Do they still do hosted dinners?

[jenidallas]

I've had intetesting dinners ranging from amazing to awful. We are generally willing to take our chances assuming that we want to dine in the Restaurant, the start time fits into our evening, and we don't have strong feelings about making the show.

 

My worst ever tables are a toss up between the one in 2016 where politics were so aggressively debated that people left in the middle of the main course and the one where a woman made a minor scene because her husband dared to speak to the women on either side of him at the opposite end of the table.

 

 

But I have had enough great tables to more than make up for the awful ones!

[Hoyaheel]

the one where a woman made a minor scene because her husband dared to speak to the women on either side of him at the opposite end of the table.

Stories like that amuse my husband and I for years to come ;-) Assuming it happens once in a blue moon, it's worth the risk for us:*

[traveled]

Can you please tell me more about how they handle hosted tables for a solo invitations etc.? The travel agent said that every day there would be an invitation so I did not have to worry about eating alone ( My one big fear for my first solo cruise)

[Carolfay]

This will be my third solo cruise with Seabourn. On the first two, I received an invitation to a hosted table every day. The card was generally delivered to my room the evening before, and the invitation usually identified who the host would be (one of the officers, entertainers, etc.). RSVP was requested, so I'd just phone the desk to let them know if I was accepting or passing on the invitation each time. Happy sailing!

[plane7c]

I am a solo traveler and I did my 7th Seabourn cruise in May/June 2018 on the Ovation. Every day there would be an invitation to a hosted table for dinner in the Main Dining Room. The name of the host (ship personnel, entertainer, destination speaker) would be provided. I had to RSVP by 5:00 p.m. I accepted every time except for the one evening I had booked myself for dinner at Thomas Keller. Let me make it clear that all the solo travelers are NOT put together at the same table! I presented my invitation when I entered the Main Dining Room and was escorted to my table. There were place cards at each seat. Couples were not seated next to each other, the point being to meet and speak with other people. The other people at my table were all English speaking, from the USA, the UK, or Australia. One time it was a table of 10 and the host was the chief engineer. Once it was a table of 6, and the host was Handre, the cruise director.

[SLSD]

I do think that SB does a great job with their hosted tables. I have enjoyed them all and look forward to meeting solo travelers even though we are a couple.

[airtana]

Our very first Seabourn cruise was in 2016 from LA to Miami through the Panama Canal. To our surprise one of the guest speakers was Dan Rather. Now I can honestly say when he was doing the news or 60 minutes he was not always my favorite, seemed a little full of himself, and then there was the whole brouhaha when he got fired over the accuracy of his 2004 story questioning the accuracy of President George W. Bush’s military service.

 

We decided to attend his 2 lectures anyway and I must tell you how surprised we were how humble and down to earth he had become and his storytelling was brilliant, poignant, humorous, and just plain down home interesting. We were enthralled.

 

Then to our utmost delight we were invited to a hosted dinner with non other than Gunga-Dan himself and hIs lovely wife, Jean, who he has been married to since 1957, as our hosts. He regaled us with so many wonderful and fascinating stories it boggled our minds. He has covered so many important moments in our county’s history, beginning back in November of 1963 with his coverage of the Kennedy assignation. All I can say is it was one of the most memorable evenings of our entire lives.

 

It was another magical Seabourn moment in the many, many we experienced on our first cruise with them. It was also our pleasure to be invited to one other dinner with the incomparable Cruise Director Handre, who, as anyone knows who has met him, is a delight and a joy to be around.

 

After that cruise, we were hooked and have since logged over 200 days with them. And now we are looking forward to joining Sojourn next Sunday in Vancouver for a cruIse down the Pacific to Los Angeles with Capt. Tim Roberts at the helm, and also Cruise Director Sophie and her fiancé Claudio on board who we sailed with for 52 days last year. It really does always feels like you are coming home when you board one of these wonderful ships.

[stamfordian]

 

...his coverage of the Kennedy assignation....

