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Dinner mate stories


Ken Greco
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On one cruise we were on anytime dining sharing a table with 5 others. One was a gentleman from the UK travelling alone. He told us this story about when he caught a sturgeon fish.

Apparently all sturgeon belong to 'The Queen' and she has to be asked if you can keep it. He then went on to tell us he telephoned Buckingham Palace and he was told the Queen was in residence and she would be asked.

They phoned him back shortly after and said they had asked "Her Majesty"and she had said it was Ok for him to keep the fish.

The rest of the table were struggling to keep a straight face as he was very serious.

We heard him telling the story to different table mates on later evenings.

 

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I suspect he was quite serious and did exactly what he stated.

 

Under current law, the Receiver of Wreck is the official appointed to take possession of royal fish when they arrive on English shores. The law of royal fish continues to excite some notice and occasional controversy, as evidenced when a fisherman caught and sold a sturgeon in Swansea Bay in 2004.[6]

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I hope our luck never changes. We've had great tablemates since 1984. The only problem is that frequently we realize ours is the last occupied table in the dining room because we're so busy talking.

I hope this continues because it adds a lot to the cruise.

Of course, it doesn't give us fodder for CC!

 

 

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[

quote=jagsfan;54635552]I hope our luck never changes. We've had great tablemates since 1984. The only problem is that frequently we realize ours is the last occupied table in the dining room because we're so busy talking.

I hope this continues because it adds a lot to the cruise.

Of course, it doesn't give us fodder for CC!

 

Totally agree and hope we meet you on a cruise one day

 

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I hope our luck never changes. We've had great tablemates since 1984. The only problem is that frequently we realize ours is the last occupied table in the dining room because we're so busy talking.

I hope this continues because it adds a lot to the cruise.

Of course, it doesn't give us fodder for CC!

 

 

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We had this same "problem" on our recent 28 day cruise. We would suddenly realize the dinning room was mostly empty and they were trying to get ready for the next seating. D'Oh! We really had a great group.

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DH and I will go to the MDR for anytime dining and will take whatever table is given to us whether it is for 2 or 8.

 

One time we were @ a table of 6 and of course politics came up. I shot my husband a look as to say, "Don't you dare talk politics @ the table". I give him credit as this one couple from Canada even after my explanation that I requested no politic conversation @ the table with my husband, continued to jab @ him. I resigned, told the couple that okay you want to go there, you will be sorry. Gave the husband the okay and off they went! I was never so bored in my life but for some reason they were having the time of their lives pointing out their difference of opinions. After it was all over, and it did end up being an okay evening.

 

I still request to him not to bring up politics and not to jump in. Also, I have noticed that I am having difficulty hearing in the MDR when there is a lot of background noise so I miss out on having a decent conversation without having to apologize for my loss of hearing.

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I suspect he was quite serious and did exactly what he stated.

 

Under current law, the Receiver of Wreck is the official appointed to take possession of royal fish when they arrive on English shores. The law of royal fish continues to excite some notice and occasional controversy, as evidenced when a fisherman caught and sold a sturgeon in Swansea Bay in 2004.[6]

I think you are probably right but what amused us was that the gentleman was convinced that the Queen was asked personally if it would be alright.

 

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On one cruise we were on anytime dining sharing a table with 5 others. One was a gentleman from the UK travelling alone. He told us this story about when he caught a sturgeon fish.

Apparently all sturgeon belong to 'The Queen' and she has to be asked if you can keep it. He then went on to tell us he telephoned Buckingham Palace and he was told the Queen was in residence and she would be asked.

They phoned him back shortly after and said they had asked "Her Majesty"and she had said it was Ok for him to keep the fish.

The rest of the table were struggling to keep a straight face as he was very serious.

We heard him telling the story to different table mates on later evenings.

 

Sent from my SM-T580 using Forums mobile app

 

A very 'Fishy' story that one.:loudcry:

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We always have had wonderful table mates, however one New Year cruise we had a couple from Russia and a couple from Turkey. I thought we were going to have world war three when the husband from Turkey started telling the Russian couple they invaded their country and ruined the lives of many Turks. By mid week they became the best of friends and declared the war was over. Whew! We honestly did not know what do stay and have ping pong heads as our head went back and forth or ask if we could have a different table. We decided to stay, one of the best cruises ever and our table mates ended up be some of the best we ever had.

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I think you are probably right but what amused us was that the gentleman was convinced that the Queen was asked personally if it would be alright.

 

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She probably was or someone close enough such as a personal secretary, that for all practical purposes she was. After all, by law it is her fish and while their is an office to receive them, once brought to shore, I have not seen anything that even that office can release ownership.

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For the experienced cruisers we all have the stories in the MDR of siting with strangers and the crazy things that are discussed at the table. My last cruise we had people for the UK, Canada and the USA. As the week went on the one couple from the US started telling accounts of what went on during the cruise. The last night the couple told a story about a couple they met that would make even a sailor blush. The Canada and UK were really taken back. How about other table stories out there?

 

My bad story with table mates from Canada was bizarre. There were a table of 6 of us. Two elderly females, two Canadian's, and me and DH. We all introduced ourselves and the niceties of ourselves. As we all studied the menu, the male Canadian piped up and said "Well, I think Hillary should be President!" Hmmmm, okay. I said to him "What are her qualifications?" He sat there, more flabbergasted that anyone would answer him. He became more and more flustered to come up with an answer. He looked at me and said "BITCH!" I said, "what you can't answer your own comment?" My husband said to him "no name calling!" His wife mortified told him to leave. As he left the table, he gave me the middle finger. I gave it back to him on both hands and told him to "F" off. So, that's my table story. Haven't had one like that since.:evilsmile:

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Before anytime dining, we were seated at a table for 8 that turned out to be our most memorable. The first formal night, security showed up at the table accompanied by a passenger who had accused one of our table mates of verbally assaulting him because he did not feel he was dressed appropriately for formal night. This was the same man who would not allow the photographer to take his picture because he said he was CIA. He later told me he was an architect and another couple he was in real estate. The last night of the 10 day cruise, he verbally attacked a woman at our table because he didn't like her hair or dress and that she had coughed. She left in tears and then he moved on to her husband saying he thought his British accent was phony. Needless to say, when anytime dining was introduced, we were among the first to sign up!

