Tablemate Problems?

[Hopkins]

Has anyone had any negative experiences with their tablemates?

On the first night of our cruise, the host was taking us to our table. It was a table set for four people and another couple was already seated. Before we could sit down and introduce ourselves, the gentleman got up disgusted and threw his napkin on the table. We knew what he was doing since we've cruise a few times before. The wife then introduced herself and we introduced ourselves and talked for 10 minutes until the husband came back and said something to the effect that he was going to take his wife now. They then walked away without saying anything else. Granted, my hubby and I and in our early 40's and they in their early 60's, but what's the problem with that. Anyone who knows me knows that I always wear a smile and we are fun people (not party drinkers). I was floored how the husband handled the situation. Let's say he couldn't find a table so he and his wife could be alone, we would have had negative feelings throughout the week when he rejoined the table.

An interesting aside to the week was that the couple at the nearby table (from a larger table) joined our table because they didn't want us to be alone. We did ask for a small table when DCL took the reservation. They are a couple in their 30's and we spent dinners together and watched shows in the evening, too. We exchanged addresses and are going to keep in touch.

Any stories?

Tina

 

[Hopkins]

Oh, I forgot to say that the husband should have said to us once we were seated and we introduced ourselves that he and his wife wanted to be alone and that he was going to ask for a seperate table. A much more classy approach.

Maybe it's just me, but I was offended by the way he handled it. The wife seemed really really nice.

It worked out in the end, though.

Tina

 

[Mermaid02]

My best friend and I cruised a year ago- left our husbands and children home- We met the NICEST couple from Florida. They were of retirement age (we are in our early 30's) and we just hit it off! I'm sorry your tablemates were so nasty, but at least it turned out nicely!!

 

[MickeyMagic]

We've had the BEST experiences! 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 also had two other DISer's join our table that cruise which added to the fun and interesting conversation.

 

[gfolchick]

We are a younger 30's couple when we cruised in April 2001 . We were seated at a table of 10 with our tablemates being much older (60's, 70's). One couple was Japanese and didn't speak much English, she just nodded and smiled. We politely made our way through the evening but left the restaurant and immediately spoke with our head server and asked for a new table. We were traveling without our children and couldn't see ourselves spending the next 6 nights with tablemates we obviously had nothing in common with. We met another couple over breakfast the next morning who asked us to join them and we were able to turn their table of 4 to a 6 and had a fabulous time after that. I met one of the ladies in the bathroom a few nights later and she asked me where we'd been and I explained to her that we had met some other people and joined them and she said she wished they had done that too.
I agree with you, the husband was rude, there are better ways he could have handled the situation.

 

[atigeg]

In 28 cruises, we have had great tablemate experiences. The only time we were ever unhappy on Disney is when we had a table by ourselves, which has happened twice. We've been really lucky to be seated with friendly and fun people.
On RCCL's Voyager, we had a very awkward experience. We were at a very large table where everyone else was a member of the same family. There were two more family members who were supposed to be seated with them, but we were put there instead. Although it wasn't our fault, they seemed to blame us and it was extremely awkward. When we spoke with the diningroom manager, he copped a major attitude and said he wasn't even sure they would take care of it (after THEY made the mistake). Fortunately they did, and we were put at a friendlier table.
On one Disney cruise, there was a grandmother and grandson at our table, along with two other groups of adults. It was awkward for the boy not to have anyone his own age, so his grandmother spoke to the head server and they were able to switch.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com
Visit they

 

[kshabare]

Hopkins,

Wow, what a snot the man sounded like. Seems to me he should have just eaten at Palos every night. Pah, to have to dine with mere children?

About the tablemates - we sailed with our group of 11 last year. Well, let me tell you, some nights I would have traded in some for you and your wife. Glad everything turned out okay. We will be sailing on 02/01/2003 and there are 6 of us. For the sake of others I am hoping we are seated alone. I wouldn't want to inflict that pain on anyone else.

Kim ºOº

 

[DOCTORRICK]

about 15 years ago had a lousy experience on a carnival cruise. It was a 4 day cruise, and a table for 6, my wife (at that time girlfriend), and me, approx 35 year old married couple, and a newlywed black couple (I mention that, because is relevent to the story). First few night were ok, didn't much care for the married couple, wife was kind of opinionated, semi rude, but no real problems. But then on the 3rd night she starts talking about someone she knew from home in a noncomplimentary way. At some point during the dissertation she mentions, looking at the black couple, "she is one your people" !!! My wife and I couldn't believe it!!. Our eyes both went as wide a saucers at the same time. The black couple handled it very well, I thought, not ignoring it, but very politely pointing out how that statement was somewhat offensive, how it lumped all blacks with this person, etc. etc. It all went totally over the woman's head. Needless to say dinner the next night was somewhat awkward. Thank goodness it wasn't a 7 night cruise!!!

