interesting rumor - X going to all select?

[SunnyAJ]

OK so on my roll call today - Silhouette Oct. 8 2016 - a poster puts up a rumor that they were told that X is moving to all select. When we booked there was supposedly a wait list for late seating - this far out? another was told - wait list for early seating. Now a poster has conveyed that they were told on ship, that X is moving to all select.

 

 

 

If well managed, IMO great! anyone else heard rumors like this - do you think it would be a good idea? I do think I would not like to be on the first sailing that switched to this!

 

 

I'm not seeing if any one else has heard this? Any rumors when this is supposed to take place?

[Pushka]

I think it is actually busier with traditional as everyone moves into the dining room in one mass. As opposed to the drip of ATD.

[Christine Frances]

I think it is actually busier with traditional as everyone moves into the dining room in one mass. As opposed to the drip of ATD.

 

LOL There is always the crush at the door at 6 & 8 pm. We head down to the MDR at 6:05 and walk right in. Sorta like gate lice at the airport:D

[dkjretired]

LOL There is always the crush at the door at 6 & 8 pm. We head down to the MDR at 6:05 and walk right in. Sorta like gate lice at the airport:D

 

There is a crush now that some of the entrances are taken up by Blu and the Suite restaurant depending on ships. Only one entrance now.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We're getting very worked up over a rumor that so far came from one poster who didn't even hear it themself! But it might be true -- it fits my position that Celebrity has decided that they either have to move up a notch or risk becoming another commodity cruise line that can only fill cabins with big sales. Luxury cruise lines these days are mostly all-select dining -- Crystal gets dinged on this because their ships don't have the extra capacity to allow it so they are mostly fixed dining plus a small number of dining by reservation. But Crystal handles it very well and if Celebrity implements it in a similar way it could solve many of the complaints being raised here: once you have made final payment you can go on their website and make all your reservations for the entire cruise, and include other passengers (with their permission). This would allow Christine Francis to recreate "fixed dining" for her entire group -- yes, you have to do it 28 times for a 28 day cruise, but you can do it from the comfort of your home all at once -- and with more flexibility than 2 rigid choices of time. It would also mean that on the nights a group is going to a specialty restaurant, they wouldn't be wasting a table in the MDR.

[Wine-O]

LOL There is always the crush at the door at 6 & 8 pm. We head down to the MDR at 6:05 and walk right in. Sorta like gate lice at the airport:D

 

On the M-Class ships, there's now only one entrance into the dining room for traditional dining. The other entrance is now taken up by the Suite dining room. It took us 15 minutes or more on the first two nights to get into the dining room for our 8:30 seating. :eek:

[SantaFeFan]

I think it is actually busier with traditional as everyone moves into the dining room in one mass. As opposed to the drip of ATD.

 

And then, voila, the busyness is over in mere minutes. Everyone settles in and the place is quite, and there are hardly any distractions, such as people arriving and leaving all the time. It's like attending an event, or a wedding, or something else important, where everyone dines together to share in the activity, rather than like just going out to dinner at any of the hundreds of restaurants at home. I am on vacation. I want to do things differently than what I do at home!

Edited June 20, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[Ma Bell]

We're getting very worked up over a rumor that so far came from one poster who didn't even hear it themself! But it might be true -- it fits my position that Celebrity has decided that they either have to move up a notch or risk becoming another commodity cruise line that can only fill cabins with big sales. Luxury cruise lines these days are mostly all-select dining -- Crystal gets dinged on this because their ships don't have the extra capacity to allow it so they are mostly fixed dining plus a small number of dining by reservation. But Crystal handles it very well and if Celebrity implements it in a similar way it could solve many of the complaints being raised here: once you have made final payment you can go on their website and make all your reservations for the entire cruise, and include other passengers (with their permission). This would allow Christine Francis to recreate "fixed dining" for her entire group -- yes, you have to do it 28 times for a 28 day cruise, but you can do it from the comfort of your home all at once -- and with more flexibility than 2 rigid choices of time. It would also mean that on the nights a group is going to a specialty restaurant, they wouldn't be wasting a table in the MDR.

