Tell Us About Your Negative Experiences With Table Mates

[golfadj]

Just got back from a wonderful 12 nighter. And after approximately 30 cruises on many different lines I finally had the table mates from :eek:. We were at a 6 top, myself, sister and her husband, all in our late 50s. Joining us was a 40ish couple who made dinner seem like we were watching a cable news show. All they did was talk about themselves, their opinions, themselves, their previous cruise experiences, themselves...... Never once did they ask us any questions or pay attention when we attempted to share an experience. 40 or 50 minutes into dinner we were joined by an older woman traveling alone. She was drunk! Not a big deal but it sure was a surprise cause we thought she had vision problems. What gave her away was the sad tale of an unhappy home life.

We agreed to tip our waiters as if we had been with them the entire time and ate in the buffet or specialty restaurant for the remainer of the cruise.

 

I would have asked for another table. We have had very good experience in the DR over our cruising life.

 

Only changes we have made is when they seat us at table for 2 or mistake put us at table for 2 or different seating than we request.

 

Have met very interesting people over the years some of whom we still keep in touch with.

[caljencruisers]

On our last cruise the kids were putting the napkin on their head, eating the pizza with their fingers and licking them, had their chair stuck out in the aisle making it difficult for the waiter to move around....:rolleyes:wait, they were my nieces and nephew.

 

 

Gotta stop traveling with family and travel with strangers instead;)

 

LOL I know exactly what you mean!:D

[MikeM]

Last trip the couple at our table for 8 brought an i-pod with speakers and set it up on the table with mood music. The next night they showed up and we told them to loose the music. They got up, left and never returned.

[audekat]

The worst tablemate I have ever had actually wasn't on a cruise but it was at a Company Xmas party.

 

I was new to the company and started working in the Quality group. Before I started there had been a fatal accident due to poor quality (hence the reason I was hired).

 

I was talking to a Lady seated beside me and we were talking about who we were there with, she first asked me which department my husband worked in. I replied, "He doesn't work here I do." Then she asked me whose secretary I was, to which I replied (with a big smile) "I am not a secretary, I am a quality Engineer." Then she dropped this bomb on me..."So, you are responsible for killing those nice boys in the accident."

 

I just stared at her...How do you respond to that...

[jwle143]

On my last cruise the lady next to me expected me to listen to EVERYTHING she said, reply with a well thought out answer, hold her hand, tell her how pretty she was.... Next time I'm cruising without my wife.

 

Oh my this made me laugh so hard... sounds like something my husband would say! LOL :p

[suzwes]

This is a very funny thread. I'm going on my first cruise in May and can't wait to see who my table company will be. Keep the stories coming! :D

[bluesman0711]

Sitting in a booth across from a guy that never shut up, and watching a large piece of his salad fly out of his mouth and onto my shirt.

 

We have always had a table for two since then.

 

This thread reminds me of a line from the movie Rounders;

 

"If you can't spot the sucker at the table in the first twenty minutes, it's probably you."

[scchasgal]

Table mate at breakfast (luckily not assigned to him at dinner) and he insisted they get him a hamburger and fries for breakfast.

 

He was really rude and he got his way. I was totally embarrassed as others around were watching it all going down. Thankfully he was not in our party as he would have been disowned by me.

[bumorgan]

On Legend last year there was a couple in their mid 50's sitting at the next table. She looked like Hyacinth off of Keeping Up Appearances for those who watch that show - she was in her best diamonds and looked like she should be on the QEII Captain's Table. Anyhow the waiters started their dancing with wigs and costumes - she looked mortified that people were acting so common. The best part of it all is that her husband jumped up and joined the conga line - she was shooting daggers at him with her looks - she was clearly embarassed and too good for such displays.

 

LOL. loved that show and I could picture the moment you described. Thanks for the laugh!

[Nezmo]

Was at a table for two but the next table was very close. The guy on the end nearest us spent the first part of his meal belching out loud then the second half of his meal asleep and snoring.

