dining with others

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, suometar said:

 

My in-laws moved to Monticello when my husband was a baby (he was born in 1950). He went to Monticello High School and then to college. His parents lived on Green Street until 2010 or thereabouts.

I likely did not know him as I would have been 3 grades above him at good old Monticello High. But, two of my brothers would have been a year ahead of him and a year behind him. Chances are one or both would have known him. Small world. We once met another Monticello person on a ship. I did not know him, but did know who his older brother was, plus his father was DW's first school superintendent when she finally got a teaching job in a real school. 

[justhappy]

  Assigned seating for the length of the cruise is what I had on my first 16 cruises, and I hated it. We were lucky enough to meet what are now really great friends but also  unlucky enough to to be seated with foreigners who spoke no English,  and refused to acknowledge our presence. Also unlucky to be seated with people who wanted to discuss religion and politics. Sorry that’s a no no with strangers much less with people I know. I didn’t go on vacation to be told my politics and beliefs are wrong and get a sales pitch for theirs🤬

 As someone else pointed out, my entire pace of dining was at the mercy of the slowest eater. Most dinners became a 2 1/2  to 3 hour ordeal I was desperate to escape. I’m an extroverted introvert, meaning I go out of my way to be social, but am exhausted by it all afterward.
 

[complawyer]

i'd have slipped the maitre'd a $20 and asked for a different table. either that, or i would have flat out told the people i didnt care and had absolutely no interest in their view of either politics or religion.

 

if you really wanted to be blunt and obnoxious, you should have told hem just shup up and eat.

 

while i never ignore someone trying to talk to me or ask a question, unfortunately, i dont go out of my way to initiate the conversation.

 

the above recommendations are those of just me and do not reflect (hopefully) a general attitude.

 

however, following these simple suggestions, i believe will allow you to continue to be "justhappy"

 

[TACoor]

We agreed to share a table on one of our first cruises on NCL. We were in our 60's and a couple in their low 20's were seated at our table. The first thing the young man said after sitting down was, "So, grandma, what's up?" Sorry but that's just plain rude. His behavior continued through the meal, just brash and abrasive.

 

Now we only agree to share if there's a wait and we're trying to make it to a show. Otherwise, no thanks!

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, justhappy said:

  Assigned seating for the length of the cruise is what I had on my first 16 cruises, and I hated it. We were lucky enough to meet what are now really great friends but also  unlucky enough to to be seated with foreigners who spoke no English,  and refused to acknowledge our presence. Also unlucky to be seated with people who wanted to discuss religion and politics. Sorry that’s a no no with strangers much less with people I know. I didn’t go on vacation to be told my politics and beliefs are wrong and get a sales pitch for theirs🤬

 As someone else pointed out, my entire pace of dining was at the mercy of the slowest eater. Most dinners became a 2 1/2  to 3 hour ordeal I was desperate to escape. I’m an extroverted introvert, meaning I go out of my way to be social, but am exhausted by it all afterward.
 

Oddly, the only time we were negatively affected by being at the mercy of the pace of a meal was on our first NCL freestyle cruise. We shared a table, and DW ordered a salad, but no appetizer. One passenger ordered five or maybe six appetizers, and they were served one at a time while my DW sat there with nothing to eat.

[justhappy]

25 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Oddly, the only time we were negatively affected by being at the mercy of the pace of a meal was on our first NCL freestyle cruise. We shared a table, and DW ordered a salad, but no appetizer. One passenger ordered five or maybe six appetizers, and they were served one at a time while my DW sat there with nothing to eat.

I understand not wanting to rush someone, but when someone orders that many appetizers, you’d think the staff would at least ask the other diners if they would like their entrees brought out then, and do it!

[ziggyuk]

7 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

This thread seems to confirm the trend away from dinner parties as a form of home entertainment.  Are people becoming more insular? 

 

Dinner parties are not normally with strangers.

 

[SeaShark]

8 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Are people becoming more insular? 

 

As we live in a society where a growing proportion of the population equate making a friend with checking a box on a wesite, the obvious answer is yes.

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Dinner parties are not normally with strangers.

