Craziest table mates you have had.

[Claire2015]

As a special ed teacher, I would love to sit with you and meet your son. I don't mind cleavage either, so we would be a perfect match!

Am forever trying to get on special ed training ! (am a nursery nurse in the private sector) and with the last comment am fairly certain you would get on with my hubby ! lol

 

[psac]

Great thread. Of course, if you haven't posted here, that might mean someone is posting about you!!

 

[Lisavince3]

Oh my goodness. I'm only on page 27 but all I can think about is the poor CMs who consistently have to deal with crazy, demanding people who will never be satisfied. I might tip them double (especially knowing that most of the most rude, demanding people probably don't tip them at all).

 

[alltwelve]

A few years ago, my BF and I were on a 4-night DCL cruise and were sat with this really nice married couple from Florida. Everything seemed fine, but then on the 3rd night they revealed to us they were actually going through a divorce. We were both surprised to hear that since they seemed to get along so well. They told us, though, that since they had booked their cruise long before deciding to end their marriage, they decided to celebrate their divorce by putting their differences aside and going on the cruise anyway! Now THAT's the magic of Disney! lol

 

[jrabbit]

A few years ago, my BF and I were on a 4-night DCL cruise and were sat with this really nice married couple from Florida. Everything seemed fine, but then on the 3rd night they revealed to us they were actually going through a divorce. We were both surprised to hear that since they seemed to get along so well. They told us, though, that since they had booked their cruise long before deciding to end their marriage, they decided to celebrate their divorce by putting their differences aside and going on the cruise anyway! Now THAT's the magic of Disney! lol

Maybe this was the first step toward reconciliation But WOW!!

 

[MsJiminyCricket]

We were just on the Magic and while we were seated alone, the people at the table next to us were too close for comfort. The table consisted of two families with five children between them. Those children, no joke, screamed at the top of their lungs and RAN around the table screaming like banshees throughout dinner as their parents laughed and ignored it. On at least three of the nine nights our server actually tripped over one of the screaming, running children. I have a hearing loss and normal noise doesn't even phase me, but I cringed several times. When I discreetly alerted the head server to this issue, he wanted to move MY family from our table rather than deal with the table. We declined since our location was fantastic and had been requested. In all of my cruises, I've never made a complaint about someone else's children's behavior. However, this was ridiculous and reflected very poorly upon them as they were getting looks from all surrounding tables.

 

[Lisavince3]

I keep hearing stories of how children might be constantly disrupting a lot of other people. I understand CMs being afraid of upsetting their parents, but I would think saying something and possibly making their parents upset would be a better solution than having 30 nearby passengers become upset? I have 3 DDs. I know kids can get excited, but there is no excuse for constant screaming and running in the MDRs. Not to mention, it's just not safe. Why can't the CMs enforce some ground rules to help increase the enjoyment of the majority of the guests?

 

[Claire2015]

It makes me really cross when people allow there child/children to behave in a way that disturbed everyone else so much my youngest sometimes struggles with social stuff (he is autistic) but would never be allowed to behave in this way ! We would leave rather than upset/disturb the other people around us if he had a meltdown we where unable to contain although (fingers crossed, touch wood ect) we haven't had one that bad in years at home or on holiday as we know the signs now and can usually head them of and the eldest can be a right handful but knows better then to behave like that in a public !

 

[sweetpee_1993]

We were just on the Magic and while we were seated alone, the people at the table next to us were too close for comfort. The table consisted of two families with five children between them. Those children, no joke, screamed at the top of their lungs and RAN around the table screaming like banshees throughout dinner as their parents laughed and ignored it. On at least three of the nine nights our server actually tripped over one of the screaming, running children. I have a hearing loss and normal noise doesn't even phase me, but I cringed several times. When I discreetly alerted the head server to this issue, he wanted to move MY family from our table rather than deal with the table. We declined since our location was fantastic and had been requested. In all of my cruises, I've never made a complaint about someone else's children's behavior. However, this was ridiculous and reflected very poorly upon them as they were getting looks from all surrounding tables.

Yep. We've had the "joys" of other peoples kids on 3 or 4 cruises. The first was pretty bad. We always request our own table and get it. The first cruise there were children running and screaming around the tables. One of the little boys stopped right next to my son's side of the table, looked him dead in the eye, then jammed a finger up his (own) nose. Appetizing!

Last cruise DH & I were sans kids. The first night we went to the MDR. The little girls next to us were a bit antsy and got up some. Mostly you could tell they were tired. The parents did make some effort to reign them in. When our boys were little guys the cardinal rule of restaurant behavior was stay seated unless they had to go to the restroom which they had to ask so we could accompany them when they got up. So, it was a little distracting but not awful. That's the only night we went to the MDR. Mostly we just didn't want to sit thru the meal. Partially we wanted to maintain a kid-free, minimal chaotic environment.

 

[RedSox68]

Just curious -- to the four PP, were the scenarios you mentioned during early dining? This is one reason we always ask for late dining. Even though I don't like eating that late, there are far less tired and cranky kids.

One thing I cannot stomach under ANY circumstances are unruly and disruptive children who are actually causing an unsafe environment to other people -- like the CMs carrying food and trays, while the parents sit there and drink and have a good time. Wonder if they put up with that chaos in their own homes with the risk of something getting broken or someone knocked over!

