Nightmare tablemates?

[USNUZULOOSE]

If the shoe fits, wear it...

 

We find that a large percentage of people will always ask, "What do you do (for a living)".... Why do people do this... why does it matter?

 

Case in point...

 

Lets say I am a Rocket Scientist and everyone has a Rocket...

 

Q. What do you do?

 

A. Oh, I am a Rocket Scientist?

 

Now the questioner is thinking... maybe they can help me with my Rocket as it doesn't quite work right, gears grind, makes noises, hurts the Rocket, some time fails to read or understand the launch codes...

 

Guess what the next question is ...

 

Q. Oh, my rocket is in bad shape.. it has this problem and that problem..

 

A. Rocket Scientist finds another table....

 

We consider this line of questioning rude... We travel to get away from these Rockets.... think about it before you ask again...

 

We took a cruise, and in the business we have you could go on forever with the questions. Well we walked out of our cabin and low and behold there was a customer we did work for. She had come to the table and wanted to talk about the issue she was having, and I thought oh no, please we are on vacation and want to enjoy it. Thank goodness her friends came along and she went with them. I wasn't being rude , and never said a word. But I did want to say please call us when we get home and discuss the issue.. If someone wants to know what we do , that is fine we will tell, but I don't want to a answer million questions about it.

Edited November 16, 2016 by USNUZULOOSE

[Ken Greco]

Considering what happened last week with the election; I would think that it is not a good idea to start a conversation right off the bat with "what do you think of what happened on lection day" If you supported Trump, Hillary or a third party candidate that's your business. Peoples feelings are very raw this election and no one wants to have a new strangers start a physical confrontation. Being a political wonk myself I have seen families split apart by their support of one candidate or another. I got to admit sometimes I am surprised at the interest in people around the world about our political system.

[wolfganghowell]

Some of these reminded me of some more doozies.

 

10 top - us, the couple and their daughter who became our friends and about 6 young people from a church group. They prayed before every meal and we respected that - either bowed our heads or waited quietly for them to finish. No problem with it. One night, they informed us that the only other cruise they had done was Alaska but they hated it because it was all "Old people." One of them told us we would have fit right in. :eek: At the time, we were in our 40s and early 50s. Another night, our friends had the wine package so they graciously offered everyone at the table a glass of wine. Once again, one of the other group responded with "We don't need alcohol to have a good time." ....ok. A simple "No thank you" would have sufficed. At least a few of them had the grace to look embarassed at that rude remark.

 

Another time we were seated at our assigned table and a group of 8 older people came and approached the table. Then they signaled the maitre'd because we dared to be at "their" table. Apparently, they were a family group and wanted a table to themselves. Other than 2 of the wives, they were nasty to us the entire meal. They were moved the next night to another table and we ended up with lovely people. The two sweet wives were kind enough to apologize to us later and explained that the family didn't see each other that often so wanted to be together. But they knew that was no excuse to be rude to us - it wasn't our fault! :)

 

Hmmm, so 4 out of 24 cruises we've had some doozies. Not bad odds I guess. We don't really do the MDR anymore - not because of this just because we like to eat and go and the MDR quality has declined enough that we prefer to eat elsewhere.

 

PS - not telling what I do for a living. You'll just have to wonder...or ask me if you ever see me on a cruise. :D

Edited November 16, 2016 by wolfganghowell

[troykahack]

Some of these reminded me of some more doozies.

 

10 top - us, the couple and their daughter who became our friends and about 6 young people from a church group. They prayed before every meal and we respected that - either bowed our heads or waited quietly for them to finish. No problem with it. One night, they informed us that the only other cruise they had done was Alaska but they hated it because it was all "Old people." One of them told us we would have fit right in. :eek: At the time, we were in our 40s and early 50s. Another night, our friends had the wine package so they graciously offered everyone at the table a glass of wine. Once again, one of the other group responded with "We don't need alcohol to have a good time." ....ok. A simple "No thank you" would have sufficed. At least a few of them had the grace to look embarassed at that rude remark.

