How do they?

[kjwinston]

How does a Captain pick who should sit with him for dinner? Is it just the "Elite"

passengers who get that persiflage? Can you ask? We will be on the Century enjoying our 30th Anniversary, and we have had the opportunity to have the Head Chef of the infinity sit with us on our 25th. We met him as he was in charge of our lifeboat drill. I asked if our life boat would have the best food on the emergency and could we try it out as volunteers? We had the best goodies sent to our room daily, form him and that is why he sat with us one meal. It was the best!

[neverbeenhere]

other threads about this. Captain's club host, Captain or other officer, sexiness, fate, bones and sticks, and a whole lot of other things are the methods for filling the Captain's table on any particular night. We know how to get on the table,

but we'd have to...

 

We have had many long time cruisers and many first time cruisers at the table with us over the years. A few that were recruited on the way to the table when some folks didn't show up. So, roll the bones of life and maybe it will happen.

[jomf]

We were in a suite, first time Celebrity Cruisers and got an invite. Didn't take up the offer as we had Qsine booked for that night.

[jomf]

We were in a suite, first time Celebrity Cruisers and got an invite. Didn't take up the offer as we had Qsine booked for that night.

Not sure if it was because we were in a suite or the fact that our embarkation was horrendous! The most embarrassing and upsetting embarkation I have ever been involved in!

[phoenix_dream]

We have only been invited once in 23 cruises, and that was a dinner with one of the officers, not the Captain. So "Elite" doesn't factor into it, with the exception of people who have sailed many, many, many times. Mostly higher level suite people, lower level suite cruisers new to Celebrity that they are trying to impress, or people the Captain or Captains Club host/hostess has taken a shine to if there are spaces to fill. Twice we were the most cruised on the ship but did not get invited. Once we wrote a note ahead of time to Celebrity as we were sailing with our (also Elite) relatives who were very loyal customers but getting elderly and were possibly on their last cruise. Never even got a response to that one (in retrospect, I wish we had been a little more assertive and spoken directly to the host/hostess). Some Captains like to mingle with passengers and will have multiple dinners. Sometimes it is only once.

[brian_uk]

We would prefer not to be invited because it is way too stuffy an evening.

 

We have invited the Captain to join our casual table but for some reason this was never accepted.

 

Brian

[Lsimon]

[Lovemychoos]

 

 

Hahahahaha ha, love it :D

 

Lou

[cruisestitch]

some answers:

 

First, it isn't always the Captain who is at that table -- it could be any of the senior officers. Engineers, STaff Captains, Hotel Directors have all hosted that table in recent memory.

 

Usually, the Officer doesn't pick the passengers, The Captain's Club host/hostess does. But it is also possible that the Engineer, for example, might meet some passengers and extend the invitation. The Officer would then let the Captain's Club host/hostess know that. But usually, the Captain's Club host/hostess makes the first determination and submits the list to the officer who will be seated there.

 

A variety of people are asked. Generally, in the course of a cruise, usually the Top Cruiser will get an invitation, those in the high-end suites, perhaps a random first-time cruiser as an incentive for them to book another cruise, have also sat with people who happened to be from the same place as the Captain's wife, and once it was a famous author who happened to be on board and the Hotel Director had read his book.

[miched]

 

That is why we always request and prefer a table for 2. :D

 

Sometimes it works both ways.;)

 

 

.:D

[gacruisergal]

We were only invited once on Celebrity Meridian Southern Caribbean cruise in '93. We had just unpacked and decided to go to have a drink. The first bar we came to seemed to have a lot of fun people so we walked in and asked for a drink. The hostess came up to us and asked us how many days or months we had been married and I said we had been married 30 some years......................She said "Oh, this is a newlywed party!"

 

We said our apology and talked a few minutes. The next night we were invited to the Captain's Table for dinner by the hostess and of course we had to go! I sat on the Captain's right and at the end of the night had the biggest bruises on my left thigh that you could possibly imagine!! We never went again.....................

[Lady Arwen]

Our third Celebrity cruise, in an interior cabin on the Mercury, we were invited to the Captain's Table. It was lovely. We were treated to cocktails prior to dinner and then after dinner escorted to the theatre to our special seating for the evening. All the ladies received a rose and everyone received a photo of the occasion.

 

We've never been asked again, even after many cruises and sometimes in suites! I don't think anyone can predict who gets invited or why.

[jer_l]

We've been invited to sit at the Captain's Table on three cruises, always on a formal night. I have no idea why we were invited, but each time the invitation came from the Captain's Club hostess. Only once was the Captain seated at the table. Once the table was hosted by the Chief Engineer and once by the Staff Captain. The last invitation, I believe, was due to someone else not accepting an invitation, because the CC Hostess asked us at breakfast in Michael's Club if we would be willing to change to early dining that evening because she need one more couple at the Chief Engineer's table. Later that day we received an official printed invitation. Each time it was a highlight of our cruise.

[Orator]

We would prefer not to be invited because it is way too stuffy an evening.

 

We have invited the Captain to join our casual table but for some reason this was never accepted.

