One of the things you can do on the ship is have dinner in the ‘fancy’ restaurant. It’s the same restaurant you can eat breakfast and lunch in (buffet style), except with tablecloths and a menu and waiters.

We were a bit late to our time slot (too much shuffleboard?), so the greeter made the executive decision to seat us with this other couple.

They’re from Argentina, with a son in Belgium they were going to visit after the cruise. They run a business making custom shower doors.

We had a good meal together, and between their limited English skills and my limited Spanish skills we were mostly able to chat. Two big rugby countries, but none of us particularly into it. We exchanged contact info…

Our cruise was only 4 nights, and a big chunk of the ship turned over in Kusadasi. So, the opportunities to really get to know people felt limited. But I can easily imagine how a longer, more consistent group of passengers, and probably with some assigned seating at meals, would end up chatting and bonding.