Not so great table mates

[smeecanada]

I know you pick your dining time, but you know ahead of time you will have table mates, or do you find that out when you walk in?

You can go to Rockin Bar D when you board and find out.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I know you pick your dining time, but you know ahead of time you will have table mates, or do you find that out when you walk in?

On the 2 cruises we've been on the table numbers were on the table in PC when we went for lunch. We were able to tell the table size. First cruise was a table for 4. We are a family of 3 so we correctly assumed that we did not have table mates. Second cruise was a table for 6. Yes, we were seated at the table with another family of 3.

 

[Madamx]

Sorry to bring this thread up again, but after reading it it made me remember my own not so great table mates. As you can see I said they were the table mates from hell.

This story comes from the 2008 EBPC, I had decided to link my dining with some friends from another board that had the same dinning time (late) as I was. The first night there were some problems with how the tables got setup there was a group of like 20 of us tat were together as a group and do to some problems with the shore side dining coordinator quiting at some point before the cruise. There were a few problems with the servers getting used to us the first night, as well. Then we come to desert one of the people at the table decides that he doesn't want anything off of the desert menu and would like a plate of cheese from Palo. When the head server came over to say that she could not bring it that night but could put in a standing order for it, the person got very rude about it.

The next night there were a few more problems due to the on board staff having to work out what should have been done shore side. The third night when we should up there was a large plate of cheese from Palo waiting at the table as a "peace offering" / "sorry about the mess up" gift. Also that night the person who had asked for the small plate got his for desert too.

Things seemed to improve until we got to the night after we had the signature menu for Lumieres where one of my table mates had requested creme brule every night after that, one night they weren't there so the server dilivered them to there room and they got upset as they had come in from Palo to find two creme brulies sitting on there beds. Then we came to the night before we would be having the Parrot Cay menu and our server mentioned that the chicken wings were no longer on the apitizer menu but he could put in a request for them for the next day. After that yet another standing order. Oh yeah and I forgot to mention that there was alos a standing order for a large cheese plate from Palo for the table every night in adition to the small one for5 one persons desert. Then at some point I don't remember when, but another standing order for Brana bred in the bread basket every night cmae up.

So quick recap on the "standing" ORDERS
Large cheese plate from Palo for table
Small Cheese plate from Palo for person 1
2 Creme Brules for person 1 and 2 (yest thats right in addition to the cheese plate)
Plate of Wings for person 3
Banana Bread for person 3 too

We then get to the mid point of the cruise and have one night were the kitchen for the restaurant didn't have any chicken wings that night so our head server goes all the way across the ship to diversions to get some, and did not receive a thank you for that. The after dinner our head server comes over to the table to find out how things are going and they proceed to throw both our server and assistant server to the wolves. I felt rally bad for all three of them and wanted to crawl under the table and die. The next night was pirate night and I decided to join the other group of people at one of our other tables. One of my then former table mates looks at me and tries to wave me over to there table, I was still discussed by their behavior from the night before I ignored him. Then one of our group organizer that was having some family problems that she end up sorting out showed up and saw where I was sitting and asked why I was there so I told her and the rest of the table waht had happened by the night before. Somone alos said that two of the people at the other table had gone to guest services and reduced the tip they had prepiad top the resturant staff by half. After dinning me and the person who had organized our group stayed behind to talk to the head server and to apologize to her for the other peoples behavior.

Then her (the organizer) and I went to guest services to complain and let them know about some very rude guest and how poorly they were treating the DCL staff, on the way we stopped at a bar where a wonderful bartender sat and listened to our story and made my friend a drink on the house (she went back the next day and gave him a very nice tip). Next was guest services. After talking to them she actually ran into the dinning room manager in the hall way somewhere where around Beat Street, and told him everything that we had told guest services.

The next night at dinner the two offending parties were both at Palo and we also had room at the other table for two of the other people that were at the table I was at. They missed the feeding to the wolves as they were at Palo that night and were horrified about what we told them about our table mates. We all decided to raise our tips to make up for the bad tipping of the other table mates.

On the last night the two people that had reduced there tips had Palo again (I have no clue how they got so many bookings so please do not ask me)and dared to show up to hand over his disgraceful tips to the staff!

After the cruise two of the people in question decided to leave the boards and never cruise with us (the boards in question) again.

