I want to go on a short cruise for my 50th that includes captains dinner and midnight formal buffet with formal desserts.
Is Ensenada my only choice?
Thank you kindly for your help.
Celebrating 50th in Southern Calif
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Are you asking for a cruise where you actually dine at the Captain's Table with the Captain? If so, that happens more in the movies then in real life. When it does occur, it may only be sporadically on each cruise and those invited to sit at the Captain's Table tend to be VIP's traveling on the cruise. Here are a few of examples based on our recent experiences:
1) 21 Day cruise where we stayed in the "Owner's Suite" (largest accommodations on ship) - We were invited to dine with the Captain on the only two occasions he dined with the passengers.
On each occasion there were a total of 8 people sitting at the table, all of which were staying in a "Grand Suite" or above category.
2) 10 day cruise where we were in second largest suite on the ship - Captain hosted dinner on three occasions - we were invited to one of those. In all instances the invitees were staying in the larger suits on the ship.
3) 29 day cruise - No one was ever invited to dine with the Captain during the entire trip.
4) 7 day cruise - no Captain's Dinner offered.
5) 7 day cruise on a very small ship - several officers dined each night with the passengers sitting at different tables on a random basis although the Captain never participated.
Moral - don't get your hopes up about dining with the Captain but you can increase your odds of getting an invitation (should they be offered) by booking one of the largest suites on the ship.
FYI - on every cruise we've been on there has always been at least one "Captain's Cocktail Party" where the Captain and Officers "meet & greet" the passengers.
Sorry, can't give you any specifics about "short cruises" originating in Southern California other than to say they do exist.
Hint - try googling "Cruise from Southern California" - you'll find plenty of links.
Roamsaround is 100% correct. Captain's cocktail receptions - yes. Dinner - no.
Receptions usually on a formal night with a simple meet and greet. Cockatil party with special invites only for loyal repeat customers. I met a couple who had cruise 850+ days with the same cruise line and the Captain call them out and gave them a hug and a bottle of champagne.
Dinner with the captain once after a tour of the bridge and take cooking class from the cruise line's corporate chef. 12 people in all, including the corporate chef (he wasn't cooking), the captain and a group of 10, at the specialty (extra fee) restaurants. We were part of a small group that had paid "extra" for the cooking class and dinner with the corporate chef. The bridge tour and the captain joing us for dinner was an added bonus. I guess he loved the special menu (and wine pairing) that was specially preapred for teh occasion.
Midnight formal buffet with formal desserts? Have not seen it since 2001. There are special dessert presentation on late evenings. Midnight buffet is a thing of the long gone past.
There are plenty of choices of Southern California cruising unless you are thinking of a 1 to 3 day costal or 7 day Mexican Riveria only.