What would you suggest for seating for 15?

[Hootsie]

There will be 15 of us on the upcoming cruise in May. DH's parents, brothers with their wives and teens, sister and our family of 5. How would you suggest we try to get our dining assignments? We're putting our bookings together, of course but don't the tables go up to a seating of 10?

 

Any suggestions??

[FinelyCruising]

How many teens? If you can work it out, definately keep the reservations connected, but the teens going to a separate table will keep the adults all together at one single one if that is the desire and the math works/

 

Otherwise I can suggest on a recent cruise where there where bookings were associated/referenced, we did not all end up with the same waiter at the start, we had two separate, but we were within a table of one another, and it was fun to table hop from night to night and mix it up a good bit due to the size of our group, which we did plan to do from the start.

 

So be flexible and make it up as the days go by. Teens might be happy to do alternative and some adults might be absent for specialty, so it all works out without too much trouble.

 

Have a great time!:)

[Hootsie]

There are 6 teens and 9 adults. Well, our oldest daughter turns 20 next week but I'm considering her a "teen" for this cruise. Two tables next to each other would be really nice. Honestly, we'd like to eat with our kids tho because that is such a fun part of the cruise. Our girls just love to dress up for dinners. I guess we could mix it up a bit tho and they could have a "teen" table a few nights. Heck, it's a 12 night cruise so I'm sure they'll be sick of us before the end.

[FinelyCruising]

Not sure if you have cruised those kids of yours before....don't be disappointed if they act like 'want to be alone' and like the idea of a separate table.... They still love you, but...

 

It's all part of the fun, part of the cruise story, and part of the great memories!!!!

 

For sure there will be lots of smiles and lots of pictures. Ours really, really liked the photo ops of themselves=together for our purchase! They fight like heck at home and are thick as thieves on a cruise...really knocked me off balance...so to recover I found the Martini Bar. :D

 

Have fun!

[Hootsie]

Not sure if you have cruised those kids of yours before....don't be disappointed if they act like 'want to be alone' and like the idea of a separate table.... They still love you, but...

 

It's all part of the fun, part of the cruise story, and part of the great memories!!!!

 

For sure there will be lots of smiles and lots of pictures. Ours really, really liked the photo ops of themselves=together for our purchase! They fight like heck at home and are thick as thieves on a cruise...really knocked me off balance...so to recover I found the Martini Bar. :D

 

Have fun!

 

Oh, I'm sure they'll want a couple nights at a table with the teen cousins but they've cruised with us twice before and actually don't mind us too much. We even went to the disco with them one night on our last cruise and had a ball. Our kids sound like yours...they fight at home but once they get on the ship, things change. They band together like the closest of sisters. GO figure.

 

The ideal thing would be two tables close to each other with the same servers so we can switch around a bit.

[Lois R]

Oh, I'm sure they'll want a couple nights at a table with the teen cousins but they've cruised with us twice before and actually don't mind us too much. We even went to the disco with them one night on our last cruise and had a ball. Our kids sound like yours...they fight at home but once they get on the ship, things change. They band together like the closest of sisters. GO figure.

 

The ideal thing would be two tables close to each other with the same servers so we can switch around a bit.

 

You are correct.:) 2 tables next to one another. Did you book

through a TA or directly with the cruiseline? Is everyone under

the same booking number?

First, if you booked with a TA, call them and let them know

all of your party wants to sit with 2 tables next to each other.

If you booked directly with Celebrity I would call them and do

the same thing. If there is more than one booking number everyone

can be cross referenced.

After you board the ship you can go see the Maitr'd. They are set

up outside of the dining room on sail day starting about 12:30.

There are always folks there and the Maitr'ds (in my experiences)

have always been very helpful.

Go check with them as a follow up and make sure your request

went through as planned.:)

Enjoy your cruise....sounds like a really nice family thing to do.

[Hootsie]

I booked with my TA and the rest of the family booked thru a different one. I'll call my TA tho and give him all the booking numbers.

 

I just didn't want to have to rush to the Maitr'd when we board. Won't there be crazy lines? I've never had to deal with the Maitr'd before so I don't really have a clue what to expect.

[Lois R]

I booked with my TA and the rest of the family booked thru a different one. I'll call my TA tho and give him all the booking numbers.

 

I just didn't want to have to rush to the Maitr'd when we board. Won't there be crazy lines? I've never had to deal with the Maitr'd before so I don't really have a clue what to expect.

