Cruise guests share how to get invited to the captain’s table

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Cruise ship captains are very experienced seafarers who usually have a lot of experience under their belt. But how can passengers qualify to meet the captain?

On some ships, certain guests will be invited to dine with the captain at the Captain’s Table during the cruise.

While many passengers are eager for the chance to meet their ship’s captain, only a lucky few will get the opportunity.

On Reddit, one passenger said: “Are certain people selected or is it random? Any advice would be appreciated!”

A regular guest replied: “Some ships have an Officer’s table that’s filled with any random Officer and I guess could be the captain if they wanted.

“But it’s pretty much always with a high loyalty level or someone in the suites.”

They added: “I believe almost every cruise has a Captain’s talk, usually on a sea day I think.”

Guests that don’t qualify for dinner with the ship’s captain could attend the talk but might not get a chance to meet them one on one.

One guest said: “While dining with the actual captain happened more frequently in the 1970-2000s, it can still happen.

“However, currently you will usually dine with a high-ranking officer rather than the actual captain.

“I’ve had the pleasure to dine at the Captain’s table on numerous occasions, the most recently on a Silversea cruise over the New Year.

“I did get an invite for an officer’s dinner on a NCL cruise this summer, but we declined due to the fact we did not have any fancy clothes with us.”

But how can passengers earn the chance to get a seat at the Captain’s Table?

The guest said: “Getting invited is usually done status on the cruise line, booking the best suite or if you are a famous person.

“If you look at the rewards program of many cruise lines you will see that at a certain tier level an officer’s dinner is one of your perks.

“The reason many people do not know about this is that you dine late usually around 8:30pm.

“You will be introduced to your dining companions, be offered a drink and after 10 minutes of socialising, you will be escorted into the dining room and to the table, which is usually the best one in the dining room.”

They added that photographs are normally taken and then delivered to the guest’s cabin before they return from the evening.

Unfortunately, brand new cruisers are unlikely to be invited to the Captain’s Table unless they are willing to pay.

However, a few cruise lines may extend an invite if passengers express an interest when they board.

Guests also might have more luck if they opt for a cruise holiday with a smaller line and less people on board.

Ship captains will also sometimes walk around the ship and guests may be able to grab a photo.

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