Have any of you had a bad experience with the traditional dining on a cruise? I just returned from a short cruise and we were seated with the most obnoxious people who insisted on pressing their religious views on total strangers! Every night (until the third night, after that, I ate in the informal dining room.) these people brought up religion and basically sermonized or testified. They were sooo pious, I wonder why they were on a "FUN CRUISE"

Different strokes for different folks.You have more patience than I, as I would have made a beeline to the Maitre'D and requested a move.Or when the conversation got around to what my "line" is, I would have given the same response I do on a flight:I'm a porno star.That has yet to fail to shut someone up.

Good one, BeachBoi, I'll have to remember that!

Marlib, were you a small table? We request 6 or 8 to lessen the chances of what happened to you.

Did you ask the maitre d' to change your table? Or theirs?

No, I didn't request another table, by then I was "gun shy". It was a large table and it seemed to become a contest of who was the most "righteous". I will remember the porn star remark!

I once was on a RCCL Explorer of the seas 7 day Western Carrib. The first night we sit down at a table, me my wife and my son. We sat with a family of 9 all from Israel. These people were very nice people not obnoxious but for the most part they didn't speak English, the Grandfather who sat next to me spoke English and he spoke to me but no one at the table, the husbands and wives and children didn't speak to my wife or son they just spoke Hebrew to each other. Well as soon as I finished my appetizer I knew this was going to be a NO GO for 7 days so I got up went to the Maitre'D and told him that for the next night he needed to change my table, I told him why and he agreed. The next night we ended up at a great table but saw the people from Israel for the whole cruise, I felt somewhat embarrassed seeing them, I should have explained but it was a tough one and to boot the Grandfather and his wife had the cabin next to us plus they were on our flight home, we couldn't shake them, every where we went they were there to remind us.

This is YOUR vacation so the next time change table asap. Anyway chances are you will not run itno such types again.

BeachBoi...you crack me up!!! We were seated on our last cruise with a self-important gentleman and we thought about changing our table, but felt it would be rude.. Among other things he would rush to be the first at the head of the table every evening..made a comment when my husband wore a tux (he didn't). This is one reason that we prefer the new NCL "freestyle".. We have just booked our 11th cruise on the Majesty and if we find one of the waitstaff that I remember...we'll alway look for that table.. But I would never stay at the table with the person spouting religious views...then again Parrot Pop has strong political opinions (liberal)which has brought us some memorable moments. On our last cruise we were introduced by a like fellow passenger to a "political insider of the Republican party"... I only want to tell yo the breakfast that was arranged was hysterical from our point of view. The gentleman and he really was who the other gentleman said he was (we looked him up) was quite gracious, but did not expect to find us with facts and figures to counter his propaganda..lol.. We shook and were still friends by the end of the cruise..lol

Politics & religion are a no-no amongst strangers, especially strangers with whom you have to share a dinner table for a week.

Several years ago, we were at a hotel for a few days where they seated you at dinner with other people, similar to a cruise. Everyone else at the table knew each other & NEVER included us in their conversations. We were young & stupid, didn't ask to be moved & would just go down for meals at times when we hoped we could avoid the group. Not a pleasant experience.

That will never happen to us again, nor would I feel embarrassed about asking to move. The people you moved away from are apparently not your types & you'll never see them again anyway.

PM....Well, it's not that I haven't been, ahhemmm, "approached".....But what would my Stage Name be???.....

Marilib: If you did not ask to be moved to another table, perhaps it was because you thought that the Maitre'D would say something to the other members at the table. That would not happen.

A big part of their job is to make sure everyone is happy with their dining experience. He/she would simply move you to another table, and not say anything to your former tablemates. If they asked, a tactful response would be made to assure that they were not offended. People ask to be moved all the time.

As was stated by others, you paid to enjoy your cruise and the cruiseline knows that happy cruisers are repeat customers and thus, wants to make sure you enjoy all of your cruise, including your meals.

On our very first cruise 20 years ago we were seated at a table of ALL honeymooners...we realized we had nothing i common so we changed tables and explained to the couples why we were doing it and they understood completely.. they were talking about their wedding, etc.. and we were celebrtig our 30th wedding anniverary..lol We ended up sitting with a couple from Scotland and one from Canada...and had a wonderful time.. We have found that they do like to sit you at a table where the service people can speak your language whether it is spanish, german or french.. On our last cruise there was a large oriental group and their menus were in chinese or japanese...and at lunch we sat with an english speaking daugher and her Japanese mother... and got along just fine.. as my husand remembered a few words from being in Korea.. it pleased the elderly mother and brought smiles to her face.

Pardon my ignorance (I have never been into cituation like this) but do people require to have similar interests if they are eating together? Can you talk to your spouse? Can you be polite to others but have your own converstaion?
I don't see how strangers (about 5 couples per table) can 'click' right away and talk...I mean all 10. There is always going to be some who feeling left out, so should they search for their 'mates' to the end of the cruise?

Since we have been on well over 20 cruises..I feel I can answer...There are times when you are seated with people..at a large table which we prefer, when you have just dinner mates...good or bad.. other times you hit it off with one or two couples that you might have something in common with.. that is a great advantage of "free style cruising"..The opportunity to meet other cruisers perhaps and join them for lunch or a trip.. Frankly, I like meeting a variety of people.. all ages, but we are now seniors and sitting us with honeymooners isnt' as great idea..but then again I don't like hanging around with older people and like a mixture..

I've been fortunate enough not to have experienced uncomfortable dinner company. But, in the event that I did, I would go immediately to request a change. As stated it is YOUR vacation and you should be comfortable. I'd also impress the dinner company that you DO NOT want to continue to discuss their religious views that they are certainly entitled to have, but this is not the time or place to discuss them!! Then, change the subject by asking a question...What did you do today?

I would change tables in a heartbeat if the mix was bad. A 6 top is the worst if the other 2 couples are traveling together. A 10 top tends to be a bit much. On our last cruise a tablemate suggested that we not sit in the same seats everynight. That way we were able to connect on a one to one basis with each other by having some one different next to us every night

What if the obnoxious people are part of your own family?

You tell MtrD that you want to sit with obnoxious people who are NOT part of your family. Then your family will probably throw entertaining fit!

A sure way to ruin a meal or any social activity is to discuss religion or poltics...those that choose to do so are rude and obnoxious. But of course the religious feel they are called to convert everyone to their way of thinking, regardless of the religion...funny how most problems, from small social gatherings to the world at large, are caused by religion. Ever think we might be better off without it?

I have a friend with a glass eye, and on his latest cruise he was also seated with obnoxious passengers. On the third night he had had enough, so he stood up when the soup was served, and walked awaym asking one of the onboxious passengers wo\to "please keep an eye on my soup".

Unbeknown to the passenger, he had slyly dropped his spare glass eye into the man's own bowl of soup....and as the nasty passenger consumed the soup, and the level went down, the glass eye appeared in the bottom of the bowl!

The passenger was so distraut and horrified that he and his friends asked to be moved to another table for the remainder of the voyage!

Your friend carries an extra glass eye to dinner?
The obnoxious people DON'T notice him slipping it into the soup but DO leave the table after this? All of them?
If they DIDN'T know your friend had done the foul deed why did they leave the table? Shouldn't they have blamed the chef/server?