Ackward Dining experience on Majesty....1st solo

[sandycruzr]

Ok, so I did my first solo cruise last week on Majesty of the Seas. Overall it was a fun cruise but I wouldn’t recommend Majesty for solo travelers based upon my negative MDR dining experiences.  I was given early seating in the Starlight. They asked me if I wanted my own table or share.  I thought it would be nice to enjoy dinner with other solo cruisers so I opted for the shared table. Well, it was me and an older gentleman every night at a table set of 8.  I did go to the buffet one night and it was fine. I returned to the Starlight in hopes that more people would join us at the table for 8 but no such luck!  They did not have any real organization solo cruiser meet ups except a few “solo cruisers can meet up informally at the schooner lounge at 11pm. I went the first night and did not see any solos so I didn’t return.  Oh well, I did meet lots of nice couples and had fun. 

My horrifying and ackward dining experience occurred on the first sea day at lunchtime in the Starlight Dining Room.  I walked in and a host asked me “how many?”  I replied “one”. He said ONE?  I said Yes, just one. Well he took me all the way to the back of the dining room and sat me at a table for 2 and then walked away. Already seated, and in the middle of conversation were one couple at a table for 2on my right side and another couple on my left side. I was in the middle.  I sat down and smiled and said a cherry hello. I was shocked when one of the women said “what is SHE doing here?”  The other woman said “well this is stupid!”  I said “I’m sorry, I see that you folks are talking, would you like to switch tables with me so that I’m not in the middle of your conversation?  One of the women said no, you shouldn’t be here!  I said, I’m so sorry but I didn’t request this table, they sat me here.    About 10 minutes went by and a waiter never came to take my order, I read a few texts on my phone trying to look busy but inside I was really so crushed that these 2 couples could be so rude. Normally, I would have a quick comeback to put them in their place for being so mean but honestly, I was sat there pRalyzed and shocked.  After 10minutes of no service and getting the evil eye from these rude people, I stood up and left!  I felt awful!  As I was leaving, the host said I hope you enjoyed your lunch! I’ve been on over 50 cruises so I know that Cruisers are generally a very fun, social,group. I am still shocked at this experience. 

[mef_57]

24 minutes ago, sandycruzr said:

Ok, so I did my first solo cruise last week on Majesty of the Seas. Overall it was a fun cruise but I wouldn’t recommend Majesty for solo travelers based upon my negative MDR dining experiences.  I was given early seating in the Starlight. They asked me if I wanted my own table or share.  I thought it would be nice to enjoy dinner with other solo cruisers so I opted for the shared table. Well, it was me and an older gentleman every night at a table set of 8.  I did go to the buffet one night and it was fine. I returned to the Starlight in hopes that more people would join us at the table for 8 but no such luck!  They did not have any real organization solo cruiser meet ups except a few “solo cruisers can meet up informally at the schooner lounge at 11pm. I went the first night and did not see any solos so I didn’t return.  Oh well, I did meet lots of nice couples and had fun. 

My horrifying and ackward dining experience occurred on the first sea day at lunchtime in the Starlight Dining Room.  I walked in and a host asked me “how many?”  I replied “one”. He said ONE?  I said Yes, just one. Well he took me all the way to the back of the dining room and sat me at a table for 2 and then walked away. Already seated, and in the middle of conversation were one couple at a table for 2on my right side and another couple on my left side. I was in the middle.  I sat down and smiled and said a cherry hello. I was shocked when one of the women said “what is SHE doing here?”  The other woman said “well this is stupid!”  I said “I’m sorry, I see that you folks are talking, would you like to switch tables with me so that I’m not in the middle of your conversation?  One of the women said no, you shouldn’t be here!  I said, I’m so sorry but I didn’t request this table, they sat me here.    About 10 minutes went by and a waiter never came to take my order, I read a few texts on my phone trying to look busy but inside I was really so crushed that these 2 couples could be so rude. Normally, I would have a quick comeback to put them in their place for being so mean but honestly, I was sat there pRalyzed and shocked.  After 10minutes of no service and getting the evil eye from these rude people, I stood up and left!  I felt awful!  As I was leaving, the host said I hope you enjoyed your lunch! I’ve been on over 50 cruises so I know that Cruisers are generally a very fun, social,group. I am still shocked at this experience. 