On one of our cruises we had a table to ourselves, but had a huge family across from us who were also our waitstaffs' table. It looked like a bunch of brothers and sisters who were cruising with their kids. They never controlled their kids and every night came to the dining room with open bottles of booze (which I didn't think was allowed) and red plastic cups! They were loud and ridiculously demanding and, as a result, we got very little attention from our servers and many nights left without dessert because it was getting too late.

 

[jrabbit]

I have an opposite "unruly" child story .. yea I know that NOT the purpose of this thread but ...

Last cruise we had two simply adorable little girls to one side of us. They were well behaved and cute as buttons (dang, my age is showing). The 20 month old frequently dropped her toy on the floor and I would pick it up and give it to her - and gave her a wink too. No problems whatsoever. The other daughter would site nicely and color .. and we would visit a little. There parents we very apologetic .. and their kids were not causing any issues to anyone.

The kids to the other side were between 4 and 6. every evening at dinner they were dressed up very cutely and would sit quietly working on the kids menu .. coloring etc. And every night within 30 minutes you could see them both start "bobbing and getting wobbly" and the little girl would crawl up on dads lap and fall asleep and the little boy's head would hit the table and he was out asleep. It was really pretty cute.

And for the unruly children - its the parents that are not doing their jobs in "controlling" their kids. I've been there and done that and will do the same with the grand kids when the time comes. Disney has pushed the "Its Your Vacation and You Can Do Whatever You Want" so much that they have become "Frightened of their Own Shadows" and not willing to enforce many of their rules. So they put up with kids running amok in the MDR's at dinner (even thought its a safety hazard) and have totally tossed out any semblance of "dress code" for the dinners. The Almighty "Excellent" rating keeps DCL from enforcing rules and possibly upsetting parents for not parenting.

Dang I guess I really crawled up on a soapbox today .... Sorry ....

we now return to your normally scheduled and expected "Craziest Tablemates" thread

 

[MsJiminyCricket]

Just curious -- to the four PP, were the scenarios you mentioned during early dining? This is one reason we always ask for late dining. Even though I don't like eating that late, there are far less tired and cranky kids. One thing I cannot stomach under ANY circumstances are unruly and disruptive children who are actually causing an unsafe environment to other people -- like the CMs carrying food and trays, while the parents sit there and drink and have a good time. Wonder if they put up with that chaos in their own homes with the risk of something getting broken or someone knocked over! On one of our cruises we had a table to ourselves, but had a huge family across from us who were also our waitstaffs' table. It looked like a bunch of brothers and sisters who were cruising with their kids. They never controlled their kids and every night came to the dining room with open bottles of booze (which I didn't think was allowed) and red plastic cups! They were loud and ridiculously demanding and, as a result, we got very little attention from our servers and many nights left without dessert because it was getting too late.

Yes, we were at Main Dining. It's absolutely the parents' job to control their kids.

 

[DCLGraces]

Remembered seeing a link to a video of such activities on DCL on an old post. Here is a sample of a day in the life... http://youtu.be/TXrNr1Cuypk

What did I just watch....

 

[MAJPLO]

What did I just watch....

:: :: :: I couldn't watch the whole thing.

 

[tanyam76]

Not bad table mates but interesting We have 6 kids and travel with my dad, so the only time we have had table mates was when DH and I did a grown-ups cruise two years ago. We were seated at an 8 top and there were two other couples when we sat down. We were all wondering about who the 4th couple would be when we see a couple being led to our table- suddenly the wife realizes that she is going to GASP be seated with others! She literally stops in her tracks and begins sobbing!! The CMs are trying to comfort her and she is having none of it, she runs out the MDR. Our table was a little shocked and we all agreed that we were happy miss crazy wasn't sat with us!
On a side note- I am a sign language instructor, something I would have no idea that DCL would know- and one of the other couples was deaf. They were so happy to have another couple to visit with, and I was able to interpret between the other couple as well. In fact it was the Deaf woman's birthday and I taught them Happy Birthday in ASL...our wait staff was so excited to see our table signing it as they sang.

Similar situation with me. I went on the cruise with my mom and my daughter and were seated at a table for 6. All of a sudden these people show up, Gasp and make a huge scene that this wont work it was actually quite embarrassing and made us feel pretty terrible. After their pow wow with the head waiter we sat there the rest of the cruise and the waiter came over and apologized (it really was loud and rude) and then the rest of the evening we were seated on our own which worked out find because my daughter has a peanut allergy anyways.

 

[RedSox68]

Similar situation with me. I went on the cruise with my mom and my daughter and were seated at a table for 6. All of a sudden these people show up, Gasp and make a huge scene that this wont work it was actually quite embarrassing and made us feel pretty terrible. After their pow wow with the head waiter we sat there the rest of the cruise and the waiter came over and apologized (it really was loud and rude) and then the rest of the evening we were seated on our own which worked out find because my daughter has a peanut allergy anyways.

UGH, nice social manners they had!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Just curious -- to the four PP, were the scenarios you mentioned during early dining? This is one reason we always ask for late dining.

Early seating for the nose picker. Late seating for all others. We did early on our first cruise out of concern for DH's indigestion. We thought it was way too early to be getting dressed for dinner. We've done late seating ever since. DH would rather double up his meds than eat early. LOL!

 

[Lita]

What did I just watch....

I couldn't get through it all. Scary!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[RedSox68]

OMG -- I just watched that video. In the words of a PP, what did I just watch? Are they serious or is this overdone on purpose? I loved the underwater filming at CC, but honestly when they got to the end and were showing the ocean I was afraid I was going to see one of the babies hurled over the rail

 

[SailorJen]

How many people can you fit in a table? I'm afraid to sit with strangers.