Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Nightmare tablemates?

Ken Greco

By Ken Greco,
in Ask a Cruise Question

 Share

Recommended Posts

Liz54

Liz54

Posted
Posted

We have generally had wonderful tablemates which is why we like fixed seating. At first it can be awkward but I am always fascinated and delighted with how much they "improve" as we all relax and we get to know one another. I hope they would say the same about us! By the 3rd or 4th day we are all having a whale of a time.

One time travelling with my sister and my teen aged son he said mid cruise "At first I did not like eating with strangers, now I am looking forward to hearing how their days went!" A great lesson there!

 

Once we had a VERY difficult woman with husband, son and daughter in law. She spent each dinner browbeating her family. After awhile we just stared siding with the family and teasing her. It lightened the mood and we spent the whole cruise giggling about how wild she was and how to encourage the husband and son to push back with her. That may have been our BEST table, in the end!

 

It is what you make of it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PoppyandNana

PoppyandNana

Posted
Posted (edited)
We have generally had wonderful tablemates which is why we like fixed seating. At first it can be awkward but I am always fascinated and delighted with how much they "improve" as we all relax and we get to know one another. I hope they would say the same about us! By the 3rd or 4th day we are all having a whale of a time.

One time travelling with my sister and my teen aged son he said mid cruise "At first I did not like eating with strangers, now I am looking forward to hearing how their days went!" A great lesson there!

 

Once we had a VERY difficult woman with husband, son and daughter in law. She spent each dinner browbeating her family. After awhile we just stared siding with the family and teasing her. It lightened the mood and we spent the whole cruise giggling about how wild she was and how to encourage the husband and son to push back with her. That may have been our BEST table, in the end!

 

It is what you make of it!

 

 

We have had all manner of table mates:

 

  • Two gay couples who ran a singing telegram business
  • Four female heavy equipments operators from Texas
  • A family of four sitting at a table for six. Didn't want us there because one of the women was terminally ill and this cruise was her last hurrah. They relented and turned out to be a great week. She laughed and had a great time. Unfortunately, she did pass six weeks later.
  • A husband and wife programmers from IBM. He was literally not allowed to speak or answer questions. He was like a dummy sitting on her lap.
  • A DJ from Florida who almost got thrown off the ship because he refused to wear anything but shorts and a Dolphins tee shirt and had a fight with a head waiter.
  • Two British spinsters who cruise 40 to 60 days a year
  • An airline pilot based in Detroit who lived in NH; married to a stewardess who lives in Detroit.
  • Two couples who were pig farmers from Iowa on their first cruise. Wow, were they a blast, not!
  • An elderly black couple in their late 80's. The table location was terrible and only for four when we asked for a large table. We wanted to change because of the table location, not the people. We were afraid they would draw the wrong conclusion so we stayed. Turned to be a real joy. They were funny and had interesting backgrounds.
  • An Italian couple from Italy. She spoke absolutely zero English. Her husband did. We had great fun with them.

 

There many more but these are the most memorable that come to mind. In 26 cruised I think there was only one time we asked to change tables because of passenger issues.

Edited by PoppyandNana
Link to comment
Share on other sites
troykahack

troykahack

Posted
Posted
We have had all manner of table mates:

 

  • Two gay couples who ran a singing telegram business
  • Four female heavy equipments operators from Texas
  • A family of four sitting at a table for six. Didn't want us there because one of the women was terminally ill and this cruise was her last hurrah. They relented and turned out to be a great week. She laughed and had a great time. Unfortunately, she did pass six weeks later.
  • A husband and wife programmers from IBM. He was literally not allowed to speak or answer questions. He was like a dummy sitting on her lap.
  • A DJ from Florida who almost got thrown off the ship because he refused to wear anything but shorts and a Dolphins tee shirt and had a fight with a head waiter.
  • Two British spinsters who cruise 40 to 60 days a year
  • An airline pilot based in Detroit who lived in NH; married to a stewardess who lives in Detroit.
  • Two couples who were pig farmers from Iowa on their first cruise. Wow, were they a blast, not!
  • An elderly black couple in their late 80's. The table location was terrible and only for four when we asked for a large table. We wanted to change because of the table location, not the people. We were afraid they would draw the wrong conclusion so we stayed. Turned to be a real joy. They were funny and had interesting backgrounds.
  • An Italian couple from Italy. She spoke absolutely zero English. Her husband did. We had great fun with them.

