Most awkard moments during dinner

[momofmeg]

I am not very sympathetic as I would have walked when I became aware of the boor at the table. The matre 'd would have found us another table and we could enjoy the remainder of the meal. Why would you put up with this when you have obvious alternatives?

 

I really was not looking for sympathy. This is just my story about obnoxious tablemates-I also was replying to the person who thought I did not know it was proper etiquette to hold the courses for the slowest eater.

 

BTW-we did ask to a table for 2 the next night and got it. I just wish all cruiselines that offer the my time- personal choice-anytime dinning-would have smaller tables in the dinningroom. Smaller tables can be put together for larger tables for larger parties-but the reverse is not true.

 

BTW-my first 9 cruises with assigned seating, we had wonderful tablemates for dinner-it was the tenth cruise that that changed-which is why we usually choose the personal choice option now. I will say, however, the couple of times since, we had assigned seating-we had wonderful tablemates again. Maybe we need to go back to assigned seating.

[UB & AS]

It is fun to try new experiences and share meals but don't let anyone spoil your time on the ship.

 

We had asked for a table for two and followed the waiter to a table of 10 or 12. We kept walking and asked for another table rather than joining this large group. It was not a problem for anyone and we were happy.

[fischymom]

on our last cruise on celebrity eclipse, we had a very elegant and dignified head waiter from india and his assistant was a very nice young man from the philipinnes. They were just wonderful waiters and we really enjoyed them. We were cruising with a british couple we met on our first cruise oh so many years ago. About every 5 years we meet on a cruise and dine together! So anyway, second to last night of the cruise, the wife of the british couple and i both ordered chicken kiev - what a flash from the past! But when it came out via the assistant waiter, we had roasted chicken leg - which wasn't what we were expecting, but it looked good and neither of us were going to object. We're both very easy going. Suddenly our headwaiter came by, looked at our dishes without us saying anything to him and got very alarmed and before we could even begin to eat he grabbed out plates saying "wrong chicken! Wrong chicken!" and off he went to the kitchen! It was so out of character for our head waiter that it really struck us as funny. My friend and i looked at each other and just broke up laughing. A minute later, the head waiter was back with the "right chicken." so after our waiter went to another table, my friend and i made fun of the situation and asked each other, "how's your right chicken?" "my right chicken is very good. And how is your right chicken?" "oh, my right chicken is also very good. I'm so glad we got the right chicken and not the wrong chicken." "yes, the wrong chicken would not have been as good as the right chicken." and on and on we went while our husbands laughed at us.

 

:d;)

[Taxguy77]

We were on a cruise to South America and sat at a table for 6. We all got along fine, taking turns at the window seats, and bring our experiences in ports to the evening conversations.

 

We made friends with a couple of ladies who did not fare as well. There was a lecturer on board and the subject was such that the ship had scheduled him for the showroom anticipating a large turnout. They got it, but when I woke up about halfway through (first time I had slept in a lecture in years), the room was half empty. The 3rd day he was scheduled for a small room. Our friends were seated at his table and said he was the only one who talked and he talked the whole time.

 

That was before CC, and everyone had to learn the hard way, we didn't know you could have your table changed.

[GlendaleCruiser]

I love being at a big table with lots of people and it is usually lots of fun. I would not hesitate, however, to ask to move to another table if I encountered rude or disgusting people, even though I'm really good at holding my own.;):p

[dolfansam]

I would like to revisit this topic as i found it very amusing.

 

For those of you who are reading this thread, what was the most awkward moment during your dinner on your cruise. :p

 

I actually have a couple of fun moments that happened at dinner:

 

On my Alaskan cruise, we are eating dinner and they are playing music through the speakers in the dining room. My table mate turns to me and asks "Are they playing what I think they are playing?" I said, Yep, the theme from the Titanic. The next morning we were going to the Hubbard glacier through an ice field so we did not find it very amusing.

 

My birthday cruise a few years ago, my parents (who were not with me)arranged to surprise me with a cake at dinner the first night. It said "Happy Anniversary." It was quite funny, because on the cruise we had taken as a family that summer my reservation was for Mrs McDowall. I have never been married. On this same cruise, one night at dinner, we hear a crash when one of the waiter dropped a tray. We laughed and said I guess someone will have to wait a while for their dinner. Well guess who's food it ended up being - OURS.

 

On the girls cruise last summer, the Maitre'D looked like Dracula accent and all. The girls asked him to do a dracula impression and he did. We laughed about it the rest of the night. Another funny thing on that cruise was the assistant waiter had the same last name as I did and I called him my brother from a different mother and we laughed. I just wonder when my dad had ever been to Jamaica:rolleyes:.

