Question re: dinner without tablecloths

[crusinpsychRN]

At the American table you only get a fork and knife. No butter knife, no salad fork. Waiter will bring a spoon if you order soup. Or ask for one.

 

Watch some videos on youtube for proper use and where silverware goes.

[TerReuv]

Yes, and I bet you, like I also hate to see people hold the knife or fork incorrectly. Can't understand that.

 

I guess my Mom just drilled in proper etiquette when I was younger. Don't even remember how I learned some of it (starting from outside to in for formal settings). I tried to impart all of this knowledge to my kids also. They do pretty well. Well enough not to embarrass.

 

I have to say that I had a German grandmother and it sometimes bothered me when she would eat the European way (knife in right hand, fork in left). I kept wanting her to put the knife down and eat with her right hand. LOL

 

People sometimes look for something to raise a stink about. There is always the bread plate to put your knife or fork on.

[simplelife]

Silverware goes on the plate, whether or not there is a tablecloth. https://www.etiquettescholar.com/dining_etiquette/table_manners/resting_utensils_etiquette.html

[Rebeccar8612]

Always wear a shirt with collar and front pocket for silverware.

 

Or attach it to a lanyard?? 😉😂

[conwakr]

Nah, tablecloths are like your "little black dress", timeless and never out of style ever. The good thing is I don't need to bring a little back dress to eat at a "rustic feast" table or whatever they are calling it these days. Less packing, I can go in my sundress from shore to table :-) without having to stop and change clothes to go eat. My H can leave his suit at home. That's not necessarily a "bad" thing, just a different "thing." If Carnival wanted to keep the upscale they would not have removed the tablecloths (and it sounds like most of the silver)...period...but they were fighting a losing battle with their clientele which skews young and super informal and the corporation has other lines that still have passengers that want the little black dress ambiance. I'm alittle sad because I do enjoy the getting all dressed up and I like the formal service in the dining room, but not sad enough to be the lone wolf all dolled up in the dining room like an artifact of a bygone era on this particular line or to jump ship losing this particular departure port that has limited line choice anyway and I am willing to try something different that I might even like alot.

[tallyho8]

Silverware goes on the plate, whether or not there is a tablecloth. https://www.etiquettescholar.com/dining_etiquette/table_manners/resting_utensils_etiquette.html

 

The problem with that is when they use those large oblong platters, every time you set your fork down to sip a drink, the darn fork slides down into the food getting the handle all yucky.

 

Precariously balancing the fork or knife on the rim of a platter on a rocking ship with other rambunctious people at the table, requires a skill not possessed by many and consuming extra time requiring your dining partners to wait for you after they have quickly finished their meals, neglecting the etiquette that you so proudly wish them to observe.

 

Being from the deep south where we drink nothing other than ice tea it becomes a dilemma as to where to put your spoon after you stir your sugar into the tea. The tea is not served on a saucer and never would I want to put a spoon dripping with tea onto my plate of food to contaminate it with food for the next time I stir my tea or to allow tea to mix with my food.

 

And I'm still wondering what the proper etiquette is when a green pea makes a surprise exit from your plate and lands several inches away?

 

I'm so ashamed of not knowing better that I think I will just order from room service from now on. :o

[cruzeluver]

When was Carnival ever "upscale"? Not knocking them. We like Carnival and sail them as well as other lines. But to say removing the precious tablecloths ended their time as upscale is ridiculous. How are dancing waiters "upscale"? How are dining rooms covered in neon "upscale"?

 

We dine out locally at a lot of restaurants, some very upmarket and hardly inexpensive, but can only think of one that still uses tablecloths. This is such a non-issue.

[conwakr]

LOL, you could go to Applebees and observe the natives in their element before the cruise! The description Applebee's writes for themselves is: Full-service chain bar & grill providing hearty American eats in an informal setting..so sounds like a perfect comparison and etiquette lesson for new age eating habits of mainstream America.

[rawley2]

Table Etiquette

Once you begin the meal, your utensils should never touch the table, as no one enjoys the site of a soiled tablecloth. It’s improper to even allow the handle of a utensil to touch the table while the other end rests on the plate.

 

This is 100% correct. My grandmother would say "don't make bridges with your knife" lol. I'm. 46 old and she was telling me that in the early 70s. Lol

 

So for all your proper people who put them on the table. Sorry your doing it wrong. That's just nasty. If I was going to put them on the table I would for sure trust a freshly cleaned one over some table cloth.

 

Guess now we know why the table cloths are gone. To hard getting the stains out of them from.peopke putting dirty unitnsels on them.

 

Btw I could care less about the table cloths or elegant night for that matter. Matter of fact I hope they get rid of elegant night soon so I can where my shorts to dinner every night.

[christyran1228]

It is okay to put them on the table if you lick them first.

 

Beat me to it ... lol :D

 

 

Even better, an Applebee's commercial is on TV while I'm typing this. Lol

[Micahs Grandad]

The problem with that is when they use those large oblong platters, every time you set your fork down to sip a drink, the darn fork slides down into the food getting the handle all yucky.

 

Precariously balancing the fork or knife on the rim of a platter on a rocking ship with other rambunctious people at the table, requires a skill not possessed by many and consuming extra time requiring your dining partners to wait for you after they have quickly finished their meals, neglecting the etiquette that you so proudly wish them to observe.

 

Being from the deep south where we drink nothing other than ice tea it becomes a dilemma as to where to put your spoon after you stir your sugar into the tea. The tea is not served on a saucer and never would I want to put a spoon dripping with tea onto my plate of food to contaminate it with food for the next time I stir my tea or to allow tea to mix with my food.

 

And I'm still wondering what the proper etiquette is when a green pea makes a surprise exit from your plate and lands several inches away?

 

I'm so ashamed of not knowing better that I think I will just order from room service from now on. :o

 

Sometimes them damn green peas seem to have a mind of their own:)

[Florings]

I'm alittle sad because I do enjoy the getting all dressed up and I like the formal service in the dining room, but not sad enough to be the lone wolf all dolled up in the dining room like an artifact of a bygone era on this particular line or to jump ship losing this particular departure port that has limited line choice anyway and I am willing to try something different that I might even like alot.

 

I beg to differ. On all of the Carnival cruises I've been on, the vast majority still dress up on elegant night. There are those that do not for sure, but most are out there strutting their stuff and looking marvelous! I would certainly not label any of us who like to dress an artifact of a bygone era...lol...that is too funny.

[BettyPC]

As with any dining situation - silverware gets rested on the plate.

[makeda]

Correct me if I am wrong but eating at a table with tablecloth silverwear goes onto table cloth between bites. I do expect restaurant to put out new clean tablecloth for next diner.

 

wrong...do not dirty the table/tablecloth, place your silverware on your plate, please; thank you

[berrieh]

Silverware goes on plates typically anyway, but honestly, the majority of nice restaurants we go to (granted, we favor gastropub style places but any nice contemporary steak or fish place too) don't have tablecloths. So weird to me that anyone fixates on them. We really only go out for really nice food (no offense to chains but if I want chain food, I do to-go because it's not worth going out and we like takeout). I'd never factor in the linens. If I did, I guess I technically think tablecloths are old fashioned and not desired.

[ccdaniel2707]

I am on vacation. I don't care about what fork or spoon I am supposed to use. Tablecloth or not, I will enjoy my meal and my vacation!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Rosefloater]

On your plate. Where do you put your silverware while eating in the buffet? Seems kind of gross that people would put dirty silverware on a tablecloth.

 

And, at the beginning of a meal flatware is placed on a recently clean table that has been cleaned with a special solution.

 

I'm on vacation and I have more things to worry about than whether or not there are tablecloths.

 

My real worry (and eww, gross factor) is the twirling of the dirty napkins and food flying onto my food or worse, on me during the waiters dancing. (Yes this has happened.)

[Viesczy]

Yay, another tablecloth thread!

 

Can we roll an AM/PM service + formal wear aspect too? :D

Edited August 10, 2016 by Viesczy

[simplelife]

The problem with that is when they use those large oblong platters, every time you set your fork down to sip a drink, the darn fork slides down into the food getting the handle all yucky. The oblong

 

Being from the deep south where we drink nothing other than ice tea it becomes a dilemma as to where to put your spoon after you stir your sugar into the tea. The tea is not served on a saucer and never would I want to put a spoon dripping with tea onto my plate of food to contaminate it with food for the next time I stir my tea or to allow tea to mix with my food.

 

And I'm still wondering what the proper etiquette is when a green pea makes a surprise exit from your plate and lands several inches away?

 

I'm so ashamed of not knowing better that I think I will just order from room service from now on. :o

 

The oblong platters are used in the buffet where silverware comes wrapped in the napkin.you can always pickup extra silverware or extra napkin or get a small plate from the dessert area if you don`r want to put your silverware on the table. Etiquette rules are relaxed in the buffet, In the MDR, if you can't manage the standard placement, you can use the square bread plate to rest your spoon. Or again, ask for an additional napkin. The etiquette for the errant pea is the same with other without a tablecloth - leave it alone. Common sense.

[tallyho8]

The oblong platters are used in the buffet where silverware comes wrapped in the napkin.you can always pickup extra silverware or extra napkin or get a small plate from the dessert area if you don`r want to put your silverware on the table. Etiquette rules are relaxed in the buffet, In the MDR, if you can't manage the standard placement, you can use the square bread plate to rest your spoon. Or again, ask for an additional napkin. The etiquette for the errant pea is the same with other without a tablecloth - leave it alone. Common sense.

 

I find it admirable that some on this forum take the time to teach us proper etiquette but so many times there are certain circumstances where common sense must prevail and you must exempt yourself from proper etiquette for the time being.

 

I cruise a lot with 5 people and only infrequently will they seat us at a table for 6. They usually cram us in on a round table for 4 and add a chair and a place serving. Then a couple of people will order more than one appetizer and more than one entree and with the wine glasses, water glasses, ice tea glasses, plates, bread plates, signs with waiter's names, salt & pepper shakers, sweeteners, ketchup bottles, tabasco sauce and steak sauce bottles, I find it quite impossible to find a place on the table to lay an extra napkin with a spoon on it and to put my spoon on my bread plate to fill with bread crumbs to stir my next glass of ice tea with is not my fondest desire.

 

And balancing your knife, fork and spoon on the rim of your plate while taking a sip of drink while crammed into this situation is really next to impossible. So excuse my faux pas if I don't live up to the proper etiquette rules under these trying circumstances.

 

Perhaps if Carnival were to seat us more properly with adequate room for proper manners then these situations would not arise.

[saltshell]

What a out using that extra nap,in as a placemat?

[jimbo5544]

I find it admirable that some on this forum take the time to teach us proper etiquette but so many times there are certain circumstances where common sense must prevail and you must exempt yourself from proper etiquette for the time being.

 

I cruise a lot with 5 people and only infrequently will they seat us at a table for 6. They usually cram us in on a round table for 4 and add a chair and a place serving. Then a couple of people will order more than one appetizer and more than one entree and with the wine glasses, water glasses, ice tea glasses, plates, bread plates, signs with waiter's names, salt & pepper shakers, sweeteners, ketchup bottles, tabasco sauce and steak sauce bottles, I find it quite impossible to find a place on the table to lay an extra napkin with a spoon on it and to put my spoon on my bread plate to fill with bread crumbs to stir my next glass of ice tea with is not my fondest desire.

 

And balancing your knife, fork and spoon on the rim of your plate while taking a sip of drink while crammed into this situation is really next to impossible. So excuse my faux pas if I don't live up to the proper etiquette rules under these trying circumstances.

 

Perhaps if Carnival were to seat us more properly with adequate room for proper manners then these situations would not arise.

 

 

30 plus Carnival cruises and never been put at a table for less than what it was originally set for. Go figure.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

[DebJ14]

30 plus Carnival cruises and never been put at a table for less than what it was originally set for. Go figure.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

 

Same here.

 

When there have been 5 of us we have been put at a table for 6 (with just us) and when the 7 of us cruised we were put at a table for 8. Always plenty of room.

 

On the Breeze we asked for a private table for 2 and they gave us a table for 4 by the window. During first seating there were 4 there. But for late seating it was just set for the 2 of us. Heaven!

[StolidCruiser]

I find it admirable that some on this forum take the time to teach us proper etiquette but so many times there are certain circumstances where common sense must prevail and you must exempt yourself from proper etiquette for the time being.

 

I cruise a lot with 5 people and only infrequently will they seat us at a table for 6. They usually cram us in on a round table for 4 and add a chair and a place serving. Then a couple of people will order more than one appetizer and more than one entree and with the wine glasses, water glasses, ice tea glasses, plates, bread plates, signs with waiter's names, salt & pepper shakers, sweeteners, ketchup bottles, tabasco sauce and steak sauce bottles, I find it quite impossible to find a place on the table to lay an extra napkin with a spoon on it and to put my spoon on my bread plate to fill with bread crumbs to stir my next glass of ice tea with is not my fondest desire.

 

And balancing your knife, fork and spoon on the rim of your plate while taking a sip of drink while crammed into this situation is really next to impossible. So excuse my faux pas if I don't live up to the proper etiquette rules under these trying circumstances.

 

Perhaps if Carnival were to seat us more properly with adequate room for proper manners then these situations would not arise.

 

A tablecloth wouldn't solve the problem.

 

Perhaps if you asked to be seated at a table that would accommodate your party when led to one set for a smaller group you wouldn't have such trying experiences while dining. Common sense should prevail. It really isn't the debacle you make it out to be.

 

Your Emmy award for most overly dramatic diner is in the mail. Keep an eye out for it.

Edited August 11, 2016 by StolidCruiser

[tallyho8]

Well, I will enjoy my cruise regardless, and I hope your cruise isn't ruined when you leer across the room and spy someone at another table with their knife propped up on the plate and the handle touching the table.