Ever have awful Table mates?

[momofmeg]

12 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Aww, I'm glad I'm not alone.  We have honestly lost track of the number of cruises.  We think we must be at about 30, but don't have the energy to fact check anything.   If asked, I now say something like "over 25".  And actually, some nice conversations can ensue about things like favorite ports, etc.  

 

 Me too. I would have to get out my cruise cards which I keep as souvenirs and count them. I know over 20. I don't think 30 though. I am thinking 24 or maybe 26? no more than 26. I know it is enough that  at this point we no longer desire to go a cruise  twice a year or even once as we were doing.

[slidergirl]

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

You might have missed my point.  Folks have 1 or two bad experiences with tablemates and then spend the rest of their life at 2 tops.  Although we have had a couple of lousy tables (over more than 40 years of extensive cruising) this pales by comparison to the fun tables and many wonderful friends we have met when sharing tables.  I am convinced that the rise of social media has created a sub-culture of folks who have simply forgotten (or never knew) how to socialize face to face.  

 

Hank

Hank - I have to violently disagree with you.  There are reasons other than being ignorant at socializing or having one lousy experience.  It's an awfully broad brush.  Yes, I was totally turned off when I was quizzed at my table on why I was by myself.   I have been other places where communal tables were done (Club Med, some wonderful restaurants in Europe).  But, the vibe was totally different and usually group conversation was not the overriding factor during dinner.   As I've said before, my job in Hospitality is 80% making chit chat with strangers (my guests).  Part of the Forbes training is "mining for nuggets" - ask enough questions to get little details about the guests to use to make their stay more memorable.  I can drill for data with the best of them.  But, when I'm on vacation, I don't want to do what I do at work.  I use my time to relax, recharge, reboot.  My dining time is my time.  I love to have a good food experience - I look at the plating, take time to savor my bites, and reflect on my day at my pace.    At work, we only have 30 minutes for dinner.  As a manager, I usually have less than that or I end up in the back office eating and working on issues at the same time.  A real dinner for me is a treat and I'm protective of it.  If I was forced into a group table again, maybe I should ask for a table where English is not spoken.  I wouldn't feel it necessary to converse and my tablemates could go on as they want and not worry about leaving me out.

 

Sorry if I appear anti-social...   

Edited June 21, 2019 by slidergirl

[John Bull]

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We have actually seen it in a good restaurant.  A young couple sitting at a table, both texting away without ever saying a word.  A group of us noticed such as table in Niagara on the Lake and the couple truly never said a word except to their waiter.  At one point one lady in our group wondered aloud if those two were actually texting each other :).   At one point the man was eating his dinner with one hand while texting with the other!  Go figure.

 

Hank

 

Y  R U critic 4 txtng, H?

Eat n txt same tme ezy innit.

 

JB 

.

[FionaMG]

On 6/19/2019 at 2:56 PM, John Bull said:

And we struggle to understand the Scots, especially Glaswegians. 

I'm Glaswegian. We're easy-peasy compared to Aberdonians.

Brother had a girlfriend from there way back when. I could only understand every 5th word. 😂

[RocketMan275]

On 6/16/2019 at 11:00 PM, SantaFeFan said:

If they could not deal with people ordering drinks at their table, they should have had the common sense to request a table for four and saved everyone the discomfort of their wholly inappropriate requests. 

Tell them: Jesus prefers people drink wine or he wouldn't have turned the water into wine.  

[Husky61]

9 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We have actually seen it in a good restaurant.  A young couple sitting at a table, both texting away without ever saying a word.  A group of us noticed such as table in Niagara on the Lake and the couple truly never said a word except to their waiter.  At one point one lady in our group wondered aloud if those two were actually texting each other :).   At one point the man was eating his dinner with one hand while texting with the other!  Go figure.

 

Hank

Why do you or anyone else care if they text while eating?

[Hlitner]

11 minutes ago, Husky61 said:

Why do you or anyone else care if they text while eating?

It was just a simple observation.  On the other hand, if they were doing it at our table we would likely quietly leave (and ask to assigned to a different table).  I understand that it is not politically correct, but expecting some basic rules of decorum is one of our faults.

 

Hank

[kochleffel]

I use text messages very infrequently, but if a text came in while I was at the dinner table, I would probably read it, because the only person likely to text me while I'm traveling is my pet sitter and she would only do so in an emergency.

[CPT Trips]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

It was just a simple observation.  On the other hand, if they were doing it at our table we would likely quietly leave (and ask to assigned to a different table).  I understand that it is not politically correct, but expecting some basic rules of decorum is one of our faults.

 

Hank

 

That's an interesting comment. Usually people say they aren't "politically correct" after saying/writing something indecorous.

