Table companions from hell

[snow flake]

We ask for a table for 8 and have always met nice people. On a Christmas cruise in 2008 we had a great table and became friendly with one of the couples and have since been away on a land holiday also on another cruise with them. We also have booked for Christmas New Year this year with them and for a 35 night cruise in January 2012. We do not see them from one holiday to the next but keep in touch by phone and E mail.

[lostinvegas]

We have had a couple of interesting experiences. We normally go for a table of 8.

 

On our 2nd cruise on Carvial we had a table for 8 but were on our own every night until the last night of the cruise. Our companions turned up. They were 6 young people in their early 20's, we were in our late 20's at the time so expect they had thought to put all the young people together. These other 6 did not talk to us. They were a bit rude to the waiting staff and we were feeling a little awkward. But then it just became hilarious, they could not understand why people had wine with food and asked if they could get Ribeana with their lobster, when the lobster came out they said "what's this??? I can't eat this it looks horible" and "why is their not a McDonalds on this ship" we had to leave I was laughing soo much. I don't know who they were on why they were on the cruise but we still have a laugh about it now.

 

We had another incident last year with the suite brigade. 2 ladies who were rude to the waiting staff, very rude to our fellow dinners and intent on telling us how much their suite was and how they had their butler running around after them. Luckily they did not join us for the rest of he cruise as one of our fellow dinners put them in their place.

 

I like dinning on a large table, recently we had a table for 2 and although it was nice we do like socialising with others.

 

Chris

[ChrissieM]

The worst we have had is a bore, who was also a serial complainer. And we had him for a month! We were on a table for 6 and we ended up, along with the 2 charming single ladies who were also on our table, eating elsewhere as often as we could. He wasn't a horrible man, and he wasn't rude to the staff, but nothing was right, he had a complaint every day about the food, and he really had nothing interesting to talk about either. His partner was lovely, but even she got fed up with him at times.

 

Apart from that we have had some wonderful fun, and always go for a bigger table, preferably an 8. On our first cruise there were 10, mostly first-time cruisers, and we had an amazing time.

 

I hope Azura next March provides us with a fun bunch again!

[Rum Rat]

Continual complainer?

 

Just say to them "I suppose this will be your last cruise with P&O then?"

 

We did this to one couple who joined us on our table on our worldie, 'Why?' he asked. "Well nothing is right is it?" He laughed and that put a stop to it and they ended up a great couple and we had plenty of laughs :):)

 

Mike

[ChrissieM]

Continual complainer?

 

Just say to them "I suppose this will be your last cruise with P&O then?"

 

We did this to one couple who joined us on our table on our worldie, 'Why?' he asked. "Well nothing is right is it?" He laughed and that put a stop to it and they ended up a great couple and we had plenty of laughs :):)

 

Mike

 

A good idea - but we didn't need to! He said every day that he wasn't going to cruise with P&O again - but I got the impression that he had been saying that for years! :confused:

[under the bridge]

We have done two cruises on Arcadia which is a great ship and looking forward to our next cruise. We cruise with the inlaws and while we threaten to regularly to chuck the sister inlaw over the side we have had a table for 8 which had our 4 and another 4 of which one lady who was vegetarian she made great play every night at ordering her food and ordering her husbands food, which when it came he was told what he was allowed to eat. She was constantly bragging about there wealth and rude to staff. The other couple where lovely and we got on great but had gone with the other couple on the spur of the moment.

 

Last cruise we had a table for 4 but had a table of two behind us with a bloke who kept tapping the Bro inlaw on the shoulder thru out the meals which was annoying and rude.

[BORDER REIVER]

We we sat at a table for four with a mother and her adult son. He was very nice with impeccable manners, even complimenting my fiancee on her looks, but his mother was a real pain. She had been everywhere, knew everything and had personally met everyone worth meeting. She even tried telling us what we should and shouldn't eat and that we should have wine with our meal, even though neither of us drink wine. She usually got through most of a bottle of wine by herself each mealtime and occasionally arrived in the MDR a little tipsy. We couldn't tolerate that for 18 nights, so took to dining elsewhere occasionally - I think the waiters sympathised, they were especially nice to us.

