cruiser man Posted June 25, 2007 #1 Share Posted June 25, 2007 My wife and I have been on 16 cruises and have only been selected to dine at the Captain's table once. We are really unsure how we were selected. We would really like to be selected to dine with the captain one night on our upcoming cruise in July. Any suggestions on how to make this happen? Is there anything that we can do to increase our chances at being invited? BTW, we are Diamond Members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted June 25, 2007 #2 Share Posted June 25, 2007 My wife and I have been on 16 cruises and have only been selected to dine at the Captain's table once. We are really unsure how we were selected. We would really like to be selected to dine with the captain one night on our upcoming cruise in July. Any suggestions on how to make this happen? Is there anything that we can do to increase our chances at being invited? BTW, we are Diamond Members. SOMETIMES it helps to mention to the Loyalty Ambassador that this is something you would enjoy. If there is a Concierge Lounge on your ship, talk to the Concierge, also. Other than that, it's karma. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare nellydean Posted June 25, 2007 #3 Share Posted June 25, 2007 best of luck, but we turned down the chance to dine with the captain of our first cruise, mainly because our youngest was only 5 at the time and would have been fidgeting all night :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauren0309 Posted June 25, 2007 #4 Share Posted June 25, 2007 On our very first Royal Caribbean cruise, my husband and I was chosen to sit at the Captain's table to our surpirse. We had no idea why. Our other tablemates and us were nervous and excited about meeting the Captain but he never showed up at our table! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogimax Posted June 25, 2007 #5 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I really can't figure out why it is a big thing to dine at the captain's table, unless the wine is free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare shipshape sam Posted June 25, 2007 #6 Share Posted June 25, 2007 We have dined once at the Captain's table and would not do again, I think. It was fun to a degree. We met early and were provided a cocktail. The conversation was nice and we actually did some things later in the cruise with the people we met at the table. The senior officer was pleasant but did stuggle with English conversation. We were served wine and got a group picture taken of the table and it was in our room later that night! It was on the first formal night and that was steak/prime rib. There were no seconds or special requests made and it did not seem appropriate. I was glad it was not lobster night as I like an extra lobster ( :) ). As to how we got selected it was because we were Diamond members. Actually it was on Celebrity and thus we were Elite members. Everyone at our dining was Elite. I have heard that they also pick some first time cruisers, but would guess as already mention, you should go to concierge desk/ C&A desk and see if you can get some consideration. I think I would decline an invitation in the future, easy for me to say having enjoyed that particular benefit. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fblack Posted June 25, 2007 #7 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I ate at the Captains table on my last Celebrity cruise and got to know the Hostess who selects passengers. She gave me some insight about RCCL policy. First it helps to be a frequent passenger and a member of their club. Suites help too. And then she said something unusual. She goes around to each table with a list of prospects and "scopes them out" the first night or two. She is looking to select people who she feels will "add" to the captains table and be "presentable". So don't where jeans and a tacky shirt the first night...especially if the Hostess stops by to say hello. And the Captain eats at the second seating. So if you are at the first seating, you will dine with a second in command or other senior officer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maldemar Posted June 25, 2007 #8 Share Posted June 25, 2007 best of luck, but we turned down the chance to dine with the captain of our first cruise, mainly because our youngest was only 5 at the time and would have been fidgeting all night:) You sound like good parents and definitely sound like great passengers for recognizing the decorum that could be expected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare nellydean Posted June 25, 2007 #9 Share Posted June 25, 2007 You sound like good parents and definitely sound like great passengers for recognizing the decorum that could be expected. maldemar - my husband and I were guests of the cruise line, as journalists, but I couldn't face trying to have a decent conversation with the captain and other guests while struggling to keep a youngster happy, so we politely declined (and besides, we still gave them a good review :) ) as it turns out, our son was perfectly behaved all cruise long and is coming on the LOS with us at the end of July, now aged 13 - and