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

[Sandy Sails]

I checked the 2012 thread in Post #12 before repeating this story that I’m pretty sure I’ve told before. So apologize for the repeat – I’ll try to tell it differently, lol.

2006 on Empress of the Seas, cruising with my work buddy Sue (then 48) and me (then 50). We were hoping to meet some cute single guys (so rare on a cruise, I know). But instead, we were seated at a 10-top with all single women. I was so disappointed! Sue & I were the youngest ones at the table.

These women turned out to be amazing! And they were so supportive while watching my budding romance with the only cute single guy on the ship.

And for those of you who turn off signatures, I ended up marrying said cute single guy.

[CowPrincess]

Sandy Sails, what a great story! :D

 

We've had some absolutely wonderful dinner tables, that we still talk about. Have only had two that were "meh" and we got moved right away. Both times, we really REALLY "traded up". For us, good dinner time conversation is a highlight of our cruising. Have never had a "bad" dinner table at fixed dining. Have had more than a few oddball tables in Anytime though :)

[TC1957]

We have had nothing but great experiences.

 

On our first cruise our family (4) were seated with another family (4 also). We got along great...we (the adults) sat together at a couple of the shows, ran into each other at the buffet and sat together. The four kids hung out together a lot even though they were not really than close in age.

 

On our second cruise (just the wife and I) we met a family of three from CA that we still communicate with on Facebook and a family of 4 (mother, grandmother and two younger boys) from Chicago that were complete joys.

 

Our last cruise we were seated with two young women (college roommates) that were about the age of our daughter...one was a teacher that taught the same subject and grade as our daughter-in-law...and a mother and daughter. We didn't see the mother and daughter that much as they had two specialty reservations and the daughter twisted her ankle and they ate in their room two nights.

 

But now that I think about it, the only constant in these cases is my wife and I...so that explains it. :D

[BeagleOne]

I posted a similar thread a few years back. This is a great read

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1613689

 

Thanks for the link, some of the stories were really funny. Until someone started pontificating and judging :rolleyes:...sadly, not surprising.

[wwcruisers]

Over many years of cruising, we've had great luck with random table assignments at second (late) traditional seating. We've met lots of interesting folks, and even have a group of cruising buddies, who we met at dinner on Jewel of the Seas (2006). Sadly, we're getting too old for second seating (just can't be finishing dinner at 10:00 pm), and first seating is just too early for us. So, we're now doing 2-tops in Select (MTD). We were pleasantly surprised to realize that, if you sit in the same section every evening -- at about the same time -- you can even make some nice acquaintances in that dining venue. :cool:

 

BTW -- in all of those years of traditional seating, we only asked to be moved to a different table one time. By the end of the first evening, it was clear that we were not 'clicking' with the other two couples at the table. We politely excused ourselves before dessert, and went in search of the maitre'd.

Edited June 25, 2015 by wwcruisers

[AnchorsAweigh2011]

My wife, son and I usually ask to be seated at a table for eight and have been fortunate to have met so many friendly and great people over the past 5 years. We have met people from all around the world! Our table generally turns out to be a fun table and we look forward to dinner each evening!

[donaldsc]

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

 

What is the problem with vegans. Not all of them or even many of them make a big deal of being a vegan. Maybe you have just been blessed with bad vegan. BTW - I am not one. I eat meat.

 

DON

[GUT2407]

What is the problem with vegans. Not all of them or even many of them make a big deal of being a vegan. Maybe you have just been blessed with bad vegan. BTW - I am not one. I eat meat.

 

DON

 

 

I too am not a vegan, DW follows a Vegan diet [vegetarian sometimes] because of Pancreas issues, I can assure you she is more likely to have someone spend an entire meal telling her all the reasons she should be eating meat than it is that she would ever tell anyone [other than me] what they should eat.

[celebrity]

I too am not a vegan, DW follows a Vegan diet [vegetarian sometimes] because of Pancreas issues, I can assure you she is more likely to have someone spend an entire meal telling her all the reasons she should be eating meat than it is that she would ever tell anyone [other than me] what they should eat.

