Tell Us About Your Negative Experiences With Table Mates

[fridayeyes]

BTW, many people think 'introvert' is about the same as 'loner' - someone who is socially awkward, withdrawn, maybe even hostile. This isn't the case, at least not for people in the field of personality psychology. Many introverts are socially adept, charming, great motivational speakers, etc. But for the introvert, things like large parties, meeting strangers or speaking to a large audience can feel emotionally draining. By contrast, an extravert typically feels invigorated by those things.

 

There are several differnt ways of measuring introversion/extraversion, and they don't measure exactly the same thing. You can google for online versions of a test called "The Big Five" or "Five Factor Model". Here's a link to an online test based on the MBTI. It's not the real MBTI but it's in the same ballpark.

 

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

[katiel53]

From reading the rest of your post, I don't doubt that she was an, um, interesting tablemate, but this particular statement has me scratching my head a little bit. If they weren't there for the first night, how were they to know what seats you had chosen? I just can't imagine how one should be expected to know this, or why/how anything could be said to them. People aren't mind readers. :confused:

 

Sorry, I guess I didn't make it clear. When they sat in our seats, we knew they didn't know which seats we had chosen as they weren't there the first night. That's why we never said anything to them about sitting in our seats.

[GreenZolie]

BTW, many people think 'introvert' is about the same as 'loner' - someone who is socially awkward, withdrawn, maybe even hostile. This isn't the case, at least not for people in the field of personality psychology. Many introverts are socially adept, charming, great motivational speakers, etc. But for the introvert, things like large parties, meeting strangers or speaking to a large audience can feel emotionally draining. By contrast, an extravert typically feels invigorated by those things.

 

There are several differnt ways of measuring introversion/extraversion, and they don't measure exactly the same thing. You can google for online versions of a test called "The Big Five" or "Five Factor Model". Here's a link to an online test based on the MBTI. It's not the real MBTI but it's in the same ballpark.

 

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

 

I've dabbled in personality psychology as well, and you are on target about everything, imo.

 

Regarding the sometimes erroneous connotation of introvert/extrovert, I find it fascinating how we humans often adapt words to mean more (or less) than what it truly means. I agree that we often think of an introvert as someone who is socially awkward, withdrawn, maybe even hostile, but the true meaning is different than that. And knowing that it has that connotation, I was hesitant to call myself that in the previous post. But, I knew what I meant by it, so I was okay labeling myself that way. heh

 

Thanks for the info, fridayeyes.

[picklebongo]

BTW, many people think 'introvert' is about the same as 'loner' - someone who is socially awkward, withdrawn, maybe even hostile. This isn't the case, at least not for people in the field of personality psychology. Many introverts are socially adept, charming, great motivational speakers, etc. But for the introvert, things like large parties, meeting strangers or speaking to a large audience can feel emotionally draining. By contrast, an extravert typically feels invigorated by those things.

 

There are several differnt ways of measuring introversion/extraversion, and they don't measure exactly the same thing. You can google for online versions of a test called "The Big Five" or "Five Factor Model". Here's a link to an online test based on the MBTI. It's not the real MBTI but it's in the same ballpark.

 

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

Your first paragraph describes me, an introvert, exactly!

[trock]

I've dabbled in personality psychology as well, and you are on target about everything, imo.

 

Regarding the sometimes erroneous connotation of introvert/extrovert, I find it fascinating how we humans often adapt words to mean more (or less) than what it truly means. I agree that we often think of an introvert as someone who is socially awkward, withdrawn, maybe even hostile, but the true meaning is different than that. And knowing that it has that connotation, I was hesitant to call myself that in the previous post. But, I knew what I meant by it, so I was okay labeling myself that way. heh

 

Thanks for the info, fridayeyes.

 

 

I agree.. i can skip the parties and large gatherings too

[rongo31]

This, folks, will be my first post on the forum... I've been lurking for a few days, just looking for the "right" time to jump in - and Zaandam 2 provided it with the feast shown here!

 

Please... may I have the honor of sitting across from you at the table? You do share, don't you??? And I will promise to share when I order multiple desserts (including a double order of the Chocolate Melting Cake, of course!).

 

my place setting, this was just the appetizer course:

 

[markstudy]

I'm a good guy, I love people, I always go out-of-my way to help those in need. I was born with a very altruistic personality..... until I smell a bully!

 

So... I also have a dark side :p I couldn't resist, playing the changing seats game (sort of, trying a little experiment). See, we got matched up with a family who thought they were a little more important than the rest of us. :cool:

 

Watching the mini meltdown that followed was really interesting. (Payback is heck, when you're use to always getting your way...and these folks fit the bill to a "Tee". They thought the cruise was all about them.

 

I've always been very creative. My wife is a "paint by the numbers" type, so we've always had great conversations with our table mates on our various cruises. That is until we got seated with a family of 6 that tried to bully the staff and treat us like their help. On our 1st night, the mother actually looked at my wife and commanded in a snarky voice- "Give me the rolls". Before they left the table, they talked about how they weren't going to give a good tip because they thought the food in general was below their expectations.

 

My wife wanted to change tables for the 2nd night, but I begged her to stay. I just had a hunch that we could really have some fun. We got their early and took the two seats that had a great view of entire dining room ( the night before we arrived second, and were stuck with a view of the back wall and the kitchen) The "Me First" family came in and looked puzzled as they had to sit facing us, looking towards a wall and the kitchen this time.

 

It was 90 minutes of shear torture for them. They had that "how dare they" look on their face during the entire time. And it didn't help that the staff took care of us first and gave us extra service (because..... we were nice to the staff and treated them with our full respect the night before).

 

We booked a table for two, for the rest of the cruise, and noticed that the "Its all about me" family didn't come back to the dining room for the next two nights.

[ladyirish]

table to ourselves, just dh & I. if whoever does the dinner table matchups does it based on peoples ages, they didnt know where to put us, so they left us on our own. one night, we missed our time & we got put at a table with 2 other couples. while i can certainly respect and listen to people with political preferences that are opposite of mine, these 4 people spent the better part of an hour telling us how great/misunderstood the most recent former US president REALLY was. that was the only night we skipped dessert and went directly to the bar for several straight hours. we totally enjoyed being back to just the 2 of us the next night.

[2young2care]

telling us how great/misunderstood the most recent former US president REALLY was.

 

That is horrible when people talk religion or politics at the dinner table. :mad: That situation would have made even the greatest meal on earth completely inedible. :(

[ravenraisin]

Do you have to be seated with other people if your a table for 2?

[BlueJacketsFan1]

In three cruises we have only had tablemates twice. Our second cruise everyone was great. We still talk to a couple in Canada from time to time. The first cruise was one for the books. Luckily my wife and I sat at a table for 10. My wife and I talked to a very nice lady that sat beside us. The other 4 people together that sat acrossed from us(one guy and 3 girls). Two girls only ate two nights the couple ate every night. They really didn't have much to say to the 3 of us on our side of the table. I am a Corrections Officer in a prison. I overheard the other couple talking one night. Sorry listening to others conversations while talking with my wife or other is a job habit. Any way, the other couple was talking one night and it seems he was a ex-inmate from prison and a crack dealer. So there probably would of been a lot of good conversation anyway.

[tef43]

Do you have to be seated with other people if your a table for 2?

Huh? :confused:

 

If you're at a two-top, where would they sit?

[ravenraisin]

Sorry what i meant to say is that we are on our honeymoon and there is 2 of us, do we have to be seated with other people or do they have tables for 2 people. Hope that makes better sense.

[vacruizer]

In three cruises we have only had tablemates twice. Our second cruise everyone was great. We still talk to a couple in Canada from time to time. The first cruise was one for the books. Luckily my wife and I sat at a table for 10. My wife and I talked to a very nice lady that sat beside us. The other 4 people together that sat acrossed from us(one guy and 3 girls). Two girls only ate two nights the couple ate every night. They really didn't have much to say to the 3 of us on our side of the table. I am a Corrections Officer in a prison. I overheard the other couple talking one night. Sorry listening to others conversations while talking with my wife or other is a job habit. Any way, the other couple was talking one night and it seems he was a ex-inmate from prison and a crack dealer. So there probably would of been a lot of good conversation anyway.

 

:eek::eek::eek: That could have gotten really interesting!

 

We've done ok with the dinner seating tablemates except for one 2 night cruise where the other couples were very nice - we just didn't have anything in common with them. But for two nights it was fine.

 

It's the open seating breakfasts and lunches that get me - have met some really great people of all ages that way, but also had a few not so great ones. I've probably posted way back on this thread (can't remember) about the travel agents who kept handing out business cards at lunch one day and bragging about how rich they were and how we should start our own online travel agency underneath them. Some kind of pyramid scheme as best I could tell. We wolfed down dessert and got out of there quick!

 

We've also had the ones at lunch where we were seated, said hello to the two ladies next to us, and had the woman next to me literally not say a word, stand up, and turn her chair away from me so her back was to me and her side was to the table. They would not acknowledge the rest of the table for the whole meal - kind of awkward. The other couple said hello but wouldn't chat either. It was an odd meal. Sorry if I've posted this already - didn't feel like going back and reading the whole thread again!

[tef43]

Sorry what i meant to say is that we are on our honeymoon and there is 2 of us, do we have to be seated with other people or do they have tables for 2 people. Hope that makes better sense.

You may request a 2-top. Otherwise, you will be seated with others at a larger table.

[ravenraisin]

thank you for your quick reply :D

[mgonagl]

Both my husband and I are in the customer service business in one capacity or another and we are both very good at what we do, which means we love to talk and can strike up a meaningful conversation with anyone. Well, almost. On our Alaska cruise aboard the Star Princess, we had requested early seating and a table for 2. Unfortunately, the main dining room on the Star Princess doesn’t have tables for 2, so the waiter escorted us to a table for 4, and there was a couple already sitting there. YIKES!!!!! As we approached the table, unbeknownst to each of us, there were signals going off in our heads. WARNING, WARNING WILL ROBONSON, DANGER, DANGER! The worst part was this was the nicest table in the dining area with a beautiful view. So, we sat.

 

Now, we’ve been cruising for a while and we are not snobs. I want to make that perfectly clear. But as we walked up to the table, we both had a premonition of dread. It wasn’t that they were old, my parents are old and I still like them, it wasn’t that the gentleman was dressed in a t-shirt, we follow the dress code but have no problem with those that don’t. It was the fact that after our drinks arrived but before the bread and butter, they indicated their dislike for liquor, explained that they were new to this cruising thing and weren’t sure they’d like it and by the way, doesn’t she look great! She has lost 175 pounds to date after having gastric bypass surgery! Wait for it….they had pictures of before, during and after the surgery. Oh, and he’s a diabetic, she was too but since the surgery, that has passed. And one of them has the gout, but I’m sorry, I really can’t remember which one.

 

I have a sister that’s a nurse and another one who should be. I am a wedding planner and a Tourism Professor at a local college, this blood and guts stuff is disgusting and best left to them. I would rather deal with 100 bridezillas or 1,000 crazy students before I would ever step into a medical type role. The fact that we entertained these people for an hour so as not to be rude is a testament to our customer service skills. Outstanding customer service skills, I might add. But, we are not crazy nor gluttons for punishment. As we were leaving our breakfast the following day, the matra ‘d asked us how our dinner was and, after our response, immediately moved us to anytime dining for the remainder of our cruise. I’d like to apologize to our tablemates, NOT!

 

So if I happen to be on the same cruise as you in please, stop by and say hello. If you have pictures to show, please, let them be of your children or grandkids! Or your wedding, I love wedding pictures! Anything but gastric bypass surgery. I really wish I made this story up…..

[amcjeep4life]

Hey Sherry! Bring yourself over to the roll call boards and join the roll call for the October cruise. We'll be there with you. I've lost 105 pounds, but did it old-fashioned way, so I promise, no pictures to share! :p

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=880189

[cruisincory]

This is a very good thread...heres my story

 

My DW and I were on our honeymoon cruise on the Inspiration last August. We stayed at a hotel in Tampa the night before the cruise. While we were waiting on the shuttle to take us to the port from the hotel, we met a couple that were going on the cruise as well. I introduced myself and my wife. They did the same and everything seemed to be going great. That is untill we told them that we were from NC. They said they were from somewhere in Illinois and really didnt speak to us much after that. Well, we get to the dining room the 1st night and low and behold they were at our table. We also sat with 2 other couples, one couple was 40ish and were newlyweds like us. They were from South Carolina. The other couple was around our age (25 at the time) and were from Georgia. We made it threw the dinner and the IL couple didnt say not one word to any of us. They just sat there, while the rest of us had good conversation. Finally, at the end of dinner, the guy from IL flagged the waiter down. He stood up and whispered LOUDLY into the waiters ear that they wanted a new table because they did not want to sit with a bunch of rednecks from the south:eek:. Keep in mind that they knew nothing about us or the rest at the table. Well, as they walked away, I said in my most redneck voice, "YA'LL have a good time and enjoy they rest of YER cruise! My whole table busted out laughing. We did see the couple throughout the cruise, but they wouldnt even look at us.:D

[seahawk_girl07]

This is a very good thread...heres my story

 

My DW and I were on our honeymoon cruise on the Inspiration last August. We stayed at a hotel in Tampa the night before the cruise. While we were waiting on the shuttle to take us to the port from the hotel, we met a couple that were going on the cruise as well. I introduced myself and my wife. They did the same and everything seemed to be going great. That is untill we told them that we were from NC. They said they were from somewhere in Illinois and really didnt speak to us much after that. Well, we get to the dining room the 1st night and low and behold they were at our table. We also sat with 2 other couples, one couple was 40ish and were newlyweds like us. They were from South Carolina. The other couple was around our age (25 at the time) and were from Georgia. We made it threw the dinner and the IL couple didnt say not one word to any of us. They just sat there, while the rest of us had good conversation. Finally, at the end of dinner, the guy from IL flagged the waiter down. He stood up and whispered LOUDLY into the waiters ear that they wanted a new table because they did not want to sit with a bunch of rednecks from the south:eek:. Keep in mind that they knew nothing about us or the rest at the table. Well, as they walked away, I said in my most redneck voice, "YA'LL have a good time and enjoy they rest of YER cruise! My whole table busted out laughing. We did see the couple throughout the cruise, but they wouldnt even look at us.:D

 

*shakes head* I love how all of us from the south are labeled as rednecks by some, though they know nothing about us:rolleyes:. I was literally lmao at your absolutely perfect response to their rudeness:D.

[Bethwte]

This is a very good thread...heres my story

 

My DW and I were on our honeymoon cruise on the Inspiration last August. We stayed at a hotel in Tampa the night before the cruise. While we were waiting on the shuttle to take us to the port from the hotel, we met a couple that were going on the cruise as well. I introduced myself and my wife. They did the same and everything seemed to be going great. That is untill we told them that we were from NC. They said they were from somewhere in Illinois and really didnt speak to us much after that. Well, we get to the dining room the 1st night and low and behold they were at our table. We also sat with 2 other couples, one couple was 40ish and were newlyweds like us. They were from South Carolina. The other couple was around our age (25 at the time) and were from Georgia. We made it threw the dinner and the IL couple didnt say not one word to any of us. They just sat there, while the rest of us had good conversation. Finally, at the end of dinner, the guy from IL flagged the waiter down. He stood up and whispered LOUDLY into the waiters ear that they wanted a new table because they did not want to sit with a bunch of rednecks from the south:eek:. Keep in mind that they knew nothing about us or the rest at the table. Well, as they walked away, I said in my most redneck voice, "YA'LL have a good time and enjoy they rest of YER cruise! My whole table busted out laughing. We did see the couple throughout the cruise, but they wouldnt even look at us.:D

 

LOL! That is great and good for you for having a great sense of humor about it. I am waiting for the day when they run into someone from the East Coast who thinks anything west of them (which includes oh so lovely Illinois) is all farms and cows. :p

[Attack Dog]

LOL! That is great and good for you for having a great sense of humor about it. I am waiting for the day when they run into someone from the East Coast who thinks anything west of them (which includes oh so lovely Illinois) is all farms and cows. :p

 

I can relate to stereo typing an area. I get tired of dealing with people who:

1. Don't realize that New Mexico is a state (since 1912) and you don't need a passport to travel here.

2. Think there is nothing but primitive small towns, dirt roads, and hot dry dessert.

3. Assume I know Spanish.

4. Compliments me on how good my English is.

 

When I was in high school I made a trip to Missouri. My aunt invited a friend of hers for dinner one night. The woman asked me if I go to a country 1 room school house?:rolleyes:

[cruisincory]

I can relate to stereo typing an area. I get tired of dealing with people who:

1. Don't realize that New Mexico is a state (since 1912) and you don't need a passport to travel here.

2. Think there is nothing but primitive small towns, dirt roads, and hot dry dessert.

3. Assume I know Spanish.

4. Compliments me on how good my English is.

 

When I was in high school I made a trip to Missouri. My aunt invited a friend of hers for dinner one night. The woman asked me if I go to a country 1 room school house?:rolleyes:

 

 

Dang thanks for clearing that up. I was about to ask if you had the swine flu seeing as you are from mexico..:D:D

[recyclelady]

This is a very good thread...heres my story

 

My DW and I were on our honeymoon cruise on the Inspiration last August. We stayed at a hotel in Tampa the night before the cruise. While we were waiting on the shuttle to take us to the port from the hotel, we met a couple that were going on the cruise as well. I introduced myself and my wife. They did the same and everything seemed to be going great. That is untill we told them that we were from NC. They said they were from somewhere in Illinois and really didnt speak to us much after that. Well, we get to the dining room the 1st night and low and behold they were at our table. We also sat with 2 other couples, one couple was 40ish and were newlyweds like us. They were from South Carolina. The other couple was around our age (25 at the time) and were from Georgia. We made it threw the dinner and the IL couple didnt say not one word to any of us. They just sat there, while the rest of us had good conversation. Finally, at the end of dinner, the guy from IL flagged the waiter down. He stood up and whispered LOUDLY into the waiters ear that they wanted a new table because they did not want to sit with a bunch of rednecks from the south:eek:. Keep in mind that they knew nothing about us or the rest at the table. Well, as they walked away, I said in my most redneck voice, "YA'LL have a good time and enjoy they rest of YER cruise! My whole table busted out laughing. We did see the couple throughout the cruise, but they wouldnt even look at us.:D

Cruisin Cory---I'm from Illinois and I'll be happy to sit with any of you "rednecks" any time!!!:D

[gtouch]

Just a question. If I have never had bad table companions does this mean that I was the bad one? But then again I am from Texas and probably wouldn't notice someone berating me or being disgusted with my presence.