Many nights at sea, during dinner, (especially if our tablemates are re-telling a story or anecdote that I've heard every night) my mind wanders (as I stare at the captain's table),and a little voice says to me, "how it is the guests seated with the 'Master', have COME to be there?". Is it based on the type of cabin they have purchased? Is it because they are vivacious and blonde (sometimes they are!)? Is it because they have been wronged, and the hotel manager is giving them a sacred thrill as way of rectifying things? And Is it in fact a thrill?
We've cruised 6 times and have not figured out the selection process yet. I've asked the ones I've seen seated at the head table how they procured their spot and they always seem to respond with mystified shrugs.
So we would love to know how does one (or two) get to dine with the main man? Is there a trick? A secret? A dollar figure? And what is it really like? Surely some posters out there can provide some answers on this!! :confused :confuse :confused

There was only one time during my many cruises that I even met someone who was seating at the Captain's table. It was a party of 5 that had booked the most expensive suite on the ship. They received a printed invitation and told us later that they felt it was because of their category of suite. Don't know if they were right...

From what I have read & heard, I think "marshe" is on to something. Certainly the upper categories of cabin often qualify one for an invitation to the captain's table; being a very frequent cruiser on one particular line (even more so, on one particular ship) also works, and also having something go quite awry, complaining in a very polite and friendly way but being persistent, and the cruise line can't compensate in some other way... I'm sure there are others too.
On a cruise I took last fall, several ship's officers were assigned to sit at certain tables during the formal nights. Our table was one of them (possibly because we had lots of empty seats) and we found our officer (in this case the ship's "4th engineer") a delightful dinner companion - young and energetic, very friendly and pleasant. We learned a bit about how they ran their engine room too. I don't know that it was a thrill, but it was fun, and added to our cruise enjoyment.

We asked this same thing last year when on the Celebrity Constellation. We had a retired Navy Commander who was seated at the table, and we were at a table 2 away from the Captain's table. He stated that he had sailed with Celebrity on almost 15 cruises, and never had sat at the table. I made it a point that he and his wife would, and went directly to the officer in charge. They try to get a mixture of people with various interests, honeymooners, special anniversaries, etc. When all else fails, they start in with the suite people. The next night, our friends were seated at the Captain's table, as for some reason, he had fallen through the cracks. If you think someone is deserving of this honor, speak up. All they can say is no.

Sue, you mention talking to the officer in charge - would that be the maitre d', or the hotel manager, or someone else? (I'm assuming you don't talk to the captain directly about it!)

Hi Karen!
Couldn't remember what the "official" title was, so I pulled out my binder. Her title was "Social Hostess" on Celebrity. Might be called something else on another line. This brings up another point, I always carry 2 of the little cardboard file folders with me, saving daily newspapers, sail and sign bills, or anythings else that you might need to keep in a convenient location. I then make up my trusty binder of memories of the trip on my return home, should questions arise, like now. Hope this helped.