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Author

Topic: Dining

Maurice Fisher
Just Boarded
Member # 4104

posted 08-29-2003 11:41 AM

We've done 8 cruises now on Costa, RCCL & Celebrity.
Getting a good table has been a hit and miss affair.
I've tried e-mailing the Dining Co-ordinator of the cruise line a few weeks before, then going to see the maitre D' as soon as we get on board to ensure we have a good table, but it doesn't always work. We've been lied to several times.
How do other cruisers ensure a good table?
By good, I mean interesting, literate, witty, worldly, fun people.
....or am I on to a loser here?
Any advice would be gratefully received!
Maurice

Posts: 7 | From: London, England | Registered: Aug 2003 | IP: Logged

CGT
First Class Passenger
Member # 3531

posted 08-29-2003 12:45 PM

I think your requests are too much. The Maitre D etc cannot be expected to know the personalities and traits of all the passengers even during the cruise, let alone in advance

. Just take your chances like everyone else, and if you aren't happy after the first night, ask to be swithced.

Posts: 2760 | From: New York, New York, USA | Registered: Dec 2002 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 08-29-2003 01:31 PM

Welcome aboard Maurice.

How on earth do you expect a cruise line to select a table of interesting, literate, witty, worldly, fun people, especially for you?

Maybe you expect them to give the passengers a pre-boarding IQ test, in order to allocate the tables? (Now that's an idea!) Anyway, those qualities are all rather subjective!

Joking aside, many of today's ships hold 2000 passengers or more, so yes, it is mostly down to pot luck!

I would suggest that you carefully select the cruise line and itinerary, as these have the biggest affect on the type of clientele onboard the ship.

For example, I would not neccesarliy expect RCI passengers to be highly-cultured, and that includes me! I would expect Celebrity to be more your cup of tea, unless they were giving the cabins away and you were just unlucky with your table-mates.

I notice that you have mainly cruised on ships providing an American experience. Maybe P&O, Cunard or Fred Olsen is more likely to provide you with what you require? For example Cunard have a good lecture programme onboard, RCI do not!

Alternatively, why not try NCL’s 'freestyle', where you can select your tablemates?

[ 08-29-2003: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Waynaro
First Class Passenger
Member # 3484

posted 08-29-2003 02:06 PM

Welcome onboard Maurice. We have always been lucky

. On our few previous cruises, we gotten "front row" tables. I just came back from Rhapsody of the Seas and we had a great table on the second story and looking across was the stair that connects both stories. Unfortunately we were with another family and somehow we were not assigned to sit together so we were relocated to a meeting room on the bottom floor. I agree with CGT, go onboard and asked if there is some openings at places you prefer.

Posts: 6108 | From: Vallejo,CA : California Maritime Academy!!! | Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 08-29-2003 06:28 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Maurice Fisher:

How do other cruisers ensure a good table?
By good, I mean interesting, literate, witty, worldly, fun people.
....or am I on to a loser here?.......

Oh Maurice, you remind me of an Economics Professor I know- he has his PH.D and answers only when addressed as Dr. XXXXX - his request was for a table of 'Professional' people of like mind!

Apart from requesting a non-smoking, no children table, we take our chances and have never been disappointed.

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

lambcom
First Class Passenger
Member # 656

posted 08-30-2003 11:39 AM

Here's another way of being ensured of a table filled with clever, literate, witty, worldly people just like yourselves -- ask for a table for two. That way you can be absolutely guaranteed that no one one french fry short of a happy meal will darken your voyage.

Seriously, on tables of eight, we've lucked out eight out of nine times. The fact that we stuck it out at a dud table was our fault. In restrospect we should have asked to be moved right after the first meal.

Posts: 179 | From: Montreal, canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 08-30-2003 11:57 AM

Not sure I'd want to share a table with you anyway - probably get rather boring!!
....peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Barryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 33

posted 08-30-2003 12:07 PM

Royal Caribbean & Celebrity are installing a new dining reservations system onboard the ships that gives ther MatreD more control over who's who at tables. Rather than keeping track of this on a huge sheet of paper, using a pencil, with a layout of the dining room...they will now have a computer that can help sort or place people based on age-group, male or female, couples or singles...but as far as ingtelligence...I don't think the system is programed for that. The system can more easily move passengers from table to table however.

Posts: 1851 | From: Bloomington, Minnesota (Home to the Mall of America) | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged

M.S.Grumple
First Class Passenger
Member # 1340

posted 08-30-2003 01:42 PM

We've usually found our dinner companions to be fun & interesting.
However, last year on Royal Caribbean our dining companions included a hospital administrator from New York and his artist wife. The lady was very pleasant but her husband can only be described as a 'blowhard'. He knew everything about almost anything and pontificated every night, usually 'beating the drum' about his perceived superiority of the U.S.A.
Topgun finally asked him what he knew about the softwood lumber dispute or the Helms-Burton act - answer was "nothing". As we left the table Topgun said "we'll talk tomorrow".
Of course the administrator totally avoided those subjects the following evening, enabling the rest of the table to have a say for a change.
On the other hand we shared a table at lunch with an Afro-American lady from New York travelling with her adult daughters and an elderly couple from Upper New York State. Great company, all with a terrific sense of humour - we all left the table laughing.
How can anyone possibly tell how compatible dining companions may be?

Posts: 280 | From: Burlington, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 08-30-2003 03:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Barryboat:
Royal Caribbean & Celebrity are installing a new dining reservations system onboard the ships that gives ther MatreD more control over who's who at tables.

That explains it!

On my very recent cruise on RCI's Splendour of the Seas, the MatreD was using some kind of computerised image of the dining room. It was not just a PC and a windows application!

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

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