No more MTG luncheon, only cocktail party

[CruzinNoony]

I just learned today that they are discontinuing the most traveled luncheon and will only honor those in the top 40 with a cocktail party.  This is fleetwide.  I, for one, am very unhappy.  This is just one more thing that they are taking away from their most faithful passengers.  What will it be next?  Laundry?  

[PacnGoNow]

Do you have a source for that information?  Very important to a lot of us.  TIA

[memoak]

1 minute ago, CruzinNoony said:

I just learned today that they are discontinuing the most traveled luncheon and will only honor those in the top 40 with a cocktail party.  This is fleetwide.  I, for one, am very unhappy.  This is just one more thing that they are taking away from their most faithful passengers.  What will it be next?  Laundry?  

I am not sure where you heard that.  I was on the Grand for 2 weeks earlier this month and we had lovely luncheons. Both the captain  so called cruise consultant assured us that it was up to the captain which to do we have seen both over our 35 years of cruising. In fact our most memorable was a champagne and snacks on the bridge while next to Hubbard glacier 

[cr8tiv1]

I was on the CB in July/August and the cocktail party for MTP was in the Wheelhouse and no luncheon.

[CruzinNoony]

I would LOVE to be wrong about this.  However, two different sources (friend on the Discovery and a friend on the Sun) both confirmed.  

[Astro Flyer]

40 minutes ago, CruzinNoony said:

I just learned today that they are discontinuing the most traveled luncheon and will only honor those in the top 40 with a cocktail party.  This is fleetwide.  I, for one, am very unhappy.  This is just one more thing that they are taking away from their most faithful passengers.  What will it be next?  Laundry?  

 

32 minutes ago, CruzinNoony said:

I would LOVE to be wrong about this.  However, two different sources (friend on the Discovery and a friend on the Sun) both confirmed.  

Were they top level staff?

 

If true, those who drink little, or not at all will only get hors d’oeuvres instead of a quality lunch.

[CruzinNoony]

1 minute ago, Astro Flyer said:

 

Were they top level staff?

 

If true, those who drink little, or not at all will only get hors d’oeuvres instead of a quality lunch.

The two friends who brought this to my attention are elite passengers with Princess.  

[TRLD]

We have had it vary from cruise to cruise.  Some luncheons some cocktail parties. Trending more towards cocktail parties recently.

 

While the food served at some of the luncheons has been some of the best we have had on Princess, it seems like some of the attendees use them as gripe sessions, instead of having actual conversations with the officers and find out more about them and their jobs.

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

I would so prefer a cocktail party. I don’t like those luncheons. I don’t want forced conversations on my vacation. Let me and my husband have a drink or two. 

[memoak]

49 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I was on the CB in July/August and the cocktail party for MTP was in the Wheelhouse and no luncheon.

And as I mentioned it is really up to the captain some enjoy the luncheon some do not. Captain Lewis on the Grabd says he loves the conversation at the luncheon 

[memoak]

12 minutes ago, CruzinNoony said:

The two friends who brought this to my attention are elite passengers with Princess.  

There are thousands of elite passengers.  Taking something from a few is questionable. It is my belief that the captain calls the shots not staff captains or cruise consultants 

[geoherb]

This topic was brought up in several Facebook groups. So far, it's just a rumor since some ships are still hosting Top 40 luncheons. 

[Teechur]

When we traveled recently on a two-week Emerald cruise, there were so many elite passengers that they held 3 back-to-back cocktail parties. A couple of drinks, and no appetizers. For many, it was standing room only.

Not worth the time.

[dreams_of_travel]

6 minutes ago, memoak said:

And as I mentioned it is really up to the captain some enjoy the luncheon some do not. Captain Lewis on the Grabd says he loves the conversation at the luncheon 

I was on that ship and was invited to twice to those luncheons. It was a shock to me both times as I didn't think I'd ever qualify.  The officers I had at my table each time were really interesting to talk to during the luncheon. Captain Lewis was quite nice, too.

[geoherb]

3 minutes ago, Teechur said:

When we traveled recently on a two-week Emerald cruise, there were so many elite passengers that they held 3 back-to-back cocktail parties. A couple of drinks, and no appetizers. For many, it was standing room only.

Not worth the time.

 

You're describing Captain's Circle parties. The Top 40 cocktail parties are much nicer. Here is a photo of some of the food they served at one on the Island Princess.

 

[Donwoods123]

On Ruby in February, we went to the MTG cocktail party.  I thought it was quite nice.

[memoak]

7 minutes ago, Teechur said:

When we traveled recently on a two-week Emerald cruise, there were so many elite passengers that they held 3 back-to-back cocktail parties. A couple of drinks, and no appetizers. For many, it was standing room only.

Not worth the time.

Those are elite parties not MTG. MTG is top 50 most days at sea. Actually it is top 20 since each one can bring a guest

[Teechur]

The MTG luncheon on the Island Princess last September was very elegant. The Captain's Circle party on Emerald was held in a bar adjacent to the Piazza two days later. It was a zoo. We didn't attend.

[memoak]

8 minutes ago, dreams_of_travel said:

I was on that ship and was invited to twice to those luncheons. It was a shock to me both times as I didn't think I'd ever qualify.  The officers I had at my table each time were really interesting to talk to during the luncheon. Captain Lewis was quite nice, too.

We were on with Captain Lewis and family earlier this month and they are all lovely 

[CruzinNoony]

As I mentioned, I would absolutely be extremely happy if this turned out to be a false rumor!. Over the years,  I've been to lots of the luncheons and a few cocktail parties.  I am aware that in the past it has been the captain that makes the decision as to whether to host a luncheon or the cocktail party.  Both of my friends just got on the Discovery and the Sun a day or so ago and this is what they reported:  The MTG luncheon has been discontinued fleetwide and from now on just the cocktail party.

[TRLD]

28 minutes ago, Teechur said:

When we traveled recently on a two-week Emerald cruise, there were so many elite passengers that they held 3 back-to-back cocktail parties. A couple of drinks, and no appetizers. For many, it was standing room only.

Not worth the time.

Those are the captains circle cocktail events where they usually announce the 3 most traveled. They are not the most traveled luncheon or cocktail parties which are the top 20 most traveled couples.

[555]

58 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

 

Were they top level staff?

 

If true, those who drink little, or not at all will only get hors d’oeuvres instead of a quality lunch.

We've been to a few cocktail parties that were just great. Much better than you might expect.  The Capt circle Host even warned us not to eat dinner since she knew just how good it was. 

We've also been to some that were only so-so and went to the buffet afterwards. 

[Astro Flyer]

14 minutes ago, 555 said:

We've been to a few cocktail parties that were just great. Much better than you might expect.  The Capt circle Host even warned us not to eat dinner since she knew just how good it was. 

We've also been to some that were only so-so and went to the buffet afterwards. 

Thanks…have been to six MTG events with only 1 lunch. The cocktail party appetizers were far superior to the elite deluxe canapés. ☺️

[Coral]

I have a friend currently on the Caribbean Princess and he informed me of this also (no more lunches). It did come from Captain Circle Host and it did indicate it was "fleet wide".

 

I personally am not a fan of cocktail parties.

Edited August 26 by Coral

[Coral]

9 minutes ago, Astro Flyer said:

Thanks…have been to six MTG events with only 1 lunch. The cocktail party appetizers were far superior to the elite deluxe canapés. ☺️

I agree they are better but I have skipped some of the ones that I have been invited to. I am just not impressed. It is probably a good thing I am invited less now a days.