Unwelcome At Our Assigned Table

[dmk]

I am posting this because my husband and I were quite upset by this experience. I'd really appreciate it if you could share your opinions or experiences.

On Dec 7 Solstice cruise, my DH and I had asked for a large table. I just love meeting and chatting with new people.

On the first night in the MDR, the Maitre D'ee was showing us to our table assigned. As we approached a lady from the table jumped up and frantically said to the Maitre D'ee that he had put two strangers at their table! And this was not what she asked for!

Well, we then knew that we were the 2 "strangers" she was referring to since there were 2 empty spots at the table we and she was assigned to. My DH and I looked at each other hardly believing what she had said and feeling most unwelcome. The Maitre D'ee was very embarrassed.

We said to the Maitre D'ee that we will not push ourselves where we were not wanted and sat at a table for 2.

What do you think? Has this ever happened to you?

[FinelyCruising]

No, this has not happened to me, and I think you recovered nicely with the move to the table for 2. I would have done the same.

 

So who were these people? Did you ever find out or see them again? :eek:

[CaptData]

Yes it happened to me once. I was put with a family of 9. They moved me immediately to another table where I was welcomed with opened arms.

[lysolqn]

You and your husband were incredibly gracious - which is a lot more than I can say for your intended tablemates. It's too bad the lady in question didn't have enough smarts to be embarrassed by her behavior; you were far better off without her company.

[KULPN]

I am posting this because my husband and I were quite upset by this experience. I'd really appreciate it if you could share your opinions or experiences.

On Dec 7 Solstice cruise, my DH and I had asked for a large table. I just love meeting and chatting with new people.

On the first night in the MDR, the Maitre D'ee was showing us to our table assigned. As we approached a lady from the table jumped up and frantically said to the Maitre D'ee that he had put two strangers at their table! And this was not what she asked for!

Well, we then knew that we were the 2 "strangers" she was referring to since there were 2 empty spots at the table we and she was assigned to. My DH and I looked at each other hardly believing what she had said and feeling most unwelcome. The Maitre D'ee was very embarrassed.

We said to the Maitre D'ee that we will not push ourselves where we were not wanted and sat at a table for 2.

What do you think? Has this ever happened to you?

no, it hasn't. How rude they were!

[Susan-M]

Hi DMK,

It hasn't happened to us, but I just wanted to say that their loss was your gain and that you were much better off leaving quickly. Sitting through dinner with her probably would have been dreadful.

[PATCHESPOP]

I'm so sorry that you had this experience. In 25 years of cruising we have only asked for a change of table once and that was because we were the only English speaking couple at the table. The others were a family traveling together and while they were very polite and we all tried to communicate, it was obvious that it was just as uncomfortable for them as it was for us.

 

I must say that in your situation, you were far more gracious than I think I might have been. I'm sure that you were far better off as far away from that b-tch as possible. However, I have to admit that DW and I would probably have joined the table for at least one night and made every effort to have been as annoying to her as possible. :D Like, I said, you are obviously a much nicer person than I am!

[JYL]

DH and I were the first seated at our table for 8 on Century 12/20-12/24. The waiter brought a man and woman over who, when they realized they were supposed to sit with us, looked like we were axe murderers! They refused to be seated and the waiter walked them away. We were lucky enough to then have Frank, Marcia, their daughter Stephanie, and her boyfriend Michael sit with us. We had a wonderful time with them, hey guys!, and laughed about the other couple's loss (our fun table:)) for the rest of the cruise.

 

I understand some people don't want to chat with strangers, but for us, it's part of the charm of a cruise.

 

dmk: I'm sure it was nothing personal, just an awkward moment to laugh about later. I hope you had a wonderful cruise.

 

Judy

[mybagsarepacked]

I am posting this because my husband and I were quite upset by this experience. I'd really appreciate it if you could share your opinions or experiences.

 

On Dec 7 Solstice cruise, my DH and I had asked for a large table. I just love meeting and chatting with new people.

 

On the first night in the MDR, the Maitre D'ee was showing us to our table assigned. As we approached a lady from the table jumped up and frantically said to the Maitre D'ee that he had put two strangers at their table! And this was not what she asked for!

 

Well, we then knew that we were the 2 "strangers" she was referring to since there were 2 empty spots at the table we and she was assigned to. My DH and I looked at each other hardly believing what she had said and feeling most unwelcome. The Maitre D'ee was very embarrassed.

 

We said to the Maitre D'ee that we will not push ourselves where we were not wanted and sat at a table for 2.

 

What do you think? Has this ever happened to you?

 

Good gracious, that is horrible. We always ask for 8's as well for the same reason, and thankfully have been rewarded with meeting fascinating and genuine people from everywhere around the globe. Perhaps this was her first cruise and she didn't understand about the mixed dining. Whatever the reason, I am sorry you were witness to her tirade. I would have been mortified.

