Traditional Dining Questions

We are looking at our first Celebrity cruise next year, a transatlantic to Europe on either the Reflection or the Silhouette.

We usually take Cunard so we're used to 'traditional' dinner seating and we have no problem with it, but I do have some questions about how it all works on Celebrity.

Do traditional and select diners both occupy the same areas of the MDR, or is there different areas set aside?

If you choose traditional, do you have an assigned table that you use every night?

By dinner, we are all talked out so we would ask for a table for 2. I've read that tables for two can be quite close together, not something we would want. There must be some that are more private, would you think our chances of getting one of those would go up if we chose traditional dining?

If you choose traditional are the other dining options on the ship still open to you?

Ok, that's enough questions for now I guess. I don't want to wear out my welcome!:)

Traditional dining is on the main floor of the dining room, select is on the balcony. There are 2 seatings, approximately 6:30 & 8:30.

With traditional you have an assigned table and the same waiter, assistant and sommelier every night.

You should be able to get a table for 2 but they are close together, in both traditional & select. Other than a pleasant hello to the diners near you we have not felt the need to carry on a conversation. Most diners requesting a 2 top seem to feel the way IMO. You can check with the maître d' upon boarding for your table assignment. There will also be a card in your room but it will not give the size of the table. You can request to change tables if another one is available. It all depends on how popular traditional dining is

Other restaurants are available to you except for luminae unless you book a suite, and Blu unless you book aqua or a suite.

Thanks for responding. That's great information.

The suite dining room, Luminae, offers more space between the tables. It is available if you are in a sky suite or bigger. There are no fixed dining times, like traditional, but you should be able to get a reservation for the same table every night. You can eat in any restaurant for dinner, the specialty restaurants have per person charges - the buffet is available for dinner with a more limited selection than lunch, at no additional charge.

Traditional on Celebrity will be exactly as you have experienced before.

We are just back from a 10 night cruise on Reflection.

The two seating times were 6.15pm and 8.45pm and this occupied the lower level of the MDR. Each night we had the same table and waiters/sommelier.

We asked for a table for 2 but only changed to later seating on board so they couldn't accommodate us, and we were on a table for 8. (Company was lovely! Although I know it's not for everyone.)

The anytime dining occupied the upper level of MDR and there were definitely tables for 2 that were unoccupied each night (that we could see from our seats) but I guess it's just your luck with the cruise, as it will depend on how many people want those specific tables!

Enjoy your cruise, whatever dining option you choose! :)