Have you ever not liked your table mates??

[jakeT]

In all my cruises I only had a unknown table mate once.

The woman started to get sea sick during dinner. What kinder get contagious to me. Personally had to get out of there

[salty dingo]

We prefer a table for two when we are not traveling with family. We have sat with strangers in earlier cruises, but It's like a box of chocolates... and we do just like couples time.

[volmoma]

OMG yes....my hubby and I always request a table for two OR, if a family cruise, a table for our family. No strangers at our table.

 

 

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[karlmonday]

I always love my table mates. I cruise solo and dine alone, that is the best for me.

[SkyPiglet]

SW and I have always done YTD. We like the flexibility, and prefer to be there for each other, so we have no "table mates" stories. One time during a small wait (maybe 10 minutes) for a table, we struck up a conversation with a lady. She wore a platinum card, and mentioned she had been on many cruises. As it was only #2 for us, so we asked her about how Carnival compared with other lines. Her response, in a complete deadpan was as follows...

 

"Well, most of the cruise lines offer the same quality of food, service, and accommodations. The only real downside to a cheaper one like Carnival is... well... the clientele."

 

...she then turned her head towards a young African-American couple being seated, nodded, and then turned back to us.:o

 

To avoid getting rude, I changed the subject, asked where she was from. She mentioned that she was from Kentucky or somewhere, but her husband does a lot of financial consulting work in "...the ghetto of po-dunk Detroit." She then asked about us, I said "We are both school teachers in Michigan. I teach in Detroit." :rolleyes:

 

Luckily, right then our table was then called and we disengaged from a very awkward conversation.

 

I am glad to do YTD, we still meet lots of great and interesting people, but it is usually a temporary encounter that we can choose to engage with them later or not, without feeling rude by asking for a table change.

[Morebeer]

Been on 12 Carnival cruises. Everyone but 1 we've sat with people who were strangers and loved every table we were assigned too. Cruised last May 2017 assigned to a table for 8 the wife and I sitting with 3 other east coast and southern travelers. Best experience ever sailing with same 3 couples again in 2019 on Carnival Breeze. So just saying if you enjoy meeting others developing new friendships with who knows who don't hesitate to ask for a table of 8-10. We see our families often at home while on vacation we look to have fun and meet others anyway we can. Thanks.

[indygirl76]

I've been seated with some amazing people over the years. I've also been seated with rude people, people with zero table manners, and people who were grumpy about my drinking and/or lack of praying. But none of those were as bad* as The Sister In Law.

 

I was cruising with my best friend. At our table, there were two brothers, their wives, and one of the wives' best friend. Both brothers, the best friend, and one wife were lovely people. The other wife, referred to as "the sister in law from h*ll" by the other brother, was a trainwreck. She ordered something different every night, but HATED IT, and asked for plain grilled chicken and a baked potato. Every night. She disliked every port - too hot, too crowded, too expensive, whatever. She was snippy, rude to the staff, and left the table crying every. single. night. For no reason that I could ever figure out, and all four of the others said she wasn't sick or anything like that, just a miserable person. Her husband would wait ten minutes or so, and then go find her, pull her in from the ledge, and bring her back.

 

On the third night, before he went to find her, his brother made this speech: "I told you before this trip, your wife is an idiot and she's going to ruin our vacation. You insisted it would be fine. We are NEVER traveling with her again. Period. If you'd like to travel with us, you're welcome to, but you're leaving her at home."

 

* She was so bad, it actually kind of swung back to good. If for no other reason, then because she makes all other tablemate issues seem like not such a big deal.

 

[i hope she doesn't read Cruise Critic. SIL, if you do and you recognize yourself, I hope you're at a better and happier place in your life!]

[Joebucks]

For our first two cruises, we were at a table of 4. Both times, the other pair showed up the first night, and that was it.

 

I don't mind meeting people on the cruise, and talking to them. At dinner, I would rather have my own table.

[April42749]

There are so many other places to meet people on ships.....why gamble with "table mates"?

 

If we meet these other people we can make plans.

 

In addition, English is not DH's native language. I'm a native of NYC. Although both of us understand non-Americans speaking English, we both have a problem with Americans from "other areas", and they have a problem with us.

 

The one time we sat with "a strange couple, not from NYC" poor DH missed the whole point of the guy's monologue about his job.

[MBP1]

Its possible to get a table for 2 with YTD right? I don't mind meeting people around the ship, but dinner is a time we want to keep to ourselves and not sit with strangers.

[bnorris10]

So on one cruise I could not stand this lady she was clearly coming to the table either drunk or strung out from not having a drink or some other drug in her system - No matter what was said she did it better - The only reason we put up with her the whole week was because we really enjoyed the conversation with her family members whom were super sweet but it was clear even they had issues with her as the one night she did not make it to dinner was the best night we all had

 

On other cruise ships I have walked away with friends and invitations to come visit them

 

And sometimes the hubby and I take a nice quiet table for 2 in the dining room

[bnorris10]

Its possible to get a table for 2 with YTD right? I don't mind meeting people around the ship, but dinner is a time we want to keep to ourselves and not sit with strangers.

yes you can get a table for 2 with YTD

[mara93]

Yes ... we requested a table for ourselves. Now we do YTD

[Sebleo]

My husband and i always do a table for 2, ytd.

