Bad tablemate during dinner

[steves100]

I'm surprised that Disney would pair non-English speaking people at the same table (maybe they didn't know). For the head server NOT to have moved the OP is totally not acceptable. I am shocked at this. After 11 cruises we have never had a problem getting a different table/server

 

[sambycat]

I'm angry just reading the OPs post. I would have lost my mind. Personal requests or not hitting it off with table mates is one thing, but homophobia, racism or other ugliness is not something the head server should tolerate and frankly I would have lost it on that guy if they did not accomodate me!

Obviously that situation is past and I can understand being gunshy moving forward. All I can think is I would have bluntly described the nature of your concerns and sitting at
A table near them is unacceptable. I would have gone to guest services and taken it to officers. Anyone I could find. That is so ridiculous. I really think your situation was a bizarre fluke and it would make me wonder if the head server shared your tablemates backward views. We like the MDRs, I am sure your next cruise will be great!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

We prefer to sail less often and go Conceirge now. That ensures you a table by yourself.

 

[hotfiregal]

We've always requested our own table. My daughter says that dinner is our family time, as we are all doing different things during the day on the ship.
I've had several friends with similar dining horror stories and I don't want to chance it.

 

[andrews_dad]

Just a different experience to toss out there ..

Been on 6 cruises and always have had good tablemates. On one my kids had an instant bond with the kids from my tablemates on the Magic. They spent the entire 2nd day playing together. Since the kids were playing so well together, we did an excursion together on day 3. By day 4, it was clear they were inseparable. Movies, shows, kids club, pool, breakfast .... they were together almost single second. Needless to say, we ended the cruise as life-long best friends. We've taken three vacations together since (non-Disney), talk on the iPads often, etc.

Not sure I advise to always ask for a table by yourself. You never know. Might get jerks at the table, but might end up meeting in with friends you'll have for life!

 

[Dug720]

I'm not sure what would have been better protocol, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that you had to deal with that. Gross.

Better protocol would have been to at the very least say "We will try our best" and not just the flat-out "Ain't happening" attitude the OP got. Proper protocol would be to acknowledge that something needs to happen and find a way to do it. It might have meant changing dining times or rotations, but there are almost always ways to solve the problem. And having a no-can-do attitude is neither helpful NOR the Disney Way!

 

[dragynally]

Better protocol would have been to at the very least say "We will try our best" and not just the flat-out "Ain't happening" attitude the OP got. Proper protocol would be to acknowledge that something needs to happen and find a way to do it. It might have meant changing dining times or rotations, but there are almost always ways to solve the problem. And having a no-can-do attitude is neither helpful NOR the Disney Way!

I think they meant protocol as in what the OP could have done. Disney absolutely failed on this one.

 

[Dug720]

I think they meant protocol as in what the OP could have done. Disney absolutely failed on this one.

I think the only other thing given the pretty much identical responses from the dining room manager and guest services would have been to ask for the Hotel Director.

And that is definitely a case where I would follow it up with a letter about my experience - even (or especially) if it went to the HD.

 

[Jess_S]

I have nothing helpful to add as far as advice, but I echo what others have said about the situation. OP, you should not have had to put up with bigots at your table and I am shocked that DCL did not immediately do something to address the situation. I'm very sorry you had to deal with something like this at all -- and even more so during what should have been a stress free vacation.

 

[bumbershoot]

Better protocol would have been to at the very least say "We will try our best" and not just the flat-out "Ain't happening" attitude the OP got.

I re-read the first post. They were told that there were no other tables. They were told to come back at dinner time to be placed where remy people would otherwise be. Alas the table was close to the guy. How is that "ain't happening"? Sounds like it was a full sailing.

And if they are starting to get more and more requests for family-group tables that's going to make it harder for those still seated with others to get another table.

 

[Dug720]

I re-read the first post. They were told that there were no other tables. They were told to come back at dinner time to be placed where remy people would otherwise be. Alas the table was close to the guy. How is that "ain't happening"? Sounds like it was a full sailing.

And if they are starting to get more and more requests for family-group tables that's going to make it harder for those still seated with others to get another table.

He did state that the head waiter/manager was rude to them. And to me it sounds like he didn't even bother to consult their charts or offer options besides "go to guest services". To me that reads as having an "ain't happening" attitude.

And the table the guy finally offered was close, but we don't know how hard he tried to find something. There could have been other options but it doesn't sound like this crew member wanted to bother looking into them.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Better protocol would have been to at the very least say "We will try our best" and not just the flat-out "Ain't happening" attitude the OP got. Proper protocol would be to acknowledge that something needs to happen and find a way to do it. It might have meant changing dining times or rotations, but there are almost always ways to solve the problem. And having a no-can-do attitude is neither helpful NOR the Disney Way!

