Table Mates

[mnwildfan2]

Hi everyone,

It seems that nearly every thread has some mention of good/bad table mates. I'm wondering what are the qualities that people look for in good table mates? Is it interesting conversation, similar interests, similar ages/careers/group size, decent table manners, etc?

Jen

1st Cruise on Celebrity Mercury - Alaska 6/4/2004

[tuggers]

I like interesting people of all ages who have good senses of humor, are talkative, irreverant and yes, have good table manners. It also helps if they like escargot so we can get them several nights and not just the ones they are on the menu!

Until the Zenith! Second X Cruise In Two Months!
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[CruisingChick]

I like people who are fun, but not obnoxious, have a sense of humor but are not rude, people that even though they are booked in the Royal Suite are down to earth and not snobby.

There are all different types of people and what would make perfect tablemates for you would not for me.

So far we've been lucky we've always had good to great tablemates.

I just don't want to sit with rude, inconsiderate people who complain all the time.

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Until Celebrity Zenith - NYC to Bermuda


Big Red Boat II – New York to Canada/New England, August 2000
Regal Empress – New York to Canada/New England, August 2001
Millennium – 10 Night Southern Caribbean, August 2002
Millennium – 13 Night Mediterranean, August 2003
Infinity – 7 Night Eastern Caribbean, April 2004
Zenith - 7 Night NYC to Bermuda, August 2004

[Randyk47]

I'd say yes to all of the above. Might comment that age is the least important quality. Over the years table mates have been everything from young newly weds to very senior retirees. With the exception of one couple, and even they decided that they weren't fitting in for whatever reason(s)and moved tables, I've never had truly bad table mates. My wife and I are still in contact with more than half of our past table mates and hope/are planning to cruise with a number of them next March.

Until Galaxy
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[sandytoesrose]

What makes a good table mate? It's all about the conversation. On of the reasons we love cruising is because we enjoy meeting new people from all over. Our table mates have been various ages, professions and backgrounds - all in all it's been a very diverse group and we always seem to have a fantastic time.

[mpickett2000]

anyone know if we can get a table for 2 if we don't want tablemates

thanks

[tuggers]

Different ships have different amounts of tables for two, but put in for it if that's what you want. They will try to accomodate. Unless it's a honeymoon I really never understand it because to me a cruise is all about the wonderful people you get to meet and make lasting freindships with. The dinner table is THE best place to bond. But to each his own.

Until the Zenith! Second X Cruise In Two Months!
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[usha]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mpickett2000:
anyone know if we can get a table for 2 if we don't want tablemates

thanks<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
mpickett2000, when you book your cruise, ask your TA to request a table for 2. As much as we've enjoyed the tablemates we've had, sometimes it's just more romantic to dine "just the two of you". Celebrity has always given us the type of table we requested, including the tables for 2.

[trcori]

We too prefer to dine by ourselves ... it sounds funny but we like the fact there are opportunities for solitude and togetherness on a ship of 2K people [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] as well as chances to join in with others. At dinnertime, our preference for a table of our own stems from a combination of our shyness and the fact the three of us don't get to dine often as a family outside vacation times, since I work nights.

One word of advice for EVERYONE -- unless you really don't care what sort of table you wind up with, find out where the maitre d' is holding court to doublecheck dining assignments BEFORE the first night's dinner -- because if you don't get a change request in near the start, you're likely out of luck. Last cruise, our TA triple-confirmed for us that she had requested a table for just the three of us ... yet when we went to see the maitre d' shortly after boarding, he had us at a table for 7. Same thing happened the previous cruise; that time, we didn't get to change it, this time, we did.

TR
Millennium 12/12/04
****
Mercury 4/04, Infinity 8/03, Century 3/03 & 9/02

[Danno]

I like a larger table, 6 or 8. I can usually tell if I like my table mates by how they treat the staff. If they treat the staff with respect I know it'll be an enjoyable cruise.

Dan

CenturyX1,GalaxyX2,HorizonX5,VolendamX1,

Zenith to Bermuda Oct/04
Century to E.Caribbean Feb/05

**email mrtnb(at)efni(dot)com

[DUCK33]

i agree with danno (will wonders never cease [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]) i too enjoy a large group at dinner. although i still try and have a quiet dinner with the mrs 1 or 2 nights, i feel depriving ones self of the large group dinners takes away from the cruising experience. good tablemate would be just about everyone from these boards.

[frequenttraveler]

I always ask for a table of 10 + people. My husband and I spend the whole day together and then look forward to talking to the other people. We have only had 1 problem and that was on a Carnival cruise. The people at our table were dating the crew and told us all about the problems the crew were having. We finally found other places to eat. That was rare though. We have met people from all over the world and still keep in touch.