[SuiteTraveler]

On RCCL's Voyager of the Seas - maiden year - we were joined at the table by a blonde lady and some man. I describe them this way because, she told us she had broken up with her boyfriend the previous weekend and asked this man along at the last minute - they barely knew each other and were sharing a cabin for a whole week! LOL! Anyway, the waiter presented the menu and the man placed his dinner order: A chocolate souffle. The waiter had to explain to him that he was allowed to order multiple courses - he REALLY DID NOT KNOW THAT! I don't think he had been out to many restaurants - ever! His eyes boggled at the menu and he had ever such a difficult time ordering but did finally manage to select some things. LOL! During dessert, the shot guy came along with those little souvenier foiled glasses and they bought several of those and shot them all - they had already had mixed drinks and beer with dinner! Anyway, they only came to the dining room one other time- on formal night - I think the lady wanted to wear her very pretty sequined gown. The man sat there in an ill-fitting suit and they drank mixed drinks, beer, a whole lot of shots and ate dinner. The shot guy was making lots of money off of them! I think they had about 6 glasses each! They had signed up to learn scuba onboard and were spending most of their time doing that and then eating at the buffet and getting drunk each night. To each his own! They were entertaining to say the least. I have often wondered if they had any relationship after this cruise was over or not - or even if they remembered much of the cruise at all much less who it was they actually sailed with.

[can786]

Several years ago we were on an Alaskan cruise. We had traditional fixed seating. Our waiter was excruciatingly slow with his service, to the point that there was no hope of making it to any shows after dinner. Diners from all of the other tables around his area were finished with their dinners and gone long before we ever got our dessert menus. On the third night the headwaiter came over and inquired how things were, so I mentioned that the service was extremely slow. He immediately called the waiter over and told him that "this lady thinks you are too slow". I was mortified. The next night we returned from an excursion too late for our seating and skipped the dining room. Our tablemates later told us that the waiter told them he didn't think we'd be back because I had complained about him.

[dolfansam]

All of your kind words have meant so VERY much to me - and have made me feel not only better about that time with Mom but have given me a much better feeling about the world. That so many of you would have offered help, means so much (which I KNOW I would have also helped others in this position, but I've been told I'm "different").

 

Thank you all and may you all have WONDERFUL experiences to come in your future cruising. Hopefully we'll pass by each other some day on a cruise :D.

 

Your story really touches home with me. My mom had a stroke and has trouble remembering things, mostly short term memory problems. Thankfully, that is her only deficit and she is able to get around pretty well. We cruise together, along with dad, twice a year and I try and take it all in because we do not know how long we have here on earth.

[Tenderpaw]

Last week on the Radiance of the Seas, we ate lunch on a sea day in the dining room. We were seated at an 8 top with 3 other couples. For one of the couples, the wife was a doctor and the husband was "a very important person at Microsoft". They spent much of lunch bragging about their positions. He dropped names of executives at Microsoft that he worked with (I hadn't heard of any but we were supposed to be impressed) and bragged that he was so physically fit that he was difficult to fit for a tux. She bragged about being a doc and complained of non-docs who had the nerve to question her on the job. They both slammed the US and said how much better Canada was even tho they lived in the US.

 

Fortunately, another couple was very nice and we were able to have an enjoyable time talking to them and tried to tune out the braggers.

 

Dave

[tigercat]

Tenderpaw I am sorry they were like that. I like talking to anyone from a different country (like the U.S.) as it is always interesting to find out how other people live.

I had an interesting dining experience on our last cruise. I decided on the sea day to go to the dining room for lunch. My husband likes the buffet so I went alone. When I got there I told the waiter I was there alone. An older lady was right behind me and suggested that we eat together. She seemed interesting so I said no problem. We were led to a table in the middle of the dining room. She insisted that we wanted to sit near the windows. Sounded good to me but I probably wouldn't have said anything. They took us to another table near the window and gave us menu's. We started to look at them when she called the waiter over and asked where the British menu was? It was in a different dining room. She gave both our menu's back and took my hand and started out the door to the other dining room. It was actually quite funny. We ended up eating British food and had a great time when we finally got seated.

tigercat

[NoobCruise]

My most awkward moment was a few years ago, at an 8 top table. There were three couples and a single dentist who was attending a conference on board. On the second or third night, he indicated that he was diabetic, and would anyone mind if he injected himself with medication at the table (prior to this point, he had excused himself and left the dining room during the meal to do this - not sure why it could not be done in his cabin prior to dinner). Whatever we all were thinking, none of us managed to voice an objection, so this became part of our evening routine. It was a bit strange.