What awful people! I certainly would have had a 'chat' with the host before leaving, but not sure what you could say to the two ignoramouses. Maybe flag down the waiter. Order as many items as I could conceivably eat, giggle over my phone....drive them away, not me.

As to the table seating, I am guessing more solo travelers were also too intimidated by the MDR to eat there. i hope the other person was worth talking with.

Sorry it didn't go better. It can be hit and miss, and I hope you will gice it another try.

[sandycruzr]

Thanks for your advice.  I would definitely cruise solo again.  Aside from that horrible lunch experience I had a great time. 

[Go-Bucks!]

1 hour ago, sandycruzr said:

Thanks for your advice.  I would definitely cruise solo again.  Aside from that horrible lunch experience I had a great time. 

 

I had a similar disastrous solo dinner experience on Celebrity. 

 

First I was seated at a table for 10 that had 9 people who were all together and busy talking. They were already finished with their salads...no one said a word to me and the waiter never came to give me a menu so I got up and went back to the host. He said he'd seat me at a new table and seat new comers with me. I was then seated at an 8-top table but no one was ever seated with me and the people around me started to stare at me...no waiter or menu either! This time I started to cry and got up and left for good...never returned again!

From then on I ate in the buffet where I never felt uncomfortable. I prefer the more casual atmosphere too.

 

On my recent world cruise (7 months long), I ate in the buffet about 95% of the time...feels better as a solo.

Edited October 3, 2019 by Go-Bucks!

[Etta1213]

Go Bucks - My husband and I had a similar experience at a table that had a group that knew each other. We were totally ignored by the group. Since then we rarely sit at anything but a table for two if in the dining room. And we like the buffet better - more fun! We love getting to know the workers from around the world. They usually have more flexibility to stop to talk, compared to dining room servers. We stay as long as we want, get into some amazing conversations when we ask the workers about their own countries, their govts, their families. 

[SandraDJ]

Those people were incredibly rude.  Thankfully I have never met anyone like that in any of my cruises.

 

On all the RCI cruises that I have been on, I have been seated with others at breakfast or lunch in the MDR.

 

When I was on Queen Victoria last year I was seated with couples, and asked to be moved to a table of solo travellers.  The next night it was just me and a very elderly, and very deaf, man on a table for 8.  I swapped again, because I knew that there was space on a table of solos that I had already met.  Third time lucky.  And they did re-seat the elderly man, so I didn't need to feel guilty about abandoning him.

[lab_love123]

I really can't comprehend how people could be that rude! I would like to say I would have been able to say something, but in the moment I'd probably just be so taken aback that I wouldn't be able to come up with a suitable retort. I had one uncomfortable brunch experience on a solo cruise where I was seated as the 5th at a table with 4 already seated. None of my table mates talked to me, in fact they barely acknowledged my presence and I did feel like I was intruding; but they weren't outright rude to me. It was certainly awkward, but I had brought a book and made the best of it. Thankfully, I had a very positive assigned dinner table experience on that cruise, so I was able to brush the brunch issue off easily. But I can certainly sympathize with what happened to you.

 

I'm glad you had an otherwise enjoyable cruise. I find that generally people on cruises are normally quite friendly and welcoming. There's always a few exceptions though!

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, sandycruzr said:

As I was leaving, the host said I hope you enjoyed your lunch!

 

What was your response?  I believe I would have asked to speak to the Dining Room Manager/Maitre d'--whatever that ship calls the head honcho in charge of the Dining Room.  In a calm, but disappointed manner, I would then explain why you were dissatisfied.  This "host" is in need of more training and your experience proved it.

