You share tables at Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner...you sit next to others at the shows...You go on shore excursions with others...

 

But, for the most part, cruising with 2,000 other passengers is just not a vacation of solitude and introspection...

 

 

But, seriously, if your idea of a vacation is one of avoiding other people, a cruise ship most likely will NEVER "suit" you...

 

Now, for extroverts like ME, I love cruising...Yes, during the rest of the year, both my wife and I are working and we don't get as much time together...(especially stress-free time together), but, when we cruise, we get plenty of time together...some of it ALONE together (in our cabin or on our balcony or in a port where we're not doing an excursion)...and some of it TOGETHER AND WITH OTHERS...We love dining TOGETHER AND with others...Part of it is socializing as a couple with other people...We work well together AS A COUPLE in social situations and we most certainly enjoy the traditional cruise dining experience--which we find adds to, rather than detracts from, our personal chemistry...

 

But, again, if you're the type that shies away from that social interaction, perhaps sharing a cruise with 2,000 others is NOT the right vacation for you...

 

 

Actually, I do not altogether agree.

 

We ask for and receive a table for 2 when we have breakfast or lunch in the dining room and also a table for 2 often at dinner. It is simply what we prefer.

 

We do not do ship excursions as I hate to be shepherded around with a group and enjoy exploring on my own.

 

We love our balcony for morning coffee and before dinner drinks.

 

We socialize at times, sure, but pick and choose what those times are.

 

I do not think that this preferences limit our enjoyment of cruising. We are both quite social. We just like to choose when and with whom.

[Llav01]

When we first started cruising (a couple years ago) my husband and I prefered a table for 2. We didn't know what to expect. On the first cruise (RC) we had a table for 8. I don't even remembered being asked what size table we wanted. :p It was an ok time, but we didn't feel like we had anything in common with them we were in our 20's not kids and dating and the other table mates had children and grandchildren. But it was still better than we had anticipated.

 

Then our next cruise (Celebrity) we decided to ask for a table for two. Well needless to say we didn't get it! It was actually funny because they gave us a table for 6 and the other two couples had also requested a table for 2. We had such a great time the first night that we all decided to stay. On our last cruise (RC) we got a table of 6 and had a wonderful time. As one poster said...you get to learn about other parts of the country and lifestyles.

 

We figure as much as we love each other...we get to eat dinner with each other every night. Why not enjoy other people's company. There are some days where we can decide to eat alone in the alternate dining room. So we do...no biggie. On our next cruise we requested a table of 6! I don't know...give a try you might be surprised!

[SusieV]

Bruin- we also disagree that you have to enjoy spending time with strangers to cruise.

 

We do prefer to sun ourselves alone and relax on our balcony rather than fight the masses on the pool deck.

 

We do prefer to eat alone. I'm sorry, making small talk with strangers is not our idea of a good time.

 

And who says you have to talk to anyone but the guide on shore excursions? I've never chatted with other people beyond asking them to take a picture for me or things like that.

 

I seriously fail to see why you can't have a private, romantic vacation on a cruise. We LOVE cruising- it's our favourite vacation, and it's a perfect fit for us. I agree with caviargal that this does not make us anti social- we simply also prefer to choose when we have our interactions.

 

And I really do resent the implication that I'm being a snob by preferring to spend time with my husband over strangers. Just because rich famous people ate communally, that means I have to? Give me a break.

[patrice1]

I don't know... I've said it before and I'll say it again. When we go to a local restaurant for dinner, we don't sit with strangers. Why would we want to on a cruise?

 

Call us antisocial or whatever, but it's just not our style. We always request a table for two and we'd be very uncomfortable and unhappy if forced to sit at a larger table. We would rather spend our vacation time together.

 

Us, too. We loved NCL's Freestyle Dining and would do that again in a NY minute ;) . We've been on X, RCI and now CCL & have requested a 2-top.

[patrice1]

"If what you want is a solitary vacation experience, you can...

Charter a private yacht...or...

I know a number of rather exclusive resorts where you can rent a private bungalow with a private beach and jacuzzi and have dinner catered to your suite each night...

