Table Mates: The Good, The Bad and the Meh..

[wareaglefan]

I love meeting people and will talk all over the ship and be friendly, but when it comes to eating it will just be the 2 of us. Anytime Dining is the way to go for us.

[love my grandkids]

Just thought of one from our last cruise a 14 day one on the Pride.

 

Sat at a table for six with two other couples one about 50 and the other their parents.

 

Had a nice time with them the first three nights or so and than for the next few nights they didnt show up so had table to ourselves.

 

Asked MD at what point they could put someone else there and he said not unless they said they would not be back.

 

Ran accross the younger couple and told him that we miss them at dinner and were they planning on coming back. He said probably not.

 

So I said in that case could you please give up the table so we can sit with others. He said absolutely not wanted it just in case they decided to come back for another night or two.

 

Told him that was rather selfish and his answer was why is that his problem?:(:(

 

Went to MD and got us moved. Than we kept seeing them all over the ship. and just ignored them.

[psikic]

on one cruise the other couple were vegans and each night criticized everything that had ever drawn a breath that was on menu and made disparaging remarks about those who eat such things. I don't eat red meat or pork now, but back then I loved a good steak and it made us very uncomfortable ordering each night. Of course we hoped they wouldn't show up, but they were there faithfully! By the 4th night we opted for the other dining options.

Why do I feel like if they were my table mates I'd make sure I ordered meat every night just to make sure they saw me? :D

[TXGalAJ]

My last cruise it was just me and my 10 year old daughter and a year ago I went with my then 9 year old daughter and 11 year old son. Both times they sat us at tables with just adults. Both times we had adults in their 30s and adults in their 60s. I love my kids and love vacationing with them but I can't imagine there are very many adults that want to sit with someone else's kids!

 

It seems like they could figure out a way to keep the kids separate from the adults.

[love my grandkids]

Why do I feel like if they were my table mates I'd make sure I ordered meat every night just to make sure they saw me? :D

 

Would have done the same thing:):)

[AHS123]

Why do I feel like if they were my table mates I'd make sure I ordered meat every night just to make sure they saw me? :D

 

Oh I don't know, maybe because you're passive/aggressive like that?

[Yazoo cruiser]

80+ cruises and almost almost all went well. Do remember one couple in their 70s or 80s. Very nice people but every night she would ask her husband what he wanted. He would say like a salad and fish, however when the waiter came, she would say he will have soup and chicken. Every night whatever he wanted she would order just the opposite, and he never complained. Very nice people that we enjoyed. Only once, we had tablemates from SouthCarolina,they came the first night and we never saw them again. We had a table of 8 to ourselves the rest of our cruise. That was our only bad experience.

[Roscoe13]

My wife has Celiac disease and as such we aren't cruising with friends or family who are familiar with her restrictions we always choose to eat at a table for 2.

 

It's much easier than training someone who doesn't understand that, "NO! Please do NOT pass the bread!":rolleyes:

[paul929207]

We have shared our table with many wonderful people over our cruising life.

 

However, the worst is easy to recall. We were in the Med over a US election day. We had AD (Thanks God). One night DW & I were the only Americans at the table. One of the others "knew" who we should vote for. At that point we had already voted absestee before we left. Even with that info he went on and on. I finally turned to the women next to me and asked what she did in Athens that day. We started talking and ignoring the jerk. Others joined our discussion and the jerk finally shut up

[PlanoTim]

We’ve mostly had good table mates when seated at large tables. There have been a couple or two over the years who were meh (to use your word), but most have been good. On one of our early cruises we (mid 20’s at the time) were seated at a table of folks in their 50’s. We all had a great time and stayed in touch for many years. You just never know.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we first started cruising we enjoyed sitting at tables of 4 and 6 and talking with others about their and our travels.

Then suddenly we ended up at tables for 4 with boring people. An example -- one couple was from an assisted living home and each night they told us where they were from and the meals they had where they lived.

Then we had the people who would take 1 bite of their food and talk for 10 or 15 minutes -- meals dragged out to 3 or more hours and we kept missing shows.

Now we get a table for two.

[indigosails]

On one cruise (a B2B) we chose traditional dining for the first leg. We were assigned a table with a Scottish couple, a British couple, a pair of Australians and a couple of Yanks (that's us). We all spoke English but we couldn't understand a word anyone said!!

 

And there have been many times when one person (usually the one with the screechy voice) monopolizes every discussion and you OR their spouse can't get a word in.

 

But, by and large, we sit where they put us and enjoy meeting people and sharing stories. Even when it's not optimal it's only for a couple hours.

[shonuf]

One of my more memorable table mates was on our last cruise. DH and I were seated at a table for eight with two other couples. The 4th twosome never showed up. The first night as we were well into our entrees, the Maitre'd seated an elderly couple next to us, the husband seated next to me. They were traveling with others but for some reason their assigned table was full so we got them; the Maitre'd told them he would have it straightened out for the next night. It became apparent very quickly that the husband, "Bernie", was suffering from a severe form of dementia as he "cycled" about every 5 minutes and repeated what he had just told me. Each story was followed by him making a big smile using his fingers and telling me he still had his "own teeth". I could tell that his wife was embarrassed as she kept apologizing. I told her it was fine, I understood. When dessert came, they were still waiting for their food so he asked for a taste of my dessert. I told him it was fine to go ahead. When our table mates finished their meals they left but we stayed until the couple had their entrees. I felt bad for his wife but glad they sat next to me instead of the other couples.

