Infinity Cruise - Table from Hell #472

[RCMarr]

Have any of you been assigned to table #472in the MDR on Infinity? Its a two top next to the wall. My wife and I just took our first cruise. We ask for a 6 or 8 top for the evening meal, but were assigned to a two top in a really bad location. I don't think the table is used often, but early seating was packed. The waiters even seemed surprised that we were seated there. None of the other two tops in that area were occupied.

 

Anyway, waiters loaded down with food came out of a door behind my wife and the tubs of dirty dishes when in the door behind me. The two streams of waiters met at a work station just off our table. We sat in a small spot of calm, with waiters rushing back and forth. Our wine seward had problems getting to our table.

 

If you get stuck there, ask, demand, plead or do whatever it takes to get moved. We stuck out two nights there, ignored by our waiters who changed each night. The second night was the first formal night and it took us 20 minutes to just get a waiter. We were one of the last to leave that night. We were determined to see the mean through to desert.

 

It was bad enough we gave up on the MDR. Anyone else have this experience?

[FinelyCruising]

Many of the 2 tops are not in the open with elbow room. Some times service can be chaotic. But I would not want to be seated near the kitchen. Even on a cruise.

 

Too bad you did not get the larger table you would have preferred. The cruise line often gets it wrong. I am not sure if you had a chance to request a table change or not, but don't give up on cruising for the future. (In case you might think this is not for you) There are many here who will help you find your way through the ins and outs of getting that much closer to your ideal for next time.

[RCMarr]

We tried to get moved the first night. We were told there was no room, even though we could see empty tables in the dining room. I guess the tables were assigned to someone who never made an appearance during our two trips to the MDR.

 

Our wine steward actually got us moved for the fourth night, but we never made it back to the MDR. Really bad experience on second night basically ruined the experience for us. We enjoy fine dining, guess I should not have assumed that was what we were going to experience.

 

We may cruise again in years to come, but it will be a few years.

[cruiseacecat]

I have seen those tables and they are in a dreadful location. The very first thing I do when I board a ship is check with the maitre' d as to what table I have been assigned. If you are ever given a bad table again, see the maitre'd and he will try his best to move you. With one of these tables, I would even have been willing to change my seating time.

I am really sorry you were stuck there. Hope you will not give up on cruising because of this.

 

Anne

[Susie51]

I'm so sorry you had such a horrible dining room experience.

 

There are several cruise lines that have "open seating." HAL has worked out well for us. Sometimes in the morning we call and ask for a certain size table at a particular time for that evening. Other times, we show up when would would like to eat and are willing to sit at table of any size with other pax.

 

We have done this on Princess and NCL, also. I like the food better on HAL, on each of the cruise lines we have had good service.

 

In Jan. my mom, sister, and I will be on Century. I can't remember our table assignment or dining time. We asked for a table of 6-8, because Mom likes to meet new people. I hope =X= grant us our request.

 

What type of cabin did you have? We are in a sky suite. I wonder if the cabin cat. makes a difference if you get the table size you ask for. We booked in March for a Jan. cruise.

 

How much in advance did you book?

[Susie51]

I'm so sorry you had such a horrible dining room experience.

 

There are several cruise lines that have "open seating." HAL has worked out well for us. Sometimes in the morning we call and ask for a certain size table at a particular time for that evening. Other times, we show up when would would like to eat and are willing to sit at table of any size with other pax.

 

We have done this on Princess and NCL, also. I like the food better on HAL, on each of the cruise lines we have had good service.

 

In Jan. my mom, sister, and I will be on Century. I can't remember our table assignment or dining time. We asked for a table of 6-8, because Mom likes to meet new people. I hope =X= grant us our request.

 

What type of cabin did you have? We are in a sky suite. I wonder if the cabin cat. makes a difference if you get the table size you ask for. We booked in March for a Jan. cruise.

 

How much in advance did you book?

[kitty9]

I have seen those tables and I've always wondered why Celebrity would ever put tables in that location. They're downright nasty.

[Pat&Paul]

Where was this again? We have a two top table reserved for an upcoming cruise on the Mercury. I want to make sure we switch if it is similar to your table.

[leoandhugh]

If anyone attempts to seat us at a table near the entrance to the kitchen or the entry to the dining room, I refuse to accept that table and wait until they find or assign me another. Proximity to the kitchen or the entry to the dining room are always tables that are chaotic with lousy service, and too much noise and traffic:( We apply the same guidelines to any shoreside restaurant - no way Jose

[kitty9]

Where was this again? We have a two top table reserved for an upcoming cruise on the Mercury. I want to make sure we switch if it is similar to your table.

 

 

Those tables are next to a wall, right by the door where the waiters come out carrying their trays. They also have those tables on the upper deck of the restaurant, behind where the combo plays on formal night.

