tips to dine with Captain

[schoolmom]

I've seen various posts about how to get an invitation to dine with the captain. I would like to try and get that elusive invitation. What would be some good starting points?:confused:

 

We are going on the Coral.

[franksandy]

I'm a retired TA...and have eated at the Captain's table many times...

TA's are invited...friends of the Captain...Multi Cruisers on same ship..Sometimes a Newly Wed Couple...

Honestly it is very rare, to just go on a cruise...and think you might get invited.

 

Sandy

[Suesancy]

We have cruised about six or seven times and have been invited to eat with the Captain twice. Why? Haven't a clue...although one of the occasions the Captain actually came to dine at our table. This was with P & O - and one of the couples on our table were obviously very wealthy and had cruised many, many, times before. I guess that they were the reason the Captain joined us. The other time we were on Princess and the Maitre D' invited us on the evening if we would like to join the Captain's table. Guess he liked the way we looked:rolleyes: ..he couldn't possibly have known anything about us.

 

Interesting experience both times.

[cruisinbuddy]

On our second cruise, we won a game one night and part of the prize was, meeting the Captain, on the Bridge wing for sailaway. How cool was that? Everyone looking down and saying, who the hell are they? While there, our hostess said that she'd try to get us an invitation to the Captains table for a dinner, never happened, but it was neat that we were considered.

[spongerob]

You will rarely see the captain or other officers in the dining room on Princess ships. Occasionally they will dine at Sabatini or Sterling, and might have guests with them. Generally such guests are VIPs. I have only ever seen a captain in the dining room once, and then he shared a small table with a Fincantieri rep and his wife.

[CruiseAholic]

For the evening meals, rarely do the Captains dine in the dining rooms, there is no Captains Table on Princess ships, like on other lines.

 

Have been at the Captains Table on Celebrity, quite a treat

[CruisinChris]

A Princess Captain has joined us at our table in the dining room. Our original tablemates bailed (a couple - it was my mother and I). We had a lovely evening. The lady who refused to sit with us was peagreen. She thought one of us was the Captain's wife! Too funny!

[Toto2Kansas]

I thought it was just us that have not seen a 'captains table' in recent years. I was wondering a bit.

The captain's table used to be a big thing onboard ships, but anymore, the captain's most traveled luncheon seems to be as far as it goes on most Princess sailings.

[franksandy]

I just read a review from the Oct. 3rd Diamond...(roll calls) They said they saw many officers in the dining room, and thought this might be something new with princess...Its a great review...even about formal nights.

 

Sandy

[Toto2Kansas]

I have seen many officers join a table for dinner in the dining room, just not the captain himself very often.

[LARGIN]

We had an Officers table next to us on our Hawaii cruise. No Captain, just various officers and high ranking staffers rotating nightly

[teach4s]

We got invited to eat at the Captain's table on our very first cruise which was so fun! We were on Celebrity and I think it was because we were one of the few couples under 40 on the boat (at that time:)) and had been at the disco with the other officers at night dancing many evenings. I remember doing the Macarena with the Social Hostess one of evenings :), that may have helped us to get invited.

 

We also had the Navigator of the Seas ship physician join us at our table one night. We had so much fun together she joined our group 2 more times. It was fascinating to hear her stories.

 

It seems like often it's just luck.

I keep hoping we will get to do it again sometime.

[notentirelynormal]

When we were on the Tahitiaan Princess we were at a table for 4. The tables are very close together. No one ever sat at the table next to us so one evening when our waiter wasn't looking we grabbed the rolls off the table, then the extra butter. Worked well. Did it again the next night. The third time we just blatantly grabbed the bread and butter as we sat down. Wellll, a few minutes later in walks the Captain another senior officer and I assume the wife of the officer and a friend. So he looks around for a second, no bread, no butter. By now our husbands are looking very sheepish, while I and the other lady are just cracking up. We finally had to confess so the waiter didn't get in trouble. He was very gracious about it and we sort of chatted for a few minutes. So, while we almost sat at the Captains table, we did eat off it!

