Dinner companions

[wishIweretravelling]

One of the things my travel buddy and I enjoy about Regent cruising is getting to know new people over dinner. We've made some life-long friends this way. She and I have just booked a cruise next year on Explorer on which my brother and SIL also will be sailing. We likely will all dine together each night, but would enjoy getting to know others in the same way we always have. We also have learned through experience that a 6-top is the largest one can go and still have sane dinner conversation. 

 

So, a query for those who also enjoy mixing with others at dinner: how would you feel about being seated at a table where the other four people already know each other? We promise not to engage in a conversation that excludes, or feels like it excludes, others.

[rcandkc]

My husband and I would be game.  You will have to make sure you don’t exclude by accident but it sounds like you won’t. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

We too like a 6-top for getting to know fellow pax.  I'm not sure if it would matter if the other four people knew each other or not, I guess it would depend on the conversation.

 

The times when we've cruised with another couple (not relatives, mind), we've gone out of our way *not* to dine with them every night, just for that reason.

[ronrick1943]

I wouldn't worry about it.  Like Wendy when we travel with friends we don't always eat dinner together every night.  You may find your brother will want a few nights along.  

[vegasdriven]

Sounds like a fine idea to me. We are definitely going to make more of an effort to dine with others on the next cruise. We started out with a table for two, and after that we were never asked if we would like to share, we were just lead to a table for two( other than Prime 7, which we were booked ahead to share).

One time we mentioned hat we would be happy to share, but the hostess said they already had a table waiting for us. That was fine, but I am wondering if there is a better way to go about it, sometimes we would like to have just the two of us, and sometimes would like to share.

Maybe we should mention as we are leaving the Compass Rose, that we would like to share the next night💡

[DeepFreeze63]

27 minutes ago, vegasdriven said:

Sounds like a fine idea to me. We are definitely going to make more of an effort to dine with others on the next cruise. We started out with a table for two, and after that we were never asked if we would like to share, we were just lead to a table for two( other than Prime 7, which we were booked ahead to share).

One time we mentioned hat we would be happy to share, but the hostess said they already had a table waiting for us. That was fine, but I am wondering if there is a better way to go about it, sometimes we would like to have just the two of us, and sometimes would like to share.

Maybe we should mention as we are leaving the Compass Rose, that we would like to share the next night💡

 

We always share. Just mention that you would like to share when you arrive at CR (or Sette Mare). Sometimes we have to start a table; but the staff always watch out for us and will let us know in a little while if there aren't other "sharers" (doesn't happen often). They will then set the table up for just the two of us. Have met lots of interesting people by sharing! 

[DavidTheWonderer]

Wendy and I tend to decide whether to share or not as we approach the matire d'. This flexibility is one of the things I really like.

[GUT2407]

We usually get a table for 2 but if we were sharing and the others knew each other, well so be it.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 2/18/2019 at 11:51 AM, vegasdriven said:

Sounds like a fine idea to me. We are definitely going to make more of an effort to dine with others on the next cruise. We started out with a table for two, and after that we were never asked if we would like to share, we were just lead to a table for two( other than Prime 7, which we were booked ahead to share).

One time we mentioned hat we would be happy to share, but the hostess said they already had a table waiting for us. That was fine, but I am wondering if there is a better way to go about it, sometimes we would like to have just the two of us, and sometimes would like to share.

Maybe we should mention as we are leaving the Compass Rose, that we would like to share the next night💡

 

Just tell the maitre'd or hostess that you'd like to share a table with others.  Period.  If they have a table for two waiting for you, they won't mind that you changed your mind.

[UUNetBill]

Jorge always found us interesting people to sit with when we requested a shared table.  It's like they have a feeling about who will get along - or maybe we were just lucky?  We shared most nights, but there are some times when we just want to eat alone, and they always accommodate us with a 2-top on those evenings.

[RachelG]

We have had some great shared tables and a couple of complete disasters.  One where the female of the couple was so mean to the waitress in Prime 7 that the waitress almost started crying.  The lady's husband seemed pretty embarrassed, but I guess he deals with that all the time.  If we hadn't already been almost finished with dinner, I would have got up and walked out.

At any rate, on our recent cruise, we became friends with 2 couples who were travelling together and were at a 6 top shared table.  They were really nice, and we loved meeting and visiting with them.  They did not make us feel excluded--anything but! 

[GOARMY]

Regent, as well as other 5+ star Lines who have had the privilege of being graced by our presence [!] over the past 25 years, offers several opportunities to "connect" with fellow travelers before sitting with them at a dinner venue.  This is a vetting process, offering no 100% guarantee of not experiencing a really-uncomfortable shared dinner either at Compass Rose, or at a specialty restaurant.  Fortunately, with one exception, this has not been our experience. 