 

Thanks for saying this. I'm a vegetarian and been lectured time and again ( by strangers) on the benefits of meat. I don't tell anyone what to eat so please let me eat my food in peace.

I cannot digest meat.

BTW, my husband and sons are meat eaters.

[GUT2407]

Thanks for saying this. I'm a vegetarian and been lectured time and again ( by strangers) on the benefits of meat. I don't tell anyone what to eat so please let me eat my food in peace.

I cannot digest meat.

BTW, my husband and sons are meat eaters.

 

 

DW loves meat, but the price is too high.

 

So I get to eat her's :D:D:D

[celebrity]

DW loves meat, but the price is too high.

 

So I get to eat her's :D:D:D

 

You sound like my husband. :) LOL

[GUT2407]

You sound like my husband. :) LOL

 

 

I'm pretty sure I'm not.

 

But she does have to eat my Veges to make up for it.

[Bevv]

Anyway, that's really hurtful and I feel sorry for somebody who would do that to another. I mean it's one thing NOT to be nice but quite another to be specifically mean. I'm happy to sit down with anybody they assign us with (on our table of eight).

 

Maybe it was their first cruise, they did not read cruise critic, was not educated on the processes, and did not realize that the expectation of the cruise line was they were going to be sharing a table. In that case it would be the setting they were walking away from not the company.

 

Not everyone wants to eat with strangers especially for a multi course dinner.

[mexico8]

Thank goodness for YTD . . .

 

What is YTD?

[wwcruisers]

What is YTD?

 

My best guess would be "Your Time Dining" (?)

-- also known as "My Time Dining" on RC, and "Select Dining" on X. :cool:

[wwcruisers]

In that case it would be the setting they were walking away from not the company.

 

Precisely. It could have been the size of the table, or the location. Probably had nothing to do with the folks who were already sitting there.

 

Years ago, we were assigned to an eight-top on Radiance of the Seas. The first night, it took a while to locate our table. When we arrived, everyone else was there -- and had just received their menus. We nodded "hello" to everyone, and sat down quietly. We planned to introduce ourselves as soon as everyone had ordered their food. Well, the couple sitting across from us suddenly put down their menus, stood up and LEFT the table -- without a word to anyone! In horror, DH and I looked at each other, wondering what was going on. I asked the gentleman next to me "Was it something I said?" :eek: Everyone at the table started laughing. We never did figure out what was going on with the couple who fled the table. They never came back, but the rest of us enjoyed our dining experience together. :cool:

[donaldsc]

deleted

Edited June 28, 2015 by donaldsc

[GUT2407]

My best guess would be "Your Time Dining" (?)

-- also known as "My Time Dining" on RC, and "Select Dining" on X. :cool:

 

 

Spot on.

[john watson]

Spot on.

 

I thought "Spot On Dining" had been phased out by the Politically Correct Movement.

 

Regards John

[PEB]

We have always had tablemates and there is only once that we had a tablemate that we did not care for. Her husband was great but because she was a big shot at some bank she felt everyone else was below her status and she was rude to us at the table and especially the wait staff.

 

We also had some tablemates on a Panama Canal cruise that we have become great friends with and have visited them many times. Unfortunately one of them passed away a couple years ago but we stay in contact with the rest of them.

 

Overall having tablemates has been a very positive experience and we have made some nice friends. Some we stay in contact with some we do not stay in touch with but we had a good time meeting them.

[gooch47]

Our most memorable was when a couple approached our mostly full table and said, "You'd think they would seat us suite passengers with better people."

[notentirelynormal]

Okay, I have a few that come to mind.

 

For me, one that has stuck with me over the years. We had just boarded and went to the MDR for lunch. We were sat at a table with adults and one kid around 10ish I think. The kid was clearly....fat. Not pudgy, but fat. Who cares, right? Well, half way through the lunch this poor child turns to me and bluntly says, "do you think I'm fat?". :eek: What can you say. He was fat BUT what pissed me off was that all the adults in his group sat there and stared at me waiting for me to say something. They expected me, a total stranger, to make their child feel better. You have what, 10 seconds, to think of an answer. No, you just need to be eating a bit more healthy and you will feel better about yourself. Every time I thing about this I get angry. How dare the parents put a complete stranger into the position of making their child feel better. How sad that he had to ask the questions at all.

