Ever have awful Table mates?

[AmazedByCruising]

Technically not tablemates, but the couple that sat at a two top inches away at lunch. They wouldn't acknowledge us, I mean a nod and a smile that that we see that they take place almost at the same table should be answered by a nod shouldn't it?  The sort of "handshake" when you don't really need to shake hands. They didn't speak to us, but they didn't speak to each other either. Not a single word. They where not deaf or something as they both ordered. We felt it was almost eery. 

[ducklite]

On 6/26/2019 at 7:30 PM, RocketMan275 said:

There was a wonderful thread on the Celebrity board about egregious behavior from passengers demanding special treatment because of their high status.

 

Very much like the posts that begin:  "We're Captains Club Super Elite Status and ..."

Most of those "super elites" have cruised the same itineraries in the Caribbean over and over to earn their "pledge pin."  Ho hum.  I'd rather spend the same money and see half of Europe over spending the same money and seeing Senor Frogs 18 times.  Can you tell how impressed I am by their "status?"  🙄

[zitsky]

18 minutes ago, AmazedByCruising said:

Technically not tablemates, but the couple that sat at a two top inches away at lunch. They wouldn't acknowledge us, I mean a nod and a smile that that we see that they take place almost at the same table should be answered by a nod shouldn't it?  The sort of "handshake" when you don't really need to shake hands. They didn't speak to us, but they didn't speak to each other either. Not a single word. They where not deaf or something as they both ordered. We felt it was almost eery. 

 

Since they didn't talk to each other I wouldn't expect them to talk to you. Maybe they were having a bad day?

[wwcruisers]

1 minute ago, zitsky said:

 

Since they didn't talk to each other I wouldn't expect them to talk to you. Maybe they were having a bad day?

 Yep -- maybe those folks requested a 2-top so that they could mind their own business -- and hope that everyone else would do the same!

[AmazedByCruising]

Just now, zitsky said:

Since they didn't talk to each other I wouldn't expect them to talk to you. Maybe they were having a bad day?

 

I wasn't expecting a nice conversation,  we chose a two top ourselves. But not nodding back is rude IMHO. Agree, they must have had a bad day. A very bad day.

[electro]

2 hours 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.  

A muscle shirt and a ladies sleeveless top are no where near the same so unless she was also wearing a muscle shirt then I wouldn't consider it a double standard.

[Nic6318]

2 minutes ago, AmazedByCruising said:

 

I wasn't expecting a nice conversation,  we chose a two top ourselves. But not nodding back is rude IMHO. Agree, they must have had a bad day. A very bad day.

 

 

Hi

 

I don't think there are any rules regarding etiquette on nodding. You might be taking greater offense than warranted. They could have just been mad at you and those around them. After all, if they really wanted a two top so they wouldn't have to interact with others, how do you think they felt when seated so close together. 

 

I take it this was a YTD dining situation. Maybe one of the couple suggested that this would be the best way not to be seated with others, and what do they get... someone nodding to them. 😃 Yes, possibly one of them was really pissed off at the other and everyone around and the other knew when best to keep quiet.

[Husky61]

18 minutes ago, AmazedByCruising said:

 

I wasn't expecting a nice conversation,  we chose a two top ourselves. But not nodding back is rude IMHO. Agree, they must have had a bad day. A very bad day.

A bad day because they didn't acknowledge you?

[MicCanberra]

4 hours 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.  

There have always been double standards for one sex over another, especially dress standards. Men must have closed shoes yet women can wear whatever on their feet.

Of course some of these dress standards work the other way around in differing situations as well.

I would think common sense would prevail but unfortunately, common sense doesn't seem to be al that common.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, Nic6318 said:

 

 

Hi

 

I don't think there are any rules regarding etiquette on nodding. You might be taking greater offense than warranted. They could have just been mad at you and those around them. After all, if they really wanted a two top so they wouldn't have to interact with others, how do you think they felt when seated so close together. 

 

I take it this was a YTD dining situation. Maybe one of the couple suggested that this would be the best way not to be seated with others, and what do they get... someone nodding to them. 😃 Yes, possibly one of them was really pissed off at the other and everyone around and the other knew when best to keep quiet.

Sometimes, you just want to eat in peace with no socialising or interaction other than with the waiter.

BTW, 'AmazedByCruising' said it was a lunch.

[Harley52]

1 minute ago, zitsky said:

 

Gee thanks!

You are quite welcome, I find the most courteous, honest and sincere fellow cruisers are from Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand.  Extremely polite.

[zitsky]

8 minutes ago, Harley52 said:

You are quite welcome, I find the most courteous, honest and sincere fellow cruisers are from Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand.  Extremely polite.

 

And the least courteous?

[MicCanberra]

Only a 'Mad Man' would say something that provocative.

[MicCanberra]

46 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

Are you gonna share that?

 

Harley52, I think it is not a good idea to stereotype an entire country.  I'm sure there are nice people everywhere. 

