What do you think?
Rate this book
At The Captain's Table: Life on a Luxury Liner
Hugh Thomson had always wanted to travel right around the planet. He just never had the money. Until he realised he could do it on the world’s most expensive luxury cruise.
Mischievous and entertaining, this is the first book to be written about a new phenomenon – the strange and unreported world of small luxury cruise ships, so exclusive that if you need to ask how much they cost, you probably can't afford them.
So don’t act like the Cruise Queen Bee who, when she received her invitation to the Captain’s table, wrote back giving her apologies and explaining, ‘I cannot accept your invitation as, on principle, I never eat with the staff.’ Buy the book and take your place as Hugh serves up tales that are clear-sighted about the rich and observant of the new world opening up on our horizons, powered by a supercharged 32,000 ton luxury liner, a microcosm of 21st-century life, with its superb engineering that almost, but not quite, overcomes all the indignities the natural world can throw at it.
Hugh’s previous books have been acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic – ‘Everywhere Thomson goes, he finds good stories to tell’ New York Times Book Review – and this new book will delight his many fans.
Mischievous and entertaining, this is the first book to be written about a new phenomenon – the strange and unreported world of small luxury cruise ships, so exclusive that if you need to ask how much they cost, you probably can't afford them.
So don’t act like the Cruise Queen Bee who, when she received her invitation to the Captain’s table, wrote back giving her apologies and explaining, ‘I cannot accept your invitation as, on principle, I never eat with the staff.’ Buy the book and take your place as Hugh serves up tales that are clear-sighted about the rich and observant of the new world opening up on our horizons, powered by a supercharged 32,000 ton luxury liner, a microcosm of 21st-century life, with its superb engineering that almost, but not quite, overcomes all the indignities the natural world can throw at it.
Hugh’s previous books have been acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic – ‘Everywhere Thomson goes, he finds good stories to tell’ New York Times Book Review – and this new book will delight his many fans.
- GenresNonfictionTravelEbooks
84 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2014
255 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Hugh Thomson
135 books44 followersHugh Thomson believes strongly that the world is not as explored as we like to suppose.
He writes about the wilder corners of the planet, from the edges of Peru to the Himalayas, looking for Inca ruins and lost cultures. Geographical commented that 'he is a writer who explores and not an explorer who writes.'
For 'The Green Road into the Trees', he returned to Britain to write about his own country. It won the inaugural Wainwright Prize for Best Nature and Travel Writing. 'An immensely enjoyable book: curious, articulate, intellectually playful and savagely candid.' Spectator.
For the successful sequel, 'One Man and a Mule', he decided to have ‘a South American adventure in England’ by taking a mule as a pack animal across the north of the country.
His most recent book is his first novel - ‘Viva Byron!’ - which imagines what might have happened if the poet had not died an early death in Greece - but instead lived - and then some! - by going to South America with the great last love of his life, Countess Teresa Guiccioli, to help Simon Bolivar liberate it from the Spanish. "Hugh Thomson is a mesmerising storyteller." Sara Wheeler.
His previous books include: 'The White Rock', 'Nanda Devi' and 'Cochineal Red: Travels through Ancient Peru' (all Weidenfeld & Nicolson), and he has collected some of his favourite places in the lavishly illustrated '50 Wonders of the World'.
In 2009 he wrote 'Tequila Oil', a memoir about getting lost in Mexico when he was eighteen and, in the words of the Alice Cooper song, 'didn't know what he wanted'. It was serialised by BBC R4 as 'Book of the Week'.
"Delightful, celebratory and honest....In a way 'Tequila Oil' is the first installment of his now-complete trilogy, his 'Cochineal Red' and 'The White Rock' being two of the finest books on Latin America of recent years." (Rory MacLean, The Guardian)
See www.thewhiterock.co.uk for more, including his blog and events at which he is speaking.
He writes about the wilder corners of the planet, from the edges of Peru to the Himalayas, looking for Inca ruins and lost cultures. Geographical commented that 'he is a writer who explores and not an explorer who writes.'
