How should I have handled getting ''ghosted''.

[dolittle]

Just got off the Equinox yesterday (I will have a lot to say but this first) . We chose traditional after having great table mates on our last two cruises. First night a nice couple and two no show couples at a table for eight, nice people got along great . Second night our server says ''they bought the 3 night up sell package. For the next six nights no one show up but my wife and I at a table for eight. I wondering has this ever happend to you and how did you deal with this .We felt kind of goofy at this huge table all by our selves . 

[hcat]

Happened twice on diff cruises... no one showed  up or we were out.  Specialty dining  and buffet diners were the main reasons.  

 

 We did not wait for anyone to show up, kept to our schedule   and switched to AQ class and dined in BLU! Problem solved!

 

[bEwAbG]

It happens.  The last time I had a MDR assignment, the other couple at the table when we arrived were complaining that they hadn't been given a 2-top as they had requested.  They were perfectly nice and it was a pleasant evening, but the next night they were at their 2-top when we passed by on the way to our big table.  It ended up being just the two of us every night but we didn't mind because we liked the servers in that section.  The cruise line cannot force people to eat in the dining room, even though they still assign them a space.  

 

I wish they could be more proactive in moving people around.  You can always ask to be moved, or just sign up for Select and ask to be seated at a large table every night.  If you hit it off with someone, you could always make plans for subsequent nights.

Edited August 25, 2019 by bEwAbG

[1025cruise]

Yes, on my last cruise we were sat at a table for 8 and no one else showed up. When asked, we were told that they would check. Eventually, we were told that the other group (seems the other 6 were together) had made other arrangements as they did not want to eat late.

We had been asking nightly as we wanted tablemates. It's quite annoying.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Happened to us once, only 2 of us at a table for 6. I don't think anyone else was assigned to that table and it did feel awkward. After that we either requested a table for 2, or select dining, and eventually switched to Aqua and then suites.  The port side of the balcony was completely empty for 3 nights until a large TA group joined on day 4.

[Robb]

We once had a large table, for twelve I think.  We were the only two to show up.  We had friends traveling with us but they were at a table for two.  Our servers let the maitre'd know that the couple would be joining us at the large table for twelve.  Just the four of for the entire cruise, and talk about service.  They couldn't do enough for us.  Since then we have most often chosen to have a table just for the two of us unless we are traveling with others.

 

[abbydancer2003]

We've had a couple of times on Princess where we've been at a shared table, and no one showed up.  The first time on X I was with my sister, and we had a table for 6.  It was great, and the only night we weren't all there was the night in San Juan and no fixed seating (we made that our specialty night).  Since then we've been in Luminae or Blu.  We're a little nervous about going back to traditional, as we may never have that good a situation again.

 

[hrhdhd]

I don't see an issue here. Just eat your dinner. 😉 After all, many people here will tell you that no one is noticing others' attire, so they're not noticing that you're at a particular size table.

[screwsmcernst]

13 minutes ago, hrhdhd said:

I don't see an issue here. Just eat your dinner. 😉 After all, many people here will tell you that no one is noticing others' attire, so they're not noticing that you're at a particular size table.

I agree.  If we end up at a large table, and our table mates don't show up,  I would look at it like we got a large table for 2 and spread out a little.  😃

 

[dolittle]

41 minutes ago, hrhdhd said:

I don't see an issue here. Just eat your dinner. 😉 After all, many people here will tell you that no one is noticing others' attire, so they're not noticing that you're at a particular size table.

I like meeting and talking to other people ,that is why I went with for big table.

[akcruz]

This is one if the main reasons we do Select.  The tables for 2 are close enough together to have a conversation if both parties want one.  We have met others this way and then arranged for the same table to allow us to dine together for the remainder of the cruise.

[Iamcruzin]

This Happened to us in 2006 and we never went back to traditional dining again. The entire MDR had empty seats. It was ridiculous. Too many choices and the new generation of cruisers take advantage of this.

[mom says]

43 minutes ago, dolittle said:

I like meeting and talking to other people ,that is why I went with for big table.

Perhaps then, you should choose Select dining for your next cruise. You can sit at a large table every night and be guaranteed a full or nearly full table.  You won't always have the same table mates; but since most people dine around the same time most nights, you may see the same people multiple  times.

[markeb]

We had this happen on one cruise. Showed up first night at a table for 8 or 10 (RCI). No tablemates. It was pretty weird. We decided to ask to be moved...

 

Second night, we're at what appears to be an "added" table for two. Kind of nice, except, the table beside us is a table for roughly 10-12 in a (dysfunctional and entitled) family unit of some sort. Probably the only time in my life cruising that I actually noticed people's attire, as they showed up every night in shorts and behaving like fraternity brothers. And, they were loud and obnoxious. On about the fourth night, the waiters finally thought they had things figured out and had the tables set and the drinks they always ordered in place; they didn't show...

 

In hindsight, we would have just stayed alone at our huge table. Most of the week after we moved it was empty.

[pd7277]

3 hours ago, dolittle said:

Just got off the Equinox yesterday (I will have a lot to say but this first) . We chose traditional after having great table mates on our last two cruises. First night a nice couple and two no show couples at a table for eight, nice people got along great . Second night our server says ''they bought the 3 night up sell package. For the next six nights no one show up but my wife and I at a table for eight. I wondering has this ever happend to you and how did you deal with this .We felt kind of goofy at this huge table all by our selves . 

Simply ask to be moved to another table.  We have done it for numerous reasons (no other people, language barrier, poor lighting, obnoxious table mates).  We too want to meet others while on board.  We have dinner for two almost every other night of the year!

 

p.s. Did you attend the CC Connection Party?  Dying to know when and where it was held.

Edited August 26, 2019 by pd7277

[hrhdhd]

1 hour ago, dolittle said:

I like meeting and talking to other people ,that is why I went with for big table.

 

Ask the maitre d' to move you to another table. But really, with the specialties and the OVC buffet in the evenings, people may eat elsewhere. You may be better off chatting with people at lunch or in the bars and other public spaces in the evenings.

[ipeeinthepool]

I'd be happy they didn't show up.   If they really didn't want to be at a large table with other cruisers, I'd rather they eat somewhere else.

[bkbarrym]

We have had better luck with full tables of 10 on past Mediterranean cruises and thoroughly enjoyed the company of our tablemates. More recent cruises sailing the Caribbean and New England our larger tables were less than half occupied. Last December on the Equinox we had a table for 10 in the centre of the MDR and most nights we were the only ones there. We always take late seating. Maitre D said early seating on Carribean cruises more popular and opposite for Mediterranean cruises.

[chemmo]

3 hours ago, hrhdhd said:

 

You may be better off chatting with people at lunch or in the bars and other public spaces in the evenings.

 

Agree...We always requested a table for just our family when we dined in the MDR.

 

Large tables have certain other risks as well as no show guests...

 

The ‘conversation dominator’

The ‘I will complain about everything’ person

The waiter who doesn’t want to take your order when you sit down because he wants to see if others show up.

The guest who eats sooo sloooow your meal takes forever.

 

We often by a few days into a cruise are arranging to meet new friends for pre or post dinner drinks and we will sometimes arrange to dine with them. Much better than being randomly assigned to strangers...

[bobndee]

It happened to us once.  We were the only ones at our table while another couple at the next table were "ghosted" too.  So we joined forces that night and for the rest of the cruise.  Had a wonderful time with them.  The rest of the people never showed up at any time.

[TMLAalum]

5 hours ago, chemmo said:

 

Agree...We always requested a table for just our family when we dined in the MDR.

 

Large tables have certain other risks as well as no show guests...

 

The ‘conversation dominator’

The ‘I will complain about everything’ person

The waiter who doesn’t want to take your order when you sit down because he wants to see if others show up.

The guest who eats sooo sloooow your meal takes forever.

 

We often by a few days into a cruise are arranging to meet new friends for pre or post dinner drinks and we will sometimes arrange to dine with them. Much better than being randomly assigned to strangers...

 

In addition to the conversation dominator, we've encountered the Great Inquisitor, a man who persisted in asking who we voted for in the last presidential election. We spent that dinner dodging his repeated questioning. Luckily for us we were doing HAL's version of select dining so we only had to endure one meal with him.

 

We pretty much choose select dining these days and request joining others and I can recall only one occasion besides the one above that was problematic. There was a woman on our roll call sailing with a friend who asked if they could join us at dinner on embarkation night. Well, the friend ticked the 1st, 2nd & 4th of your risk items! Friend ordered at least 4 appetizers, complained about their overseas flight and Civitavecchia hotel and never stopped talking! Our poor waiter met the definition of his title....Finally, I whispered to him to please go ahead with the rest of our dinners otherwise we'd have been there forever.

[bikerunner]

I have it happen, doesn't bother me one bit since I know others will be eating somewhere.  I don't worry about what other people are doing just my group for dinner.  I have had 2 tops and large tops so all good.  I eat in buffet a few times during the cruise and specialty rest. So I guess you can call me one of the guilty ones.  Like people mentioned I meet people at the bars, lunch pool deck everywhere so its all good.   

[chemmo]

18 minutes ago, TMLAalum said:

 

In addition to the conversation dominator, we've encountered the Great Inquisitor, a man who persisted in asking who we voted for in the last presidential election. We spent that dinner dodging his repeated questioning.

 

Gosh, he must have upgraded! We met him in Michael’s last cruise. After grilling us on Brexit (nooooo, we left England to escape thinking about it) he then gave us a lecture on his business prowess....At least in a bar you can change your seat or venue, unlike in the MDR where you have to suffer until dessert and coffee are finished!

[miched]

Personally we like to dine by ourselves,  not have to wait for others,  and deal with their table manners.    If we want to socialize we can do that in the lounges, at the bars and etc.

 

One way to solve your problem is to sign up for select dining then ask to be seated with others every night.   You will meet different passengers and always be seated with others.  Even with select you may make arrangements to dine with the same passengers if available and get along. 

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

 

 

[TeeRick]

4 minutes ago, miched said:

Personally we like to dine by ourselves,  not have to wait for others,  and deal with their table manners.    If we want to socialize we can do that in the lounges, at the bars and etc.

 

One way to solve your problem is to sign up for select dining then ask to be seated with others every night.   You will meet different passengers and always be seated with others.  Even with select you may make arrangements to dine with the same passengers if available and get along. 

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

 

 

Agree that this is the best solution.  You might even make new friends and possible table mates in the line waiting for Select dining.