Waitlist for traditional dining?

[TMaine]

We are booked on a Med cruise on October 15th and we usually prefer the late seating traditional dining. We have been put on a waitlist and have by default been signed up for select. It seems pretty far in advance for there to be a waitlist already. Any ideas? I thought maybe a large group has booked this cruise and all wanted to eat together?

[kenevenpar]

A large group is always a possibility.

 

There have been several threads lately that discuss this. My own opinion is that the cruise lines would prefer more Select than fixed, as it helps with their staff assignments. Fixed can have wait staff who have nothing to do if their tables don't show up, as an extreme example. Also, the number of fixed MDR slots is probably down, and many of the promotions are pushing people to book earlier.

 

Just my guess

[Azulann]

We are booked on a Med cruise on October 15th and we usually prefer the late seating traditional dining. We have been put on a waitlist and have by default been signed up for select. It seems pretty far in advance for there to be a waitlist already. Any ideas? I thought maybe a large group has booked this cruise and all wanted to eat together?

 

Another idea would be that you will have many Europeans on your cruise. In Europe , evening dinner does not even begin until 8-9 pm or in Spain not until 10pm.;)

I too always pick late traditional dining. I am sure once you are on board you can get your late traditional seating arranged.

[MareT]

We had a cruise booked for November which we had to move to January 2016 and both times we were waitlisted for late seating. Maybe it has something to do with prepaid gratuities.

[ghstudio]

It's not that early for an Oct cruise. Many Europeans prefer the late seating so it's not surprising it might be full now. On the other hand, celebrity seems to only allowing you to choose select dining on some cruises, but when requested in person (by phone), suddenly early/late are available. Can't explain why this is happening....

[Mainiac II]

We have been wait listed for Traditional Dinning ,early seating since we booked our cruise for next March, while sailing on the Equinox this past March. In spite of several calls, still wait listed, although we have booked a table in any time dinning every night at six o'clock. My feeling is that since one of our perks were pre-paid gratuities we automatically were kicked into anytime dinning to have ample space in traditional early as a selling feature for potential bookings. Just my opinion!

[kalimars]

I just booked our first Celebrity cruise for late next year. We are traveling with friends who are past Celebrity passengers. We all used the same "Pick Your Perk" sale and booked at the same time. They are confirmed for early traditional dining and we are wait-listed :confused:

[DWhit]

I hate to sound bitter, or like a nut, but I can't help but wonder whether this wait listing is only done to force people to pay the select tips upfront. It would not surprise me to see a class action lawsuit on this someday.

[FlorenceItaly]

We booked on board during a March 2015 cruise. We booked for April 2017, and are wait listed for early dining. We were put in select dining. It is crazy.

ETA: We booked an OV and chose the classic drink package. We do not have prepaid gratuities by Celebrity.

Edited May 4, 2015 by FlorenceItaly

[ghstudio]

We booked on board during a March 2015 cruise. We booked for April 2017, and are wait listed for early dining. We were put in select dining. It is crazy.

 

something is going on. More than likely it's a system problem, but perhaps they are thinking about moving entirely to anytime dining and this is a painless way to do it...since everyone is already assigned to anytime (select) dining.

[Azulann]

We are booked for July 2016, with the 123 promo, and have late traditional dining on our reservation confirmed.

We booked this cruise in Feb 2015.

[JERSEYGIRL1983]

IMHO i also feel its a ploy to get you to prepay grats. Not sure what the benefit is to that since id still be responsible for tjem at the end of our cruise. When we booked our cruise in Feb for December we were also waitlisted. I called Celebrity about the issue, told them no way everyone selected 8:30 dining and tons of cabins still open. He placed me on hold, said he was able to get me off the waitlist and in traditional dining....it was a miracle! (Total sarcasm). Call celebrity, be super nice, tell them you see alot of cabins still available and you would like for them to please see what they could do about getting you off the "waitlist". If no can do, ask for supervisor. They'll budge

[OzKiwiJJ]

I wonder whether this wait listing is only done to force people to pay the select tips upfront.

 

Have to admit I thought that too.

 

When I booked our December cruise, a couple of weeks ago, I could only book Select, and chose to be waitlisted for the late traditional sitting. Of course, I also had to select to pay the gratuities up front.

 

However when I last checked my booking I am now showing as Traditional 8:30pm. I can't seem to choose a table size as when I choose to edit the dining options it then shows Traditional as unavailable :confused:. It maybe a bug in their website.

 

But, since I'm still before the final payment date, I can now change the option to pay the gratuities upfront, and this gets reflected in the payment details at the right of the screen. I actually prefer to pay the gratuities upfront since I pay in AUD and it protects me from exchange rate fluctuations.

 

I think there is something very weird with Celebrity's online booking system. There is also an option to Change Stateroom that when clicked just comes up with a popup saying "We’re working right now to improve the site".

 

Oh well, I have a cabin, and late traditional dining, and I'm cruising again in a few months. Gotta be happy with that. ;)

Edited May 4, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[Rudy888]

We have been on cruises recently where we have been wait listed on traditional late seating. We eventually, a week before the cruise were given seating. Once on the ship 25% or more of the tables were empty. Many cruisers I believe sign up for traditional to be on the safe side then just before or at the beginning of the cruise change to Select or end up in another venue leaving tables empty. On our last cruise we were assigned a table for 12 and ended up with just 2 couples. After a few nights when no one else showed up we asked to be switched to a smaller table, there were plenty available and we were switched no problem.

[purpletequila]

We had a cruise booked for November which we had to move to January 2016 and both times we were waitlisted for late seating. Maybe it has something to do with prepaid gratuities.

 

 

That's what I think. I had to prepay as well as it said fixed was full yet not one class of cabin was sold out at the time I booked.

[jeno]

Our problem is that we were given free gratuities as a perk from our TA. The TA gives OBC to cover the gratuities. So, if we have to pay in advance we get the approx $400 OBC added to the $550 we already have and gratuities paid out of pocket. We do not need $1000. OBC. We requested Traditional Dining and have no interest in Select. I agree, it is for the prepaid gratuities.

 

 

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[Mainiac II]

OK, update time! Today was my fourth call to get onto Traditional Dinning, early seating to Celebrity, and Lo & Behold, SCORE!

WE are off the wait list and into the dinning room. Thanks Diane:):):)

[Texed]

We are booked for July 2016.

 

So are we. :)

[Azulann]

So are we. :)

 

Does a table for eight sound good to you ?:)

Let's talk on our roll call.;)

Love the late dining in Europe. Time to relax get ready for dinner after a full day on tour or in port. Then a pre dinner cocktail at the martini bar. With late seating, we are never rushed by waiters to leave... can even enjoy dessert.