[Ashland]

Over 20+ cruises and always have had a private table...I don't eat with strangers on land so why would I at sea. Those that enjoy eating with other's at those large tables...please enjoy so they don't run out of small private tables.;)

[Markanddonna]

Generally, I really enjoy meeting new people at the MDR and most often choose the freestyle experience so that we meet new people almost every day. We ask to share a table at dinner and sometimes lunch. I especially enjoy this experience on European/transatlantic cruises where I can meet people from all over the world. Those with a language barrier usually eat by themselves.

 

Variances in ages, lifestyle choices, race, etc. are no issue for me although I find the elderly are often more interesting and have lead amazing lives. I have learned a great deal about travel from asking about other's experiences. I want to meet people who are not my clones!

 

I will admit to a few groups I don't want to dine with:

 

-Families, with or without children as you are often the outsider and I don't want to be privy to the discipline

-Complainers

- Passengers with fur faced, four legged children. I would be thrilled to sit next to a legitimate service dog but have never seen a real one on board. I have seen small, dressed up dogs whose mommies and/or daddies have diabetes and the dog supposedly alerts them about their blood sugar levels. It seems quite insincere when the passenger eats all sorts of sugary food and then just grins. Don't get me started...

[pris993]

always get a private table.. Best way to go!

 

Us too, no problems that way.

[joge107]

Hi,

 

I would love to hear your stories about different people you have met through your dining assignments, please share, I know there are some great stories out there!

 

The wife and I always ask for a 6 top, 2 other couples to interact with. However, on our Honeymoon cruise, Spirit, 12 day Hawaii 2001, we were seated at a table for 2, the 1st night. We were so bored, we started talking to the other tables. As soon as we sat down on the 2nd night, the Maitre D' asked us if we were like to join another couple for dinner. He stated clearly that the couple was well known to both he and Carnival. He escorted us to a window table in the upper section of the Dining room. We sat with a wonderful couple, a Carnival Vice Pres. on his retirement cruise, and his lovey wife, an artist. Needless to say, the Dining Room service was excellent. Nothing left to chance. On the Miracle from New York, 2009, we sat with Barbi, but that's another story!

[spleenstomper]

We only share tables at breakfast. We (40s) were seated with two 18 year old boys on a graduation cruise. Lol. Awkward. They could not get away from us fast enough.

 

It was a relief when they left.

[navybankerteacher]

We have always requested (and been given) large tables at fixed dining. A couple of times it was clear the first night that the chemistry just was not right so we requested reassignment. On those cruises, along with the others, having a group to meet with every night was significant part of the enjoyment. We have not made life long friends, but have shared good stories, many laughs, and have learned a lot -- sharing tables with couples from Australia, Russia, South America, Israel, and many parts of the U.S. People who request such large tables are generally interested in sharing conversation - so we start off with that in common. My wife and I are very close and happy - and enjoy dining together most nights of the year - so the shared tables are an interesting change.

[LMW1330]

On our Eastern Caribbean cruise myself age (35) and parents (62) were seated with a couple of outgoing ladies in their 40's, a retired couple in their mid sixties, who were pretty reserved, and a casino loving trio of grandmothers in their forties and fiftie. Due to the size of the table and age, I suppose, I found myself talking to the ladies who were closer to my same age. Only 1 or 2 nights was everyone at table. Over the course of the week, we cracked jokes with each other and the wait staff and shared about our days. Our table was a mixed bag- some people were more engaging than others, more personable, some more reserved, some even absent at the casino! We tried it once, now we are on to Alaska and YTD

[boating girl]

My brother-in-law and his wife were not enjoyable as table mates. They would order 3 entrees every dinner. The entrees were served one at a time so the rest of us had to wait while they ate and ate. It made dinners last forever. After a few nights, we excused ourselves when we finished our entree and went on to our evening plans. We missed deserts but we were able to enjoy the evenings

[Putterdude]

Dudette and I eat together 300 days a year so really enjoy sitting at a table of 6 to 8 people, getting to know others and listening to their stories. Yes, we have had the occasional dunderhead couple that were most forgettable (not) but in but they have been few and far between. For us the most interesting was a couple we met a few years ago that lived on Vancouver Island but when we connected the dots she had been my cousin in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, maid of honour and knew more about my Nova Scotia relatives then I did.

[GUT2407]

As long as we don't sit with vegans we are good.

 

 

Why?

 

DW is a vegan and wouldn't give a rats what you eat, so why do you care what she eats.

 

Now if t is someone who is determined to ram their dietary choices down my throat [or any other opinions they have] it is different,

[GUT2407]

*LOL*

 

 

Yea God showed what a sense of humor he has by giving me a daughter like that too. At 13 she had her mothers figure at 18. remembering what I used to do with her mother when she was 18 has given this Italian father more than one grey hair *LOL

 

 

Scary thought isn't it.

[Fydlstyx]

My wife has Celiac disease and as such we aren't cruising with friends or family who are familiar with her restrictions we always choose to eat at a table for 2.

 

It's much easier than training someone who doesn't understand that, "NO! Please do NOT pass the bread!":rolleyes:

 

 

Yeah. Must be tough to have to politely decline bread. :rolleyes:

 

LOL - sorry, just thought this was very odd. No need to "train" anyone. No need to even disclose your wife's issues. Just decline the bread. "No thanks." Done.

Edited June 24, 2015 by Fydlstyx
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