Least Crowded Select Dining Time

[JB3]

We have "select dining" on our upcoming Reflection cruise.

What's generally the least crowded time to have dinner between 6pm and 9:30pm?

I know that we can make reservations, but that would defeat our purpose of

having the ability to go when we want to.

Thanks very much. : )

[ghstudio]

We have "select dining" on our upcoming Reflection cruise.

What's generally the least crowded time to have dinner between 6pm and 9:30pm?

I know that we can make reservations, but that would defeat our purpose of

having the ability to go when we want to.

Thanks very much. : )

 

it varies a bit by cruise and the nationalities on board (some eat very late), but the peak is generally around 6:45-7:30PM with an earlier rush when select dining opens. After 7:30, there is rarely any wait. Even at peak times, there is generally only a short wait...less than 15 minutes if you really hit a bad time...generally 3-5 minutes seems to be the norm.

[Oville]

We were on the Constellation in mid-December and the 7:00 to 8:45 time slots were very difficult even with reservations. We ended up arriving just after 8:45 and got some really nice tables.

 

As others have said, it depends on the cruise. After the first night you'll be able to assess when others are eating. Good luck.

[JB3]

Thank you both so much!

 

I'm also reading about "select dining" in the X brochure.

 

It says that each night, seating is available between 6 and 9:30 in

30-minute increments.

 

Why does it say that about the increments? Do they only seat

people on the half hour? I can't imagine that would be the case.

 

Possibly it means that's when they'll do the reservation times. It

doesn't say so though. Just curious! Thanks.

 

This will be our first time on X. We have done Freestyle dining, Anytime dining, and Your Time dining on other lines before, and of course main and late seatings on other lines--both with friends, and seated at tables with "new" friends. This will also be the first time that

my husband and I will be dining just the two of us. Not sure if they'll put us with other

people or how that will work. Thanks for any comments or suggestions. Greatly appreciate.

[kevinyork]

Thank you both so much!

 

I'm also reading about "select dining" in the X brochure.

 

It says that each night, seating is available between 6 and 9:30 in

30-minute increments.

 

Why does it say that about the increments? Do they only seat

people on the half hour? I can't imagine that would be the case.

 

Possibly it means that's when they'll do the reservation times. It

doesn't say so though. Just curious! Thanks.

 

This will be our first time on X. We have done Freestyle dining, Anytime dining, and Your Time dining on other lines before, and of course main and late seatings on other lines--both with friends, and seated at tables with "new" friends. This will also be the first time that

my husband and I will be dining just the two of us. Not sure if they'll put us with other

people or how that will work. Thanks for any comments or suggestions. Greatly appreciate.

 

The half hour slots are just if booking online in advance.

 

You can request a table for two or can share a larger table with others happy to do the same.

[Negrilgirl]

We used select dining on our Reflection cruise and we arrived between 8:30 and 9:15 and never had to wait.

[purrlinda]

I can't seem to figure out how to do this on the website, so I'm asking here.

 

Celebrity Select Dining

If you choose Celebrity Select Dining, you will still be seated in the ship's main restaurant, order from the same dinner menu, and enjoy the same exemplary service, but with more flexibility of timing. Choose this option when booking your cruise and you can make reservations day by day pre-cruise, reserve once onboard, or simply come to the dining room whenever you'd like to have dinner.

 

Celebrity Select Main Dining reservations can be made online up to four days prior to sailing, or once onboard with the Maitre d'. Subject to availability. Gratuities must be prepaid in order to participate in Select Dining. Only groups of 20 or less can be seated at one time.

 

How the heck do you do this? :) I'm fairly savvy and haven't been able to find how to do this when logged in to my cruise.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[ghstudio]

it's well hidden....someone will tell you how to get there.

 

However, unlike a normal land based restaurant, they don't actually reserve a table for you....the reservation allows you to get in the reservation line (there are two lines) and you will essentially get to the front of any folks that are waiting without reservations. yes, in some cases, the reservation line is longer than the non reservation line :) In practice they alternate between the reservation line and the non reservation line....and then there is the odd cruise that for some unknown reason just has one line....and they don't care if anyone has a reservation (doesn't seem to happen often, but...).

 

Net...it's not a big deal if you don't have reservations....

[chester32]

I can't seem to figure out how to do this on the website, so I'm asking here.

 

Celebrity Select Dining

If you choose Celebrity Select Dining, you will still be seated in the ship's main restaurant, order from the same dinner menu, and enjoy the same exemplary service, but with more flexibility of timing. Choose this option when booking your cruise and you can make reservations day by day pre-cruise, reserve once onboard, or simply come to the dining room whenever you'd like to have dinner.

