Memorable Tablemates - Got any?

[cdog7]

I only recently joined CC, although I have been enjoying the info and stories you share for sometime now. I really like the funny/unusual items cruisers post. With that in mind, here is an abbreviated list of memorable tablemates we encountered and (added bonus) a story. The list:

 

The young beauty who didn't like DR food (she survived the week mainly on mashed potatoes every night)

 

The little pizza loving boys who were granted their treat every night by the eager to please staff

 

The drunk who abandoned our table after two night (relief)

 

The genial prison warden and his deputy warden wife (different prisons)

 

The cute kids who soon called us Aunt and Uncle

 

The large man who shared his angst about using the small shower

 

The missing couple.

 

OK, the missing couple item deserves some set-up and explanation. A number of cruises ago, DW and I were assigned to a table for ten aboard the Navigator. The first night four couples were present. By either good fortune or the intuitive genius of the Maitre d' the gathering was an example of traditional dining gone right. After introductions, conversation sparkled and mirth prevailed. We bonded. Toward the end of the meal our waiter presented, with great flourish, an anniversary cake. Sadly, it was intended for the absent couple. We did not let the unexpected treat go to waste, however.

 

Nights two and Three passed with the original eight of us. The missing couple was long forgotten.

 

As DW and I strolled into the DR on evening four I noticed a lone and unfamiliar couple at our table. I indignantly whispered to DW "WHO THE DEVIL IS THAT AT OUR TABLE?....AND IN OUR SEATS!" I quickly mellowed as I realized this must be a belated appearance of the missing couple. At first glance they appeared to be aging hippies, holdovers from decades earlier. The lady had very long straight hair and looked fine. The gentleman also looked fine, but in a unique way. He wore a mustache, shades, a backwards baseball cap, and sported a splendid hair braid that reached nearly to his backside. It was a casual dress night.

 

Dear reader, think of the reasons why people don't eat in the DR. I bet you won't guess their reason.

 

They were a delight, if a bit befuddled. The lady explained they were first time cruisers and until that very day they were unaware the ship had a dining room. It was only by a happy accident they 'discovered' it while wandering aroung. They had thought the WJ was the only major dining venue, and were growing quite tired of it. The rest of us were dumbfounded by their explanation, but welcomed them to our merry table. Obviously, reading the daily Compass was not a priority for either of the twosome. Oh yes, they did receive a replacement anniversary cake.

 

Do you recall any memorable tablemates? If so, please tell us about them.

[maren91]

This just made me think of the tablemates on my last Monarch cruise. This older woman all four nights of dinner would polish off an entire bottle of wine and fall asleep at the table snoring! One night she was still holding the fork to her uneaten steak. The husband thought nothing wrong of this! Hilarious!

[cot427]

I only recently joined CC, although I have been enjoying the info and stories you share for sometime now. I really like the funny/unusual items cruisers post. With that in mind, here is an abbreviated list of memorable tablemates we encountered and (added bonus) a story. The list:

 

The young beauty who didn't like DR food (she survived the week mainly on mashed potatoes every night)

 

The little pizza loving boys who were granted their treat every night by the eager to please staff

 

The drunk who abandoned our table after two night (relief)

 

The genial prison warden and his deputy warden wife (different prisons)

 

The cute kids who soon called us Aunt and Uncle

 

The large man who shared his angst about using the small shower

 

The missing couple.

 

OK, the missing couple item deserves some set-up and explanation. A number of cruises ago, DW and I were assigned to a table for ten aboard the Navigator. The first night four couples were present. By either good fortune or the intuitive genius of the Maitre d' the gathering was an example of traditional dining gone right. After introductions, conversation sparkled and mirth prevailed. We bonded. Toward the end of the meal our waiter presented, with great flourish, an anniversary cake. Sadly, it was intended for the absent couple. We did not let the unexpected treat go to waste, however.

 

Nights two and Three passed with the original eight of us. The missing couple was long forgotten.

 

As DW and I strolled into the DR on evening four I noticed a lone and unfamiliar couple at our table. I indignantly whispered to DW "WHO THE DEVIL IS THAT AT OUR TABLE?....AND IN OUR SEATS!" I quickly mellowed as I realized this must be a belated appearance of the missing couple. At first glance they appeared to be aging hippies, holdovers from decades earlier. The lady had very long straight hair and looked fine. The gentleman also looked fine, but in a unique way. He wore a mustache, shades, a backwards baseball cap, and sported a splendid hair braid that reached nearly to his backside. It was a casual dress night.