 

[BethC1952]

On our first cruise, we were a table of four couples, varying in age from 50ish (us) all the way down through 19 (the honeymoon couple). The two younger couples never said a word to anyone (including each other) the entire four nights. The third couple (40-something) was sociable enough. We never saw any of them except at dinner.

Our cruise last month was very different. We were a table of 8 again, this time two groups of three and a couple. The other group of three (we were one group) had a 17 year old daughter who was very unhappy cruising, was seasick, had just broken up with her boyfriend, etc., and just sat through dinner. Her parents and the other couple at the table were a lot of fun, and we had a great time. We kept running into our tablemates everywhere we went! It made a very different and enjoyable dining experience.

I can't wait to see what happens next time!

Beth

 

[AnnMorin]

On our past three cruises our tablemates have just gotten worse each time. The first one we could not converse with the family as they could barely speak english. They seemed nice enough though. Second cruise uppity parents with a very spoiled little girl. The child whined and screamed (litterally screamed) each all though our meals, stomped her feet and pounded on the table-dinner gave me a headache. Last cruise VERY NICE older couple celebrating their 50th anniversery and a family of three that just glared at us and the older couple the entire meal (we could not figure out what that was about) finally for my birthday and the older couple's anniversery we asked to switch to lumeries for the night with a table just for us five. That was a great night. The next night back on regular rotation and very uncomfortable again. I swear the husband looked like he was some type of psycho and we were his next intended victims, he would hardly eat and would just stare with this scarey look on his face at us and the older couple. Wife and daughter never said a word and only looked at their plates, it was like out of a stephan king movie!

I am so hoping that I can talk lisa into joining us this year so we can finally have good tablemates!

 

[Hopkins]

I hope we aren't scaring anyone with our stories, but these bad experiences are rare. We've never had problems in our other three cruises and in the end this fourth cruise we ended up with great tablemates and friends. Most people on these DCL cruises are very similiar to us all, we all love Disney! And most people are really nice!

Tina

PS: These are kind of funny, now, but at the time a tad stressful I'm sure.

 

[perdidobay]

OH MY!!
I've had good table mates our two cruises, but this thread is starting to worry me
Anybody want to hook up with me(45) and DD (26) for the 2-6 cruise? I'd like to sit with Dis'ers

 

[Lisa F]

On our first cruise, I was nervous about the shared table thing, but we had a GREAT time. I even missed the whole show in animator's palate because I was so engrossed in conversation with my tablemates.

On our second cruise, we were seated at a table for four with a much older couple (we are late 20's/early 30's). This couple had NOTHING to say. I tried for the entire first meal to start a conversation and was met with 1 and 2 word answers. "Have you cruised before?" "Yes" "Which cruiseline?" "Royal Caribbean" "How do you like disney compared to that?" "It's nice." "Why did you pick Disney?" "Don't know." OOooohkay.... "So, do you have any grandchildren?" "3" "Do they like Disney?" "I guess" "Do you think you'd do antoher disney cruise with your grandchildren?" "I don't know". It was downright PAINFUL. The next night we couldn't bear to have another meal like that so we called Palos and got on the wait list for that night. We ended up going to Palos the last two nights of the cruise and the last morning at breakfast, our server practically yelled at us for not coming to dinner the previous two nights. The whole thing was a nightmare.

On our last cruise, another 7 day, we vowed that if there were problems we'd have our table switched. The cruise is too long to be miserable for dinner (on advice of people from the boards). When we were seated once again at a table for 4, we were dreading meeting our tablemates. We sat across from each other instead of next to each other, figuring it would be easier to engage in our own conversation if we could look at each other. BUT there was nothing to worry about, our tablemates were awesome. They were a couple of guys who run an upscale bar/cafe and were given the cruise by their boss as a bonus for making it a very good year for him. We had SO much fun talking every night, they were just great.

So, I figured I had to include the good with the bad, but we definately had one BAD one, and I will probably always be a little nervous when being seated until we meet our tablemates but now I know that if it's miserable, the head server can (and will) fix it.

Lisa

 

[Cindyluwho]

Well, we had the tablemates from Hell on our last cruise-and the worst part is: we were the ones who invited them on the trip! Our friends have been having marital problems and it seems the trip just made it worse. Every night he complained about the way she dressed (which was always conservative and elegant) and he actually said she looked like a wh%$e on more than one occasion. It was a constant battle and not just at dinner. Their daughter is 4 1/2 years old and disabled, which they refuse to recognize (a whole 'nother thread could be written about that) so they just ignore her and she's crawling-literally- on the table, grabbing stuff and throwing it around. A nightmare!! I was much happier on our first cruise, with strangers who became friends and helped us make great memories!

