Ever have awful Table mates?

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, AmazedByCruising said:

 

 

I'd say that some "announcement" should be made, like "please excuse me but I need to inject my insuline", or as the then 13 year old brother of my ex put it "now I must stab myself". Everyone knows people with diabetes so it's not weird. The faint hearted should simply look away. Besides having the advantage of not getting sick, it's also polite. And really, it's not as if an open heart surgery is taking place on the table. 

 

So in a social situation,one person’s preference for not stepping away from the table for a couple of minutes should trump everyone else’s preference to not see blood testing and injections as they start their dinner?

 

Proportionality should always be a factor in social situations.

[MicCanberra]

6 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

So in a social situation,one person’s preference for not stepping away from the table for a couple of minutes should trump everyone else’s preference to not see blood testing and injections as they start their dinner?

 

Proportionality should always be a factor in social situations.

Agreed,

next I suppose we can excuse the person with rampant flatulence at the table because people can just not breathe for a minute or so.

[ldubs]

8 hours ago, AmazedByCruising said:

 

 

 Everyone knows people with diabetes so it's not weird. 

 

 

Including me, but I've never seen folks that I know do this at the dinner table much less a stranger.  Unless a medical necessity, I think the proper thing is to do this away from the table.   

[DarrenM]

38 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Agreed,

next I suppose we can excuse the person with rampant flatulence at the table because people can just not breathe for a minute or so.

please dont tell me flatulence is an issue too.

 

Thats my party trick

[ontheweb]

20 hours ago, K32682 said:

 

It does seem so.  The categories so far are people who: 

• Talk about religion
• Talk about politics
• Are bigots and racists
• Don't tolerate bigots or racists
• Ask what you paid for the cruise
• Brag about how little they paid
• Boast about their grand kids
• Discuss their medical conditions
• Ask questions about your medical conditions
• Ask intrusive and personal questions
• Talk about how much money they have
• Eat too slowly.
• Eat too quickly
• Are critical of people who eat too quickly. 
• Check blood sugar at the table
• Inject insulin at the table.
• Arrive late
• Don't show up at all
• Talk too much
• Talk to little
• Talk to their partner/spouse in another language
• Drink too much
• Don't drink
• Don't drink and ask others at the table to the same
• Make multiple orders but don't eat all the food
• Are picky eaters who send food back
• Are critical of your food choices
• Complain about everything
• Don't dress up on formal night
• Blow their noses in cloth napkins
• Ask everyone at the table to say grace
• Argue with their spouse at the table
• Brag about their elite cruise line status
• Talk about how many cruises they've been on
• Text at the table
• Try to sell you insurance
• Show inappropriate attention to your spouse

Did I miss any?  You can either attempt to not do any of the above or go about your dinner as you wish and not give a damn if you happen to fall into the awful table mate category for someone. 

 

No wonder anytime dining is growing in popularity. 🙂

 

It looks like everyone qualifies in some category as a bad tablemate. So, I guess everyone should get a 2-top. Oh wait, the tables are often so close that you are still almost a table mate. So, I guess it should only be the buffet for dinner. Oh wait, you still have to sit somewhere.

 

Aha, I have a solution all dinners should be eaten in your cabin using room service. So there, no more bad tablemates!

[Herfnerd]

Only once.

 

Last cruise to Alaska on the HAL Eurodam, we were entering Glacier Bay and stopped into the MDR for breakfast.  Was seated with a Canadian woman that had nothing good to say about the trip, the ship and the staff.  Rather than watch the scenery around us, she was complaining about the breakfast (nothing was done right) and because she had a drink package, was making the staff look for a particular brand of water that came in a glass bottle - to the point where they called a sommelier in.  She kept insisting that she wanted the "good stuff" and not the domestic dreck.  When she finally got it (a half an hour later), she only had a few sips and asked if we wanted any than got up and left.

 

Her room mate was back at the cabin - I'm guessing she didn't want to deal with her either.

[momofmeg]

On 6/22/2019 at 12:45 AM, ldubs said:

 

Uh oh.  I think we disagree on this one.  Decorum.   I think it goes both ways.   What would Mrs Manners say about a woman making not nice remarks out loud about neighboring diners who were doing nothing to disturb her dinner.   Just sayin. . . 

How do you know Hank would say things within their hearing? perhaps he would simply ask for another table and use a polite excuse like he wants an ocean view or say the pathway between tables was too tight? there are ways you can ask for a table change without insulting your table mates. Of course the waiters  usually figure it out if they are obnoxious. No one has to tell them that.

 

Think about it.  Early in this thread a person who mentioned that  they had table mates who asked  to change for a window table when dinner was 8:30 pm and it was already dark. I would think they were being tactful, mindful of their table mates feelings is why they used that excuse.

