Has anyone been "kicked out" of their dining table?

[TheHappyWanderer]

:( :( :(

 

Has this happened to anyone else? We were first-timers on the Mariner on the July 17 sailing. We have cruised multiple times on multiple lines, but first time with RCCL. We were seated druing the late seating at a table for 8. There were three other couples, 20's and 30's, at the table. DH and I love sitting at large tables, enjoying sharing our days with new companions. We haven't always wanted to be best friends with our table mates, but understand that having pleasant dinner conversation is a most pleasant part of cruising. We are both well-bred, polite, not overly opinioated and certainly know how to conduct ourselves in public.

 

So we were suprised on the seond night at the talbe to find NO ONE at the table, and we were 10 minutes late, not our usual pattern by any means. When we tried to sit down our waiter hurried over and hung his head and stage whispered that we could not sit down, and that a head waiter needed to speak to us. So here we are, standing around in the middle of the dining room, on display for all to see, not allowed to sit down, waiting for the waiter. She arrived and told us that we had been removed from that table at the others' request, and she didn't have it worked out yet just where we wold be assigned. We were COMPLETELY humiliated by this time....everyone staring at us. Big tears were running down my cheeks by this time, and I just wanted the floor to open up and swallow us. After a great deal of time we were shown to another large table on a different floor of the dining room, and those folks there were happy for new table mates, I must say.

 

But no one would offer us any explanation as to why someone, or HOW, could have sother diners kicked out of thaier table. We had just as much right to be there as anyone, and NO ONE should be publically humiliated!!!! The head of beverage and dining was too busy to speak to us after we registered our complaint. The head of hotel services was too busy too. They both sent their assistants to tell us that they were too busy. When the head maitre'd had been on the phone with us he begged us to tell him what could be done to lessen the sting of the incident. By that time, all I wanted to do was not EVER to step back into the dining room again, and I told him so. I asked that we be allowed to eat at Portofino and Chops, if we could get reservations, with the surcharge being taken care of by beverage and dining. We asked the same for Johnny Rockets. It certainly did not seem too much to ask to make up for their obvious error, and the fact that the head waiter had told different stories to us and to two of her superiors when questioned as to why in the world she would have allowed something like this to happen. She basically lied, and no one knows what the true story was. The asst. head of hotel told us later that she felt that Karoake Queen Tatum and her posse had paid off the head waiter somehow....I guess money talks here.

 

But the head of food and beverage said that it would not be possible in any way shape or form to waive the charges at the alternate dining venues. So the whole thing was swept under the dirty little table. The head of guest relations told us that she was so embarrassed at the whole thing, and that she was not allowed the "tools" to try to fix it. She gave us a RCCL document folio and the ever-present key chain, but knew she had done a miserable job.

 

Since we never did achieve resolution or any kind of explanation, we cancelled the trip we had re-booked with the loyalty ambassador.

[justaknucklehead]

I have never heard of such a thing, but you can bet I would have asked my "old" tablemates what the problem was. Unbelievable that people can be so rude.

[dougp26364]

Similar but not nearly as embarassing. On our November cruise, we were seated at a table for 8 with a group of 2 other couples traveling together. We were a party of 4 so the table was essentially two groups of 4.

 

The next day we receive a note in our cabin to call the dining room. We were then told that they wanted to reassign us to another table. One closer to the window. They did not tell us why and I just figured that maybe our table mates did not enjoy the company of a family at their table.

 

We were seated with another couple not to far from our original table. I could see that a family of 8 was now sitting at our old table and surmized that they had complained that they had been split up and wanted a table together. Maybe, maybe not, I'll never know for sure.

 

The couple we we seated with had a story of their own. Although I don't recall what it was, they were worried that they'd spend the entire cruise at a table for 6 all by themselves.

 

Although this experience was in no way as traumatic as yours, it still left me with an odd, uncomfortable feeling.

[Erie Dave]

Wow, that stinks. Sounds like something is missing though. Is there a possibility that you were placed at the wrong table? Or maybe that someone in the other tablemates hooked up with people they wanted to join them. As bad as the english has always been with the dining staff, it is possible and probable, that they just didn't explain things very well.

 

Did you notice your original table being filled? I think you probably weren't ditched as much as they just hooked up with someone they would rather sit with. If your seats were never filled, I guess they just didn't want you around. Oh well, might have just been their loss.

[Fury1995]

I feel for you. If ever you sail on a cruise with, we'll link reservations so you can definitely sit with us. We always love veteran cruisers at our table. Sounds like you have alot of great cruise stories to tell.