 

Dear reader, think of the reasons why people don't eat in the DR. I bet you won't guess their reason.

 

They were a delight, if a bit befuddled. The lady explained they were first time cruisers and until that very day they were unaware the ship had a dining room. It was only by a happy accident they 'discovered' it while wandering aroung. They had thought the WJ was the only major dining venue, and were growing quite tired of it. The rest of us were dumbfounded by their explanation, but welcomed them to our merry table. Obviously, reading the daily Compass was not a priority for either of the twosome. Oh yes, they did receive a replacement anniversary cake.

 

Do you recall any memorable tablemates? If so, please tell us about them.

We usually travel as a big family, so we didn't really have that many tablemates other than on the:

 

Explorer - We had a Marine and his wife. (nice)

 

Navigator - English couple and their daughter. (very quiet, barely said 10 words the whole trip)

 

But on the Freedom, we had an interesting lunch with a lady. She went on the cruise with all of her friends, but nobody wanted to eat lunch, so she wetn by herself. Anyway, she also brought her husband's ashes, and she got special permission, along with her friends, to go down to the bottom of the ship and dump his ashes at sea. She said they went on a ton of cruises together. It was actually quite sad.

 

They actually stopped the ship for a few minutes (which I didn't even realize) but that was her story.

[TEXASMUNK]

#1 Two couples, both men retired. They were retired from NASA. They were two of the team from the Apollo 13 mission that also resulted in disaster after the onboard explosion. These two men were part of the small group that 'invented' the oxygen scrubber the astronauts built, on board, that saved their lives!

 

#2 Cunard Adventurer, mid 70's. Ship's Doctor was at our table. He had been on a Destroyer Escort in WWII. When the "Great Imposter" was onboard another British DE and a sailor had an attack of appendicitis, the "Great Imposter" owned up to his true identity....This Doctor talked him though the operation and saved the life of the sailor.

[cb at sea]

We sat with an older couple, and I swear, the gentleman was a dead ringer for Rodney Dangerfield!!!!!! And just as funny! We had the very best time with them! (The other couple was younger, and from England. He was quite understandable, but she had a very pronounced Scottish "lilt" to her accent--we had the worst time trying to understand her! You had to "wiggle" your ears!!!!)

[RCIGUY]

Years back when our children cruised regularly with us, we had a middle aged couple seated with us at our table. The husband seemed to enjoy most everything available on the menu, but despite all the variety, the wife could not be satisfied, and ordered nothing but a hot dog...every night!

[Janecool]

I have been on six cruises and have to say our experiences have been all positve. My DH was not into cruises as much as I was so I just took my youngs son with me and we had a mother son cruise. This one cruise we took we were at a table with a sweet family. The mom, dad, young daughter and son and they were from NY. Over time as we chatted with them in general conversation I found out he was a parole officer for someone who was in a high profile case. Wont mention who as this is a public forum and not sure it would be ok or right thing to do. Anyway, they made a movie about the case and was just errie to be sitting with him knowing this. Every time this person is back in the news I think about that.

[lovetocruise99]

After experiencing two cruises with rather odd tablemates we've requested a private table for 3 ever since. Our first experience was with a family of Russians who didn't speak a word of English. That wouldn't have been a problem except the husband was obviously always very angry, causing the mother and daughter to sit frozen in silence, looking terrified the whole week.

 

Our next tablemates were a mother with a young daughter who had a terrible disease causing her to not be able to tell when she was full. To make it worse she lacked the ability to metabolize her food correctly so she had to stay on a strict 1000 calorie diet. At home the mother had to padlock the fridge and cabinets because the daughter would eat until she ended up in the hospital. Every night at dinner the child could only eat plain lettuce and steamed vegetables while we piled on the bread and desserts. She would stare at our plates like she was starving and watch us take every bite. I don't think I've ever felt so uncomfortable in my life. I felt so bad for this child. I can't imagine taking a child on a cruise who couldn't eat!

[joand452]

On our Mariner cruise, we had a single woman sitting at our table of eight, making it a table of seven. It turned out she was the wife of our server, Mihai. He was the best server we've ever had, which is bad, because I compare every other dining experience to that one, and not one can touch it. She was a lovely woman, and he was just the best. I don't think he was putting on any act just because she was at our table. He was the same with his other tables.