For 'The Green Road into the Trees', he returned to Britain to write about his own country. It won the inaugural Wainwright Prize for Best Nature and Travel Writing. 'An immensely enjoyable book: curious, articulate, intellectually playful and savagely candid.' Spectator.
For the successful sequel, 'One Man and a Mule', he decided to have ‘a South American adventure in England’ by taking a mule as a pack animal across the north of the country.
His most recent book is his first novel - ‘Viva Byron!’ - which imagines what might have happened if the poet had not died an early death in Greece - but instead lived - and then some! - by going to South America with the great last love of his life, Countess Teresa Guiccioli, to help Simon Bolivar liberate it from the Spanish. "Hugh Thomson is a mesmerising storyteller." Sara Wheeler.
His previous books include: 'The White Rock', 'Nanda Devi' and 'Cochineal Red: Travels through Ancient Peru' (all Weidenfeld & Nicolson), and he has collected some of his favourite places in the lavishly illustrated '50 Wonders of the World'.
In 2009 he wrote 'Tequila Oil', a memoir about getting lost in Mexico when he was eighteen and, in the words of the Alice Cooper song, 'didn't know what he wanted'. It was serialised by BBC R4 as 'Book of the Week'.
"Delightful, celebratory and honest....In a way 'Tequila Oil' is the first installment of his now-complete trilogy, his 'Cochineal Red' and 'The White Rock' being two of the finest books on Latin America of recent years." (Rory MacLean, The Guardian)
See www.thewhiterock.co.uk for more, including his blog and events at which he is speaking.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 11, 2016
A new benefit of my status with InterContinental Hotels is that I can choose three Kindle singles per calendar quarter from a supplied list; this title is the first I have finished.
Writing quality is very good, but I felt that he was gloating much of the time about getting an expensive trip for nothing but a few hours' work. Interesting details about the cruise, but couldn't honestly recommend paying for this (article).
Writing quality is very good, but I felt that he was gloating much of the time about getting an expensive trip for nothing but a few hours' work. Interesting details about the cruise, but couldn't honestly recommend paying for this (article).
November 25, 2014
Have you ever been told an interesting story by someone who was so smug and catty that they made it a chore? That's kind of the experience of this book.
I don't begrudge wealthy people simply because they are wealthy. (If they made their money as slavers or assassins that's a different story.) This book, however, seems to take a particular glee in a sort of reverse snobbery. The author is a travel writer who is actually paid to take the cruise because he will give lectures about his works as a perk for the passengers. He's also allowed to enjoy many of the benefits and is encouraged to mingle with the paying guests. I'm not sure but I get the feeling this may have sat poorly with him. He gives various snide nicknames (Lady Bountiful, The Man With All The Best Gadgets) to his fellow travelers and mocks their conversations and interests.
It's somewhat fun hearing about the activities offered to people who pay $50K for a four week cruise. Things like Caviar At Poolside, where liveried waiters serve caviar from a silver salver resting on a surfboard in the middle of the pool, are fun and exotic mental treats for a reader to escape into. Unfortunately the author's commentary about travelers' reactions detracts from that.
His passages about destinations are similar in that every thing mentioned has the negative highlights piled on. The trip through the Panama Canal, for instance, was largely about the number of workers who died while building it. That is such an important thing to talk about that I AM delighted he brought it up. But he did so without talking about the many good things brought about thanks to the canal--economic opportunities throughout the hemisphere, global trade, massive energy savings, massive numbers of lives saved by avoiding the Cape. In omitting those points he reduces the workers' sacrifice.
But that's the way of this short piece . Pessimistic reverse snobbery. As social commentary I suspect this book could be more highly rated. I imagine, however, that readers like me who are looking for a fun escape with tantalizing details about how rich travel, will be frustrated.
