Dining with the Captain - now it's working!

[paulista1950]

Sorry for the three previous versions which I wasn't able to make appear correctly. It was due to de problem at Cruise Critic board, now solved.

 

I guess there isn't a strict rule on the subject, but how/why is somebody invited to dine at the Captain’s table? Is there any way to improve the chances to be one of the choosen? Do all cruise lines use the same policy or it differs from one to another?

[Karanja]

Sorry for the three previous versions which I wasn't able to make appear correctly. It was due to de problem at Cruise Critic board, now solved.

 

I guess there isn't a strict rule on the subject, but how/why is somebody invited to dine at the Captain’s table? Is there any way to improve the chances to be one of the choosen? Do all cruise lines use the same policy or it differs from one to another?

 

 

On Cunard, passengers get invited to the captain's table for all sorts of reasons - VIPs, frequent travelers, recommended by someone, won a free trip, known by the captain and simply a crap shoot. I have seen them all.

 

Your travel agent could request it, but you can also perhaps more graciously and less aggressively ask to be seated at an officer's table. That way you stand a reasonable chance of joining the hotel manager, ship's surgeon, cruise director, etc. They usually show twice during a crossing and send a stand-in the other nights, but not the first and last.

 

Good luck.

Ted

[paulista1950]

Dining with the Captain isn't an obsession, more like an experience I'd like to have. I guess I'll just let it go and try my luck.

[cunardqueen]

I guess there isn't a strict rule on the subject, but how/why is somebody invited to dine at the Captain’s table? Is there any way to improve the chances to be one of the choosen? Do all cruise lines use the same policy or it differs from one to another?

 

I was seated at Nick Bates table on my recent QE2 cruise, but our table guests all had different reasons for being asked there, one lady was a friend of mine, another was a very regular traveller, another had cruised earlier in the year, strangely enough it was a table for 6 people (as the Captain had his lovely partner with him) another guest who l happened to share the same table on the cruise previous to this (it was a back to back cruise) she had a bad table on sailing night and asked to be moved, and the other guest was asked on sailing night if he would like to be moved to an officers table, and duely the maitre d moved them to the Captains table, and what a superb table it was!!!!:D

 

I have been fortunate to be seated at an officers table a number of times, and always had great companions, though one does hear of horror stories about other guests tables !!indeed some guests request NOT to be seated at an officers table.

 

To be seated at the captains table was a great honour indeed and he was a truly superb host, We were also fortunate to have other officers which included a deck cadet, who we all agreed for a man of such a young age he was a great host and it was his first time, even the Staff Captain was only 34 yrs old.

 

Of course one of the guests asked Nick just how exactly its decided who sits at the table.......His story had us spell bound.......:eek: Not to mention his kindly advance warnings of bad weather and other inside information.

Im just sorry that he has moved to the other side:rolleyes:

 

There was one night Nick was telling one of his stories with animation and our waiter Basil, who must say was a excellent waiter, went to offer the petit fours to the captain at the same time as the Captain threw his hands in the air, needless to say the petit fours went one way,the tray went the other, Basil was aghast and we all fell about laughing, l do believe the waiting staff are still finding petit fours all over the place;)

Cheers

Myles