What do you like and/or dislike about sharing a table with strangers?

[cadien]

Re the alcohol, she was probably a variation of Baptist or Mormon. But I've also encountered non-religious people who grew up with alcoholic family members and as a result feel that every one who drinks is out of control. That's fun at a wedding reception table. I'd expect a cruise ship dining room to be very similar.

[teknoge3k]

The message was very much that the only polite thing to do is bow your head and wait for them to be done.

 

"The only polite thing to do" .... Ok for who? The person praying? Sure they may think of it as being polite to them but what about those of us who don't? Do you think it's polite to make us bow our head and stay quiet? It's not. I have never been to church nor do I have any interest to ever going to a church. How are you being polite to me by having me shush so you can go on with your praises and what-not? It's not. It puts me in an uncomfortable position and feels awkward. The polite thing would be for those who wish to pray over everything would be to sit by themselves and do it, do it outside of the MDR, or do it to themselves without expecting everyone else to play along. That's not how it works.

[CruiseGal999]

Oh my goodness (see ... I can't type OMG ... but I would be accused of channeling God again) .... I really don't care if you chew with your mouth open, slurp the last of your soup directly out of the bowl, or fart up a storm at whatever dinner table you are sitting at. I am only speaking in an open minded, free world, tolerant manner. Where as I have been damned by the close minded, intolerant, discriminatory masses. WOW .... very eye opening. Everything I said was SUGGESTION only. A POSSIBILITY of what people COULD do, if they were SO INCLINED.

[Laurie S.]

The message was very much that the only polite thing to do is bow your head and wait for them to be done.

 

Wrong, if you don't buy into organized religion, then there is no need to bow your head and wait for them. I pray to no one or thing, and don't bow my head for anyone, either.

[the mistral wind]

Oh my goodness (see ... I can't type OMG ... but I would be accused of channeling God again) .... I really don't care if you chew with your mouth open, slurp the last of your soup directly out of the bowl, or fart up a storm at whatever dinner table you are sitting at. I am only speaking in an open minded, free world, tolerant manner. Where as I have been damned by the close minded, intolerant, discriminatory masses. WOW .... very eye opening. Everything I said was SUGGESTION only. A POSSIBILITY of what people COULD do, if they were SO INCLINED.

lol so funny:halo:

[the mistral wind]

Due to the prejudice comments that we've encountered on more than one cruise, we now prefer a table for two. We've done a family cruise and 3 cruises with work associates where table sharing was great.

I am curious what happened.

:confused:I liked all the people i sat with . I just would rather sit with just the two of us at dinner.

[the mistral wind]

Wrong, if you don't buy into organized religion, then there is no need to bow your head and wait for them. I pray to no one or thing, and don't bow my head for anyone, either.

I think i said to just sit in quiet reflection as a respectful curtesy. Not pray or do anything if it isn't in your heart to do it.

I have been taught to have respect for all religions. I don't have to kneel pray or agree . Of course you have the freedom to do whatever you please if you prefer to ignore them then so be it. No harm done.:)

[ldubs]

On our very first cruise some 20+ years ago, we shared a table with newlyweds. She was an exotic dancer and we were shown photos of her and the snake. Kind of awkward. Other than that, we have had several occasions to enjoy dining with our fellow cruise passengers. Thankfully we have been spared any of the other weirdness I've been reading about here. I hope that this stuff is the exception and not the rule.

 

I will say that if someone gave thanks or crossed themselves before eating, I wouldn't give it a second thought. If someone asked me to join hands or otherwise participate in their ritual, I suppose I would either politely decline or join in depending on my mood and their demeanor.

 

PS: yes the snake covered strategic parts.

[slidergirl]

Oh my goodness (see ... I can't type OMG ... but I would be accused of channeling God again) .... I really don't care if you chew with your mouth open, slurp the last of your soup directly out of the bowl, or fart up a storm at whatever dinner table you are sitting at. I am only speaking in an open minded, free world, tolerant manner. Where as I have been damned by the close minded, intolerant, discriminatory masses. WOW .... very eye opening. Everything I said was SUGGESTION only. A POSSIBILITY of what people COULD do, if they were SO INCLINED.

 

Again, if you want to enjoy a public prayer, feel free to get your own table. If you want to be tolerant, and open minded to the world, start remembering that your freedom of religion stops at someone else's freedom from religion. Some need to get off of the religious high horse and use some common sense in their behavior in public settings. I go to Church, I do Bible Study, I even used to perform in the choir of a well-known Sunday morning worship show. But, I would NEVER feel the need to make anyone sit and wait and watch while I did a prayer at a table. Come, sit with me and my multicultural and multi-religious friends while we break bread joyously and enjoy our company without having to make a display of ourselves...