 

Please post when you are cruising next and if we are ever on the same cruise, you are certainly welcome at my table, any time!

[ellbon]

That has not happen to me. but i had waiters who told me i could not sit in that chair becasue it belonged to another couple:eek: I ended up at a great table.

[ccletzgo]

I am posting this because my husband and I were quite upset by this experience. I'd really appreciate it if you could share your opinions or experiences.

 

On Dec 7 Solstice cruise, my DH and I had asked for a large table. I just love meeting and chatting with new people.

 

On the first night in the MDR, the Maitre D'ee was showing us to our table assigned. As we approached a lady from the table jumped up and frantically said to the Maitre D'ee that he had put two strangers at their table! And this was not what she asked for!

 

Well, we then knew that we were the 2 "strangers" she was referring to since there were 2 empty spots at the table we and she was assigned to. My DH and I looked at each other hardly believing what she had said and feeling most unwelcome. The Maitre D'ee was very embarrassed.

 

We said to the Maitre D'ee that we will not push ourselves where we were not wanted and sat at a table for 2.

 

What do you think? Has this ever happened to you?

 

Just read your post out loud to DH. SAME thing happened to us on our last cruise on the constellation. Only we were the first ones at the table and when the family of 6 were being walked to the table, the "women" (obviously the queen) started throwing her arms around and stopped dead in her tracks and and shook her head, NO!. It was the rudest thing I have been subjected to on a cruise, and our waiter was appalled. The rest of the cruise we sat alone at our table for 8. The waiter was upset because of the tips he should have made, but we did get the very best most PERSONAL service ever. The family was sat at a table on the other end of the room. Every time we ran into the family during the cruise, the men were all very friendly, and seemed a bit embarrassed, but the queen women would not look at us.. It was one of those times I wanted to ask the men how they felt being hen pecked to the point of embarrassment.

 

I can understand not being happy with a table assignment, but there certainly is a better way of handling it. AFTER the first night you privately ask to be moved and then explain to the others at the table that you planed on a smaller table. Thats what I would have done anyway.

I think you should give the others at the table some kind of explanation, otherwise when you see each other the rest of the week, (and you will) it wont be as awkward as it was with us

[geoherb]

We once sat down at our table for 8 that already had two couples seated there. And then two more couples came. We were ready to let them have our seats, but it turned out one of the couples who was there before us was at the wrong table. Once they left there was room for everyone--and it turned out to be a great table.

 

And on a Royal Caribbean cruise, we were seated at a table with a large family. They let us know right away that they were trying to switch to the early seating. We ended up having a terrific family from England (mother and father, daughter and her husband) and another couple join our table for the rest of the cruise.

 

And on a Holland America cruise, I had booked us dinner in the specialty restaurant for the first night. We went down to the dining room to introduce ourselves to the people at our table and to explain to our waiters that we'd be eating elsewhere that night but were looking forward to dining with them the rest of the week. When we arrived at dinner the next night, the couple we had met had switched to another table. We never saw them again. But the two couples who joined us were delightful.

[Fang]

On past cruises we usually have a pretty good table.

 

We have made some very good friends with one couple (who we continue to talk to and have taken several more cruises with).

 

However, we have had some very bad tables:

 

1. We sat with a women and her daughters and all this women talked about was how smart she was and how dumb everyone else was.

 

2. On our last cruise, with my daughters (10 and 13) we asked to be at a table of four or with another family. We ended up with four people who could not speak English and came to dinner at least 30 minutes late every time.

 

I think its hit and miss, most time its a hit. But as my old Pappy used to say "you can't fix stupid".

[CruisinNewb]

It was a shame you had to deal with people like this. Unfortunately they are out there and you handled it with tact and class.

 

Hope the rest of your cruise was great. Their loss.

 

Ron

[wannuhcruise]

On the first night in the MDR, the Maitre D'ee was showing us to our table assigned. As we approached a lady from the table jumped up and frantically said to the Maitre D'ee that he had put two strangers at their table! And this was not what she asked for!

 

Oh, that's just horrible! I'm going on my first cruise in a couple of months with my sisters and our mom. I'm looking forward to meeting new people and would absolutely welcome you and your DH at our table!

[Ma Bell]

I sure hope that wasn't me. We had a group of 18 assigned to three tables for six beside each other and our reservations had been confused all day. There was a couple who came to one of our tables and had to be reseated but I know I didn't call them "strangers". If the Maitre'd made a mistake he should explain the situation.

[usha]

We said to the Maitre D'ee that we will not push ourselves where we were not wanted and sat at a table for 2.

 

What do you think? Has this ever happened to you?

Personally, I'd consider the situation a bonus.

