Dinner at the Captain's Table. Do they do that anymore?

Hi y'all!

Back in 2014 my husband and I were invited to have dinner with the Captain of the ship. IT was a wonderful experience and was the highlight of our cruise that year! I was just wondering, while packing for our next adventure, do they do that anymore? We haven't been going to the dining room much so we haven't seen the table set up at all since that one year. I thought someone would know here.

Thanks! :D

Yes they do occasionally have dinner by special invite with an officer or two and sometimes the captain. The invite rules are not too clear. Sometimes Diamond, Diamond+ or Pinnacle. Sometimes premium suite guests. Sometimes random passengers. When we have been invited it has been that combination of guests.

Yes they do occasionally have dinner by special invite with an officer or two and sometimes the captain. The invite rules are not too clear. Sometimes Diamond, Diamond+ or Pinnacle. Sometimes premium suite guests. Sometimes random passengers. When we have been invited it has been that combination of guests.

Good to know! When we were invited it was mainly from an officer of the ship.

Meal with an Officer is now a C & A benefit for members with more then 340 points.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cas/viewAllBenefitsLoggedout.do?memberTier=Diamond+Plus

I have a friend who does 3 or 4 cruises a year often invited to share the captains table. The selection process varies from ship to ship.

He recounted a story where he and his wife were having a coffee on the promenade when a young lady officer stopped to inquire about their cruise. They talked for awhile and she asked if they had every had dinner at the captains table. They admitted that they had done so fairly frequently. The officer explained that one of her duties was to locate passengers to join the captain. She was looking for well dressed passengers who communicated well and who would have proper manners.

He also mentioned that he suspected there might be an exchange of information on passengers to select (or not select) that was shared with other ships.

Personally, we would decline an invitation. We're just not into that sort of thing.

What sort of "thing" is that? Sounds like something Mrs. Astor would have said.:)

Yes, the only time we were invited some years ago on the Freedom. Unfortunately, we had to get off in San Juan due to an emergency at home. Never been asked/invited since.

What sort of "thing" is that? Sounds like something Mrs. Astor would have said.:)

Yes...Why would anyone want to dine...with 'the help".

:D

Meal with an Officer is now a C & A benefit for members with more then 340 points.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cas/viewAllBenefitsLoggedout.do?memberTier=Diamond+Plus

Cool! But we just hit diamond so we have a ways to go!

I have a friend who does 3 or 4 cruises a year often invited to share the captains table. The selection process varies from ship to ship.

 

He recounted a story where he and his wife were having a coffee on the promenade when a young lady officer stopped to inquire about their cruise. They talked for awhile and she asked if they had every had dinner at the captains table. They admitted that they had done so fairly frequently. The officer explained that one of her duties was to locate passengers to join the captain. She was looking for well dressed passengers who communicated well and who would have proper manners.

 

He also mentioned that he suspected there might be an exchange of information on passengers to select (or not select) that was shared with other ships.

 

Personally, we would decline an invitation. We're just not into that sort of thing.

Nice! That kinda sounds like what happened to us. I apparently caught the eye of the officer and we chatted with him a bit in the windjammer where the captain was having breakfast. He then invited us over to meet the Captain. a few days later we got the invite hand delivered to our room.

It may not be your thing but my husband and I enjoyed it and I got to sit right next to the Captain! :D would LOVE to do it again! IT's a very elegant and fancy dinner. :hearteyes: And the Captain and officers were very nice and had interesting conversations.

Yes they do. On our Alaskan cruise last year we didn't take any formal type clothes and got a phone call to join the Captains table on the first formal evening. Something that I would have loved to do. Hopefully another time.

I have a friend who does 3 or 4 cruises a year often invited to share the captains table. The selection process varies from ship to ship.

 

He recounted a story where he and his wife were having a coffee on the promenade when a young lady officer stopped to inquire about their cruise. They talked for awhile and she asked if they had every had dinner at the captains table. They admitted that they had done so fairly frequently. The officer explained that one of her duties was to locate passengers to join the captain. She was looking for well dressed passengers who communicated well and who would have proper manners.

 

He also mentioned that he suspected there might be an exchange of information on passengers to select (or not select) that was shared with other ships.

 

Personally, we would decline an invitation. We're just not into that sort of thing.

Good posts. I would welcome the opportunity if they did it on casual or smart casual night, I'm not just into the full out formal nights any more for us. I've also talked to one passenger, I think it was on Jewel in 2012 that said the Captain noticed they were from his home town and invited them.

Yes they do. On our Alaskan cruise last year we didn't take any formal type clothes and got a phone call to join the Captains table on the first formal evening. Something that I would have loved to do. Hopefully another time.

We were lucky enough to do it in 2014 really great meal, great wine and conversation, was surprised but one gentleman at table was dressed without jacket or tie and this was a formal night,

We were lucky enough to do it in 2014 really great meal, great wine and conversation, was surprised but one gentleman at table was dressed without jacket or tie and this was a formal night,

Yeah there were a couple of people at our table that didn't wear any formal wear to the table.

Yeah there were a couple of people at our table that didn't wear any formal wear to the table.

We were the only couple in formal wear last week on Serenade. Except for the Captain.

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Meal with an Officer is now a C & A benefit for members with more then 340 points.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cas/viewAllBenefitsLoggedout.do?memberTier=Diamond+Plus

We had dinner at the Captain's Table in January on the Enchantment. Dinner was with the Chief Engineer. We are Diamond but have less that 100 pts. We were also staying in an inside stateroom. This dinner was on smart casual night.

We had dinner at the Captain's Table in January on the Enchantment. Dinner was with the Chief Engineer. We are Diamond but have less that 100 pts. We were also staying in an inside stateroom. This dinner was on smart casual night.

That is the first I have heard of that, maybe the Captain was a Buckeye fan.

What sort of "thing" is that? Sounds like something Mrs. Astor would have said.:)

Yes...Why would anyone want to dine...with 'the help".

 

:D

We would decline because we find the buffet to be more enjoyable than the MDR. We find the MDR to be too loud, too crowded, and overrated. We prefer a more casual dining experience than dinner at the captains table.

We do not pack jackets or ties or formal wear of any description.

Last summer, we were invited to dine with Captain Espen on Freedom. He found out I was a pilot. Turns out he had an aviation background, too. It was an unbelievable experience. We were seated right next to him!

We would decline because we find the buffet to be more enjoyable than the MDR. We find the MDR to be too loud, too crowded, and overrated. We prefer a more casual dining experience than dinner at the captains table.

You can not compare normal food in MDR to what is served at Captains table, also wine would not be covered by drink package . also service was great, small but great menu .

You can not compare normal food in MDR to what is served at Captains table, also wine would not be covered by drink package . also service was great, small but great menu .

Dessert was Chef's Surprise. Awesomeness.

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In 2007 we were sailing on the Majesty with friends for dh's 60th birthday. There was another couple at our table on their 1st cruise. The head waiter routinely stopped and talked to us and one day he asked if we could do early dinner the next day as we were all invited to have dinner with the captain the next evening. Of course we said yes. There was a loyalist event that evening and we had a special place to sit. Dinner was very nice and I sat next to the captain and yes he buys all the wines!

In 2014 onboard the Jewel the hotel director was going to host that dinner the night we left Helsinki but since there was a sudden itinerary change the food & beverage manager ended up hosting dinner, which again was very nice. So 2 invitations. Hope we get invited again in the future.

We would decline because we find the buffet to be more enjoyable than the MDR. We find the MDR to be too loud, too crowded, and overrated. We prefer a more casual dining experience than dinner at the captains table.

 

We do not pack jackets or ties or formal wear of any description.

You can not compare normal food in MDR to what is served at Captains table, also wine would not be covered by drink package . also service was great, small but great menu .

Having better a better menu choices or choices of wine would still not be sufficient to tempt us into accepting the invitation. We prefer to dine elsewhere because we find the MDR itself to be too loud and too crowded. We simply prefer a simpler dining experience and dining with the captain would, if anything, make dining more complicated.

That is the first I have heard of that, maybe the Captain was a Buckeye fan.

We are not Buckeye fans so the joke would have been on him!!

:p

Meal with an Officer is now a C & A benefit for members with more then 340 points.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/cas/viewAllBenefitsLoggedout.do?memberTier=Diamond+Plus

Yes that is true for those with 340 but others also get invited too.