Ted

I understand alot of cruise ships are moving towards a system where people have a choice to eat at a different eating establishment every meal and the forced table talk with the same assigned seat mates at dinner every night will no longer be necessary. Great idea!<BR><BR>We recently returned from a seven night cruise on Carnival and had a wonderful time, except at dinner. It became quite evident after 10 minutes with our assigned table partners that we all of us had nothing in common and people just did not care for each other. It was terribly difficult to make small talk with this group. We all got on each others nerves and after the second night people just stopped talking entirely. It was like spending time with bad relatives, we were stuck with each other. My wife insisted on tiring to get the conversation going each night but my efforts feel on deaf ears. How painful!<BR><BR>Do other people have this experience, or was it just me?

Merriem

Yes, I totally understand. We got stuck THREE meals a day on the Cunard Caronia with the worst table for 8 we've ever experienced. I think the open seating is much better as you get the chance to meet lots of people rather than being with the same ones. We have usually had great tables, but you could ask to be moved. The worst was one night when this widow lady told me I was a miserable wife because I didn't do my husband's laundry. We about fell out of our seats! LOL

Gerry

Hi Ted:<BR>I know what you mean. I have some dandy stories I could tell. Wish we could sit with you on our next cruise in Feb. We have always gone for the traditional seating because one of our highlights of cruising for us is getting to know and socializing with our table mates. We always request a table of at least six hoping that there is at least one couple that my wife and I are compatible with. Getting good table mates is more good luck than anything and even though we've had the odd "oddball" we still like the traditional dining.<BR>You sound like this may have been your first cruise. Maybe you should give it another try. Good Luck<BR><BR>Gerry<BR><BR>

Donna

Why didn't you asked to be moved? Its a simple solution.

Debbie

Ted...Don't let this spoil it for you on future trips. Its the luck of the draw, I know, but give it another chance before going the "solo" route.<BR> We have been very lucky I guess. Have been on three cruises and have met some very interesting people at our dinner tables. Haven't had a bad experience yet. knock on wood...<BR> Well, ALMOST had one on our first cruise, not that it would of been THAT bad, its just we were assigned a table for four with the other couple not english speaking..could of made for some LONG meals..we were going to ask to be moved, but felt that might be rude,but as luck would have it, we got moved, and never really found out how or why, to the "Captains table" for the rest of the cruise.

Andy

Ted- All you needed to do after the first nite was go to the Maitre de and ask to be moved to another table---You could have even asked for an age related table---there are usually tons of people in your predicament , and the maitre de is used to doing this ALL the time...Not an embarassing thing at all--<BR><BR>I always ask for a table for 8 and then we usually play musical chairs so we can sit next to different people nightly...<BR><BR>I have only had 1 terrible table in 18 years of cruising--<BR><BR>And have only asked to change tables 2 times....

Mary

My husband and I asked to be moved but were moved to a table someone else had bailed out of because the people were so terrible. Spoiled the cruise.

susan

my husband and I had the same experience<BR>we were on the HAL westerdam Alaska<BR>cruise for seven nights.<BR>we were seated with people that were<BR>nice enough in their own way, but I <BR>was happier going elsewhere on the ship.<BR>We had been looking forward to our first<BR>cruise.this was the only thing that spoilt our whole experience as my<BR>husband made me go to dinner with these<BR>people No one tells you if you dont<BR>like you dinner companions what to do<BR>I felt like I was being tortured.<BR>thank god westerdam had more than one <BR>place to eat.

Melissa

On Disney, there were 6 of us in our group, and we were at a table for 8. They sat this couple with us, who made out the entire dinner!!!!! On of my friends saw him stick his tongue in her ear!!!

Stan

Ask to be moved. With the exception of Debbie and Andy above, I suspect your tablemates would have liked for you to move also. Strange you could not find anyone interesting out 8 people.<BR>Oh well....

snorkelman

My wife and I had once requested to me moved, and the table to which we were moved was the reject table. It was dead center of the ship - no view. This table also was a table of 8 - but the other 6 were all about 400 pounds and in wheelchairs. We did not have much in common with these others, but we left the ship with funny stories about how their wheelchairs broke the shower and flooded their rooms, and how they had backed up the whole tender by requesting crew members lift their bodies onto the tender.<BR><BR>When you move tables, it may solve your problems, but always keep in mind that it is possible that you may end up at a worse table. If you don't think that things can get worse, then ask to switch.

cruiser bruiser

Talk about self-selection!

Pat

Wow, this sounds like the cafeteria in high school. I will be taking my first cruise in June and am now wondering if I should be insulted if my tables mates don't return. This is one of the things that turned me off about cruising and am now wondering if it is possible to get a table for two on HAL.

Gerry

Message to Pat: These posts are better than reading the daily comics. Pat don't let this be a major problem. As I said in a previous post I go on a cruise to socialize and I'm willing to take a chance on my table mates.<BR>As far as having a table for two, my wife and I eat together just about every day at home. On a cruise we want COMPANY.<BR><BR>

rita

Bad table mates? <BR><BR>Picture this, table for six for twelve days from Lisbon to London -- three gentlemen over 65; one a hard of hearing very proper British gentleman; one brash New York gentleman; and one obnoxious brash upstate New York gentleman -- add to that three single women under the age of 38. The gentlemen thought they had died and gone to heaven, the ladies (of which I was one) thought we had died and gone to HELL!<BR><BR>Even thought it was hell, I would do it again -- nothing like watching two New Yorkers trying to out do each other trying "to win the blond".

xxx

So why would you do this to yourselves? I will never understand the "luck of the draw" mentality. Maybe the next time I spend several thousand dollars of my hard earned money it will be better? Ask for a table for two.

Paul Therault

I think part of the fun of cruising is getting to meet others from different cultures and different parts of the world. On most cruises it is a grand old time. If we wanted to eat by ourselves we can do that at home. <BR><BR>I find that passengers that wish to eat by themselves are either shy or on their honeymoon.<BR><BR>For the couple that find they are sitting with 10 nerds might wonder what is wrong with the world when on the second night of the cruise they are the only ones sitting at the table.<BR><BR>Happy cruising.<BR><BR>Paul

xxxx

I thought people that wanted to eat by themselves were just rich, Paul.

Pat

Boy, you guys have got it all wrong. When I step on that cruise ship in june I will not be on my honeymoon nor am I either shy or rich. Just one burned out self-employed person who deals with clients five days a week for about 13 hours a day. Although my husband and I work together, obviously a busy office is not a place to share a little quite time. That's what a cruise ship is for. On this trip I don't want to share him with anybody and I want his undivided attention, something we don't have time for in our busy lives. So although I love to meet and talk to new people I don't think a romantic dinner for two is asking too much especially at the prices we are paying for this trip.

Gerry

Message to Pat: I think you hit the nail on the head. My wife just reminded me this AM that working people today are constantly surrounded by others. Your right, a table for two would provide undivided attention for the two of you. I guess I've been retired too long and have forgotten what the real working world is like.