 

Not strangers to the host/hostess, of course -- but the guests frequently do not know each other. A well-planned dinner party does not just rely upon bringing the same old gang together; and, in fact, frequently does serve to introduce people and widen acquaintanceships.

 

[navybankerteacher]

11 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

So a solo cruiser is relegated to only dining with other solos?  I cruise solo and I enjoy talking with a wide range of people, solo or otherwise. 

 

Reading the responses here makes me worry a bit about my upcoming NCL cruise this summer. I love the itinerary but am I going to have a miserable time on board as a sociable solo traveler? Eleven nights is a long time to dine by myself!

 

Several people have made the comment that it is "odd" to dine with others -- but it has been traditional on most cruise ships other than NCL since the start of cruising and for many it is an enjoyable part of cruising. And it's one of the things that makes cruising nice for a solo -- I don't have to dine alone every night as I might when traveling by myself on land. 😕

 

I (partially) understand the wish to not get stuck with a tableful of people for the entire duration of a cruise, but most cruise lines offer some version of anytime dining now and most offer a chance to share a table or not. I've cruised on many lines and NCL is really the first one where a majority of people are unwilling to share a table.

 

 

Having experienced the insularity of NCL’s dining rooms several times, I would suggest that, to the extent possible, you make whatever effort seems appropriate, before going to the dining room, to plan to dine with others.  

[cruisemom42]

2 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Having experienced the insularity of NCL’s dining rooms several times, I would suggest that, to the extent possible, you make whatever effort seems appropriate, before going to the dining room, to plan to dine with others.  

 

Thanks -- a good and actionable suggestion. 

[OrlandoSquirrel]

Our vacation time is very precious to my husband and I (and I know all others who vacation). To have my meal ruined because of a bad match is not my idea of a relaxing evening.  We are both introverts and find meeting new people to be stressful. 
 

Chatting up at the bar or an event where I can easily leave is fine but I don’t want to be stuck with people I don’t know for two+ hours. I’d much rather hit it off with people and then plan to grab dinner together.
 

I agree with previous posters where it’s similar to a first date. You grab a coffee or a drink for a first encounter. You don’t typically set yourself up for a four course meal. 

[ziggyuk]

7 hours ago, OrlandoSquirrel said:

I don’t want to be stuck with people I don’t know for two+ hours. I’d much rather hit it off with people and then plan to grab dinner together.

 

Another reason it would not work for us 2+ hours, good god, I would have had dinner, half a dozen G&Ts and seen a show in that time, 45 minutes and we would be up and off, that or asking why the delay.

[ontheweb]

14 hours ago, justhappy said:

I understand not wanting to rush someone, but when someone orders that many appetizers, you’d think the staff would at least ask the other diners if they would like their entrees brought out then, and do it!

I wish I had said something at the time.

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Another reason it would not work for us 2+ hours, good god, I would have had dinner, half a dozen G&Ts and seen a show in that time, 45 minutes and we would be up and off, that or asking why the delay.

 

Oh dear. I am really starting to think NCL is not the cruise line for me.... 🤨

 

Do a lot of people feel this way?  I am used to a nice social meal, not rushing but enjoying the food and  good conversation.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Oh dear. I am really starting to think NCL is not the cruise line for me.... 🤨

 

Do a lot of people feel this way?  I am used to a nice social meal, not rushing but enjoying the food and  good conversation.

It does seem that way. I started this thread to see if that was true or was just the experience we had on the Epic back in 2012.

 

We still intend to sail the Prima itinerary we booked for 2023 because it is just such an incredibly fine itinerary.

[goldmom]

I think everyone has different desires and expectations and that's fine.  I really think NCL can accommodate both mind sets.

If you want a speedy dinner eat at a table for 2 and let the waiter know you're like to be out in say 45 minutes.  

If you want to linger, then either dine as a couple or with other people and let the waiter know that there's no rush and you prefer to take your time.  (ordering lots of courses will definitely stretch out the meal!)

It's free-style, make it what you want it to be.  Enjoy!

[beltsbear]

on NCL we did a group seating and were sat with the goth magician and his crew.  That was fun!
 

