Nightmare tablemates?

[Ken Greco]

We all have experienced the issue of sitting with tablemates that are strangers and have the dining staff move us because not wanting to sit with those tablemates that we know right away we will not spend 7 nights with them. What are some funny stories about that; please keep it clean.

[cloud_nine]

I've never had nightmare table mates. Maybe we're lucky or maybe we just haven't been on enough cruises yet but all of my table mates have been lovely.

[Dalton5]

Husband and I were seated at a table for 10...the 8 others were a group of Russians who were cruising together. The only English from 7 of them were four letter words and drink orders and 1 who spoke a little English.

 

They smiled at us a lot which I choose to believe was trying to make us feel comfortable but they were constantly leaving the table to go smoke and would come back hollering at the wait staff for their food and drinks.

 

We switched tables the next night :D

[cruisinatdawn]

Always have enjoyed our table mates, but one cruise we had a terrible family at the table next to us. They complained and returned their food to the kitchen EVERY night. Our poor waiter tried everything to satisfy them, but it was never enough.

 

 

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[blueblock]

My mom and I did a Mediterranean cruise. I was at the time about 50 years old and I am a single woman. We sat at a table for eight, and most of our tablemates were very nice people. But the obnoxious man directly across from me started asking why I wasn't married, and just wouldn't take anything I said as an answer. His wife told him it was none of his business, my mother told him it was none of his business, but every night he would ask again. He even told me he would marry me himself, though I certainly didn't want him and felt quite sorry for his long-suffering wife. I'm still not sure what answer he was looking for!

[Missus Makkem]

We suffered with obnoxious table mates on a Med cruise some years ago now and asked to be moved which they did.

We then had a great table but soon discovered they had put all the complainers together but it was great and we had a wonderful cruise specially at Dinner time.

[WyKnott]

We had two men as tablemates on one cruise that were lovely until one night one of them showed up very drunk. It was mostly funny until he started listing to the right and ended up with his head on my shoulder. Then he started eating off my plate. :eek: His friend at that point got him up and hustled him out of there, apologizing all the way.

[mrizer7773]

Isn't it pretty awkward the remainder of the cruise when you run into the people you asked to be moved away from?

[camofwilliamsburg]

OMG we had the worst table mates on a 10 night cruise. We suffered for 9 nights...yeah, why we did not move earlier is beyond me. But that last night I said we are not sitting here. We asked to be moved and we were, but had the same waiter. The table had 3 other couples and they all were drunks. They would leave us out of conversations since we were not of their Grey Goose Status. They would also ridicule our education. My husband has a PHD and I have a masters. They would brag that they make more in life and did not go to college. It was evident by his wife and himself. Both of them could not even pronounce creme brulee properly. He bought a bottle of expensive wine each night and showed the receipt to all the couples. When it was our turn to see it, not that we cared, he would say, "they don't need to see it, it would not impress them anyways since they are so educated." We never talked over them so this was a real source of irritation. He would show up after being in port and show off diamond bracelet that he bought his wife. Each night they talked about drinking stories and booze and material things. They would also make fun of people at other tables. They would comment on their clothes and say how little they talked at their tables--must be boring folks. The husband then would say no one was as pretty as his wife.... She was not all that!! It was the worst. So now, I do MTD when on RCCL and especially for a 10 night cruise.

Edited November 16, 2016 by camofwilliamsburg

[ewenix]

We've never had nightmare tablemates. The worst we've gotten was just a bad mix at a table for 8. A middle aged Russian couple who rarely looked up from their plate and only spoke quietly to each other. An Italian mother and daughter who belonged to the group at the next table and spent most of dinner turned around talking to them. Then a young couple from the US who were pleasant enough but showed up 10 minutes into dinner the first night.

We had already asked to be moved to a table for two upon boarding, so we were only at that table the first night.

[mollyeilis]

We've never had nightmare table mates, so it's not an universal experience.

 

We've been slightly uncomfortable, on our honeymoon when seated at a table for 8 but only 4 wet showed up, and the other two were very obviously a businessman and his "secretary". (It was helpful that DH speaks Chinese which is what they spoke together lol)

 

The invisible four held up our service every night as the waiter waited for them. But that's on the waiter after the second night.

 

Still not a nightmare and there was no need to move tables.

 

 

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[teckelmom]

Interesting topic...we have had a majority of very nice tablemates. We usually request a table for 8. One time the other 3 couples never showed up for the entire cruise! LOL..the folks at the surrounding tables befriended us and we had a lot of laughs. On the most recent cruise we had two instances of ackwardness. On the first night open seating for dinner there were two non English speaking couples. One of the gentleman became very upset over the quality of his food and the service. I was so embarrassed at how he communicated this to the waitstaff. Thankfully we did not have to interact with them again. The last instance was also an awkward dinner moment. We were seated at a table for two that was grouped closely with 2 other tables of two. Admittedly this was either a table for 2 or 6 depending on who was seated next to you. It was select dining and we really liked the table and the waiter so we asked to get seated at the same table each night. But each night we had different folks at the other tables for 2. Some folks refused to acknowledge our existence which was awkward. It was just very odd. They were determined to get their table for 2 experience!

 

 

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[Ken Greco]

Husband and I were seated at a table for 10...the 8 others were a group of Russians who were cruising together. The only English from 7 of them were four letter words and drink orders and 1 who spoke a little English.

 

They smiled at us a lot which I choose to believe was trying to make us feel comfortable but they were constantly leaving the table to go smoke and would come back hollering at the wait staff for their food and drinks.

 

We switched tables the next night :D

 

My wife and I had the same problem with 9 Spanish speaking cruisers and not word of English, left that table too.

[Ken Greco]

This post caused some very quick responses. I do feel sorry for the people at RCCL that have to put the cruisers together for the MDR. Think about up to 2000 to 3000 people a cruise on the Oasis class that have will be seated together. The chances of "tablemate nightmares" is pretty high. Seems like language issues are high on the list.

[Florida_cruisers]

Our first cruise was with three other couples on our table. One couple would never show up half of the time. The other couple was very nice and sweet but that third couple... the girl would show up drunk every night and would rudely try to convince me to drink and question why I wouldn't (although I was 23 at the time). We didn't know that you could switch tables because we would have in a heart beat. It got so bad that I was so close to punching her on the last night ... j/k. Oh that was on Carnival.

 

I do think tablemates can make a difference in a cruise. Our best cruise happen to be with the best tablemates we've ever had. It was a large table with all couples from cruise critic and without realizing it, it was also a crown and anchor cruise in the Mediterranean. The table consisted of a couple with their twin daughters, college age, the mom of the husband, the best friend of the grandmother and another older couple. They were all so nice and pleasant, we really enjoyed them.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Florida_cruisers

[terpshockey77]

We have been on a few cruises in 10 years and often met nice people and sometimes would get together outside of meals. One cruise we were asked if 7 people could join our table of 8. We agreed and were sorry we did. The family consisted of young adults in an obvious second marriage for both. Forget talking to us, the girls would not talk to their stepsisters. One night we got to hear the father lecture on the alcohol bill from the previous night and the night before last two of them showed up 1/2 half hour late so we had to wait for our dinner. I told my husband if I won at the slot machine we would eat at the steak house and I won $90+. I don't think I've won $10 before or after that but will not hesitate to request a change in an awkward situation like that again.

[QueenofKrakatoa]

One time we were sat with a pair of VERY obnoxious diamond members. They treated the waiter like crap, like snapping their fingers/whistling to get their attention, and kept prefacing/ending each sentence with "I'm a DIAMOND member." They were super fussy, sent their steaks back 3-4 times (ours were great) and complained that they had to share their bus to their excursion with non C&A members. It was embarrassing.

[pedirn]

We were seated at a table for eight. We were traveling with friends. The other two couples were traveling together. They were from a European country and one couple spoke english and one did not. Did not have any difficulties with language as english speaking couple kept the non english speaking couple in the conversation. All was well for two nights. On the third night all the ladies excused themselves to use restroom. The European ladies used the restroom and left not washing their hands. My friend and I (both being nurses) were appalled. It was worse when we returned to the table and these same women were going through bread basket with their hands...I guess searching for the perfect roll. Neither my husband nor my friend's husband could understand why we kept telling them they did not want bread tonight. As soon as dinner was over we arranged to be seated at another table for the rest of the cruise. This was the only time tablemates were unacceptable and we requested a change.

[soccerdad72]

We've had them too - unfortunately, we've been related to them. :p :o

[davekathy]

My wife and I had the same problem with 9 Spanish speaking cruisers and not word of English, left that table too.

 

So does that make them nightmare tablemates (as you have titled this thread) because you don't speak or understand Spanish? Possibly they thought phew, thank God those two no speaking Spanish Americans are no longer at our table. Something to think about when you're pointing fingers at others.

Edited November 16, 2016 by davekathy

[Haoie]

Cruising in just over 2 weeks, and I sincerely hope my friend and I get some good folks at our table!

[Biker19]

We've had them too - unfortunately, we've been related to them. :p :o

[doones2]

We have been lucky to have met some really nice people at dinner. There was one family who only knew how to talk about how many cruises they had been on and how wealthy they were. Boring!!!!! The two men in the group showed up with tux jackets on and jeans or shorts for pants. The last evening when tip envelopes were handed out they were noshows. I must say they were the butt of a few jokes most evenings by us and our friends. 😁

[funNsun4me]

Isn't it pretty awkward the remainder of the cruise when you run into the people you asked to be moved away from?

 

I can answer that. I was chatting with people pre-cruise on CC and when we all met on day one we really hit it off and all decided to try to get our dining changed to eat together but it could not be done the first night so we went to our regular table of 6 and we were notified the next morning of our new arrangements. Well as luck would have it I ran into one of the woman from our original table on a crowded elevator who pronounced really loudly to me "Hey, I know you. How come you ditched our dinner table" :eek: I was so :o and tried to explain but she obviously didn't care why I did it, just that I did :p

[OCruisers]

Tablemates are rather like "blind dates" ....

Some are better than others! :rolleyes: . :D