I'd much rather be at a table for 2 with my husband anyway.:D

[warmwinds]

We had the reverse happen to us once. We were seated at a table (with our young daughter) with two other couples, one of which had a teen. It was very quickly we realized that they knew each other, and after a few days I got up the courage to ask them why they wanted strangers when they all knew each other so well - they said, "oh, that's the problem, we're sick of each other and wanted some new blood and conversation :)" They were very nice and we had a great time.

 

Another time we were on late seating, waitlisted for early (again with our young daughter) and the first night were put at a huge, crowded (too many chairs for the table) table that we loved, the people, none of whom knew each other, were fabulous. We told them before the end of dinner that we were w/l'd for early, and might not be there the next night, but it wasn't because of them - we saw them all throughout the cruise and became great friends...our new early table wasn't bad, either.

[dmk]

Thank you all for being so gracious:) and sharing your stories with me.

This has never happened to us before.

I will still be asking for a large table on our Spring Transatlantic. I feel sure that the majority of people ask for a larger table because they would like to meet new people.

I enjoyed my cruise very much and I put this incident behind us.:)

[barryod]

I'm so sorry that you had this experience. In 25 years of cruising we have only asked for a change of table once and that was because we were the only English speaking couple at the table. The others were a family traveling together and while they were very polite and we all tried to communicate, it was obvious that it was just as uncomfortable for them as it was for us.

 

I must say that in your situation, you were far more gracious than I think I might have been. I'm sure that you were far better off as far away from that b-tch as possible. However, I have to admit that DW and I would probably have joined the table for at least one night and made every effort to have been as annoying to her as possible. :D Like, I said, you are obviously a much nicer person than I am!

 

I too, would have enjoyed atleast one dinner with that snob. One can only imagine what her TA or the cruise line went through to book the cruise for her. I've had a great time dining on all of my cruises and always look forward to eating with friends I haven't met yet.

 

Barry

[5waldos]

Sounds like she did you a favor by letting her jerkiness out there immediately instead of making you sit through an unpleasant meal and figure it out yourself. I really wonder how some people figure out how to board a ship when it is clear that they know so little about cruising and the expectations on board.

[Marytutor]

On our first cruise we had requested a table for two. Having never sailed before we merely looked at the table card in our cabin and saw that it said "2" so we assumed that we had one. We were the first to arrrive at the table for 6 when a husband and wife arrived and she immediately, within four feet of the table, said that she was not sitting at this table. It was a nice table by the window. The husband was very uncomfortable with her and said that they would probably be back. Fortunately they did not. A delightful young British couple sat down and we had a delightful dinner with them. They were away for the first time without their children and had wanted a table for two and they stated that they would try to get one. We understood. They did not come back, but every time that we saw them they would stop to say hello. The next night a party of four was at the table and stayed the rest of the 12 days left.. Unfortunately there was one who was rude to the servers and kept complaining about how the food did not live up to the RCCL. I felt sorry for the other family members as they were nice and plaeasnt to be with.

 

Since then we have been fortunate to dine with Cruise critic members and have had wonderful fun times that usually make us close to the last to leave the room. We have traveled with them on various cruises and have met some more wonderful folks through them.

 

If we were in the situation as the OP, we would probably just use the we wanted a table for two escape.

 

Hope that you never have that happen again.

[hcat]

On "X" once we had a comfy table for 8 in a great location....until one of the women kept maneuvering & switching until she had 12 of us stuffed in there--finally we & another couple who were not part of the "group" volunteered to go to a table for 4,, We had a nice location & good conversation for the week.... much better than we wold have had at the original assignmemnt with this woman orchestrating everything....sometimes it is best to go with the flow....

[wannuhcruise]

On "X" once we had a comfy table for 8 in a great location....until one of the women kept maneuvering & switching until she had 12 of us stuffed in there...

 

Oh, that's just WRONG! I'm glad you were able to make it work out for yourselves in the long-run.

[BurgerBits]

It's awful that you were made to feel so 'unworthy!' :D :D

 

Glad you managed to salvage a nice continued dining experience for yourselves...

 

On my very first cruise (myself and a friend, not my DH), we were seated at a large table. Everyone was pleasant enough -- except for one fella. He absolutely insisted on ordering one of EVERY SINGLE THING on the MDR menu, EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. The poor waiter would bring a dish, he would have a bite, and decide if he would 'keep' it or send it back.

 

Needless to say, our table was tremendously cluttered, service was way off-kilter (for the 1st two nights, anyway - after that, our waiter and asst. waiter went ahead and just served the rest of us at the normal pace). What a gross idiot!! And his wife just kept wringing her hands and saying, "Well, he says that it's all you can eat, and he paid for it, so he's determined to enjoy it."

 

Disgusting.