his manners are far LESS acceptable! :D :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACCagent Posted June 25, 2007 #10 Share Posted June 25, 2007 And the Captain eats at the second seating. So if you are at the first seating, you will dine with a second in command or other senior officer. Not always. We were selected to dine with the Captain on Jewel and it was early seating. VERY early actually as they moved the time back to 5:30 for that sailing. Since we normally dine late that was a challenge to get used to. Our Head Waiter suggested us. Fortunately we had a very interesting Captain and that made it enjoyable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rala Posted June 25, 2007 #11 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Yogimax, The wine is free and it flows very freely. I would take two sips from my glass and it would be refilled by one of the about 4 waitstaff taking care of the table. We were invited to dine with Capt. George P. when he was on the Vision. The only reason I think we were invited is because when we met him at the Capt. reception receiving line, I mentioned that I had heard a lot of good things about him on Cruise Critic. Earlier that day at our M&M one of the staff mentioned that he(Capt. George)also checks out CC on occasion. The captain took our cabin # right there in the receiving line. Besides the invitation to dinner, we received Chocolate-covered strawberries, canapes, wine for our table at dinner during our cruise all compliments of Capt. George. It was a real treat!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I_AM_BAC Posted June 25, 2007 #12 Share Posted June 25, 2007 We just returned from the Grandeur of The Seas and were chosen to sit at the Captain's table on the second night. It was my 5th cruise (2nd on Grandeur) and my g/f's first cruise. I do not know why we were selected, but I was honored that we were. Captain Rob is a great guy and we had a great time talking with him and the other guests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Libby7 Posted June 25, 2007 #13 Share Posted June 25, 2007 From all the posts ..... and the variety of people who dined with the Captain(s) for all different reasons, there doesn't seem to be much of a pattern to who is chosen. I just think you need to go and hope you get lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms. B Posted June 25, 2007 #14 Share Posted June 25, 2007 as it turns out, our son was perfectly behaved all cruise long and is coming on the LOS with us at the end of July, now aged 13 - and his manners are far LESS acceptable! :D :eek: Teenagers...you gotta love em. I've got two so I feel your pain:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise_Couple Posted June 25, 2007 #15 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Wasn't there a famous actress or something that when asked if she would like to dine at the captain's table... responded... "Why would I want to dine with the hired help?" :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyncruiser Posted June 25, 2007 #16 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Based on our RCCL cruise last year, you needed to be very female, very young and extraordinarily beautiful to dine at the officer's table. The captain didn't host a dinner while we were on board but one of the other officers did. All of the women at the table that evening were gorgeous. And, at one point, the officer nearly tripped over the crippled Make-A-Wish child dining at the next table in his hurry to greet one of the beautiful women. It was all rather distasteful to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texancruzer Posted June 25, 2007 #17 Share Posted June 25, 2007 On our second cruise (Serenade to S. Caribbean) we and our best friends were asked to dine with the Captain on the second formal night. We had become very friendly with the Maitre D as he was from Portugal and my dh family (waaaay back) is from there. Also told him of my desire to visit there someday..... he would come by every night and chat for some time. On Wed eve he asked us if we would like to dine with the Capt. on Fri. eve..... early seating (he would dine late seating on first formal night and early seating for second formal night). We had a wonderful time. I was placed directly to his right and we chatted all evening. Charles Teige is the youngest capt. in Royal Caribbeans fleet. Very handsome and charming. So you MUST be nice to your waitstaff !!!! :D ps the wine is free ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo70 Posted June 25, 2007 #18 Share Posted June 25, 2007 She is looking to select people who she feels will "add" to the captains table and be "presentable". So don't where jeans and a tacky shirt the first night...especially if the Hostess stops by to say hello. What if they are really expensive, "nice" jeans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flagger Posted June 26, 2007 #19 Share Posted June 26, 2007 We were VIPs on our first cruise with Celebrity and were met at embarkation by the social hostess. We were asked to join the captain and the second formal night late seating. We arranged for in-cabin babysitting of our then 15 month old DD. We would do it again. It was nice to talk to the captain and hotel director. One at our table was a complete twit while the other was really a nice fellow. The captain could not have looked more bored until I asked him about his family. He referred to his wife as "Admiral"!