 

Another time we were seated at our assigned table and a group of 8 older people came and approached the table. Then they signaled the maitre'd because we dared to be at "their" table. Apparently, they were a family group and wanted a table to themselves. Other than 2 of the wives, they were nasty to us the entire meal. They were moved the next night to another table and we ended up with lovely people. The two sweet wives were kind enough to apologize to us later and explained that the family didn't see each other that often so wanted to be together. But they knew that was no excuse to be rude to us - it wasn't our fault! :)

 

Hmmm, so 4 out of 24 cruises we've had some doozies. Not bad odds I guess. We don't really do the MDR anymore - not because of this just because we like to eat and go and the MDR quality has declined enough that we prefer to eat elsewhere.

 

PS - not telling what I do for a living. You'll just have to wonder...or ask me if you ever see me on a cruise. :D

 

Cute... but if you told us.....watch out... LOL

[troykahack]

We took a cruise, and in the business we have you could go on forever with the questions. Well we walked out of our cabin and low and behold there was a customer we did work for. She had come to the table and wanted to talk about the issue she was having, and I thought oh no, please we are on vacation and want to enjoy it. Thank goodness her friends came along and she went with them. I wasn't being rude , and never said a word. But I did want to say please call us when we get home and discuss the issue.. If someone wants to know what we do , that is fine we will tell, but I don't want to a answer million questions about it.

 

Some get it, some don't... SO is the one who gets the questions... I try to move the conversation on but some just don't get it and are VERY persistent... they have been wanting to go to a Rocket Scientist for ages and now they got one at their table... the reason we mostly eat in our cabin.

[Desert Cruizers]

Our 2nd cruise we were seated at a table for 6, the husband of one couple complained the entire dinner. Silverware not laid straight, being asked if he wanted pepper on his salad, etc etc. We stayed with them only because his wife was a sweetheart but the other couple left after the 3rd evening.

 

Gay

[VASOXFANN]

No. We've had good luck. We get along with pretty much everyone.

[Ken Greco]

We all experienced a similar thing when we go to friends or relatives weddings. The only good thing it only last for a night. You know you are put with strangers either the bride or grooms side and that moment when you have to make small talk can be uncomfortable. We have all experienced that moment when a relative gets up and choses to be the "wedding singer". You have to put up with Uncle Tony singing "New York New York". Either it is hilarious or you want to use a cane and pull him off the floor. But you save your actions and comments after the wedding.

[Luv my furbaby]

Years ago, I had a husband, wife and late-teenaged daughter sitting at our table along with my parents and 2 other lovely couples. Well, the husband and daughter were drunk just about every night. The husband took the cork out if the wine bottle stuck a toothpick in it and sailed it in his wine glass. The daughter had to leave the table a few nights because she was so drunk she got sick.

On a Celebrity cruise, there were 4 couples at the table. One lady (and I use that word loosely!) told us every night that one son is a doctor and they other a lawyer and how rich they all were. Mind you, my parents and I are not rich not even close so I guess that meant to her we just sit at home.

Question 1 to me - oh honey I guess you gave never been on a cruise before - yes this is my 5th.

Q 2 - oh honey I bet you have never been to Europe- yes, 3 times.

Q 3 - oh honey I gave a personal trainer and this us what they could do fir you - I've had a personal trainer fir 5 years.

And it went on and on, trying to put me down. With each question she got more annoyed - I loved it.

Then formal night rolls around - OMG - the dress. She was not a small woman, the dress was so tight - well my mom called it skin on a baloney. With all of her riches and sophistication, she stuck her napkin in the top of her dress (maybe she just wanted to cover up her boobs), picked her teeth with her fingernail then a toothpick and then to finish off a good meal burped!!

Luckily other then those 2 experiences my table mates have been wonderful!!

[Pilot53]

Last year, the Oasis new year cruise, we had a table of 10. My brother, and the 2 wives. We sat down to eat, and 6 women, all in their 30's sat at the table. They were friends Baltimore, and they were all recently divorced. They were so funny discussing their divorced husbands, how they were treated, other personal habits, etc. The 4 of us could not stop laughing. This went on for all 7 nights. They never had more than one drink apiece at each dinner. On the 4th night, one of them was obviously drunk and the others were helping her to the table. As she came up to the table, she must have passed out or tripped, as she fell and her head just missed the table and landed in my sister in law's lap. Before they rest of them could lift her up, she threw up in my sister in laws lap. What a mess. The rest of them helped her up, my sister in law was just about hosed down by a couple of the wait staff. She went and changed clothes and came back. We ended up just laughing about it. The drunk one was escorted somewhere else by one of her friends, who came back, and the 9 of us left had a fun dinner. Listening to those ladies was probably the funniest thing we had ever been involved in.