 

Then there was the guy in flip flops in the Supper Club and picking his toes.

[sunshinecruiser62]

Then there was the guy in flip flops in the Supper Club and picking his toes.

 

All I can say is......OMG!!!!!:eek:

[tea4ular]

I love tlhis. Your husband must have a wonderful sense of humor.

 

He does. That was almost 11 years ago and we still tell that story. :p

[whosyourdaddy]

On Legend last year there was a couple in their mid 50's sitting at the next table. She looked like Hyacinth off of Keeping Up Appearances for those who watch that show - she was in her best diamonds and looked like she should be on the QEII Captain's Table. Anyhow the waiters started their dancing with wigs and costumes - she looked mortified that people were acting so common. The best part of it all is that her husband jumped up and joined the conga line - she was shooting daggers at him with her looks - she was clearly embarassed and too good for such displays.

I'll bet her sister Violet, with the Mercedes and room for a pony wouldn't have ever acted like that!! LOL:p

[Attack Dog]

Try telling people you're a minister. All of a sudden, everyone at the table is afraid to do anything, even breathe! The worst was a woman who elbowed her husband in the ribs when he tried to eat his bread. She said, "wait until they bless our meal". I felt so bad because we really made her nervous- she got more comfortable as the week went on. At one point the husband asked if DH would come to the casino with him because he couldn't seem to win any money :D I know most people just don't want to offend us, but, for the record, we're normal people... you don't have to be on you best behavior for us! Now my husband says, "I'm on vacation! I don't want to talk about work" If someone keeps pushing the issue he'll break down and tell them and the wait for the reaction. He's a big, scary-looking bald guy so I often wonder if they think he's lying.

 

I have a good friend of mine who is a priest and he has that same problem.

[Cinnamon2]

You may have read our story on other threads - I just want to use this opportunity to tell it again as this thread is about tablemates. We sailed on Carnival Miracle, February 23 - March 3, 2011. We booked 10 months before and requested and were confirmed for early dinner seating. The first night we went to dinner at our confirmed early time and were escorted to the back of the ship to our table. We sat down at the table for 6 and said hello to the 4 people already sitting down. They looked at us and said "oh we were expecting our friends - they are supposed to sit here".

 

 

We thought perhaps Carnival had made an error and over booked the table so we got up and went to the Maitre d’ to see what the problem was. While talking to the Maitre d’ another couple showed up who had the same table as us. They had been escorted to our/their table, and the 4 hijackers shook their finger at them - and said "no no no - they are not sitting here". Now the 4 of us had been rudely rejected by the hijackers, as if we were in the wrong, going to our own assigned table.

 

The Maitre d’ checked and told us that the table was, in fact, ours and they would move the hijackers out and reset the table for us. Apparently, the hijackers were traveling with a large group who were all sitting in our area for early seating, but the hijackers were assigned to late seating which they did not want. They had booked their cruise late and didn't get their preferred seating - too bad for them.

 

 

At this point DH and I (and the other couple) felt uncomfortable returning to our table among the friends of the hijackers so we asked for another table - none was available in early seating. So we said put us in late seating, which they did for that night. Eating late was not a good idea as we had been up since 3:30 a.m. to catch our flight to Ft. Lauderdale from Albany, New York and ended up going to bed early. DH and I were both sick with indigestion; and the next day we learned that our table mates were also sick from eating so late. (This was why we book our cruises early and request early seating)

OK, it got better:

 

 

Second day we returned to the Maitre d’ and asked to be returned to early seating - he said “no problem, your table is your table for the week”. We expressed our discomfort being among the hijackers friends who were all sitting in that area; and mentioned “what if they returned?” He said that security would be called if they returned.

