Captain's Table - Captains Party

[RuthC]

On the old ROTTERDAM, the special dinners were even held on the 'Grand Voyages'... those of 35 days or more.

And Grand that dinner was! Oh!

I remember meeting for drinks in the Tropic Bar, the special dining room, and that great big gong. The service was impeccable and the food delicious. Each course was introduced with finesse. I had never been to such an occasion. :)

And I haven't been since. :(

[PRINSENDAM]

In response to "being chosen' date='" we were at a table for two, staying in an inside cabin on Main Deck, and really aren't a couple that would stand out in any way, so we were very pleased to be asked to dinner with the Captain. Granted, we had been on HAL six previous cruises, but nothing special would have singled us out as persons to be asked.

 

It was a truly delightful evening and we will always treasure the memory![/quote']

 

 

More than likely you were singled out just for being nice people!

 

There is no great science to picking out suitable people to sit at Captain's table. The Maitr'd does nothing more than pick out the six or eight passengers whom he thinks might be a nice group. Does'n't matter if you are on yoour 1st cruisr or your 100th.... from an inside cabin or the penthouse... everyone get a fair crack at this honour. As it should be!

 

Stephen

[LizB1]

And Grand that dinner was! Oh!

I remember meeting for drinks in the Tropic Bar, the special dining room, and that great big gong. The service was impeccable and the food delicious. Each course was introduced with finesse. I had never been to such an occasion. :)

And I haven't been since. :(

 

I agree with you, Ruth, 100%. Those were very special dinners and Capt. Hunderdoes (sp?) even had them on the Christmas cruises back in the early 80's.

 

Speaking of Dirk Zeller as Mariner did above...we have the privilege of sailing with his son Mark in January on the Noordam. He is now Culinary Operations Manager and I don't think it will be too long before he is promoted to HM to follow in his Dad's footsteps. Seems strange as we have known Mark since he was about 7-years old.

[Terri Lee]

It has been a long,long time since I posted here but better late than never,right????

 

Starting from way back in 1998 on the Inaugural World Voyage of the Rotterdam VI,I had the pleasant experience of dining with the Captain,even though I was only on the final segment of the cruise.A truly memorable occasion indeed.

 

Since then I have sailed on 2 more GWV segments and each time I dined with the Captain,along with other guests of course.....all very enjoyable.

 

However my best experience was on a Panama Canal cruise in 2002.Talk about being lucky......my dining room table mates were terrific and we all got on like wildfire,laughing our way through the menus! Then one night we were ALL invited to dine with the Captain...Peter Harris.Turned out that one of my dinner companions was Captain Harris's father-in-law!!

Anyway,I sat next to the Captain and we found that we had been brought up in England just a few miles away from each other(different generations,I might add!)Naturally,all inhibitions fell by the wayside and laughter accompanied our delicious meal from beginning to end.

I think it must have been the noisiest table in the dining room! LOL!

 

Now that I don't cruise anymore,due to health problems,I can at least re-live some wonderful moments of my almost 200 days at sea with HAL,by reading some of your provocative postings.....:)

 

May I wish all of you a Very Happy New Year!

 

Regards,

 

Terri:)

[RuthC]

Terri! It's good to see you posting again. :) It's been just about, what?, forever? :confused:

I hope things are going well for you, and that you won't be a stranger on these boards. It was always a pleasure reading your posts. Take care.

<We now return you to your regularly scheduled topic.>

[bepsf]

What are your thoughts on being invited to the Captain's Dinner and to the Captain's Party --- I have heard of mixed emotions on both - to stand in a long line - just to shake hands with the Captain and take a picture with him is more of an ego trip for the Captain - although I sure do feel sorry for him having to stand there for such a long period of time --- we have been invited to have dinner with the Captain a number of times - and although it is pleasant ---- I most often would prefer to have dinner with my table mates ---on one occassion the waiter over heard the invitation being extended to us --- and said OH - you have been invited to have dinner with the Captain --- my reply was --- No - the Captain is having dinner with me -

 

I hardly think that standing in a receiving line in full formal dress for 2-3 hours shaking hands with perfect strangers and being forced to plaster a smile on your face regardless of what you might prefer to be doing that evening is an "Ego trip" for any man.

 

Nor do I think that it might be particularly fun for anyone to have to host a couple formal dinners per week*with those same strangers. *Making* conversation and being forced to entertain (particularly with people who are rather full of themselves...*:rolleyes: ) and*answering the same questions week after week after week while maintaining an air of genuine interest is, I'm sure, no joy.

[Vic The Parrot]

*Making* conversation and being forced to entertain (particularly with people who are rather full of themselves...*:rolleyes: )

 

 

 

From what I've witnessed, some captains and his senior officers seem to enjoy the company of those who like to suck-up to them. Looks like they all have that "phoniness" in common. :rolleyes: ;)

[TV Dad]

Have never dined with the captain on HAL, but on Princess we've been invited twice.

 

The captain told me they picked his table mates based on how interesting the people are. In my case, I think I got invited because I have a somewhat quirky profession.

 

At the first dinner, the captain invited me to play Scrabble with him the next day. After he kicked my butt at Scrabble, he decided to invite everyone who sat at our table the previous night for a private cocktail party in his ready room. NOW that was a blast! We were invited to dinner on every formal night that cruise.

 

Three years later, we were sailing on the same ship and I asked the maitre d' if we could dine with the captain. The maitre d' said the captain wasn't dining with passengers that cruise. On deck, on day two, I bumped into the captain and he actually remembered me (after three years and 100,000+ passengers). HE invited us to dine with him and of course play Scrabble again! Once more, every formal dinner we dined with the Captain and had one more cocktail party for eight! It was kinda cool, frankly. Especially the Scrabble bit!

 

That was all back in the mid 90s. Not sure how they do things now.

Thanks for letting me reminisce.

[kryos]

You can tell me all about it when we meet up on QE2!:)

 

If Captain Schoonderbeek and his wife Lesley are on VEENDAM, please say hello. Excellent fellow... who frequently sails... as a passenger! One of the very few who has sailed on both sides of the bar!

I will certainly do that, Stephen, and I will very much look forward to meeting you on the QE2. As the date gets closer, we'll have to figure out where to meet onboard.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[PRINSENDAM]

I will certainly do that, Stephen, and I will very much look forward to meeting you on the QE2. As the date gets closer, we'll have to figure out where to meet onboard.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

 

 

Chartroom Bar!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

(If I didn't say that Mariner would!)

 

We must do afternoon tea in Queen's Lounge. That is North Atlantic ritual!

 

I must warn you about crossing the Atlantic in QE2. Five sea days, six nights. It goes in a flash. There is never enough time to enjoy that ship. Always something to do. This next one will be my 19th crossing in QE2.

 

Stephen

[PRINSENDAM]

I will certainly do that, Stephen, and I will very much look forward to meeting you on the QE2. As the date gets closer, we'll have to figure out where to meet onboard.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

 

 

Chartroom Bar!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

(If I didn't say that Mariner would!)

 

We must do afternoon tea in Queen's Lounge. That is North Atlantic ritual!

 

I must warn you about crossing the Atlantic in QE2. Five sea days, six nights. It goes in a flash. There is never enough time to enjoy that ship. Always something to do. This next one will be my 19th crossing in QE2.

 

Stephen