 

Celebrity Select Main Dining reservations can be made online up to four days prior to sailing, or once onboard with the Maitre d'. Subject to availability. Gratuities must be prepaid in order to participate in Select Dining. Only groups of 20 or less can be seated at one time.

 

How the heck do you do this? :) I'm fairly savvy and haven't been able to find how to do this when logged in to my cruise.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

Here is what I do and you can reserve each night

Log on to my celebrity (username password)

Click the drop down arrow on Manage Reservation

Click view reservation

Click View on Dining Preference

Check the Select Dining box and click reserve now

A box will come up asking to reserve all days just click reserve now (you wont have to reserve each day)From there just pick your time and table size preference

Hope it works for you

[purrlinda]

Here is what I do and you can reserve each night

Log on to my celebrity (username password)

Click the drop down arrow on Manage Reservation

Click view reservation

Click View on Dining Preference

Check the Select Dining box and click reserve now

A box will come up asking to reserve all days just click reserve now (you wont have to reserve each day)From there just pick your time and table size preference

Hope it works for you

 

OMG! I never go to the "Manage Reservations" tab for some reason. Found it quick and easy. Thank you!

[KaththeTaff]

On the Eclipse we found that the peak time was between 6.45pm and 8.30pm. We usually used to enjoy watching the line build up at 5.45pm with all of the people who wanted to go in early. We would sit in the Martini Bar, where it was usually pretty quiet and watch people waiting patiently.

 

Then at around 6.20pm we would walk straight to the desk, and be excorted to a nice table by the window towards the back of the room!

 

One night we wanted to eat later so waited until aroun 8.25, but the line was really long and we had to go and wait in the Martini Bar (what a hardship) until we were called. This took about ten minutes.

 

So, yes, it can change depending on the cruise itinerary, passenger demographics and even on what is happening that day. We never reserve in advance as it defeats the object of select dining. Plus it doesn't seem to matter much anyway in practice!

[d4m]

On our recent TA, you could be seated for Select dining from 5:30-9. We had no reservations and found the ideal time with no wait was abot 6:15-6:30.

 

When you get to the employee at the entrance of the dining room, she/he will ask what size table you want. Simple. Many nights we sat at tables for 6-8 but other times we chose just to eat alone. Wasn't that we don't like the bigger tables, but we found that it took much longer to eat with many people.

[Redtravel]

I like select dining. The flexibilty is nice. You can reserve a specific time and location. When I find a wonderful waiter, I ask to be seated in their section. It works. Best waiters seem to be in select dining. Servers are quick. Dinner goes faster especially at a small table. Amazingly in select, you start to notice the same people seem to be seated near you night after night. Most people stick to a set time. Tables for 2 are close together.....less than 12" You may think you are alone. We have had great times with people at the next table.

[Holly2]

What are the chances of being able to switch to Select once onboard? We are sailing on Eclipse and would like to use our OBC to cover gratuities.

[ghstudio]

What are the chances of being able to switch to Select once onboard? We are sailing on Eclipse and would like to use our OBC to cover gratuities.

 

It varies by cruise, but select has become very popular so you may not have the option on your cruise.

[Algebralovr]

We love select dining. On each of our last three cruises, we have had select dining, and found that on all three of them, they didn't bother with a "reservations" line. We also found a waiter we liked, then managed to stick with them the rest of the cruise. If you come back a couple of nights at the same time, you'll often be seated at the same table unless you ask for someone else.

 

We only had one bad experience, with a waiter who turned up his nose when we ordered the pork dish. Once he took our orders, we never saw him again but only his assistant waiter. If I could have remembered his name, I would have filled out an "Attention to Detail" card on him. When we got back to our "usual" table the next night, the waiter asked if we had requested another location. When we said, no, that we had been stuck there and were not thrilled by the waiter (we mentioned what happened). He said that none of his countrymen liked him, but that he seemed to get taken care of by his own countrymen. Kind of interesting how that happens. It was apparently a known fact that if you ordered pork, wine or alcohol, he would not come back. I mentioned that it was too bad, that he should probably have never been promoted to full waiter, and should probably look into another line of work! Oh, well.

 

We agree, we like Select dining, because we have the flexibility, but also because we like our meal to move a little faster than it does in traditional dining. Our DS, who is joining us in June, told us that if dinner took as long as it did in 2010, he was declining to eat with us. In 2010, on Carnival Elation, he had enough after 2 nights and decided he would eat in the buffet.