[momofmeg]

1 hour ago, Herfnerd said:

Only once.

 

Last cruise to Alaska on the HAL Eurodam, we were entering Glacier Bay and stopped into the MDR for breakfast.  Was seated with a Canadian woman that had nothing good to say about the trip, the ship and the staff.  Rather than watch the scenery around us, she was complaining about the breakfast (nothing was done right) and because she had a drink package, was making the staff look for a particular brand of water that came in a glass bottle - to the point where they called a sommelier in.  She kept insisting that she wanted the "good stuff" and not the domestic dreck.  When she finally got it (a half an hour later), she only had a few sips and asked if we wanted any than got up and left.

 

Her room mate was back at the cabin - I'm guessing she didn't want to deal with her either.

Lol we had someone at a nearby table like that this last cruise the first night. A Jersey USA gal lol! So I don't think you can blame that just on Candains. Obnoxious people come from everywhere! Fortunately we had anytime dining so she was not near us again for dinner. But every time I ran into her she was complaining about something. (show theatre, excursions desk)  Lol!  

[Herfnerd]

11 minutes ago, momofmeg said:

Lol we had someone at a nearby table like that this last cruise the first night. A Jersey USA gal lol! So I don't think you can blame that just on Candains. Obnoxious people come from everywhere! Fortunately we had anytime dining so she was not near us again for dinner. But every time I ran into her she was complaining about something. (show theatre, excursions desk)  Lol!  

Yeah - but I have to apologize.  I didn't meant to say that she was that way because she was Canadian.  but only that she was from Canada.  That point came out when we tried to make small talk once we were seated.  It just went downhill from there......

[momofmeg]

8 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Including me, but I've never seen folks that I know do this at the dinner table much less a stranger.  Unless a medical necessity, I think the proper thing is to do this away from the table.   

 True, but is their diabetes is so uncontrolled they must blood test at the table? If it is I would think they would eat in the buffet  for fear their sugar would drop too much (insulin shock) before the food is served. 

 

Now, I get their taking their insulin shot at the table as there is a wait for food but testing their blood could be done in their room before coming to dinner. I have diabetes and I know what  about how long  before I would have a drop.   I have had diabetes 30 years  but   I have taken care of myself and so far  I can take Glimepiride   to have my body make insulin and metforim to get insulin out of my fat cells. At the beginning of the meal I take my metformin and I wait until the main course to take my Glimepirde. Glimepirde can cause insulin shock if my blood sugar drops too low, (metforim won't do that) doing it that way I am fine. Then I check myself after dinner. I  bring  a few prepackaged food items on  board that I have on hand if my BS is too low that I can eat. Normally I take them right back home though as I well know   how much I can eat. 

 

Now flatulence, well I have skipped dinner(and the show) because of that.  I would not do that to anyone if I could help it. If it started at dinner I would excuse myself and  leave.

[NIATPAC29]

On 6/17/2019 at 2:14 AM, cheeseclan said:

We have had issues twice in all the years of cruising.  The first one was when my husband and I were at a table for 6.  The first night the 2 other couples decided to tell us that they were married to each  other, got divorced and married the others partner.  They then started to tell us way too much stuff!!!  Got our table changed after that.

The second time we had our young son with us.  We were at a large table that had other couples.  Two of the couples starting being really loud and rude to my son.  I got up went to the head waiter and said move us now or I will deck the guy.  Problem solved.

 

After that we have not had issues because we now get a table for 2 or 3 if our son is with us.  If we cruise with friends we get a table for just our group.

Well does your son have a problem?

 

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, momofmeg said:

How do you know Hank would say things within their hearing?

 

I don't know what Hank would say.  I only know what he said in his post about his table mate speaking out loud.  Please take another look at the posts in question.   

[momofmeg]

10 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

I don't know what Hank would say.  I only know what he said in his post about his table mate speaking out loud.  Please take another look at the posts in question.   

 well they were rude unless they have dementia and do not know any better

[cheeseclan]

22 minutes ago, NIATPAC29 said:

Well does your son have a problem?

 

What do you mean?   He was 5 at the time and the couples were loudly telling him inappropriate things!!!!   The head waiter that I went and spoke to said he could hear them and agreed with me.

 

Even If my son was not there, I would not have stayed at that table.   

 

 

Edited July 9, 2019 by cheeseclan

[crazyank]

On 7/9/2019 at 7:41 AM, ldubs said:

 

Including me, but I've never seen folks that I know do this at the dinner table much less a stranger.  Unless a medical necessity, I think the proper thing is to do this away from the table.   

