Tablemates-who have you sat with?

[wizard-of-roz]

So, I'm a middle aged, high energy, woman.....DH is a middle aged, low energy, gray haired gentleman....Princess sat us with a football team! An actual football team who were cruising together. Not that I minded. Heck, I had a table full of gorgeous hunks and a "middle aged, low energy, gray haired gentleman!"

The first night it was fun, the next day they were a bit routy and by the third day, of a ten day cruise, I could not decipher the language they were yelling at each other.

We asked to be moved to a more condusive table to our age range and sure enough, we got a great table with 6 other delightful, middle aged folks. It made more sense and we became fast friends.

On another cruise, we were seated with two other couples, one was an older couple who did not like any religion or color other than their own, they made themselves and their feeling knowen. And, that's saying it gently.

What was your worst or best experiences with your table mates?

Is there a better way to let the cruiselines know, in advance, about whom you like to be seated with? Should we have done this with the Matre'd when we first boarded?

[Putterdude]

We have almost always had great tablemates, some have become friends and others we keep in contact with. We did have a couple some years ago that we would not want to sit with ever again and a few months ago we sat with a couple that, well we wouldn't want to sit at a table of four with.

In the normal course of events the cruise lines do a pretty good job of matching people up...however your football team is an obvious mis-puff. Things like people views on religion and politics...thats pretty hard to screen for....but people should have the common sense to bring these topics up.

[Go-Bucks!]

One of the reasons I like Anytime Dining is so that we don't have to sit with the same folks every night. Occasionally we've had a great time with some people so we planned to sit with them again and meeting new people can be fun.

 

We haven't had too many bad experiences. One was an elderly couple who complained nonstop all through dinner, especially about the beautiful weather we had - they thought it wasn't good enough. :rolleyes: Another couple bragged about how rich they were and enjoyed telling the rest of us about their many travels and material possessions. :rolleyes: And finally, an older single woman who said that the dinner table was "hers", but we could sit with her! She ordered special-order food for herself but said we could share some. She also enjoyed telling us about how rich she was and how luxuriously she traveled. :rolleyes: Whatever!

[Astro Flyer]

We have traditional dining...generally late...and have nearly always had great tablemates. A lot of funny Brits & some Canadians along with many Americans but all of them have been very interesting, friendly & fun...except for one couple. The 1st night at our table of 8 (always our choice) they didn't appear to be enjoying themselves & were gone the next evening to be replaced by a really nice couple. I don't know how cruise lines get it right so often but it's worked for us on all of our cruises.

 

But your situation made me laugh...I was a football jock decades ago but even I don't know if I'd want to have your situation. Unless they were either professionals or USC Trojans...that I would probably enjoy. :rolleyes:

 

It appears that someone made a mistake for your table assignment & glad you were able to find a more interesting table for your cruise.

[duck addict]

Being single, I expect to get matched at a table (I use regular dining). I have been matched with Americans, Indians, Canadians, New Zealanders, British and Australians.

 

My favorite cruise was one where I was matched with 4 red hat ladies, and one spouse. Was a blast!;) (We even met one morning for breakfast in our jammies)

[Happy ks]

Our last cruise we had a table for 10 and there were only the 4 of us the first night. The second night a very senior couple joined us...they said they were seated somewhere off in the corner by themselves and were lonely back there. We had a delightful time with them and shared many stories back and forth.

 

We never did find out why our table of 10 was not filled, the cruise was sold out.

 

Our next cruise, we have a group of 17 and to get the same servers we have to have table sizes of 8, 6 and 4...we'll be table hopping all week. We definitely didn't want larger tables, more than 8 and people start getting left out of the conversation, especially at rectangular tables... I've gotten stuck at the end spot in the past, it's kind of like having dinner alone and watching the fun.

[socaljo]

We really enjoyed our tablemates last month on the Golden. We had 4 couples. 3 middle-age & one pair of Aussie honeymooners. They were 26 & were so enjoyable. They said that in deciding which cruiseline to take, they chose Princess because they've been on short cruises from home, and found that the younger crowd on that cruise meant a lot of the wild & crazy behavior. Also they had table mates with no conversational ability at dinner! :rolleyes: That really surprised me! They so enjoyed the cruise with a crowd with more class... or atleast we tried to maintain that at dinner..:p

[cruisingallover]

all I can say in regards to tradtional dining.....you win some you lose some.

