For those of you who have choesn Select Dining.....

[Muushka]

Specifically parties of 2,

 

Can you share what size table you are typically given?

 

I ask because when we fill out the dining preferences we choose a table for 6 or 8 or there abouts.

But we have always gotten tables for 2.

Well, I should qualify that, our first cruise when we did Select Dining, Equinox 11 night, we were pretty much placed at large tables.

 

But our 2 subsequent cruises, we have been placed at tables for 2.

 

Is this what everyone is getting on Select Dining these days, tables for 2?

 

We do enjoy meeting new people and during dining seems to be a nice way to do that.

 

I know you think we should just do traditional dining, but they are too early and too late and too long!

[Goldiedog]

Specifically parties of 2,

 

Can you share what size table you are typically given?

 

I ask because when we fill out the dining preferences we choose a table for 6 or 8 or there abouts.

But we have always gotten tables for 2.

Well, I should qualify that, our first cruise when we did Select Dining, Equinox 11 night, we were pretty much placed at large tables.

 

But our 2 subsequent cruises, we have been placed at tables for 2.

 

Is this what everyone is getting on Select Dining these days, tables for 2?

 

We do enjoy meeting new people and during dining seems to be a nice way to do that.

 

I know you think we should just do traditional dining, but they are too early and too late and too long!

 

We have just returned from the Eclipse and had select dining, the tables for two are very close to tables for four or six,so they are not isolated, there were four of us and we always got the table size we requested each night, usually the same table, so we only ever ate in the same part if the restaurant with the same waiters each night. It seemed to defeat the object of select dining.

[Cruisfan]

We were on a Christmas cruise last year and had Select Dining. When we showed up for diner, the maitre D would always ask if we wanted to share or not, which we did on a few occasions but we were often seated in same area and with the same waiters, just not at the same table.

Cruisfan

[ellay864]

We were on Equinox last month and had a table for 2 each time. There were 2 tables, not as close to each other as some and it did feel quite 'private'; we ended up on one of those on all but one night. On that night we had a table by the window but it was very close to the next table so we did get chatting to others then. We thought it was quite nice being in the same area as we did get to know the staff and them us

[fleckle]

Specifically parties of 2,

 

Can you share what size table you are typically given?.......

Whatever we request.

 

When we ask for a table for 2, we are given a table for 2.

 

When we ask to be seated with others, we are seated with others.

 

When we don't care either way, we take first available.

 

Supposedly you can make reservations in advance for Select Dining if you choose, but when we tried making reservations we found that it worked better on some cruises than on others.

In any case, we never had to wait very long to be seated.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We ask for first available..

[Grumpy100]

We had anytime dining on our last two cruises and always got there just as it opened and always ask for a table for two and got it. Especially because I want a table by the window.

Just get there early. We never had to share if we did not want to.

[orchestrapal]

It will be our first X cruise and we're happy to hear that a table for two won't be a problem since we usually dine early.:)

[Vol fan]

Specifically parties of 2,

 

Can you share what size table you are typically given?

 

I ask because when we fill out the dining preferences we choose a table for 6 or 8 or there abouts.

But we have always gotten tables for 2.

Well, I should qualify that, our first cruise when we did Select Dining, Equinox 11 night, we were pretty much placed at large tables.

 

But our 2 subsequent cruises, we have been placed at tables for 2.

 

Is this what everyone is getting on Select Dining these days, tables for 2?

 

We do enjoy meeting new people and during dining seems to be a nice way to do that.

 

I know you think we should just do traditional dining, but they are too early and too late and too long!

 

If you really want to share, just tell the hostess you want to wait until others show up that want to share and sit with them.

 

Sometimes we share and sometimes we sit by ourselves. We much prefer to share and most of the time it works out that way for us.

Carole

[kendon]

Last week on the Summit, as a party of three we could NOT get a large table to share with others so we ate alone. We prefer sharing for the same reason you do. We were told that large tables were reserved by large families earlier in the evening, but could eat with a family if we wanted to (???). We weren't interested in adopting a new family. Anyway, after a couple of nights, they managed to fit us in fixed seating at 8:30 for a table of 13. We met new people which always adds to the cruise experience.

[Us Two]

We were on the Constellation last Dec and select dining. We made a res for 7-30 pm or so every night. We were put at a table for two right next to another for 2. It was a little awkward as the couple next to us seemed to give off vibes of having had a "disagreement" before dinner, so while we were not looking for company we did little more than greet them.