[Hey Tina]

Hey how about you guys quit your bellyaching about praying and get back to my original question. It's established that group prayers are in the DISLIKE category so lets move on.

[DirtyDawg]

Hey how about you guys quit your bellyaching about praying and get back to my original question. It's established that group prayers are in the DISLIKE category so lets move on.

 

You tell'em Tina!

 

 

Not sure if your admonishment will work though, how good are you at herding cats?

[Beachdude]

Hey how about you guys quit your bellyaching about praying and get back to my original question. It's established that group prayers are in the DISLIKE category so lets move on.

 

Finally, thanks.

 

Burt

[navybankerteacher]

My first experience with sea-going dining was at a common table in a U S Navy wardroom. The rule at dinner was to avoid sex, politics and religion - made sense then, and still seems applicable.

[misty57]

We have been doing Mytime dining for a few years now. I began dreading dinner when we had table mates. It was like being at a party with complete strangers who have little to nothing in common. We have had better experiences with sharing a table at breakfast or lunch. We've had nice conversations with some people seated next to us with my time, and just as many people do not wish to interact with their "neighbors". It suits us either way.

[herbanrenewal]

My last cruise with Anytime dining on our first night in MDR we were asked if we wanted private table or group. My travel companion is a neighbor/friend so a table for 2 isn't essential. I responded that we were hungry - if there was a group table missing a couple we'd be happy to join them, if not a table for 2 was fine. We ended up at a table for 8, and the couple nearest to me said they had been waiting to fill the table for 20 minutes and were so glad they would finely get service. I told them of my strategy of saying I wanted a table ready to go no matter the size of the table. Almost ever night of that cruise we ended up sharing a 4 top with one of those couples - we all would ask for a table ready to go, and usually ended up in the restaurant around the same time. By the third night the maitre de knew us all and would send us to the same 2 tables with the same wait staff. We got to know and enjoy meals with whichever couple showed up first sharing our table.

[dpump]

What are the pros/cons of getting a table in the MDR for just your family/group versus sharing a larger table with strangers.

 

Best/worst experiences for each way (alone/ with strangers)?

 

Last cruise, my husband and I saw a party of 6 and a few empty chairs and then a party of 2 at the end, alone. Just struck me as the 'unwanted table mates'. We enjoy the table for 2 since the tables are so close together it seems as if we're all table mates. Worst for us? A family with little ones who were ill behaved such as crawling under the table, walking around while we were trying to eat......no thanks, raised our kids.

[Beachdude]

My first experience with sea-going dining was at a common table in a U S Navy wardroom. The rule at dinner was to avoid sex, politics and religion - made sense then, and still seems applicable.

I wonder what previous experience motivated the "sex" part.:o

 

Burt

[Cruise a holic]

I wonder what previous experience motivated the "sex" part.:o

 

Burt

 

I would guess that sexual harassment could have triggered that addition. Just sounds like good rules to always follow. Both at work and at the dinner table!

[buggins0402]

We have been doing Mytime dining for a few years now. I began dreading dinner when we had table mates. It was like being at a party with complete strangers who have little to nothing in common. We have had better experiences with sharing a table at breakfast or lunch. We've had nice conversations with some people seated next to us with my time, and just as many people do not wish to interact with their "neighbors". It suits us either way.

 

This is exactly how we feel. Being forced into a table share just seems awkward and uncomfortable, but that three inches between tables, with defined personal space, makes pleasant conversation between tables seem more natural if it happens. Hence, we only sail cruise lines that do flexible dining with tables for two and do it well.

 

 

From my reading of cruise line boards it seems the mass market Carnival group lines (Princess, HAL, Carnival ) are weak in this regard so we will not cruise with any of them.

[navybankerteacher]

I wonder what previous experience motivated the "sex" part.:o

 

Burt

 

This was in the old, all male sea-going Navy. I believe the concept was to encourage a higher tone of conversation as well as to steer clear of potential argument.

 

There also was an unwritten rule - to never draw your sword in the wardroom (only worn on formal occasions such as change of command) which dated from the very early days when the U S Navy lost almost as many officers to dueling as to enemy action.

[slidergirl]

Pros of getting table for just yourself/spouse/family/friends - you know them. You don't have to do mindless, banal, chit chat. You don't someone trying to force you to pray with them. You don't get to hope you don't get stuck with Mr. and Mrs "We're Diamond 5 Star Presidential Elite - don't you know who we are" or with "we're this month's cover couple on People of Walmart" ends of the spectrum.

