Chef's Table with Teenager Questions

[tmitchell82]

So we are set to sail on the Royal Princess next month. We are taking our German exchange daughter with us (she is a junior in high school). We are thinking of trying to take her on the Chef's Table. We have done this a few times and enjoyed it very much. The food and experience has always been great. We are thinking of taking her for the experience. She does like food and cooking (which she is pretty good at) and this would be an interesting experience for her. We have talked with her about it and shown her pictures from our previous Chef's tables and she has expressed and interest. Obviously she cannot have the alcohol. She is very mature for her age. What are people's thoughts on taking a teenager to the Chef's table? Pretty sure she would be the youngest. Princess says they do not have an issue with it so........ Thoughts??????

 

Tim

Edited January 20, 2016 by tmitchell82

[Colo Cruiser]

So we are set to sail on the Royal Princess next month. We are taking our German exchange daughter with us (she is a junior in high school). We are thinking of trying to take her on the Chef's Table. We have done this a few times and enjoyed it very much. The food and experience has always been great. We are thinking of taking her for the experience. She does like food and cooking (which she is pretty good at) and this would be an interesting experience for her. We have talked with her about it and shown her pictures from our previous Chef's tables and she has expressed and interest. Obviously she cannot have the alcohol. She is very mature for her age. What are people's thoughts on taking a teenager to the Chef's table? Pretty sure she would be the youngest. Princess says they do not have an issue with it so........ Thoughts??????

 

Tim

 

 

I don't see any issue. How old is she?

[jennybenny]

I would say do it. She will love it. So long as she is open to all food and shows an interest then I think it will be a great experience. We've done Chef's tables twice and love it.

[mrswallace2012]

What a fun experience ! I would have appreciated that at her age!

[Treven]

Absolutely go for it! Yes, she would, most likely, be the youngest there but I think the other diners would go out of their way to make sure she is involved in any discussions. Being a German exchange student would give everyone else something to talk about. In addition you'll get a reduced price for her - without the wine.

[Working 2 Cruise]

I, on the other hand, think she'd be bored to death...

 

There's really nothing for teenagers... it's just food and alcohol and, for the most part, no one anywhere near her generation. I wouldn't think of taking my son, who's 24. He would be bored. Not worth it.

[notentirelynormal]

So we are set to sail on the Royal Princess next month. We are taking our German exchange daughter with us (she is a junior in high school). We are thinking of trying to take her on the Chef's Table. We have done this a few times and enjoyed it very much. The food and experience has always been great. We are thinking of taking her for the experience. She does like food and cooking (which she is pretty good at) and this would be an interesting experience for her. We have talked with her about it and shown her pictures from our previous Chef's tables and she has expressed and interest. Obviously she cannot have the alcohol. She is very mature for her age. What are people's thoughts on taking a teenager to the Chef's table? Pretty sure she would be the youngest. Princess says they do not have an issue with it so........ Thoughts??????

 

Tim

 

I took my 80 YO mother. Seriously, she should have been sensor ed. We had a great time. My mom had the best time ever!! It was during the Chili mine incident. I can't tel; you have many times she gave a cheer for them. She was a little trashed by the end but for me, it was well worth the money and the fun she had.

 

Take the kid. She will have a great time.

[fishywood]

I have absolutely no opinion but find it interesting to see these positive responses given that a recent thread on this topic, on the board of a supposedly more family-friendly line...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2291462&highlight=chef+table

 

...the responses were leaning heavily towards "a couple paying all that money to celebrate a special occasion should NEVER have to share the table with children"

 

I will grant you that when a Princess cruiser promises that their high schooler is mature enough to enjoy the Chef's Table I tend to trust them more than pax from this other line. But just be aware that you may get someone with a less than pleased reaction in your group no matter how well an impression she makes.

[Essiesmom]

A little off topic, but...Have you taken a foreign exchange student on a cruise before? There have been posts about people denied boarding because the student didn't have the proper papers/visas. Would hate for this to happen to you. EM

[LaurieHoffman]

I have absolutely no opinion but find it interesting to see these positive responses given that a recent thread on this topic, on the board of a supposedly more family-friendly line...

 

...the responses were leaning heavily towards "a couple paying all that money to celebrate a special occasion should NEVER have to share the table with children"

 

I do not think that a Junior in high school is considered a 'child' She is probably 16 or 17 and I would bet mature and polite. Just my opinion. I brought my daughter to a Chef's Dinner a couple years ago. She was probably 14 at the time. I don't drink but we did it for the experience. We both loved it and she enjoyed talking to the other diners.

 

I say do it.. it will be a one time experience for her..

[Potstech]

Having meet sevwral Exchange students including one from Germany I would say take her. It would be a great experience for her if she is interested in it. Most exchange students, who go through rigorous checks to become ne, are very well mannered, intelligent and want to learn and see new experiences. If some do not like it that is normal but they have no say so.

[skynight]

I say go for it, it should be a nice experience.

[geoherb]

I've been at Chef's Tables with teenagers. The ones who want to go to such an event are always well-behaved, plus they don't get tipsy like the drinkers do.

[mmckm]

We have been to several chefs tables aprox. 10. We love them. i think she will have a great and not be bored. We find people talk and have great conversations about cruising and where there from. If shes not shy and likes to converse with people it will be fun.

[tmitchell82]

A little off topic, but...Have you taken a foreign exchange student on a cruise before? There have been posts about people denied boarding because the student didn't have the proper papers/visas. Would hate for this to happen to you. EM

 

We took our exchange student last year on Princess. She was also from Germany. We had no issues what so ever. There was some paperwork we had to complete with her parents and the organization, but no issues with Princess or customs. The only issue was to make sure her visa was stamped "M" for multiple re-entry which is was.

 

Tim

[tmitchell82]

Good to see that most folks say take her. I think we will try and book it. She enjoys food and preparing it here and we have talked with her about the experience and shown her videos from our prior times at the Chef's Table. She is also very sociable and talkative so I think she will be fine. Thanks

 

Tim

[Treven]

Good to see that most folks say take her. I think we will try and book it. She enjoys food and preparing it here and we have talked with her about the experience and shown her videos from our prior times at the Chef's Table. She is also very sociable and talkative so I think she will be fine. Thanks

 

Tim

Please come back and let us know if you made it onto The Table, and whether your exchange student liked it, or not. But I think she would like it.

[Retiring cajun]

What is chef's table?

[mmckm]

What is chef's table?

 

Try a search theres tons of information on here about the chefs table.

[Coral]

If she is interested - by all means, bring her!

 

What a great experience for her.

[notentirelynormal]

Try a search theres tons of information on here about the chefs table.

 

Or you could have just answered Retiring Cajun's question and told him/her. The Chef's table is a special event charged per person. You get a special menu cooked table side by the chef and his assistants. Along with that you get treats like a tour of the kitchen with appetizers, cook book etc. It is a really neat experience. It is very limited on the number of people that can join. Now, if you are interested, do a search and learn more.

[DoulaAnn]

I know I'm late to the party on this one, but I'm betting, as an exchange student, that as long as she is comfortable conversing with adults (and am guessing she is), she will be much more interesting company at the table than some of the people we encountered at the Chef's Table we attended.

 

As others have said, please get back with us and let us know how it went and whether she enjoyed it.

 

Ann

[Coral]

I know I'm late to the party on this one, but I'm betting, as an exchange student, that as long as she is comfortable conversing with adults (and am guessing she is), she will be much more interesting company at the table than some of the people we encountered at the Chef's Table we attended.

 

That is what I was thinking also - she may be the hit of the table!

Edited January 23, 2016 by Coral

[Kris74]

Havent been to one, but take her! Sounds wonderful and I have been sitting at adult tables since about the age of 10 and been expected to behave and discuss kind of intelectually. Generally us northern europeans are brought up to be early independent and to be an exchange student is a selection in itself.

I would have loved that as a teenager. Plus you know she loves that kind of things and its a girl not a boy, who tend to immature later.

[tmitchell82]

So we took our exchange daughter to the Chef's Table. She really enjoyed it. The staff was great and found her a white wine with 1% alcohol in it (which we could not find any other place on the ship). The food was great and despite being the youngest by far she was amazing. I think if we had not told the others at the table that she was 15 they would have thought she was older. We were so happy she got to experience the Chef's Table. So if you have a teen who is mature and enjoys food, the Chef's Table works. We all had a great time.