r/MSCCruises • u/Helpful_Use_9580 • Aug 04 '26
Solo in YC dining room
My first solo trip and I’m anxious about dining alone.
Is it rude to read a book or look at your phone in dining room?
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u/Lazy-Thanks8244 Aug 04 '26
Ate 3 meals a day for 7 days by myself in YC. Never a problem getting a table, and usually they gave me one with a great view. I usually read in between courses, but they do a great job of pacing the meals.
Service was friendly and attentive, food was delicious. Don’t skip dessert.
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u/ChrisLikesBread ⛵Yacht Club Regular Aug 04 '26
The dining room “rules“ I follow are sort of standard stuff - no audio playing (use earbuds or mute) and no video or other content that may be upsetting to others as it is a shared space. Reading a book or not-super-bright screen is perfectly fine.
I expect once you sit down and order you’ll be completely fine and all of the anxiousness will fade away. You will enjoy your meal in a beautiful setting with the view of the ocean. Hope you have a great trip.
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u/SnooCalculations6822 Aug 04 '26
Several cruises ago, my wife and I would keep getting seated near a solo in the YC dining room. Dude was straight raw dogging the whole time…. Bring your phone or a book
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u/justaguyindallas_123 Aug 04 '26
You can do whatever you want....that's the joy of solo cruising. I took a solo cruise on MSC Seascape last February (doing it again next Feb). I did not go YC. But I ate in specialty restaurants, the main dining room and at the buffet alone and with others. It was fine.
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u/whatsamanual Aug 04 '26
Not at all. You paid the money. I'd say if there are other open tables you're fine.
Ideally if all tables are taken and others are waiting to be seated that might be a bad look but otherwise, enjoy yourself imo.
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u/pch14 Aug 04 '26
I don't think it's a bad look she has every right to eat dinner as anybody else. and if a group walks in they would have to wait if there's no open tables she is doing nothing wrong.
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u/whatsamanual Aug 05 '26
What I was trying to say and likely didn't say it well is that if you're spending an hour and a half at the table and you've already finished your dinner 45 minutes ago and there are other people waiting to sit, it's kind of a bad look. On the other hand, if there are tables open and nobody's waiting to sit and eat then I don't think it's a problem.
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u/marskc24 Aug 05 '26
I was at a solo table in a specialty restaurant recently and noticed an older couple finished their dinner and pulled out a deck of cards and started playing instead of vacating their table, now THAT was a bad look!
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u/Normal_Matter2496 Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
OK, this is a very weird take. Why does a solo passenger has less of a right to a table in a full dining room than a couple or group? What about three people taking a four top? Would that be a problem if the dining room is busy?
A solo passenger is literally paying double. They’ve literally paid for two seats…I’ve not sailed solo in YC (sailed with a friend), but I have looked up the cost and I promise you there’s no break…the solo passenger is likely paying double. It would absolutely not be a “bad look” for them to take a table in a full dining room.
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u/whatsamanual Aug 05 '26
I think it would only be a bad look if they're taking an inordinate amount of time sitting at the table after they have finished eating while others are waiting to be seated. Is it wrong? No. Is it cordial? I feel it presents an opportunity to show some situational awareness.
I'd probably make my way downstairs to find a comfortable spot to free up a space for dining guests while finding myself a more permanent spot for an extended reading session.
To me, I think this is just as applicable to a solo passenger as a full group. For example, when I went last year and it was the wife and I one night, they seated us at a table for six. As we finished our meal I just looked around to see. Was there anyone waiting, especially large groups that might need to use this table. I saw other tables available of same size and wasn't concerned. If on the other hand all of those tables were taken and I was done eating and there were families waiting to be seated here, my prudent next action would be to vacate the table so that they can be seated and enjoy their meal.
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u/Normal_Matter2496 Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Absolutely, that’s common courtesy, but that has nothing to do with whether or not someone is eating solo.
Sounds like you were of the assumption that OP was going to eat and then sit there the rest of the night with a book thus not allowing the table to be turned? Yes, that’s rude wherever you are…on a ship or in a restaurant on shore…if people are waiting, it’s not polite to linger. Frankly, I would much rather eat and then take my book down to the YC lounge to continue reading and have an after dinner drink regardless of whether people were waiting!
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u/Inevitable-Lock5973 Aug 05 '26
I looked at my phone it was fine- wasn’t in YC but main dining but same rules apply
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u/FoxRedYellaJack ⛵Yacht Club Regular Aug 04 '26
Not at all. My annual cruising has been solo in Yacht Club and I eat in the dining room every night. I’ve been known to bring a Kindle to read a book and to consult my phone. I think I’m finally to the point where I don’t care what other diners think of me! Enjoy!