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Rude to Read at Dinner?


SMN73
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Leaving tomorrow for my first solo!

 

I already know I want to sit alone at dinner. Would you find it rude if I brought my tablet and read while I ate? I have downloaded several books that I'm very excited about digging into.

 

For those of you that prefer to eat alone, what do you do?

 

Thanks!

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Leaving tomorrow for my first solo!

 

I already know I want to sit alone at dinner. Would you find it rude if I brought my tablet and read while I ate? I have downloaded several books that I'm very excited about digging into.

 

For those of you that prefer to eat alone, what do you do?

 

Thanks!

 

If you're sitting alone, then by definition I'm not sitting with you, and therefore I don't care what you do.

 

Even if we were sitting together, my answer wouldn't be much different. I would be very happy to let you read, if that's what you preferred to do. I'm sure you'll hear from the other side on this.

 

I've dined alone quite a bit and I've never brought a book/Kindle/tablet with me to read. It's just something I never wanted to do. Occasionally I'll have other items with me that I read (e.g. newspapers, flyers, tabloids) and sometimes I'll fool around with my cell phone.

 

Enjoy your trip.

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Are you signed up for my time dining? That would be your best option. When you are seated, just tell them you would like to dine alone and they won't seat anyone with you.

 

If you are assigned to early or late,you could end up with 2-9 other people at the table and could end up being awkward

Edited by AdrenalineRush
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Shoot...yes I should have specified. I do have my time dining. I am going to go to the dining room when I board and request a table alone.

 

I wouldn't think it'd be an issue, because like you all said, I'm alone. I just know people can seem funny about what others do in the dining room.

 

I dine alone a lot when I am home, it doesn't bother me. Just thought I'd ask. I'm very excited about this trip!

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Leaving tomorrow for my first solo!

 

I already know I want to sit alone at dinner. Would you find it rude if I brought my tablet and read while I ate? I have downloaded several books that I'm very excited about digging into.

 

For those of you that prefer to eat alone, what do you do?

 

Thanks!

 

If you are seated at a table with someone else, I think it is rude and antisocial to read and totally ignore him/her/them. Whether or not you care about that type of antisocial behaviour is a different question. I know today there are a lot of people who believe that level of selfishness and lack of social manners is acceptable, but I don't. Of course, f there is no one else at your table, it's not rude at all.

 

If I wanted to eat alone, I would not accept being seated at a table with others, and would be very upset if someone else was seated at my table. If that meant I couldn't eat at the MDR and I wanted to eat solo, I'd eat somewhere else. Ignoring the person across the table from me would not be an option for me.

Edited by calliopecruiser
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I agree with everyone who says that it's not rude if you read when you're sitting by yourself in the MDR, but be prepared to be ignored by the waitstaff. It happened to me - I looked at the menu and decided what I wanted to order, and then I closed the menu and put it down on the table, which I figured was a signal that I was ready to order. I then picked up my book and started to read. Eventually, I checked my watch and saw that I had been reading for 20 minutes. I asked someone passing by to find my waiter/waitress. When she finally showed up, she said, "I didn't know you wanted to eat! I thought that you came in here to read!" Yeah, right.

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I always bring something to read at breakfast and lunch but at dinner I did dine alone but I usually ended up chatting with my waiters and since the tables are so close together the people seated on either side of me. I just never thought to bring my kindle to dinner as it is a more social and lively experience that breakfast or lunch. I loved people watching.

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Leaving tomorrow for my first solo!

 

I already know I want to sit alone at dinner. Would you find it rude if I brought my tablet and read while I ate? I have downloaded several books that I'm very excited about digging into.

 

For those of you that prefer to eat alone, what do you do?

 

Thanks!

 

It would be rude if you read book in foreign language to the one your server speak in

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If you are seated at a table with someone else, I think it is rude and antisocial to read and totally ignore him/her/them. Whether or not you care about that type of antisocial behaviour is a different question. I know today there are a lot of people who believe that level of selfishness and lack of social manners is acceptable, but I don't. Of course, f there is no one else at your table, it's not rude at all.

 

If I wanted to eat alone, I would not accept being seated at a table with others, and would be very upset if someone else was seated at my table. If that meant I couldn't eat at the MDR and I wanted to eat solo, I'd eat somewhere else. Ignoring the person across the table from me would not be an option for me.

 

The Original Poster did specify she has MTD and will request sitting alone.. She is aware it's rude to zone out and just read when there is someone across from her....;)

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Shoot...yes I should have specified. I do have my time dining. I am going to go to the dining room when I board and request a table alone.

 

I wouldn't think it'd be an issue, because like you all said, I'm alone. I just know people can seem funny about what others do in the dining room.

 

I dine alone a lot when I am home, it doesn't bother me. Just thought I'd ask. I'm very excited about this trip!

 

SMN, why would you worry about how someone else feels when they are in the dining room. if your sitting and reading quietly alone bothers them, then that's their issue not yours.. I'm sure they won't be worried how you feel with their behavior.

I'm sat and read alone and had a lovely time. Do your own thing and enjoy yourself. :D

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Shoot...yes I should have specified. I do have my time dining. I am going to go to the dining room when I board and request a table alone.

 

I wouldn't think it'd be an issue, because like you all said, I'm alone. I just know people can seem funny about what others do in the dining room.

 

I dine alone a lot when I am home, it doesn't bother me. Just thought I'd ask. I'm very excited about this trip!

 

I saw you had a challenging cruise with all the various issues with boarding, how did the dining work for you?

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Actually the dining was one of the bright spots! I had forgotten how close together the tables for two were in the middle of the dining room. It was kind of the best of both worlds... No one felt obligated to chit chat like you would if you were at a large table. But you were close enough to carry on small talk while you ate. I never felt the need to take my tablet. I really underestimated how awesome people can be. I met some truly lovely people at dinner. :-)

Edited by SMN73
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