 

[>>^..^<<]

I am enjoying reading this thread - I am not sure if that is the right word.. enjoying.. but wow.. what stories... you can laugh now.. but probably not then.. lol

We only sailed once - and we sat with a nice family from Richmond VA - the only problem we had that it was late sitting and Noel kept falling asleep literally with her head in her plate.
Then I would try to wake her up and she would be confused and miserable.. not wanting dessert - just wanting bed.

One night a big russian waiter carried her back to the cabin for me - I just couldn't wake her up. lol

I recommend early seating dinner for prople with kids... I mean if they fall asleep later in the show - they are in their own seat, in the dark and you can still enjoy the show... I did not enjoy alot of the dinners for guilt that I should have her in bed and not in the dining room.

>>^..^<<

 

[mcnuss]

On our cruise, our family of 3, me 40, DH 45 & DD8 were originally seated with a 50-something couple and their 16yo Goth (no kidding) DD and a honeymooning couple. I feel for you Lisa F bc between the 2 couples and the surly DD, the first night's dinner was painful. I kept trying to start conversation, and it just fell on deaf ears. I could not even get the honeymooners to talk much about their wedding! (In their defense, we bumped into them later and found out that they had not slept for 2 days.) My DD kept staring at the teenager, I think she was kind of scared. I told DH at the end of that meal that if we could not switch tables, we were eating in Topsiders every night except the night we went to Palo. Luckily I bumped into Stephanie, our Head Server, at breakfast the next morning, and she told me she'd fix it. We were then seated with the most wonderful couple our own age and their 10 yo DD who was a sweetie. Our girls hit it off and so did we, and the rest of the week was a pleasure. In addition, we much preferred the second serving team of Mainer & David. I speak fluent French and both Stephanie & David are French, so I had the best time talking to them.

 

[kendall]

on our first cruise - we were seated with grandparents from TX who were traveling with their grandchildren. Our kids were 8 and 6, theirs were 6 and 4. Worked out well - they had cruised before, had great stories to share and the kids got along fine.

On our next trip we are traveling with another family we know, so we linked our reservations to request a table for 8 together. so we will see where we land in the dining room!

 

[dizneykids]

...we have always been at a table for six (except for our last cruise where we had friends and their kids with us). however, except for the first night (when they HAVE to eat with us) and the formal night (when we INSIST they eat with us), our boys prefer to do their meals with the kids in the lab and club. so...there we sit, just the two of us at a table for six. it's comical!

 

[kajohn]

On my honeymoon several years ago, we had a table for 4 with another honeymoon couple who had zero personality. It was very awkward having to eat every night with only one other couple.

The next cruise my husband and I asked for a large table, and we sat with the most amazing set of people, we all got along tremendously and it was nice to have many people to talk to. We kept switching seats everynight so we could talk to new people. Many nights we all went to the shows together after dinner, and ran into each other all the time during the day.

I am concerned though, this time we are traveling with our kids which makes us a party of 5, I asked for a large table, how do they normally sit a family of 5 who asks for a large table?

What are the table sizes, do they have tables that seat 10 so we could be with another family of 5, or will we have a table for 8 so we have to sit with a family of 3. My kids are 5, 7, and 9. I hope they try to match up ages at least somewhat.

 

[MacGyverTDS]

DH and I cruised with another line for our honeymoon. It was an 11 day repositioning cruise. So here we are, newly married, excited to cruise to Hawaii and we get seated with 2 older couples who were the tablemates from h#ll. Every speck of food that crossed their lips was "unpalatable", I never saw so many things sent back to the kitchen at one seating! We tried to start up a conversation with them, and like someone posted earlier, we got monosyllabic answers, and NO eye contact whatsoever.
My DH decided that we couldn't survive 11 dinners with these people! Thank goodness our waitstaff had tipped off the Maitre D and when we arrived the following morning to complain they had already plotted out where we could be moved to, and had XXXX'D off the remaining 4 places at that table.
On the upside, we were moved 2 tables over to another table for 8 and got the most wonderful tablemates! We had an absolute blast everynight! After our first night with them, we all decided to not sit next to our spouses, but to rotate our seating so we sat next to different people every night. It was great, and I think allowed us all to get to know each other better. On our final day of the cruise, we had the most tearfilled breakfast. We all were so lucky to have hit it off so well. We've all kept in touch by email or snail mail now for close to 3 years. 10 days with those people laid the groundwork for friendships to last a lifetime!

Here's hoping we get lucky with our tablemates on the 2/1 cruise!


Judy