 

I often wonder if he's still with RCL and hope that he's our server on our Brilliance cruise next month.

[giggles1972]

on our last cruise me and my husand had originally picked the 8PM dinner, but once we boarded we decided to change to the earlier dinner.

not a problem. the host was very accomadating.

when we got to dinner we found a "very" elderly couple sitting at the table set for 6. As we slowly approached, my husband and i thought "what on earth are we going to have in common with a husband and wife in their 90s"!!! and almost asked if we could change table assignments, but my husband said "lets give it a chance and see what happens".

let me tell you - those old people! where the best times of our life!!!!

they were the FUNNIEST, friendliest people we have ever met.

we laughed, talked about sex, and laughed some more.

the husband would order blue cheese every night and always offered it to us as well.

the 3rd couple never showed the entire trip, but i will say "never judge a book by its cover"

Stacey

[Bakincakes]

My daughter was 8 months old and we were on the BRB(Premier) back in 1989...our table mates included an older couple and the wife always had the most beautiful jewelry.

 

On our last night she wore a beautiful bracelet with multi-colored semi-precious stones. My daughter was fascinated with it and the woman took it off and let her play with it.:eek: ...Dinner was over and I took the bracelet and went to hand it to her and she told me that she wanted the baby to have it as it seemed to make her happy.:) I was dumbfounded and tried to give it back to her but she wouldn't hear of it. I took their address and sent her a thank you card after we got home and we exchanged Christmas Cards for 4 years after. I got a note shortly after that 4th holiday, from her husband, that she had passed away. My daughter still has that bracelet.

[PhinsAndGills]

ON our honeymoon, as luck would have it, we sat with another honeymooning couple that was our age. We quickly became friends.

 

Just off the Legend last week and we were at a table for 12. 3 couple from England, one with their 24 year old son, and we are 5 from America. We had wonderful conversation every night. It was a fun table.

[takeavacation]

My daughter was 8 months old and we were on the BRB(Premier) back in 1989...our table mates included an older couple and the wife always had the most beautiful jewelry.

 

On our last night she wore a beautiful bracelet with multi-colored semi-precious stones. My daughter was fascinated with it and the woman took it off and let her play with it.:eek: ...Dinner was over and I took the bracelet and went to hand it to her and she told me that she wanted the baby to have it as it seemed to make her happy.:) I was dumbfounded and tried to give it back to her but she wouldn't hear of it. I took their address and sent her a thank you card after we got home and we exchanged Christmas Cards for 4 years after. I got a note shortly after that 4th holiday, from her husband, that she had passed away. My daughter still has that bracelet.

 

A lot of these posts made me laugh -- but, this one is just so sweet! What a wonderful gift for you and your family!!:)

[lilsis21]

myself and DH's first cruise. It was we regret on Carnival. However we were seated at dinner with 2 somewhat older couples. On the carnival ships in 1993 the very top deck on one end of the ship was topless sunbathing. One night at dinner during our normal conversation, The wife about 80 years old announces to us that her husband has had more excercise this trip than any other time in his life. She said she couldn't count the number of times he was up and down those stairs to the topless bathing deck. Her husband just grinned. Even now when we think about that conversation we laugh about it.

[cruzincurt]

When we cruised two months after 9/11, on the first formal night, a young couple, both the husband and wife showed up in full dress Marine uniforms. We had no clue they were Marines before that night. Sharp as a tack. They didn't pay for any drinks the remainder of the cruise.

 

I'll never forget them. Marines, America's 911.

[shamda]

First cruise we went on was the Carnival Celebration in 1989. My wife was 5 months pregnant at the time with our daughter. We sat at a table for 4 with a young couple. When we would come to the dining room and say hello to them, the first thing that the wife would say as she was looking at my wifes stomach was "hows the little skipper today" in her deep southern accent. Well we thought that was pretty funny and from that day on referred to her as the little skipper. Now she is 18 getting ready to graduate high school and I still call her skipper. Funny how things get started like that.

[shipty2]

On our last cruise at Christmas we were seated with a couple who never spoke to us. They did not even look at us. DH tried to introduce himself and they pretended they were interested in something else and looked away. They spoke perfect English so we knew it wasn't that as they were conversing with each other. I wanted to tell them they could ask for a table alone but every night I thought they would warm up but they never did. It was a bit comical for us.

