DINKs have dinner seating question

[JeanfromBNA]

DH and I are childless. We like them fine, we just don't have any. We would like to meet and talk with other adults, with families or without during our cruise, and were hoping that dinner would be a good time to do that. However, what we have experienced at get-togethers is that once parents begin talking about children, well, we're left to twiddle our thumbs and whistle. And yes, before anybody brings it up, we do try to re-direct the conversation to neutral topics, but it doesn't always work.

 

Is a Disney cruise a good choice for us, or would we be expecting too much? We're fans of WDW, but we don't go there to converse with other people.

[Muushka]

DH and I are childless. We like them fine, we just don't have any. We would like to meet and talk with other adults, with families or without during our cruise, and were hoping that dinner would be a good time to do that. However, what we have experienced at get-togethers is that once parents begin talking about children, well, we're left to twiddle our thumbs and whistle. And yes, before anybody brings it up, we do try to re-direct the conversation to neutral topics, but it doesn't always work.

 

Is a Disney cruise a good choice for us, or would we be expecting too much? We're fans of WDW, but we don't go there to converse with other people.

 

Jean, Jean.... I wish you were going to be on our cruise, I would ask for you to be our table mates!

 

Like you, we are fans of WDW, so a Disney cruise is great. I would not let the fact that most people have children stop you from cruising with DCL. But, I would choose 2nd seating. That way you will have the quieter dining room experience. We are doing our 3rd cruise in 2 months and are planning on skipping the dining room for a few nights, and going to places that the kiddos don't frequent.

 

It is a strange world that DINKs (or in our case, SINKs) live in. It seems that the world revolves around the kiddos!:(

[DavidsMama]

The DU site saysthey will try to seat couple w/o children together, & those w/children together.

[Muushka]

I would not count on that. On both cruises we went on we were seated with children.

[ducklite]

We specifically stated that we wanted to be at a table with no children under age 13 on our last DCL cruise and we were seated with a mom, dad and their 14 year old daughter which worked out well, as our son was 16 at the time. For the next cruise we'll be requesting to be seated with all adults or at least no one under the age of 16.

 

Children entirely change the dynamics when we are trying to have a nice meal, and makes that meal stressful and far less enjoyable to us. We enjoy children, but we'd rather not eat a several course meal with them. :)

 

And Muushka, I agree, it does seem like the world revolves around kids sometimes. Best "kid free: place we've been in a long time: Napa, CA. Most of the wineries and don't even allow kids in the tasting rooms or on the tours, and many restaurants subtly enforce a no young children policy. Now that I think about it, I don't think we saw a single kid the whole time we were in Napa except when we drove over to Fairfield to go to the Jelly Belly factory.

[Muushka]

See, this is why I love the internet. I didn't know that we could request a kid-free table! I will call our TA tomorrow. Thanks ducklite!

[JeanfromBNA]

It seems like everyone hit the nail on the head; the world does revolve around children, as it should, when children are young. However, I realize that we are discussing a family-oriented cruise line, and we must find out if the circumstances will suit us and make a different choice, if we think it's best.

 

Children at the table do change the conversation dynamic. The other situation that we have experienced is that even if children are not present, the discussion gravitates to school schedules, camps, childhood illnesses, etc., and we non-parents are left to amuse ourselves. What has dinner conversation been like at your table? Maybe I should start a new thread with that title.

[JeanfromBNA]

Jean, Jean.... I wish you were going to be on our cruise, I would ask for you to be our table mates!

 

Like you, we are fans of WDW, so a Disney cruise is great. I would not let the fact that most people have children stop you from cruising with DCL. But, I would choose 2nd seating. That way you will have the quieter dining room experience. We are doing our 3rd cruise in 2 months and are planning on skipping the dining room for a few nights, and going to places that the kiddos don't frequent.

 

It is a strange world that DINKs (or in our case, SINKs) live in. It seems that the world revolves around the kiddos!:(

 

Muushka, when are you going on your cruise?

[ducklite]

It seems like everyone hit the nail on the head; the world does revolve around children, as it should, when children are young. However, I realize that we are discussing a family-oriented cruise line, and we must find out if the circumstances will suit us and make a different choice, if we think it's best.

 

Children at the table do change the conversation dynamic. The other situation that we have experienced is that even if children are not present, the discussion gravitates to school schedules, camps, childhood illnesses, etc., and we non-parents are left to amuse ourselves. What has dinner conversation been like at your table? Maybe I should start a new thread with that title.

