How Do you Get to Captains' Table

[cruzinmecrazy]

Just curious. How do you get to be seated at the Captains' table? We are cruising out of DR January 20, 2008, and would really enjoy sitting at the Captains table. Not for prestige or anything like that, just to enjoy the experience of dining with the Captain and his guests.

 

This cruise will put us over the top for Diamond....not such a big deal to me, but wife has made me stick with RCCL just to hit this plateau. The perks are nice and I really enjoy RCCL. I have no reason to cruise with another Line, I am satisfied with the service and ships.

 

Back to the captains' table. Would love to hear the stories, good or bad, from people who have sat with the captain. Haven't really noticed anything special at that table, except for the decorations. Is there anything special about this seating? Let me know..

 

thx

 

cruise on....

[MikeNJ1109]

Just curious. How do you get to be seated at the Captains' table? We are cruising out of DR January 20, 2008, and would really enjoy sitting at the Captains table. Not for prestige or anything like that, just to enjoy the experience of dining with the Captain and his guests.

 

This cruise will put us over the top for Diamond....not such a big deal to me, but wife has made me stick with RCCL just to hit this plateau. The perks are nice and I really enjoy RCCL. I have no reason to cruise with another Line, I am satisfied with the service and ships.

 

Back to the captains' table. Would love to hear the stories, good or bad, from people who have sat with the captain. Haven't really noticed anything special at that table, except for the decorations. Is there anything special about this seating? Let me know..

 

thx

 

cruise on....

 

 

I have heard that there is no rhyme or reason as to who gets invited to the Captains table. Could be something as sublime as celebrating a milestone anniversary -- my parents were at the Captains Table for their 40th anniverwary recently (NCL cruise) --- to the ridiculous i.e the Captain likes a leggy blond.

 

I seem to recall a similar thread here on CC about a month or two ago, but can't find it now...

 

Michael

[Barbee524]

I've never sat at the Captain's table. But, we were right next to it on our last cruise and the food looked a lot better. Not to mention the wine was flowing and I never saw anyone asked for their seapass.

 

Maybe some day.

[hopeful1]

I was invited to the Captain's Tale once...no clue why, but it was a nice experience...we did have different food, and no we did not have to pay for wine or after dinner drinks.

[Gonzo70]

I have heard that there is no rhyme or reason as to who gets invited to the Captains table. Could be something as sublime as celebrating a milestone anniversary -- my parents were at the Captains Table for their 40th anniverwary recently (NCL cruise) --- to the ridiculous i.e the Captain likes a leggy blond.

 

I am not sure if the "leggy blond" theory is ridiculous. On my cruises I have often spied attractive women at the capatain's table. Well, maybe the theory is ridiculous, but I think there is more than alittle truth to it.

[texancruzer]

There is definately no rhyme or reason to getting invited.... believe me.

 

But it does help to be nice to the waitstaff. :D On our Serenade cruise it was dh, myself and our best friends at a table for 4. Our headwaiter was from Portugal. My dh ancestors were too. He must have been very homesick....he would come over every evening and talk about Portugal for about 30 minutes.... I enjoyed it as I very much would like to tour Portugal. Anyway.... I am sure it was him who made arrangements for us to dine with the Capt. on the second formal night. (Capt. Teige dined with the late seating on the first formal night and the early seating on the second) We enjoyed our evening very much. I was seated directly to the right of Capt. Teige. He is very charming and he made all of us feel right at home. There was definately a special menu and all your alcohol is free for the evening. We received a complimentary picture for each one of us too.

 

Oh....another tip..... do not wear shorts, tshirts or flipflops to the dining room if you would like an invitation to the capt. table - :rolleyes: Just kidding.

[spirite]

I assume an invitation is unlikely if travelling with kids (even exceptionally well behaved ones)?

[WhenIsOurNextCruise]

We were in the Penthouse Suite on Celebrity earlier this year and received an invitation (along with our friends in another suite) to dine at the Captain's table. Interestingly, the Captain's Club Manager did a "drive by" our dining table the night before to introduce herself - but I really think to check us out to see if we were appropriate enough to be invited. Shortly after dinner when we got back to our cabin the invitation arrived. We met for drinks prior to the "grand entrance" on the first formal night. The food was from the regular dining room menu and the drinks / wine were free. It was an honor and a pleasure - oh - and the service was impeccable!

Cathy

[susanbarnes]

My husband and I dined with the captain on our hawaiian cruise on Celebrity. We think we were picked while in line to board. A staff member came up to us and asked our names and what cabin we were in. We did not know why but the next day we received our invitation. We were dressed nicely to board. We were not in a suite but a larger veranda cabin. Our dinner was very nice we had cocktails before dinner in a lounge reserved for us. Dinner was off the regular menu wine and drinks were included with dinner and we all received a complimentary photo of us with the captain. Our next cruise is on the Freedom with the kids so I doubt it will happen again.

[glgolfer]

We were invited on the 2nd leg of a B2B to Hawaii. We got to know the CD and his wife (who was the hostess) very well the first leg and we're sure the hostess was the reason we were invited.

 

Then- we told a Captain last year we had cruised with him on the original RCI ship in the early 90s and he asked us for our cabin number. So, he did it that time.

 

Last time we brought a picture of the Captain on the flying bridge going thru the Panama Canal in the 90s and gave it to him at the M&M. He also asked us for our cabin number and we were invited the next day.

 

That should give you some hints on how to get invited.

[nanfromatlanta]

Stand in line behind a bunch of other Diamond/Diamond+ C&A members who are also waiting for an invitation.