 

Included in that process are meetings at a pre-cruise hotel; at a breakfast at that location; aboard a bus to the ship; and/or during a Block Party experience usually held on the second night; and, of course, while on a land excursion.  These are great opportunities to converse with others.  Can recall numerous situations when a chance encounter with another couple--one of which was when picking up baggage prior to transport to a Regent hotel--resulted in a general conversation.  Turned out my wife and I had numerous shared interests with those folks related to similar military background and medical training.  Result:  several shared lunches and dinners and/or when on ensuing excursions.   Always positive. 

 

The Block Party is a great opportunity to meet one's neighbors for the duration of that particular cruise segment.  As detailed in another Thread, my wife and I met a couple several years' our senior aboard a mid-2000s Voyager Auckland to LA cruise.  Next-door "neighbors".  They have remained our dear friends to the present, to include residential visits and meeting on two subsequent Regent, and one Seaborne cruise.  This is kind of neat, as our residences are 3,000 miles apart. 

 

Also, Regent has a way of "pairing" folks who join Staff Officers for a Compass Rose dinner.  If invited, suggest taking this opportunity.  On every occasion, either single cruisers, or couples at that table quickly learned of shared history or interests. Yes, Regent does its homework.  Latest experience was aboard Navigator--LA via Panama Canal to NYC.  There was a British couple.  The gentleman was a retired Army Officer. Yep, I am a retired American Army Officer.  Turns out, we had a lot in common.  Another person at that table was a retired Registered Nurse (RN). Yep, my wife is a retired RN.  Happenstance?  I think not. 

 

Anyway.  My wife and I usually prefer dinner dining at a 2-top.  Unless--as detailed above.  This is one of the benefits of being aboard Regent.  Keep an open mind as to the open seating policy.  You always have the option to opt out. 

 

GOARMY!

 

 

[TheRampantSnail]

We often ask to share a table. 6 is an ideal number as everyone can join in the discussion. 8 is too big for that as conversations are difficult to hear across the table.

By sharing we have met some very interesting people and, with smaller ships you often met up again during the cruise.

We have only ever had one bad experience - unfortunately on Regent Voyager in Compass Rose. As usual, we asked to share and were directed to a table where five other people were already sitting. They were deep in conversation and did not stop to welcome us our introduce themselves. For quite a while they continued the conversation about American Football, of which we have no knowledge or interest, and also about how much real estate they each owned.  At some point they did deign to stop talking, ask who we were and quickly established that we were not wealthy.  They then continued as though we were not there. At which point we told our waiter we were leaving.

We have not let that experience put us off sharing a table as it was such an unusual occurrence.

[rcandkc]

4 hours ago, TheRampantSnail said:

We often ask to share a table. 6 is an ideal number as everyone can join in the discussion. 8 is too big for that as conversations are difficult to hear across the table.

By sharing we have met some very interesting people and, with smaller ships you often met up again during the cruise.

We have only ever had one bad experience - unfortunately on Regent Voyager in Compass Rose. As usual, we asked to share and were directed to a table where five other people were already sitting. They were deep in conversation and did not stop to welcome us our introduce themselves. For quite a while they continued the conversation about American Football, of which we have no knowledge or interest, and also about how much real estate they each owned.  At some point they did deign to stop talking, ask who we were and quickly established that we were not wealthy.  They then continued as though we were not there. At which point we told our waiter we were leaving.

We have not let that experience put us off sharing a table as it was such an unusual occurrence.

How incredibly rude of those people!  We would have left too.  We have had good experiences but will not be drawn into political discussions.  I do wish people would understand that many keep their political beliefs private. 

[travelwell]

We love sharing tables and have never minded to be at a table with people who know each other. We do prefer tables of 4-6. I do know 4 is more risky but for one meal we will take a chance. We had only one bad experience and even then it was so outrageous we laugh about it now. Thankfully the man was not rude to the staff, just to us being from Atlanta. We attempted to educate on the uneducated comment and then let it roll...Life is too short to be sensitive on small things.

Edited February 20, 2019 by travelwell
Edited sentence

[irishwitchy]

My husband and I normally eat with just the two us.   We prefer meeting someone at the bar or somewhere else on ship and determine we find them interesting, fun, different or on the same page and then decide to have dinner together.   

[UUNetBill]

5 hours ago, rcandkc said:

How incredibly rude of those people!  We would have left too.  We have had good experiences but will not be drawn into political discussions.  I do wish people would understand that many keep their political beliefs private. 

