Worst table companion you have had

We always like to sit at different tables during the Any-time/My-time dining as we always meet so many great passengers.

This year however we sat with a lady who just really ruined our entire meal. She was extremely rude to the waiter, moaned about absolutely everything, wasn't happy about anything at all. Said she had a nut allergy and yet after speaking to her I am extremely doubtful if she ever did have it but she just loved to moan about every meal and constantly going on about the nuts. Before everyone puts me down as I know allergies can be life-threatening and I have an Epi-pen myself but she just didn't ring true at all.

I was really hoping DH wouldn't even order dessert or coffee just so that we could get away and that is exactly what he did. Thank goodness we were able to get up and say we were going to the show. It is the first time we had come across any-one just so bad.

Wondering if many of you have come across people you just couldn't sit with? I guess after so many wonderful years of cruising it was going to happen sometime :)

We've been lucky in our 25 cruises. Strangers weren't the problem...it was the one cruise I took with my sister that was the issue! :eek: Luckily there wasn't anyone else unrelated to our party, so we only annoyed ourselves. But it was bad enough I never want to cruise with her again!!! :rolleyes:

Last cruise my hubby and I went to breakfast in the MDR. We were seated at a table with a party of four who were seated before us. It was obvious by their reaction to us that they had wanted the table to themselves. We got stony silence when we said "good morning". Once or twice we attempted a pleasantry but got silence in return. It was so uncomfortable I cut my breakfast short and so did hubby. It was a very unpleasant experience. The group were English so it was not due to any language problems. Thankfully this was an isolated experience but not one I would like to repeat.

We always like to sit at different tables during the Any-time/My-time dining as we always meet so many great passengers.

 

This year however we sat with a lady who just really ruined our entire meal. She was extremely rude to the waiter, moaned about absolutely everything, wasn't happy about anything at all. Said she had a nut allergy and yet after speaking to her I am extremely doubtful if she ever did have it but she just loved to moan about every meal and constantly going on about the nuts. Before everyone puts me down as I know allergies can be life-threatening and I have an Epi-pen myself but she just didn't ring true at all.

 

I was really hoping DH wouldn't even order dessert or coffee just so that we could get away and that is exactly what he did. Thank goodness we were able to get up and say we were going to the show. It is the first time we had come across any-one just so bad.

 

Wondering if many of you have come across people you just couldn't sit with? I guess after so many wonderful years of cruising it was going to happen sometime :)

We were on the Infinity with a table for six, three couples in the MDR.

Introductions – Epsom, England – Squires, Missouri and then the third couple said “Dusseldorf”

Dusseldorf? - said the man from Squires

Yes, in Germany - Have you been there?

Yes – But did I not stay actually stay there – I was a tail gunner during the war on a bombing raid over Dusseldorf – I had the best seat in the house – we really messed the place up – It was a real DOOZEY! – Were you there then?

With that the German couple left the table, and the man from Squires turned to his Wife saying – They just left without saying anything - I told you Germans were S#!t rude.

We also then left the table.

I doubt if there was ever such rudeness at a MDR table

A little disappointed when we sailed the Mariner with our first MDR table mates. The wife was a "doctor's" wife and we were not good enough for her. She asked to be moved to another table, and we were glad she was but we missed her husband and kids who when we ran into them on the cruise they still talked to us.

Then we were seated with the nicest family from the Carolinas who joined our table had a great time and we exchanged addresses, and I lost it. Wish I could contact them.......they made our cruise.

I guess we eventually lucked out.

Sea Ya

We were seated with three very nice gentlemen at a table for eight. There were three of us and the other two seats were never filled. So. These three guys. They didn't talk. One of them didn't make eye contact. When we asked questions they gave one one replies. It was as if we had walked into a restaurant and just sat down at their table uninvited. The table was too large for us to carry on a private conversation between the three of us so on the third night we asked to be moved.

We have had stellar table companions for every cruise but one. I think they were Honey Boo Boo's extended family. The next night we were at a new table.

We have had stellar table companions for every cruise but one. I think they were Honey Boo Boo's extended family. The next night we were at a new table.

I have always been afraid they will be seated with us. My husband and I have a code word in case that happens so we know the other one wants to get out of there quickly. Luckily our companions have always been wonderful at our assigned seatings. The random seatings at breakfast and lunch have not always been as good, but at least those meals are shorter and not to be repeated. It is sad that some people are so miserable in life that they cannot even enjoy a cruise.

The last regular seating was on a Hawaii cruise. One couple (rather boring) had left the table and were succeeded by two middle-age women traveling together. It was formal night and I was wearing a gown. One of the women looked at me and announced in a very loud voice: "You have the boobs of a thirty-year-old" (I was 65 at the time). Everyone in earshot stared at my cleavage.