Also something I forgot there were at one point before the cruise some insults thrown back and forth on the boards between some of the people in our dining group and it ended up with the same ones who were the most rude to every one not wanting to sit at the same table with the people they had been rude to on the board.

And now my rant is over, maybe it's worthy of Pete on the Dis unplugged. All of this thread is true, I decided to do it with out names to protect those involved.

Wow! How horrible and embarrassing! Sounds like these people are/were bullies (which is probably how they got the additional Palo ressies). Hope they can live with themselves because nobody else wants to. I work in retail and I have had customers like this, they do nothing but complain, I think it's an attempt to get out of paying what they owe. Some people will purposefully make up problems to get a discount or freebie, it's completely and totally disgusting!

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Ohhhhh this thread makes me nervous.

Our first cruise (our honeymoon in 2000) we were at a table with a middle aged couple and an older couple. It was actually a very nice experience and they loved asking about our wedding (or just did it to be polite, but it was nice either way) and shared details about their weddings, etc....

Our second cruise was a seven day with me, my husband, my Mom and Dad and my niece, who was 5 at the time. It was February of 2001 and we were seated with a family that had a daughter my niece's age who lived in Florida. It was after the election of 2000 fiasco and we all got along very well, especially after we discovered that we shared the same opinions on that issue. They were from one of the counties that was central to all of that.

Our third, fourth and fifth cruises we were traveling with friends and had a table with just us and our friends. Good times. We all had kids at this point so it worked out well for us.

Next year our Dream cruise will JUST be me, husband and two kids! My son is a NUT at restaurants right now, but he will be almost three and hopefully much better. I'd hate to be the family that gets talked about on these threads!

 

[KYDIZFAN]

Is it possible to request a table for 2?

You can try. They made one for us once, just ask on debarkation day.

 

[pluto1979]

I have had tablemates that would not speak to us being a male-male couple! They would not say a word but we had a great time and celebrated our 5 year anniversary right in front of them. I also had people who told us all about their medical problems while having dinner, not pretty. Otherwise I had great people and loved speaking and hearing about their trips and excurssions.

Don;t let anyone bring you down or ruin your trip!

 

[annichan]

I have had tablemates that would not speak to us being a male-male couple! They would not say a word but we had a great time and celebrated our 5 year anniversary right in front of them. I also had people who told us all about their medical problems while having dinner, not pretty. Otherwise I had great people and loved speaking and hearing about their trips and excurssions.

Don;t let anyone bring you down or ruin your trip!

What, you mean they were a gay couple and thus wouldn't talk to you, or you were and they wouldn't talk to you because of that? Both versions really quite rude!
The talking about lots of medical problems sounds really bad as well ...
I guess my biggest fear would be our tablemates bringing up politics or religion, and having completely opposite opinions from ours - but I think I would just try to steer the conversation away from those topics without even admitting I am opposed. It would really be the last thing I'd want to do while on holiday, getting into arguments about religion or politics!

 

[mushu756]

How do you request to sit alone? My 2 and 1/2 yr old is not easy to handle especially at the dinner table. Do you do it before you get on the ship or after

 

[johnkerryP]

my worst table mates to date were my FMIL and FSIL.... both me and FDH vowed - NEVER again.

FSIL is 15, never read the menu, ordered chicken nuggets every night. Then when peoples food came in she wanted what they had. She would order it, leave before it was served to go to the kid club.

one night she was eating ketchup with her fingers. just sopping it up and licking it off.

I was horrified. Mom did nothing. I expect that out of a 3 year old.. not a 15 year old.

FMIL would come in late, without her kid. One night she came crying she couldnt find her anywhere. We went to look for her, she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

it was just drama and annoyance. Both of us agreed.......never ever ever again.

 

[sayhello]

my worst table mates to date were my FMIL and FSIL.... both me and FDH vowed - NEVER again.

FSIL is 15, never read the menu, ordered chicken nuggets every night. Then when peoples food came in she wanted what they had. She would order it, leave before it was served to go to the kid club.

one night she was eating ketchup with her fingers. just sopping it up and licking it off.

I was horrified. Mom did nothing. I expect that out of a 3 year old.. not a 15 year old.

FMIL would come in late, without her kid. One night she came crying she couldnt find her anywhere. We went to look for her, she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

it was just drama and annoyance. Both of us agreed.......never ever ever again.

FMIL? FSIL? FDH? What is the F for? I hope it's not what I think it is!