I have had some 'lite' political discussions years ago in the Connoisseur Club over cognac and cigars - I'm okay in that environment but not at dinner.  I'm still amazed how many people are completely unable to interpret nonverbals...

 

4 hours ago, travelwell said:

We love sharing tables and have never minded to be at a table with people who know each other. We do prefer tables of 4-6. I do know 4 is more risky but for one meal we will take a chance. We had only one bad experience and even then it was so outrageous we laugh about it now. Thankfully the man was not rude to the staff, just to us being from Atlanta. We attempted to educate on the uneducated comment and then let it roll...Life is too short to be sensitive on small things.

We were at an 8-top on our one Cunard cruise, which has set dining - and we had one couple who was not only 180* politically away from the other 6 of us at the table, they were very vocal about their differing views.  Sure, okay, let everyone know you think differently than they do - then STFU.  Seriously.  It got so bad we ate at the specialty restaurant pretty much every night after night two as we couldn't take the constant jabber...

 

Religion and politics - fine discussions in the right environment.  Poison in the wrong environment.

[MalbecWine]

Bill, unfortunately our nation is so politically polarized and the political issues raise their ugly heads on land as well as sea.  Civility in a discussion is all that matters but some don’t know how to do that.  

[ronrick1943]

1 hour ago, UUNetBill said:

I have had some 'lite' political discussions years ago in the Connoisseur Club over cognac and cigars - I'm okay in that environment but not at dinner.  I'm still amazed how many people are completely unable to interpret nonverbals...

 

We were at an 8-top on our one Cunard cruise, which has set dining - and we had one couple who was not only 180* politically away from the other 6 of us at the table, they were very vocal about their differing views.  Sure, okay, let everyone know you think differently than they do - then STFU.  Seriously.  It got so bad we ate at the specialty restaurant pretty much every night after night two as we couldn't take the constant jabber...

 

Religion and politics - fine discussions in the right environment.  Poison in the wrong environment.

 

I don't know Bill, That is something we try to stay away from--it's just not a great idea because most people can't understand why you may have a different opinion on the subject.  

[UUNetBill]

1 hour ago, MalbecWine said:

Bill, unfortunately our nation is so politically polarized and the political issues raise their ugly heads on land as well as sea.  Civility in a discussion is all that matters but some don’t know how to do that.  

 

1 hour ago, ronrick1943 said:

 

I don't know Bill, That is something we try to stay away from--it's just not a great idea because most people can't understand why you may have a different opinion on the subject.  

True on both counts.  It’s worth noting that any political discussions I’ve been part of on board took place many years ago.  I don’t know that I’d engage in that today.

 

These days I tend to talk about more benign subjects.  Sad, in a way.

[travelwell]

I also avoid politics both on the cruise ship and off. Great idea as the 2021 World Cruise is right after the American General Election and a President will take over during this cruise. I am hoping this not a major topic of conversation. So many other things to talk about. For dinner no one needs to worry about politics. Over 4 months of a world cruise there will probably be friendships that develop the trust to nicely discuss politics but not a new friend or dinner companion.

I will say that Regent can help start the Cruise on an even keel by being careful in picking the pre cruise hotel especially for this WC.

[IndiTravler]

Speaking of interesting dining companions.   One time we ended up eating with a gentleman who had been my Dad’s boss at one time.   Very much a “what a small world” experience!

[OCruisers]

When sharing a table, dinner companions are sort of like "blind dates" ... some are better than others.  

[UUNetBill]

17 hours ago, IndiTravler said:

Speaking of interesting dining companions.   One time we ended up eating with a gentleman who had been my Dad’s boss at one time.   Very much a “what a small world” experience!

Similar thing - we did a 4x4 excursion in Corfu and the gentleman riding with us lived in our neighborhood in Colorado Springs, just a half mile away. 

 

Pretty cool finding your dad's former boss, though.  Figure the odds.

[TWG_ag]

We often seek out dinner companions, mostly by extending invitations during the day as we meet folks but rarely by the random just pair me with whoever walks in method. As a result we have never had a real bad experience, since we had a good vibe going in.  We have done enough of the random pairing throughout our cruising history during open seating lunches and breakfasts where they try to fill the dining rooms as people walk in. We have been the two and the four of 6 and heartily agree that 6 is a good number while 8 can be too many. with few exceptions most Regent officer dinners are at tables of 6 or less. Our two Captains diners on Regent were both 6 people affairs. Also we travel a lot with our adult daughter so we are frequently 3 looking to add 2 more and five works well. With the exception of one lady at a lunch on Celebrity about 10 years ago, I have always been able to politely get through a meal even if the discussion goes bad. Let's face it, not every date we ever had worked out, so if you have a couple of stinker dinners, it does not ruin your trip.