Yes, I suppose it was a complement, but I was very uncomfortable with everyone staring at my chest.

We started to do My Time and Select Dining (Celebrity). We find that it's quicker and we have more freedom on port-intensive cruises. Also, no one comments about my boobs. :)

We've been lucky in our 25 cruises. Strangers weren't the problem...it was the one cruise I took with my sister that was the issue! :eek: Luckily there wasn't anyone else unrelated to our party, so we only annoyed ourselves. But it was bad enough I never want to cruise with her again!!! :rolleyes:

:D Funny Above! ^

On our last cruise we sat with a man at the bar where he would go to hide for a while because his in-laws didn't drink and refused to even enter a bar. He said that they complained about everything and going to dinner with them was a nightmare!

LuLu

~~~~

A little disappointed when we sailed the Mariner with our first MDR table mates. The wife was a "doctor's" wife and we were not good enough for her. She asked to be moved to another table, and we were glad she was but we missed her husband and kids who when we ran into them on the cruise they still talked to us.

Then we were seated with the nicest family from the Carolinas who joined our table had a great time and we exchanged addresses, and I lost it. Wish I could contact them.......they made our cruise.

I guess we eventually lucked out.

Sea Ya

Sounds like you could be talking about my sister, also a "Doctor's wife" . My brother in law is from a long line of doctors (father, sister, 2 brothers , etc) and pretty well regarded in this area. Most down to earth guy you ever want to meet, as are my nieces and nephews

My sister is the "high handed' one and she never even went to med school. :)

My dad used to tease my BIL. "You bought her first pair of shoes and a house with the bathroom indoors and she hasn't been the same since " *LOL*

On our very first cruise and it was on Carnival. there was a group of 4 women in their late 30s who were on a "Girls Getaway" They were all married with kids, but left the families home. Three of the Four met up with some Younger guys on the ship and then had the waiter add them to our table.

They spent the whole cruise (4 nighter) drinking and flirting with these guys.

Not passing judgement on their flirting and other activities, but I just wish that they weren't so loud and obnoxious. Loud Drunk people are not fun.

This was our very first cruise so we didn't know about asking to move tables or figure out alternatives. It almost became our last cruise, but thankfully we never had a problem like this again.

I've had some WEIRD table mates.

The couple where the woman was VERY pregnant by her husband (and very open about it) but said husband was home taking care of her other kids while she cruised w/ her BF who sang to her all the time. He had a nice voice but SHeeeeeesh, if I want Unchained Melody at dinner I'll bring my iPod. My friend and I sat there astonished and it made for some great conversations later. It was a little bit like rejects from Deliverance.

Another time, We were at a table for 4 on MSC and the other couple spoke French. The husband had a little LITTLE English. The wife said "Je ne parle pas". I'd taken French 35 years previously for 2 years in HS. So day 1 we smiled and nodded. Day 2 we all TRIED to communicate but gave up. Day 3 we drank lots of wine together and my HORRIBLE French came out, and their butchered English came out and we laughed til we cried. They went from the worst to the best table companions (so I guess a lot is about attitude and perseverance). The woman kept saying "People They GHEL-OOOZE of us we laugh and laugh!" (that would be jealous) and she kept calling the smarmy maitre'd a "GHELLY FEESH" jelly fish. Years later I smile about it.

I've sat w/a few Debbie Downers and more than a few "know it alls" as "I've been on seven cruises so i know" but they usually come around if handled right. SO after 60+ cruises, as much as I love my significant other, he and I always as for a table for 4 or more. Sometimes we've met great friends. Other times we've been entertained. Rarely have we been annoyed.

The OP mentioned that they were in MTD. In my experience, those that do MTD are more likely than not to prefer their own table. That's why we do MTD so we can guarantee our table for two.

It does seem like you are given the option of sitting with others even in MTD, so this passenger presumably desired the company and meeting somebody new, but unfortunately should probably have eaten on her own. I probably would have asked to move even if it was in the middle of service.

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We have always enjoyed the many people we have sat with on our cruise. But a related story about just missing out on dining with a miserable person:

We went to the MDR for breakfast last week and my family (2 adults, 2 DDs) were the first to be seated at a table of ten. A few moments later, the waiter brings over a woman and her daughter that was the same age as my younger DD. I thought it would be great for my DD to have someone her own age at the table (we generally do not see kids in the MDR for breakfast - and by the end of the cruise, my 2 DDs would go to the WJ without us for breakfast). The waiter begins to pull out one of the chairs on our table and the woman loudly exclaims "I do not want to sit with them, I want my own private table." Although we thought it was amusing (and I even quietly cracked an off-color joke to my wife), the waiter was taken back by what the woman said and moved them to a table far away from ours. Luckily, other very nice passengers took their place and we had a wonderful meal with great conversation.

