The Captain's Table

On my recommendation, a friend and his lady friend sailed on Balmoral and came back enthusing, saying what a lovely ship it was.

They also said how they'd enjoyed being invited to the Captain's table. I remarked how lucky they were and how we had sailed many times on all Fred's ships and had NEVER been invited to the Captain's table.

He replied that as we were two ladies (friends who happen to holiday together)we were never likely to be invited. The Captain's table was for mixed couples only, and two people of same gender are hardly likely to get an invite.

Is this true?? Really?? Surely not.

I have sailed more than 30 times on Fred. Olsen ships and have been on the Captain's table on at least four occasions, travelling both solo and accompanied. I have never heard of "couples only" and know of many solo passengers who have been invited.

Those chosen are the choice of the Captain, hotel manager, cruise director and some senior officers. It's a bit the luck of the draw. It is enjoyable if you are lucky.

Ah yes Parsman, but when you were invited as a solo passenger, was there a solo lady invited to sit next to you? In other words, are there always equal numbers of males and females in a male/female configuration round the table? In which case, who knows, we might one day get invited if there are two solo males going spare.:)

Think we have been on around 15 cruises since we started 5 years ago, and I have never seen a table with the Captain or indeed Officers dining with passengers. There again I don't specifically look. Cruised with 5 different lines. We always eat in the MDR by the way.

Seen posts about it before, but it's something we never think about. Now if I was invited to look around the bridge or engine room that would get me enthused.

I wouldn't have thought been a couple or solo would have any bearing on an invite. I would have thought good manners and a social disposition would be the main criteria.

Maybe that's why I have never been invited.....:)

Ah yes Parsman, but when you were invited as a solo passenger, was there a solo lady invited to sit next to you? In other words, are there always equal numbers of males and females in a male/female configuration round the table? In which case, who knows, we might one day get invited if there are two solo males going spare.:)

On one occasion there were two "spare men" and two "spare women" but you are right about the gender balance. I just hope you are lucky.

Generally the Captain entertains on formal evenings only. For me it has always been at the late sitting. On these evenings some of the officers dine with the passengers. On my last two cruises we have had the Chief Engineer at out table.

Sorry to drag this out.

I'm not sure if Balmoral does it differently, but on Fred's other ships, the Captain and other senior officers each join an existing table for one or other sitting on formal nights.

We've had this happen to our table on several occasions now. Last one was the First Officer who told us that he does one sitting and the Captain does the other, except when he is unlucky and the Captain makes him do both as he then has to eat two meals ...

Does everybody squeeze up then to accommodate the Captain ? A table for 6,8 or 10 is exactly that. Or is somebody turned off for the Captain...:-)

Does everybody squeeze up then to accommodate the Captain ? A table for 6,8 or 10 is exactly that. Or is somebody turned off for the Captain...:-)

It is easy to add one person to the 6 or 8 without any feeling of being squeezed :)

Never been on a 10 as far as I recall.

The other benefit of being selected is that the officer buys the wine and if feeling generous the after-dinner drinks as well :)

We had the cruise director at our table a fortnight ago on Black Watch. Ours was a table for 6 in the Orchid room. We wondered who was coming with the extra setting.

There was enough room round the table but the table itself was a bit crowded with the extra wine glasses for both white and red which Anthony had selected.

Other ships we have been on a number of passengers are invited to dine at the captain's table, suffice to say we never have been invited.

On our recent first FO cruise (six nights on the Boudicca) we had an Officer join our table for both formal nights, the Chief Engineer and the Doctor. What do you talk to a Doctor about over dinner?

The officers provided the drinks, red & white plus brandy, I felt quite cheated as we were on the £10 drinks package!!!

On the Braemar in February we were on a large round table. There were 8 of us on it. On the first formal night we went to dinner and found the table set for 10. We were told that the Chief Engineer and a guest would be dining with us. As it happened only the CE turned up. The same thing happened on the second formal night, but 2 people were absent as the sea was rough and the second 'guest' again, did not arrive! Quite difficult to communicate on such a big table, especially as the CE was Croatian and one of our table monopolised him :rolleyes:

We had the cruise director at our table a fortnight ago on Black Watch. Ours was a table for 6 in the Orchid room. We wondered who was coming with the extra setting.

There was enough room round the table but the table itself was a bit crowded with the extra wine glasses for both white and red which Anthony had selected.

 

Does that mean the Cruise Director just "turned up" unannounced, do they not send invites the day before for hosted tables? Mind you, it does sound a lot less stiff and more relaxed than other lines. :)

Does that mean the Cruise Director just "turned up" unannounced, do they not send invites the day before for hosted tables? Mind you, it does sound a lot less stiff and more relaxed than other lines. :)

On formal nights there are places reserved on selected tables for the ships officers who may or may not turn up. On one cruise we had the pleasure of the company of the Hotel Manager who was a most entertaining and interesting person. On another cruise our table was set with an additional place for the ships doctor but he didn't turn up for dinner on any night during the cruise. We have dined at the Captain's table several times and they have mostly been enjoyable occasions, however there was one occasion, on a different cruise line, where the captain spoke little English and the other guests seemed disinclined to initiate or join in any conversation. This turned out to be a most uncomfortable hour or so of my life. If you have an officer on your table they usually provide the wine, which is good if you like the wine they have chosen but not so good if you don't.

On formal nights there are places reserved on selected tables for the ships officers who may or may not turn up. On one cruise we had the pleasure of the company of the Hotel Manager who was a most entertaining and interesting person. On another cruise our table was set with an additional place for the ships doctor but he didn't turn up for dinner on any night during the cruise. We have dined at the Captain's table several times and they have mostly been enjoyable occasions, however there was one occasion, on a different cruise line, where the captain spoke little English and the other guests seemed disinclined to initiate or join in any conversation. This turned out to be a most uncomfortable hour or so of my life. If you have an officer on your table they usually provide the wine, which is good if you like the wine they have chosen but not so good if you don't.

On that note, I think we'll stick to a table for two! :)

On the last FO cruise I did I was seated on the captains chair on the first night (open sittings), needless to say the waiters all had a good laugh with me, or was that at me.

Rick.

We have been on the Captain's table a couple of times and with the Chief Engineer 8 or 9 times. On all of these occasions it was not restricted to couples! We have been on the Captain's table with a family of 4 and singles as well.

A lot depends on how you are selected, some are chosen by Cabin number, others have different reasons

Hope this helps

On my first Fred cruise there were two ladies in their late twenties/early thirties travelling in single cabins even though they are friends. One lady was invited to the first formal nights captains table but she said that she wouldn't go as her friend was not invited too. They both were invited for the second formal night. The captain was in his late thirties and single and asked the lady out for a date who was invited to the captains table twice ;)

So my impression of getting a captains table invite is to be young, female and single :)