 

But, seriously, if your idea of a vacation is one of avoiding other people, a cruise ship most likely will NEVER "suit" you..."

 

Well, I beg to differ. DH & I have 6 cruises under our belt, spanning 20 years, and we LOVE cruising. We just prefer a table for 2 and spending time with each other - alone:eek: . No need to join others - we're happy to go off together. Have never had a cruise where we couldn't be alone & still enjoy ourselves immensly.

[jeffs55]

I think that spells it out. If you like a big table (As we do) you can request that. If you'd rather not deal with that you can request a table for two.

We've done both (ironically not always per our request) and mostly

had a good time regardless.

Just keep an open mind about things and try to have fun.

All these cruises we've been on and there's nothing better that I've found than being on a ship and being served by all these wonderful people.

It doesn't get any better than that and all the carping and complaining

on these boards flabbergasts me.

Just enjoy it.

Jeff

[jukeboxy]

To us dinning is just that a dinning experience not just going to dinner. Having dinner is what you do at home but a cruise is different IMHO.

On our most recent cruise we had a 6 table that we kept dropping two from (maybe it was us). One wanted early dinner and the next couple wanted a table for two and I was glad they got it.

So there was a 2 up next to our table and I asked if they had requested that and they had. I still offered them a chance to join us but they declined. We didn't bother trying to fill the table anymore as the other couple at our table was such a hoot who cared.

I got a strange pleasure watching the couple on the 2 up straining to hear our conversations. They not only easedropped but would jump into our conversations when it suited them. One nite we skipped dinner and they asked us the next night why we weren't there just as if they were our tablemates.

When they were not trying to involve themselfs in our table they sat silently and just ate quickly and stared at each other. I found this to be entertaining and would at times keep our talking quiet so they would strain to keep up with us.

They would have been better served to join us than to be the way they were. This post has no real value but to pass on some behavior that some of you loners may practice. :D

[RLM77]

My Dh and I ALWAYS request a table for 2.

 

Although I am an extreme extrovert and love to talk with everyone (people in line, people in waiting rooms, people in grocery stores...you get the idea), I cannot eat and carry on a lively conversation.

 

I have Multiple Sclerosis and have a great deal of trouble swallowing. I need to be calm and relaxed and eat vvveerrryyy slowly in order to not end up with a blocked esophagus and in the emergency room.:eek:

 

When my body is co-operating, I might indeed talk to the neighboring tables, it is my nature, but when I'm having difficulties, I would rather only ruin ourmeals.

[Old CA]

I have only cruised twice, so far :) , but I must say that both cruises on HAL some of my most pleasant memories were the dining companions with whom I was fortunate to share a table. Being a single cruiser explains part of my preference for a larger (6-8) table as it makes getting to know other people a delightful experience. Of my prior dining companions I regularly correspond with 3 couples I would never known had it not been for the dining experience.

 

Ed

[MLT53]

My husband and I went on our first cruise in April. We loved it!

 

We were married 4 1/2 years ago and have spent the last 3 1/2 of those years living with my elderly, bedridden mother so that I could care for her. It's a 24/7 job. This cruise was our chance to get away and finally spend time "alone" with each other. We had a table for two and ended up having an incredibly romantic vacation. We like people a lot but are never really alone much, so having a table for two was perfect for us. We had such a great time with each other that we will probably request a table for two on most of our future cruises.

 

Different strokes for different folks.;)

[psychboss]

A cruise can be what YOU want it to be. The first time I got my DH to go on a cruise the "too much social stuff" was his concern. Our TA back then assured us we could dine at a table for 2 for all our meals if we wanted. And we did. Now that he is a more experienced cruiser he has become more social. On our first cruise we had requested a table for 2 but they had us at a table for 4. They corrected it immediately. For other meals you just sit at which ever table you like in the buffet area or if you have breakfast in the main dining room they will still give you a table for 2 if you ask. Your TA can get you a table for 2 in the dining room for dinner, I do it all of the time.