Tables for two

[amfc_lenny]

4 hours ago, kenhem said:

We're currently on Arcadia and agree with what you say. And the two tables in your top picture have a larger gap than most of the other side by side tables. For the first time ever on a cruise we've been eating more in the buffet in the evening and find it a much more pleasant experience. 

Wow both of these are pretty terrible! Think we’d be venturing to the buffet too, for a better ambiance

[wowzz]

28 minutes ago, amfc_lenny said:

Wow both of these are pretty terrible! Think we’d be venturing to the buffet too, for a better ambiance

If you like the ambience of a works canteen, you'll like the buffet. 

We don't go on a cruise in order to collect our food on a tray. 

Edited November 15, 2019 by wowzz

[Harry Peterson]

57 minutes ago, wowzz said:

If you like the ambience of a works canteen, you'll like the buffet. 

We don't go on a cruise in order to collect our food on a tray. 

Absolutely. And the tables for two are just a joke - a bad one at that.  The larger tables however provide a sociable, enjoyable experience - a little like a dinner party with friends and friends of friends.

 

Obviously, not everyone enjoys the company of others, but you still get it on the tables for two, whether you like it or not - and it's also impossible to exchange a quiet private word if you want to.  The worst of all worlds.

[john watson]

On 11/8/2019 at 10:42 PM, wowzz said:

Graham - isn'tit the point that, because you want a table for two, you will never have the joy of sharing a table with Andy and Michelle.  You are missing so much! 

I might also add, that, by not sharing a table you will miss the opportunity of hearing my four jokes, one of which  involves impersonating an elephant ! Such laughs!

 

Wowzz is that the one where the elderly lady phones the police to complain an elephant is pulling up all the cabbages in her vegetable garden using its tail?

 

I like large tables and find the disappointment when by the end of the cruise no incidents have occurred.  In the past we have had a young lad stand up and was sick all over the table,  a guy that took all the milk from two jugs at breakfast, leaving none for everybody else, this was hilarious but people were upset, a photographer turning up and trying to misappropriate me with the wrong woman who got offended and over reacted to the faux pas a "couple" who the lady claimed she was the fiancee and the man confidentially said she was just his cruising buddy - why they felt I should be advised I don't know.

 

Regards John

Edited November 15, 2019 by john watson

[kenhem]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

If you like the ambience of a works canteen, you'll like the buffet. 

We don't go on a cruise in order to collect our food on a tray. 

Normally I would agree with your comment but for us we've found the table for two experience on Arcadia the worst on any cruise ship we've been on, including other cruise lines. Which is a shame as we are enjoying the ship apart from that. Whilst we used to eat at larger tables nowadays we prefer tables for two.

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, john watson said:

 

Wowzz is that the one where the elderly lady phones the police to complain an elephant is pulling up all the cabbages in her vegetable garden using its tail?

 

I like large tables and find the disappointment when by the end of the cruise no incidents have occurred.  In the past we have had a young lad stand up and was sick all over the table,  a guy that took all the milk from two jugs at breakfast, leaving none for everybody else, this was hilarious but people were upset, a photographer turning up and trying to misappropriate me with the wrong woman who got offended and over reacted to the faux pas a "couple" who the lady claimed she was the fiancee and the man confidentially said she was just his cruising buddy - why they felt I should be advised I don't know.

 

Regards John

John - your elephant joke sounds much more refined than mine!

 

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, kenhem said:

Normally I would agree with your comment but for us we've found the table for two experience on Arcadia the worst on any cruise ship we've been on, including other cruise lines. Which is a shame as we are enjoying the ship apart from that. Whilst we used to eat at larger tables nowadays we prefer tables for two.

We have often found, especially on longer cruises,  that, despite my jokes, we strike up a rapport with a number of other couples,  and therefore quite often arrange with one of the couples to go to the MDR together and get a table for 4. By so doing, you avoid the need for introductions, the "how many cruises?" questions (an excuse to boast),  and generally the evening passes by in an agreeable manner. 