[gillianrose]

Where was this again? We have a two top table reserved for an upcoming cruise on the Mercury. I want to make sure we switch if it is similar to your table.

 

The tables being discussed here are on the M-Class ships (Millennium, Summit, Infinity, and Constellation). The Mercury does not have the same design. There may be some bad tables on Mercury, too, but I don't know which they are.

[bikinibottom]

Were you on the 8/7 cruise? We were in table 469 and we saw that table and discussed it at our table. We had a great cruise but our low point was our table situation - we were at a 6 top that got 9 people crammed into it. We started with 7 people being crammed the first night (it was obvious that the table should have been for 6 and we saw the waiter remove one chair after we got up to leave) then the next night 2 more chairs showed up, and a couple who had been given late dining and wanted to move were put there. It was so ridiculous! They couldn't even fit all our glasses, silverware and bread on the table at once! Thank goodness we were all friendly because otherwise it would have been awful. And between people not going to the MDR (going to SS United States or casual dining) it was only on the last formal night our table had all 9 show up again. What a fiasco! Our group kept joking around and saying, "well at least we're not put at that horrible table for 2 next to the wall over there!"

Anyway, I did not mean to start my own rant on your thread but I thought I'd mention our experience here too. We had a super fun cruise and loved every bit but X seemed to be pushing things a bit on the MDR during our seating.

[usha]

DH & I had one of those "tables from Hell:rolleyes:" on Millennium.

We lived through it; as a matter of fact, we didn't think it was half-bad.:)

[RCMarr]

We were on the June 12 cruise. We did our best to enjoy the experience since we have owned a restaurant and understand how things work. The food was good, but the total lack of service was the deal breaker.

 

We booked in November of 2008 and were in a CC cabin. We had ask for a 6 or 8 top table when we booked the cruise. I was really suprised when we were seated at a two top. I did my best to get moved, but nothing was available at the earlier seating time. None of the other two tops ever had anyone seated at them on the nights we ate in the MDR. There were also several larger tables that never had anyone at them. We just assumed these passangers did not dine in the MDR that nights.

 

We both were looking forward to a larger table. We like to meet new people and thought this would be a great experience. We did meet other people at different events on the cruice, but it was difficult to reconnect over the week.

 

Looking back, I wish we had just accepted a later dining time, but we both like to eat early and had planned to catch the shows after dinner. If we cruise again, I don't know for sure if we will cruise on X. This kind of affected our view of the cruise.

 

If you want to read, I did write a review of our first cruise experience. Let me know if you think the same or if I am really off base.

[cb at sea]

If I found I'd been assigned a 2-top, I would ask to be put at a larger table ASAP! Tablemates MAKE the cruise! I eat with my hubby everynight..and I enjoy it. After all, I love him---- HOWEVER, when it's possible, we LOVE having others to talk to, compare our days with, discuss the next day's itinerary.....and we've made some lovely friends through our tablemates!

No WAY would we sit alone every night of our vacation!

Larger tables just have more fun!

[Pat&Paul]

If I found I'd been assigned a 2-top, I would ask to be put at a larger table ASAP! Tablemates MAKE the cruise! I eat with my hubby everynight..and I enjoy it. After all, I love him---- HOWEVER, when it's possible, we LOVE having others to talk to, compare our days with, discuss the next day's itinerary.....and we've made some lovely friends through our tablemates!

No WAY would we sit alone every night of our vacation!

Larger tables just have more fun!

 

We've had some horrific table mates in the past. Once you spend two nights with them...you are stuck unless you go to casual dining because it becomes a little awkward to leave the table after the second night. You can always have a conversation about your day with your spouse or DP. Oh, and the waiters love to chat too! Some just love to spend a whole week conversing with their DP of 15+ years.

[TomTN]

If I found I'd been assigned a 2-top, I would ask to be put at a larger table ASAP! Tablemates MAKE the cruise! I eat with my hubby everynight..and I enjoy it. After all, I love him---- HOWEVER, when it's possible, we LOVE having others to talk to, compare our days with, discuss the next day's itinerary.....and we've made some lovely friends through our tablemates!

No WAY would we sit alone every night of our vacation!

Larger tables just have more fun!

 

To each his own. :)

[RCMarr]

We might have had bad table mates, but at least we would have had someone else to talk with each evening. We've been married so long we often finish each other's comments.

 

Maybe we should have gone back on the fourth night and joined the new table, oh well its in the past. The cruise was a new experience and we may cruise again someday.

 

The Med. Cruise around Italy sounds like fun. Lots more stops and stuff to see. Would have to have a balcony for that as well, better start saving up. Or just talk my BIL into using one of his time share weeks and spend time on shore, might be even more fun...