 

Other than that cruise, all the other cruises were with big family groups that took up 2 or 3 tables.

[Homosassa]

. My community is one of the most diverse places in the country with over 40 different languages spoken in schools and public places.

 

I can vouch for this statement. And it isn't just languages, it is also diverse in religious beliefs and life style choices.

 

A great place to raise children that are open to the world and not afraid of differences.

[Baron Barracuda]

There is a couple who we get along with well and love to cruise with. Unfortunately they are close with another couple and sometimes invite them along. The couple 2 husband traveled widely through the third world on business, thinks highly of himself and talks down to the staff. They are never on time for dinner. The wife places her order, but once appetizers arrive she examines everyone's selections and instructs the waiter to return to the kitchen and bring her whatever she found interesting. Same with entrees. Sometimes she'll tell the waiter to go back and get additional items "for the table". Have tried to subtly discourage her from this but some people just won't take a hint. So happy they won't be on either of our booked future cruises.

[John&LaLa]

Some get it, some don't... SO is the one who gets the questions... I try to move the conversation on but some just don't get it and are VERY persistent... they have been wanting to go to a Rocket Scientist for ages and now they got one at their table... the reason we mostly eat in our cabin.

There's a rocket launch Saturday evening, don't tell me you're not going to help.

 

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[wolfganghowell]

John, if you could photoshop a picture of Bella on that rocket, it would be the perfect shot. :D

[John&LaLa]

John, if you could photoshop a picture of Bella on that rocket, it would be the perfect shot. :D

I think I know what you do for a living and it is pretty cool. 😁

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[troykahack]

There's a rocket launch Saturday evening, don't tell me you're not going to help.

 

 

That's cute... just don't ask us to fix it....

[troykahack]

I think I know what you do for a living and it is pretty cool. 😁

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

And I would love to know, and if HE/SHE is willing to share, so be it... but if you pry and don't get a good answer, don't keep prying... RUDE

[Desert Cruizers]

I will add, we believe one of our best cruises, was during our Barcelona TA a few years back, we had a table of ten all ladies except my husband and another man. We also were all from Calif with the exception of one lady from FL who pushed her limits by telling us all what was ever on her mind. We really had a great time together and on the final evening, I drafted a letter, which GR printed out for me, naming the FL lady, an Honorary Californian with a card we all signed. She really enjoyed that.:)

[cruising granddad]

My wife cruises a lot and has this "gentleman" at her tablet quite a bit.

 

He comes to the table after drinking in the CL all night.

He talks about his beautiful wife!

Never stops talking about his Grandchildren!

Always thinks his jokes are funny, but they are not!

He is a very picky eater and NEVER tries any new food!

He thinks everyone wants to hear what he has to say!

 

 

 

But enough about............me!

[Paulette3028]

We've NEVER had tablemates we couldn't "get along with"....ever! Maybe we're just easy to get along with ourselves....or we've been lucky...

 

True, some are more fun than others, but NONE have been offensive or offended, or crude, rude or *******es!

 

We really enjoy tablemates, and look forward to dinner nightly BECAUSE of them!

 

I have to agree with you.....I have learned however that a table of 10 is too big. Best size is 6-8, it enables conversations all around. My philosophy is this -- I can have dinner with my DH every night at home....and it is nice to have others to chat with. I am fortunate that I can make almost anyone comfortable around a dinner table for 60-90 minutes and even if their is a language challenge.....amazingly we have found a way. Sometimes we even learn a few words. WOW.

[John&LaLa]

And I would love to know, and if HE/SHE is willing to share, so be it... but if you pry and don't get a good answer, don't keep prying... RUDE

Not prying, just a shout out amongst friends. Maybe we should take a vote on who's rude around here. 😉

 

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[Cascade1911]

Have only been on three previous cruises. First cruise my wife and I were a bit uncertain we were going to enjoy dining with a bunch of strangers. Ended up at a table of eight, three other couples. Everyone had a great time. Second cruise was with NCL, freestyle. We thought we would enjoy the freedom but found we missed having table mates so the third cruise we booked traditional seating, ended up at a table for six and no one else ever showed up. Was a bit of a disappointment but the waitstaff was great. Cruise number four upcoming will try again. When/ where do you request the table size?

[JohnSnowGOT]

If the shoe fits, wear it...

