Am I Anti-Social? Want to Eat with Just My Family

[Plaid Princess]

Those booths are a lot more pretty than they are practical. Because of the curve of the table you wind up really close together and have little table space.

I agree, we were seated in one of the booths at Enchanted Garden on our first Dream cruise, and the table top is a bit small for four adults. Luckily we were traveling with friends, because that would have been just awkward with strangers.

 

[Plaid Princess]

I don't think wanting the personal space and asking for it, politely and respectfully, and fully aware that DCL might not be able to accommodate you for very good reasons, is untoward.

Agreed, especially if you're requesting a standard table top. Now if they're not able to accommodate you, and you throw a Paris Hilton level hissy fit when they say no, then you are in the wrong.

 

[Pens Fan]

We've been on four DCL cruises. On the first three, we had table mates (we are family of 3). Our experience ranged from ok to great. But even with the "great" table mates, at times it's just awkward. We go on vacation to relax and have fun, and at times the MDR experience isn't that relaxing when you are seated with strangers. On our last cruise we asked for a separate table and received it. It was an 11 night cruise and the thought of making small talk for 11 nights was the tipping point for us. I have to say that it was the best MDR experience we ever had! A huge part of that was lucking into the best serving team we'd ever encountered, but it also was due to it just being the three of us relaxing and have a good time together.

I don't consider any of us anti-social at all. At home we love to entertain and have friends over as often as possible. But that doesn't mean I want to be forced to spend every evening with someone I've never met before. As Dug720 mentioned, the tables are very close together. Over the course of the cruise, we did come to chat with the folks at the table next to us, but you're talking before dinner started and after it was over, not being forced to have a conversation throughout the meal. We never did strike up a conversation with the table on the other side of us and there was good reason for that - I won't elaborate except to say they seemed to be miserably unhappy with anything and everything. We said to ourselves on many occasions, thank goodness we weren't asked to share a table with them!

I think from now on we will request our own table and hopefully we will be lucky enough to get one. We always choose the late seating, so as others have noted, that probably helps. If we are seated with others, it's not the end of the world and we would never make a big deal of it, but I see absolutely nothing wrong with making a polite request. It is our vacation, after all!!

 

[FloridaBabe]

It's not antisocial. We have shared some of the time but in recent cruises I always ask for my our own table and we travel as a couple. We have ended up with the carriage tables twice which was nice. All the others around us were individual families with kids. The tables are close together but we get a break when we go to Palo and Remy.

 

[bethy]

My point was that it IS beginning to impact logistics and other guests. They cannot create more floor space, and every time they have to split tables apart, what space there was in the floor layout gets decreased. We were literally less than 12 inches from another table in Royal Palace on the Dream - not only could the servers not pass between the tables, the father at the other table decided that we all should be best buddies when we weren't even seated together.

They are getting to the point where they'll have to have tables in the regular walkways (which I suspect would violate some kind of code) or remove tables and go to three seating because they can't just create space where it doesn't exist.

If we don't get our own table then we simply won't eat in the MDR. We won't make a scene or be rude or even say anything at all to the cruise staff. We will simply eat elsewhere. Sharing would not work for us on our upcoming trips for a couple of different reasons.

 

[SoozCruise]

If you're using the definition "not wanting the company of others" then sure, you are being anti-social, but I say there's nothing wrong with that! We travel as a group of five (family of four and my MIL) and have had an 8-top to ourselves, a 6-top to ourselves, and an 8-top shared with a family of three. They were very nice but I am an introvert and my MIL has some hearing loss, and dinner was much less relaxing during that cruise. I also felt that we had to be more on top of our kids' manners than usual; we have some challenges in that area and so again, I was more tense than if we'd been by ourselves. I think in the future we'll probably request a table to ourselves.

 

[taymorel]

No you are not anti-social. There is nothing wrong with wanting a private table for just your family. We requested this on our last cruise and we just felt more comfortable talking about our day and plans with just our 3 person family. Also, I would just feel weird eating with others at the same table. That is one reason we have not done Biergarten at WDW yet, even though i want to try it.

It is your vacation, so do what is best for your family.

 

[NZMUM]

I don't think it's anti-social. It's nice to have just family time to catch up.
We have cruised 5 times. Once we were a group of 7 but the others it was just the 4 of us. We have (so far) never been seated with another family. I haven't requested to be seated alone, but it has always been just us. Each cruise I think I should request it but then think maybe it'd be ok to be seated with others. A bit risky for me as I'm shy. Maybe DCL doesn't think we'd "match" with anyone .