 

We have had interesting conversations on some of our cruises, with the captain, concierge, hotel manager, etc., and have never been invited to dine with the captain.

[leoandhugh]

Well one sure way not to get invited is to ask to be invited; they tend to stay away from "pushy" passengers. Appearance(clothing), and behavior in the dining room can work in your favor - don't complain loudly about food and service. If you have to do that, get the maitre 'd aside and talk privately. It sometimes helps if you are in a high priced accomodation like a suite, or if you have a long "repeater" history. Sometimes you get invited and never know why.

[rmillsaps]

Been there, done that, I have no idea why we were invited.

[Bobal]

Here's the last thread on this http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=603114&highlight=captain%27s+table which also refers to a previous thread :)

 

The general rule seems to be that there is no rule ;)

 

One thing's for sure - I don't expect we'll be invited on our next 2 cruises as we're cruising with our kids - and gorgeous, polite and entertaining as they are, there's never a mention of kids being invited :rolleyes:

[wrp96]

To those of you with kids, I have seen families with kids eating at the Captain's table on previous cruises, so I wouldn't completely count yourselves out. It probably depends on the Captain.

[busted knuckles]

Maybe I can get the wife to "hotten herself up" a little bit when we cruise in March.

:D :D

[Bakincakes]

Maybe I can get the wife to "hotten herself up" a little bit when we cruise in March.

:D :D

 

Show her your post...that oughta do it.:D

[aajacques]

My sister and I (both in our 30's) went on a mediterranean cruise aboard Crystal's Symphony ship with our parents in 2002. There was an invitation in our room to sit at his table. My parents frequent Crystal cruises and always sit at the captain's table. Basically the only reason my sister and I sat there was b/c we were with our parents. It was a blast though and had the captain out dancing after dinner.

[texancruzer]

Maybe I can get the wife to "hotten herself up" a little bit when we cruise in March.

:D :D

 

Show her your post...that oughta do it.:D

 

 

OR...... you might be cruising alone :(

[kms007]

When staying in a suite on NCL - my husband and I were asked by the concierge if we would mind pretending it was our honeymoon so we could sit at the captain's table. The captain liked having a honeymoon couple at the table; so we pretended. It was a fun experience.

[wrp96]

When staying in a suite on NCL - my husband and I were asked by the concierge if we would mind pretending it was our honeymoon so we could sit at the captain's table. The captain liked having a honeymoon couple at the table; so we pretended. It was a fun experience.

 

Hey, you were on your honeymoon! It just happened to be your second honeymoon!;) :D

[pr8hd]

Hmm.. Maybe we should try that. :) Our cruise on Sovereign (Nov 12) is our honeymoon. This after 3 1/2 years of marriage and 5+ years together. This is the closest thing to a real vacation we have had time for and we are so looking forward to it. Sitting at the Captains's Table would thrill my DW to no end!

[RCCL 1]

Just curious. How do you get to be seated at the Captains' table? We are cruising out of DR January 20, 2008, and would really enjoy sitting at the Captains table. Not for prestige or anything like that, just to enjoy the experience of dining with the Captain and his guests.

 

This cruise will put us over the top for Diamond....not such a big deal to me, but wife has made me stick with RCCL just to hit this plateau. The perks are nice and I really enjoy RCCL. I have no reason to cruise with another Line, I am satisfied with the service and ships.

 

Back to the captains' table. Would love to hear the stories, good or bad, from people who have sat with the captain. Haven't really noticed anything special at that table, except for the decorations. Is there anything special about this seating? Let me know..

 

thx

 

cruise on....

I can tell you from experience that the selection process is complex. It begins with various suggestions from shoreside in Miami regarding certain guests who may be stockholders or public figures. There are also considerations given to very long term cruisers with RCCL. We have one recent gentleman with over 125 cruises who was invited. The main players on board are the maitre de and the concierge who complie potential coandiates for the Captain's consideration. The large table on the Freedom has room for twelve so it will be the Captain, usually a staff officer and five couples. Captain Tengelsen likes to break up couples to encourage conversation across the table. The dessert is one of his favorites (see signature) and the wine is always free, as well as the drinks as you meet your tablemates in the Bolero's lounge. I have had the good fortune to sit at this table many times on Freedom, Voyager, Majesty, Soveriegn, etc and can tell you it is an experience you won't soon forget. You also get a free pictur of your dinner before you leave the table...

[Amaranthine33]

Just curious. How do you get to be seated at the Captains' table? We are cruising out of DR January 20, 2008, and would really enjoy sitting at the Captains table. Not for prestige or anything like that, just to enjoy the experience of dining with the Captain and his guests.

 

This cruise will put us over the top for Diamond....not such a big deal to me, but wife has made me stick with RCCL just to hit this plateau. The perks are nice and I really enjoy RCCL. I have no reason to cruise with another Line, I am satisfied with the service and ships.

 

Back to the captains' table. Would love to hear the stories, good or bad, from people who have sat with the captain. Haven't really noticed anything special at that table, except for the decorations. Is there anything special about this seating? Let me know..

 

thx

 

cruise on....

 

The head waiter on my Alaska cruise told me that the Captain sits at tables where the people are fun and laugh alot...basically people who are having a great time onboard and at dinner. Then every night the head waiters nominate a table and the Captain picks one.

 

However, I had 2nd seating dining and never saw the Captain (but I wasn't looking for him). I'm guessing that he only eats one dinner per night, so which seating he goes to is beyond me.

[derftegel]

If the Captain invites me, my seat goes to the highest bidder.;)