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How do you have dinner with the captain on a cruise ship?

On some ships, there is a designated table in the center of the main dining room reserved exclusively for the captain, senior officers and their invited guests. On other ships, the captain and officers may invite cruise guests to join them at smaller tables in either the main dining room or alternate dining venues.



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You can ask your Travel Agent to send a special note to the cruise line to request this honor for you. No guarantees, but it's worth a shot. Or once you are aboard, seek out the Chief Purser or Hostess and ask if it is even possible. If you don't get to dine with him, you may still get invited on a bridge tour.

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It's tradition for many cruisers to eat in the main dining room on the first night of the cruise. You're still getting the lay of the land, and if you've selected assigned-seating dining, you're eager to meet your waiters.

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Nice jeans would also be ok, although we'd suggest something slightly more dressy. That said, not everything goes. There are some clothing items to avoid if you plan to eat in the dining room on formal night. This includes shorts, tank-tops, t-shirts, and swimsuits, as well as flip-flops.

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If you like to have dinner on the table the minute you get home from work, stick to your regular routine. Choose the early dinner seating—it usually starts around 6 p.m. But if you like to lounge around a while or hit the gym after work, you might prefer a later setting, which typically starts at 8:30 p.m.

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Make sure you bring your camera along, as you'll have the perfect opportunity to pose with the Captain and snap a shot. Join the Captain in an unforgettable reception to welcome you aboard. You'll get to meet with the him or her and take a photo. Afterwards, the Captain will give a special welcome speech.

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High Paying Ship Captain Jobs
  • Tugboat Captain. Salary range: $77,500-$118,000 per year. ...
  • Marine Superintendent. Salary range: $36,000-$109,000 per year. ...
  • Port Captain. Salary range: $62,000-$100,000 per year. ...
  • Captain. Salary range: $51,500-$90,000 per year. ...
  • Boat Pilot. Salary range: $76,500-$87,000 per year. ...
  • Vessel Master.


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While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $102,500 and as low as $14,500, the majority of Cruise Ship Worker salaries currently range between $30,000 (25th percentile) to $58,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $90,000 annually across the United States.

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The salary range for a Cruise Waiter job is from $26,240 to $34,205 per year in the United States. Click on the filter to check out Cruise Waiter job salaries by hourly, weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, monthly, and yearly.

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A formal night is an element of traditional cruising where guests wear their finest clothes and enjoy dinner. Many people love having the opportunity to dress up and many have photos taken with the captain. There may be a special formal night menu in the main dining room and there may be additional entertainment.

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Dinner or “smart casual” attire If you're having dinner in the main restaurant or any meal at one of the specialty restaurants, you'll follow a “smart casual” dress code on most nights. This means long pants, jeans, a dress or skirt, a stylish top, or a button-down.

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Much of the food is included in your cruise fare, with the exception of the steakhouse, Cucina del Capitano, and chef's table that cost a little extra. You can eat as much as you want!

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The captain's quarters will vary by ship but typically there'll be a separate bedroom and office space, so that the captain is able to switch off for a few hours of sleep without being in 'work mode'.

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