 

There many more but these are the most memorable that come to mind. In 26 cruised I think there was only one time we asked to change tables because of passenger issues.

 

Most all of these you know their occupations. Did they volunteer it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
iancal

iancal

Posted
Posted (edited)

Prior to switching to anytime dining we usually had very good tablemates. We only asked to be moved once. We had the misfortune to be sitting with a couple of religious zealots who it seems thought it was their role to spread the word as it were.

Edited by iancal
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MicCanberra Holiday Sharing Rare

MicCanberra

Posted
Posted (edited)
Prior to switching to anytime dining we usually had very good tablemates. We only asked to be moved once. We had the misfortune to be sitting with a couple of religious zealots who it seems thought it was their role to spread the word as it were.

 

We have had some evangelists once, remarkably, the conversations on religion stopped after the first night.

Perhaps it was when they asked me 'How could I not believe in Christ' and I answered him with a query of 'Did they believe in Krishna or Mohamed?', to which they said 'no' and then I answered, 'It was the same way'.

Edited by MicCanberra
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Liz54

Liz54

Posted
Posted
We have had some evangelists once, remarkably, the conversations on religion stopped after the first night.

Perhaps it was when they asked me 'How could I not believe in Christ' and I answered him with a query of 'Did they believe in Krishna or Mohamed?', to which they said 'no' and then I answered, 'It was the same way'.

 

Love this response!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
troykahack

troykahack

Posted
Posted
Good question. We, none of us, started out with asking. It just kind of came up over the course of the week. Someone would tell a story which gave way to what do you do?

 

That is a awesome way to get to it. We might even not mind sharing after we know a little bit of attitudes of the others. This is a awesome way to start. Why do so many believe it is the best way to break the ice?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
troykahack

troykahack

Posted
Posted
Prior to switching to anytime dining we usually had very good tablemates. We only asked to be moved once. We had the misfortune to be sitting with a couple of religious zealots who it seems thought it was their role to spread the word as it were.

 

You met my Mom? LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites
John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
That is a awesome way to get to it. We might even not mind sharing after we know a little bit of attitudes of the others. This is a awesome way to start. Why do so many believe it is the best way to break the ice?

I've never used that question to break the ice. I always start by asking their status.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
troykahack

troykahack

Posted
Posted
Marital status, religion, race relations, politics, age. 😱

 

All potentially more awkward than job

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

 

Just think about it. Why does any of this matter when one is on a cruise. Why can't people just get along and just enjoy. ????

 

How come it is so important to find these things out?? Lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites
payitforward

payitforward

Posted
Posted (edited)
Just think about it. Why does any of this matter when one is on a cruise. Why can't people just get along and just enjoy. ????

 

How come it is so important to find these things out?? Lol

 

You DO know they were joking right? lol

 

I would guess the "what do you do for a living" question is especially difficult for doctors. I can see people sharing every illness or injury they've ever had, and asking for advice on new issues.

 

I've always had great tablemates. That said, I sometimes worry about being the bad tablemate.

 

1.) I've gotten MUCH better about this but...when I'm insecure, or in a new environment, I tend to talk too much.

2.) I've done so many different things in my life that I'm sure people think I'm lying.

 

  • Water ski show performer
  • Call Center Manager
  • Travel Agent
  • Firefighter/EMT
  • 911 Dispatcher
  • Preschool Manager
  • Author
  • Professional Speaker

I don't "jump" from job to job. Many of these things were done simultaneously. But, when a story from yet another career comes up in conversation, I can almost hear people thinking "she's so full of ****!" lol

Edited by payitforward
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Doug R.

Doug R.

Posted
Posted (edited)

One time when asked what I did for a living I replied "As little as possible." Most of the tablemates laughed, but one sour old gentleman said "You are what is wrong with America." Luckily we were on anytime dining and never sat with him again.

Edited by Doug R.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
payitforward

payitforward

Posted
Posted
One time when asked what I did for a living I replied "As little as possible." Most of the tablemates laughed, but one sour old gentleman said "You are what is wrong with America." Luckily we were on anytime dining and never sat with him again.

 

Too funny! What did he think you were cruising on his tax dollars? Haha!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...