HOT TOPICS at dinner!

[halos]

I'll be taking my 4th cruise in November. All previous cruises we were seated with the group that we went with, or just our family of four so I have not been seated with strangers for dinner on a cruise ship yet. But this next cruise it will just be my DH and me. I asked the TA to seat us at a table for 8 because I thought it would be nice to be in a large group with lots of conversation AND I figured the odds were better to find someone we'd get along with if we were at a large table ;) (I would have hated being seated at a tabel for 4 and not liked the other couple)

Anyway, I was very excited about this large table, :eek: now you all have me scared LOL!!!

[Cruise Arizona]

We had a wonderful table of 8 on the Mercury and even made such good friends with a couple from Australia that they made sure they were in San Diego to see us off on the Infinity when they were in the states for three weeks in November.

[TechKnowBabble]

I agree definitely no politcs or religion for me. Another discussion that envaribly goes wrong for us is whether we have kids, then that goes to, do you want kids? Which leads to why DON'T you want kids? Like that means there is something wrong with us.

 

I am slightly apprehensive about telling the waiter I am diabetic in front of my tablemates. I do need to advise him of it, however I don't want my tablemates feeling sorry for me over it.

[canderson]

On a recent cruise, and I regret to say it was on Celebrity, my wife and I were seated at a table for eight. When asked what I did for a living, I said I was an Anglican (Episcopal) priest. I was immediately attacked (no other word is appropriate) for not being a true Christian, for being pro-abortion, pro-divorce, pro-gay marriage.

What did you do? Tell them you went to seminary at Union/NY? (he said, being careful to pick outside the denomination!) :p

 

One can't tell the old PECUSA players without a program since the mid/late 70's. It's about as much a "mixed bag" these days as one could possibly imagine. One would hope that in opening up a topic like that, your tablemates would have at least done themselves the favor of being a little better informed, but that's often not how people are.

 

Interestingly, not one of these people asked me or my wife what we believed or our position on these issues.

All in all, I think that's the reason that *I* try to avoid topics like this at dinner or elsewhere with people I don't know, no matter my level of interest or experience. The net result is most often pretty depressing. As you indicated, too much expounding, too little information. Nobody benefits.

[suntan]

We usually sit at a table of 8 - we make up half the table. I prefer light discussions about what everyone did that particular day, what's in store for the next day/port. I don't mind if you ask what I do for a living but don't make comments about it (I work in the legal field).

 

Last year on the Summit we sat at a table where one gentleman, when he found out we were from Canada and Britain, started asking very pointed political questions. Now, you must understand our family - you ask a question, be very prepared for the answer you get back because you may not like it and that's your problem, not ours. The first night was non stop political questions. It happened again on the second night so we came right out and asked him if he was genuinely interested in Canada and Britain and their politics. If so, we would answer his questions; if not, then stop asking. This same gentleman, after finding out I was sick one night, kept asking on and off the ship, if he could catch what I had. I had enough of this so I told him that unless he changed to a woman he would not be able to get what made me sick (no I was not contagious). Needless to say his wife was not happy about this and that was the end of that question for the rest of the cruise.

[Seabee]

OK Let's see. No talk about

 

politics, religion, careers, money, cruising, children, lawyers, priests, cabins, health issues, ships employees, no complaining, no bragging...I guess that leaves sex and surely someone will be offended by that. Wow, what a boring dinner it will be.:D

[USSFRef]

 

The Civil War was neither civil, nor a war. Discuss.

[franma]

OK. I'm convinced. Will request a table for 2 again. The only embarrassing, annoying, inappropriate, ridiculous, etc. discussions will be between the two of us and I know how to handle THOSE.;)

 

Actually, on our last X cruise we had our first table for two and really liked it. The great service and attention from the dining room staff didn't hurt either.

 

Not a must-have as we are basically social, but in some respects more relaxing as we don't have to watch our p's and q's as much or have forced conversation. Would rather meet others in more informal venues where conversation comes more naturally.

[gone_cruisin]

I agree definitely no politcs or religion for me. Another discussion that envaribly goes wrong for us is whether we have kids, then that goes to, do you want kids? Which leads to why DON'T you want kids? Like that means there is something wrong with us.

 

 

We get that all time.....too funny. I guess people think we're weird for wanting to help stop the rapid population growth. Not everyone feels the overwhelming urge to reproduce. :)

[suntan]

We get that all time.....too funny. I guess people think we're weird for wanting to help stop the rapid population growth. Not everyone feels the overwhelming urge to reproduce. :)

 

Here, here!! A suggestion: if ever asked why don't you want children. Stop them dead in their tracks and say that you hate children. That will shut them up!!:D

[usha]

DH & I have been requesting a table for 2 for a while now, and being as how our dinner conversation runs the gamut from kids to food to bodily functions, we're probably better off to ourselves...;)

[CaliforniaDreamin]

OK Let's see. No talk about

 

politics, religion, careers, money, cruising, children, lawyers, priests, cabins, health issues, ships employees, no complaining, no bragging...I guess that leaves sex and surely someone will be offended by that. Wow, what a boring dinner it will be.:D

 

Many people would have to discontinue posting I guess. Seabee, I hear your going to be a Grand-Pa. Congratulations.

[dmk]

Here, here!! A suggestion: if ever asked why don't you want children. Stop them dead in their tracks and say that you hate children. That will shut them up!!:D

 

Great suggestion! I am going to try this next time I am asked why we don't have children. It is such a rude question and is nobody's business.

[TechKnowBabble]

We get that all time.....too funny. I guess people think we're weird for wanting to help stop the rapid population growth. Not everyone feels the overwhelming urge to reproduce. :)

 

Precisely...I am perfectly content with my 'furry children' Besides if you have children, you have alot less money to cruise with ;)

[TechKnowBabble]

Here, here!! A suggestion: if ever asked why don't you want children. Stop them dead in their tracks and say that you hate children. That will shut them up!!:D

 

Sometimes that would be partially true. We seem to attract those children that their parents have forgotten to teach basic manners to.

[Blazerboy]

I've been on a cruise shore excursion seated at lunch with another couple who we'd been chatting with on the tour bus. They asked where we (my partner and I) were from. I said San Francisco, and the husband, without missing a beat, said "ah that was a great city, until the fruits ruined it."

 

Hmmm, what to say?

 

"Well, watch it; you're talking to the chief banana"? :eek:

 

:rolleyes: No. I guess not, so we just let him live another day, complete with the dirty/mortified look from his wife, and the bruise on his shin from her kick.

 

O.K., so my mouth was agape...:o But honestly...

 

We definitely try to get the lay of the land when we cruise, and try to be respectful of others. But we've had tremendously GOOD luck at large tables, and, after many cruises, it's all we book. If people dissapear from the table, we give them the benefit of the doubt- they met friends, they wanted a table for two, and got it- whatever. But I've only even had that happen once.

 

Please, please, if you think you'd like to try it, don't let this thread scare you. For the first time in 20+ cruises, I know all the people that will be at our table this Spring, and they're all people we know from cruising, most of whom we just happended to dine with on past cruises!

 

Andrew

[tom_uk]

Segundo, our wine steward on the Infinty was Indonesian, and because the country is mostly Muslim, and devout Muslims don't generally drink Alchohol, I was curious about how he got his training to be a wine steward.

 

We only talked about it breifly in that he said that you can't really get wine in Indonesia because of the religion, and if they have it at a resort it is very expensive.

 

But that made me curious, Was he a Christian? A Buddist? and again how did he get his training. Was he a Muslim, but not a stricted one??? Is there such a thing???? Many many questions??

 

He may have been Balinese. Bali is an island in the Indonesian archipelago, and its people are therefore Indonesian. However, Bali is predominantly Hindu (with local variations...) and is thus quite different culturally from almost all of the rest of Indonesia. Among the differences is completely different attitude to things such as alcohol.

 

There were many Balinese staff on MSC Sinfonia last May, and I spoke to them a lot about their home.

[tom_uk]

An IRS auditor

 

I remember a quote in a novel. A character in it is talking about his job (as, indeed, an IRS auditor) and he says "Nobody is as abused as tax collectors. It's always been that way. But by God we are the people who held Rome together. And every other place that was ever worth a damn".

 

Which I thought was a good comment, even though fictional.

[EscapeFromConnecticut]

Question:

Is any specific cruise line more apt to draw Red State/Republican/conservative passengers?

Is any line more likely to carry Blue State/Democrat/liberal passengers?

[canderson]

Question:

Is any specific cruise line more apt to draw Red State/Republican/conservative passengers?

Is any line more likely to carry Blue State/Democrat/liberal passengers?

Answer: Probably a bad question for this venue.

[Cruise Arizona]

I guess if you are going to avoid politics you can't mention what TV news you watch or what talk radio you listen too. Because if your table mates watch or listen to the other guys, you're sure to spark some controversy.

[Cruise Arizona]

We've talked so much about what not to talk about, can we come up with some subjects that might be appropriate.

 

Postive travel experiences (but not bragging)

Hobbies like scrapbooking or photography.

 

Intersting things you learned at the enrichment lecture.

 

pets

 

funny childhood experiences

 

wine??

 

funny stories from backhome??

 

sports (keeping it in good fun)

 

funny cruise critic threads???

 

Can you think of some more intersting things that might be fun to talk about?

[Shirley and Les]

We've talked so much about what not to talk about, can we come up with some subjects that might be appropriate.

 

Postive travel experiences (but not bragging)

Some of those souvenier vendors in Mexico are tough to deal with.

Hobbies like scrapbooking or photography.

Who has time for hobbies? With all my illnesses, I am worried about surviving.

Intersting things you learned at the enrichment lecture.

I sure hate those lectures where they try to convince you that a certain subject is important.

pets

I am allergic to cats and dogs!

funny childhood experiences

The town bully picked on me until I shot him dead.

wine??

Oh, do you drink? The devil must possess you!

funny stories from backhome??

A tornado completely destroyed my hometown.

sports (keeping it in good fun)

Pro sports is fixed! The STEELERS will win SB XL

funny cruise critic threads???

How do you like my jeans? Levi said they were OK for formal night!

Can you think of some more intersting things that might be fun to talk about?

I don't think so. Excuse me for picking on you An optomist may be able to turn a lemon into lemonade but I enjoy the sour taste. :D

Les

[Cruise Arizona]

Les I was thinking of adding to my post that maybe it is not the subject of conversation that can be positive or negative, but the person you are conversing with. If they are positive hte coversation will be enjoyable, if they are winers and complainers then the conversation will be negative no matter what the subject.

[halos]

Les I was thinking of adding to my post that maybe it is not the subject of conversation that can be positive or negative, but the person you are conversing with. If they are positive hte coversation will be enjoyable, if they are winers and complainers then the conversation will be negative no matter what the subject.

so, so true Arizona