[RJChatsworth]

We were on a cruise and the table was made up for seven. My wife and I and another couple were there first leaving three seats in a line. A priest from Glasgow then turned up on his own and sat in the middle of the three vacant seats. The last pair to arrive were a couple on their honeymoon and they politely asked the priest to move by one seat so that they could sit together. He refused. We all asked him to move for the sake of the honeymooners but again he refused without any explanation.

 

You can imagine the atmosphere on that table that evening. It seems unbelievable to me that a 'man of the cloth' could behave so selfishly!! What hope is there to expect everyone else to behave thoughtfully?

[timetravellers]

We were on a cruise and the table was made up for seven. My wife and I and another couple were there first leaving three seats in a line. A priest from Glasgow then turned up on his own and sat in the middle of the three vacant seats. The last pair to arrive were a couple on their honeymoon and they politely asked the priest to move by one seat so that they could sit together. He refused. We all asked him to move for the sake of the honeymooners but again he refused without any explanation.

 

You can imagine the atmosphere on that table that evening. It seems unbelievable to me that a 'man of the cloth' could behave so selfishly!! What hope is there to expect everyone else to behave thoughtfully?

 

Yes, that really was selfish. Did you four who were already seated move round one so that the honeymooners could sit together?

[Captain Canuck]

you guys expect a priest to give up a line of sight view on a 10 year old boy..no way

 

ok bad humour but I am at a loss for any other explanation

[RJChatsworth]

Yes, that really was selfish. Did you four who were already seated move round one so that the honeymooners could sit together?

I think we were so aghast at the time no-one seemed to think of it and perhaps no-one wanted to sit by him. He disappeared for the rest of the cruise.

[under the bridge]

You chucked him over the side ? :)

[Merlin7]

Have only ever encountered TCFH at lunch.

 

In particular, a certain member of this site!!!

[Flyer1948]

We have mainly sailed with Princess and only once with P&O so can’t comment on that line. Doing a Worldie on Arcadia Jan 5th and can't wait.

We have had some fantastic table companions and only once some TCFH.

I am a bit of a 'jolly japer' at the best of times and always like to set up a bit of a joke type rapport with the waiting staff. Soon had the waiters on our side and had a great time 'setting up' the TCFH. Made the dining experience a real pleasure ;)

[Foodtaster]

Have to say, up to now, we've not experienced any.

 

Do you find that freedom dining gets a little tedious on the conversation front? The chances are you will sit with different people every evening and have to start the same old conversations again and again. Do you cruise often? Which other ships have you been on? What did you do today? Do you have a balcony? Where are you from? Before you know it pudding arrives and it's time to leave your new found friends behind without really having discussed anything. Club dining, on the other hand, gives you the chance to really get to know everyone over the entire cruise. Just another consideration when choosing Freedom or Club.

 

Incidentally on our first cruises (26 nights b2b) we had a table for two every night. This suited us because it was our first time and we didn't understand any of the etiquette and didn't want to show ourselves up.

 

Pete.

Had a good laugh at this one.

Been on a few cruises and some of the questions are similar. But the best moments are exchanging experiences of the day. Even tips from those who have visited the same ports before must make conversation just a little more edable?

We are all different in our own way and there are those who kid you this is their normal way of life style.

I have always enjoyed our table companions. After all it's usually the only time you see them on the whole cruise?

Enjoy the moment and live longer.

[u2cruiser]

We have mainly sailed with Princess and only once with P&O so can’t comment on that line. Doing a Worldie on Arcadia Jan 5th and can't wait.

We have had some fantastic table companions and only once some TCFH.

I am a bit of a 'jolly japer' at the best of times and always like to set up a bit of a joke type rapport with the waiting staff. Soon had the waiters on our side and had a great time 'setting up' the TCFH. Made the dining experience a real pleasure ;)

 

LOL! The waiters really appreciate the banter don't they? It must make their job so much more enjoyable.

There were a few on our cruise who I'm sure would have been tablemates from hell - moaners! :mad:

[CRUMB]

Some of my family were on freedom and were unlucky with the people they got most nights they decided to eat elsewhere. On the other hand we were second sitting and had a great table - we were the last ones in the dining room every night because we were having such a laugh!