most travelled passenger luncheon

[Luvsprincess]

The Ruby last month had the luncheon. In 2010, I was on the Golden one week (they had the cocktail party) and Sapphire the following week and (they had the luncheon). Same itinerary exactly..but two different MTP invites. I personally like the cocktail parties. Plus, they changed the menu for the luncheon. They dont have the fish anymore :(

But, does anyone know how they decide who sits with which officer??? I was always wondering that.

[Coral]

Plus, they changed the menu for the luncheon. They dont have the fish anymore :(

But, does anyone know how they decide who sits with which officer??? I was always wondering that.

 

I was on the Sapphire for 3 weeks this summer and made the party 2 of the 3 weeks. There were many of us doing b2bs or b2b2bs and they had different menus for us from the first week to the next week.

 

Not sure who decides the menus but they were rotated on the Sapphire this summer as we saw 2 different menus at our luncheon. Also, on the Sapphire this summer, the Captain attended every other week and in other cases, others also attended every other week. We got to know the doctor on this cruise and he said he goes every other week and the CD also rotates with the Asst. Cruise Director. On one of the weeks, we ate with the HR Manager of the ship. She was absolutely thrilled to attend the lunch as she said she rarely gets to talk to passengers. She was a delight to speak to.

[Astro Flyer]

He is definitely one of the ones who prefers Cocktail Parties as opposed to Luncheons. Doesn't matter the number of sea days, if he is Captain, it has been my experience you will have a Cocktail party. To his benefit, one of the nicer Cocktail parties I have had was on a Canada/NE cruise with him. He did the party in Skywalkers and had a ton of really good appetizers. He also said that he likes it up there so that he can invite more then the top 40 people. I agree - he is a great guy!

 

The best cocktail party I have had was in the Ward Room on the Dawn Princess. This beat any luncheon I have ever had!

Captain Calabrese was lots of fun & joked about my famiglia's name being well known for being connected!! :p

 

One apparent advantage with a good cocktail party is that the staff gets to mingle with more passengers which was enjoyable.

[Pam in CA]

But, does anyone know how they decide who sits with which officer??? I was always wondering that.

Just my observation: the more days cruised, the higher the officer rank you're seated with. On my Island Princess cruise a couple of months ago, one of the other ladies at my table had almost the exact number of days and we sat with the chief engineer. We weren't the lowest number of days but were far from the higher number of days.

[Pia1913]

OK. My two cents again. We have qualified for the MTL for many years. Last one we missed was in 2004. That being said, we've only encountered cocktail parties twice. Must be because I don't know Capt. Calabrese. ;)

 

As for whomever mentioned menus, I always see the menu before, because this chicken and broccoli girl doesn't eat what's served. There is never a problem substituting items, whether it be for appetizers or main course.

[paul929207]

OK. My two cents again. We have qualified for the MTL for many years. Last one we missed was in 2004. That being said, we've only encountered cocktail parties twice. Must be because I don't know Capt. Calabrese. ;)

 

As for whomever mentioned menus, I always see the menu before, because this chicken and broccoli girl doesn't eat what's served. There is never a problem substituting items, whether it be for appetizers or main course.

My wife is allergic to shellfish. I just note it on the card when I turn it in to the Cap. Circle Rep. I usually follow up before the lunch, but they always give my wife a different appetiser without the shellfish

[Eppe4]

There is only one MTL no matter how many cruise days there are. Cocktail parties, which I do not prefer, are usually on the very port intensive cruises or on 7 day cruises with 4 ports. We are boarding the Ruby on Sunday and I hope to have the luncheon, but will not be surprised if it's the cocktail party.

 

Pia,

 

We were on the Ruby 11/18 over Thanksgiving, had the 4 ports and also a luncheon. It was wonderful.

[caribill]

Just my observation: the more days cruised, the higher the officer rank you're seated with.

 

Exactly.

 

Those with the most days get to sit with the Captain (unless they prefer not to).

 

Those with the least days sit with the Captain's Circle rep.

[Bucky3]

Exactly.

 

Those with the most days get to sit with the Captain (unless they prefer not to).

 

Those with the least days sit with the Captain's Circle rep.

 

This may be true now, but not so a few years ago! We were on the Caribbean Princess when it was quite new. We were certainly not Elite. We were invited and seated. The chair next to mine was empty - then in came Captain Romano! Yup, he sat next to me. To this day we have no idea why or how we were seated at that table, but it was a wonderful lunch, and we had great conversations with him. Since then we have taken many many more cruises, but they have been much longer ones with many Elites and we've only been invited to two lunches. Fond memories........

[pablo222]

Just my observation: the more days cruised, the higher the officer rank you're seated with.

 

On a recent cruise, I checked in advance who would be hosting

my table, so I wouldn't have to sit with a food and beverage

manager I detest. The 'downgrade' to chief engineer was

excellent.

[bcnvcanada]

I am not sure about luncheons any more. We were one three back to back to back cruises in the Med on the Pacfic Princess a month ago. We had one lucheon, and two cocktail parties.. The cruises were 12 days each. It really depends on the captain. One of the cocktail parties was in the middle of a storm. Everyone grabbed a seat and stayed put. The offices held on to the the bookcases, walls, and the like, and the food set on the tables, until is started fall off. We left after 10 minutes, and I understand so did everyone else.

[Pia1913]

Pia,

 

We were on the Ruby 11/18 over Thanksgiving, had the 4 ports and also a luncheon. It was wonderful.

 

Good. Hope this one will too. You had a different captain and we've cruised with McCharming (Yeomans) on a seven day when he elected to do the cocktail party.

 

We usually stay with the Captain when we are in the first three most traveled, but sometimes elect to lunch with someone else. In October, we chose to sit with CC host because we like him.

[gertz]

We started getting invited some time ago, think either Sea or Sun, Alaska NB out of Vancouver. It was sorta a combination cocktail party and luncheon combined really nice and we were not even Elite then.

 

We now get invited almost every cruise except not every time on California coast cruises like last May on the Sapphire we did not, seems the ship gets loaded with California cruisers who for some reason or other are all high priority Elites.

[partybarbie]

Gertz, that is too funny because on my last 5 cruises, the only luncheon that I was invited to was on my California Coastal. I now have 380 days, so I will see what happens on the Star in April.

 

I have been to many lunches in the past, but only two cocktail parties. I once won the most traveled passenger on a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise. You just never know.;)

[coo359a2]

We've sat with a Captain once - Capt Binitti - on the Daiamond Princess Alaska cruise 2 years ago. We were #5 with about 330 days. Asked the Captain Circle Hostess how I got to be seated with the Captain. She told me she could seat people whereever she wanted. It was fine with me and I expect it will be the only time I get to sit with a Captain.

[paul929207]

We sat with Captain Nash on the Crown in October. We were number 3 and sat with 2 & 4. The top person declined to come to the lunch.