The Captain's Table Sitting

[welwyngirl]

How are passengers selected to dine with the Captain? Does anyone know the criteria? I thought they may be chosen from the posh cabins but that doesn't seem to be the case.

On all the cruises we've been on (about 20) we've never been invited. I'm not particularly bothered about sitting with the Captain - the tables always look a bit stuffy to me - but I wondered who decides.

[sandrac3]

My husband and I were chosen to sit with the captain on our last cruise. The invitees were varied, a couple who had cruised about 50 times, 1 couple from Canada, 1 from UK, 3 of us from US. We got chosen because of our head waiter. We always choose a large table (6-8) and were given a table for 2. We told the head waiter we would like a large table if he had one but he didn't. We also talked with him about his home and work and a few days later he called to invite us to sit with the captain. I don't think it has so much to do with who you are but how you treat the staff. IMHO.

[welwyngirl]

Thanks! Well, we're always warm and friendly with all the staff, too. Maybe one day we'll get an invite too!

[yakdaddy42]

this is one invite i never want. diner with the captian would be boring.

 

tour of the bridge and engin room i cool with

[MNSmurf]

SWMBO and I were just wandering through the Centrum area on the first formal night of our cruise on Freedom last year (waiting for them to open up the dining room) when a gentleman in a white dinner jacket came up and asked us if he could have a word with us. He asked a couple of questions, the usual chit-chat type stuff...and then asked if we would like to have a "special dining experience". Turns out that he was the Captain's Headwaiter.....and we had dinner with the Captain. We were just in the right place at the right time.....

[roscoe39]

this is one invite i never want. diner with the captian would be boring.

 

tour of the bridge and engin room i cool with

 

I did part of the world cruise on the new Cunarder Queen Victoria last year., I was flying solo and fortunately I had met the captain and his wife on several cruises earlier. I happened to be walking through the dining room one evening on my way to the table and one of the captains guests that night was ill couldnt dine with them, Julie the captains wife called me over and invited me to dine in their place. It was a fun night, especially when my other dining companions came looking for me and saw me sitting there! I was also lucky enough to not only get a bridge tour, but an engine tour as well which was a real treat. I had heard that engine tours were a definate no-no for security reasons but it was one of the highlights of the trip. Especially when we finished the tour I was presented with the overalls, crew jacket and a complete set of blueprints for the ship! I guess it was the luck of the draw and being on my own helped.:D

[BroncosFan2010]

DH and I were invited to dine with the Captain and tour the bridge on our honeymoon. We were not in any special cabin, just a regular balcony. We were told there were over 200 honeymooning couples on our sailing, so that had very little to do with it. We did have a table for 2 before that. We had a wonderful time and the Captain and his wife were very friendly and it was an enjoyable and memorable experience. I still have the photo framed and hanging in my office.

[45014]

I would say, "no thank you but it was nice to be asked". I somehow don't think I would have anything to talk about that we may have in common.

[RVfromAZ]

My husband and I were invited to the Captain's table last year while on Celebrity. It was our 1st cruise as Elite members, but I really don't have any idea if that had anything to do with it. It was a great experience. We also got a bridge tour on the same cruise.

[Towncar T]

I'd be a bit annoyed to pay all that money and then having to eat with the crew!!

[roscoe39]

I'd be a bit annoyed to pay all that money and then having to eat with the crew!!

 

hahaha....but imagine how annoyed they would be to sit with you!:p:D:D

[packing2go]

Funny!

We received a phone call in our statement first night out on our first cruise [superstar Virgo] asking us to dine with the captain - no idea how we were chosen, there were three couples from Australia chosen, incl DH & me, maybe he just lies Aussies?? We had a great night, discussed some interesting things...:) Hope the captain had a nice time too??

[Mrs. H.]

NEVER EVER AGAIN!

 

We were invited to the Captain's table for the second Captain's night during our cruise on RCCL back in '98.

We think our regular waiters wanted to get rid of us because our friends 40 yr old boyfriend, (now husband), was a pain in the arse. He was funny as hell but really annoying so I think they wanted a break one night and had us invited to the captain's table.

 

Captain's wife happened to be there and she was lovely, Captain was very nice and so was the other 2 couples from NJ. You really have to behave yourself when at that table and its very boring. The food was way too fancy for me and I had to pass on so many courses he Captain's was felt so bad for me.

 

Way tooo stuffy for us.

[cruisin' 4 fun]

we were invited 2 trips ago. Our table was supposed to be 4 couples and we were on the late seating. One couple didn't show up the first 2 nights, and the second night the head waiter paid a little more attention to us. After dinner, he asked the whole table if we would be interested in dining with the Captain. OF COURSE! He verified our room numbers, and we had written invitations for the following evening (formal night). Once we got there, we were held back until everyone else had been seated. We were then led in and had special pictures taken (the only free pictures you will ever be given by a cruise line I bet). They presented us with special wine lists made to go with our special menu prepared only for our table, which included things like caviar, filet, etc.

 

We asked why we were chosen, and were told it was because of late seating, our interacting with each other even though we had just met, and being a nice mix of people for appearance.

 

and I'm sure a little luck.

[hmsdos]

Think it depends on the Captain. Many times the Captain invites cruisers from his native country. Sometimes the people are from “Corporate” or “friends of Corporate”. As other posters have stated often it is because of a Head Waiter or the Maitre’D who has noticed a particularly interesting/attractive couple or table, additionally frequent cruisers are often invited… lots of reasons. As far as the table being boring… that depends on who you sit next to, and often how the Captain “manages” the table. We have been privileged to be invited occasionally and have had some of the most fun evenings. As to the menu… on RCCL, currently, the menu is the same as other passengers with the exception of desert… and that is the “Captain’s selection” and I always have to take a picture.:o

an example:D