[kybill]

Sure sounds like this was handled wrong right from the start. You're sure a good sport about it. The good thing is there are plenty of other cruise lines.

Bill

[WeLuvVacation]

Whew, I have never heard of anything so rude.

 

I do not know that I would have handled it so gracefully.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Please remember that we are only hearing one side of the story ;)

 

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[Folgy]

Please remember that we are only hearing one side of the story ;)

 

###

 

 

I agree. I can't help but feel there is more to this.

[keeper236]

Wow that is a rather disturbing story. I think you should almost be glad that you did not have to suffer through dinner each evening with people of such low class. I do hope you wrote a letter to RC upon your return home, really a key chain is a lousy compensation!

[Fury1995]

Boy, less than 10 posts and already 2 that believe the OP is hiding some awful part of the story that sheds light. Who didn't expect that. :confused:

[wrp96]

You need to write a letter to RCI detailing exactly what happened. Be as specific as possible, including listing the names of the people you dealt with, good or bad, and what was said. Try to be as polite and level headed as possible, but explain how you felt and that you don't feel it was treated properly. Give them some reasonable way that they could make this up to you.

[Coralc]

That is very rude. I would guess that other friends wanted to join them, not that they wanted you to leave. I have never heard of such a thing.

 

When we were on a Mexican Riviera cruise, we had a round table for 8. Two women came the first night and snorted, "we're not sitting way back here!" We never saw them again. Another couple left the cruise in Cabo. The third couple were newly married and only came the first night. We pretty much ate with just the 2 of us at this large table. When we sat down at the second formal night, DH announced that he wasn't feeling well, and he was going back to the room. So I sat at this large round table...all by myself, I ate 2 lobster tails, finished dinner, and then scurried off, because I felt like everyone was staring at me.

 

You had a really bad experience. I would probably be hurt and angry, but they are also strangers you will never see again. I guess it could happen on any cruise line.

[sandbag7]

Were you significantly older than the other people at your table? This would not of course justify what happened, but on one occasion, when I was cruising with my 13 year old son, we entered the dining room and I realized we were assigned to a table of octogenerians. Because this would have been cruel and unusual punishment, both for my son and our prospective table mates, I immediately asked the maitre'd for a two top and got it.

[sailinglisa]

There could be a very innocent explanation as to why you were moved.....but I agree the move was not handled in the best way.

 

For example, I was part of a group of 10 friends that were sailing together. We had our reservations linked and yet two of us (me and my roommate) were put at another table in another part of the dining room and a couple was in "our" spot at the table with our friends. We did ask to be changed and we were put at "our" table with our friends, but I have always wondered if the couple that was there and moved without their knowing why - how did they feel about it? But, our group was supposed to be together in the first place.

 

So, I can see two possible sides to this story. But I do think you were better off at your new table. And your request to eat every night without charge in the speciality restaurants might have been just a bit much to ask for - maybe one night free on the cruise line for your embarassment would have been granted.

[TheHappyWanderer]

I simply and accurately stated what happened. We were not assigned to the wrong table, it was on my sea pass card. The seats we vacated were never filled, although "one" of the stories the head waiter told the maitre'd was that they had all hooked up with another couple of similar age and wanted them instead of us. I would have understood that happening....would never have been so rude or disrespectful of tradition to make such a request myself, but I would have understood it. All the head waiter had to do was call or send a note to our cabin BEFORE the public humiliation happened, and we wold have happily arrived at the other table arranged for us, no one the wiser (or humiliated). But she did not. And then she told lies to her superiors, and it is all documented. We wrote a long letter to RCCL, and will wait to hear how they want to handle things. An apology from the head waiter would have gone a long way towards our feeling better about the whole fiasco.

 

I am constantly suprised on "this" board that people just automatically jump in feet first, assuming the worst of a poster. I have seen such behavior, and now know the sting of the behavior, and see the necessity of some of the posts pleading that folks just act in a civil manner, even behind the annonyminity of the computer interface.

 

We did watch the wide swath these other folks carved through the cruise, chuckling when we overheard snippets of gossip about these high visibility people. I couldn't change their behavior, but I expected better from the cruise line.

[rubrrick]

On large ships these days, it is almost impossible for the Maitre'd to get everything right the first time around. I also wonder if the OP has told the "whole story?"

We have been seated on the first night on several occasions, and after dinner either we have asked to be moved or feel like we wanted to be moved. It has never been a problem to us. No one should feel uncomfortable in either being at a table alone, or by being asked by the Maitre'd to relocate to a different table.

