Table mates

[jdb in AZ]

Originally Posted by CeCeGarrett

See? And I am a wee bit concerned that DCL's data mining skills will only "see" that while my DH is a pastor in Mississippi... and neglect to detect (hee! I rhymed!) that we are a progressive church - to the extent that we are LGBTQ friendly. The results of assuming who we mesh with could be as disastrous as when a new hair stylist hears that I'm a preacher's wife.

I don't know how DCL would know your DH is a pastor. None of the check-in info asks for your profession or religious preference.

[ratt1345]

Here's my story from our last cruise, which was a Wonder Alaska cruise June 2011.
In this case, DCL did not have any rhyme or reason for putting our table together. Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining. DW and I don't have any children and nor did any of our table mates. From what I remember, one person was from NYC, another was from Virginia, a newly married couple and a guy from Australia. They varied in age from 24 to around 50.

I use to be nervous about being seated with strangers, but not anymore. It's great to hear about other people's experiences. In Florida, we don't get snow (well possibly in the panhandle once every 40 years!!!). So I like to hear how people, that do get it, deal with it.

[CEGrant]

Originally Posted by ratt1345

In Florida, we don't get snow (well possibly in the panhandle once every 40 years!!!). So I like to hear how people, that do get it, deal with it.

We deal with it by booking Disney vacations!

[sherpasmom]

We had a table of Single parents (3 ladies and 1 gentleman) travelling with their only child on our Dream cruise last year! Although dd was more mature than the other girls she enjoyed them and of course having some company, as did I!

In fact, I think Dinner was one of her favorite parts of cruising, and mine too. Our waitstaff was outstanding as well.

Altho....it was a little awkward one night when the photographer mistook me and the lone Dad at the table as a couple Everyone was cool about it tho and we cut each other some slack if someone (adult or kid) was tired from a busy day.

My only regret was in not getting some of their details...I won't make that mistake again with people I really enjoy!

[lucyem]

On our one and only cruise we were at our own table. I did not mind, it was only a 3 night. I am considering requesting to sit with others on our cruise in April. Maybe crazy but it would be nice to have others to talk to at dinner. Plus other kids would be a good distraction for my kids.

[Melissa S]

Originally Posted by dgmommie

FYI, I found on our on cruise last month that you are allowed to color on the tablecloths with crayons. Shocked me! I saw a boy coloring all over the tablecloth at a table nearby and made a comment about how it was going to be hard to get that out to our assistant server. He said not at all, brought over crayons and showed us. Then he left them there for us to color and draw! We had fun doing that each night after that. The asst server would join us in coloring/drawing each night too (late seating, only 3 tables, so plenty of time at the end of the evening).

We saw this too and thought it was a bad idea with young children. Older kids may understand that this is something you only do in the MDRs. But with little kids once you teach them something they think it's okay to do everywhere. What's wrong with coloring on the cute menus they hand out? Or giving them a larger paper to color on.

[MKwatercraftPilot]

Originally Posted by ratt1345

In Florida, we don't get snow (well possibly in the panhandle once every 40 years!!!). So I like to hear how people, that do get it, deal with it.

Originally Posted by CEGrant

We deal with it by booking Disney vacations!

Amen!

[dvc deernut]

We did our first DVC member cruise 6 years ago. Its just my wife and I. They put us with 3 other couples. We hit it off so well that everytime we booked the next member cruise we linked our dining with the other 6. We take late dining and are always the last to leave. We dont need to worry about small talk. We are very comfortable in what we say and do. We keep in touch over the year.

[scootch]

Originally Posted by sherpasmom

We had a table of Single parents (3 ladies and 1 gentleman) travelling with their only child on our Dream cruise last year! Although dd was more mature than the other girls she enjoyed them and of course having some company, as did I!

In fact, I think Dinner was one of her favorite parts of cruising, and mine too. Our waitstaff was outstanding as well.

Altho....it was a little awkward one night when the photographer mistook me and the lone Dad at the table as a couple Everyone was cool about it tho and we cut each other some slack if someone (adult or kid) was tired from a busy day.

My only regret was in not getting some of their details...I won't make that mistake again with people I really enjoy!

This is one of my concerns.... I travel without dh, but am happily married.. he just doesn't like to fly/cruise due to vertigo issues. I think I would feel uncomfortable at a table with a single dad.

[PrincessAurora]

Originally Posted by Subi WRX

We were stuck with a borish couple once that made fun of our home town and thought we shared our Politics for some reason. I never bring up Politics, and I don't particularly care to hear yours or debate you on vacation. That was a one and done dinner with them.

