Perils of shared dining

Much has been discussed about the pros and cons of shared dining, but an astonishing scene I witnessed on Oriana this week on her Canaries Island cruise.

Three nights ago in the middle of dinner service in the Oriental dining room a passenger on a shared table of six (and I will be as delicate as possible) experienced a reoccurrence of their meal all over the table.

The table and those surrounding were moved and managers sealed off the table with warning tape and cleaning crew in hazmat gear moved in to remove the obviously soiled items on the table.

The following night there were two empty seats on the shared table, however last night the table was back to six again.

Astonishingly the same passenger repeated their performance, so out comes the hazard tape and cleaning crew in hazmat gear again!

As the people on the shared table were not traveling as a group (we had spoken to one couple before the first incident) I was amazed to see the two innocent couples affected by the 'fallout' decide to sit on the same table on the following night even though the sick passenger and their partner was missing, but even more incredulous they remained when the passenger and their partner turned up the next night (and repeated their trick).

Not only was I astonished that those affected remained but couldn’t believe that the person who had caused the evacuation had the front to reappear. If I had been in that situation I would have been mortified and would probably have hidden in my cabin for the rest of the cruise or worn a disguise if I did come out and eat in the buffet rather than return to confront people I had vomited over.

:o

Forgive the pun but you’ll be able to dine out on that one for years!

I don’t suppose it was deliberate and for it to happen twice suggests maybe that person has an illness that they may not even know about. I would sit by that person again, it must have been horrible for them. Whilst not pleasant for other passengers, in such situations I always think about if that was me or someone I loved and I would try to show as much compassion as possible in the hope that if the boot was on the other foot my compassion would be returned. I admit after the second time it would be a bit of a challenge!

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush_vomiting_incident

If Pres. Bush can get up in front of cameras and continue leading our country back then ... anyone can get over 'it'.

Much has been discussed about the pros and cons of shared dining, but an astonishing scene I witnessed on Oriana this week on her Canaries Island cruise.

 

 

Three nights ago in the middle of dinner service in the Oriental dining room a passenger on a shared table of six (and I will be as delicate as possible) experienced a reoccurrence of their meal all over the table.

 

 

The table and those surrounding were moved and managers sealed off the table with warning tape and cleaning crew in hazmat gear moved in to remove the obviously soiled items on the table.

 

 

The following night there were two empty seats on the shared table, however last night the table was back to six again.

 

 

Astonishingly the same passenger repeated their performance, so out comes the hazard tape and cleaning crew in hazmat gear again!

 

 

As the people on the shared table were not traveling as a group (we had spoken to one couple before the first incident) I was amazed to see the two innocent couples affected by the 'fallout' decide to sit on the same table on the following night even though the sick passenger and their partner was missing, but even more incredulous they remained when the passenger and their partner turned up the next night (and repeated their trick).

 

 

Not only was I astonished that those affected remained but couldn’t believe that the person who had caused the evacuation had the front to reappear. If I had been in that situation I would have been mortified and would probably have hidden in my cabin for the rest of the cruise or worn a disguise if I did come out and eat in the buffet rather than return to confront people I had vomited over.

Please tell me this was second sitting. If it was first sitting I can’t believe I would be unaware of it twice!

Please tell me this was second sitting. If it was first sitting I can’t believe I would be unaware of it twice!

Yes, second sitting.

Similar incident happened on my table on Ventura. Large circular table of eight, little boy opposite stands up announces he feels sick then instantly is. Leans over the table and woof. Everybody turned up, head waiter, ship's doctor and the whole family got segregated until it was established noro virus was not involved. We all had to move our chairs back a metre, our dinners were conviscated, all dinner linen was bagged up in special bags and taken away. Once back to the bare wood the table was relaid, new dinners arrived and the four remaining diners got replacement main courses.

Next day, good news family had all their stuff laundered in the special laundry liquid and had been cleared as sea sickness was the issue. So we all returned to normal from there on. The mother apologised profusely but we told her it was not a big thing. It had however been an amusing spectacle to watch.

Regards John

Yes, second sitting.

Let’s all hope the person who is obviously not well recovers and can enjoy the rest of the cruise.

Mmmmm...first time ....yes an unfortunate accident but to happen twice surely they must still have been feeling a " bit off" and that there could be a possibility of a " repeat performance"... as there was...out of consideration for fellow table mates I would have given the MDR a miss.

Mmmmm...first time ....yes an unfortunate accident but to happen twice surely they must still have been feeling a " bit off" and that there could be a possibility of a " repeat performance"... as there was...out of consideration for fellow table mates I would have given the MDR a miss.

On the second occasion I was surprised to see the other people on the table hang around after the person who was unwell was given a sick bag before the inevitable happened (on the first occasion there was no sick bag, it was more spontaneous and unconstrained).

Mmmmm...first time ....yes an unfortunate accident but to happen twice surely they must still have been feeling a " bit off" and that there could be a possibility of a " repeat performance"... as there was...out of consideration for fellow table mates I would have given the MDR a miss.

I agree the first time was probably unavoidable. The second time was a complete lack of consideration for fellow passengers. As you say the person involved must have known they were unwell to even consider going again to the MDR was selfish.

Mmmmm...first time ....yes an unfortunate accident but to happen twice surely they must still have been feeling a " bit off" and that there could be a possibility of a " repeat performance"... as there was...out of consideration for fellow table mates I would have given the MDR a miss.

Absolutely right. I once felt a bit sick before dinner so stayed in the cabin rather than go to the MDR and be ill there. My husband had room service that evening because he didn't want to leave me when I was unwell.

Well I have just read Insanmagnet,s initial, very discriptive post out to my husnband and he is literally holding his ribs as he is laughing so loudly!

While I sympathise with the poor soul who was unwell the way it is written is just so drole

How dreadful for all concerned, not sure I could have shared the same table again though, despite feeling very sorry for the sick person and also acknowledging "there but for the grace of god....."

The perils described in these posts are not caused by sharing a table with diners you have not previously met, they are simply a medical incident which could happen to anyone. The illness situation could have been a lot worse, imagine if the diner had not had a straight forward incident as described. What if they someone at your table had an Acute Aortic Aneurysm and died within two minutes? How many people would have preferred that they had opted for a table for two and not shared with a number of people they had not previously met, under these circumstances? It makes sense to share to me.

Regards John

The perils described in these posts are not caused by sharing a table with diners you have not previously met, they are simply a medical incident which could happen to anyone.

The look of the people on the table demonstrated there is a significant difference between sharing a table with friends or family and somebody is taken ill, and sharing a table with a stranger who has vomited everywhere and displaying clear signs of wondering if it would be impolite to run away.

For the rest of the cruise the table of six was only set for four, however every night only two people turned up to eat.