After an odd experience on HAL we have never asked for a group table in MDR again.  We were a party of five due to an illness in our party if six.  They (without asking) set us with a single traveler.  That alone was odd.  But he was 10 years older and every conversation went back to his Mercedes convertible.  Four couples is usually the best you can hope for.  But you can as a couple be seated with a family of six.  
 

on a $150 a person chefs table on Celebrity, we were seated with a nice group of immaculately dressed Italians and Japanese double date in suits and dresses.  We were i tuxes.  And then a family of four came in with dad wearing a dirty lettered tshirt.  We did make friends with the Italians.  It can really be a crapshoot. 

[ziggyuk]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I am used to a nice social meal, not rushing but enjoying the food and  good conversation.

 

I will continue enjoying my food as the chef intended, hot and fresh while in best condition, that respects the chef's craft, not left to spoil on the table for an hour while inanely gassing about what Mrs Smith was wearing around the pool today 😂

 

Just not with strangers 🤣

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by ziggyuk

[MoCruiseFan]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Oh dear. I am really starting to think NCL is not the cruise line for me.... 🤨

 

Do a lot of people feel this way?  I am used to a nice social meal, not rushing but enjoying the food and  good conversation.

Eating with  others (or not) has no impact 'rushing'. If you want conversation, find someone you are compatible with and dine with them.

[cruisemom42]

19 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

Eating with  others (or not) has no impact 'rushing'. If you want conversation, find someone you are compatible with and dine with them.

 

I guess that is my question though - how do I find them?  Not trying to be obtuse, but on other lines people signal that they are willing to share a table with others by saying so when asked at the door of the MDR. So one assumes that those willing to share are willing to be sociable and have "dinner and a conversation".

 

On NCL I am a little stymied. I am not the type to go hang out in bars to meet others.

[GeezerCouple]

3 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I guess that is my question though - how do I find them?  Not trying to be obtuse, but on other lines people signal that they are willing to share a table with others by saying so when asked at the door of the MDR. So one assumes that those willing to share are willing to be sociable and have "dinner and a conversation".

 

On NCL I am a little stymied. I am not the type to go hang out in bars to meet others.

Try to join a Meet & Greet with your Roll Call companions, early in the cruise.  Or arrange in advance to have a sail-away get-together with a few others, for starters.  Then, each meeting or meal may well lead to others, and you should be fine!

 

GC

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Oh dear. I am really starting to think NCL is not the cruise line for me.... 🤨

 

Do a lot of people feel this way?  I am used to a nice social meal, not rushing but enjoying the food and  good conversation.

Yes.  Most people feel this way.  The thread clearly demonstrates this.  How do you know it will be "good" conversation.  If I want to roll the dice, I'll eat with my family (only) and then hit the casino.  I'm guessing that most of us know at least one person who likes to "visit," which is code for they will talk constantly and expect others to show interest and listen.  No thank you.  It's not my job on the cruise ship to entertain others.

[mem50]

We asked every night and at lunch for a sharing table.. no one else wanted to I guess. The last night a couple joined us and recounted the same experience.  Wish we had met them earlier. 
I have met some lifelong friends by sharing dinner on a cruise ship. 

[worktocruise610]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I guess that is my question though - how do I find them?  Not trying to be obtuse, but on other lines people signal that they are willing to share a table with others by saying so when asked at the door of the MDR. So one assumes that those willing to share are willing to be sociable and have "dinner and a conversation".

 

On NCL I am a little stymied. I am not the type to go hang out in bars to meet others.

NCL has a very good solo cruisers program. I cruised solo a few years ago & met some great people, it became almost like a club. Go to the solo meet & greet & then you can meet new people & set up dining with each other. In our group one guy set up a "standing dinner reservation" every night (I think same time) & just said whoever wanted to join, just let him know that day & he would give you the details. I'm sure you'll be fine, I met so many people I started feeling as if I was on a cruise with a bunch of my friends. Try not to worry about or stop you from enjoying your vacation. NCL is very good to solo cruisers & at the end, I've no doubt, you'll be glad you did & will have great memories . Have a great cruise!