 

So for the rest of the cruise we ate at OUR table, in early seating, with our new found friends and enjoyed our dinners and the great service of our waiters. We didn’t pay much attention to the surrounding tables; although they did give us some “looks” that second evening. The great thing that came out of the situation was that we quickly bonded with our table mates and hung out with them for the rest of the week. Shame on those "hijackers"; who da heck do they think they are??? What were they thinking? Like they could just plop down at an open table and call it theirs??? Very rude in my opinion, but oh well, we didn’t see them for the rest of the cruise.

[PCHENG]

My first cruise was with Star Cruises of Malaysia back when I was in high school. My family was seated with a snobby family from Singapore. The husband constantly brags about how he's so powerful and influential his boss must kow-tow to him and obey his every demand. The wife brags about how they can afford to live in condominiums with swimming pools unlike the rest of the ordinary masses that live in government built flats, and the son goes around hitting on every young girl in sight including the dining room waitresses by claiming he has the keys to his dad's Bimmer. The son has the hairdo of John Travoltta in the movie Grease and wears sunglasses even at night. It's freaking hilarious to watch him act all smooth whenever a beautiful girl walks nearby, though I got to admit as a high school kid I do fancy a Bimmer.

[pattyfresh]

Try telling people you're a minister. All of a sudden, everyone at the table is afraid to do anything, even breathe! The worst was a woman who elbowed her husband in the ribs when he tried to eat his bread. She said, "wait until they bless our meal". I felt so bad because we really made her nervous- she got more comfortable as the week went on. At one point the husband asked if DH would come to the casino with him because he couldn't seem to win any money :D I know most people just don't want to offend us, but, for the record, we're normal people... you don't have to be on you best behavior for us! Now my husband says, "I'm on vacation! I don't want to talk about work" If someone keeps pushing the issue he'll break down and tell them and the wait for the reaction. He's a big, scary-looking bald guy so I often wonder if they think he's lying.

Love this, pastor's come in all different forms!

[reefgeek83]

I thought this was a funny experience..This guy at our table from the Dominican Republic asked this other guy where he was from and the other guy said " Utah," then the guy asked " so are you a Morman or a poligamist?"

 

 

Being from Utah, and yes I am morman, I always get to explain that I don't have 5 wives. Sometimes we have fun with it and tell the people that we are actually out "scouting" potential wives. This usually gets some funny looks until they realize we're laughing and only joking with them.

[silverwolf]

I do not understand why people order food, only to eat a few bites, then declare they don't like it. They order another entree again. The servers are very patient but nothing is to their satisfaction. Where is the barely eaten food going and why would we want to run the servers to death? I don't get it. I have seen stacks of trays of food that can only be discarded. Makes me angry. Look at the menu people. Servers are just that, not servents. No wonder cruises costs so much.

[Lori Dobson]

Hi all, great thread!

I was at open seating breakfast at an 8 top, all strangers to me on the Celebrity Century a few years ago when the topic came around to 911 - one man began loudly claiming that it was all a put on, it never happened, it was a government conspiracy, etc., trying hard to convince everyone of his lunacy. As once of my best friends had died in the first tower, I cut my meal short (as did several other people) and quickly left the dining room. I really wanted to ask him where my friend had been hiding all these years if it was all a sham but I didn't think I could do it without screaming at him.

Other than that, I have been lucky on my 7 cruises - great dinner companions, some I still keep in touch with.

[dodger501]

You may have read our story on other threads - I just want to use this opportunity to tell it again as this thread is about tablemates. We sailed on Carnival Miracle, February 23 - March 3, 2011. We booked 10 months before and requested and were confirmed for early dinner seating. The first night we went to dinner at our confirmed early time and were escorted to the back of the ship to our table. We sat down at the table for 6 and said hello to the 4 people already sitting down. They looked at us and said "oh we were expecting our friends - they are supposed to sit here".

 

 

We thought perhaps Carnival had made an error and over booked the table so we got up and went to the Maitre d’ to see what the problem was. While talking to the Maitre d’ another couple showed up who had the same table as us. They had been escorted to our/their table, and the 4 hijackers shook their finger at them - and said "no no no - they are not sitting here". Now the 4 of us had been rudely rejected by the hijackers, as if we were in the wrong, going to our own assigned table.