 

A fun one was a cruise just DH and I were on. Normally we travel with family and friends. So we meet a couple of guys and they are very friendly. They notice we don't have anyone else we are sailing with and insist we join their already full table of 8. We squeeze really tight in. Turns out one of the guys was a body builder and had won the title for like Russia or some European country. It was funny because he was kind of small LOL.

 

A sweet one: old couple we had at a table of 6. Both were nice but the older couple ... OMG... So we notice one night the husband is putting cornish game hen in his suit jacket. Why are you doing that we ask? Well, in case he gets hungry in the middle of the night he can eat. I explain that there are tons of dining venues including room service. Really! Oh, that will be even better. They come to dinner one night and it is formal night. Everyone was wearing tuxs and long dresses. He comes wearing a Hawaiian shirt. They explain to him that he won't be allowed into the MDR unless he is wearing a shirt and tie. Ten minutes later you see him back in his Hawaiian shirt with a tie. I still laugh today.

 

Some of the previous stories are funny and some are sad. Take the vegan one. How sad is it that this person has to sit and belittle someone who does not make the same food choices? I don't care what you like. Personally, if you have a diet issue either keep it to yourself and just order or run with it. We sailed with a friend. Cream brulee. He couldn't care less what dinner was but he wanted to know what desert was. It became such a joke that the waiters brought him desert before dinner.

 

People need to get over themselves. There is an old poem titled Desiderata. There will always be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

 

When we are not traveling with friends or family we like the larger table. Always interesting. Sometimes you even learn something. We once had breakfast with a guy who owned a castle in England. We were so enthralled with the castle idea we forgot to ask him more details LOL.

[Velvetwater]

My favourite dinner companion of all time was my friend's German mother in law. She had the bluntness of a European and the laid back attitude of a Floridian as she moved there with her children.

 

She was generally kind and friendly to everyone but would often say some on point comments such as 'If I drink Tequila I will be naked on the table' and 'Oh I hear there is a lot of Aids there' when being told about a retirement village.

 

I loved her...she was a hoot and her German accent was still perfectly strong.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Velvetwater

[capncarp]

Our most memorable was when a couple approached our mostly full table and said, "You'd think they would seat us suite passengers with better people."

Oh, brother:rolleyes:!

That would be my cue to start my over-the-top "Pennsyltucky Stump-Jumpin' Redneck" persona, sort of like Larry the Cable Guy only without the class, and play it to the hilt. DW wouldn't blink an eye and would probably feed me straight lines to play up to. We'd have them heading for the lifeboats in about 15 minutes:D.

[capncarp]

Re the proselytizing vegans: AND, I'd probably make sure some of that meat was veal and little lambykins! Maybe some Bambi venison if it's available.

Sometimes people just ASK to be tormented...:rolleyes:

 

Just be careful if someone has a problem with bloody rare meat: DW is a vegetarian (I am not. We have worked out a working relationship with food and cooking.) She doesn't proselytize, she feels everyone can make up their own mind. She is also a medical professional, and had long service as a big-city paramedic. She worked in mortuary sciences during college. She also served several tours with a medical relief agency in combat zones. If someone makes a point of showing off just how rare their meat is, or complains that it isn't bloody enough, or starts to preach and lecture on the meat bandwagon, DW might be inspired to relate to them some of the reasons from her experiences that she is averse to seeing things like that on a dinnerplate. Usually, she has respect for the feelings of the normal, non-offensive, non-vegetarian parties at the table, but, if pressed beyond her limit (two polite warnings), she can relate some of her "war stories" that can make one lose one's lunch, dinner, and last Tuesday's breakfast.:eek:

Just shows you where your dinner conversation might lead....

Edited June 29, 2015 by capncarp