 

Really nice story Airtana. Does your spell checker know something the rest of us have only heard whispered??:evilsmile::evilsmile:

[airtana]

Really nice story Airtana. Does your spell checker know something the rest of us have only heard whispered??:evilsmile::evilsmile:

 

 

Definition of Assignation

 

1: the act of assigning or the assignment made

2: an appointment of time and place for a meetingespecially : TRYSTreturned from an assignation with his mistress —W. B. Yeats

As in the 2nd definition, Hey who knows, maybe Dan was trying to report on some of Kennedy’s many alleged trysts!!! LOL

Geez,where is my trusty editor when I need them. Hope it’s understood my real intention.

[airtana]

Mea Culpa #2. In my above story I mentioned being on Seabourn for over 200 days in the past 3 years, when it was really only 100. Damn my darn finger for hitting the wrong key and that pesky editor of mine not catching it. Maybe it was just wishful thinking!!

[SLSD]

airtana, We would love to be 200 days people someday. We need to get to 100 days first! We should be at 54 days after our next cruise.

[airtana]

Keep on cruising on, SLSD, after my PACIFIC COASTAL next week, I will have passed the 140 day mark to attain platinum club level status . . Love those extra perks!!!

[MightyQuinn]

....Then to our utmost delight we were invited to a hosted dinner with non other than Gunga-Dan himself and hIs lovely wife, Jean, who he has been married to since 1957, as our hosts. He regaled us with so many wonderful and fascinating stories it boggled our minds. He has covered so many important moments in our county’s history, beginning back in November of 1963 with his coverage of the Kennedy assignation. All I can say is it was one of the most memorable evenings of our entire lives....

Airtana, we were also at the Dan Rather hosted table on the Odyssey PC cruise in March '16. As I recall, you were seated next to Dan, my husband was across from him next to Jean and I was seated at the end of the (long) table while your husband was at the other end. We really enjoyed the evening, though conversation was a tad difficult given the size of the table and Dan's hearing issue. My DH has been a long-standing fan of Dan and even brought his published autobiography on board to have it signed. We were thrilled to be invited to dine with him. After dinner, we exchanged emails with Dan and have corresponded with him several times since then.

 

We also dined with Handre on that cruise but on a different night than you. He was a real delight and a fabulous dinner companion. I still remember he had a standing order of classic pan-fried salmon with creamed spinach. That combo is also a favorite of mine so I was thrilled when he discreetly shared his roasted salmon skin with me. Gotta love it!

 

I believe we also did Shopping with the Chef with you on that cruise. It was a ton of fun shopping at the fish market in Panama City with Chef Raj. The pricing negotiations were hilarious! I'm pretty sure you were there as well as I seem to remember you gushing about all the fun stuff you were experiencing on your first Seabourn cruise. Obviously you've since become a confirmed SB sailor. I hope we have the chance to sail with you again!

[Catlover54]

MightyQuinn wrote:

“. . . .

 

We also dined with Handre on that cruise but on a different night than you. He was a real delight and a fabulous dinner companion. I still remember he had a standing order of classic pan-fried salmon with creamed spinach. That combo is also a favorite of mine so I was thrilled when he discreetly shared his roasted salmon skin with me. . . .”

 

You know you’re really on a luxury ship when the CD discretely shares skin with you, always aiming to please. :)

[jenidallas]

You know you’re really on a luxury ship when the CD discretely shares skin with you, always aiming to please. :)

 

Please excuse me while I clean the chardonnay spit off my monitor!!!

 

:loudcry::loudcry::loudcry:

[raphael360]

On 8/27/2018 at 11:20 AM, sassyw said:

The reason my husband and I seldom do them is because you cannot sit next to your spouse and sometimes you are stuck next to a person who does not speak English.

 

We agree.  I so enjoy sitting next to my wife (and best friend) at dinner.  Also, everyone wants to talk politics these days, especially the Aussies.  Seabourn is our escape from discussing politics, religion and dogs.