 

 

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My bad story with table mates from Canada was bizarre. There were a table of 6 of us. Two elderly females, two Canadian's, and me and DH. We all introduced ourselves and the niceties of ourselves. As we all studied the menu, the male Canadian piped up and said "Well, I think Hillary should be President!" Hmmmm, okay. I said to him "What are her qualifications?" He sat there, more flabbergasted that anyone would answer him. He became more and more flustered to come up with an answer. He looked at me and said "BITCH!" I said, "what you can't answer your own comment?" My husband said to him "no name calling!" His wife mortified told him to leave. As he left the table, he gave me the middle finger. I gave it back to him on both hands and told him to "F" off. So, that's my table story. Haven't had one like that since.:evilsmile:

 

Was he drunk?

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Best tablemate I remember was a lady traveling with her elderly mother. The mother was very quiet and was in awe in the MDR with the food, service etc. She was fascinated when the waiter came by and used a little knife to collect the crumbs on the tablecloth. Each night as soon as she sat down she would grab a roll and hide in it her lap. As soon as the waiter left the table she would crumble more crumbs on the table in front of her for him to clean up. Each time he came by she would have a big smile on her face and he obviously knew what was happening but played along and each time made a bigger production about cleaning them up. She rarely said a word but her smile said volumes.

 

Last night of the cruise the waiter actually gave her the little knife he used to clean wrapped up in a little box to remember the cruise. She was in heaven and all smiles.

 

Of course I've also had many bad ones also

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Best tablemate I remember was a lady traveling with her elderly mother. The mother was very quiet and was in awe in the MDR with the food, service etc. She was fascinated when the waiter came by and used a little knife to collect the crumbs on the tablecloth. Each night as soon as she sat down she would grab a roll and hide in it her lap. As soon as the waiter left the table she would crumble more crumbs on the table in front of her for him to clean up. Each time he came by she would have a big smile on her face and he obviously knew what was happening but played along and each time made a bigger production about cleaning them up. She rarely said a word but her smile said volumes.

 

Last night of the cruise the waiter actually gave her the little knife he used to clean wrapped up in a little box to remember the cruise. She was in heaven and all smiles.

 

Lovely story, Doug.

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Best tablemate I remember was a lady traveling with her elderly mother. The mother was very quiet and was in awe in the MDR with the food, service etc. She was fascinated when the waiter came by and used a little knife to collect the crumbs on the tablecloth. Each night as soon as she sat down she would grab a roll and hide in it her lap. As soon as the waiter left the table she would crumble more crumbs on the table in front of her for him to clean up. Each time he came by she would have a big smile on her face and he obviously knew what was happening but played along and each time made a bigger production about cleaning them up. She rarely said a word but her smile said volumes.

 

Last night of the cruise the waiter actually gave her the little knife he used to clean wrapped up in a little box to remember the cruise. She was in heaven and all smiles.

 

Of course I've also had many bad ones also

 

 

This is just so lovely and I bet she made up for the 'bad ones'.

Great story

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My DH and I were on a 12-day Australian cruise which only has traditional seating for dinner. We were seated at a table with two other couples. One couple was always bickering and arguing about how the other spouse was not telling the story right or "that's not how it happened" or interrupting each other. It was uncomfortable for us and the other couple and by the 6th or 7th night of the cruise the wife of the non bickering couple would not talk to them.

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This is the neat part of cruiseing and sitting at a large table of people who you will probably hever see again. You can be a CEO of a fortune 500 company, own three mansions and two Lamborghinis and a 200 ft yacht, been everywhere in the world, know and dine with famous people and on and on. I have been known to get up and leave in the middle of dinner to another table when this happens.

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My bad story with table mates from Canada was bizarre. There were a table of 6 of us. Two elderly females, two Canadian's, and me and DH. We all introduced ourselves and the niceties of ourselves. As we all studied the menu, the male Canadian piped up and said "Well, I think Hillary should be President!" Hmmmm, okay. I said to him "What are her qualifications?" He sat there, more flabbergasted that anyone would answer him. He became more and more flustered to come up with an answer. He looked at me and said "BITCH!" I said, "what you can't answer your own comment?" My husband said to him "no name calling!" His wife mortified told him to leave. As he left the table, he gave me the middle finger. I gave it back to him on both hands and told him to "F" off. So, that's my table story. Haven't had one like that since.:evilsmile:

 

This is an abject lesson in conversation on a cruise. The correct response to "Well, I think Hillary should be President" is "Are you having the soup, I am not sure what Cullen Skink is?" or something like that. In this way the cruise continues happily and the provocative conversation opener's topic becomes forgotten about.

 

By the third day it will suddenly dawn on you that Canadians do not vote in the election.

 

Lol John

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My answer would probably have been, "And when I sit with French-speaking people, I prefer to speak French and not some colonial patois."

 

 

I see Hank beat me to it!

 

Nah, I probably wouldn't. But I speak more proper French than virtually all the Canadians. Or, at least I did, when I graduated from college.

 

 

All Canadians are not French speaking nor all they all rude and arrogant!

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