Another time, we were seated with a family who said grace forever before dinner. I have no problem if you want to keep grace short and sweet, but blessing the captain and all who travel on the journey, and the safety of all passengers and on and on and on. We sat there quietly and politely while they did their thing, but it was too much and too awkward and our food was cold by the time they finished saying every last thing they were grateful for. They also didn't drink and raised their eyebrows at my wife's second glass of wine. Um, no. We asked for a different table the second night.

Since then, we make plans to dine alone.

Question - why couldn't you just eat? I mean, you aren't with their party, don't share their faith or penchant for long winded thanks to the All Mighty, so couldn't you just dig in to your soup and let them eat when they were finished with their 20 minute list of thanks?

Would the cast members only bring food to the entire table as a whole and won't serve if your non-party tablemates are saying grace or haven't arrived?

Just curious.

[Nette]

Originally Posted by Melissa S

We saw this too and thought it was a bad idea with young children. Older kids may understand that this is something you only do in the MDRs. But with little kids once you teach them something they think it's okay to do everywhere. What's wrong with coloring on the cute menus they hand out? Or giving them a larger paper to color on.

Our 2 yo son starting coloring on the tablecloth one night and DH and I were mortified and tried to get him to stop it, but the asst. server came over and insisted it was fine and even drew on the tablecloth herself.

I have to agree my concern was that he would think it was ok to do anywhere. So far though, we haven't been anywhere where he's gotten crayons (or with a white tablecloth!).

[disneychic]

After 11 Disney Cruises we've had some great table mates but, on my next cruise -the 9/1 Fantasy I requested a table for 2. I don't get to go away with just my mom all that often and I'd rather not share her - no husbands, step-dads, brothers, sister in law's, nieces/ nephews... Just me and my mom! I've never requested a private table before. If I get it, I'll be happy and if not we get to meet some new people.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

[PizzieDuster]

Originally Posted by Subi WRX

Another time, we were seated with a family who said grace forever before dinner. I have no problem if you want to keep grace short and sweet, but blessing the captain and all who travel on the journey, and the safety of all passengers and on and on and on. We sat there quietly and politely while they did their thing, but it was too much and too awkward and our food was cold by the time they finished saying every last thing they were grateful for. They also didn't drink and raised their eyebrows at my wife's second glass of wine. Um, no. We asked for a different table the second night.

Since then, we make plans to dine alone.

LOL...after they were done, I would have given thanks for my glass of chardonney in front of me and the second one that would come, the Drink of Day I had earlier, the wine in the stateroom, all my aunts and uncles, individually, my son's touchdowns when he was 12, my daughter and her gorgeous hair, my pets, even the fish, every one of the Real Housewives and Kardashians (because they need it) and as always in my family, instead of saying Amen, we say FIGHT ON!.... And the next night I WOULD GO FIRST! just kidding everyone...

Sometimes you just don't vibe and don't want to be uncomfortable while eating dinner that takes sometimes over an hour. I always felt bad for my kids because they could feel the tension and were uncomfortable themselves. But with good table mates, dinner is always so much fun!

[Subi WRX]

Originally Posted by PrincessAurora

Question - why couldn't you just eat? I mean, you aren't with their party, don't share their faith or penchant for long winded thanks to the All Mighty, so couldn't you just dig in to your soup and let them eat when they were finished with their 20 minute list of thanks?

Would the cast members only bring food to the entire table as a whole and won't serve if your non-party tablemates are saying grace or haven't arrived?

Just curious.

Ah, they asked if we minded if they said Grace. We said sure, go right ahead, thinking it would be short. So we were polite. After we realized I'd written my dissertation in a shorter amount of time than they were taking to say Grace, my wife and I were eyeing each other, wondering if we should just give in and dig in. There were a few times we thought they were done, but they weren't. And we wondered at what point would it be rude if we just started eating. So we let them finish. We asked for a new table the next night.



What is the etiquette in that situation anyway? Could we just have eaten? We still wonder about that.

Originally Posted by PizzieDuster

LOL...after they were done, I would have given thanks for my glass of chardonney in front of me and the second one that would come, the Drink of Day I had earlier, the wine in the stateroom, all my aunts and uncles, individually, my son's touchdowns when he was 12, my daughter and her gorgeous hair, my pets, even the fish, every one of the Real Housewives and Kardashians (because they need it) and as always in my family, instead of saying Amen, we say FIGHT ON!.... And the next night I WOULD GO FIRST! just kidding everyone...

You sound like my wife.

[jpeka65844]

Originally Posted by jdb in AZ

I don't know how DCL would know your DH is a pastor. None of the check-in info asks for your profession or religious preference.

I was wondering about this. On our cruise in June, we were all teachers! Maybe that's just what you get when you can only cruise in ! the summer!