I don't begrudge wealthy people simply because they are wealthy. (If they made their money as slavers or assassins that's a different story.) This book, however, seems to take a particular glee in a sort of reverse snobbery. The author is a travel writer who is actually paid to take the cruise because he will give lectures about his works as a perk for the passengers. He's also allowed to enjoy many of the benefits and is encouraged to mingle with the paying guests. I'm not sure but I get the feeling this may have sat poorly with him. He gives various snide nicknames (Lady Bountiful, The Man With All The Best Gadgets) to his fellow travelers and mocks their conversations and interests.
It's somewhat fun hearing about the activities offered to people who pay $50K for a four week cruise. Things like Caviar At Poolside, where liveried waiters serve caviar from a silver salver resting on a surfboard in the middle of the pool, are fun and exotic mental treats for a reader to escape into. Unfortunately the author's commentary about travelers' reactions detracts from that.
His passages about destinations are similar in that every thing mentioned has the negative highlights piled on. The trip through the Panama Canal, for instance, was largely about the number of workers who died while building it. That is such an important thing to talk about that I AM delighted he brought it up. But he did so without talking about the many good things brought about thanks to the canal--economic opportunities throughout the hemisphere, global trade, massive energy savings, massive numbers of lives saved by avoiding the Cape. In omitting those points he reduces the workers' sacrifice.
But that's the way of this short piece . Pessimistic reverse snobbery. As social commentary I suspect this book could be more highly rated. I imagine, however, that readers like me who are looking for a fun escape with tantalizing details about how rich travel, will be frustrated.
August 9, 2025
Light reading. This book is written more like a diary entry than a book. I felt like I was just listening to a passenger talk about his vacation. Meh. Sorry. I am really not impressed at all. Considering this author has written so many books, I thought the writing fell short of an established author.
July 15, 2018
I wish that there had been more information about the ship and life on the ship. It was basically about the author's travel experience with his sons (one at a time) and his girlfriend (on the last leg of the world cruise).
March 6, 2015
This was an interesting quick read. The author was hired as a lecturer on a luxury cruise line. Only the very rich are on board - the cruise costs $50,000. He has the same benefits as the people cruising while on board - dining, accommodations, etc. He offers a unique perspective of what it is like to live in the lap of luxury while not really being "one of them" (he is not extremely wealthy himself) although while "off duty" as lecturer he is allowed to enjoy the amenities.
The author has travelled extensively prior to the cruise trip and is a writer. The book is well written and his insights regarding the wealthy, cruising, and different countries he sees while on the tour are interesting.
Some funny tidbits:
- a wealthy woman who when invited to dine at the Captain's Table - sent a note back thanking him but noting that she never eats with the help.
- some rough seas prevented the ship from docking and picking up fresh blueberries. The next morning the passengers were outraged by the dwindling supply of blueberries and one of them said "there is no excuse - that is why you have a helicopter" - i.e. the expectation that someone should helicopter out in a storm to get fresh blueberries.
- the waiters dressed in full dress uniforms standing in a swimming pool serving caviar with surfboards floating in the pool as tables
On a serious note, I was surprised at the number of deaths there are on board a world cruise. He notes that world cruises - are longer journeys and most of the passengers are older seniors. Since the client base is older, inevitably on a longer cruise, death happens. He notes that deaths are never mentioned out loud on a cruise. It's just taken care of quietly behind the scenes.
PS This book is free on KINDLE UNLIMITED. It's a kindle single (short book - about 80 pages)
The author has travelled extensively prior to the cruise trip and is a writer. The book is well written and his insights regarding the wealthy, cruising, and different countries he sees while on the tour are interesting.
Some funny tidbits:
- a wealthy woman who when invited to dine at the Captain's Table - sent a note back thanking him but noting that she never eats with the help.
- some rough seas prevented the ship from docking and picking up fresh blueberries. The next morning the passengers were outraged by the dwindling supply of blueberries and one of them said "there is no excuse - that is why you have a helicopter" - i.e. the expectation that someone should helicopter out in a storm to get fresh blueberries.
