Great Table-mate Experiences

[bumbershoot]

We have only had one questionable set of table mates, and it was on our very first cruise in 2003. Unique issues.

We've been seated "just us" once, on our first concierge DCL cruise.

The rest of the time we've been seated on both Disney and Royal with very nice, cool people. I'm a serious introvert but I also like people IRL as long as I "have to" chat LOL. DS and DH are major extroverts, so it's more fun for them if we're with others.

We've had cool adults and very cool kids, and on both Disney and Royal the kids have been right in line with DS's age. The girl we were seated with on our last cruise was a bit iffy about being friends with a boy, but he dances and is therefore friends with many girls, and he won her over by day 3 LOL. She was hilarious and smart and a joy to talk to, so even before they went off to the kid's club it was fun to have her at the table. (her parents, too)

 

[disneyholic family]

we always have great table mates - we always ask for a private table and have never been disappointed

 

[Evad]

We have done a few cruises with past tablemates! It's been a great experience. We are doing a third cruise with one couple we met!! I now count some of our past TM as some of our best friends!!!

 

[Melissa_T]

Can someone share where you ask to dine alone / with others? I would actually prefer to dine with others, particularly if Disney does a good job of matching us with a family of kids similar ages. My kids would really like that.

Thanks!

 

[wilkeliza]

Can someone share where you ask to dine alone / with others? I would actually prefer to dine with others, particularly if Disney does a good job of matching us with a family of kids similar ages. My kids would really like that.

Thanks!

With others is the default so there is nothing you need to do. Alone is simply a request and you have to call Disney or your Travel Agent to do that.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Can someone share where you ask to dine alone / with others? I would actually prefer to dine with others, particularly if Disney does a good job of matching us with a family of kids similar ages. My kids would really like that.

Thanks!

You need to call DCL to have the request added to your reservation.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

With others is the default so there is nothing you need to do. Alone is simply a request and you have to call Disney or your Travel Agent to do that.

Unless the poster's party is 5 people or more, they may seat them with others. 5 or more it's more likely that they will have their own table, unless they request otherwise.

 

[oufpat]

Our first cruise is next September, Sept 9, out of Barcelona. We decided that meeting new people is part of the cruise experience and we are looking forward to meeting our table mates!

 

[wilkeliza]

Unless the poster's party is 5 people or more, they may seat them with others. 5 or more it's more likely that they will have their own table, unless they request otherwise.

We've had 5 or more and have been told with another party is still default as they will try to put a 5 top with a party of 3 or a 6 with a party of 2 if they need to fill 8 top tables. I originally thought the same thing and thus didn't request our own table on our engagement cruise. When we showed up there were 3 other people. Not the biggest deal but with another party is the default and they will put large parties with a small party to fill bigger tables.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We've had 5 or more and have been told with another party is still default as they will try to put a 5 top with a party of 3 or a 6 with a party of 2 if they need to fill 8 top tables. I originally thought the same thing and thus didn't request our own table on our engagement cruise. When we showed up there were 3 other people. Not the biggest deal but with another party is the default and they will put large parties with a small party to fill bigger tables.

Well, I can only report that the cruise we were 5, we had a table to ourselves. When we were a party of 3, we were seated with a party of 5 (and not a great matching). So it can vary.

 

[Chirple]

We have always had good experiences with our tablemates, even if we did not share the same language. We are still friends with people from our 2007, 2012, and 2014 DCL cruises and have traveled again with some of these people. While we have not exchanged contact information with other tablemates during our other 7 DCL cruises, I enjoyed their company.

Imagine our surprise when we arrived at our table on the Magic for the 10/29 cruise and found ourselves dining alone, something we did not request. I was a little disappointed. My husband and I both work from home (and for the same company) so we are together nearly 24/7. Our conversations were pretty much what we talk about every day.

 

[tlprice]

I travel as a single mom with just my daughter, so meeting kids as our table mates at dinner has been great for my daughter. Our first cruise we were with two other moms travelling alone each with one child about my daughter's age. She really enjoyed hanging out with them at dinner each night even though one of them spoke mostly Spanish they were able to communicate pretty well. Our cruise last week we had the greatest table mates. 4 moms travelling alone each with a 9 year old. One pair only came to dinner the last night so we didn't really get to know them. The others we ended up doing a ton together because we all hit it off. The kids were pretty inseparable and even planned a last night goodbye Mickey's cartoon fest together. They went to the kids club together so the moms could sit back and relax at the end of dinner, rode the Aquaduck together over and over, supported one of the kids in the talent show, hung out at the pool together, etc. I don't know how else my daughter would really meet kids to hang out with on the ship. I applaud Disney for really matching us up so well.

 

[Nutrigirl]

Cruise newbie question: when do you find out if you are eating at a shared table?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Cruise newbie question: when do you find out if you are eating at a shared table?

Well, you can ask at the dining changes desk when you board, or just wait until you arrive in the dining room the first night for dinner.

 

[over50visits]

I've got a feeling that your table mate experience, like a lot of other things in life, will probably be what you expect it to be. We have had a ball with a wide variety of table mate (and I mean a WIDE variety, including some who didn't speak English, or a man traveling with both his wife and his ex), and loved every one of them. One family wa rude to the waiters (treated them like servants), but we were kind to the waiters (as we always are) and it rubbed off on them the second night. The rest of the cruise was great with them.

 

[OKW Lover]

Cruise newbie question: when do you find out if you are eating at a shared table?

Well, you can ask at the dining changes desk when you board, or just wait until you arrive in the dining room the first night for dinner.

Another tact is to go to the MDR for lunch on the day you board the ship and just look around for your table number (which will be on the KTTW card) to see how many places it has.

 

[Deb T.]

Another tact is to go to the MDR for lunch on the day you board the ship and just look around for your table number (which will be on the KTTW card) to see how many places it has.

This is why I LOVE the DIS Boards!!! I learn something new all the time! What a great strategy!!! So clever!! Never thought of doing this before but will definitely add it to my list of things to do upon boarding. Thank you for sharing!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Another tact is to go to the MDR for lunch on the day you board the ship and just look around for your table number (which will be on the KTTW card) to see how many places it has.

This is why I LOVE the DIS Boards!!! I learn something new all the time! What a great strategy!!! So clever!! Never thought of doing this before but will definitely add it to my list of things to do upon boarding. Thank you for sharing!

Certainly this might be an option. But I'm not certain you can actually get into all the dining rooms (except for the one that's serving lunch). And one could be where the dining/Palo/Remy changes are being done. Going in there to check the table size would be pretty much the same as going there to check with the dining changes desk.

 

[OKW Lover]

But I'm not certain you can actually get into all the dining rooms (except for the one that's serving lunch).

No need to get into all the dining rooms. Just the one serving lunch is all you need since you're seated at the same type of table (4-, 6-, or 8-top) in each dining room.

 

[monarchsfan16]

We've only been on one cruise, but we had great tablemates. As a couple of 29 year olds, we were hesitant about the whole seating thing. Disney paired us with 3 other couples our age. We had a great time! We're now facebook friends with 2 of the couples, and this resulted in two mini reunions this past weekend in Disney World, as we all completely unplanned, ended up there for the same weekend (along with half the world). We had just as much fun this weekend as we did on the cruise.