That being the first night, we asked for a table for 2 set apart by the wall as you entered the dining room. We had a marvellous wait staff and the same seatting every night. Loved it.

[fishywood]

I know you think we should just do traditional dining, but they are too early and too late and too long!

 

 

On the Infinity in March service was clearly faster in the traditional section of the dining room than upstairs in select. I would get in the queue for select right after the 8:30 traditional group had filtered in (as for some reason traditional was allowed to queue up upstairs as well) and nearly every night I would be at one of a half-dozen or more tables that had not even gotten to dessert and coffee before the entire downstairs had cleared out and had their lights turned off! On the final formal night they had the Baked Alaska parade downstairs before most of us upstairs had received our entrees.

 

And as a solo traveller, other than on the busy formal nights I more often than not involutarily dined alone. I would ask the hostess to be seated at a large table and she would say "there is no one else waiting to share, you will get the next table for two". When I politely but firmly insisited that a large table be made available I would be seated at a table for eight where on half the nights two or three others joined me, otherwise I had it to myself. And as for the uniformly slow service, the waiters were opining to anyone who would listen (and to anyone else for that matter) that when Infinity was upgraded in December they reconfigued the dining room to have far too many tables for two without considering the service aspect--but we shold not hold that against them when filling out our surveys at the end of the cruise!

[Muushka]

If you really want to share, just tell the hostess you want to wait until others show up that want to share and sit with them.

 

Sometimes we share and sometimes we sit by ourselves. We much prefer to share and most of the time it works out that way for us.

Carole

 

Thank you Carole and all for your answers.

 

Carole, I think we should try this for our upcoming cruise. It was noted in the reservations (we always made them before boarding) but I think it was silly of me to assume that they would take it into consideration. Or maybe the info isn't even transferred over from the online reservations.

 

Thanks!

 

On the Infinity in March service was clearly faster in the traditional section of the dining room than upstairs in select. I would get in the queue for select right after the 8:30 traditional group had filtered in (as for some reason traditional was allowed to queue up upstairs as well) and nearly every night I would be at one of a half-dozen or more tables that had not even gotten to dessert and coffee before the entire downstairs had cleared out and had their lights turned off! On the final formal night they had the Baked Alaska parade downstairs before most of us upstairs had received our entrees.

 

And as a solo traveller, other than on the busy formal nights I more often than not involutarily dined alone. I would ask the hostess to be seated at a large table and she would say "there is no one else waiting to share, you will get the next table for two". When I politely but firmly insisited that a large table be made available I would be seated at a table for eight where on half the nights two or three others joined me, otherwise I had it to myself. And as for the uniformly slow service, the waiters were opining to anyone who would listen (and to anyone else for that matter) that when Infinity was upgraded in December they reconfigued the dining room to have far too many tables for two without considering the service aspect--but we shold not hold that against them when filling out our surveys at the end of the cruise!

 

I agree, too many tables for 2.

 

Actually our experience has been the Traditional dining taking way too long. Select has been much shorter.

By almost an hour many times.

[Algebralovr]

Had Select last winter on Eclipse and it was great. There were plenty of tables for two, as well as a lot for 4. We never made reservations, always seated right away. We usually ate right at 6pm, but every once in a while were a little later and still had the same wait staff. We usually finished in 60-75 minutes

[TeaBag]

On the Equinox, we mostly had a table for two and the same waiter who was terrific. Sometimes they asked if we minded sharing and we then had a table for four. It worked out very well.

[ariawoman]

We were a party of 2 on the Equinox. We were put alone for our first few nights and we hated it. One of the tables we were shoved in the back and felt ignored. Another, well, it was OK but I just prefer to meet some folks at dinner and discuss the port day.

 

The hostess learned of our needs pretty easily and after a few nights, we didn't need to ask to be seated with others - we were even seated at the same table each night and had some repeat couples and some new ones, so we got to meet some folks that way. One couple we've even seen back home since then!

[Glendakayself]

We have only had Select Dinning on one cruise so far. We learned that if we asked to share it might be a while before the larger table filled, as people came in at their own "selected" times. Of course, the waiters did not take orders at the larger table until it was filled. Sometimes that was quick, and other times not so quick. We started to ask for the first available to streamline our dinning experience. One night we were at a table for two that was so close to the other tables that the tables might as well have been joined. Other times we joined up with some folks we had met on the cruise and asked to be seated together.

[fleckle]

.......I agree, too many tables for 2.

 

Actually our experience has been the Traditional dining taking way too long. Select has been much shorter.

By almost an hour many times.

