What if we don't like tablemates?

[Out to sea!]

So hows THIS one sound to ya? Next Saturday, we leave on Explorer. My partner's son is planning on proposing to his girlfriend while on board .... with a secret group of family members invited along to be in attendance. His girlfriend has no idea that all this family is gonna be there as a surprise. she only thinks its the 4 of us going.

Here's where it gets interesting .. his Mom (my partner's ex-wife) is coming along too ! :eek: And she despises me still 19 years later. Oh and she's crazy too !

And we're all together at dinner. So ... I'm thinking the same question as the OP ... how can I get outta THIS!? LOL!

 

So what happens if the girlfriend says no??? :eek:

 

IMO, bad time to propose (or at least wait until the last night of the cruise so if she says no, there is only 1 awkward night to deal with).

[Cruisingbairn]

Do they randomly pick who sits at what table?

[escayna]

We've usually been pretty lucky with our tablemates, and we've always dined in the main dining room.

 

A couple of years ago I was cruising with two American friends of mine (I'm European, but bilingual.) They spoke English, so we sat down at the table and introduced ourselves - in English - to the other guests. We quickly realised that the other six were all from my home country and spoke English very well. However, five minutes later one of the other guests turned to me and spoke to me in my mother tongue and stated that they would not accept anyone speaking English at their table because "they were on vacation." She was so incredibly rude that it made everyone at the table extremely uncomfortable, and the other guests didn't even talk to us for the rest of the meal. :eek: Needless to say, I went straight to the maitre d' the next morning, and we ended up at a different table together with a lovely couple from Maryland. I saw the woman several times during the cruise, but fortunately, she didn't yell at me for speaking English to her again.

 

I learned my lesson, and if I end up in a similar situation on another cruise, I'll definitely go straight to the maitre d'.

[Rulers Mom]

On paper, we were a perfect match. We were 3 sisters in our 40s 50s and they were a mother daughter 40 and 60. But they had no boundaries, discussed medical situations, legal situations, personal legal situations. After two nights we told the sweet couple also at our table for eight that we would not be back and asked the maitre'd for a reassignment. Our only regret is we tried not to gossip about them, and perhaps the management thought we didn't like our wait staff. I'm sure they figured that out, we should have told them how awful those women were.

 

 

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[BillOh]

Do they randomly pick who sits at what table?

 

I'll be curious as to what other people answer, but this is just from my observation after 10 royal cruises.

 

The try to seat people together of similar ages and native languages. But now with ATD and other special requests and large groups on board, I think sometime they run out of places and the last few people end up where they are. I suppose its like trying to seat people for a wedding reception.

[sjb317]

I'll be curious as to what other people answer, but this is just from my observation after 10 royal cruises.

 

The try to seat people together of similar ages and native languages. But now with ATD and other special requests and large groups on board, I think sometime they run out of places and the last few people end up where they are. I suppose its like trying to seat people for a wedding reception.

 

I've always heard that but, IMO, after 35 cruises, I don't think that's been true in our situations! The only time we have ever had anything in common was the times we have done a family cruise!:D

 

However, we've always had tablemates that were at least, tolerable :D. Some of them have made for great laughs (in private) but I think we can get along with just about anyone. The one time we were thinking about asking for a different table, we arrived the next night to find they had ditched us!:eek:

 

Sherri:)

[Allis154]

We normally do 2-tops now...we did do larger tables at one time and enjoyed it.

 

I have only had to change tables once...I was on a 4 week b2b cruise; first 2 weeks with DH and next 2 weeks with friend. We had a two top on the first cruise. behind the table was two couples who complained about EVERYTHING! One the second cruise, we were seatted with them! Nothing doing! Next night, changed to another table, this time a 10-top that was full of 'mis-placed people'...we all came from other tables :) Worked out great!

 

Last cruise, we had a two top, sandwitched between 2 four tops. The four-tops had 1 couple at each, who sat furthest away from us. Great right? Except they both kept trying to talk to us at the same time! Impossible conversations! Funny though...one couple was fabulous and we had a great time with them...the other was smashed everytime they came in...surprised they could even walk by the time they consumed their many glasses of chamange and wine...

 

I wouldn't hesitate in changing tables again, and wouldn't think of forgoing the MDR in favour of the buffet every night.

