Good Tablemate Stories

[Hopkins]

Has anyone ever had such a great time with their tablemates on DCL that they stay in touch via e-mail, mail, telephone or visits?

We have had two couples over three cruises that we kept in contact with. One cruise, we traveled with a big group of people.

How about you? Good stories!

Tina
Magic Western 10/11/03

 

[peagreenid]

On our first cruise in September 2001, we were very lucky to have wonderful dining companions, Tony and Lynette, and Darrel and Hannah. They were wonderful with our children. We still talk, chat and email Tony and Lynette on a regular basis.

Our last cruise we dined with Wes and Debbie- They were wonderful dinner partners as well. We are hoping to visit with them more in the future.

It is nice meeting people on these boards, and then making dining arrangements with them for the ship.

smiles Patty

 

[Bbgrizzle]

We've only done one DCL cruise so far, and my hubby and I went without our kids. We were seated with another younger couple (we're early 30's, they were late 20's) and a 30-something mom and her 11 year old son. The son was usually eating in the kids clubs, and the mom, although a little nerdly, was very friendly and we liked her a lot. The other couple we got along extremely well with and we became good friends. We did everything together and had so much fun! While we were on board, we even booked this years cruise together so we could all do it again. That was last May and we still talk to them regularly. I feel that DCL did a great job with our seating arrangements.

 

[tksbaskets]

Not that we made plans to keep in touch, but on our recent cruise we were seated with a delightful family from California. They had a DD-16 and DS-13. My DSs were very excited to sit with another boy who was also in the Lab with them. The parents were very nice and personable. We felt our trip was enhanced by having dinner with such nice folks. I hope they felt the same way.

After sitting at lunch with a few hooligans we felt EXTRA lucky with our table 21 pals !

 

[rae519]

February 2002 (Eastern Magic)- A charming Canadian couple with their almost teen daughter were our tablemates - and now our friends!

October 2002 -(Magical Mystery Cruise) - Through the DIS Board became friends with a delightful couple from PA, friends before, during and since the cruise! So glad we were friends and elected to be tablemates! My son is still in awe of his friend Ed!

December 2002 (4 night Wonder) - Again, through DIS Board, we had the pleasure of meeting a couple from Hawaii/Georgia - both were delightful as we got to know eachother better and still we remain in touch!

We've also met some really great people that were dining mates only for lunch and then we kept running into them - sad but we didn't think to exchange e-mails! That won't happen again!

Looking forward to finding some new friends/table mates for our May 3, 2003 and Halloween 2003 cruises!

Rae

 

[MickeyMagic]

On our 1-19-02 cruise, my daughter and I were at a table with a couple and their daughter. Before long, we realized we were all DISers! We became friends and had a great week. We still keep in touch.

We ended up cruising together in October 2002 and asked to be tablemates again. We met the night before the cruise at the Radisson and the girls swam while we sipped a couple drinks around the pool.

We met many DISers on the last two cruises. If someone organizes a DIS meet, GO! It's so fun to run into people you 'know' on the ship. It's also fun to come back and be able to put a face with a screen name!

 

[ennazus]

I was very hesitant to share my dinner table with strangers (and even contemplated requesting a table alone... but didn't do so.)

We had a very enjoyable time with our tablemates from England. Our sons were the same age and they become best buddies while on the cruise. Our son was always asking if Ryan was going to be in the clubs. We also spent the day together on Castaway Cay and the kids had a ball!!!

It wasn't until Wednesday night (on the 7 day cruise) that we found out that we were both DISers!! LOL "It's a small world after all!"

 

[SC Minnie]

Hi MickeyMagic! We indeed had a great time on both cruises. Like everyone else we were a little apprehensive about meeting tablemates before out first cruise but were pleasantly surprised Our DD's got along great and became best buddies almost instantly! Our DD is really bummed that we will not be cruising together again next year.

On our last cruise it was great meeting & dining with MickeyMagic and prymsu. It really helps the conversation flow when you know you have a least one thing in common from the beginning-- DIS!!!

 

[Hopkins]

Come on guys, we have some more good tablemate stories! We have to beat the "Tablemate Problems?" post.

Tina

 

[jgalecpa]

My wife and I have cruised on a number of lines in the carribean, transatlantic and in the Med.

We have made some of our best friendships from our tablemates.

Even though my wife is quite hesitant about "strangers", I guess I assume everyone I meet is a potential friend until otherwise dissuaded.

The only things I look for in tablemates is non-smoking (no prob on a DCL) and proper dress concepts (I don't care if you have a tux or not on formal night, it is just not proper to show up at a place like palos in jeans).

Of course, there is a time and a place for all behaviour, but A DCL is supposed to be FUN.

I will probably sing along (badly) and dance along (poorly). If that is the worst thing people say about me when I'm gone, I have led a very fine life.

