Ever have awful Table mates?

[c-boy]

or they've experienced some misfortune (twice) and have decided that was all they could handle and will dine alone. 

[zitsky]

1 minute ago, c-boy said:

or they've experienced some misfortune (twice) and have decided that was all they could handle and will dine alone. 

 

Misfortune is a strange choice of words when discussing dining.

[mom says]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

 

Misfortune is a strange choice of words when discussing dining.

I don't think it's a strange choice of words at all. Merriam Webster says:

Definition of misfortune

 

1a: an event or conjunction of events that causes an unfortunate or distressing result : bad luck

- by misfortune he fell into bad company 

-had the misfortune to break his leg

b: an unhappy situation

-always ready to help people in misfortune

2: a distressing or unfortunate incident or event

-misfortunes never come singly

[zitsky]

If someone uses the word misfortune because they had dinner with someone they don't like, I would say they are over sensitive.  Get some nerve, stand up, and walk away from the table. 

[DarrenM]

So let me get this right. If on our next  cruise we ask to be sat with others, we could end up with a child on our table?

 

And that's without even seeing the menu?

 

Seriously a child? Shudders

 

I think I will stick to a table for 2.

 

 

[ontheweb]

40 minutes ago, DarrenM said:

So let me get this right. If on our next  cruise we ask to be sat with others, we could end up with a child on our table?

 

And that's without even seeing the menu?

 

Seriously a child? Shudders

 

I think I will stick to a table for 2.

 

 

Were you ever a child? 

[ducklite]

19 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Were you ever a child? 

It doesn't mean a person would want to sit with one while on vacation.

[ontheweb]

7 minutes ago, ducklite said:

It doesn't mean a person would want to sit with one while on vacation.

You do realize I hope that there are well behaved children.

 

And almost all of the posts about tablemates that people objected to have been about adults.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

1 hour ago, DarrenM said:

So let me get this right. If on our next  cruise we ask to be sat with others, we could end up with a child on our table?

 

And that's without even seeing the menu?

 

Seriously a child? Shudders

 

I think I will stick to a table for 2.

You can be politically correct about it, you know.  Just say something like: "I don't feel right intruding on a family meal."  A socially attuned host(ess) will know what it's code for, and will most likely seat you with other adults.

Edited August 3, 2019 by LandlockedCruiser01

[DarrenM]

So it wouldnt be prudent to do a Peter Griffin impersonation and shout oh my God kids.

 

To be honest I dont mind getting there to find children on the menu.

 

Couldn't eat a whole one though

[DarrenM]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

Were you ever a child? 

Of course. And I am a very good case for adults not wanting to be near kids on holiday.

[DarrenM]

I like to have a bit of craic with folk on holiday. Having to temper that craic to suit children being present isn't on my agenda. 

 

Some of my anecdotes are not for kids.

[ducklite]

54 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

You do realize I hope that there are well behaved children.

 

And almost all of the posts about tablemates that people objected to have been about adults.

I don't care how well behaved they are, I don't want to sit with children while I'm on vacation.  If I did, I'd bring my very well behaved nieces and nephews along with me. 

[ontheweb]

13 hours ago, ducklite said:

I don't care how well behaved they are, I don't want to sit with children while I'm on vacation.  If I did, I'd bring my very well behaved nieces and nephews along with me. 

I believe in the teachings of the great philosopher Dr. Seuss. From his book Horton Hears a Who---"A person's a person no matter how small.".

 

Though I think I would not want to sit with you.

[$hip$hape]

15 hours ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

 Just say something like: "I don't feel right intruding on a family meal." 

A socially attuned host(ess) will know what it's code for, and will most likely seat you with other adults.

Children are not allowed on Viking, our next cruise, so no problem.

I would be more apt to say, to a hostess, 

"Please, you sat us next to the busy galley/kitchen door yesterday.

Could you find us a quiet corner whilst we wait?"

Yes, we've had no problems with a change of seating.

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by $hip$hape

[CPT Trips]

I can hear it now coming from tables with the pit bull judgmentalists 

"CPT Trips strong and able,

get your elbows off the table."

And then it starts for DarrenM . . . 

 

I'm  fine with kids in lots of settings. But when DW and I get away or tour, we prefer not to "enjoy" other people's ankle biters. Now if we travel to Disney or some other obviously kid place, we expect them. A

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I believe in the teachings of the great philosopher Dr. Seuss. From his book Horton Hears a Who---"A person's a person no matter how small.".

 

Though I think I would not want to sit with you.

 

No children are NOT small adults.  Some know how to behave.  Many do not.  There is a strange effort in this country to elevate kids as if they are some kind of holy object.  Just let them be (well behaved) kids.

 

*(Yes some kids are more mature for their age, but you can't know that when sitting at a table.)

Edited August 4, 2019 by zitsky

[Biorag]

Well, never had any horrid table mates, but we did once share with a lovely family from Boivia. Their kids and ours got on fantastically despite the language barrier.

 

My next cruise is solo, assigned seating...yikes.

[c-boy]

20 hours ago, zitsky said:

If someone uses the word misfortune because they had dinner with someone they don't like, I would say they are over sensitive.  Get some nerve, stand up, and walk away from the table. 

it's an East coast, West coast thing

[zitsky]

4 minutes ago, c-boy said:

it's an East coast, West coast thing

 

I've lived East Coast, Midwest, West Coast and South.  I don't accept that you can classify an attitude as black and white.

[$hip$hape]

58 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

No children are NOT small adults.  Some know how to behave.  Many do not. 

There is a strange effort in this country to elevate kids as if they are some kind of holy object. 

Just let them be (well behaved) kids.

 

*(Yes some kids are more mature for their age, but you can't know that when sitting at a table.)

IMHO, Helicopter parents feel their offspring should be the center of attention on the cruise,

and at the table.

Me thinks, they should be left at home with grandparents.😉

Edited August 4, 2019 by $hip$hape

[zitsky]

8 minutes ago, $hip$hape said:

IMHO, Helicopter parents feel their offspring should be the center of attention on the cruise,

and at the table.

Me thinks, they should be left at home with grandparents.😉

 

I understand why pax don't want to deal with this.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I believe in the teachings of the great philosopher Dr. Seuss. From his book Horton Hears a Who---"A person's a person no matter how small.".

Yes, true.  But since "a person's a person, no matter how small", then every person has a right to choose who to associate with.  Plus, my politically correct statement isn't entirely fake.  I'm sure kids would feel equally awkward with a new adult joining their table, especially younger kids.

 

Either I had socially attuned hosts or I've been lucky.  Every time I shared at table, whether at assigned seating (dinner) or ad hoc (breakfast and lunch), I always got seated with adults.  Usually older couples or groups of friends, the demographics that tend to be most inclusive of solos.

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

No children are NOT small adults.  Some know how to behave.  Many do not.  There is a strange effort in this country to elevate kids as if they are some kind of holy object.  Just let them be (well behaved) kids.

 

*(Yes some kids are more mature for their age, but you can't know that when sitting at a table.)

I never said they were small adults, but they are people, not some alien monsters. I think I'd rather have children at our table than some of the trulhy narrow minded adults I am reading in this thread.

[DarrenM]

I would rather have neither .