 

[NCPAWPAW]

I don't think its anti-social and I also don't think its a me first entitlement. We have tried both and prefer dinning with our own family. It seems the ones that get upset about it are the people who enjoy eating with others and want to be able to tell you what you should enjoy? Not all table mates are great or even have been taught manners, so we always request a table to ourselves. Personally I work with the public all day so I really don't want to have to entertain someone while I'm on vacation.

 

[loribee]

I think it's okay to request family seating. I have done family only and sat with others. Some years the vacation is the only quality non interrupted time we get. Spending quality time with your family is not all about "me".

 

[tvguy]

No problem asking. We are a family of 4 and that is what they gave us. But we made no request. So it is an easy to fill request. Our kids were a little disappointed because they have enjoyed having tablemates on previous cruises.

 

[tinay]

I requested for private seating for my family (6) last time we cruised because my nephew was about 15 months old and would take his time eating and was a very picky eater. Also, we as a family take our time at meals.
On the first day of the cruise, we were sat with another couple with an infant (6 months old). We felt bad because the dishes were coming out slower since we were taking our time and it was obvious that they were finished and wanted to leave right away, so we finished our meal quickly :/ My nephew did not like being rushed through his meal.
So, I went down to GS that night and requested for separate tables, which they did not guarantee, but the next night... they gave us a separate table.

 

[Sytrace]

The Enchanted Garden round tables on the main aisle are very pretty, but not very easy to get in and out of. We have been seated at the same table on 2 of cruises and though I would not go out of my way to ask to NOT be seated there, I always make sure that I sit on the outer side and not stuck in the middle.

We may be sitting near people in a service area and have the same wait staff, but never at a large table with another family. And I have never requested it to be that way. Our very first cruise was the closest we came to having another family at the same table, but they were never at dinner anyway after the first night. The Mom told me that they preferred to dine at Cabanas or have room service because their son was a bit "fidgety"... he was 4 and cute as a button but clearly bored after 1 to 1.5 hours. That was the first and only time we had second seating come to think of it. Now we always book Main.

I don't think you are being anti social at all. Just a Mom who knows her kids.

 

[RebelHawk]

On the very first cruise my wife and I sailed on (non DCL) we shared a table with another group of 6 people. They were nice but other than polite greetings at the beginning of the meals that was about it. They talked amongst themselves and my wife and I did the same. From that point on for all of our DCL and non DCL cruises we have requested our own tables and have always gotten it.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

The Enchanted Garden round tables on the main aisle are very pretty, but not very easy to get in and out of. We have been seated at the same table on 2 of cruises and though I would not go out of my way to ask to NOT be seated there, I always make sure that I sit on the outer side and not stuck in the middle.

We may be sitting near people in a service area and have the same wait staff, but never at a large table with another family. And I have never requested it to be that way. Our very first cruise was the closest we came to having another family at the same table, but they were never at dinner anyway after the first night. The Mom told me that they preferred to dine at Cabanas or have room service because their son was a bit "fidgety"... he was 4 and cute as a button but clearly bored after 1 to 1.5 hours. That was the first and only time we had second seating come to think of it. Now we always book Main.

I don't think you are being anti social at all. Just a Mom who knows her kids.

Agreed re booths at EG.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I always request a table for just my group. I've had far too many poor experiences with horrid table mates. That can really ruin a trip.

I think the worst was this guy (who looking back now was probably some kind of pedophile) who spent the who dinner asking my sister and I very inappropriate questions. We were mid to late teens at the time and he'd ask us if we drank or smoke. Then he wanted to know how many boyfriends we'd had and if we'd had sex or what we'd done with them. It was my sister mom, grandfather and I. My mom tried not to murder the guy. The Maitre'D said he'd try to find us another table but couldn't guarantee.

Luckily we met a really nice couple on an excursion who was traveling with one of their mothers. Unfortunately they had landed some really homophobic table mates so we were able to make a swap and sit with them. We thanked our lucky stars because it would have made for a miserable 14-nights. I still wonder what those freaks we left behind talked about with their new homophobic buddies.

 

[DisneyHelen]

We have had table for three on five cruises.We enjoy our family time and we find dining is shorter for smaller groups. We get to eat and then enjoy the ship.

 

[PenskeSth1]

We always ask for a table by ourselves. I don't feel it is a selfish move, I suffer from severe anxiety and it just works better for us.

 

[TheLanes]

I'd prefer being alone with my family, but didn't mind joining with others once. Met some neat people

 

[Donna3271]

We are a family of 5. I have never been denied a request. I even requested the booth in EG and received it. We fit fine.

OP... I would request to be seated alone. It is your vacation, and you are entitled to sit with whom you choose. I for one, am not interested in making small talk with strangers (I apologize if this offends anyone... just my preference).