Anything, even my 4 jokes,  is better than eating in the buffet.

[john watson]

33 minutes ago, wowzz said:

John - your elephant joke sounds much more refined than mine!

 

The police call centre call handler asks "What is he doing with all the cabbages?" to which the lady says "If I told you you - you would not believe me"

 

I avoid asking "How many cruises?" but go for "How's the cruise going for you?"  That would be this one, how you got to Southampton (or wherever as appropriate), overnight stay pre-cruise the success or otherwise of the driving, coach train etc. It's a good non-political opening icebreaker in my experience. In any case on a large Club Dining table you have got people trapped and it is up to them to escape!

 

On one cruise our table of eight went so well on one night I dined on it completely alone.  This was due to family of four upgrading that evening, the "couple" both being ill and my companion prefers the buffet.

 

Regards John

Edited November 15, 2019 by john watson

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, john watson said:

The police call centre call handler asks "What is he doing with all the cabbages?" to which the lady says "If I told you you - you would not believe me"

 

I avoid asking "How many cruises?" but go for "How's the cruise going for you?"  That would be this one, how you got to Southampton (or wherever as appropriate), overnight stay pre-cruise the success or otherwise of the driving, coach train etc. It's a good non-political opening icebreaker in my experience. In any case on a large Club Dining table you have got people trapped and it is up to them to escape!

 

Regards John

John - the punch line made me laugh. I will shamelessly steal it, and now have 5 jokes in my repertoire !

I like your icebreaker gambit. Unfortunately many other cruisers seem to take a more adversarial approach,  interrogating you immediately on your arrival at the table in the MDR as to your cruise history, and how many more cruises they have done! 

I don't have sufficient experience to offer anything other than an anecdotal judgement, but from our limited cruising history, P&O cruisers do seem to be the worst in this respect.

[terrierjohn]

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

Anything, even my 4 jokes,  is better than eating in the buffet.

wowzz, we sometimes go to the buffet when its an Asian themed evening, and quite enjoy it for a change, the tables are all neatly arranged and laid with cutlery, napkin and table mat, and its easy to find a table for 2.  It's not as sophisticated as the MDR experience, but certainly a long way removed from the workers canteen experience, and it does enable you to time your dining so you can watch the early show, without needing to rush to the MDR for 6:00pm.

 

[wowzz]

16 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

wowzz, we sometimes go to the buffet when its an Asian themed evening, and quite enjoy it for a change, the tables are all neatly arranged and laid with cutlery, napkin and table mat, and its easy to find a table for 2.  It's not as sophisticated as the MDR experience, but certainly a long way removed from the workers canteen experience, and it does enable you to time your dining so you can watch the early show, without needing to rush to the MDR for 6:00pm.

 

Yes, I'd agree with you about the themed evenings, although we'd never eat as early as that. 

[john watson]

13 hours ago, wowzz said:

John - the punch line made me laugh. I will shamelessly steal it, and now have 5 jokes in my repertoire !

I like your icebreaker gambit. Unfortunately many other cruisers seem to take a more adversarial approach,  interrogating you immediately on your arrival at the table in the MDR as to your cruise history, and how many more cruises they have done! 

I don't have sufficient experience to offer anything other than an anecdotal judgement, but from our limited cruising history, P&O cruisers do seem to be the worst in this respect.

 

I have no idea how many cruises I have been on, started cruising in 1964 with first P&O cruise 1964.  That's over 50 years with P&O. You do actually lose count and it does not really matter anyway.  A lot of misconceptions can be traced back for example, non-cruisers believing you have to dress up formally every night.  This thinking goes back to first class and second class, or whatever they called it to avoid using the "second" word.  First class passengers had to dress formally every night, tuxedo or DJ and other classes had one or two nights when business suits were worn as that's what they owned, I had to wear my school blazer in those days.

