Cell phones in the Britannia Dining Room

[NE John]

When onboard a Cunard ship, I like to follow the mantra “Be here now” and take a tech break. 

Edited July 29, 2023 by NE John

[godfreyb]

On a recent cruise on QE, a few tables away there was another table for 2.  At every meal, the female initiated a discussion with her table neighbors at broadcasting level.  She worked in a tax office, the details of which I now know all about!  Her voice still haunts me.  I observed her saying goodbye to her table neighbors.  We were staying on for the next leg of the cruise.  'Thank God' I thought.......only to discover at dinner that the table for 2 now consisted of a male broadcaster doing exactly the same thing!!!!

[Rothko1]

2 minutes ago, godfreyb said:

On a recent cruise on QE, a few tables away there was another table for 2.  At every meal, the female initiated a discussion with her table neighbors at broadcasting level.  She worked in a tax office, the details of which I now know all about!  Her voice still haunts me.  I observed her saying goodbye to her table neighbors.  We were staying on for the next leg of the cruise.  'Thank God' I thought.......only to discover at dinner that the table for 2 now consisted of a male broadcaster doing exactly the same thing!!!!

 

These are the people for whom the phrase "Good Day, Sir!  I said Good Day!" was invented.

[RICHARD@SEA]

The cell phone is  akin to the creation  the Atom Bomb....

[axelskater]

Food and drink pictures are part of marketing the voyages if you are an agent. Selfies - no thanks, I don't do them. Taking unobtrusive shots displaying restaurants, dishes and drinks, or even a snippet of the entertainment can help sell trips and give people a feel for what the ships are like. Especially first timers. 

[Joe33472]

On 7/29/2023 at 3:20 AM, exlondoner said:

It’s not the reading indeed, but the talking. On the other hand, if my table companion spent the meal reading their phone while eating with me, I should be very offended.

 

Exactly this.    We have a “no phones” at dinner type of unspoken rule, just because it’s rude to your dinning companions.   Dinner at a restaurant is a social endeavor for us, and would never dream of carrying on a conversation or reading on a cellphone while dinning with others.  

 

I would have said something discretely to the maitre d’ on my way to the bathroom.   I’d ask him to wait until I was reseated until something was said to the offender.   

 

 

 

 

[BigMac1953]

I don't know what's worse; going to the toilet halfway through a meal, or using a phone.

[exlondoner]

It is easy to decide if you consider the possible consequences of not doing so.

[Joe33472]

20 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

It is easy to decide if you consider the possible consequences of not doing so.

 

When you got to go, you got to go.... 🤣🤣

[Rothko1]

1 hour ago, BigMac1953 said:

I don't know what's worse; going to the toilet halfway through a meal, or using a phone.

 

Do you mean at the table?

[BigMac1953]

If you have that type of problem, then you need to ensure that you don't fill yourself with liquid before sitting down.

 

At certain dinners, you are simply not allowed to leave the table before the meal is finished.

[Joe33472]

11 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

If you have that type of problem, then you need to ensure that you don't fill yourself with liquid before sitting down.

 

At certain dinners, you are simply not allowed to leave the table before the meal is finished.

 

What type of meal requires you to be seated until the meal is finished?   Maybe a State official dinner?   Or maybe in prison?   Can't say I've ever been to either. 

 

https://www.foodandwine.com/news/fine-dining-etiquette-rules-youve-broken

 

Even the fine dining etiquette rules say it's okay to excuse yourself from dinner to use the restroom, but just not to say that.   But I can't imagine anyone saying, "Excuse me, I must go #2" at dinner.    I think ladies sometimes like to go "freshen up" between courses, especially when dinners are going on for a long time and are multi-course.   I'm sure "freshen up" sometimes is a euphuism for #1 or #2 or blowing one's nose.  Or whatever....

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by Joe33472

[exlondoner]

11 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

If you have that type of problem, then you need to ensure that you don't fill yourself with liquid before sitting down.

 

At certain dinners, you are simply not allowed to leave the table before the meal is finished.

How very unsympathetic. How do they stop them?
 

I remember at school, my best friend was trying to rush out of some function in the main hall because she was suddenly about to be sick. The hideous senior house mistress tried to stop her, so my friend was sick over her instead. 🙂

[Rothko1]

13 minutes ago, Joe33472 said:

 

What type of meal requires you to be seated until the meal is finished?   Maybe a State official dinner?   Or maybe in prison?   Can't say I've ever been to either. 

 

 

 

 

I remember certain military dinners (Dining In's), where you could not leave the table to use the restroom until permission had been granted by the officer in charge.

[Joe33472]

7 minutes ago, Rothko1 said:

 

I remember certain military dinners (Dining In's), where you could not leave the table to use the restroom until permission had been granted by the officer in charge.

 

I could see that at certain military events.    When we were kids, we used to have to ask our parents to be excused from the table (for whatever reason) and most of the time the answer was NO.  At least that's what I recall.   If I annoyed them too much, sometimes the answer would be please do.  

 

 

[BigMac1953]

13 hours ago, Rothko1 said:

 

I remember certain military dinners (Dining In's), where you could not leave the table to use the restroom until permission had been granted by the officer in charge.

 

...and that was at the end of the meal.

[Victoria2]

I wish we had had a phone or my iPad  last night. We saw our very first twister/ water spout, which caused a little excitement over dinner. Fortunately, it was a way off but still quite dramatic!

[exlondoner]

Of course, nobody knows why someone is leaving the room, unless they announce it. Those whom you assume disapprovingly are leaving to go to the loo may in fact be slipping outside to use their phone on an urgent matter, as they have no wish to annoy fellow dinners.

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

I wish we had had a phone or my iPad  last night. We saw our very first twister/ water spout, which caused a little excitement over dinner. Fortunately, it was a way off but still quite dramatic!

Are they common in the Baltic?

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

Are they common in the Baltic?

No idea.

[3rdGenCunarder]

5 hours ago, exlondoner said:

Of course, nobody knows why someone is leaving the room, unless they announce it. Those whom you assume disapprovingly are leaving to go to the loo may in fact be slipping outside to use their phone on an urgent matter, as they have no wish to annoy fellow dinners.

 

Many years ago, we were on QE2 to Norway and Svalbard. It had been an unusually cool spring and we were sailing through scattered ice floes. During dinner one evening, we hit something large enough that it felt like being in a car going over a speed bump. DH bolted from the table to get outside to get a look (He said it appeared to be the size of a 1-car garage). The poor waiter ran to the table to see if DH was feeling sick because when somebody moves that fast, there's usually a bad reason. 

[david,Mississauga]

My wife has a medical condition that requires her to leave the table some times (not at every meal) and if anyone made a comment my usual calm  demeanour would change quickly.  None of our table-mates has ever said anything thus far.

 

This discussion regarding leaving the table reminds me of a voyage in 1977. The last two ships of the Union-Castle Line were to pass at sea for the last time. This was to occur in the afternoon, but an emergency on the other ship delayed them by several hours. The delayed passing took place during dinner. When an announcement was made on the tannoy, almost everybody (all dressed formally) leaped up at once and ascended about four decks to witness this on deck. The stewards followed.  

[techteach]

There are medical issues that may require a quick exit from a dining table. I am aghast that people would have negative thoughts if a person left the dining table/room without explanation or in haste.  Please ignore and enjoy your dinner.