 

And we can do it on the Celebrity website. Good luck with that. LOL

[njkruzer]

We were on the Quantum in January with our 2 yo granddaughter. Different restaurant every night with different staff, and each night w had waiters running around searching for a small Glas for her. The water glasses on the table were too big for. With traditional dining with the same waitstaff each night this wouldn't have been an issue, nor would I have to explain that I wanted regular black tea, not the fancy stuff. It was annoying. We really enjoy traditional dining. Btw, the Quantum was awesome and they are working on the dining issue.

[Charles4515]

We're getting very worked up over a rumor that so far came from one poster who didn't even hear it themself! But it might be true -- it fits my position that Celebrity has decided that they either have to move up a notch or risk becoming another commodity cruise line that can only fill cabins with big sales. Luxury cruise lines these days are mostly all-select dining -- Crystal gets dinged on this because their ships don't have the extra capacity to allow it so they are mostly fixed dining plus a small number of dining by reservation. But Crystal handles it very well and if Celebrity implements it in a similar way it could solve many of the complaints being raised here: once you have made final payment you can go on their website and make all your reservations for the entire cruise, and include other passengers (with their permission). This would allow Christine Francis to recreate "fixed dining" for her entire group -- yes, you have to do it 28 times for a 28 day cruise, but you can do it from the comfort of your home all at once -- and with more flexibility than 2 rigid choices of time. It would also mean that on the nights a group is going to a specialty restaurant, they wouldn't be wasting a table in the MDR.

 

FIrst you say don't get worked up over a rumor then you get worked up over the rumor. Anything could be true. Should wait for facts not something someone read on a roll call third hand as you started out saying. Celebrity is not going to move up a notch by changing to all Select. Celebrity will still be a commodity cruise line. NCL has Freestlye and they are 3 notches below Celebrity. With it's massive ships Celebrity will remain a mainstream, commodity cruise line.

Edited June 20, 2015 by Charles4515

[flames9]

We are sailing with the same 2 couples we sat with in the MDR last year, and this will be all 6 of us, first time in an Aqua cabin and Blu.

 

Christine what you described sounds like many other threads I have read with comments about Blu, being a cramped, and noisy room. Yes it is a concern. We all have bought the 3 night specialty pkg. None of us has ever done select either. So one way or the other, this will be an exciting and different sailing for us!

EW

 

BLU on the Silhouette in 2013 was very quiet....relaxing....Great service

[flames9]

We have found that on cruises with a lot of Europeans and South Americans that early dining has a lot of empty tables. Many of them wish to eat late.

 

I am used to getting up at 6am and bed by 11pm, so I like te eat about 6:30pm or no later than 7.

 

lol...having lived in Nicaragua and now Ecuador...yep they enjoy eating later!! Goto a restaurant here at 1800, and its near empty,lol Works great for us

[Host Jazzbeau]

FIrst you say don't get worked up over a rumor then you get worked up over the rumor. Anything could be true. Should wait for facts not something someone read on a roll call third hand as you started out saying. Celebrity is not going to move up a notch by changing to all Select. Celebrity will still be a commodity cruise line. NCL has Freestlye and they are 3 notches below Celebrity. With it's massive ships Celebrity will remain a mainstream, commodity cruise line.

 

You misunderstood my post. I'm not worked up -- I'm hopeful. I want Celebrity to rise back to the upscale cruise line it was founded to be.

[Charles4515]

You misunderstood my post. I'm not worked up -- I'm hopeful. I want Celebrity to rise back to the upscale cruise line it was founded to be.

 

 

Select dining or not Select won't bring back the old Celebrity. Getting rid of the bean counters who hide behind pretty marketing slogans when they institute cutbacks is the only thing that could bring Celebrity back up. There is nothing to be hopeful about. Been on a bunch of Celebrity cruises in the last few years and each one had more cuts. Like getting rid of the Brunch in the dining room and having a "premium" lunch buffet which was little different than the usual lunch buffet. Now you are getting me worked up....LOL

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited June 20, 2015 by Charles4515

[Christine Frances]

On the M-Class ships, there's now only one entrance into the dining room for traditional dining. The other entrance is now taken up by the Suite dining room. It took us 15 minutes or more on the first two nights to get into the dining room for our 8:30 seating. :eek:

 

I guess I will show up at 6:10 then lol. What happened that it was only the first two nights and not every night? Did it sort itself out after?