Sayhello

 

[nick.turpchinoff]

F= Future

Future Mother In Law.

 

[jstin]

F= Future

Future Mother In Law.

Oh you poor thing

 

[ibouncetoo]

I guess my biggest fear would be our tablemates bringing up politics or religion, and having completely opposite opinions from ours - but I think I would just try to steer the conversation away from those topics without even admitting I am opposed. It would really be the last thing I'd want to do while on holiday, getting into arguments about religion or politics!

My sister had a nice long talk with my BIL before our cruise to make sure he understood these topics were not dinner conversation with strangers or even extended family. He did a great job by the way!

.

 

[jinia]

F= Future

Future Mother In Law.

Oh no - I was thinking you meant Former and was thinking that goodness she is shed of that baggage (not your FDH the others )....good luck and lots of distance for you!

 

[Stinkerbe11]

DH and I sailed on Princess for our honeymoon and were seated next to man that looked to be in his 50s and a woman in her 20s. They took inappropriate to a new level, I'll just say that they were ALL over each other and she actually sat in his lap the entire meal. We were newlyweds and they embarrassed us! Everyone was staring and laughing because it was so completely out of line. They had a reputation on the ship as they displayed the same behavior everywhere they went. We will probably request no table mates on the MR cruise because of my son's life threatening allergies. We had an incident where a stranger at our table overheard my son say that he wanted more fruit and while I was up getting more, she gave him some from her plate which also had nuts on it. She actually had walnuts in one hand while handing him strawberries with the other hand. I almost had a coronary, but fortunately I got there before he ate anything. She meant well, but could have killed him (he is that sensitive). After that, I think we will stick to our own table.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

DH and I sailed on Princess for our honeymoon and were seated next to man that looked to be in his 50s and a woman in her 20s. They took inappropriate to a new level, I'll just say that they were ALL over each other and she actually sat in his lap the entire meal. We were newlyweds and they embarrassed us! Everyone was staring and laughing because it was so completely out of line. They had a reputation on the ship as they displayed the same behavior everywhere they went. We will probably request no table mates on the MR cruise because of my son's life threatening allergies. We had an incident where a stranger at our table overheard my son say that he wanted more fruit and while I was up getting more, she gave him some from her plate which also had nuts on it. She actually had walnuts in one hand while handing him strawberries with the other hand. I almost had a coronary, but fortunately I got there before he ate anything. She meant well, but could have killed him (he is that sensitive). After that, I think we will stick to our own table.

If you call and tell DCL this information (along with filling out/faxing the medical form), you will have no problem getting your own table. Anyone that sensitive should be placed separately! And I mean that for your DS's safety and not trying to be snarky. What a frightening thought.
I know the head server told us during our last cruise that all foods for people with allergies are prepared in a separate kitchen with its own chef. I was pretty impressed with the lengths they went to for the individuals that have food issues.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I want to book a cruise but before I do, is it possible to request your own table?

It might just be the 2 of us, or it might be a group of friends. If it's just the 2 of us, can we request to have our own table? And if it's a group of us but not booking together, can we request to sit together?

Thanks.

 

[Stinkerbe11]

I want to book a cruise but before I do, is it possible to request your own table?

It might just be the 2 of us, or it might be a group of friends. If it's just the 2 of us, can we request to have our own table? And if it's a group of us but not booking together, can we request to sit together?

Thanks.

You can make dining requests when you reserve the cruise, however they will tell you that it is only a request and cannot be guaranteed. If you do not get what was requested try again when you board the boat or talk to the dining room manager.

 

[tynkerbell]

I want to book a cruise but before I do, is it possible to request your own table?

It might just be the 2 of us, or it might be a group of friends. If it's just the 2 of us, can we request to have our own table? And if it's a group of us but not booking together, can we request to sit together?

Thanks.

On both of our cruises we called before to request a table to ourselves (family of 4), but once we boarded we always went to the place designated to work out dining to see if our request was granted. Both times we had been told that we were not assigned to a table alone but they immediately fixed the situation right there and reassigned us without any problems.

And yes, if you have friends/family sailing under a different booking you can link your reservations to have the same dining.

 

[mom2OandE]

I'm so glad to see this thread! I had forgotten all about dining with others. I think for the kids first cruise I will have to see about getting a table alone. DS has high funct Autism and it might not go over well.