 

now we only do anytime dining and most of the time ask for a table for two:)

[monakayk]

So far....so good. We have always done TD except for one cruise and then did ATD. Then with ATD...we had met through our Roll Call a very nice couple that we ate with several times.

 

Always had wonderful tablemates each and every time. In fact...three different couples we have met on cruises and sat with for dinner...we are still good friends with and have met up with one couple once before a cruise for dinner (out of LA which they live near) and the wife of that couple...I did a 'Mother and Daughter' cruise with her, her DD and my DD this past Jan. We all had a great time. I still keep up with these 3 couples through e-mails, facebook and phone calls for over 5 years in all and hope to be able to get together on a cruise with them again.

 

We know we will get one of 'those dreaded couples' we have heard about...on one of our future cruise, but if that happens, I guess we can always ask to be moved.

[stretchcruz]

Twice we have been seated with a "family group"....ie children, who did not speak English!! The first time we walked out and directly to the maitred who squeezed us into a table for 8 making it for 10 the rest of the cruise. The second time we sucked it up as they told us there was nowhere to move us. We were with another couple, and the 4 of us sat at one end of the long table for 10. The family usually showed up an hour late for dinner, screaming kids in tow (late seating), and they still served them.

Most of the other times we have loved our traditional table mates and we are still in contact with many of them!!

As far as Princess matching people us, the maitred has told us that it is simply a computer draw, nothing whatsoever determines it except for the size of the table you request. I believe them, because we have had different tables than that of our traveling companions before, and when we have gone down to change tables, he simply looks at tables and available seats, not to see if there are children or English speakers...

[LARGIN]

My wife and our traveling companions.. :)

[Astro Flyer]

Our next cruise, we have a group of 17 and to get the same servers we have to have table sizes of 8, 6 and 4...we'll be table hopping all week. We definitely didn't want larger tables, more than 8 and people start getting left out of the conversation, especially at rectangular tables... I've gotten stuck at the end spot in the past, it's kind of like having dinner alone and watching the fun.

Not that this would be the case with Princess but we had a few issues to deal with before our group was allowed to table hope on RCCL. Two years ago we had 25 of us onboard for a wedding at 3 round tables & we wanted to move around each night. Unfortunately they weren't all assigned to the same waiters so there was the issue of what tips went to who. They required everyone to do an automatic tip which wasn't a problem because everyone was doing it. But they wouldn't approve it until we confirmed that the automated tips were there.

[judyjudy56]

On our first Hawaii cruise on the Regal we sat with a couple who were negative about everything. They hated how old the ship was, hated the food and on and on. It was nice on the nights they didn't show up for dinner! We usually do anytime dining and have sat with many great people and there have been a few who were on the weird side but luckily we didn't get seated with them again. We love anytime dining just for the opportunity to meet new people.

[Pam in CA]

Our next cruise, we have a group of 17 and to get the same servers we have to have table sizes of 8, 6 and 4...we'll be table hopping all week. We definitely didn't want larger tables, more than 8 and people start getting left out of the conversation, especially at rectangular tables... I've gotten stuck at the end spot in the past, it's kind of like having dinner alone and watching the fun.

Unless you are in the same waitstaff's area, you will not be able to switch who is seated at each table. If the tables are in different sections, you will be respectfully asked to go to your assigned table. It has to do with the not just the tipping but more importantly, the comment cards and post-cruise survey. We were on a 15-day cruise and had two tablemates who choose to eat in the buffet most nights (they were strict vegans and felt they had more food options there); two ladies were at the table next to ours but had different waitstaff and their tablemates didn't show up either. We asked if they'd like to join us since they were alone but they weren't allowed.

[Musky Ike]

On our last cruise we were at a table for six but the other four never showed. Each night the waiters would set the table and we would wait a while but they never showed. Next to us was what appeared to be a large extended family group. Members would come and go during the dinner and switch seats so much that I don't know how the poor staff kept track.