[BillOh]

I've always heard that but, IMO, after 35 cruises, I don't think that's been true in our situations! The only time we have ever had anything in common was the times we have done a family cruise!:D

 

However, we've always had tablemates that were at least, tolerable :D. Some of them have made for great laughs (in private) but I think we can get along with just about anyone. The one time we were thinking about asking for a different table, we arrived the next night to find they had ditched us!:eek:

 

Sherri:)

 

I have noticed in 10 cruises we have never seen at a table with kids. I think we may have been ditched once, but I choose to think the people just decided to eat elsewhere. :D That was Allure in 2011. We were at a table for for. The other couple seemed nice enough. I will note he looked around 29-30, and she looked pushing 60. That might have not been the case, it was just an observation I kept to myself. Night was was pleasant. We saw them in the solarium on Day2, a day we at at Chops because of our 30th anniversary and didn't see the rest of the cruise.

[critterchick]

Next night, changed to another table, this time a 10-top that was full of 'mis-placed people'...we all came from other tables :) Worked out great!

 

Those can be the best tables - we've had that happen a couple of times when we switched dining times.

 

We've never changed tables to get away from tablemates, but have had a few doozies. And I'm sure they felt the same way about us. It just gave us fodder for laughs later on.

 

Sometimes I miss our traditional dining tables (we almost always get MTD), but we enjoy the specialty restaurants and other dining options, and seldom go to the MDR any more, maybe once or twice on a cruise.

[cmason]

My wife is not fond on having tablemates, and when we are traveling as a family, she prefers to just have our family seated at a small table. Usually, I remember to check on the table assignment when we board, but the last cruise I forgot. We arrived at our assigned table, and were shocked to see it was a table for 10, nearly full.

 

Due to the shock, we immediately went to the Maitre d' (rudely, in hindsight, without even acknowledging the other diners sitting at the assigned table), and mentioned we had requested a table for four. Maitre d' was wonderful, explained his problems with overbooked dining times. We switched dining times, and headed off to the Windjammer, so as not to disturb our former assigned table any further. Nothing at all to do with our assigned tablemates, just my wife's preference.

 

Sometimes its not you, its me.

Edited May 27, 2014 by cmason

[Out to sea!]

My wife is not fond on having tablemates, and when we are traveling as a family, she prefers to just have our family seated at a small table. Usually, I remember to check on the table assignment when we board, but the last cruise I forgot. We arrived at our assigned table, and were shocked to see it was a table for 10, nearly full.

 

Due to the shock, we immediately went to the Maitre d' (rudely, in hindsight, without even acknowledging the other diners sitting at the assigned table), and mentioned we had requested a table for four. Maitre d' was wonderful, explained his problems with overbooked dining times. We switched dining times, and headed off to the Windjammer, so as not to disturb our former assigned table any further. Nothing at all to do with our assigned tablemates, just my wife's preference.

 

Sometimes its not you, its me.

 

All I can say is your wife is missing out on what could be a great opportunity to meet new friends. We have had our share of bad table mates, we've had some fair table mates, and we have made friends with some that we still chat with to this day. If you don't try, you'll never find out.

[BamaGuy44]

 

I've been stuck with people who brag on their loyalty status and number of cruises they've taken until I want to push a sourdough roll down their throats. IMO, dinner conversation should NEVER include an announcement of your loyalty status. NEVER!

 

 

It's like the old joke: I can always tell within 5 minutes of meeting someone if they went to Harvard. How? They'll TELL me :rolleyes:

Edited May 27, 2014 by BamaGuy44

[cmason]

All I can say is your wife is missing out on what could be a great opportunity to meet new friends. We have had our share of bad table mates, we've had some fair table mates, and we have made friends with some that we still chat with to this day. If you don't try, you'll never find out.

 

Oh, we have enjoyed table mates on plenty of cruises, its just my wife wants to be with her family on the cruise, rather than meeting new friends. Everyone cruises the way they like.

[cello56]

DH and I are happy to share a table with strangers for breakfast or lunch. In fact we ASK to share a table at those meals. However for us, dinner is different. We like to sit at a table for two or however many there are in our sailing party. I think that breakfast and lunch are more relaxed, and people tend to arrive and leave as they finish up. We have no desire to be waiting for late arrivals, or super slow eaters at the dinner meal. We think that this has balanced out quite nicely the way we do it. Works for us anyways!:)

[Anguillafan]

We've always cruised as family vacations, so we were only seated with each other. One time there were ten of us, another time six. The last three cruises was just our family of four, and we find it a great way to catch up on our days by just making it the four of us.