[RodPat]

We have sat with some very nice people but once we were at a table for six and we had one couple so old that the wife had to have her meat cut for her. At that same table we had a couple who did nothing but fight with each other. Some days only one came for dinner. To say the least, it was interesting at dinner.

 

Pat

[RodPat]

We have sat with some very nice people but once we were at a table for six and we had one couple so old that the wife had to have her meat cut for her. At that same table we had a couple who did nothing but fight with each other. Some days only one came for dinner. To say the least, it was interesting at dinner.

 

Pat

[Janice M]

All of our table mates have been great, although on the Serenade for the repo Panama Canal 2 of them complained about everything. They had just gotten off the Grand Princess and onto the Serenade. They had an OV room just off the centrum. Complained about that. He would sit in the theater with his arms crossed and a frown. Complain about all the food. Beauty part was he had built a yacht and sailed to New Zealand from Vancouver. Bet they did not have the accomodations they had on the Serenade. They stayed on the ship after the cruise to return to Vancouver. When it was time to leave I shook his hand and said "I'm sorry you have such a miserable cruise". The other table mates on this cruise were chinese from Vancouver and their English was hard to understand. The other couple was from Puerto Rico and very nice but their English was hard to understand too. Still had a great time.

 

Jan

[Thunderwoods]

We were on the Freedom last April, and had a small table of 6, which we took up 4 spots. Our tablemates were an older couple which at first glance, we were unsure how they would handle a couple of pre-teens...then on the introductions, found the wife spoke very little English but understood it well, and the husband didn't speak English at all, and understood a little.

 

After the first night I wanted to change tables, but my DD said she was determined to use what she had learned in Spanish class to bridge the gap, so we decided to stay.

 

Glad we did! She did a phenominal job translating, and the wife spoke enough English to make the conversations very fluid. I felt very humbled after the second night reflecting on my near-rash decision to switch tables because of the launguage barrier.

 

We are still in touch with that wonderful couple from Spain today, and they have asked my DD to come and visit them to experience the beauty Spain has to offer.

 

Never again will I make rash assumtions about table mates....

[BillOh]

Two cruises done so far. On our first cruise we had a great table. One couple was from Sweden, and their English was marginal, but oddly enough they were so charming it made the challenge of communicating fun, and they were incredibly fun to be with. (Pictures in my link below)

 

On our second cruise (3 day majesty) we sat alone at a table for 10. On the first day a family sat down next to us that included 2 parents, 2 kids and 4 grandparents. I was dreading having two kids sitting that close, but as it turned out, they were the model of great behavior. As it turned out, one of the grandmothers was a constant and loud complainer. I felt a lot of compassion for their waiter, though it made for good conversation for my wife and I. Here is hoping for a great table for cruise #3, though I wonder if the anytime dining option will have any affect on that. (We are sticking wiht 2nd seating.

[BillOh]

The genial prison warden and his deputy warden wife (different prisons)

 

.

 

 

I think I would enjoy them. There are a lot of things I find interesting but would never do, so I think I would enjoy their conversation. The missing couple was amusing. I think this is why I won't like the anytime dining as much.

Though, since we cruise with just the two of us and the seats in the Windjammer usually seat more than that, we manage to strike up some conversations. there as well.

[judyblu]

1. A family from Texas, he was a doctor and a food critic. He comment on every dish that was served to him and his wife as to what ingredients were in the food and if it was too much or too little.

 

2. The young honeymoon couple. She would not try anything new on the menu. Each night she only ordered steak (rare) and backed potatoe with butter.

 

3. The two French ladies that never spoke to anyone else at the table for 8 but at the end of the meal would tell us "we were excused".

 

I love meeting people and I love the dining room experiences...good and bad.

[ondeckatsea]

After 20 cruises the only rude experience we ever had was on the Adventure when they put us at a table with 3 Spanish people (very nice, but they spoke no English at all) and 3 younger single women in their 30's. One of them commented to us that they didn't come on a cruise to dine with "old" people. It was so rude it was embarassing. We asked for another table and sat with the honeymoon couple and the ladies who were putting up the Christmas decorations. We all had a great time.

On our other cruises we have always made friends with our tablemates and cruised with them again and again. It is a wonderful way to meet people. We consider them lifelong friends and see them frequently and keep in touch via email.