 

Brian

 

Have been invited to many Captain's Tables and have rarely found them stuffy. The atmosphere is established by the host. Sorry we lost Bernhard to RCCL, but his tables were always fun. Jamie Petts is also quite lively.

How are people invited? Here's a simple answer:

The Host of the Table may want to invite some people. Perhaps a friend or someone they met on the cruise.

The Miami Office may wish to invite certain people. I was at a table with a close friend of the President of RCCL. First time on Celebrity and he told me that he was told that he would be invited prior to the start of the cruise.

The top Suite Passengers are usually invited.

The Top Cruisers are usually invited.

People celebrating a significant event may be invited.

People who are frequent cruisers on other lines.

The Captain's Club Host/Hostess is assigned to arrange for the tables and fill any unfilled chairs. They usually select people they know or those on the cruise who have made a strong impression. Many will automatically exclude anyone who asks them to be invited, although some have reported that they asked and were invited.

[Orator]

Just thought I'd add some things that will pretty much guarantee that you won't be invited again (I've witnessed all of these).

 

1. Talk negatively about Celebrity. Had a couple sit across from me that only wanted to talk about how great their line of choice was compared to celebrity. I lost it a bit and asked him if he thought it was proper to promote another line when the Captain invited him to sit at his table. The Captain told me after the dinner that he would make certain not to entertain the couple again.

2. Be negative about everything. Sat next to the top cruiser on one particular cruise. The table was hosted by the Staff Captain, not the Captain. The CC Host saw me in the morning at the Elite Breakfast and asked me about the table. He was most interested in the behavior of the top cruiser. Told me that no one wanted and she hadn't been invited to a Table for quite some time. Said that others complained a she would never be invited again.

3. Don't use your knife and fork. Arno was also at this table and may remember the woman who picked up everything with her hands. The knife, fork and spoon were complete strangers. She also begin eating as soon as the food was placed before her. Never waited for everyone, including the Host to be served.

4. Be completely quite or completely dominating.

 

Certain that others can add to the list.

[Hlitner]

Am truly laughing after reading the previous post. We had one of those strange experiences many years ago at the Captain's Table on the old Sun Viking (RCCL) when dining with the very popular Capt Leif Otto Bang (amazing how some things stick in one's mind). As is the usual practice, the hostess arranged the seating so that the Captain was flanked by a lady on each side. Both of these "ladies" had proceeded to have a lot to drink in the pre-dinner cocktail party (drinks are free) and were plastered by the time we got to the Captains Table. They both were hanging all over the Captain for the meal (much to the horror of their husbands and the Captain) but were too drunk to have a clue. The Captain managed to quickly excuse himself as soon as he gobbled down his main course. We later ran into Captain Bang and had a good laugh about that evening.

 

Hank

[neverbeenhere]

That woman was on a table that we attend also. Lowered herself to table level and literally shoveled her food into her face. Sad part was her husband did the same thing and actually picked up his plate and licked it. WE ARE NOT KIDDING. and we were sitting across from them.

[fleckle]

How are people invited? Here's a simple answer:

The Host of the Table may want to invite some people. Perhaps a friend or someone they met on the cruise.

The Miami Office may wish to invite certain people. I was at a table with a close friend of the President of RCCL. First time on Celebrity and he told me that he was told that he would be invited prior to the start of the cruise.

The top Suite Passengers are usually invited.

The Top Cruisers are usually invited.

People celebrating a significant event may be invited.

People who are frequent cruisers on other lines.

The Captain's Club Host/Hostess is assigned to arrange for the tables and fill any unfilled chairs. They usually select people they know or those on the cruise who have made a strong impression. Many will automatically exclude anyone who asks them to be invited, although some have reported that they asked and were invited.

The first time we were invited, we were on our second Celebrity cruise, in an ordinary cabin, did not know anybody, were not celebrating any special occasion, and none of the criteria mentioned on the above list applied to us.

We had no idea why we were invited.

 

We know that they sometimes invite some first timers to make a good impression on them, but that was not our first time and we had not been invited on our first cruise when we were in a higher category cabin.

 

 

[neverbeenhere]

in the lottery of Celebrity Life you were a winner(?). Hope you cashed in.

[neverbeenhere]

BTW none of the criteria match us.

[Karynanne]

Sometimes the Captain's Club host/hostess will arrange the seating, and sometimes the Captain or whomever is hosting that particular nights dinner will choose. It can vary from the most freqent cruiser to first timers to relatives, etc.

[Qmadam]

I have cruised 8 times and been invited to the Captain's Table 4 times (every other cruise), and yes on our first cruise. Always, but one time, been in an inside cabin and not celebrating any special occasion. This has always surprised me in a delightful way! The social hostess when asked about it told us that she just tried to put together a "lovely" table. DH says it was because I'm beautiful (sweet man), I say it's because he's soooo sociable. Can talk to anyone and does!

 

I think it's a roll of the dice - right time, right place...

[maggie.1008]

Being social and beautiful really helps.

[kjwinston]

Who is the social host / Hostess? Is this an officer? Are they located in the Purser's office? Customer relations?