ON Board Snobbery!!

I have just returned from a delightful Caribbean cruise on Britannia, B633 to be precise, where we met some wonderful people, both around the ship and at meal tables..

Then, towards the end of the cruise we witnessed and elderly couple, who sadly live in yesteryear

On being shown to their table near us, in the Meridian freedom dining room, we heard the wife ask the waiter for a smaller (less than 8) table she was being given. As stated by her, the reason for the request was that she did not want "drongo's" to come and share her table.

A drongo is a songbird with glossy black plumage and typically a long forked tail and a crest, found in Africa, southern Asia, and Australia.

or: A stupid or incompetent person:

Assuming that she was not referring to the songbird, who the hell does she think she is??

At dinner, she had let her husband wear a works polo shirt, clearly advertising the fact that he worked for a subsidiary of a national broadcasting company, paid for by the tv license fee.

I kept thinking to myself - I bet she escaped the Titanic by trampling over people to get to the lifeboats.

What made her think that she was not a drongo herself?

If she doesn't like mixing with drongo's, why wasn't she cruising with the likes of Silverseas etc? where she could pay vast sums of money extra to avoid them. Or, why was she dining with the rif raf in the first place.

Has anybody else come across this modern day snobbery

What surprises me that you have clearly had a wonderful cruise but the thing most uppermost in your mind is an elderly couple who may have had the most awful experience on a table for 8 on a previous cruise and would not wish to repeat this dreadful time again. Unfortunately people do use slang these days and I'm sure that it wasn't directed at you or your table companions and, I don't think it would have anything at all to do with snobbery. As for trampling over people on the Titanic, what on earth made you say that. And, as for wearing a company logo on a polo shirt, have you missed the trend of folk wearing Ralph Lauren or Hilfiger logos. Come on, it is a cruise and a whole cross section of go on them, it's not necessary to condemn folk because of a throwaway comment that wasn't even directed at you. Loosen up.

Well said Port Out. Think the old dear was referring to the beautiful songbird myself .. far to messy to have on ones table, can you imagine the feathers getting into your soup.

Bal

................I have just returned from a delightful Caribbean cruise on Britannia, B633

We are on the next Britannia cruise and would be interested in knowing which were the Formal nights?

What surprises me that you have clearly had a wonderful cruise but the thing most uppermost in your mind is an elderly couple who may have had the most awful experience on a table for 8 on a previous cruise and would not wish to repeat this dreadful time again. Unfortunately people do use slang these days and I'm sure that it wasn't directed at you or your table companions and, I don't think it would have anything at all to do with snobbery. As for trampling over people on the Titanic, what on earth made you say that. And, as for wearing a company logo on a polo shirt, have you missed the trend of folk wearing Ralph Lauren or Hilfiger logos. Come on, it is a cruise and a whole cross section of go on them, it's not necessary to condemn folk because of a throwaway comment that wasn't even directed at you. Loosen up.

Sorry, it was pure snobbery - she needs diversity training

This had me confused for quite a while but I have now worked most of it out. I have concluded Drongo's must have to travel together in groups of five of more, never fewer. This explains that a table for six would necessarily exclude such a group from sharing. The lady does not regard herself as a Drongo as she is travelling with just one other person. Not all people travelling together in a group of five or more are Drongo's, there must be additional requirements to qualify.

I cannot however understand how she actually authorises her husband to don workwear in the MDR and enforces this and presumably by doing so makes sure he does not wear designer label wear for reasons which I do not understand.

No doubt someone with extensive knowledge in these areas will enlighten us and post accordingly.

Regards John

Sorry, it was pure snobbery - she needs diversity training

Like it :D

On an Aurora cruise to north cape we were watching the scenery and the subject of Orcas came up. I explained the wonderful experience I had on a previous cruise where a pod of Orcas were feeding on a bait ball not 100 yards from the ship. 'What ship was that' he asked. Thomson Spirit says I. He glared at me and turned smartly on his heel and walked away without uttering another word. I call that snobbery. Not that it matters as we will all be equally dead one day!.