 

Rick

[Brad1185]

I really feel for you and your family. Very tragic. Unfortunately, I am not surprised. RCI really treats their passengers badly. This is a shocking story that should not have happended. I just keep wondering why does RCI consistently keep doing this to the people who keep them in business. This is just one example. RCI takes us for granted and thinks they can treat us as badly as they want and we will keep coming back. Thanks for sharing your story. People here need to keep hearing whats really happening. I cannot wait to tell others of what happened. If we can get others from cruising with RCI maybe something like this wont happen again.

[TheHappyWanderer]

I do understand the ebb and flow of passengers and dining tables.....I am a well-travelled cruiser. It would have been understandable if the six of them had requested to be moved to another table, and it would have been understandable if WE had requested to be moved to another table.....but that is not what happened, if some of you "wonderers" read either of the posts clearly. The others at the table requested that WE be removed......it was rude and unthinking and I cannot change that. What my complaint was that RCCL handled it so unbelievalbe badly that the head of guest relations was ashamed that she could not determine what went wrong, nor any tools to try to smooth over the problem. Table changes can and will happen, for many reasons.....but they do NOT need to happen in public, catering to rude passengers, and holding innocent people up to public humiliation. And believe me is was public.....we bumped into folks for several days who witnessed it and always asked why the table was empty that one night, why didn't you guys sit down, what do you mean they told you you couldn't sit at the assigned table? It was just too embarrassing for words and colored the whole picture of the cruise.

[TahoeBob]

I really feel for you and your family. Very tragic. Unfortunately, I am not surprised. RCI really treats their passengers badly. This is a shocking story that should not have happended. I just keep wondering why does RCI consistently keep doing this to the people who keep them in business. This is just one example. RCI takes us for granted and thinks they can treat us as badly as they want and we will keep coming back. Thanks for sharing your story. People here need to keep hearing whats really happening. I cannot wait to tell others of what happened. If we can get others from cruising with RCI maybe something like this wont happen again.

 

Brad I think you really missed the point, do you really think that RCI treats everyone bad. I am wondering just how bad you have been treated by RCI you did not give one example on how you were treated. it is easy to say you were treated bad, but it gets much harder to say you were treated bad when you have to make up examples of how you were treated. What ship, what dates, who treated you bad. untill you state facts your words are just trash.

[beachguy]

(beachchick)

 

What an upsetting event. I too would have been humiliated and can understand you wanting the floor to just open up and swallow you. How awful!

 

It sounds like the other "people" at your table caused quite a stir (and perhaps disturbance?) throughout the ship. In that case, just as well you weren't subjected to them all week.

 

The entire situation was handled badly. At the very least, you should have been contacted before dinner and told that you had been reassigned (with no need to embarrass you by saying that the other pax wanted you "removed" from the table). It sounds like your new table mates were far more congenial and polite than the first bunch.

 

And for those who simply must insist that naturally the OP is holding something back or outright lying, please remember a couple of things. First of all, we have no reason to doubt this story. And who on earth would make up something this complex and demeaning? We've all seen the groups of "kings and queens" of rudedom or snobdom or outright idiotdom--why wouldn't there have been a group like that on this cruise. They may very well have threatened to create a public scene if they didn't get their way--you know we've seen that before too. Second, what other side of the story are you looking for? The one where the other pax come here and tell us something horrid about the OP? Give it a rest.

 

Again, I'm sorry that you were treated so badly, from start to finish, during this incident.

 

And as a last note, we were "removed" from our table for 2 once (obviously not because table mates were involved), but because some so-called "high class" suite guests demanded our table and said they would make a fuss if they didn't get it. At least in this case, we were sent a note in our cabin with the new assignment. Frankly, I was ticked. We had requested the table for 2 and were very happy with it. Until they have different dining rooms for different cabin categories, I think we had every right to be where we were and not be "kicked out" on a whim by someone who paid more and promised to make a scene. (This was not on RCI, BTW.)

 

beachchick

[Mike2131]

:( :( :(

 

Has this happened to anyone else? We were first-timers on the Mariner on the July 17 sailing. We have cruised multiple times on multiple lines, but first time with RCCL. We were seated druing the late seating at a table for 8. There were three other couples, 20's and 30's, at the table. DH and I love sitting at large tables, enjoying sharing our days with new companions. We haven't always wanted to be best friends with our table mates, but understand that having pleasant dinner conversation is a most pleasant part of cruising. We are both well-bred, polite, not overly opinioated and certainly know how to conduct ourselves in public.