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfganghowell Posted June 26, 2007 #20 Share Posted June 26, 2007 For some strange bit of luck, we have been invited 3 times. The first time on Rhapsody we think it was because we were at a large table alone and the Maitre'd came by to tell us that our tablemates had switched to early seating. Since we had never met them, we knew we hadn't chased them away. :) We were C&A and reasonably well dressed and behaved so he came over the next evening to invite us to dine with the captain. It was actually the Staff Captain at our seating. Second time was on Celebrity and I happened to be in our room from the pool to grab something when the phone rang. It was the Social Hostess asking if we would like to join the Captains Table that evening. I accepted. I figure that they had a cancellation and were simply going through the Captains Club list and calling rooms to fill the table. We just lucked out. That evening was with the Hotel Director. Third time was back on Rhapsody and we said hello to Victor the Maitre'd from before. I think he remembered us and once again we got the invite. This time it was with the Captain, who it turns out was Captain Michel who had been Staff Captain the year before. :) We have always enjoyed it and consider it a lovely surprise - and yes we know that we have had an extraordinary run of luck. You have a special menu, the wine is indeed free, exceptional dinner service and a table photo and an autographed menu. 2 out of 3 times the conversation was lively and fun. One group was a little shy but still very nice people ranging from new cruisers to regulars. There are place cards so you are told where to sit but they do keep couples together. If it is something important to you I think a nicely placed hint to the Social Host, Concierge or Maitre'd is not out of line. They want to please people. I also agree that they do look around for likely prospects the beginning of the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseco Posted June 26, 2007 #21 Share Posted June 26, 2007 From all the posts ..... and the variety of people who dined with the Captain(s) for all different reasons, there doesn't seem to be much of a pattern to who is chosen. . Every Captain will have different preferences that he will convey to the ship's host/hostess. One may like talking to first-timers to get their impressions, another might enjoy having lots of honeymooners. I know of one now-retired Carnival Captain who especially enjoyed the company of young single women. Some just hate the whole thing and will stack the table with staff officers who are better at making small talk. So each Captain may have a pattern but there's really no overall pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LV2COOK Posted June 26, 2007 #22 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Well just in care anyone from RCI is reading this....I will be on the Grandeur of the Sea's this Friday...it will be by 23rd cruise but first with RCI and I would love to dine with the Captain or his second in command...what a treat and special memory. Pretty please:D:D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ladies Posted June 26, 2007 #23 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Well just in care anyone from RCI is reading this....I will be on the Grandeur of the Sea's this Friday...it will be by 23rd cruise but first with RCI and I would love to dine with the Captain or his second in command...what a treat and special memory. Pretty please:D:D:D I think the powers-that-be would be very hard-hearted to refuse a plea such as this - he/she even says 'please'!! :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sea-cruise Posted June 26, 2007 #24 Share Posted June 26, 2007 The first time I believe we were invited because we had joined Celebrity's Captain's Club within the first few weeks that it was offered (at that time we paid $40 pp to belong to it), aboard the old Meridian. The second time I think we were invited because we were on a back to back cruise on the old Sovereign of the Seas with Capt Gunnar Oien. The third time I don't really know why we were invited, perhaps because the ship was new, but we dined with Capt Ulf Svensson aboard the Grandeur of the Seas. (Long before that we had dined with one of the Captains on a cruiseline that has been out of business for quite some time. We had cruised that line many times so I think that was the reason for the invitation.) In 26 years of cruising we've only been invited 4 times so the odds are kind of low I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coxswain Posted June 26, 2007 #25 Share Posted June 26, 2007 How Can You Be Selected to Dine at the Captain's Table? At the start of the cruise slip the MD $20 that should do the job lol jj.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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