Sorry, it was pure snobbery - she needs diversity training

Anyone advocating someone for diversity training is rather too pc for my taste, and would therefore be on my table exclusion list.;)

This had me confused for quite a while but I have now worked most of it out. I have concluded Drongo's must have to travel together in groups of five of more, never fewer. This explains that a table for six would necessarily exclude such a group from sharing. The lady does not regard herself as a Drongo as she is travelling with just one other person. Not all people travelling together in a group of five or more are Drongo's, there must be additional requirements to qualify.

 

 

Regards John

Like it John and just to confuse or enlighten, (not sure which) ;)

Was she expecting any Meerkat's to dinner ? No I don't mean for her to eat them .

Maybe she has dined with them and had her food stolen by the Drongo's.

I once watched a wildlife program on Drongo's and they mimic the Meerkat's

distress/alarm call so they can steal their food, they are at it all the time .

So if the said lady had been subject to the above and feeling hungry , then I can see why she would not want a set of Drongo's sat at her table .

Hope this helps (which I doubt) and I for one will be looking out for these creatures on our next cruise.:D

Does any one know if they are more likely to be found near the Buffett ;)??

Although I think the lady's comments were wrong, I have sat at a table where the eating habits of two of the people were enough to put me off my food. Waving a fork around with food attached to it and then shoving it in, before the first lot had gone down. Pointing at her partner with her knife and then whilst the knife still in the hand, proceeded to brush at her hair with the same hand.

So if that's what the lady meant, then I would love to say it, but wouldn't!!

Although I think the lady's comments were wrong, I have sat at a table where the eating habits of two of the people were enough to put me off my food. Waving a fork around with food attached to it and then shoving it in, before the first lot had gone down. Pointing at her partner with her knife and then whilst the knife still in the hand, proceeded to brush at her hair with the same hand.

 

So if that's what the lady meant, then I would love to say it, but wouldn't!!

Ooo yuck!

We have dined with some whose eating habits were sometimes unsavoury but we're good company. Others have be rather brash but had great command of their fighting irons.

...watching food go round in the style of a washing machine. Gross.

yep you said it. Gross. I always dread that my Table for 8 will include some like that, but funnily enough, never have. It's usually at lunchtime in the buffet that I see those things.

I would just have ignored the remark and just enjoyed our dinner. It's the problem of the snob and dining staff, not mine.

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We occasionally ask for a table for 2 when we don't really feel like having a conversation, other times we don't state a preference just let the waiter guide us and in all those times only once sat with people who made the dinner a little tiring.

It wasn't the eating habits it was the conversation, from strong political views which took the conversation to nearing on confrontation, after politics we moved to religion again confrontational.

We just politely agreed and nodded when appeared to be appropriate and survived, it wasn't too bad just not enjoyable but only one night of the cruise. Funnily enough we met other people who dined with the same couple and they said the same thing, we have see the couple a few times on other cruises - it's just who they are and we accept that.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

It wouldn't have bothered me. Mostly for the fact that I don't know who she is, and in a floating city, you're inevitably going to find people with varying opinions/pasts/desires - you'll find that's what diversity is.

Just as she should, in your mind, be accommodating of every drongo (and boy are they out there), you should perhaps be accommodating of every snob (and boy are they out there).

So. Diversity goes both ways.

Happy cruising!

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Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

It wouldn't have bothered me. Mostly for the fact that I don't know who she is, and in a floating city, you're inevitably going to find people with varying opinions/pasts/desires - you'll find that's what diversity is.

 

Just as she should, in your mind, be accommodating of every drongo (and boy are they out there), you should perhaps be accommodating of every snob (and boy are they out there).

 

So. Diversity goes both ways.

 

Happy cruising!

 

 

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Hear hear.

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But... I could be acting like a Drongo on a cruise ship because sometimes I do say things that may not be appropriate.

Hi Dave, it is not our job to fix other people's attitudes. We are all different.

The only think I will not stand for is the discussion of politics or religions.

I recently was on a cruise ship and a man from London wanted to ask us Americans about our political American views.

RIGHT AWAY.... I said, "I prefer to not discuss politics over dinner". I will change over to another dinner table if you all want to discuss American Politics." The conversation was changed right away.

Pearls of wisdom from my old dad: He told me a long time ago that not to worry what people think of me because they don't financially support me.

"WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF ME IS NONE OF MY BUSINESS"!! That is so true.

