Pat - what you posted is really bad. Especially with the way the L'Etoille is set up, you could easily set it up so that the "non-group" cruisers have an area that is pretty much separate from the main area - eg the area where we had dinner with Ngaire during PIP and where we had the gift exchange. Granted, that area is nowhere near big enough for 130 people but it would at least be something.

"Forcing" the buffet dinner on you is really bad especially given the poor quality of the buffet lunches. Having the "non-group" people dine in Apicius (proper) might have been acceptable.