etiquette around dinner seating?

[Ruth B]

On the Mexican DCL cruise that I took my GD in June of 2005, we were seated at a table that everyone was quite unhappy to have a child seated at the table as the rest of the table were all adults. Conversation was very stilted to say the least. Those three other couples made it very plain they were unhappy seating with a 10 year old.

Half way through the meal, I approached the head server, explained my GD and I were very unhappy with our table, explained why and asked him to change our table seating for us for the next night. The very next night we were seated at a wonderful table with two other GM's traveling with their GD's. What a difference changing a table can make!!

Personally, in you case, I would have changed table mates. I would have never sat even three nights with such unfriendly people. Let them have the table to themselves and change tables is my motto.

Next cruise, we have a table to ourselves with the 7 of us. On the WB repo, we have requested a table with four other couples.

Just my thoughts....

What a shame on your granddaughter. Glad you got nice table mates after you changed
This summer, if my experinec is the same then i will ask to change, as 11 night is a long time............ 3 night i could deal with and my son(12 now)and i just made light of it and guessed what the night ahead would bring! It was a good lesson in how not to behave and made me realsie how mature my son was

 

[Amlee]

What a shame on your granddaughter. Glad you got nice table mates after you changed
This summer, if my experinec is the same then i will ask to change, as 11 night is a long time............ 3 night i could deal with and my son(12 now)and i just made light of it and guessed what the night ahead would bring! It was a good lesson in how not to behave and made me realsie how mature my son was

If it helps your feeling any, I had table mates in Nov(non-disney) to ask me if I had thought about Weight Watchers, as I had a lovely face. But I really needed to do something with my Weight.

 

[eva]

On our first cruise we too had table mates that were not happy to be sitting with us. It was just DH and I celebrating our 20th anniversary and they sat us with a mother, grandmother and three children ranging from 3-10. We actually didn't mind having kids at the table. But they had no interest in talking to us at all. They only spoke Spanish, except when the waiters appeared. Then they seemed to know perfect English. We did ask a few questions about their day and such, but they never looked at us or returned any conversation. The youngest girl (about 3 or 4) ran around the table most of the night and screamed at people as they walked by. The only one that would talk to us was the young boy, who was about 7 or 8. He was very pleasant. But you could tell his mother didn't like it in the least. Maybe it was a culture thing. I'm just glad it was a 3-night and we ate at Palo one of the nights. We probably should have asked to change tables. But it would have only been for one night away.

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

If it helps your feeling any, I had table mates in Nov(non-disney) to ask me if I had thought about Weight Watchers, as I had a lovely face. But I really needed to do something with my Weight.

Did you say, "Weight Watchers? What's that? I don't believe we have those kind of things down south. But we do have fried pies, fried okra, fried squash....all you gotta do is pick if you want it cooked in crisco or lard!!!!!"
Seriously, some people are so rude. I was slighty concerned about having to share a table. I just prayed that we would be able to make conversation. I was hoping that we would be sat at a smaller table since it was only DH and I. You know maybe a table of 4 or so. Well of course we were sat at a table of eight. There were 4 groups of two. Two of the groups kept to themselves and didn't even show up for dinner most of the cruise but we became friends with the older couple from Florida on the first night. Blame it on SEC football. We are huge Vol fans & they of course are Gator fans. They are dear friends to us, and we still keep in touch with them.

 

[Amlee]

Did you say, "Weight Watchers? What's that? I don't believe we have those kind of things down south. But we do have fried pies, fried okra, fried squash....all you gotta do is pick if you want it cooked in crisco or lard!!!!!"
Seriously, some people are so rude. I was slighty concerned about having to share a table. I just prayed that we would be able to make conversation. I was hoping that we would be sat at a smaller table since it was only DH and I. You know maybe a table of 4 or so. Well of course we were sat at a table of eight. There were 4 groups of two. Two of the groups kept to themselves and didn't even show up for dinner most of the cruise but we became friends with the older couple from Florida on the first night. Blame it on SEC football. We are huge Vol fans & they of course are Gator fans. They are dear friends to us, and we still keep in touch with them.

I told her I could fix my weight if I wanted too, sadly she just couldn't fix her stupidity. Her face when I said that was priceless!

Oh SEC! To that I say Boo Hiss to the Vols and the Gators and A big ROLL TIDE ROLL!

 

[Talking Hands]

I would sit opposite my husband because I am hard of hearing and it is easier for me to have a converesation if I can see his face. I really would prefer a circular or oval table.

 

[Rence]

I've been on a couple longer cruises on other cruise lines. The tables on both tended to be mostly couples. On each cruise, after a couple of nights, someone has suggested that for at least one meal, we make it a rule that we cannot sit next to or across from our partner.

This works great with the right group. It forces everyone to get to know each other better and it tended to make the table a more close knit group for the rest of the cruise. (And it usually confuses the hell out of the waitstaff)

Both times, it was suggested and everyone agreed. I assume that if someone really had a problem with it, we wouldn't have gone ahead with it.

 

[Ruth B]

If it helps your feeling any, I had table mates in Nov(non-disney) to ask me if I had thought about Weight Watchers, as I had a lovely face. But I really needed to do something with my Weight.

That is so unbelivabley rude!

I told her I could fix my weight if I wanted too, sadly she just couldn't fix her stupidity. Her face when I said that was priceless!

good on you for your responce