 

We talked about our jobs, current events, the food, what we had done that day, other places we've traveled to (and lived), movies we'd seen, movies we wanted to see, encounters with famous people (the husband of the other family had a really neat job and shared a lot of stories about various people he had met as a result), just the normal small talk you make with new aquaintances. We didn't really discuss our children much as they were old enough to carry on a conversation on an "adult" level with the topics at hand. So other than the adults asking a few questions to break the ice--what subjects they liked and that sort of thing, it definitely wasn't "all about the kids."

 

Generally speaking as soon as we were done with the main course the teens split for the teen club, and the four adults had dessert and coffee with no sense of urgency to leave the dining room. That worked out well. :)

[Muushka]

Muushka, when are you going on your cruise?

We will be on the 9/27/08 Double Dip. And you?:)

 

Our first DCL cruise had a grandpa and grandson, around 10. He was a really good kid and we had a lot of fun with him and grandpa. In fact, I handed over my camera to the kiddo and made him our official table photographer! it worked out great. He loved taking pictures and we all got a kick out of him. But there were no 'families' per se.

 

But on the next cruise we had a mother and child, didn't work out so great as the kid was about 4 or 5, a little too young to interact with. But I run into what you are talking about in just planning the cruise on internet boards! Lots of children talk, and if you don't have any, it is kind of hard to keep up with it all.

[JeanfromBNA]

Sometime in February, I think. It will be our first, and I have to sell DH on cruising, so only a three or four night cruise at first.

[owensjro]

Certainly I think it depends on the children and the adults but I do understand where you are coming from. Our 6 year old daughter is more than happy coloring and entertaining herself during a 90 minute dinner while the adults talk amongst themselves. But she's used to it and so understands what to expect :)

 

I would suggest you find a thread for your particular cruise either on these boards or elsewhere and try to meet up with another couple w/o children. Then you can link your reservations for dinner and know who you are sitting with.

 

Jim

[ducklite]

Certainly I think it depends on the children and the adults but I do understand where you are coming from. Our 6 year old daughter is more than happy coloring and entertaining herself during a 90 minute dinner while the adults talk amongst themselves. But she's used to it and so understands what to expect :)

 

I would suggest you find a thread for your particular cruise either on these boards or elsewhere and try to meet up with another couple w/o children. Then you can link your reservations for dinner and know who you are sitting with.

 

Jim

 

Nothing personal, and it doesn't matter how well behaved they are but with a six year old at the table there are subjects that are off limits that wouldn't be with just adults--again, the child changes the dynamics, which is why we prefer to not be seated with them.

 

I think DCL does a pretty good job of accomodating everyone--but people need to let them know in advance what their preferences are.

[Nobbi]

My partner & I have been on two DCL voyages so far and have two more already planned. We always chose the late seating. Each seating has three rotations. If you are travelling childless, you generally end up in the third rotation with very few kids in the whole dining room.

 

That said, we usually hang out at the adult pool. We meet adults travelling with and without kids. The kids are usually in some program on board. We ask about who poelple are travelling with because we're interested. We've never had a problem with folks ONLY talking about the little ones.

 

On the last trip we took along two women friends of ours, one a widow a little older than Jack, one a new divorcee, a little younger than me. They loved the fact that we could interact with young ones or we could chose be be in the all adult area. People who cruise DCL are for the most part great folks. Especially the ones going without children. It takes a special person to "do the Disney thing".

[greatdanemom]

Is a Disney cruise a good choice for us, or would we be expecting too much? We're fans of WDW, but we don't go there to converse with other people.

 

Please don't take this wrong but I don't think Disney is the right line to book if you truly don't want to chance being seated with children. You can put in all the requests you want but there's no guarantee there won't be a child seated with you. DCL will do their best but ultimately won't guarantee your tablemates. If you really feel strongly about small dinner companions I personally think your odds are much better on other cruiselines.

 

Our first DCL cruise had 1000 children on it. I've never encountered that many children on my cruises on other lines. Maybe you'd be lucky and get nothing but adults at your table. Then again, maybe you will not be so lucky and it would be a shame for you to feel annoyed. Your tablemates would likely sense this and it would be a bummer for all of you.

 

I guess only you can decide how important the risk is to you. I think the poster who suggested you link your reservation with other all adult groups probably has the ideal method if you still want to do Disney. Whatever you do I hope you guys have a great time!

[Nobbi]

Sometime in February, I think. It will be our first, and I have to sell DH on cruising, so only a three or four night cruise at first.

