Topic: Where do the officers eat?

On Cruise Ship Diaries last night I noticed that all the senior officer dined together at the same table on formal nights on Costa Serena. On Fred Olsen ships the officers sit with the passengers on formal nights. We were on the Hotel Manager's table on one cruise and the Chief Engineer's on another. They were both very generous with wine and liquers. We have never dined with the Captain though.:p
What do other cruise lines do? ;)

QUOTE:

On Cruise Ship Diaries last night I noticed that all the senior officer dined together at the same table on formal nights on Costa Serena. On Fred Olsen ships the officers sit with the passengers on formal nights. We were on the Hotel Manager's table on one cruise and the Chief Engineer's on another. They were both very generous with wine and liquers. We have never dined with the Captain though.:p
What do other cruise lines do? ;)

Celebrity had no officers dining at all that I could see.

Once upon a time long ago when I was very young, my friend and I travelled on a cargo ship with limited passengers . As we were a last minute booking we were asked if we would mind being seated at the officer's table.

Needless to say we all had a wonderful cruise .

I have seen many officers including the captain dining in the Lido buffet on Thomsons ships but in the main dining room I never got near enough to the hallowed ground to see if they ate there as well.

I don't think I would like it if I ever got a invite to the captains table, after all I have a flat cap and I know my place!.

QUOTE:

Celebrity had no officers dining at all that I could see.

Yes the Celebrity Captains and other officers do dine in the MDR. We have been treated several times. Sometimes, the Captain relinquishes the duty and we have dined with the Hotel Manager and on Azamara with the Cruise Director. The main reason for the change is that most Captains don't drink alcohol now. Many cruise lines have tightened up on this. ....Neil

QUOTE:

I have seen many officers including the captain dining in the Lido buffet on Thomsons ships but in the main dining room I never got near enough to the hallowed ground to see if they ate there as well.

I don't think I would like it if I ever got a invite to the captains table, after all I have a flat cap and I know my place!.

In the main they use the Lido but some even dine " out of sight " of passengers in crew only areas. On the formal night the Captain will sit in the main dining room on one of the two sittings and another senior officer or Staff Captain will sit at the Captain's table instead of the Captain at the other dinner. However on occasion the Captain may sit at both but only nibble a bit at each meal and skip a course !

On most ships: Normally for the Captain's dinner he will host a table and several senior crew may well host tables too. If he is 'busy' (such a docking) they may deputise for him.

Officers and crew have their own dining rooms and bars. Senior officers also eat in their private staterooms. Most senior officers will dine with passengers on fromal nights only. The Captain will most likely attend second sitting and the Staff Captain will sit at the Captains table for first sitting. If you get to sit at an officers table, it is known as a host table and it is usually a table of eight people. The eighth seat will be vacant on non formal nights. On our last cruise we sat with at the Chief Engineers table. We had ten formal nights and on six of the formal nights the CE sent another member of his team to join the table. One evening we had an extra seat as the Engineer brought along his wife. Officers usually buy the wine for the table on these nights. On our last three cruises we have sat at an host table, I don't drink wine so there was more for them that do ;) Over the years I have sat at many host tables but never the Captain's. One of the best hosts was the ships Doctor on P&O Sea Princess. This was nearly 20 years ago. He was very funny and he had a couple of parties for our table and a few other people in the ships hospital. The operating table became the bar! Lord Litchfield was on this table also ( the host table that is and not the operating table) :D and we had a lot of fun. Doubt this type of party would happen these days.

On our last cruise the Century over the Christmas period, my husband and I were invited on Formal night to sit on the Captains table, a private reception and introduction first and then escorted to his table, the Captain was very sociable there were only 8 passemgers the Captain and Sales Manager a delightful girl from England on the table. It was a delightful evening thoroughly enjoyed by all, and at the end of it the Captain presented the Ladies with a red rose, Corny! buit a nice token! I have no idea why we were chosen we are nobody special! but it really made our cruise and will probably never be chosen again! The Captains table remained empty for the rest of the cruise. I have to say that the Captain regularly wandered about the Ship meeting and greeting passengers, which I haven't encountered on other ships.

When we were on NCL Gem, we very often saw the senior crew, eating in the public areas, especially the Garden Restaurant (buffet) at lunch times. They also liked to socialise in one of the bars/disco's with many of the entertainment staff, I often thought I had walked into a crew only area.