 

So we were suprised on the seond night at the talbe to find NO ONE at the table, and we were 10 minutes late, not our usual pattern by any means. When we tried to sit down our waiter hurried over and hung his head and stage whispered that we could not sit down, and that a head waiter needed to speak to us. So here we are, standing around in the middle of the dining room, on display for all to see, not allowed to sit down, waiting for the waiter. She arrived and told us that we had been removed from that table at the others' request, and she didn't have it worked out yet just where we wold be assigned. We were COMPLETELY humiliated by this time....everyone staring at us. Big tears were running down my cheeks by this time, and I just wanted the floor to open up and swallow us. After a great deal of time we were shown to another large table on a different floor of the dining room, and those folks there were happy for new table mates, I must say.

 

But no one would offer us any explanation as to why someone, or HOW, could have sother diners kicked out of thaier table. We had just as much right to be there as anyone, and NO ONE should be publically humiliated!!!! The head of beverage and dining was too busy to speak to us after we registered our complaint. The head of hotel services was too busy too. They both sent their assistants to tell us that they were too busy. When the head maitre'd had been on the phone with us he begged us to tell him what could be done to lessen the sting of the incident. By that time, all I wanted to do was not EVER to step back into the dining room again, and I told him so. I asked that we be allowed to eat at Portofino and Chops, if we could get reservations, with the surcharge being taken care of by beverage and dining. We asked the same for Johnny Rockets. It certainly did not seem too much to ask to make up for their obvious error, and the fact that the head waiter had told different stories to us and to two of her superiors when questioned as to why in the world she would have allowed something like this to happen. She basically lied, and no one knows what the true story was. The asst. head of hotel told us later that she felt that Karoake Queen Tatum and her posse had paid off the head waiter somehow....I guess money talks here.

 

But the head of food and beverage said that it would not be possible in any way shape or form to waive the charges at the alternate dining venues. So the whole thing was swept under the dirty little table. The head of guest relations told us that she was so embarrassed at the whole thing, and that she was not allowed the "tools" to try to fix it. She gave us a RCCL document folio and the ever-present key chain, but knew she had done a miserable job.

 

Since we never did achieve resolution or any kind of explanation, we cancelled the trip we had re-booked with the loyalty ambassador.

 

I feel for you. The dinning room and guest services personnel totally mishandled an embarassing situation. I think if that is an example of the response one could expect from RCI, I would have canceled the next cruise as well.

 

The closest we have come to that was on the Summit in 2003. We found ourselves at a table for 8 with only one other couple. We opted for an alternate dining option the next night and, when we returned the following night, we were alone at the table. It was fine with us because we had nothing in common with them and there very little conversation. We were in the dining room only 4 nights out of 7 anyway, so it was not a big deal for us.

 

We are taking our first RCI cruise in November, so it will be interesting to judge the experience against what we have had on Princess and Celebrity.

[MortgageChick]

Horrible! I would have been humiliated and embarassed, but within about 10 seconds I would have been furious, and I would have given the same back to the rude ********. If the other people at the table want other companions then they can damn well move. We felt bad moving from a table fro 2 at late seating to an early seating table on the Westerdam. We were concerned that the wait staff would be offended.!!

 

My upcoming cruise on Summit is the first time in a long while we have asked for a table more than for 2, as I am travelling with my 21 year old daughter and she

may get bored with "Mom" over the 14 days we will be on board

 

As for being asked to give up your table for 2- no way!! Why would you do that. Did they compensate you. I say this because DH and I always ask for a table for 2 and there is no way I would move from it without serious compensation, I don't care if the President himself is on board.

 

As for people who cut a large swath through the ship and think they are pretty special, we ended up with 2 at our table last year after we moved to early seating (no tables for 2 left) They are usually, rude, disrespectful, ignorant and uncultured!! sucks to be them!!

 

Next up Cruise # 14 Sept 16 2005-14 nights on Summit.

[beachguy]

MortgageChick: Nope. Nothing except an apology from the Matre d' (dang, I can never remember how to spell that!) and head waiter. Actually, we decided that an apology was enough. No need to be as rude as the other pax.

 

We ended up at an okay table for 8, but we don't eat in the dining room every night anyway. Not a big enough deal to fret over. Of course we know that no one can promise a table for 2 (or any other exact configuration for that matter). We can put in our requests and hope that they are accepted, but there are lots of pax who what tables for 2 and not that many of the tables, so there will always be disappointment. But yes, I was truly ticked because we had gotten our requested table. Unfortunately, table changes are at the discretion of the Matre' d (there's that word again. lol). We really didn't expect any compensation, just a nice apology, which we received.

 

beachchick

[whyrlygig]

Jeez, I sure feel for you! I would be pretty steamed as well! What I don't understand is, if these people wanted the seating assignments changed, shouldn't it have been THEM who was moved and NOT you? What a strange (and rude) way to handle the situation.