 

Jack & I are going in February but on the 7 day. We'd be happy to sit with you. :)

 

I would HIGHLY recommend doing a 7 day. It's almost too short. Especially the first time, it takes time to acclimate and find your way around. Sometimes you don't find your favorite spot till days into the cruise. On a 3 night cruise you have only 2 full days. On that second full day you're already packing your bags. :( Just my thoughts. :)

[Muushka]

My thoughts on first time cruise length!!!

 

I would do a 4 day. 3 is not enough and if you don't like it, 7 is too long. Plus, it is easier to talk someone into a 4 day than a 7.

 

PS we did a 7 day for our first cruise and it was too long for us. Second cruise was 4 day, then a 5 day and then a 7 day. Now just 7 days, but we had to 'graduate' to that level!;)

[rxlowry]

My Dh and I both really enjoy WDW but didn't like the cruise nearly as much. It is VERY oriented towards kids. Our five year old had a blast! But it sounds to me if you want a more "adult" vacation and I'd recommend another line.

[JeanfromBNA]

Please don't take this wrong but I don't think Disney is the right line to book if you truly don't want to chance being seated with children. You can put in all the requests you want but there's no guarantee there won't be a child seated with you. DCL will do their best but ultimately won't guarantee your tablemates. If you really feel strongly about small dinner companions I personally think your odds are much better on other cruiselines.

 

Our first DCL cruise had 1000 children on it. I've never encountered that many children on my cruises on other lines. Maybe you'd be lucky and get nothing but adults at your table. Then again, maybe you will not be so lucky and it would be a shame for you to feel annoyed. Your tablemates would likely sense this and it would be a bummer for all of you.

 

I guess only you can decide how important the risk is to you. I think the poster who suggested you link your reservation with other all adult groups probably has the ideal method if you still want to do Disney. Whatever you do I hope you guys have a great time!

GreatdaneMom, I didn't take what you said wrong; it's why I asked. We don't object to children per se. I personally get a lot of joy out of seeing little ones and happy families at the parks, or anywhere, really. I wouldn't mind if children were at our table. We're just looking forward to the cruise to get to know new people, and dinner time seems to be the prime time to do that. I was curious if the prevalence of children and families precluded adult dinner conversation much.

 

Thanks for the good wishes! Same to you! :)

[JeanfromBNA]

Jack & I are going in February but on the 7 day. We'd be happy to sit with you. :)

 

I would HIGHLY recommend doing a 7 day. It's almost too short. Especially the first time, it takes time to acclimate and find your way around. Sometimes you don't find your favorite spot till days into the cruise. On a 3 night cruise you have only 2 full days. On that second full day you're already packing your bags. :( Just my thoughts. :)

 

Nobbi, I'd love to take you up on your offer, but we probably ought to start with the three or four day cruise because my husband doesn't know if he will like it :rolleyes: . How often have you cruised on Disney?

[shelbell77]

Mom and I travel without kids and we reques the 2nd seating. Both previous cruises there were very few children at all at the 2nd seating and none near us.

 

That said, if you do end up seated with people you aren't crazy about, talk to the head server.

 

The last cruise, at the send of party we witnessed this HORRENDOUS woman with her family on the deck. We go in to our first dinner..and guess who we spot at the table before we even get there. We turned right back around and went to the head server who found another, private table for us, no questions asked.

[Host Mick]

Mom and I travel without kids and we reques the 2nd seating. Both previous cruises there were very few children at all at the 2nd seating and none near us.

 

That said, if you do end up seated with people you aren't crazy about, talk to the head server.

 

The last cruise, at the send of party we witnessed this HORRENDOUS woman with her family on the deck. We go in to our first dinner..and guess who we spot at the table before we even get there. We turned right back around and went to the head server who found another, private table for us, no questions asked.

 

You skipped over the best part... ???

[ducklite]

You skipped over the best part... ???

 

AHAHAHA--I was thinking the same thing. ;)

[greatdanemom]

Too funny! I was wondering if I appear HORRENDOUS to others? Geez, I hope I don't horrify my tablemates!!

 

C'mon shellbell, give us the juicy details. Inquiring minds need to know. ;)

[Muushka]

You would know. People would sit with you the first night....just the first night.:D

 

I am not shelbell77, but I asked to be moved once. It was Christmas day, at a Palo brunch. Everything is perfect, right? Well it would have been had they not sat us next to a woman who spoke about 20 decibels louder than she should have, about her opinion of why we shouldn't make such a big deal over Christmas. And the fact that Christ never existed.:eek: Buh bye rude lady.....