Just returned from our first cruise. Was wondering if it would have been okay to ask to be moved to another table or possibly another dining room after we had already dined at our table twice? We found our tablemates to be unappetizing. On formal night they dressed in jeans and t-shirts saying "we didnt read nowhere that we were gonna have to bring dress up clothes". Next, they brought their 4yr. old son and had to pass him from lap to lap because our table was only set for six, 4 from my family and 2 from theirs. One of them informed us we should have eaten breakfast with them that morning because they had "benedict arnold" (he meant, eggs benedict I think). We ordered a bottle of good wine one night and politely offered them a glass, quickly they accepted then tasted and said "oooooh that's awful stuff" and never drank again. We only ate in the dining room twice because we didn't have anything to say to them. I don't mean to sound snotty but I was expecting our dinners to be elegant and some thing to look forward to. We were too wet behind the ears for the proper way to handle this situation and felt it better to avoid them rather than cause a scene.
Any advice for next cruise?
Yes, you can DEFINITELY asked to be moved. Any cruise line would accomodate you with that request. I can't belive that they were actually allowed to SIT in the dining room with those shirts on! WOW!
You can always ask to be moved. But I understand your hesitance. We were seated at a table for 4 alone last cruise, but really love the companion of fun dining companions. But, by the time two nights had passed, we felt bad to ask to be moved, because of our waiters. I've already decided I won't let that stop me next time, because that was the least fun we'd ever had dining on a cruise ever. Next time, go for it, and so will we!
Yes, diffently asked to be moved on your next cruise. The wife and I had a simular expierance to what you had. The wife and I didn't go back in the dining room for the rest of the cruise. We voided the problem, but I think we short changed ourselves the most.
So asked to be changed !
I said this on another tread that I saw several men walk into the Dinning Room on our second formal night wearing shorts and Ravens Jerseys. They looked and acted like they were headed for a tailgating party instead of a formal dinner.
As for our Tablemates. Our table sat 9 people....On our first night it was just my wife and I and another couple. On the second night, which was also the first formal night there were two other couples...we learned that we all booked our cruise through the same TA so that is why we were all at the same table. The two couples complained about the formality of eating in the Dinner Room and we never saw them again. As for the first couple we became best of friends....
You should definitely asked to be moved. But I can understand that being awkward. Last summer on our cruise, we were seated with a woman, her sister and niece. WE thought we got along well but the second night they were seated by themselves at another table. I admit I was a little insulted but then my husband said don't take it personally and that maybe they wanted to sit alone. This year we sat alone and we enjoyed it so much- just the five of us. Anyway, if you are not happy, you should speak up.
That brings up a different side of the story as well. If you've requested a change or planning to request a change, be kind enough to mention it to your tablemates if you can. We were assigned to early seating one cruise, and they said to go ahead to the early seating the first night, and they'd get us reassigned the next day. We were seated at a table for 10, so we told them all we wouldn't be there going forward, no offense. Kind of a good thing to do, even if you have to make an "excuse" why you're moving, because even though these ships are large, you'll run into these same people over and over again, and no reason to have bad feelings on a vacation!
Welcome to TODAY'S world of cruisin. We were on the Norwegian Dawn last fall and NCL advertises dining in any restaurant at any time and in almost any attire. On "formal" night we were in line at their main dining room in my tux and my wife with her evening gown and in front of us was a lady in a sweat shirt and jeans (I think). Her husband was dressed as bad and they were probably 50 ish. She turned around to see us and she was embarrassed at their attire and made a comment that showed her feeling. Maybe it was her husband who insisted on their evening dress. Luckily we were seated at a table for 2 and we didn't have the problem you did. The pity is that if people want to dress like bums for dinner that they don't do the buffet rather than destroy the atmosphere for those seeking a more elegant surrounding for the evening. My wife really enjoys dressing up on the formal nites and to wear some of her nice jewelry on our cruises twice a year. It probably won't be long before we are the only 2 dressed up for formal night...
No John, we will be joining you. I think part of the cruising experience is the chance to dress up and treat yourself to an experience that is not "every day". I will always go formal when appropriate. I was told by some others that some cruise lines have more people who enjoy the formal nights but that Carnival didn't cater so much to that. But it sounds to me that NCL didn't either...
We just booked our 2nd cruise for next March. We did 5 nights last time and are doing 7 this time. We 'dressed up' --DH wore shirt and tie and I wore dressy outfits every night. We dressed formal for the formal night. I asked him last night if he planned to dress similar this cruise .. "of course ... didn't you like it?' was his reply. I guess we will be in that minority that enjoys playing dress up!!!
Definitely ask to be moved. Last year my father and I were assigned with two women, which they were very nice and very friendly. Although we had eaten dinner with them twice and I am a very shy girl if not with someone else, but my father had gotten a really really bad cold and couldn't make it to dinner for like 3 or 4 nights. But I had other family members on board, with cousins my age, and they were up on the second floor, so we asked their waiter if he could fix one more placement for me for the next couple of nights. And there was no problem. On the last night after I was done eating I did go down and talk to the two women and explained to them where we've been just so they would know that it wasn't anything against them and that we really enjoyed their company the couple nights we got to eat with them. So if you don't like where you're at, definitely you can be moved. You can also hange from late to early or early to late seating if you'd like. Its YOUR cruise make sure you enjoy every minute of it! Because you CAN.
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*Kim*
07/30/95 - Fantasy
12/19/97 - Ecstasy
07/26/99 - Imagination
04/01/00 - Grandeur of the Seas
04/01/01 - Carnival Victory
03/29/03 - Carnival Triumph
11/11/04 - Sensation
04/17/07 - Imagination (again)
You can always ask to be moved. Ask the maitre 'd.....
We had a similar experience, only it wasn't the dress that was bothersome, it was just the people themselves. The couples were about 10 years younger than we were, but the biggest fuddy-duddies we'd ever come across on a cruise! Really Eye-Ores! We went to the maitre 'd, and asked to be moved, preferrably to a very large table where there would be lots of people. I think we wound up at a table for eight or 10 or something....quite a few, anyway! We figured that way our chances of finding people we had things in common with increased....and it did. The couples at that table were all our age or older, but so much younger in spirit! We all got along great, and went on shore tours together in some of the ports.
unpleasant dinner mates
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