Select or Traditional MDR on the Summit Suites

[Smurfette76]

We recently returned from a fantastic Reflection cruise and are now Celebrity fans! Thanks to all here for advising us prior to our journey. :) I promise to post a trip report with pictures and a review once my work duties subside a little!

 

We're now looking at a March or April 2015 Summit Southern Caribbean Cruise in a Sky Suite. The itinerary is so appealing to us and prices appear to be reasonable right now...

 

Just wondering if we should opt for a late 8:30pm traditional seating or go for Select. We definitely want a table for two. I sense that if we go for a traditional seating 2 tops are more difficult to land... Is that the case even with suites?

 

I ask because our Reflection sailing was in Aqua so we didn't need to make such dining decisions. I'm leaning toward traditional simply to get into a routine yet the cruise is so port intensive we may not want to be locked into anything... A table for two is really our biggest wish.

 

Thanks to all for your input. I feel petty asking such questions because it will simply be sweet to be on vacation cruising again! :)

Edited April 15, 2014 by Smurfette76

[Project_gal]

This is a really difficult question to answer because of the dates you have chosen. Celebrity are introducing a suite only dining room with effect from 1 April 2015 OR the start of the 2015/16 cruise season - date of start depends on your source of information.

 

However, it is believed that the conversion of the suite dining room from a section of the MDR may take place some time between now and April 2015 - probably at different times on different ships. At this stage, no one knows if this is so and if, once the dining room has been converted, it will open prior to April 2015 as THE suite dining room. I suspect that it will but have no inside information.

 

If the suite dining room is not available for your cruise, I am not really able to answer your question because we have only eaten in the specialty restaurants for some years but I suspect that a table for 2 is more likely in Select dining. Your chance of obtaining one in the MDR may depend on what level of suite you book.

[Beh789149]

We always book select dining when available and get a table for two either on the rail or a window. You may need to be patient and grab a glass of wine while you wait, but it can be done!

 

 

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[fleckle]

..........We're now looking at a March or April 2015 Summit Southern Caribbean Cruise in a Sky Suite. The itinerary is so appealing to us and prices appear to be reasonable right now...

 

Just wondering if we should opt for a late 8:30pm traditional seating or go for Select. We definitely want a table for two. I sense that if we go for a traditional seating 2 tops are more difficult to land... Is that the case even with suites?

 

I ask because our Reflection sailing was in Aqua so we didn't need to make such dining decisions. I'm leaning toward traditional simply to get into a routine yet the cruise is so port intensive we may not want to be locked into anything... A table for two is really our biggest wish.

 

Thanks to all for your input. I feel petty asking such questions because it will simply be sweet to be on vacation cruising again! :)

 

It really comes down to personal preference.

You should be able to get a 2 top in any dining room.

There are lots of small tables that they can separate to use as 2 tops, or group together to make a larger table.

 

We prefer Select dining for the flexibility.

Sometimes we want a private table just for the two of us, and other times we feel sociable and want to share a larger table.

 

To us one of the nicest things about being on vacation is not needing to have meals on a schedule.

We really like being able to have dinner whenever we feel like it each day instead of being required to dine at a pre-assigned time, hungry then or not.

 

When we used to have traditional dining, it seemed we were always needing to cut short something we were enjoying just because our designated dinner time was approaching and we needed to arrive at the dining room within the brief allotted time frame.

 

As the saying goes, different strokes......

 

If you liked dining in Blu, remember that you can have dinner in Blu on a space available basis when you book a suite, so that gives you still more options.

Or, as mentioned, there is a good likelihood that the new suite restaurant may be available by the time of your cruise.

 

[Smurfette76]

Thanks so much everyone! Very wise words from each of you. I think Select is the way we'll go. :) Happy cruising!