 

I had a breakfast seating on a HAL ship once where my table was located in a rather out-of-the-way area for the Stewards on a morning when I asked for a solo table.  Service was not of HAL caliber from any of the staff.  I did feel "overlooked" even by Stewards nearby.  I did get served, finally, but the "Pastry tray man" never arrived until I told the Steward who took my order that I wanted it, nor did the initial cup of coffee and juice offered when seated.  Coffee refills?  Ha!  When I left the Dining Room, I informed the Assistant Maitre d' of my displeasure.  I am now much more conscious of where I am being seated and have refused--more than once--the table that was offered.      

[rkacruiser]

As a solo diner, I have had experiences of being seated at a large table when no one else arrived.  Disappointing, but, was the service excellent!

 

Whomever is in charge of the seating--and sometimes an excellent Dining Steward--will recognize the issue and be proactive to provide me with dining companions if that is what I want.  

 

On Carnival Miracle, my traveling companion and I were seated at a table for 8.  Night #1, #2, #3:  no one else appeared.  An adjoining table had a couple seated by themselves and they were of our generation.  My Steward asked us if he could ask them to join us for Night #4.  We agreed.  They did.  We had a very pleasant dinner and conversation, but for whatever reason, the couple chose to resume their previous dining situation.

[Lois R]

I am also a solo cruiser and I have to say those 2 couple were total idiots and waaayyy out of line. So sorry you had such an awful experience. Sometimes people can be plain a$$es

 

Glad you will give another cruise a chance!  Most folks are quite friendly but you do get the bozo....unfortunately, they are part of real life and that is small % of cruisers.

[PerfectlyPerth]

Sheesh you certainly encountered a couple of rude ones. 

Personally I would have said out loud exactly what I thought of them - but hey - that's me !!

I agree with others in that you should have immediately made the issues known to the maître d. They can't fix problems they are not made aware of. 

 

 

[sandycruzr]

Thanks for all your advice.  Honestly I was so upset at the whole situation I couldn’t speak.  I was afraid if I tried to speak I might cry!   I know that sounds ridiculous but that’s how upset that encounter left me. I normally would have a snappy comeback for those rude people but I was just so shocked by the whole thing. 

However, I did see those rude folks by the pool the next day and I did tell them

exactly how I felt about them! 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, sandycruzr said:

However, I did see those rude folks by the pool the next day and I did tell them

exactly how I felt about them! 

 

Good for you!  But, please, complete the "rest of the story" as the late radio commentator Paul Harvey would say.  What did they say/react?

[sandycruzr]

Oh it was actually funny. At first they looked at me like they had no idea what I was talking about. Then the nasty woman told me I should know better than to sit at a center table when people were talking! Her husband grabbed her arm and said Let’s get out of here NOW. The wife refused to leave, told me I was RUDE😂 and gave me a nasty look.  I gave her a piece of my mind and ended by saying it was bad Cruise Karma to be so mean to others!  The people sitting next to her started to clap then she yelled T them

and stormed off!  It was actually quite entertaining 😎

[Lois R]

2 hours ago, sandycruzr said:

Oh it was actually funny. At first they looked at me like they had no idea what I was talking about. Then the nasty woman told me I should know better than to sit at a center table when people were talking! Her husband grabbed her arm and said Let’s get out of here NOW. The wife refused to leave, told me I was RUDE😂 and gave me a nasty look.  I gave her a piece of my mind and ended by saying it was bad Cruise Karma to be so mean to others!  The people sitting next to her started to clap then she yelled T them

and stormed off!  It was actually quite entertaining 😎

Good for you!!!!!!!!!!  I would love to know what you told her (if you feel like telling us)

[mef_57]

...or keep it to yourself. we are glad you stood up for yourself and set her down a peg or two, but to emulate her by  a blow by blow ridicule may send some of that bad cruise karma back. Sometimes hugging the knowledge to yourself is the best satisfaction.

