Cruise Talk: Table Mates

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Author

Topic: Table Mates

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 01-10-2002 06:30 PM

How much trouble do cruise lines go to when drawing up the restaurant seating plan?

Is it purely random?

Do they put certain cabin grades together?

Do they match singles or nationalities together?

Do they match ages?

How do you get selected for the Captains table?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 01-10-2002 06:42 PM

Apparently the office works on the basis of giving everyone the opposite of what they ask for as a starter. IE. if you ask for a table for 2 you get an 8 and so on. This gives the Maitre'd something to do and earn cudos sorting it all out. Probably good for tips too from gratefull pax.
....peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

KansasK
First Class Passenger
Member # 1758

posted 01-11-2002 09:38 AM

I have been on three cruises on RCCL, and I don't think our table placement was completely random.

The first time, my husband and I were seated with two other couples around our approximate age. This worked out fine. The next time, my husband, myself and two college age daughters were seated with a couple around my husband's and my age. They happened to have two daughters at home and we had a wonderful time with them. The last time we were a party of six and though we would have like to sit with others, we were seated alone, and this was fine with us, too.

Each time were were on a different ship and were seated on the lower level of the dining room, with people on levels four or lower.

I think our age was considered in our placement, and also our cabin level.

Posts: 126 | From: Overland Park, Kansas USA | Registered: Jan 2001 | IP: Logged

cncservo
First Class Passenger
Member # 532

posted 01-11-2002 10:56 AM

Our first cruise was on the Ryndam in 96. We requested a table for two but was paired up with two other couples approx 15 years our senior. One couple was retired from a major auto company, the other couple was from Australia. The lady a free lance writer and the gentleman a photographer. We had great conservations, for I am a good lisitner and my wife knows no stranger. I will always remember the the lady from Australia saying she had turned off the TV in their room because she was tired of listening to the American accents.

Posts: 170 | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 01-11-2002 01:28 PM

We've cruised a fair number of times and have only once been unhappy with our table assignment - promptly changed by the Maitre'd - our agent requests what we ask for be it upper or lower dining rooms. Too, we've frequently asked to be seated with friends and that too was honored. We've also named people we choose not to sit with. A round table for 6 or 8 is our preference - 10 is too many.

As to how you get to the Captain's table - I think it's partly the doing of the Hostess - she suggests people whom she thinks might be compatible.

Personally I don't envy the poor fellow, he's obliged to be charming and talkative......for some, the latter is very difficult. Saving grace is, he does not have to show up every night!

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

ocngypz
First Class Passenger
Member # 1555

posted 01-11-2002 09:06 PM

The placements start in the shoreside office. Yes, they do try......but..............sometimes you can only do so much.

As for the Capt's Table. That too can start shoreside with requests from TA's. Then once onboard it's the social hostess.

Posts: 343 | From: Newport, RI USA | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

fondaenergy
First Class Passenger
Member # 1641

posted 01-12-2002 11:11 AM

We have never been at the Captain's table. On some cruises, we've never seen the Captain.

While it appears that some companies use age as a criteria, we had a very interesting experience on Norwegian Crown. We were seated with people who lived right down the street from us. We did not know them...It's a small world.

Posts: 177 | From: Jacksonville, FL | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 01-12-2002 11:50 AM

quote:
Originally posted by ocngypz:
As for the Capt's Table. That too can start shoreside with requests from TA's. Then once onboard it's the social hostess.

Interesting... I assume the Capt. also has some say? A couple on our table who had their 30th anniversary whilst aboard, were invited one night. It was their first cruise and had not made any request, so were quite surprised and pleased about it.
I also know someone who regularly gets invited, never asks either. He's a retired merchant navy Capt., so perhaps they choose people with the right title? Though of course he could always have been an airline pilot

I am not sure I would even want to to be honest, would certainly never ask. I don't suppose one could turn down an invite though.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 01-12-2002 12:53 PM

Wasn't there the fellow who sent his invitation back..said after spending all that money he certainly wasn't going to eat with the crew !!!
...peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 01-12-2002 01:56 PM

In the good old days of Ocean Liners, it certainly was down to the Captain to choose his table guests.

