Celebrity Select dining

[slhw]

Hi

We are first time Celebrity cruisers on Equinox next month. Can anyone give me tips on how best to operate select dining. Because my husband is deaf, we prefer a table for two but it is not essential.

 

Thanks

 

Sandie

[RJHNorthyorks]

We used select dining on our recent cruise. We booked the first couple of nights online before we left the Uk and requested a table for 3. We then booked a table each evening by telephoning the dining room. On one occasion we forgot and just turned up at the dining room.

We were able easily to get a table for 3 and at the time we wanted each evening.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Select dining has a lot of tables for 2 so you should not have a problem getting one each evening. You can, but it is not necessary, make a reservation for each evening. If you get a server you like you can request a table in with that server. Unless you eat at a popular time you should not have a wait. If there is a delay they direct you to one of the lounges and come for you when your table is ready.

 

Mary Lou

[MR_T]

We always use select dining and most of the time go for a table of 2/3... We have both booked in advance and also just turned up on equal amount of nights and we have never had to wait more then 10 mins... But saying that most of the time we were seated straight away!

 

Enjoy your cruise and enjoy the equinox, we are also on the equinox next month and really looking forward to it! :D

[Tudorcruisers]

we now prefer a table for two so I book the first couple of nights before we sail and than book the others inboard.

[janisutx]

How many months before the sail date is the reservation function usually available? Thanks.

[tlria510]

How did you book you select dining ahead? Could you request a specific time ahead before sailing and still do select?

[yoj13]

Hi

go into your 'My Celebrity' and find your reservation. Click on 'dining' and your will see it all come up. It takes a bit of time as you have to do each night separately, but eventually you will get there. Don't worry if you decide not to go, it won't be a problem. As someone else said, there are lots of tables for 2, just sometimes they are very close together.

[karena1]

We had Select in April and loved it. But we do MTD on Royal all the time. Because there were 8 of us, every night I would look in the Dallies and see what was going on. Then in the morning I would call and make a reservation so we could makes shows.

 

When it is the 2 of us, we never make reservations. We love going when we feel like it.

[Queen of Oakville]

We did MTD on Princess Cruises many years ago and it was a disaster. We ended up forever for a table. We also, missed out on the experience of getting to know tablemates. After that, we always requested a table of 8, traditional dining.

 

When we started cruising with our kids, we have only ever done traditional dining (we always request a table for four). This is our first time trying Select dining.

 

My husband is a bit concerned about a potential lack of service and not having the same wait team take care of us. With Select dining, if we make reservations, will we have the same wait team?

[ECCruise]

We did MTD on Princess Cruises many years ago and it was a disaster. We ended up forever for a table. We also, missed out on the experience of getting to know tablemates. After that, we always requested a table of 8, traditional dining.

 

When we started cruising with our kids, we have only ever done traditional dining (we always request a table for four). This is our first time trying Select dining.

 

My husband is a bit concerned about a potential lack of service and not having the same wait team take care of us. With Select dining, if we make reservations, will we have the same wait team?

 

First off, if you make reservations you can request the same wait team but you may or may not get it. Our experience is when we do that they are able to accommodate us 25-30% of the time (we have well over 100 nights in Select dining). Wait staff move around, even on the same sailing and always on subsequent sailings.

And honestly, we've had a bit better luck getting the same team on Princess so experiences can vary a great deal. Only had to wait a very few times on Celebrity or Princess (or, for that matter on Royal or HAL) when we had reservations.

[Queen of Oakville]

thanks. to be fair, I think Princess was just rolling out MTD when we tried (got stuck) with it. It was a late reservation, and traditional dining was fully booked. This was over 10 years ago, and I'm sure it is much improved. I like the idea of not being rushed. Early is too early (for us) and late is too late (for us.). 7 is kind of the sweet spot for us. We'll test it out on our Reflection sailing and hope for the best.

[ECCruise]

thanks. to be fair, I think Princess was just rolling out MTD when we tried (got stuck) with it. It was a late reservation, and traditional dining was fully booked. This was over 10 years ago, and I'm sure it is much improved. I like the idea of not being rushed. Early is too early (for us) and late is too late (for us.). 7 is kind of the sweet spot for us. We'll test it out on our Reflection sailing and hope for the best.

 

You should be fine at 7:00. We normally do 7:15 and that is before the "rush" at around 7:30.