 

We were getting invited to a hosted dinner about every 7 days but started turning down these invites. 

[Hlitner]

On 8/27/2018 at 12:08 PM, lincslady said:

I have to admit that we do not often accept them, but personally think that not sitting next to your spouse is an advantage...........    .

I can just hear DW saying "sign me up for one of those hosted tables!"  But seriously, we dine together nearly every evening when not on cruises.    We recently booked our first Seabourn cruise and are looking forward to being "virgins."

 

Hank

[raphael360]

On 9/30/2018 at 11:44 AM, airtana said:

Our very first Seabourn cruise was in 2016 from LA to Miami through the Panama Canal. To our surprise one of the guest speakers was Dan Rather. Now I can honestly say when he was doing the news or 60 minutes he was not always my favorite, seemed a little full of himself, and then there was the whole brouhaha when he got fired over the accuracy of his 2004 story questioning the accuracy of President George W. Bush’s military service.

 

We decided to attend his 2 lectures anyway and I must tell you how surprised we were how humble and down to earth he had become and his storytelling was brilliant, poignant, humorous, and just plain down home interesting. We were enthralled.

 

Then to our utmost delight we were invited to a hosted dinner with non other than Gunga-Dan himself and hIs lovely wife, Jean, who he has been married to since 1957, as our hosts. He regaled us with so many wonderful and fascinating stories it boggled our minds. He has covered so many important moments in our county’s history, beginning back in November of 1963 with his coverage of the Kennedy assignation. All I can say is it was one of the most memorable evenings of our entire lives.

 

It was another magical Seabourn moment in the many, many we experienced on our first cruise with them. It was also our pleasure to be invited to one other dinner with the incomparable Cruise Director Handre, who, as anyone knows who has met him, is a delight and a joy to be around.

 

After that cruise, we were hooked and have since logged over 200 days with them. And now we are looking forward to joining Sojourn next Sunday in Vancouver for a cruIse down the Pacific to Los Angeles with Capt. Tim Roberts at the helm, and also Cruise Director Sophie and her fiancé Claudio on board who we sailed with for 52 days last year. It really does always feels like you are coming home when you board one of these wonderful ships.

 

We did the same cruise a few years ago in reverse and our guest speaker was Steve Wozniak.  Being a long time Apple devotee I was thrilled.  He only did 2 lectures but I got a chance to chat it up with him and his wife at the pool side restaurant.  I told him I would respect his privacy but he invite me to join them.  He is actually a very nice man.

 

We love Sophie and are thrilled when we find out she's our cruise director.  I heard Handre is now on the Ovation these days.

[raphael360]

15 hours ago, Hlitner said:

I can just hear DW saying "sign me up for one of those hosted tables!"  But seriously, we dine together nearly every evening when not on cruises.    We recently booked our first Seabourn cruise and are looking forward to being "virgins."

 

Hank

HI Hank,

It's so exciting that you're taking your first Seabourn cruise. We did 24 cruises in cattle car fashion (mostly Celebrity and Princess) before we discovered Seabourn in 2012 and haven't looked back since.  We now plan 2-3 Seabourn cruises a year.

 

Sadly, we sometimes miss some of the extras the fore mentioned cruise lines offered:  long lines at the shows, chains by the inch, photographers every where, bingo, scooters by the 100s, waiting 5 elevators for a opening and 1oz drinks for $9.  Did I mention chains by the inch sales?

 

Hope you love Seabourn as much as we do.  Happy sailing

Raphael

 

[MaggyCan1]

Raphael,

You do make me laugh.   I too have done a few non-Seabourn cruises (Royal Caribbean and Princess), and had completely forgotten about the cheesy gold chains being sold by the inch.   And the photogs popping out from behind the deck chairs to take that snapshot you as you adjust your bathing suit!!   

 

Thank goodness for Seabourn!