Having so many tables for 2 gives them greater flexibility, providing the ability to create tables for 4, 6, 8, or more just by pushing tables together or separating them as needed.

 

We also found Select to be faster than traditional dining most of the time.

There are always the exceptions, of course.

 

We will only request a large table on nights when we are not in a hurry as the service is typically paced by the slowest eater at the table.

[Lsimon]

...We do enjoy meeting new people and during dining seems to be a nice way to do that.

 

I know you think we should just do traditional dining, but they are too early and too late and too long!

 

The problem is that you seem to be seeking a traditional dining experience and the flexibility of select at the same time. You can't always get the best of both worlds. If you really want the traditional dining experience then you really should consider taking traditional dining - it is a great experience.

[gacruisergal]

Lsimon, you are correct about traditional dining. When we were on the Eclipse last December, I pre reserved our anytime dining for 7:45 each evening. The first evening that we arrived, the line was long. My DH went to the hostess to tell here we had reservations and was told it didn't matter if we had them or not we had to go to the end of the line and wait our turn....Not a good start. He then found the Mater'd and after talking to him were shown to a crowded table for 2. The next night it was the same thing and this time DH got a little hotter under the collar....Same scenario, to find the Matre'd. On the third night, the hostess was smiling at us and we finally got a larger table but just for the 2 of us and were seated promptly every night for the rest of the cruise but is is a disappointment to have to go through the process.

 

We are booked for late seating on the Equinox this November and are definately going to stay with traditional dining from now on!

[iancal]

We have had very good experiences with Select Dining. Last Sept on Millennium we had a standing reservation for 7 PM-table for four of us. We had the same window table every night with the same wait staff. On other ships we have asked for a table for two, and sometimes asked to join a larger table. We have never waited more than 5 minutes. Perhaps 7PM (when we like to eat) is not a popular time. We are booked on Silhouette and Equinox this fall-both with Select dining.

[4774Papa]

Specifically parties of 2,

 

Can you share what size table you are typically given?

 

I ask because when we fill out the dining preferences we choose a table for 6 or 8 or there abouts.

But we have always gotten tables for 2.

Well, I should qualify that, our first cruise when we did Select Dining, Equinox 11 night, we were pretty much placed at large tables.

 

But our 2 subsequent cruises, we have been placed at tables for 2.

 

Is this what everyone is getting on Select Dining these days, tables for 2?

 

We do enjoy meeting new people and during dining seems to be a nice way to do that.

 

I know you think we should just do traditional dining, but they are too early and too late and too long!

When doing select dining you should indicate that size of the table that you wish to be seated. We did the 8 seat table every evening and always got that.

[Muushka]

The problem is that you seem to be seeking a traditional dining experience and the flexibility of select at the same time. You can't always get the best of both worlds. If you really want the traditional dining experience then you really should consider taking traditional dining - it is a great experience.

 

I guess I figured requesting a larger table would be honored. But given the choice between eating at 6 or getting out of the dining room at 10 or later, we'll take the table for 2!

 

When doing select dining you should indicate that size of the table that you wish to be seated. We did the 8 seat table every evening and always got that.

 

I did! This is what I wrote in my OP

I ask because when we fill out the dining preferences we choose a table for 6 or 8 or there abouts

Which is why I started this thread. You seem to not to have had a problem with it at all. Did you have to state anything to them prior to sitting down, like request it verbally or did they actually read what you requested on the reservations? Did you make your reservations online or when you boarded? Maybe that's the difference, we do it online.

[Lsimon]

... Did you make your reservations online or when you boarded? Maybe that's the difference, we do it online.

Definitely need to make your preference known on the ship to the person doing the seating both when you make, or confirm, a reservation on board and/or when you check in to be seated. My experience in the past has been that the pre-cruise requests either don't get relayed all the time or the people on board don't always follow them but that they do all they can to honor a properly made request given to them on board. And if one person says they can't help you then check up the line to their boss, The management on board strives for high customer satisfaction ratings and while their hard worked staff usually try to as well there are some who at times just try to get by.

[Muushka]

Definitely need to make your preference known on the ship to the person doing the seating both when you make, or confirm, a reservation on board and/or when you check in to be seated. My experience in the past has been that the pre-cruise requests either don't get relayed all the time or the people on board don't always follow them but that they do all they can to honor a properly made request given to them on board. And if one person says they can't help you then check up the line to their boss, The management on board strives for high customer satisfaction ratings and while their hard worked staff usually try to as well there are some who at times just try to get by.

 

Sounds like a plan, thanks!:)