 

We find that a large percentage of people will always ask, "What do you do (for a living)".... Why do people do this... why does it matter?

 

Case in point...

 

Lets say I am a Rocket Scientist and everyone has a Rocket...

 

Q. What do you do?

 

A. Oh, I am a Rocket Scientist?

 

Now the questioner is thinking... maybe they can help me with my Rocket as it doesn't quite work right, gears grind, makes noises, hurts the Rocket, some time fails to read or understand the launch codes...

 

Guess what the next question is ...

 

Q. Oh, my rocket is in bad shape.. it has this problem and that problem..

 

A. Rocket Scientist finds another table....

 

We consider this line of questioning rude... We travel to get away from these Rockets.... think about it before you ask again...

 

Oh finally see someone who feels the same way! YEAH!!!

I hate that question...What do you do?. It is a rude question. Talk to me and get to know me. Our professions will come to light as we get along.

I am so much more than my job. I am on vacation and I leave my "work hat" at home. I do not want strangers pigeon holing me within the first hour of meeting me. I never ask what a person does for a living while cruising. If we are building a rapport....it's the person not the silly title they hold on land.

:):):)

[Cruzin-K]

A quick search on CC for the term "two crazy ladies" allowed me to find this post from a few years ago :D I've apparently told the story a few more times, every time this subject comes up. :D

 

On my Serenade of the Seas cruise over six years ago I had requested a large table with other solo travelers. One of the others was a CCer I'd met on the roll call, but the others were complete unknowns. To this day, I still talk about my dining experience with the "two crazy ladies".

 

I missed dinner the first night so my first time dining with the group was on formal night. I sat next to my new CC friend, and then in walks a very handsome gentleman from England wearing a tuxedo, very "James Bond". There was another lady from Grenada whose husband worked on the ship, and another lady I can't remember because she only lasted the one night, and finally another woman I'll get to a bit later. "James" was the only man at the table.

 

Well, another woman comes up to our table, completely drunk. I don't think I've ever seen anyone this drunk on a cruise, and I've cruised a fair amount. She sat down next to James, stared at him and said "I like you" in a slurred voice, and proceeded to start licking his face. No, I am not making this up :eek: She continued to paw at him for most of the first course or two. Eventually she got up to go to the restroom and a quick seat change meant that when she returned she was no longer sitting next to James. She looked like she was going to cry. James took it all in stride, he was very gracious about it.

 

The next nights she was stone cold sober at dinner, but still managed to stun the rest of us with tales of her exploits on the ship. She was a recent widow and her goal of the cruise was to :eek::eek: with as many men as she could find it seems. She apparently hooked up with a crew member in one of the ports and shared the story in great detail at dinner. It's a wonder I had an appetite.

 

The other woman at the table who made a lasting impression was going through a divorce after many years of marriage. She dissolved into tears at the drop of a hat, and several times just sat there crying into her napkin. She also made a HUGE scene (and was rude to the waiters) because she wanted escargot on a night they weren't serving it. Towards the end of the cruise, the waiters brought her a special serving of escargot (several servings actually, and I was "forced" :D to eat my first snail - oh what a handsome British man in a tuxedo can make me do). This woman also ended up getting pickpocketed in Grenada and cried and cried through dinner that night as well.

 

By the end of the week, only five people remained at our table, the two "crazies", me, my CC friend, and James.

 

I did feel a bit sorry for the two women because they were going through a lot of stress, but in the future if I have to deal with drunk obnoxious tablemates, I'm moving tables after the first night. The stories that came out of the cruise were good ones, but I sure don't want a repeat.

 

---------------------------

 

On another thread I summed up all my dining experiences. I won't repeat it but here's a link if you have time for a long story

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=45634755&postcount=42

[Cruzin-K]

Oh finally see someone who feels the same way! YEAH!!!

I hate that question...What do you do?. It is a rude question. Talk to me and get to know me. Our professions will come to light as we get along.

I am so much more than my job. I am on vacation and I leave my "work hat" at home. I do not want strangers pigeon holing me within the first hour of meeting me. I never ask what a person does for a living while cruising. If we are building a rapport....it's the person not the silly title they hold on land.

:):):)

 

I agree. I hate being asked what I do. I usually give a generic non-specific answer and hope the person asking doesn't pry any further. Nine times out of ten they keep prying. Sigh!

 

I'm a terrible liar, but I really should pick a made up career and stick with it.