Table for 2? Don’t hold out much hope for one.

One of the questions we ask when completing your reservations is which dining time you would prefer and the size of the table you would like us to request, with majority (around 80% ) all requesting a table for 2 – but how likely is it you will be allocated a table for two?

For many people (and I admit to having done this myself) on arrival you go to your cabin and pick up the little card in the cabin which states the restaurant and table number, and then headed on down to the dining room to check the location of the table and more importantly have you got the table for 2 that was  requested. Once you have located your table, your heart then sinks (if you wanted a table for the two of you) as you are on a table for 6-8, so you then join the queue to speak to the Maitre D’ to see if there is anything he can do to help and 8 times out of 10 says no. Which then puts a dampener on the cruise before you have even departed.

When I sailed on the Queen Mary 2 in November we had requested a table for 2 (only booked a month before departure so didn’t hold out much hope) and were allocated a table for 6. Speaking to the Maitre D’ he advised all the tables for 2 had been filled 3 months prior and you should book as early as possible to secure one. He did however, after some huffing and puffing find us a table for two (and I think everyone on his long list) so why did he just not allocate those in the first place?

So this is exactly what my mother has done for the Oriana cruise she is currently on – she booked on the day of launch in 2012 for her Northern Lights cruise and requested a table for 2. so you would think she stood a good chance of getting a table for 2. However this is not the case and within an hour of boarding I had received a text message from her advising she didn’t have one and that there is only 6 tables for 2 people in the whole restaurant so could not be allocated one as they had all been taken. She has decided she does not wish to dine in the main dining room on the table of 6 she was allocated so is now going to the buffet restaurant, apart from formal nights where she has booked of for the Marco Pierre White Restaurant.

With these tables in such high demand why do the cruise lines not offer more tables for 2?  When I sailed on Oceana last October we had the Anytime dining and were advised by some regular P&O cruisers – if you want a table for 2 you have more chance in the anytime restaurant as they have more tables,and to start queuing from 5.30pm or 7.15pm  (when the eager diners at 6pm are starting to come back out)

Your dining table allocation is in the hands of the Maitre D’ and he gets to decide who has the tables for 2 when he sits down to do the seating plan, and there is nothing we as agents can add into your booking to get your preferred table for 2. Obviously when he sits down to do the plan for your cruise apart from your names, ages and cabin numbers they have no idea about any personal circumstances. My advice is to book on the anytime dining and then join the queue with the other couples in the hope of getting one. Or request the table and if you haven’t been allocated one then join the queue to see the Maitre D’ (they are normally available between 2-4 pm in the main dining room) and hope he is able to find a spare table he hasn’t already allocated.

Have you always received your table preference? Do you queue on the day of embarkation to try to see if anything can be done?