Sure will, apparently we (Aussies) are always courteous.😋

[zitsky]

15 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Sure will, apparently we (Aussies) are always courteous.😋

 

See I guess he was right then.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, Harley52 said:

As I alluded to in my previous post, the least courteous are from the USA, they brag, boast, got to have it now, the best, the biggest. I guess its the American way. 

I suppose it depends upon several things, but size of sample needs to be considered.  I have seen, heard, experienced generally more  rude, loud US citizens than those of other countries - but possibly because I can more readily recognize compatriots (and possibly feel more regret at their vulgarity because of that link), but the absolute worst I experienced were, in fact, Canadian - of the French persuasion, yes, but still Canadian. 

[DarrenM]

There were far more US folk on our ship than from any other country. I know I counted them all.

 

My thoughts on US folk from one 7 day cruise.

 

I found them genrally to be very courteous, and very cruisingwise.

 

Yes there were a few loud ones, as there were loud folk from the UK, and from Asia. One particular loud one was telling everyone and anyone at Breakfast that the hills directly behind Cannes were the French Alps. Which amused me hugely.

 

Both my wife and I both ageed that going forward we would rather sail on a ship with US folk than many from Europe.

 

And I find a lot of Brits extremely embarrassing.

 

There were a group of folk from the Far East, I suspect from the Forbidden City, on our cruise who were extremely rude to the waiters in our MDR. And they did this quite close to where we were sat. Includung being rude to our Waiter. It was the only time on the ship that I, probably unpolitely, told someone to shift and take their whining as far away from me as possible.

 

Not sure they spoke my sort of English though.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2019 by DarrenM

[MicCanberra]

I think we have all seen fellow countrymen being an embarrassment to our respective nations, just as we have seen it from people from differing countries also embarrassing their fellow countrymen.

[momofmeg]

11 hours ago, Harley52 said:

You are quite welcome, I find the most courteous, honest and sincere fellow cruisers are from Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand.  Extremely polite.

 Lol where are you from? Maybe you are not loud but I would say you are rude and are  making a blanket statement.  I have found most people are courteous but there are exceptions in every culture. the problem is the exceptions are  what annoys us so  of course we remember them.

 

For example, I grew up in Augusta, GA, a military town  and so  I met many women from other countries who had  married GIs. I worked with a very rude hateful woman from Germany circa 1978. She was about the nastiest person I have ever met  even 40 years later. However,  I also worked with other German women who were nothing like her and found her just as obnoxious as the rest of us. 

[momofmeg]

9 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I suppose it depends upon several things, but size of sample needs to be considered.  I have seen, heard, experienced generally more  rude, loud US citizens than those of other countries - but possibly because I can more readily recognize compatriots (and possibly feel more regret at their vulgarity because of that link), but the absolute worst I experienced were, in fact, Canadian - of the French persuasion, yes, but still Canadian. 

Lol maybe my cousin then as most of  my French ancestry came form Quebec before they came to the USA.

[Anubi]

9 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I suppose it depends upon several things, but size of sample needs to be considered.  I have seen, heard, experienced generally more  rude, loud US citizens than those of other countries - but possibly because I can more readily recognize compatriots (and possibly feel more regret at their vulgarity because of that link), but the absolute worst I experienced were, in fact, Canadian - of the French persuasion, yes, but still Canadian. 

French Canadians are in a category of rudeness all their own.  

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, DarrenM said:

One particular loud one was telling everyone and anyone at Breakfast that the hills directly behind Cannes were the French Alps. Which amused me hugely.

 

Since the region around Cannes is the Alpes Maritimes that mistake is understandable.

[ducklite]

4 hours ago, Anubi said:

French Canadians are in a category of rudeness all their own.  

Having grown up two hours from the border in upstate NY, I concur.  I'll take the surliest person from NYC, Chicago, or Philly over the Quebecois.

[AmazedByCruising]

17 hours ago, Nic6318 said:

I don't think there are any rules regarding etiquette on nodding.

 

Looked it up as I took it for granted, like you're supposed to shake a hand when it's offered. It seems to be cultural, varying even within the States, and the most amazing thing is that it's specifically a male to male interaction. 

[wwcruisers]

7 hours ago, Anubi said:

French Canadians are in a category of rudeness all their own.  

 

While I try very hard not to let one experience sour me on a whole group of people, I have to say that some of the rudest people we have ever been seated with were French Canadians. It was at lunch, several years ago on a Celebrity cruise. My DH and I were shown to a table, where a group of four people were already seated. They were clearly a group, and were busily talking away among-st themselves (in French) when we sat down. Not wanting to interrupt, we simply acknowledged them with a quick "Hi -- how are you doing?". They stopped talked talking for a second, GLARED at us, and resumed their discussion. My DH, wanting to give them the benefit of the doubt, whispered to me: "Maybe they don't speak English". Right after that, the waiter appeared, and they all proceeded to order -- in perfect English. That was when we got up and left -- without a word. I was afraid that a polite "Please excuse us" would trigger another round of dirty looks. 🙄

 

And, to be fair -- we have met some lovely French Canadians (on cruises) since then. It just goes to show that jerks come in all sizes, shapes, and nationalities!