[Psychedout]

We always get ATD. One night we were seated at a table for eight, as we all were getting to know each other several single middle aged women sat down. The topic became what we did for a living, I stated I was a Psychologist, which I am, but the woman who was sitting on my left, my DW was on my right, said out loud "no you're not i can tell" if not for the fact she had too much to drink we all would have laughed at her, most of us just exchanged glances and continued to talk being polite to her, after dinner we never saw her again, just as well:D

[amistad]

Several years ago on RCCL we were seated at a table with a couple and their teenaged children and the husband showed up in a white muscle t-shirt, cut off blue jeans and flip flops, the rest of the family followed the dress code, but the funny part was the conversation each night was about the last time the husband did time in prison. The first night us and another couple just looked at each other thinking we didn't understand, but evidently he spent alot of time doing time so we got to hear the family catch up on what happned in there. I don't care what other people wear to the MDR, but this was before there was a really casual atmosphere that you see now, so we were in shock that the MDR allowed him in each night. It was very interesting to say the least. It didn't ruin our cruise, it was just unusual.

[CroneWynd]

On Princess, we had a table for two, as we had previously ordered dinner (vegans). Worked out well.

On HAL, we tried the whole sitting at a large table thing. After a couple of nights of dealing with people that were a bit - well, snobbish, to be honest - we requested tables for two.

We enjoy breakfast, lunch, and tea time at large tables, but not dinner. Dinner is our time.

[dfields1814]

We always have anytime dining. In all the times we shared tables which almost very meal, I honestly say we have only had three or four table mates that were just too much to swallow. The one time I was really ticked off was from the table next to us. They had some people who must have been hard of hearing because they shouted. They were talking politics and were trashing everyone and everything. They were really negative. Then they started yelling negatives about immigrants mainly Hispanics and Chinese people. At my table I was sitting with a Hispanic woman and a Chinese couple who immigrated to BC. I was really embarassed. Finally I got up to tell those people to shut up or at least keep their opinions to themselves. Then the Chinese man stopped me and said they have a right to their opinions - free speech. I think we could use a few more citizens like that Chinese guy.

[itzmered]

We chose ATD and met some very nice people each evening. It was fun sitting with a different group of people each night. Met some that I were ok but I wouldnt care to sit with again and met a few that we ended up meeting up with several times through out the cruise

[RickEk]

We always choose traditional dining. On our first cruise, we were at a table for 6. Everyone showed up the first night and then we never saw one couple ever again. The best mixed table was on our next cruise. We were at a table for 10 and what a lively bunch of people. Just fantastic. They had to shoo us out of the dining room 'cause we were having so much fun. From then on, we've sailed with family or have taken tables for two. We always make a point though of sitting with others at breakfast and lunch. I especially like the Brits and Aussies... love to talk about football (soccer) with people who actually care. :p

[RickEk]

Whoops... double post... sigh.

[dfields1814]

I agree with Rickek, the Brits and Aussie are the most fun. We were on a Europe cruise with 2000 Brits and only 200 Americans. I never laughed so hard in my life. They were there to party and have a good time. I know when we have Brits and Aussies as table mates we are in for a good discussion with lots of laughs.

[Aubs-Travel]

DH and I are in our late 30's and we always get seated with elderly couples. This is puuuurrrrfect for us, as we are kind of old fashioned, and probably mesh better with older people. I have often thought that other people our age might be disappointed, but it has been great for us!

[wizard-of-roz]

I just love hearing all these stories...some are very funny! I so agree about the Aussie's and Brit's..truly a great bunch. They're such warm and engaging folks.

 

We, too, have been seated with people who were amazingly self-involved and so snooty!

 

One of the reasons I like cruising so much is that like minded folks are in the majority and meeting new people and having interesting conversations is so much fun.

 

On our last cruise, in November, I struck-up a conversation with the gal at the table across from us in the Horizon Court, we were talking about our love of animals when she mentioned how many animals were located in her neighborhood. After much discussion we discovered that she was the next door neighbor to my ex sister-in-law. Talk about small world.

Don't you find yourself meeting someone really interesting and then you ask them when they eat dinner....just to see if you can meet-up with them again, over a great meal & drink.

 

Please keep the stories coming, I love them.