I can understand wanting to sit at your own private table - missery loves company, but the way she said it was insulting. She could have said something like: "Sorry, but we wanted to sit by ourselves this morning." I am glad she did not sit with us.

If I was back home, as a loud-mouthed NYers, my DW or I would have said something, but we were on vacation and let it very quickly slide off us, and I have not thought about it until I began reading this thread.

We've never had terrible tablemates in all our years of cruising (and we always select a large table in traditional dining).

On our last cruise, we had tablemates that we weren't especially compatible with - we are in our early 50's with two daughters (18 and 21), and we were seated with two retired couples in their 70's - they were very nice and all, but we didn't have much in common with them.

And, on our New Year's cruise, we were seated at a table of 12, and the other 8 people never showed up, which was kind of awkward for us to have that huge table to ourselves. We couldn't spread out around it because it was too big to talk across, so we sat next to eachother on one side of the circle.

My first cruise. An attractive young woman at my table was always the center of attention, a bit sloppy at times (spilling food on herself,) definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer, a bit loud, obnoxious, etc.... And this was each and every night.

Sadly she was also sharing my cabin with me...... :)

the woman loudly exclaims "I do not want to sit with them, I want my own private table."

 

I can understand wanting to sit at your own private table - missery loves company, but the way she said it was insulting. She could have said something like: "Sorry, but we wanted to sit by ourselves this morning." I am glad she did not sit with us.

I've met the guest before too! LOL. I was cruising with a friend, and we got the same comment, complete with snarky look. We evidently weren't good enough for her company I guess...:rolleyes:

My first cruise. An attractive young woman at my table was always the center of attention, a bit sloppy at times (spilling food on herself,) definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer, a bit loud, obnoxious, etc.... And this was each and every night.

 

 

 

Sadly she was also sharing my cabin with me......

I don't really follow.

You are 1) A man who had an attractive dimwit girlfriend who was a bit over the top or 2) A woman who was playing second fiddle to this obnoxious attention whore?

Did you know this about the person before you agreed to share a cabin?

I don't really follow.

 

You are 1) A man who had an attractive dimwit girlfriend who was a bit over the top or 2) A woman who was playing second fiddle to this obnoxious attention whore?

 

Did you know this about the person before you agreed to share a cabin?

Yes -- she was my girlfriend at the time... :)

Yes -- she was my girlfriend at the time... :)

Ah, I see. The passage of time makes us wiser and to assess the situation more clearly....

Hopefully she was just as loud and boisterous during your alone time in the cabin each and every night!!! That would have made up for the dinner theatrics.

Ah, I see. The passage of time makes us wiser and to assess the situation more clearly....

 

Hopefully she was just as loud and boisterous during your alone time in the cabin each and every night!!! That would have made up for the dinner theatrics.

Thinking back, yes, there were indeed some bright spots! :) But the OP was asking about *dinner* companions... Wonder how soon before someone starts a thread " Worst cabin companion you have had" Or better yet, "BEST cabin companion you ever had" That one would go 5 pages easy. :)

My first cruise. An attractive young woman at my table was always the center of attention, a bit sloppy at times (spilling food on herself,) definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer, a bit loud, obnoxious, etc.... And this was each and every night.

 

 

 

Sadly she was also sharing my cabin with me...... :)

I went out with one of those also .........only mine was a gymnist .:) :) :)

Come on guys of CC you know what I mean here ....that forgives a variety of sins *LOL*

Oh yes--

But it was in Portofino's on Explorer.

Man, I really wish the tables weren't so close together.

Nosy couple listening in on our convo. Wife hears me tell my hubby I don't want to get off the ship in Old San Juan.

Instead of minding her own business, she proceeded to interrupt us and go on and on about how we "have to see the Fort there, where we should grab something to eat, and a few other tips".

Mind you, I spent a week in Puerto Rico before getting married. I didn't need her help. :rolleyes:

After she was done sharing her "knowledge" of with Old San Juan with us, her husband decides to join in.

The next 20 minutes all we heard was how many cruises they've been on, all the places they've been to, and how we over paid for our room. :eek:

Not once did they ask us where we've been. They just assumed we've never been anywhere..lol

Thing is, while we haven't cruised much, we have traveled a lot. Most of the places they mentioned, I've been to as well and could probably have told them more about then they were telling me.

But we just kept our mouth shut and did a lot of smiling and nodding.

By the way, they were done with their meal. But alas, why leave when there's a new couple you can brag to...:(

Our food was getting cold! Finally my husband turns back to me and asks me if I'm enjoying my seafood skewer. I answer "I don't know, I haven't tried it yet"!

They got the message and finally left.

Travel R - The least you could/should have said to her was, 'Thank you'. ;)