[Lois R]

1 hour ago, mef_57 said:

...or keep it to yourself. we are glad you stood up for yourself and set her down a peg or two, but to emulate her by  a blow by blow ridicule may send some of that bad cruise karma back. Sometimes hugging the knowledge to yourself is the best satisfaction.

That is why I posted "if you feel like telling us"...…..and I was asking for a reason. If that happens to me, I would love to know how others handled themselves. I would probably be in shock too and not sure what to say, it helps to know what others in that situation said.  I wasn't trying to bring bad karma to anyone.

[mef_57]

Lois, my comment was not meant for you to take personally. I was observing  the OP had options. I thought there was sufficient information provided and recommendations made to come up with a rebuttle once one picked their jaw up off the floor should it happen to them. Sadly, there are rarely scripts for this.

[MMDown Under]

On 10/5/2019 at 5:38 AM, sandycruzr said:

Thanks for all your advice.  Honestly I was so upset at the whole situation I couldn’t speak.  I was afraid if I tried to speak I might cry!   I know that sounds ridiculous but that’s how upset that encounter left me. I normally would have a snappy comeback for those rude people but I was just so shocked by the whole thing. 

However, I did see those rude folks by the pool the next day and I did tell them

exactly how I felt about them! 

Well done!  I had to smile that you told the rude people how you felt about them the next day.  That would have made you feel much better.  If you are like me, you would have been mad at yourself for not saying something at the time. 

Recently I was the only solo at a restaurant, on a meal/theatre package.  I had a lovely time chatting to the friendly couple next to my table.  Everyone around me had gone in to the theatre and I still hadn't received the bill, despite standing up.  I eventually went to the till and asked for the bill, paid and left the tip.  After fuming the whole first half, I decided this wouldn't do for the second half.  So I went back to the restaurant to ask for the sweets which weren't given to me with the bill.  I felt much better enjoying the sweets at interval.  The friendly couple who sat next to me found me out after the show to see if I enjoyed the show.  So I told them what had happened.  They couldn't believe it!   Moral of story is always say something!

 

BTW I have never had unpleasant dining experiences as a solo on a ship.  

 

Edited October 15, 2019 by MMDown Under

[brillohead]

Sometimes people go to the buffet or specialty dining ... how is it the ship's fault that the people assigned to a table didn't show up to dinner that night?  

Likewise, while the lack of service is the ship's fault, how is it the ship's fault if people at nearby tables are rude?

I cruised B2B on Majesty recently as a solo and had no problems at all....

[Bob Burger]

On 10/2/2019 at 7:42 PM, sandycruzr said:

Ok, so I did my first solo cruise last week on Majesty of the Seas. Overall it was a fun cruise but I wouldn’t recommend Majesty for solo travelers based upon my negative MDR dining experiences.  I was given early seating in the Starlight. They asked me if I wanted my own table or share.  I thought it would be nice to enjoy dinner with other solo cruisers so I opted for the shared table. Well, it was me and an older gentleman every night at a table set of 8.  I did go to the buffet one night and it was fine. I returned to the Starlight in hopes that more people would join us at the table for 8 but no such luck!  They did not have any real organization solo cruiser meet ups except a few “solo cruisers can meet up informally at the schooner lounge at 11pm. I went the first night and did not see any solos so I didn’t return.  Oh well, I did meet lots of nice couples and had fun. 