[Rich&Natalia]

We learned on our last cruise that similarities in age and professions have little to do with how much you'll enjoy your tablemates. When we saw our table assignment showing that we would be at a table for two, we went down to the Maitre d' to request a table for 6 or 8 (as per suggestions we read on this message board). He said that his availability of these tables were limited and started going through our options. One of the tables he mentioned was a table for 4 with another couple.

He sort of brushed it off noting "well...the couple is in their 60's so I don't know if it's a good match for you two."

We quickly requested to be seated at the table and have since agreed that this was the best decision we made on the cruise. We ended up spending most of our time on the cruise with the couple and continue to stay in touch.

It's always a crapshoot when you get assigned a table, but I don't think it's less of a gamble to seek out people that do the same things you do. Anyway, my wife would probably kill me if I sat at the table every night discussing job-related things with someone else in the same industry. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

-Rich

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'til I'm back on the Galaxy

[Danno]

My most disappointing table was one where were seated with 6 other Canadians...all nice folks but it's nice to sit with folks who have lives a bit different from our own.

I wanna sit with DUCK!!! I wonder if his feet touch the floor??

Dan

CenturyX1,GalaxyX2,HorizonX5,VolendamX1,

Zenith to Bermuda Oct/04
Century to E.Caribbean Feb/05

**email mrtnb(at)efni(dot)com

[DUCK33]

i wanna sit with danno too.....hes cute [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

[tuggers]

Try to control yourself, boys!

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[Danno]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DUCK33:
i wanna sit with danno too.....hes cute [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Oh oh....maybe I'll sit elsewhere!!

Duck, BTW just made my final payment on Bermuda. NYC here we come!! Provided no one gets hurt at work, and Air Canada isn't bankrupt by then. We'll be there. Can I leave my car at your house if I have to drive [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]? Can you be trusted [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]??

Dan

CenturyX1,GalaxyX2,HorizonX5,VolendamX1,

Zenith to Bermuda Oct/04
Century to E.Caribbean Feb/05

**email mrtnb(at)efni(dot)com

[lkb125]

No rude complainers all others welcome. Lorelle [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[DUCK33]

danno

i wouldnt trust me.....but whats the big deal you got insurance right? [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

[cruzzer]

We have been on two cruises, and each time we were with friends. One table of 8, the other 10. Naturally, we had a wonderful time as we knew each other so well.
On our up coming cruise, we asked if any Cruise Critics would like to join us at our table (8-10). We now have two new friends we haven't even met, but I know we'll have a great time. Is anyone else interested??? We are main seating.
I'll probably do it for second next cruise as well.
One of the things I like is finding out what excursions our tablemates had that day. It's fun to hear everyone's comments and also gives us ideas for future cruises.
We wish you all a happy table!

[tuggers]

What cruise are you on?

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[The Mate]

Hi,
just did the 12 day repositioning on the Horizon, my wife and I requested a table for 2 for dinner, which we got. The many times we had [B]breakfast[/B] and [B]lunch[/B] in the dining room, it was 'open seating' and we were seated at tables for 8, and with a different group each time, giving us a chance to meet and chat with many people, the best of both worlds!!

Keep in mind that many cruises have large numbers of foreign-speaking passengers, on a RCCL cruise from San Juan our group of 3 was seated at a table for 8, and the other 5 were a couple and 3 young ladies, all from Puerto Rico, who spoke very little English, and as we speak zero Spanish, it made for a long 7 days with minimum conversation at dinner.

Don't count the days....make the days count. M&Ms

1989 - Carnivals Mardi Gras
1996 - Carnivals Holiday
1998 - Norwegians Leeward
1998 - Norwegian Sea
2000 - RCL Monarch of the Seas
2002 - Norwegian Sky[repos]
Norwegian Sky[bk to bk]
2003 - Norwegian Sea[repos]
2004 - Horizon [reposition]

[tuggers]

I certainly would have requested a table change Mate.
I'm told one of the few things they admit to trying to match are to seat people together who speak the same language.

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[Ships R Great]

In our nine cruises we have always had good luck with tablemates. Even on the two where I thought, "Oh dear, this isn't going to work"---by the second night all was well. We enjoy getting together each evening and sharing the days activities. Seeing familiar faces throughout the day is nice. We always request a table for 8. Maybe one day we will meet our Waterloo but until then we opt for eating with strangers on the first night. After that, they are no longer strangers.

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[cruzzer]

Tuggers,
Our first cruise is Infinity RT San Diego-Hawaii 12-5-04 15 nights.
The second (so far) is Veendam RT Tampa to S.Carib 11-26-05 14 nights.
I'm not sure of availability on Infinity. Lots of room on Veendam.
Hopefully we'll meet you somewhere in the future.