As the poster after you said, I was referring to what the OP could have done (as that was the question). No doubt Disney was in the wrong on that one.

 

[Belle1997]

We have the opposite problem most of the time. I use a wheelchair and we end up eating alone. We always wanted table mates. Only once has it gone well and that is because I was at a Disboards table. Out of our 16 cruises I would say we had table mates 5 times. I think they see a wheelchair on their list and they do not know the extent of the disability so not to offend the other dinners so put us by ourselves. They give us some strange excuse that they need to put us on the outside for easier access. Which is not true because when we have requested to be sat with another table I weave around on the inside just fine. Once they put my husband and I with a table of Grandparents, mother and 3 year old child. We are older adults so that was not good. We did move and got a table by ourselves. I love to meet new people it rarely happens at dinner. Noticed this time they messes up my reservation and did not acknowledge I had a wheelchair had great seats and table mates.

 

[Dug720]

As the poster after you said, I was referring to what the OP could have done (as that was the question). No doubt Disney was in the wrong on that one.

Gotcha.

Like I responded to that poster, the next step after being brushed off by the head server (or dining room manager) who directed the OP to guest services who directed him back to the dining room manager who had already shown a lack of interest in helping (basing that on the OP's report which certainly makes it seem like the manager did nothing to even look to see if there were other options before just saying "No. Come back to see if maybe someone went to Remy.") would have been to ask for the Hotel Director. Hopefully s/he would have investigated all possible options.

And again, a follow-up letter to TPTB with names and an account of what happened so that they are aware of what is happening - nothing will change if they are not aware of the crew apparently not wanting to go above and beyond.

 

[Geomom]

OP, I'm so sorry you and your husband had this bad experience. I'm glad to hear that you have had 5 good experiences in the past though! I would request a private table for this upcoming cruise, to make your husband more comfortable after your last experience. Perhaps you can go back to trying to have tablemates again in the future, as it sounds like you do enjoy it when it's a good match.

Enjoy your next cruise!

 

[clten]

I am sorry you had a bad experience and can understand your husband's hesitancy to try again. But it sounds like you tried to handle it the right way, you just also ran into a head server who wasn't doing his job well. (Not to make excuses for him, but a lot of times, they take your asking to be moved to another table as a request for a table by yourself. If the situation came up again, I'd say make sure that you indicate that you are fine sharing a table if that is what is available but you cannot continue dining with the tablemates you currently have.)

But if the problem is that the head server isn't doing a great job for you move up the ladder. (To me Guest Services isn't going up and they rarely assist me is solving an issue but sometimes you have to go there to connect with the person who can help you.) So it's a good idea to know who would be there to help you - several people here recommended the Hotel Director but there are several steps in between that may get your problem solved too. Each Dining Room has a Manager (lately it seems that this is one of the 3 head servers in that dining room). If that is not your head server, go to them. (Also keep in mind that the head servers typically only rearrange things in their dining room - sometimes a better solution would be to change dining rotations -- less chance of being seated next to undesirable people if you aren't in the same room!) If that isn't helpful or your head server is that person, go up the ladder - next up I believe is the Food and Beverage Manager and then up to the Hotel Director.

 

[MUN]

Hi there,
We are going on our 7th Disney cruise next month and can not wait. We have been very fortunate on 5 of them to have excellent tablemates during dinner - however, we had a very bad experience on our last one with a homophobic tablemate.

What did you tablemate say?

 

[Birdie dog]

I request private tables. I don't like eating with strangers.

One of the doctors I work with recently took his family on their first DCL cruise. He didn't realize he would be sharing a table but was ok with it. A couple days into the cruise, his daughter came down with a mild cold.

He said they were at dinner, his daughter sneezed, and a glop of snot landed on the plate of the wife of the second family at their table. They didn't show up after that..

 

[Dug720]

I request private tables. I don't like eating with strangers.

One of the doctors I work with recently took his family on their first DCL cruise. He didn't realize he would be sharing a table but was ok with it. A couple days into the cruise, his daughter came down with a mild cold.

He said they were at dinner, his daughter sneezed, and a glop of snot landed on the plate of the wife of the second family at their table. They didn't show up after that..

Honestly can't say I would have shown up either after that.

Why has the daughter of a doctor not been taught to cover her mouth and nose when she sneezes??

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I request private tables. I don't like eating with strangers.

One of the doctors I work with recently took his family on their first DCL cruise. He didn't realize he would be sharing a table but was ok with it. A couple days into the cruise, his daughter came down with a mild cold.

He said they were at dinner, his daughter sneezed, and a glop of snot landed on the plate of the wife of the second family at their table. They didn't show up after that..

Seems to me, since he is a doctor, he should have avoided the dining room with a sick child. Mild or otherwise, "just a cold" can be dangerous for some people.