[clo]

7 hours ago, slidergirl said:

Hank - I have to violently disagree with you.  There are reasons other than being ignorant at socializing or having one lousy experience.  It's an awfully broad brush.  Yes, I was totally turned off when I was quizzed at my table on why I was by myself.   I have been other places where communal tables were done (Club Med, some wonderful restaurants in Europe).  But, the vibe was totally different and usually group conversation was not the overriding factor during dinner.   As I've said before, my job in Hospitality is 80% making chit chat with strangers (my guests).  Part of the Forbes training is "mining for nuggets" - ask enough questions to get little details about the guests to use to make their stay more memorable.  I can drill for data with the best of them.  But, when I'm on vacation, I don't want to do what I do at work.  I use my time to relax, recharge, reboot.  My dining time is my time.  I love to have a good food experience - I look at the plating, take time to savor my bites, and reflect on my day at my pace.    At work, we only have 30 minutes for dinner.  As a manager, I usually have less than that or I end up in the back office eating and working on issues at the same time.  A real dinner for me is a treat and I'm protective of it.  If I was forced into a group table again, maybe I should ask for a table where English is not spoken.  I wouldn't feel it necessary to converse and my tablemates could go on as they want and not worry about leaving me out.

 

Sorry if I appear anti-social...   

You don't appear anti-social at all.  IMneverHO.  By the time dinner rolls around, cruising or escorted group travel, I'm tired of being "on."  I'm a tested "extreme extrovert" and have figured out that I need more down time than lots of people.  Thanks for weighing in.

[clo]

27 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

but expecting some basic rules of decorum is one of our faults.

Oh, huge fault.  Not.

[navybankerteacher]

5 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Tell them: Jesus prefers people drink wine or he wouldn't have turned the water into wine.  

Or mention how Paul urged taking a little wine, instead of water,  “for your stomach’s sake”.

[MicCanberra]

1 minute ago, navybankerteacher said:

Or mention how Paul urged taking a little wine, instead of water,  “for your stomach’s sake”.

There are many things in the bible worth adhering to but so to in many other publications. When dining, I often remember the teachings of some of these books, like Obi Wan (Star Wars) and I 'Use the fork' .

[navybankerteacher]

4 hours ago, Husky61 said:

Why do you or anyone else care if they text while eating?

I am not harmed in any way by the vulgarity or discourtesy of others - but if I am to share a table with others I would prefer they be neither discourteous nor vulgar.

[navybankerteacher]

2 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

There are many things in the bible worth adhering to but so to in many other publications. When dining, I often remember the teachings of some of these books, like Obi Wan (Star Wars) and I 'Use the fork' .

I am not familiar with that passage - is it in any way connected with the advice that, if you come to a fork in the road, you should take it?

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, kochleffel said:

I use text messages very infrequently, but if a text came in while I was at the dinner table, I would probably read it, because the only person likely to text me while I'm traveling is my pet sitter and she would only do so in an emergency.

And at dinner, on a ship at sea between two ports your immediate, effective action would be....

[CPT Trips]

Clo

 

Don't know how you did it, but I never posted what you quoted and attributed to me in post 161.

Kindly remove that post.

   

[MicCanberra]

6 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

Clo

 

Don't know how you did it, but I never posted what you quoted and attributed to me in post 161.

Kindly remove that post.

   

Hiltner posted it in post 157

[clo]

26 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

Clo

 

Don't know how you did it, but I never posted what you quoted and attributed to me in post 161.

Kindly remove that post.

   

I was joking.

[ldubs]

6 hours ago, Hlitner said:

It was just a simple observation.  On the other hand, if they were doing it at our table we would likely quietly leave (and ask to assigned to a different table).  I understand that it is not politically correct, but expecting some basic rules of decorum is one of our faults.

 

Hank

 

Uh oh.  I think we disagree on this one.  Decorum.   I think it goes both ways.   What would Mrs Manners say about a woman making not nice remarks out loud about neighboring diners who were doing nothing to disturb her dinner.   Just sayin. . . 

[ldubs]

12 hours ago, momofmeg said:

 Me too. I would have to get out my cruise cards which I keep as souvenirs and count them. I know over 20. I don't think 30 though. I am thinking 24 or maybe 26? no more than 26. I know it is enough that  at this point we no longer desire to go a cruise  twice a year or even once as we were doing.

 

Interesting.  We are kind of in the same boat (😲).   We are a large close knit family.  Now that the kids are grown and independent, the oldies (like me) like to take more group vacations.   A cruise is an excellent way for our family group to travel together.  So these days our cruise count would probably be much lower if it weren't for the family members traveling together.  

 

Next trip for Mrs Ldubs and me is Northern Italy later in the summer.  Next cruise is in Jan '20.  Our group of 16 will be going on a 7 day cruise and then a few days at both Hong Kong and Singapore.  

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

There are many things in the bible worth adhering to but so to in many other publications. When dining, I often remember the teachings of some of these books, like Obi Wan (Star Wars) and I 'Use the fork' .

 

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I am not familiar with that passage - is it in any way connected with the advice that, if you come to a fork in the road, you should take it?

 

May the fork be with you.  

[SantaFeFan]

24 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

 

May the fork be with you.  

 

“ For my ally is the Fork, and a powerful ally it is.” – Yoda.

[MicCanberra]

32 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

 

May the fork be with you.  

And also with you,

[MicCanberra]

Albert Einstein: 'Peas cannot be kept by forks; it can only be achieved by understanding.'