[drpack]

When we were on the Tahitiaan Princess we were at a table for 4. The tables are very close together. No one ever sat at the table next to us so one evening when our waiter wasn't looking we grabbed the rolls off the table, then the extra butter. Worked well. Did it again the next night. The third time we just blatantly grabbed the bread and butter as we sat down. Wellll, a few minutes later in walks the Captain another senior officer and I assume the wife of the officer and a friend. So he looks around for a second, no bread, no butter. By now our husbands are looking very sheepish, while I and the other lady are just cracking up. We finally had to confess so the waiter didn't get in trouble. He was very gracious about it and we sort of chatted for a few minutes. So, while we almost sat at the Captains table, we did eat off it!

 

That's a good one. I've also seen many of the officers and staff eating at various locations on the CB, but never saw the captain. When I was in the Coast Guard, I conducted boardings and inspections on many types of vessels. I frequently dined with the captain, except on cruise ships. On many ships the officers had a different dinning facility than the unlicensed crew. I’ve even seen some ships were the captain had a small dining area in his suite.

 

I've seen other post were people sent letters to senior crew, hoping that would help them get a greeting or meal with the captain.

[DanJ]

I remember a story a while back of a celebrity who was asked if she wished to dine with the captain and she replied "No thanks, I never eat with the help" LOL

[coiran]

When we were on the Tahitiaan Princess we were at a table for 4. The tables are very close together. No one ever sat at the table next to us so one evening when our waiter wasn't looking we grabbed the rolls off the table, then the extra butter. Worked well. Did it again the next night. The third time we just blatantly grabbed the bread and butter as we sat down. Wellll, a few minutes later in walks the Captain another senior officer and I assume the wife of the officer and a friend. So he looks around for a second, no bread, no butter. By now our husbands are looking very sheepish, while I and the other lady are just cracking up. We finally had to confess so the waiter didn't get in trouble. He was very gracious about it and we sort of chatted for a few minutes. So, while we almost sat at the Captains table, we did eat off it!

 

Why would you even think of taking the bread and butter from an empty table when you can get as much as you want from the waiter???? Or, is this why you have the screen name you have?

 

Ron

[notentirelynormal]

He was very busy when we ran out and rather then bother him since the food would just go to waste we took it. We're talking you can't walk between the tables on the TP they are so close. We merely leaned over and took the bread, we didn't have to even get up. It was no big deal. If it makes you feel better we told him we did it and he laughed.

[Toto2Kansas]

He was very busy when we ran out and rather then bother him since the food would just go to waste we took it. We're talking you can't walk between the tables on the TP they are so close. We merely leaned over and took the bread, we didn't have to even get up. It was no big deal. If it makes you feel better we told him we did it and he laughed.

 

I can picture what you did in my mind after sailing the TP myself. By saying the tables (at least most of them) are close together, is really giving them credit. We felt like we were at a table for 24, even though there was a few inches between our table and the one next. Way to crowded for the waiter to get around, unlike other ships.

[Bequia]

Slip him a twenty at the Captains cocktail party and you'll be dining with him that evening. ;)

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[LARGIN]

No need to slip him a twenty.. Just be a good looking leggy blonde in a mini.. :D:D:D

[spongerob]

No need to slip him a twenty.. Just be a good looking leggy blonde in a mini.. :D:D:D

I'd like to say that might work for me, but I have my mother's thighs. **sigh**

[JolieMadam]

I had always heard that in order to get an invitation to the Captain's table, it didn't hurt to be a celebrity, a travel writer, or a tall blonde Scandanavian.

 

Since my daughter and I were none of those things, we were pretty surprised to receive an invitation to dine at the Captain's table during a Panama Canal cruise. The day before, I had eaten something that really made me sick, but I had to recover in a hurry when we got this invitation for the following evening.

 

All of the invitees started out with champagne in one of the lounges where the Captain was welcoming some past cruisers and then proceeded to the dining room. That evening was the highlight of our trip and then the Captain invited everyone at the table to join him on the bridge the next morning when we went through the canal. We took him up on that offer and our group were the only people there. We were even served coffee and pastries as well. It was a fantastic experience to be on the bridge and to watch the transit from there.

 

Guess you could say we were just in the right place at the right time!

[Tina G]

Now, honestly, wouldn't you rather the captain was taking care of business, driving the ship, than hob-nobbing with the guests?;)