 

Cons of going for a table with strangers: You get someone trying to force you to pray with them. You get stuck with Mr. and Mrs. "We're Diamond 5 Star Presidential Elite... You get chatty people who want to tell you about their "tour" with 50 other people for a 10 minute look at the Leaning Tower of Pisa followed by a hour shopping stop, or the couple with their private tour that they paid $600 for that did a 10 minute look at the Leaning Tower of Pisa followed by a tourist lunch of bland pasta, followed by a 30 minute shopping stop... You get a family of 4 from Outer Mongolia who do not speak a common language with you... It goes on.

 

Personally, as a solo, I was totally turned off of assigned seating or asking to be seated at a larger table. It was like a pack of hyeanas going after a carcass sometimes - "ooh, why are you by yourself", "you couldn't find someone to come with you", "you poor thing", "you are so brave to travel alone", "how can you do any touring along", "weren't you afraid to visit Pisa alone", etc. I did not enjoy being the major topic of conversation...

 

It's a roll of the dice. You may get lucky and find nice dining companions... As Dirty Harry once said, "Do you feel lucky, punk?"

Edited July 12, 2017 by slidergirl

[seadog18]

Is the solution to have a placard "we want to be social" or one that says "do not disturb" on our lapels? I'm not being entirely flippant because I do understand that people have different needs and wants.

[Beachdude]

Personally, as a solo, I was totally turned off of assigned seating or asking to be seated at a larger table. It was like a pack of hyeanas going after a carcass sometimes - "ooh, why are you by yourself", "you couldn't find someone to come with you", "you poor thing", "you are so brave to travel alone", "how can you do any touring along", "weren't you afraid to visit Pisa alone", etc. I did not enjoy being the major topic of conversation...

I totally understand, but some folks flourish on being the topic of conversation. People actually find other people interesting and want to learn more. And how would feel about meeting someone who also traveled Pisa. You would likely find me more curious than I like because we a planning a trip to Pisa next year. Different strokes for different folks.

 

I find that women tend to want a group for dinner while the males tend to be indifferent or rather not. But it's the same thing when taking tours with groups and sitting bars or theaters for entertainment. Even next to an airline passenger during a four hour flight. The odds are travelers and vacationers will be forced to be forced in close grouping with strangers several times during a trip. Dinner is just one of those experiences during a typical day.

 

I've never met a group that expected us to pray with them, but after reading some of the posters here who appose it, I would be more nervous of diners who can't control how they express their opinions. And that's really what it comes down to; just being polite during the time we are around each other.

 

Burt

[slidergirl]

I totally understand, but some folks flourish on being the topic of conversation. People actually find other people interesting and want to learn more. And how would feel about meeting someone who also traveled Pisa. You would likely find me more curious than I like because we a planning a trip to Pisa next year. Different strokes for different folks.

 

I find that women tend to want a group for dinner while the males tend to be indifferent or rather not. But it's the same thing when taking tours with groups and sitting bars or theaters for entertainment. Even next to an airline passenger during a four hour flight. The odds are travelers and vacationers will be forced to be forced in close grouping with strangers several times during a trip. Dinner is just one of those experiences during a typical day.

 

I've never met a group that expected us to pray with them, but after reading some of the posters here who appose it, I would be more nervous of diners who can't control how they express their opinions. And that's really what it comes down to; just being polite during the time we are around each other.

 

Burt

 

I do not enjoy being the topic of conversation. I'm a woman and I definitely do not follow your description. I enjoy my solo journeys. I don't take tours unless it is someplace that is not feasible to go solo. I have no problems getting a solo table at any restaurant I visit when I travel. If I'm flying any distance, I'll use my miles and fly Business and have my own pod. Otherwise, my noise-cancelling headphones are on as soon as I'm on the plane. If I go to a bar, I get my drink, sit and drink my drink and that's it. It's just me. When I'm on vacation, I just want to enjoy myself and not have to ask or answer "how was your day", "that's so interesting", "I did...". I have to engage that kind of banal conversation day in and day out at work with my guests.

[firefighterman]

What are the pros/cons of getting a table in the MDR for just your family/group versus sharing a larger table with strangers.

 

Best/worst experiences for each way (alone/ with strangers)?

 

We have been on about 14 cruises, I like to dine with strangers, we have had some very interested conversations and met some great folks. I remember the worst experience was with two guys sitting at a table of 8, both of them were in their 30's one had too much to drank and made a butt of himself so much that his friend got embarrassed and left the table. Another cruise we sit at a table with 6 people, the one couple was pretty odd and quiet, that had a big doll in one of the chairs and the girl was acting as if she was feeding the doll, they told us they take the doll everywhere, that it had its own Facebook page which they updated daily on what the doll was doing...Weird!

Worst is if they are drinking too much, with no manners. Best is those that talk about their excursions are other cruises they have been own and also where they are from and careers. If wife and I have family are friends is hands-down eat with family and friends we are on cruise with.