Eating with complete strangers on a cruise ship used to be a normal part of the cruising experience, especially in the MDR (main dining room). But now with more cruise lines offering flexible Anytime/My Time Dining in addition to offering more dining options than ever before, many will opt to eat only with their own cabin or group.
Some people love meeting new people at the dining table, while others aren’t big on the idea.
A recent social media post by Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald made it clear exactly how most of the cruise line’s passengers prefer to enjoy their evening meals.
With a recent social media post poll, Heald asked if cruisers:
- A) “enjoy sitting at a table with new people,”
- B) prefer to eat with friends or family without asking for it, or
- C) would “not want to be seated at a table with people I do not know”
The post has already attracted almost 2,000 comments, and just a brief look over the most common answer made the preference clear.
Comments on the Poll
Option C: “I absolutely do not want to be seated at a table with people I do not know” was overwhelmingly the majority response.
The reasons for wanting to eat alone or with their own group ranged from wanting to avoid the awkward small talk to previous experiences that paired them with unpleasant table mates.
“C. Please never seat me and my family with strangers,” wrote Marsha. “We don’t mind meeting new people, but not at dinner. I want to enjoy my dining experience.”
Many agreed. “C. I would skip dinner rather than sit with people I don’t know,” said Dave.
Erin described a bad experience: “The couple we were seated with were so drunk… and the ladies next to us were also drunk. We’ve asked for our time dining ever since.”
Many wanted time with family. “That’s the only time I enjoy being alone with family,” said Mel. “Dinner is our time,” added Carol.
Kaye said, “Used to be A, now it is C. One too many times with rude people and now we just want to eat in peace.”
Lisa noted that despite her preference it didn’t matter as much because “the tables are close enough to each other, I feel like I’m sitting with strangers.”
But some liked meeting new people. “Even us introverts can make friends,” said Sam. “I always request shared,” added Jill. Tyler said, “I love to meet new people.”
It’s Different for Everyone
While not everyone has the same dining preference, it’s true that not every dining experience with a stranger is the same either.
We recently reported on a pair of vegan passengers on a Carnival cruise that requested a different table because their tablemates were farmers. Heald ended up moving the farmer and his wife and gave them the steakhouse selections free of charge.
As was stated in the comments, it’s often these negative experiences that prompt cruisers to choose a more intimate setting for their next sailing. But not everyone agrees.
Friends for life have been made from sitting with complete strangers on a cruise ship. As Jennifer stated, “Love meeting new people and getting to know them throughout the cruise. We’ve had many interesting and fun conversations with table mates who became friends.”
And in an age where solo cruising is becoming more and more popular, dining with someone new offers a chance to gain perspective. Amanda alluded to this by saying, “On Glory two weeks ago, we were seated next to a solo cruiser. It was her first cruise, and we were able to answer any questions. She found us the next day and said that made her cruise better.”