 

Another good joke concerns a girl who is good at football.  The sports teacher thought she was so good he puts her in the under fourteens first football team with all the boys.  There is no problem with this until the head teacher finds out and raises a concern.  She says she is not happy with a teenage girl in with the boys playing football. Sports teacher says she is one of the best players.  "No", says  the head, "I'm thinking about the showers, if say we play an away game with the boys grammar school".  Sports teacher says "Don't worry I've discussed this with the parents and she's bringing her own soap"

 

Regards John

Edited November 16, 2019 by john watson

[wowzz]

38 minutes ago, john watson said:

 

I have no idea how many cruises I have been on, started cruising in 1964 with first P&O cruise 1964.  That's over 50 years with P&O. You do actually lose count and it does not really matter anyway.  A lot of misconceptions can be traced back for example, non-cruisers believing you have to dress up formally every night.  This thinking goes back to first class and second class, or whatever they called it to avoid using the "second" word.  First class passengers had to dress formally every night, tuxedo or DJ and other classes had one or two nights when business suits were worn as that's what they owned, I had to wear my school blazer in those days.

 

Another good joke concerns a girl who is good at football.  The sports teacher thought she was so good he puts her in the under fourteens first football team with all the boys.  There is no problem with this until the head teacher finds out and raises a concern.  She says she is not happy with a teenage girl in with the boys playing football. Sports teacher says she is one of the best players.  "No", says  the head, "I'm thinking about the showers, if say we play an away game with the boys grammar school".  Sports teacher says "Don't worry I've discussed this with the parents and she's bringing her own soap"

 

Regards John

Brings my joke tally to 6! At this rate my wife might even join me for dinner!

[jeanlyon]

Do you know, we have done years of Club Dining and only recently changed to Freedom, but I have never had anyone ask me how many cruises I've done.  I have been asked if I've been on Oriana/Aurora before, but after that the conversation moved on to other things like what you did that day, or where are you from.  The cruise a few weeks ago on Freedom Dining, we sat with some great people and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. 

[john watson]

Sometimes you do not have to ask people to know how many cruises they have been on.  A couple of years back at Muster Drill in the theatre on Britannia I noticed a couple next to me who were sitting there with the life jackets, warm clothing and hats, listening attentively.  So I thought, here goes I'll ask "Have you brought your medication with you?" Apparently they had not and could not give a satisfactory answer to "What are you going to do when they check?"

 

Regards John

Edited November 17, 2019 by john watson

[Josy1953]

I can't remember the last time we were asked how many cruises we have done but the current ice breaker question seems to be "have you been on this ship before ?".  It is a good job no-one asks how many cruises we have been on because I honestly can't remember and would only be able to say more than 60.  Perhaps I need to go to my loyalty accounts on all of the companies that we have been on and add them up 😂😂

[AndyMichelle]

Just off Oceana and another fantastic table for 8, ranging from first timers to very experienced cruisers. 

How many cruises did come up in conversation but was by no means an icebreaker. 

It helps to know, otherwise you could be trying to sell sand to the Arabs. 

We did overhear a rather embarrassing conversation at lunch in the MDR where a party of 4 women joined a lovely couple who we had met previously and interrogated them from the minute they sat down, effectively asking about income etc and how they can afford so many cruises!! 

We managed to avoid these 4 women for the rest of the cruise... 

Andy 

 

[Solent Richard]

On 11/15/2019 at 6:04 PM, amfc_lenny said:

Wow both of these are pretty terrible! Think we’d be venturing to the buffet too, for a better ambiance

 

On 11/15/2019 at 6:32 PM, wowzz said:

If you like the ambience of a works canteen, you'll like the buffet. 

We don't go on a cruise in order to collect our food on a tray. 

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

There is plenty of ambience in the main restaurants without having to sit at a table for two.

 

Come to thing of it, there aren't many tables fo two in the buffet of an evening ...