- the waiters dressed in full dress uniforms standing in a swimming pool serving caviar with surfboards floating in the pool as tables
On a serious note, I was surprised at the number of deaths there are on board a world cruise. He notes that world cruises - are longer journeys and most of the passengers are older seniors. Since the client base is older, inevitably on a longer cruise, death happens. He notes that deaths are never mentioned out loud on a cruise. It's just taken care of quietly behind the scenes.
PS This book is free on KINDLE UNLIMITED. It's a kindle single (short book - about 80 pages)
March 12, 2015
This would have been much better as a 500-word blog entry.
Really.
The first chapter or two were interesting - there were even parts I found fascinating - and from there it turned into the author talking endlessly about himself, to the point where the last half of the book barely appeared to be about the cruise, much less about luxury cruising.
Really.
The first chapter or two were interesting - there were even parts I found fascinating - and from there it turned into the author talking endlessly about himself, to the point where the last half of the book barely appeared to be about the cruise, much less about luxury cruising.
February 9, 2018
A good read. One of my favorite lines was about the women who would not dine at the captains table. She doesn't eat with the help.
February 1, 2016
Good title, boring book
I forced myself to finish this book in case it improved; it did not. While it serves as an excellent travel log for him and the family who joined him on board, it provides very little insight into life on a luxury liner. Much more time is spent on the history of the ports visited and of other authors and their seafaring tales. I would like to have heard more about the guests and crew he encountered - even if painted in broad strokes to avoid identification. Mr. Thomson seems to miss these opportunities. An exploration of the caste system in India is a concept that screams to be related back to the discrepancies among the passengers and crew but it is fumbled, at best.
I forced myself to finish this book in case it improved; it did not. While it serves as an excellent travel log for him and the family who joined him on board, it provides very little insight into life on a luxury liner. Much more time is spent on the history of the ports visited and of other authors and their seafaring tales. I would like to have heard more about the guests and crew he encountered - even if painted in broad strokes to avoid identification. Mr. Thomson seems to miss these opportunities. An exploration of the caste system in India is a concept that screams to be related back to the discrepancies among the passengers and crew but it is fumbled, at best.
January 10, 2015
Crew member view.
The book is a fast read and in some parts very in teresting. His entire section of circumnavigation Cape Horn while his son is on board is a fascinating part. He quotes Darwin Beagle notes which I thought was great. He also has a great vocabulary.
I chose the book because it sounded interesting. It gave interesting reflections about being a crew member on a luxury liner, albeit a lecturer.
The book is a fast read and in some parts very in teresting. His entire section of circumnavigation Cape Horn while his son is on board is a fascinating part. He quotes Darwin Beagle notes which I thought was great. He also has a great vocabulary.
I chose the book because it sounded interesting. It gave interesting reflections about being a crew member on a luxury liner, albeit a lecturer.
February 6, 2017
Interesting book about a lecturer on a world cruise. He spent part of the trip by himself, and various family members joined him for different segments of the journey.
Some travelogue on places he saw and how he did tourism (hint: not via the cruise excursions), but also discussions on passenger types, economics of various cruise-related things (on luxury cruises, making the price all inclusive of alcohol actually DECREASED alcohol consumption), and various things he noticed along the way.
Some travelogue on places he saw and how he did tourism (hint: not via the cruise excursions), but also discussions on passenger types, economics of various cruise-related things (on luxury cruises, making the price all inclusive of alcohol actually DECREASED alcohol consumption), and various things he noticed along the way.
December 28, 2016
This is a book to help you dream... About people, ports, and food. The props - captains table, ship, lecture, countries are just that- props the story is in the people you meet on the voyage
Favorite line from the book - "I cannot accept your invitation, as, on principle, I never eat with the staff."
Favorite line from the book - "I cannot accept your invitation, as, on principle, I never eat with the staff."
April 9, 2018
The parts about the inner workings and logistics of the luxury cruise are interesting, and if the author had stuck to that as well as anecdotes about the people he met while on it would have made this essay more tightly focused. Some inelegant sentences, awkward use of colons and semicolons, and grammar trip-ups are distracting.
