Hosted Dinner - A question

[Lefty Bob]

I have a question about the hosted dinners. We have enjoyed

most of the times that we have attended the dinners. However,

(isn’t there always a however) there have been a few times

it was not too good.

One time the person to my left did nothing but complain -

Did not like bread sticks, soup not hot, salad dressing was bad.

The person to my right said they could not take it anymore and

said they were not feeling well and left. I was left to hear all the remaining complaints.

Another time, the passenger on both sides were speaking a foreign

language.

Both times my wife was at the other end of the table. We have varied

interests and can talk on many topics. My question is

“Could we ask to be seated together or only one person between us?”

Bob

[Host Dan]

I have a question about the hosted dinners. We have enjoyed

most of the times that we have attended the dinners. However,

(isn’t there always a however) there have been a few times

it was not too good.

One time the person to my left did nothing but complain -

Did not like bread sticks, soup not hot, salad dressing was bad.

The person to my right said they could not take it anymore and

said they were not feeling well and left. I was left to hear all the remaining complaints.

Another time, the passenger on both sides were speaking a foreign

language.

Both times my wife was at the other end of the table. We have varied

interests and can talk on many topics. My question is

“Could we ask to be seated together or only one person between us?”

Bob

The answer is "Of Course"!!

 

Host Dan

[LaPaloma]

That is a good question. Most of the time, it is great..but..there is the exception. It would not hurt..to ask when answering the resvp to see if you could request being in a close proximity to your wife. The host usually is not the one to assign seats..it is done by those at the desk I should think. Good luck.

[cands]

Yes you can.

I am deaf in one ear. My parter Chris always sits on my deaf side when dining with others.

That way he can prod me if someone is talking to me from the 'wrong' side of the table and I can turn my head to listen.

 

So we ask to sit together at hosted tables. It is a great way to meet people, especially at the beginning of the cruise.

 

Steve (and Chris)

[LaPaloma]

Lola above mentioned that once in a while you can catch a stiff of a hosted table, but we wouldn't miss one--one of the high lights of my Seabourn sailing was one night at a hosted table, I was seated next to a lovely older lady--she asked where I was from--I said Tucson AZ. She asked-- what we do for fun in Tucson?--I said we have plenty to do, one real nice place we visit is a lovely old resort and resturant called Hacienta Del Sol--I told her this was a place where Clark Gable used to hang out and Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy used to share a room--the lady looked shocked and said Katey??? She had grown up with Katherine Hepburn, and just loved to hear the gossip--it was a great evening, as most of them are! Don

[JaneBP]

Once I was at a hosted table where the 'host' crew staff and I were the only ones who were not native Germans. Fortunately, I had lived in Germany and understand a bit and can speak some, even now. That helped. No matter, it was great fun anyway. Oh yes, of course, the other tablemates all knew each other. I love the hosted tables and hope they continue them on the Odyssey.

[Seabourn-nail]

For all the "however reasons" Bob mentioned, we never "do" hosted tables. Not even when we get an invite by the captain himself. Of course not, because otherwise we would insult the other hosts. By now most maitres know that we don't like to be at these tables, so we are not getting the invitations any more. And otherwise I just let him or reception know.

Sometimes we enjoy dinners with others (even big tables), but then they're always new or old friends!

But most of the time it will just be the two of us!

Marja

[Keith1010]

Let's hope that if one of us is at a hosted table that someone else is not saying the same things about us. :)

 

At the time you RSVP, if you plan to attend just ask that you be seated next to your spouse or signfiicant other and they will take care of that for you.

 

Overall, we have found the concept to be nice. Yes, the downside is you can end up next to one or two people who you don't care for. This has happened before. But on the upside we have met several nice passenger's this way and by not being near our spouse it did "encourage" each of us to converse more with other passengers.

 

Sometimes we accepted the invitation and other times we sent our regrets.

 

We have found this to be a nice touch on the cruises.

 

Keith

[Chairsin]

We tend now to only accept invitations to hosted tables if it is an officer or hotel manager whom we know well. Yes there have been some very long, boring dinners but there can also be some excitement. For instance there was the evening we were seated at a table with a very "well endowed" woman with a very low cut dress. Everytime she moved and her dress strained to contain them you could just see everyone at the table was trying not to look but the tension kept building that any moment one of them would pop out!:p

[CruisinMatt]

I decline the hosted tables as well, preferring to have a bit of anonymity while cruising.

 

One way you could handle the seating would be to arrive early and after meeting your host, politely ask if you could "swap" seats with another invitee that has not arrived yet so you and your wife can dine next to each other.

[Lefty Bob]

Steve, Matt, Chairsin, Keith, Marja, Don & LaPaloma, - Thank you for your comments and suggestions. I am sure we will continue to accept as we meet so many interesting people.

 

Bob

[LaPaloma]

Left Bob--if you do happen to get a bad table--do like me--drink a lot!!!The times passes real fast and you always have a smile on your face! Don

[GrannyLorr]

I decline the hosted tables as well, preferring to have a bit of anonymity while cruising.