 

Still, there is always one night I do not like my table mate! :')

[cruziJenn]

Hi-Husband and I love to meet new people when we are cruising. We also like to sit with people for dinner. Our last experience doing that wasn't great. The people were rude, racist, and just all-around horrors. We couldn't get away from them fast enough. Then of course we would see them all over the ship and they would want to stop and talk to us..we would just say quick "hello, how is your day?" and keep moving.

We want to be able to sit with others again..but now we are a little nervous about it.

 

Several cruises ago we met a nice couple and started sharing a table with them in MDR. But then after 2 or 3 dinners I noticed that the hubby kept leering at me the whole time. After that we kept making excuses to avoid them completely.

[sperkins921]

No. I'm saying that "trying to be all things to all people" (an impossible task) is the major flaw of mass market cruise lines (or destination locations like Las Vegas). If one can afford it, looking for some homogeneity in preferences and experiences of fellow passengers is sure to lead to a much more pleasant experience.

 

 

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Except for when your exterior doesn't match the 'homogeneity' typically given that your wallet can afford. I'm not poking fun at you at all, just taking your comment and pointing out that it has happened that what I could afford quite readily still got me in some interesting situations by what should have been like minded individuals but weren't. I'll merely say I was mistaken for 'the help' :eek: several times and leave it there. I did tell one bloke (yes, he was British and called himself a bloke) that no, I wasn't going to take his plates away and bring his coffee.....

[Baby_Bear]

To avoid the possibility of being seated with people you may not get on with, we always now do the YTD and ask for a table for our family. No drama that way.

 

On one cruise, we ended up making friends with people we were doing private excursions with, and we all started going to dinner together. And if there wasn't enough room at one table, they were great at putting the rest of the group at a neighbouring table. We wouldn't have been able to do that if we were locked into fixed dining. On other cruises, it's been just us. Great to have that flexibility.

[grandmarnnurse]

We generally request a table for 2 only when just the hubby and I cruise. I really am not a fan of sitting at a table with people I don’t know. Not that I’m anti-social, but I don’t like uncomfortable situations like other people have previously posted. I’m sure there are some that wouldn’t share my political views, etc, so it makes for a better dinner time to have our own table.

 

 

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[SMSACE6]

For anyone who has requirements at the dining table, or preferences, "your time dining" might be the best choice. Barring that, if set time dining, best to make a visit to the dining room on boarding day, see the maitre'd at the specified time, and request a table for your own group. That way, you wont end up being put in an uncomfortable, or undesirable situation in the MDR, if seated with strangers.

[manmachine]

Try sitting down with a couple from Japan that couldn't speak or read English. They had no clue what they were ordering and never ate it when it arrived. They just sat and stared at us for 4 days. Never saw them after that. Awkward!!!

 

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We are Siamese, if you please.

 

 

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[karlmonday]

How sad. Don’t you realize what a good time you would have eating, drinks and laughing with a crowd? Over 26 cruises we have met some wonderful people that have made our cruises outstanding.

 

 

 

LOL, I laugh with others at the comedy club, interact and have an incredible time at the table games in the casino and have a great time with others elsewhere on the ship.

 

 

AND I enjoy my meals at my own table in my own world.

[NotThePest_Too]

On one cruise we had room for more people at our table. On the second night the MD came over and told us that another couple would be joining us. He told us they were a bit unusual but very delightful and he thought they would fit with us and asked us if we would give it a try.

Well, our interest has been peaked.....there were two other couples besides ourselves. We all told the MD that yes, we would welcome them.

He left to escort them to our table. We had no idea what to expect. He returned with a fully tatooed couple. They were our age......the age of Aquarius. They were shunned by their original table and were asked to move. They were tatooed from head to toe......everywhere, but we clicked and they were very interesting, unusual in the nicest way. We made new friends. The other tables loss was our gain!:D

 

I know I'm responding to a comment that is five months old but I just had to share an experience I had. I was working in a small liberal arts college (NYC) when a heavily middle aged tattooed-from-head-to-toe non-traditional matriculating Freshman began attending class. He was the Tattooed Man in the Coney Island Boardwalk Sideshow.

 

He was the sweetest most gracious student/person in the entire building, well spoken and eager to help. He also was a fabulous student.

 

Ramona

[mnh]

only once....and it's not that we did not like them, we really had no interaction with them. A young couple I think on their honeymoon and only spoke French. The first 2 nights we tried to interact with them but got no where...maybe they didn't speak English and unfortunately I don't speak French (wish I could!). After that we just conversed with each other and the wait staff and still had a wonderful time :)

[NotThePest_Too]

I'm going solo on a 49 night South American Cruise in Feb 2019 and my travel agent set me up with late dinning and at a MDR with 8/10 people, OMG! These stories are unsettling, but I know, thanks to all the posts, I can ask to be moved.

 

 

This cruise will be my second one and my first, a 10 day Panama Partial Transit with a group of my fellow exercise class participants, they were horrible table mates so I did only 3 days dinning in the MDR.

 

 

Ramona

[Hotdog 52]

We had a guy at our table that would pick his teeth at the table after dinner and before desert. How you like that one?:confused: