Do you enjoy hallway banter?

[FinelyCruising]

Stare back at them and make quiet little comments to your dog... "No bite, gooooood dog... no bite." ;) Bet you get the elevator to yourselves at the next stop.

 

Is that what the elevators on a cruise ship are for...keeping others out ???

[MEcruzr]

Okay, here goes... Wizard said she, her husband (in a wheelchair) and their service dog often get "glares and stares" (her words) when they all get on elevators... she then said "What to do???" My suggestion about telling the dog "no bite" and having the elevator to themselves was facetious (a joke, not serious). I thought the winking smiley would have been a clue to that...

 

Did anyone else think I was serious?!?

[Aussie Cruisers]

MEC - I got your joke. :)

 

I am a dog lover, so I would probably ignore the owner completey and talk to the dog!

 

I am like that with babies - ignore the mother/father and just talk to the baby.

[camperhawk]

On one of my cruises with my son, we saw an older gentleman in the hallway wearing a very dapper captains cap and of course me being me..said looking good tonight Captain! He said thankyou and nodded. End of story. No..My son, said "he wasn't the captain mom" and was embarrased? Of course I knew that and was just making hallway chat. Anyway next day we go to lunch in the dining room a the very nice gentleman (without his cap) and his wife, were at the same table.. nicest couple, the gentleman talked with my son at length about his goals, ambitions etc. told stories about his experiences, and my son came away saying "he was really great and gave me his card" I smiled, and said "that is the man I talked to in the hallway last night that you were embarassed about! Lesson learned . ...I always speak to people, some sort of acknowlegement and my son now that he is grown has learned to do that also!

[Texed]

Aussie Cruiser,

Howdy! Most folks like my "accent" also. :D

[Fogfog]

When we travel it's with an entourage....we have a service dog and sometimes my DH uses his wheelchair and then there's me.....we take up, at least 1/4 of the elevator and we are invariably stepping on someone's toes.....You should see the looks we get....sometimes, I just avoid other people's faces and their glares and stares!!! :(

 

I like to strike-up conversations with strangers...but, some people are just not receptive to my group!:confused:

 

What to do??????

 

If we met on a cruise--not only would we love to talk--:D but I would alo ask if we (my teens) could pet the dog--or if your dog was "working and on duty" as we know not to engage a dog while working.;)

 

A freind of mine is a young lady in a chari--she just got a pup who is being trained as a service dog.

 

Very cool! Happy cruising!--

[Fogfog]

Stare back at them and make quiet little comments to your dog... "No bite, gooooood dog... no bite." ;) Bet you get the elevator to yourselves at the next stop.

 

 

Stacy

 

VERY funny. I got your joke too! :D

[Kathie44]

DH and I and our 5 kids camped for years and were initially amazed at how friendly fellow campers were-waving, chatting and helpful to total strangers. Then we realized it's just part of the scene. We have a weekend home and a pontoon boat. Boaters always wave at everyone.

That's how cruisers are, too. I'm more of a talker than DH is. I'm the one who initiates most of our conversations. But once he gets going, especially at meal tables, he's fine. We don't talk much in hallways, but always smile and sayhello.

I love to meet new people and will wave or smile leading up to talking. The day after I won the Starstruck Celebrity Game show I got a big kick out of being greeted all over the ship by total strangers calling me by name and congratulating me. I usually go to the trivia games without DH and never have a problem finding a team to play with. We used to be joined at the hip on cruises, but he's not the social butterfly that I am, so I decided to go out on my own. He just shakes his head when I come back with the "big" prizes, pens, t-shirts, luggage tags, lanyards, folios, etc. :D He did play with me and another couple a few times on Galaxy in the evening. Unfortunately Mercury didn't have evening trivia for teams. It's a great way to meet people.

AussieCruisers--we will be on Mercury's 1/20 Aust/NZ cruise so I will get my fill of that cool accent soon. ;D

[wizard-of-roz]

You guys are so cute...............Anytime you see us....And, you'll know us when you do....If I look like I'm totally engrossed in positioning a big black lab and a handsome grey-haired guy.....Please, please say hello and do give one of them a "pat!" :D

 

Even I enjoy an "pat" now and then!!!!!:p

[MEcruzr]

Hey Wiz... if I see a big black lab, you can be SURE I'm going to speak to you. I miss my two big black labs terribly when I'm cruising!

[Pontius Navigator]

DH and I and our 5 kids camped for years and were initially amazed at how friendly fellow campers were-waving, chatting and helpful to total strangers. Then we realized it's just part of the scene.

 

I guess your definition of camping will be different from European, more space for starters and very few SUV. Then there will be static caravan sites, mobile caravan sites and, especially through Europe, sited tents run by different companies.

 

The advantage of these tented sites was they operate a 7-day week rather than a Saturday-Saturday basis. New families are arriving and others leaving all the time. However security was never an issue.

 

Within a British/Irish/Dutch area everyone would keep an eye out on single people walking around. It was quite the norm, during the day, to secure passports, money, cameras, radios etc in the bedroom secured by no more than a zip.

 

Other times total strangers have come over and mentioned that the courier had been around or that this or that had gone on. If it rained then someone would gather and fold up laundry etc.

[CatServants]

I love this thread!:) OK, here we go...

 

Smile, wave, chit chat - life's too short to ignore others but just long enough to enrich ourselves through laughter.:p

 

Elevators (or "lifts" to our overseas friends)? On nights when I'm wearing heels, I'm happy to climb the stairs, but prefer to ride down - less chance of tripping on hems. I can't imagine thinking badly of anyone riding in the elevator (except the unsupervised pre-teens entertaining themselves by riding up and down over and over - thank goodness that's rare!;)). Elevators are a convenience for many and a necessity for some. There's room for everyone!:)

 

And, you caught me. I'm the slobbering drunk shouting to passing strangers in the hall outside your cabins at 4:00 in the morning!;)

 

"talk" to you later...:D

 

Denise

[Fogfog]

You guys are so cute...............Anytime you see us....And, you'll know us when you do....If I look like I'm totally engrossed in positioning a big black lab and a handsome grey-haired guy.....Please, please say hello and do give one of them a "pat!" :D

 

Even I enjoy an "pat" now and then!!!!!:p

 

Hugs all around!!:D Cheers!

Just so you are not wondering who is that woman hugging my dog, my hubby and about to hug me!

[golfnkitties]

You guys are so cute...............Anytime you see us....And, you'll know us when you do....If I look like I'm totally engrossed in positioning a big black lab and a handsome grey-haired guy.....Please, please say hello and do give one of them a "pat!" :D

 

Even I enjoy an "pat" now and then!!!!!:p

 

Hi Roz ! You didn't specify who gets the pat, you didn't include yourself !;) For the time being, until this time next year, pats to all ! The kitties even send one, but it possibly may include a hiss or two ! And of course, DH is still working on perfecting his meows ! :D

[Kathie44]

Pontius Nav, we camped in an 8-sleeper pop-up or fold-out. I don't know of any American campgrounds that are for weekends only. We camped in many states and had wonderful experiences. We started in '78 with a large tent, but after using my dad's pop-up for 1 night, I told DH that was the only way I would camp for long periods of time. We had trips of 2-3 weeks several summers. plus many weekends. Our kids, 4 boys and a girl, had a ball. Even after they grew up and didn't go with us anymore we went by ourselves several years, including the '94 world Cup in Chicago (3 of the boys also had tickets and commuted back and forth, sleeping over with us) and the '96 Atlanta Olympics.

More than once, fellow campers buttoned up for us when it rained and we were gone, gave us firewood, helped with camper stuck in mud or sand, etd. We "payed it forward" whenever possible. 3 years ago our 3rd son and his family starting using the camper themselves. My heart skipped a beat when he said with a sigh, "It was just like old times."

We haven't camped in our camper since '98 (touring Boston/Gloucester after a wedding in Springfield MA). We went 3 times with DH's cousin and wife in theirs. Cruising is the best for us now, even if we don't go as often. As I said before, cruisers are every bit as friendly as campers! I think sleeping in the camper made it easier to adjust to the compact staterooms, too. :D

[bobbyleduck]

Dear Mark:

 

You're my kind of person. I'm the person who gets on an elevator last, turns toward the rest of the people and ask, "I bet you're all wondering why I called this meeting." It breaks them up every time, and I've met and conversed with a lot of people that way. The last time, aboard Infinity last March, I did that three times. People never know what to do on an elevator, and laughing at me is better than just looking up at the numbers as they light up.

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

[wizard-of-roz]

Bob: I hope I get to meet you sometime.....you would defintely have me smiling! :D

Robin: Brenny loves kitties.....she thinks they're puppies and wants to nuture them, although she's so much bigger than they are, it doesn't matter she'll lick their faces and nuzzle them close to her :p .....I hope we get to share a cruise!

[Aussie Cruisers]

Hey - I think that is sooo funny! I will keep an eye out for you so that if that ever happens to me... I'll say - "I am glad you came, we are downsizing, and you have to go Bob." Oh, that is cruel. No, I'll give you a promotion. :D

 

Wizard of Roz, DW and I love labs. Best dogs ever, after Cattle Dogs and Malteze terriers. :) DON'T FLAME ME FOR THAT! Ahhhhh!

 

Mark :p

[wizard-of-roz]

Mark: I love, love, love ALL dogs.....they're so much more in tune to life than humans.....I never really cared much for Black Labs, (until I met this one), I was always a "blonde kind of gal"!!!!!

However, when I was introduced to Brenda (the wonder dog) and saw what she could do (she knows over 100 commands) and does each one with such style and grace, I was so in love with her......I wanted her to be mine.

When your being trained to work with a Service Dog, you really don't have a choice...it's up to the trainers who pick the Teams by a lot of different standards.....I just got very, very lucky! We're both Alpha females and our personalities matched perfectly! And, they knew it the second we started working together. I really wanted the big blonde dog, but she wanted to just sit by my side and really didn't have much of a personality, she was just too beautiful and she knew it!

You would love to see what Brenda can do.....She's amazing!!!!!...She understands "sentences" not just "one word commands"! She's so, so smart!

Maybe one day you'll get to meet her. Her itinerary is as follows:

• Golden Princess, September 29th and November 24th.
  
• Carnival Pride on January 20th, 2008
  
• HAL's Oosterdam on April 12, 2008
  
• Celebrity's Mercury on October 22, 2008.

We're giving you enough chances...come onboard!!!!

[MEcruzr]

""I bet you're all wondering why I called this meeting." "

 

Now see, I'd be one in the back who'd say, just loud enough for everyone to hear... "OMG, he's PREGNANT."

 

MECruzr

[Lois R]

ME....that is an excellent one.......I will try and remember it next

time I take the elevator:D

""I bet you're all wondering why I called this meeting." "

[bobbyleduck]

You're all great, and you're all welcome to join us and a lot of our friends from Infinity, along with all of our new friends on our roll call for the Trans Atlantic crossing of Millenium in December. I think there's still room for all of you, if you hurry.

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

[Lois R]

"Also--my DH always offers to help people with photos

--you know -when someone is not going to be in the group or family shot since they are taking the pic--We always offer to take the pics for them..."

 

Hi:) I do that as well. Many times I am walking on my own

and if I see folks who are taking a picture of one another I will

stop and ask them if they would like me to take one of them together.

It always gets a smile and thank you.

 

As for the saying hello in the hallway, I am trying to think

back over my cruises. Many times I rarely see my neighbors...

who knows why? Maybe we are just on different schedules.

But I will always smile and say hello:)...lots of times I end up

seeing my cabin attendant, asst or even other cabin attendants

and we always say hello! Usually mine never fails to stop and

ask me how I am doing, how my day went, etc.

 

Sometimes you can get a good vibe from another person and

the conversation comes pretty easily. In that case, let's chat:D

I have been told over the years I have never had a problem

doing that;) :rolleyes:

[FinelyCruising]

Oh.....it seems this might have turned in a discovery channel of sorts....

 

We cruise and are friendly to those we meet in a hallway,elevator or any other common venue while on board.

 

We (DH & I) do not limit friendliness to those with dogs or cats or other invisibles or visbles on board, nor do we limit our friendliness to those on scooters either/..for example. We just say like to say hello to all kinds of drunks, male wife purse holders, kid handlers or dress failures, and the like....

 

If some want a higher ranking of attention to being good enough to some higher power, then I can't comment or participate in a compete.

 

The OP asked do I enjoy Hallway Banter. My short answer was YES!:)

[Lois R]

Hi FC:D :) :D