 

The Maitre d’ checked and told us that the table was, in fact, ours and they would move the hijackers out and reset the table for us. Apparently, the hijackers were traveling with a large group who were all sitting in our area for early seating, but the hijackers were assigned to late seating which they did not want. They had booked their cruise late and didn't get their preferred seating - too bad for them.

 

 

At this point DH and I (and the other couple) felt uncomfortable returning to our table among the friends of the hijackers so we asked for another table - none was available in early seating. So we said put us in late seating, which they did for that night. Eating late was not a good idea as we had been up since 3:30 a.m. to catch our flight to Ft. Lauderdale from Albany, New York and ended up going to bed early. DH and I were both sick with indigestion; and the next day we learned that our table mates were also sick from eating so late. (This was why we book our cruises early and request early seating)

OK, it got better:

 

 

Second day we returned to the Maitre d’ and asked to be returned to early seating - he said “no problem, your table is your table for the week”. We expressed our discomfort being among the hijackers friends who were all sitting in that area; and mentioned “what if they returned?” He said that security would be called if they returned.

 

So for the rest of the cruise we ate at OUR table, in early seating, with our new found friends and enjoyed our dinners and the great service of our waiters. We didn’t pay much attention to the surrounding tables; although they did give us some “looks” that second evening. The great thing that came out of the situation was that we quickly bonded with our table mates and hung out with them for the rest of the week. Shame on those "hijackers"; who da heck do they think they are??? What were they thinking? Like they could just plop down at an open table and call it theirs??? Very rude in my opinion, but oh well, we didn’t see them for the rest of the cruise.

 

You gave up too easy.

I would have had fun with those 4 yokels . . . :D

[Pisti]

Our worst experience was on the Queen Mary ocean crossing. It was a table for 6 we were the only Canadians at the table. One of the couples was a capital C conservative Republican who hated President Obama and loved Sarah Palin and took every opportunity to bring up the subject of politics. The other couple were embarassed and made a few jokes but were loathe to argue. After 2 unpleasant dinners,:mad: we (the 4 of us) asked to change seating. I still can't believe how nasty they were.

[dodger501]

Hi all, great thread!

 

I was at open seating breakfast at an 8 top, all strangers to me on the Celebrity Century a few years ago when the topic came around to 911 - one man began loudly claiming that it was all a put on, it never happened, it was a government conspiracy, etc., trying hard to convince everyone of his lunacy. As once of my best friends had died in the first tower, I cut my meal short (as did several other people) and quickly left the dining room. I really wanted to ask him where my friend had been hiding all these years if it was all a sham but I didn't think I could do it without screaming at him.

 

Other than that, I have been lucky on my 7 cruises - great dinner companions, some I still keep in touch with.

 

They are called 'Truthers' and they are still around. One of them popped off in the audience of Bill Maher's show and Bill physically went up there and removed him.

Truthers, Tenthers, Birthers . . . some people get too excited with conspiracies.

[hoop4321]

great thread! :) I have wasted away an entire afternoon reading it from beginning to end.

 

For the record....we have always had wonderful table mates and still keep in touch with some.

[amy_ammo]

I seriously was waiting to read one about me! :D

 

We went on a New Year's cruise and they had noise makers on the table. We had the late seating and let me tell you, we used them. There was a table with a family who just kept giving me the side eye so I toned it down. Then the kids started screaming and running around so I (and the rest of our table, some strangers) picked up our noise makers and went to town.

 

I probably wouldn't have done that if we literally weren't sailing away on NYE, had drinks on the plane, DOD's, etc. before dinner.

 

Same night one of our group was passing out at the table (not head down or anything, just 'sleeping sitting up'. Took him to the room. Tried in vain to wake him up later for New Year's. Like jumping on the bed to get him up.

 

Next morning, he's all why didn't you wake me?!? We did try. We had to show pics to prove it!