[Christine Frances]

Select dining or not Select won't bring back the old Celebrity. Getting rid of the bean counters who hide behind pretty marketing slogans when they institute cutbacks is the only thing that could bring Celebrity back up. There is nothing to be hopeful about. Been on a bunch of Celebrity cruises in the last few years and each one had more cuts. Like getting rid of the Brunch in the dining room and having a "premium" lunch buffet which was little different than the usual lunch buffet. Now you are getting me worked up....LOL

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Never thought that the "feeding frenzy" in the MDR that they called brunch was upscale:confused:

[K.T.B.]

I hope this rumor is not true. If it is, I'd hate it. This dining option is one of the main reasons I'll never cruise NCL. I like a set time, sitting with same people, having the same waitstaff, etc.

 

IF they go ahead and do this, hopefully it's not until sailings in 2017 and later. I'd prefer it not to affect my cruise next year.

[Iamcruzin]

The writing has been on the wall. First they introduce specialty dining, buffet and select dining, then Aqua class and Blu are born to help sell undesirable veranda rooms at a premium price and now they add a Suite dining room and take the space from traditional dining. If that's not a wake up call then I don't know what is. Personally I think with all of the choices that are offered the cruise lines can't deliver the same service and ambiance in traditional that they did in the past. The last time I booked traditional was in 2006 on Princess and the dining room was empty except on formal nights.

[wallie5446]

BLU on the Silhouette in 2013 was very quiet....relaxing....Great service

 

We are on the Equinox for Thanksgiving.

[GottaKnowWhen]

Would NOT like this. We like dining at 8:30PM with the same table, same group of [new] friends, same wait staff.

 

 

Totally agree.

 

Someone above said "You can have fixed-time dining with Select - just make reservations" but that is nonsense. Traditional fixed-time is not just about time, it is also about the table, the [new] friends, the wait staff.

[kevinyork]

We also dine Select so the change would be a bonus to us. If they did make this change I hope they do away with allowing reservations for certain times or preferences for a certain table or waitstaff as this just reduces availability and makes it less flexible for everyone else.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[upwarduk]

-----once you have made final payment you can go on their website and make all your reservations for the entire cruise

 

I did exactly that in 2013 and we sat in the same area in the dining room with friends. This worked very well for us, as I am Lactose intolerant and pre book my meals the night before. We had the same Maitre'D and he looked after me well, even the night when we were invited to the Captains Table, he looked over the balcony on a number of occasions to check that I was being served my pre ordered choice.

 

I am sailing in 5 weeks time and have tried to pre select a dining time via the web site. It will not allow me to select a dining room option, it is greyed out.

Is this because I have booked through a TA ? Last time I booked through Celebrity UK.

[emmas gran]

Jackie

Having the same problem trying to book for T/a and Caribbean b2b on Eclipse November 2015, but have been able to book Solstice for March 2016!!

Don't know what the problem is.

Liz

[excitedofharpenden]

From a personal perspective I wouldn't have an issue if it became all Select in the MDR providing it is properly organised on the ship. I haven't cruised a Traditional dining cruise for some time. There are also a number of options now including the newly introduced Luminae. I've cruised quite a bit over recent years on Azamara which operates an open dining arrangement and really enjoy it.

 

Phil

[FreestyleNovice]

Get a grip. NCL has been "all select" -- Freestyle -- dining for a zillion years. No need to bring the ADA into this.

 

Ditto. NCL has perfected the casual dining times.

 

Did Select on a busy X sailing and was not impressed, good to hear that they could be improving things.

 

And one poster said they fixed the grat thing on the 123Go with Select, great! :)