 

 

Are you famous or something Matt?? Whats your "real" name? :confused:

We have dined at dozens of hosted tables, and could count on less than one hand where there have been "miserable or complaining" guests......looking forward to some more in a few weeks!! :D:D:D

[LaPaloma]

Are you famous or something Matt?? Whats your "real" name? :confused:

 

We have dined at dozens of hosted tables, and could count on less than one hand where there have been "miserable or complaining" guests......looking forward to some more in a few weeks!! :D:D:D

 

I'll bet he is a famous ROCK STAR :eek:

[johnnycruise]

Left Bob--if you do happen to get a bad table--do like me--drink a lot!!!The times passes real fast and you always have a smile on your face! Don

 

Now that made me laugh!

 

But this board is becoming a tough crowd ... just make the most of it. It's only two hours of your time and if it's a wretched experience you can laugh about it later.

 

In my opinion, it's the "host" who makes or breaks the table, not the table guests. It takes an outgoing personality to keep things moving along.

[marazul]

For all the "however reasons" Bob mentioned, we never "do" hosted tables. Not even when we get an invite by the captain himself. Of course not, because otherwise we would insult the other hosts.

 

At a recent cruise, we became friends with a couple of the hosts. They told us that at the beginning of the cruise they are not aware of who will be sitting at their tables and often they don't know who will be at the table until they get to the dining room. So turning down an invitation will not insult anyone. When someone turns down an invitation, the staff simply goes down the list and calls someone else to invite them.

 

Towards the end of a longer cruise, either the host or some passengers request to be at someone's table. This is not an issue at all in a one or two week cruise.

 

We have enjoyed the hosted tables. On occasion we turned them down if we had already made plans to eat with someone else or to go to one of the tasting menus at "2."

[Seabourn-nail]

At a recent cruise, we became friends with a couple of the hosts. They told us that at the beginning of the cruise they are not aware of who will be sitting at their tables and often they don't know who will be at the table until they get to the dining room. So turning down an invitation will not insult anyone. When someone turns down an invitation, the staff simply goes down the list and calls someone else to invite them.

 

Towards the end of a longer cruise, either the host or some passengers request to be at someone's table. This is not an issue at all in a one or two week cruise.

 

We have enjoyed the hosted tables. On occasion we turned them down if we had already made plans to eat with someone else or to go to one of the tasting menus at "2."

 

Thank you for explaining Marazul (love that name "Blue Sea"!), but I already knew this. For others it may be helpful to know exactly how it works. Still we don't go to the captain's table (unless we invite him for a private non-official dinner).

Marja

[marazul]

Marja,

I thought you did, you are one of the true-blue cruisers!

And yes, Chairsin, every now and then they can be boring. We have always had a good time with the on-board lecturers. They never lack for conversation!

M

[Kate-AHF]

We have a tendency to accept most hosted table invitations. We've met some lovely people this way. This last cruise I had to decline two invitations due to prior commitments that killed me, one with Nick Hale and another with Speedy and Christina. Wah!

 

That said, we have noticed that on each of our Seabourn cruises we have one hosted evening that I've come to call "Robert Altman Dinners". (After the movie director - who always had multiple conversations going on when he filmed, all of them outrageous.) Where the couples are all stereotypical something, basically incompatible, and the conversation has for me at least two "long pause in response... because my brain says you can't possibly have just said what you just did - and I am momentarily at a loss for a civilized riposte".

 

We've decided that even these evenings are worth it - because it is the source of so much merriment afterwards, and a great story when we get home. I use the LaPaloma method, and have a quiet word with the waiter refilling wine glasses to keep it coming and fast.

[curiousx]

A friend came back from her first Seabourn cruise ( short one - only 7 days). She and her partner loved it but were disappointed that they had only been invited to one hosted dinner as I had told them what fun these were, and a great way to meet people. Is there a way to signal that one enjoys these invitations and would be happy to receive them?

[johnnycruise]

A friend came back from her first Seabourn cruise ( short one - only 7 days). She and her partner loved it but were disappointed that they had only been invited to one hosted dinner as I had told them what fun these were, and a great way to meet people. Is there a way to signal that one enjoys these invitations and would be happy to receive them?

 

Call or stop by the pursers desk and let them know you are interested in sitting at hosted tables. They are happy to comply - two less seats they must fill.

[JaneBP]

You can also indicate that you are willing to fill in at the last minute if others cancel. That happens occasionally too.

[curiousx]

good advice - thanks - I'll pass it on

[GrannyLorr]

I'll bet he is a famous ROCK STAR :eek:

 

My eyesight is not too good, but I have been trying to focus on his avatar......nope doesnt look familiar to me.....;)

[Farscaper]

Then you haven't watched many movies with Orlando Bloom. Oops, sorry to let the cat out of the bag.