 

[RellingTwin]

On our last cruise we had "Met" so many Dis'er before hand that most of us "linked" our dinner reservations prior to the cruise. The feeling being, you might as well be seated with people you "know" then possibly being seated with someone you don't!
I know I chatted with almost everyone on the (9/28/02 "Mystery Cruise" (Hi Rae!!!) and everyone seemed very happy with their tablemates.
On prior cruises, we were seated by ourselves. Both situations have their good/bad points, but when we go again in Oct we will be "linking" again!

TINA!!! I just saw you are added to the 10/11/03 cruise!!!!
It's going to be BIG FUN

 

[disneykins]

First cruise we met three 20ish girls from Cinci wanting to party. DW and I had a great time with them and one of them won the talent show (had a great voice).
Then on RCCL 4 day had a young couple from S. Carolina out for a party weekend. Our kids were 10 & 8 but we all got along. He was long haired and jeans every night but still enjoyed their company.
On a Carnival 7 day met an older couple from California, a Japanese couple who lived 100 miles from us and their 2 DDs. They spoke little English but we all sat in different seats every night and got to know each other. My kids were 3 years older than theirs but still got to know each other. Only thing that bothered us was they insisted on ordering off the adult menu for their kids. Salads, appetizers (even escargot) and fancy entrees and the kids hardly touched anything every meal. Then the waiter would have to bring something off the kids menu.

On our 2 DCL cruises we have requested large tables and have been seated at tables for 4 both times. Thats nice too, it gives us time to catch up with the kids (now 16 and 13) because dinner is the only time we insist they join us. LOL.

I dont know which I prefer but I think I'll request a big table for the opportunity to meet other people since we don't do the bar scene on board.


__________________

 

[Mickey7811]

On our first cruise we were there for our 25th anniversary with a very nice couple on the cruise for their 25th anniversary. Our name was Riley - there name was Riley. It was a pleasure to share the cruise with them - even though I missed a lot of dinners because I was not feeling well.

We still keep in touch with Kevin and Kathy - and they actually came to Disney World and helped me celebrate my 50th birthday.

We are both celebrating our 30 anniversary this year - they are going to Hawaii and we are going to Disney World.

I look forward to seeing them again one day.

For our 28th Wedding anniversary we had purchased the cruise on the interent from a Mother of the Bride that was giving the cruise as a gift to her daugher. The wedding wound up not happening and on the first night for dinner we realized that they put us at the Honeymoon table. We were there with a couple that had been married for about two weeks and one couple that had been married two days. We had a fabulous time. The one couple was from Holland and we still keep in touch - when we left the cruise we were arm in arm and were crying our eyes out because we had to say Goodbye. We still emial each other almost every week and know that one day we will see each other again. We exchange Disney pins ofter - I send her Disney World pins and she sends me pins from Disney Land Paris. It was the most fun we had on the cruise and we will always remember what fun we had.

Darlene

 

[rae519]

RellingTwin - Hi Mary!
And TwinAve - Hi Ave!
And everyone else from 9/28 (just tooo many to name, but you know who you are and how you made our trip so special!)

You made my Mom's first cruise so special! How can I ever tell the DIS Board what a wonderful group of people you are!!! The t-shirts, lanyards, pins and other goodies - gosh! How overwhelming! (And I finally did get an Indiana quarter - at the Orlando airport!!!!!!)

And how did we ever get that Coast Guard helicopter to keep buzzing us!?! OUTSTANDING!


Hugs to all!
Rae

 

[Dodie]

Dining with strangers was the one thing I was concerned about before we took our April 2002 Magic cruise. We had requested late seating (no kids, just DH and I) and were hoping for the best.

We were seated with a LOVELY couple from England who were on their second Disney cruise. They were DVC members, so they had made many trips to WDW. We had a LOT to talk about.

Our other table partners were a Disney CM (about 50?), her father (about 70?) who was also a CM and their family friend (about 65?) They were a HOOT!!!!!

We enjoyed every meal together and actually missed them when we had our dinner at Palo. We ended up spending part of our Castaway Cay day with the British couple and saw the other three folks often during the days on the ship.

We have photos of the table taken on formal night and tropical night that are some of the best pictures in our cruise album.

We even made a pact to show up for breakfast together that last morning, just so we could all say goodbye.

 

[Scratch42]

We just got back from our 4 day and we got to sit with a single mom and daughter team just like us. First night it was Mom across from Mom, next night it was Mom beside Mom. Third night we did not make to dinner due to her Chili Dog incident! But on the final night it was Mom beside Mom again!

We are planning on keeping in touch because Carol and I got along and Katie and Tanya hit it off too!

And guess what, they are from Canada too!

We met quite a few new friends and hope to keep in touch!

Scratch

 

[Hygiene99]

havre been on 5 disney cruises and several others
and we have been lucky enough to have met nothing but great people all the way threw
peter