 

This is actually fairly common with diabetics dependant on insulin. Once they inject the insulin, they HAVE to eat within a few minutes or the injection will make their blood sugar drop dangerously low. If they wait too long to eat it will make them sick, worst case go into diabetic shock. It could be the walk from the person's cabin was too far to safely inject in his cabin and then get to the DR in time, then have to wait while everyone ordered then wait for food to be served. It's possible too he could be posting here about that crazy passenger that kept ambushing him in the hallways and talking his ear off almost killing him because he injected in his cabin and needed to eat lol

[KAWS]

Last week on the Radiance of the Seas, we ate lunch on a sea day in the dining room. We were seated at an 8 top with 3 other couples. For one of the couples, the wife was a doctor and the husband was "a very important person at Microsoft". They spent much of lunch bragging about their positions. He dropped names of executives at Microsoft that he worked with (I hadn't heard of any but we were supposed to be impressed) and bragged that he was so physically fit that he was difficult to fit for a tux. She bragged about being a doc and complained of non-docs who had the nerve to question her on the job. They both slammed the US and said how much better Canada was even tho they lived in the US.

 

Dave

 

Dave, as a fellow Canadian I can tell you that I would have found this couple to be a bore too. AND I would have called them on the "if Canada is so great....."

[Tenderpaw]

Dave, as a fellow Canadian I can tell you that I would have found this couple to be a bore too. AND I would have called them on the "if Canada is so great....."

 

Both Canada and the US are great countries. Sure there are things we disagree on, but that's life. Why insult the place people live?

[momofmeg]

Tenderpaw I am sorry they were like that. I like talking to anyone from a different country (like the U.S.) as it is always interesting to find out how other people live.

I had an interesting dining experience on our last cruise. I decided on the sea day to go to the dining room for lunch. My husband likes the buffet so I went alone. When I got there I told the waiter I was there alone. An older lady was right behind me and suggested that we eat together. She seemed interesting so I said no problem. We were led to a table in the middle of the dining room. She insisted that we wanted to sit near the windows. Sounded good to me but I probably wouldn't have said anything. They took us to another table near the window and gave us menu's. We started to look at them when she called the waiter over and asked where the British menu was? It was in a different dining room. She gave both our menu's back and took my hand and started out the door to the other dining room. It was actually quite funny. We ended up eating British food and had a great time when we finally got seated.

tigercat

 

Tigercat-it seems the "border folks" have that problem-both US Americans and Canadians. I am not sure what that is about. I'm from the southern US, so we don't see that here but here many dislike Mexicans.

 

Oh yes, also- many well to do Americans complain about Canadian healthcare-because they don't like the idea of the US having that. Well, I can understand that to an extent- as they can afford to go to the doctors they want. However these that are more privileged seem to forget many less privileged Americans don't have that option with HMOs-or no insurance period. Sadly, that is a pretty high percentage of Americans, even well educated ones, thanks to the economy.

[momofmeg]

Both Canada and the US are great countries. Sure there are things we disagree on, but that's life. Why insult the place people live?

 

I agree,I think Canada would be my first choice if I had to live in another country.

[baxman]

Husband and I have cruised 20+ times and always prefer a large table as we enjoy meeting and getting to know all types of people. We have been very lucky in our tablemates except for one occasion on a 10 day cruise. There was an elderly couple at our table and on the second night it became apparent the wife was suffering from some sort of dimentia. The first night she seemed fine other than a little eccentric. Starting the second night she would order dinner and when the courses came she would loudly argue that what she was served was not what she ordered. The husband instead of trying to pacifiy her would loudly argue that this was the meal she ordered and to be quiet and eat. This would rapidly escalate into an all out fight between the two of them that the rest of the table was embarrassed to witness. It would end with the wife in tears and the husband totally unsympathetic. One day we met him exiting the ship in port and inquired about his wife. His response was that he had "medicated her and confined her to the cabin". I wonder how she managed in the cabin all alone while he was away on a shore excursion.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Good stories ....

[Smokeyham]

My awkward moment was on a Carnival cruise a number of years back. It was a three-night “booze cruise” out of Los Angeles, to Ensenada Mexico and back and I was travelling solo.

In those days, it was all fixed seating, or the buffet. On the first night I turned up to find three other guys at our 8-top. They were clearly not happy to see me. They must have sensed my discomfort, and quickly explained that it was just that I was another guy, and they wanted to have some female company!

On the second night I wasn’t feeling like a full dinner, and just went to the buffet. Later, the guys saw me around the ship, and were concerned that I might have been offended. I said everything was fine, and we all had a good laugh. I now know to let your table mates know if you will not be at dinner.

On the final night, I turned up, but no one else did. After sitting awkwardly by myself I asked the waiter if I could be moved, and joined a nice group at another table.

Now I just use “Anytime” dining!

[MilllieMillie]

Love this topic. Having heard from others that they made lifelong friends with cruise table mates, we were excited to sit with 6 others on our first Princess cruise.

 

One man insisted on ordering from off- menu. When the waiter said if he could be advised the night before that a shrimp cocktail and apple pie was wanted, he would be sure to have it available. Man kept repeating throughout dinner that he was under the impression HE was paying for the cruise and could order anything he wanted. Felt so bad for the waiter who was harassed in this way almost every night.

 

Same man insisted that we all hold hands and say a prayer before thanksgiving dinner, which was nice, but then actually used the n word in conversation about his employees!!! At least his wife noticed my dismay, and told him to stop as he was shocking me.

At this time in my life, I wouldn't put up with that behaviour.

[Bluemoon319]

Several years ago my husband and I took a spur-of-the-moment cruise on a 3-nighter out of Miami on a lower-market cruise line. We were seated at a 10 seater with a couple from a midwest state and their young daughters and two other couples on the youngish side. The second night was "formal" night (now remember this was what some people call a "booze cruise" so the average passenger couture was somewhat less than Bal Rouge) and I was dressed in a black cocktail dress and my husband was in a navy blazer, grey pants, shirt and tie and I'd say we were in the top 10% of the "dressy" category. Here come our midwest tablemates: mother and daughters dressed in matching black-and-white festooned satin ballgowns with huge hoop skirts, long white gloves, jeweled tiaras and wrist crosages; dad was in formal attire (tails, no less) with a top hat, spats and a black cane. The other two couples were dressed in: a terry-cloth strapless beach dress, a t-shirt dress, a t-shirt printed to look like a tuxedo and a Hawaiian shirt. The third night, NOBODY but us showed up for dinner.

 

WoW!

[jamessemaj]

Love this topic. Having heard from others that they made lifelong friends with cruise table mates, we were excited to sit with 6 others on our first Princess cruise.

 

One man insisted on ordering from off- menu. When the waiter said if he could be advised the night before that a shrimp cocktail and apple pie was wanted, he would be sure to have it available. Man kept repeating throughout dinner that he was under the impression HE was paying for the cruise and could order anything he wanted. Felt so bad for the waiter who was harassed in this way almost every night.

 

Same man insisted that we all hold hands and say a prayer before thanksgiving dinner, which was nice, but then actually used the n word in conversation about his employees!!! At least his wife noticed my dismay, and told him to stop as he was shocking me.

At this time in my life, I wouldn't put up with that behaviour.

 

No way would I sit with that boor. I might last through the entitled menu nonsense, but if I didn't leave at racist comments, depending on the extremity of them, I sure would at the presumptuous hand holding prayer.

[Bluemoon319]

Not a dining story, but embarrassing just the same.....

 

I was watching a pool game on Adventure of the Seas. The CD thought it would be funny to push the asst. CD into the pool. She thought it was hysterical, not so much for the asst. CD. He was free-breezing & wearing rather thin beige shorts at the time. Not a problem when the shorts were dry, but you could see everything once he got wet. :eek: Poor thing was so embarrassed that he got out of the pool as quickly as he could while covering his parts as best as he could, & ran out of there as fast as he could. No one saw him again for the rest of the cruise.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Love this topic. Having heard from others that they made lifelong friends with cruise table mates, we were excited to sit with 6 others on our first Princess cruise.

 

One man insisted on ordering from off- menu. When the waiter said if he could be advised the night before that a shrimp cocktail and apple pie was wanted, he would be sure to have it available. Man kept repeating throughout dinner that he was under the impression HE was paying for the cruise and could order anything he wanted. Felt so bad for the waiter who was harassed in this way almost every night.

 

Same man insisted that we all hold hands and say a prayer before thanksgiving dinner, which was nice, but then actually used the n word in conversation about his employees!!! At least his wife noticed my dismay, and told him to stop as he was shocking me.

At this time in my life, I wouldn't put up with that behaviour.

 

I would have declined to say a prayer as I keep my spiritual life to myself and I don't wish others to "insist" I take part in their dinnertime rituals that are at odds with mine.

[Smokeyham]

Same man insisted that we all hold hands and say a prayer before Thanksgiving dinner......

 

Amazing how some people will just assume that everyone else is comfortable with and wants to paratake in, their religion.

 

....... but then actually used the n word in conversation about his employees!!! At least his wife noticed my dismay, and told him to stop as he was shocking me. At this time in my life, I wouldn't put up with that behaviour.

 

Horrible to have to deal with that.