November 19, 2016
My favorite part was when everyone ate tuna sashimi because too many people died on a cruise and they ran out of space in the morgue...the sushi freezer had to be repurposed. The mechanics of a $50000/head cruise were way more interesting than the travel reports from the ports.
August 8, 2019
I normally like these "life of" books, and have read about all professions from Delivery Drivers to Doctors to Police Officers & Gardeners. This book however didn't do anything to keep me interested.
October 14, 2021
Great read about a writer/filmmaker turned guest speaker on an around the world luxury liner. Seems like Silversea Whisper with the Observation Bar on deck 10. I want this job. Picked up Around the World in 80 Days to read.
May 28, 2014
a great gig if you can get it! Sounds like life int his environment could become a bit claustrophobic very quickly though. Quite an eye opener.
October 21, 2014
No
NOT
SO BAD
TOO MANY WORDS TO SAY.
NOTHING.
MORE LIKE READING LISTS OF INFO THAN READING A STORY.
IS THIS A BRITISH THING
SURLY PEOPLE DONT
TALK LIKE THIS.
BORING
NOT
SO BAD
TOO MANY WORDS TO SAY.
NOTHING.
MORE LIKE READING LISTS OF INFO THAN READING A STORY.
IS THIS A BRITISH THING
SURLY PEOPLE DONT
TALK LIKE THIS.
BORING
January 9, 2015
Quick read. Interesting enough story about the author's experience in an around the world luxury cruise ship.
Read
March 19, 2015if this guy didn't ramble, I may have enjoyed the book more. the title is "at the captain's table", not "let me talk wistfully about Jules Verne for a fortnight."
April 3, 2015
Interesting
Defined the perfect opportunity to travel worldwide learning about people, different foods, languages. I
Have many friends who love to travel,
Defined the perfect opportunity to travel worldwide learning about people, different foods, languages. I
Have many friends who love to travel,
February 23, 2016
Interesting, though colored with cynicism. More about the idea of cruising, less about the locations visited.
December 24, 2016
slow
i love cruising. This book read like an uneventful diary. no action or great love stories. maybe the bigger ships are more exciting :)
i love cruising. This book read like an uneventful diary. no action or great love stories. maybe the bigger ships are more exciting :)
January 9, 2017
Just a mediocre read. I kept hoping it would get more interesting so I stuck with it to the end. I really didn't learn much other than there are a lot of snobs on these boats.
January 15, 2017
Great read!
This is a fun book if you like reading about travel. The author is clearly a master of the genre and his voyage makes for a wonderful adventure.
This is a fun book if you like reading about travel. The author is clearly a master of the genre and his voyage makes for a wonderful adventure.
February 23, 2017
A 32,000 ton floating wheelchair. But wait, it's got all you can eat buffets! Thin but interesting around-the-world cruse travelogue.
April 2, 2017
Not quite what I expected
Couldn't get the feel of the experience of the ship or fellow shipmates. Also felt it was too critical and whiny
Couldn't get the feel of the experience of the ship or fellow shipmates. Also felt it was too critical and whiny
February 24, 2018
Nice mix of gossipy tales from the cruise ship and historical commentary on the places visited by the author. Very nice.
March 5, 2018
Basically this book was not long enough and did not seem to flow well compared to other written material I have read on people doing long cruises.
Not really recommended sadly.
Not really recommended sadly.
October 31, 2019
Loved it!
A true armchair adventure, full of wit and interesting detail...and not too snarky, will seek out additional work from this talented writer
A true armchair adventure, full of wit and interesting detail...and not too snarky, will seek out additional work from this talented writer
October 13, 2023
Delightful
Another enjoyable book on a new to me topic. I've never been on a ship. But Hughes voyage sounded wonderful. The only cost being a few lectures about his book. He visited beautiful places.
Another enjoyable book on a new to me topic. I've never been on a ship. But Hughes voyage sounded wonderful. The only cost being a few lectures about his book. He visited beautiful places.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews