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Tablemates on all cruises?


mexico5

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Hi, I posted this somewhere else, but I think I should post it here. Sorry, I am new and learning!

 

This will be my first cruise and was wondering if someone out there would help with this. I think my husband and I have narrowed it down to Caribbean Princess, Celebrity "Millennium" or Royal Caribbean "Jewel of the Seas".

 

Do all cruises have tablemates? We do not care if we have set dinner times or have to dress formal, we just want to be able to dine without anyone else with us for dinner. Any suggestions of a ship that might have these 2 thing?

 

1. No tablemates at dinner

2. Relaxed, more upscale and non party boat.

 

Thank you!

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Royal Caribbean ships do offer tables for two in the main dining room. You must request such a table when you make your reservations. If the ship is really heavily booked, you may not be able to have a table for two. But still try.

 

When you board, go to the maitre d' and ask if he can give you a table for two. He may be able to make changes for you (or not.) Another option is to eat in one of the premium restaurants where you will not be seated with others if you do not want, but the premium restaurants do charge extra. The food is yummy though!

 

Or you can eat in the Windjammer buffet at night where many tables are available and you can eat where you want. The buffet is much quieter at night, veen peaceful. You do not ahve to eat in the main dining room unless you really want to on Royal Caribbean ships.

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Only freestyle dining or high-end luxury line can guarantee you a table for two.

 

So from your choice Caribbean Princess is the only one can "for sure" have no tablemate. The other one which have fix dinning, you can request, but never ever guarantee.

 

Have fun!

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Room Service is another option. Just the two of you nice and romantic. Sounds good to me. We had a table for 2 on Hal the whole cruise and it was really nice. It is great to see another couple that just want to be together. You have my vote.

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mexico5: Have you and DH considered HAL? It is an upscale line, comparable to Celebrity in many ways, IMO. Also, you can definitely get seating for two in the main dining room and in the alternative dining venue, the Pinnacle Grill. HAL is sedate without being dull, IMO.

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Among the 3 choices you listed, you will be assigned table mates on all except Princess' personal choice dining. That seems to be the cruise you want.

 

You may also want to consider NCL. I love freestyle dining.

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Hi Cathy, I know about the room service option, BUT unless you have a big suite with a real dining table and a bulter. You will be bending down, eating on a couch and with all the food pile around you (all courses came at the same time for room service dinner including icecream), however even you with a bulter, all food still come arrive the same time, but at least you will be "serve" course by course.

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We did Princess "personal choice" and one evening I could not get a table for two at the time we went. I have a perfume allergy and dining with someone who "bathes" in it could make me very ill. They do have a great buffet that has waitstaff service for drinks and such. NCL is total freestyle dining. LOVE IT! You eat where you choose, when you choose and with whom. On the Jewel, there were 12 dining venues and only three of those were specialty , extra fee. Whatever you choose, both lines are very nice and you'll have a great time:)

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Went on NCL and dined every night with just me and my wife, no tablemates. Also, the freestyle concept certainly makes the dress more relaxed so you can forgo the formal wear if you want to. Personal choice by Princess sounds like a good deal too. Perhaps slightly more upscale than NCL.

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We were on the Grand Princess in February w/pc dining and always had a table for three.

 

Mexico5, may I ask as to why you are fairly adamant about not having tablemates? I ask because you may have gotten some bad info or heard about bad experiences. Meeting and getting to know the people you dine with for a week or so is part of the cruise charm to me. Like I said before, we had pc dining w/Princess, and ate like we do at home as a family. I didn't enjoy that as much as dining with other travelers when we were on Celebrity. Please consider having tablemates and go into like it's an adventure.

 

Again, it's just my opinion.

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Gordonchick,

 

Simply put, I cannot think of any reason why I Would want to dine with strangers. But a few of the reasons why I want to dine alone with my husband would be: Exactly what lv2crooz2 said in her/his post. Someone who bathes in perfume or calogne would make me ill. Might not be nice to say, but it seems like the older women get, the more perfume they wear and it is very disturbing to most. Most work places, hospitals, etc..do not allow employees to wear any scents for this reason.

 

Also, my husband works very hard and has to have conversations and make small talk all the time for business and he does not want to have to do this while on vacation. Please do not get me wrong, we DO like people, we just want a vacation that suits us and when you pay alot for one, why not?

 

I think NCL is the way we are going to go. I know it is not probably as nice as Celebrity, but "Freestyle" suits us best.

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