I completely agree.  I'm a diabetic and would never test and/or inject at the dinner table outside my own home.

And I would strongly protest about anybody doing this at the table on a cruise.

[MicCanberra]

I am not against people self medicating at the table but their are limits. Pills are fine, but blood work and injections are not. 

[momofmeg]

6 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

I am not against people self medicating at the table but their are limits. Pills are fine, but blood work and injections are not. 

 Injection pins are very popular now.  It is hard to tell what they are, they look  similar to an ink pen. I would see no issue with that but a syringe and needle would be different. However, most use the syringes if their insurance does not cover their meds well,  it is cheaper to use syringes if you have no insurance or lousy insurance.  If the person is a brittle diabetic I would tolerate it but even then, they could excuse themselves from the table  and go to the restroom. Dining rooms always have a restroom close by.

[DarrenM]

I draw the line at herioin injecting at dinner. Unless they share.

[DarrenM]

just kidding.🙄

[zitsky]

14 minutes ago, DarrenM said:

just kidding.🙄

 

So no sharing then?  😞

[DarrenM]

as long as you bring your own needles.

[geoherb]

On 7/7/2019 at 8:35 PM, K32682 said:

 

Does a diner at a shared table who is dressed to the bare minimums on formal night or even below but is allowed in by the maitre d fall into the category of awful table mate? 

 

No. I remember a honeymoon couple at our table on the Grand Princess back in December 2003. The husband did not have a jacket for formal nights. He wore a dress shirt with a tie. We're glad they came to the table because they were nice. I'd much rather have someone nice who's not dressed to the nines than someone dressed to the nines who's not nice.

 

On the other hand, on another Princess cruise, we had a British tablemate who wore a colored T-shirt and camouflage pants the first few nights. We were shocked when formal night came around and he was dressed in a tux. 

[momofmeg]

4 hours ago, geoherb said:

 

No. I remember a honeymoon couple at our table on the Grand Princess back in December 2003. The husband did not have a jacket for formal nights. He wore a dress shirt with a tie. We're glad they came to the table because they were nice. I'd much rather have someone nice who's not dressed to the nines than someone dressed to the nines who's not nice.

 

On the other hand, on another Princess cruise, we had a British tablemate who wore a colored T-shirt and camouflage pants the first few nights. We were shocked when formal night came around and he was dressed in a tux. 

 I saw MSC turn a way a guy in a muscle shirt the first night  at dinner but they allowed a young woman in shorts and sleeveless top a couple of nights later. I get that men don't  shave their underarms, so considered unsanitary by some, but that was surely a double standard. 

 

I actually brought skirts for dinner as all my summer weight capris  I thought were too casual for dinner and I did not want to bring my heavier weight pants for a July Caribbean cruise but maybe I need not have bothered.  

[momofmeg]

49 minutes ago, momofmeg said:

 I saw MSC turn a way a guy in a muscle shirt the first night  at dinner but they allowed a young woman in shorts and sleeveless top a couple of nights later. I get that men don't  shave their underarms, so considered unsanitary by some, but that was surely a double standard. 

 

I actually brought skirts for dinner as all my summer weight capris  I thought were too casual for dinner and I did not want to bring my heavier weight pants for a July Caribbean cruise but maybe I need not have bothered.  

 Now elegant night, (they no longer have "formal night") men are not asked to wear a jacket or tie. I did insist my husband wear a tie though. I just wore 2 dressy dresses from a line at Dillards that Reba Mac Entyre endorses for  older women. I love that line as it has both great casual and dressy items made for older women but yet do not scream "Granny clothes." they have a youthful appeal but yet not for younger women. The one dress was a maxi dress in all over lace in teal color. The other was a 2 piece leopard print with metallic threads running through it.

 

However this cruise since originally was going to Cuba  and so had a lot of Cuban Americans. They go all out. The women had the slinky "Marilyn Monroe" type evening gowns and the men mostly wore either tuxes or white  dinner jackets. The first time I have ever felt under dressed on formal night! Usually I feel overdressed  as so many do not even bother to dress up  anymore.

 

Heck our previous cruise before this  was on NCL and they call it "dress up or not night" lol! That is exactly what you saw too, most were the "or nots!"

Edited July 11, 2019 by momofmeg

[c-boy]

"..... However this cruise since originally was going to Cuba  and so had a lot of Cuban Americans. They go all out. The women had the slinky "Marilyn Monroe" type evening gowns and the men mostly wore either tuxes or white  dinner jackets. The first time I have ever felt under dressed on formal night! Usually I feel overdressed  as so many do not even bother to dress up  anymore....." 

 

I would of like to see that.