Sometimes there have been people who have tried to SLAM ME verbally here on Cruise Critic.... but I handle it by not responding in a negative manner. I know I am not perfect and sometimes I do say things that people don't like but NOBODY CAN CHANGE ME except me because it is my life.

I recently was on a shuttle to get to the cruise ship. It was a shared van. I met a German lady who bragged about living in Germany. She did all the talking about her life in Germany and how proud she was. When we arrived at the cruise port in L.A.,California, the Old lady said to me. "I don't want you to look for me on the ship because I don't want you to spend time with me". She thought she was better than me. LOL. I just said to her, "don't worry... I don't want to spend time with you either.". I was laughing that I just had met a racist old lady. None of my business to change her attitude. I never saw her again. LucyR.

Never had the problem, but I've heard of others who have.

I find sarcasm is the best reaction to idiots and people who think they are so much better than me. You can slag them off all you like, but leave enough ambiguity for them not to tell for sure. But you have to be good at it to pull it off [emoji3]

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Never had the problem, but I've heard of others who have.

 

I find sarcasm is the best reaction to idiots and people who think they are so much better than me. You can slag them off all you like, but leave enough ambiguity for them not to tell for sure. But you have to be good at it to pull it off [emoji3]

 

 

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Passive aggression is indeed a fine art [emoji16]

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I say good on her, she'd probably had more than her share of drongos in her day, and just didn't want more of them (maybe just that day, maybe ever). Lots here on CC say they asked to change tables because they did not like their table mates.

I say good on her, she'd probably had more than her share of drongos in her day, and just didn't want more of them (maybe just that day, maybe ever). Lots here on CC say they asked to change tables because they did not like their table mates.

I don't. This lady clearly wanted to be seen to make her point, by getting to the table and asking to be moved in front of everyone else. Otherwise, why not just ask for a table for two or the size she wanted...as she arrived at the dining room?

Silly old woman must have sounded, and looked ridiculous.

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I don't. This lady clearly wanted to be seen to make her point, by getting to the table and asking to be moved in front of everyone else. Otherwise, why not just ask for a table for two or the size she wanted...as she arrived at the dining room?

 

Silly old woman must have sounded, and looked ridiculous.

 

 

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I didn't interpret the OP in that way. I got the impression that the lady was shown to an empty table and requested a smaller one and the OP overheard her explain that she didn't want "drongos joining her", in which case she wasn't being rude to anyone, but simply wanted to avoid potentially sitting with people with whom she didn't get on.

I may have misinterpreted the post?

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Overhearing a comment like that would have really appealed to my sense of humour, as long as it wasn't directed at me.

Personally, I find people who take the moral high ground and spend their lives wallowing in political correctness far more irksome than those who may be a little blunt.

On our first few cruises, when Club dining was the only option, we had some fabulous table companions. As the years went on and cruises became more affordable and mass market, we found that we were sharing with people with whom we had less in common and after a few cruises where it was a real struggle to have conversations and we found dinner a chore rather than a pleasure, we changed to freedom dining and ask for a table on our own.

Clearly the lady in question should have asked for a table for two, but rest assured that it can't be snobbery. Anyone who goes to dinner in a polo shirt has no class :D

Overhearing a comment like that would have really appealed to my sense of humour, as long as it wasn't directed at me.

 

 

 

Personally, I find people who take the moral high ground and spend their lives wallowing in political correctness far more irksome than those who may be a little blunt.

 

 

 

On our first few cruises, when Club dining was the only option, we had some fabulous table companions. As the years went on and cruises became more affordable and mass market, we found that we were sharing with people with whom we had less in common and after a few cruises where it was a real struggle to have conversations and we found dinner a chore rather than a pleasure, we changed to freedom dining and ask for a table on our own.

 

 

 

Clearly the lady in question should have asked for a table for two, but rest assured that it can't be snobbery. Anyone who goes to dinner in a polo shirt has no class :D

Totally agree. I think I would even have found it hilarious if it had been directed at me! [emoji23]

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I do think that no-one should judge someone without actually knowing them.

If we had reported on every daft, silly, arrogant, common or snobbish remark we have heard or experienced over 15 years of cruising we would have a book!

People need to enjoy their holidays and don't let such inconsequential stuff bother them unduly. You could have an accident tomorrow, have a terminal illness, etc, etc in which case I don't think these things would be very important. :rolleyes:

Happy cruising. :)