What if you really hate your dining mates?

[SetAnOpenCourse]

nothing like a couple seated at a table for six and then have two couples who are traveling together sit down and totally avoid talking to the first couple. What fun!

We like a table for two so we can eat at our own pace and leave to take in the nightly show. Also it gets tedious answering the same questions every night to different people. Where are you from, what job did you have, do you have grandchildren. Yada yada! Indigestion!

 

(Oh dear, I sound like a grouch!) just like efficiency.:)

 

Priceless post. Such is life.

[take us away]

catl331 wrote: Also it gets tedious answering the same questions every night to different people. Where are you from, what job did you have, do you have grandchildren. Yada yada! Indigestion!

 

So totally agree which is why I tend to favor fixed seating - once and done. Always thought we should bring preprinted cards or HAL would provide cards to fill in with all that info so you could just pass the card at dinner with new tablemates - and add the photos of their grandkids...

[iancal]

We did two Australian cruises last winter. Your comment about occupations and grandchildren made us think.

 

One significant difference on both of those cruises were the people. 90 percent Australians.

 

What we noticed right off the bat was that out tablemates did not ask, did not care what our occupations or positions were. This was a departure for us. The second thing that was noticeable to us was there was no bragging about wonderful children and grandchildren. The third thing was politics. No one bothered to discuss it.

Edited October 12, 2015 by iancal

[take us away]

We did two Australian cruises last winter. Your comment about occupations and grandchildren made us think.

 

One significant difference on both of those cruises were the people. 90 percent Australians.

 

What we noticed right off the bat was that out tablemates did not ask, did not care what our occupations or positions were. This was a departure for us. The second thing that was noticeable to us was there was no bragging about wonderful children and grandchildren. The third thing was politics. No one bothered to discuss it.

 

Have also seen less of this on longer cruises. Have sat with people on >60-day cruises and at the end still had no clue what they had done nor did they know what I had done wrt occupations - loved it!

[kazu]

Have also seen less of this on longer cruises. Have sat with people on >60-day cruises and at the end still had no clue what they had done nor did they know what I had done wrt occupations - loved it!

but

agree, I think we found out on day 20 on our cruise purely by accident.

 

Now, here's a different story - on our NCL cruise for the Millenium crossing the pond, the Maitre D' came up to us and asked if a couple could join our table.

 

The promised to be prompt and they could make the table larger. Since the person was right there, what could you say? Turned out he thought our table was fun and he and his wife were a joy. We became good friends.

 

A great addition to the table and it became a rather large one but we were served impeccably. 15 years ago. I have never forgotten them. and his wife and I still exchange notes.

[Stratheden]

We did two Australian cruises last winter. Your comment about occupations and grandchildren made us think.

 

One significant difference on both of those cruises were the people. 90 percent Australians.

 

What we noticed right off the bat was that out tablemates did not ask, did not care what our occupations or positions were. This was a departure for us. The second thing that was noticeable to us was there was no bragging about wonderful children and grandchildren. The third thing was politics. No one bothered to discuss it.

 

Australians, in general, do not discuss religion, finances or politics. We really don't care if you were the Chairman of the Board or the cleaner. I don't brag about my children or grandchildren because everyone thinks theirs are best, and so they should. :)

[sail7seas]

Some good comments here and it's been an interesting thread but I wonder how one gets from "Hello, nice to meet you" when they first meet their tablemates to Hate. Sure you may not mesh well with them, may not like their table manners, they wear too much cologne, you don't like their conversation....... But Hate? :eek:

[Typhoon1]

One of the Dining Room Managers will be happy to accommodate you. Just ask.

[Windsailer]

Some good comments here and it's been an interesting thread but I wonder how one gets from "Hello, nice to meet you" when they first meet their tablemates to Hate. Sure you may not mesh well with them, may not like their table manners, they wear too much cologne, you don't like their conversation....... But Hate? :eek:

 

Would "severely dislike" be more appropriate when faced with two table mates from the Deep South who made choice comments about race, as the OP stated? To me that's a bit different than being faced with table mates who wear too much cologne.

[sapper1]

Some good comments here and it's been an interesting thread but I wonder how one gets from "Hello, nice to meet you" when they first meet their tablemates to Hate. Sure you may not mesh well with them, may not like their table manners, they wear too much cologne, you don't like their conversation....... But Hate? :eek:

 

I suppose it is the same way as it happens here on Cruise Critic. The people who post here are the same people who go on cruises. Would you think it would be any different?

[sail7seas]

I might hate language they use, hate their personal beliefs etc but I honestly don't think there is anyone I Hate. Sure there are some I strongly dislike but Hate is such a heavy word.... IMO

 

Edited October 12, 2015 by sail7seas

[Windsailer]

I might hate language they use, hate their personal beliefs etc but I honestly don't think there is anyone I Hate. Sure there are some I strongly dislike but Hate is such a heavy word.... IMO

 

 

Seems like a matter of semantics to me. End result is the same. I get up and leave.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

I suppose it is the same way as it happens here on Cruise Critic. The people who post here are the same people who go on cruises. Would you think it would be any different?

 

People on CC seem to return to the discussion, so what happens here is indeed different than when they decide not to return to a dinner table.

 

Sail7seas is right about the choice of extreme words. We get alienated too quickly.

[rodree]

This is why we liked anytime dining.each night a change of table mates

with the opportunity for enjoyable conversations.

Now that my wife has passed i am still cruising solo and still be using anytime dining.

Much can be learned by listening to a varity of others.

Looking forward to the next cruise.