 

Hi, no need to rush.:) I was just giving you a suggestion

and no the lines are not crazy (not in my experience). Yes, there

might be 1/2 dozen people there. And usually he takes a few minutes

with each person so it doesn't take long. The Maitr'ds are there to help:)

I have had many dealings with them...all really good:D

 

Everyone will have a card in their cabin with the table number on it.

You could get with your family and see if there are 2 different ones.

As long as your bookings are cross referenced and your TA requests

side by side you should be ok.

The Maitr'd suggestion was just a follow up.

[ocngypz]

You want to request two adjacent 8 top tables. One will be set for only 7.

 

Pity you you didn't book together as a group. Then you would have at least received some group amenities.

[Hootsie]

Hi, no need to rush.:) I was just giving you a suggestion

and no the lines are not crazy (not in my experience).

 

I appreciate the suggestion. I've never had to deal with them so I had no idea the lines wouldn't be that bad. I'll give it a whirl. Thanks!

[Hootsie]

 

Pity you you didn't book together as a group. Then you would have at least received some group amenities.

 

I know but they are all going for some sort of "Builder's Cruise" since they own a building company together. DH is the only sibling not involved in it (we live in another town and do our own thing. LOL). Anyway, the Builders Assoc booked a bunch of them and we could have added us to their group BUT the prices were sky high (like $400 more per person). I think that's because it included all the education classes on board, etc... on the ship PLUS it's a tax write off for most of it.

 

They invited us to join them a month ago and we bit the bullet.

 

Oh and get this............they have five cabins together (veranda and across the hall for the kids) and they got their cabin numbers yesterday. They are ONE cabin away from our two. How crazy is that? We booked with different TA's and live in different towns and got that close and didn't even mention it to our TA's that there were other family members on the cruise.

[alynn]

I booked with my TA and the rest of the family booked thru a different one. I'll call my TA tho and give him all the booking numbers.

 

This shouldnt be a problem, we've done it on a couple of occasions, celebrity will link your bookings, you will be able to see the bookings you are linked with when you log on to your online manage my reservations pages.

[hcat]

Be sure & check that it is l how you want it as soon as you board by going down to the dining room area-- there will be someoe there to show you the tables-- that allows time for corrections to be made--would seem nice to switch off who sits at each table each night--no need to segregate by age all the time..

[FinelyCruising]

There may or may not be lines, so do plan to determine as quickly as possible what tables you have been assigned to and visit the dining room to locate the tables.

 

Sometimes changes can be made on the spot, but your best bet is to make sure the reservations with those you want to dine with are linked and each of your TA's understand you wish a large table together.

 

They will know how to note that detail whenever possible. It will all work out, in my experience it always does even if you have to speak with the maitre'd. But note there are only certain times at boarding that this option exists, so ask when you check in and/or read your daily in your cabin for where to go and at what time. If not, then its after the dining begins when your request can be made and believe me, it needs to be done soner rather than later if you want a table switch.

 

It's kind of a distraction, I know, but its a necessary evil sometimes. Right after you do this, then you are done with details and the cruise begins!!!

[ocngypz]

I know but they are all going for some sort of "Builder's Cruise" since they own a building company together. DH is the only sibling not involved in it (we live in another town and do our own thing. LOL). Anyway, the Builders Assoc booked a bunch of them and we could have added us to their group BUT the prices were sky high (like $400 more per person). I think that's because it included all the education classes on board, etc... on the ship PLUS it's a tax write off for most of it.

 

They invited us to join them a month ago and we bit the bullet.

 

Oh and get this............they have five cabins together (veranda and across the hall for the kids) and they got their cabin numbers yesterday. They are ONE cabin away from our two. How crazy is that? We booked with different TA's and live in different towns and got that close and didn't even mention it to our TA's that there were other family members on the cruise.

 

Ah.. okay. Now the tough part is linking your FIT dining arrangements with the rest of the group dining arrangements. They are done differently.

[jerseygirl3]

We were a group of 13 family members last year on Century. We were told they would try to put us at tables next to each other. However, we were pleasantly surprised when we boarded the ship and went to speak with the maitre 'de to see if they had been able to do this. To our surprise, he told us when he saw the reservations linked, he got us a HUGE table and put us all at one table. I'm not sure if it's a table size like they use for the Captain's dinner, but it was humongous and we were all seated comfortably. It was an oblong table. Perhaps they could do this for you as well.

[jjbko]

A table for 2!

[Longboysfan]

I think Celebrity did three tables for us when we went with a large group.

We just shifted about each night as we liked.

Most nights the kids were on their own.

I think the last formal night the famalies stuck together.