 

On the last cruise main dining was full, and we ended up with another group of four. They were very nice, and very different from us. The dinner was fine, but we were not going to have enough to talk to them about for 7 days. We switched to the late seating which was really empty and had faster service to boot. We prefer to be alone at dinner, but we also like to eat breakfast and lunch, when it's available, in the MDR where we meet new people. For us, we've met great people that way, and we've enjoyed the experience. Sometimes it's all four of us, but other times we've split up, often for lunch during sea days. I like the experience, but for each night with the same strangers is not fun for us. So, our answer was to change seating time.

[Crossfitmama09]

I have a question of the reverse (sort of). Our last cruise my husband and I did MTD and dined alone the entire cruise. I think this cruise we would like to dine with people, however we're scheduled for MTD again. Is there a way to be seated with table mates if you want to dine at an off time? Last cruise, we dined @7:30 each night. Any advice or experience is appreciated!

[misty57]

My understanding is that you can request to dine with others on MTD or alone. I am excited to try this dining arrangement since we have had some not so pleasant experiences lately. Sometimes we want to be finished with dinner earlier so we can catch a show or something. Sometimes we are not hungry until later, so it will be nice not to be tied down to an earlier time. Conversation sometimes makes dinner very prolonged. I don't intend to dread going to dinner ever again!

[Emperor9]

if they are a lower level then you are , have them removed from the table.

[TexasR&H]

God Bless You my friend. *LOL*

 

My Ex and her current husband , and myself and my current DW can take eachother in small doses . Usually for the sake of the kids. And since they are grown now , we don't have to do that too much anymore.

 

Every night at dinner on a cruise ship would be pushing it . :)

 

Sounds like you should have 1 big family dinner together (a "small dose" of 90 minutes' time) and then dine with just the spouse and/or spouse/kids the rest of the time. Or, maybe sourpuss ex will ask to switch tables and you don't have to! :)

[Frankmac]

if they are a lower level then you are , have them removed from the table.

 

I think this is a very sensible suggestion. Nothing like getting a problem sorted out early, I say.

[srlafleur]

This is why we always choose MTD and get a table for 2 every evening. On our last cruise (did it really only end 3 days ago?) we made no reservations and yet were still always seated in the same area with the same wait staff, who were just awesome, BTW. We occasionally chatted with people on either side of us, but felt no obligation to do so, beyond a pleasant "good-evening."

If we HAD to share or choose a set dining time, we would definitely go for the largest possible table. In the past, pre-MTD, the most awkward seating for us was a 4-top. I mean, seriously, even if the people are perfectly nice, it can be pretty uncomfortable eating with only one other couple that you don't know, at least for me. The more the merrier, in that case.

[srlafleur]

I have a question of the reverse (sort of). Our last cruise my husband and I did MTD and dined alone the entire cruise. I think this cruise we would like to dine with people, however we're scheduled for MTD again. Is there a way to be seated with table mates if you want to dine at an off time? Last cruise, we dined @7:30 each night. Any advice or experience is appreciated!

 

Yes, we were asked each night if we wanted to share a table.

[floridafish]

Our 1st cruise we dined with another family and as I recall it was pleasant enough.

 

Since then though we have only dined with each other. Quite frankly it's the one time during the day, shore time aside, that I'm with my kids alone.

 

I find it a nice way to slow down a bit with them.

 

While it's nice meeting new people I prefer having the "alone time" with my children.

[lhanson38]

Hoping you all can help. We are a group of friends 8 doing a TA this fall.

We just found out that two people from our little town have also booked this cruise. They have started asking all kinds of question about where we are staying what cabins we are in, dining so on Here's the problem the women we like.she kind of hangs out on the fringes of a very large group we all hang in. But the man none of us can even stand to say more than hello to. I mean really this guy makes my flesh crawl. a other friend who is truly very kind told me I dislike this guy with ever fiber of my body. So who do I get ahold of to make sure we have a table of 8 only. And yes I know this sound like we are horrid people. But really we are not. HELP

[finz2u]

Fortunately, when my husband and I have had traditional dining, we have never been seated with "difficult" companions. On our last cruise, the couple we shared dinners with were delightful and I hope to keep in touch with them.

 

I don't think the table assignments are random. Whoever does the seating seems to attempt to match ages, geographic locations, and maybe professions. I hope whoever is in charge keeps up the good work.