In the book 'Captain of the Queens' by Harry Gatridge (SP?), he said that choosing people to dine at the Captains table of the Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth was his most difficult duty of the week! There are a number of pages about the problems he encountered in doing so!

On the subject of the general assignment of dining tables: I've always suspected that it is based on grouping those together that have the loudest voices and laughs!

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Marina
First Class Passenger
Member # 1664

posted 01-13-2002 07:10 AM

The bog companies (CCL / RCI / P&O) use a computerized system to assign tables/seating.
Some even have an online res system, where the TA can request table size, age, martial status of table mates.
Cruise Lines give preference to large groups and TAs who are volume producers. If a TA does not ask his client what their preference is, then the system assigns a table/seating at random, which then results in the guest coming onboard and not happy with the sitting, looking for the Maitre'd.
CAPTAIN's Table: mayn cruise oines have done away with it, you'll only see senior officers at the Captain's table and the rare person in civvies, will be someone close to the cruise line, friends etc. The Hostess however NEVER EVER choses a guast. this is done a) by the Hotel Manager b) someone from shoreside (Marketing&Sales) or the Captain invites former guests he remembers. In the case of Greek run ships, the Captian send shis Staff Captain through the public spaces during embarkation and will seek out young, well stacked buties to become his "playmates" for the cruise. On some ships you'll even notice these SPOTTERS at the gangway.
On the ms Dolphin VI (scrapped) it was not unusual for the Captain, or another senior officer not joining the table, when they saw from afar that the single guests were not to their liking. Ah, the wonderful world of shipboard romance!!!

Posts: 217 | From: Miami Beach, FL.USA | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

DAMBROSI
First Class Passenger
Member # 100

posted 01-16-2002 12:49 PM

We don't like sitting with
other passengers, especially
those from here in the states. Why? Basically, you
think they were hired by the
CIA, FBI and so forth. They
want to know EVERYTHING about you. You only get to meet them once on a trip. Why ask all of those annoying questions? It's boring and I find it quiet NONE of another passengers business where we're from.
Are they going to track us
down and ask to go out for dinner? No. We're better off
sitting at a table by ourselves and we don't give extra money to the Maitr'd to do it. We make a simple
explanation, they understand
and it's done. Cut and dry.

Posts: 2554 | From: Florida, USA, Where the Legend SS NORWAY sailed from. Moving back to FL next yr. | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged

havasuhoney
First Class Passenger
Member # 2592

posted 01-17-2002 06:37 PM

"We don't like sitting with
other passengers, especially
those from here in the states. Why? Basically, you
think they were hired by the
CIA, FBI and so forth. "

Hey Dambrosi....I'm from the states and I hate to be interrogated too....but worse yet...I hate to hear about Aunt Janey's last operation and you have no clue who Janey is, since she is not sitting at the table...and even worse than that are the complainers...nothing, absolutely nothing pleases them and they are determined to make everyone around them just as unhappy as they are!...And the loud drunks..eeeek! We usually try for a table for two.. the easiest way it seems is to be seated at the more popular first sitting and then bargin for a table for two (even if they have to leave a couple seats empty) at the later seating...the M'd is usually so glad to have an opening in the first seating he'll happily comply with your wish...
Hmmmm I rather wonder whether your cabin level has anything to do with your chances.....

Leaving day after tomorrow for Miami and the Victory...wonder what we will get in the pick of the draw???

Fair Winds...Betty

Posts: 13 | From: Arizona and Oregon | Registered: Nov 2001 | IP: Logged

DAMBROSI
First Class Passenger
Member # 100

posted 01-19-2002 03:28 PM

I've been meaning to say this, but I think the name
Havasuehoney you made for
yourself is really cute.
Hope you have a great trip
and no annoying questions.
Let us know how it went.

Posts: 2554 | From: Florida, USA, Where the Legend SS NORWAY sailed from. Moving back to FL next yr. | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged

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