My horrifying and ackward dining experience occurred on the first sea day at lunchtime in the Starlight Dining Room.  I walked in and a host asked me “how many?”  I replied “one”. He said ONE?  I said Yes, just one. Well he took me all the way to the back of the dining room and sat me at a table for 2 and then walked away. Already seated, and in the middle of conversation were one couple at a table for 2on my right side and another couple on my left side. I was in the middle.  I sat down and smiled and said a cherry hello. I was shocked when one of the women said “what is SHE doing here?”  The other woman said “well this is stupid!”  I said “I’m sorry, I see that you folks are talking, would you like to switch tables with me so that I’m not in the middle of your conversation?  One of the women said no, you shouldn’t be here!  I said, I’m so sorry but I didn’t request this table, they sat me here.    About 10 minutes went by and a waiter never came to take my order, I read a few texts on my phone trying to look busy but inside I was really so crushed that these 2 couples could be so rude. Normally, I would have a quick comeback to put them in their place for being so mean but honestly, I was sat there pRalyzed and shocked.  After 10minutes of no service and getting the evil eye from these rude people, I stood up and left!  I felt awful!  As I was leaving, the host said I hope you enjoyed your lunch! I’ve been on over 50 cruises so I know that Cruisers are generally a very fun, social,group. I am still shocked at this experience. 

I did my first solo on a 10 day on the Serenade, I was seated at a ten top in the rear of MDR.  First night, me and four others, second night solo.  Third night a Head Waiter told me there was a table of three women looking for company.  Bad choice for me.  Finally, made some friends and THEY had room at their table, I finished up there. 

 

Solo on Majesty a few time since, spent more time eating at cocktail hour than dinner.  I'm gonna give it a shot on the first, maybe second day.  I'm gonna bail after that.

[Judyrem]

On 10/2/2019 at 9:26 PM, Go-Bucks! said:

 

I had a similar disastrous solo dinner experience on Celebrity. 

 

First I was seated at a table for 10 that had 9 people who were all together and busy talking. They were already finished with their salads...no one said a word to me and the waiter never came to give me a menu so I got up and went back to the host. He said he'd seat me at a new table and seat new comers with me. I was then seated at an 8-top table but no one was ever seated with me and the people around me started to stare at me...no waiter or menu either! This time I started to cry and got up and left for good...never returned again!

From then on I ate in the buffet where I never felt uncomfortable. I prefer the more casual atmosphere too.

 

On my recent world cruise (7 months long), I ate in the buffet about 95% of the time...feels better as a solo.

OMG that is horrible!

[Gypsymimi]

On 10/15/2019 at 12:41 AM, brillohead said:

Sometimes people go to the buffet or specialty dining ... how is it the ship's fault that the people assigned to a table didn't show up to dinner that night?  

Likewise, while the lack of service is the ship's fault, how is it the ship's fault if people at nearby tables are rude?

I cruised B2B on Majesty recently as a solo and had no problems at all....

The OPs point was not that the ship's crew had done anything wrong. We're all on here to share experiences as a solo traveler, or, as is my case, to decide whether to travel solo or not. It helps to be prepared for situations that might arise. Knowing the OP's experience, I would be more likely to go to the maitre d', report what happened, and ask for different seating. We're all interested in people's stories. 

[brillohead]

12 hours ago, Gypsymimi said:

The OPs point was not that the ship's crew had done anything wrong. We're all on here to share experiences as a solo traveler, or, as is my case, to decide whether to travel solo or not. It helps to be prepared for situations that might arise. Knowing the OP's experience, I would be more likely to go to the maitre d', report what happened, and ask for different seating. We're all interested in people's stories. 

Actually, the OP specifically named the ship itself as one to avoid if traveling solo, as if it were the ship (and her crew) were the reason for the bad experience: 

I wouldn’t recommend Majesty for solo travelers based upon my negative MDR dining experiences.

Discussing experiences to be prepared for similar instances is one thing, but blaming a ship/crew for the actions of fellow passengers is another. 

[CruiseMH]

13 hours ago, Gypsymimi said:

The OPs point was not that the ship's crew had done anything wrong

 

OP didn`t specifically mention it,but to me it was ships fault not to serve him.

No matter if i am solo or with a group of 2,3 or 6 people.If i am seated and wait for more than 10 Minutes without anyone coming to me and bringing me the menu or asking for my drink order then i would leave as well.(maybe not after 10 minutes,but after 15 or 20,depending on the situation)