interesting rumor - X going to all select?

[cgags47]

If I understood correctly posters indicated that early and late traditional seating were waitlisted on many cruises. If traditional seating is so popular, why would Celebrity do away with it. It makes no sense which means that there is a high probability it will happen!!! When is the last time that a cruise line did something that actually made sense?

 

I have a couple bookings for March 2016, and some of them have 8:30, and the others were waitlisted for 8:30. I was told that that reason for the waitlist, this far out from the sailing date, is that large groups may have reserved a dining time, blocking out those dates. As those groups get smaller, and people back out, the dining times open up.

[shipshape sam]

One side of me likes flexibility. The other says it is now one more thing we have to deal with each day AND most likely have to compromise on times creating periods of 'dead' time while we wait, juggle/change other times of events we want to enjoy each evening.

 

I did whatever Royal calls it once, but we scheduled speciality restaurants for each evening and I booked them months in advance and got the same time each evening except for the one evening we actually tried eating in MDR. Also a table for 2 was put on a wall of tables with one side booth style seating along the wall. The tables for 2 were lined up and to serve the table next to us I got to get up close and personal with the server's behind. Also, there was NO way of not introducing yourself to the tables for 2 on either side of you other than being rude. Table for 2?!

 

It may have changed and for sure hope Celebrity thinks this through.

Edited June 20, 2015 by shipshape sam

[Ruthk]

My 13 night connie TA crossing, we did select, and a table for 10 nightly reserved at 6:45 with same waiters and table the entire trip. So even though we were Select dining, we had a fixed dining time that worked with our schedules better than 6 pm or 8:30 pm.

 

Though such arrangements don't seem to be able to be made in advance, once on board, it's not a problem in my experience.

 

Same thing with us. We had the same table at the same time every day of our 14 day sailing. As a matter of fact, our whole section were the same people at the same tables with the same staff every day.

 

We just had to assure the staff that we will be there at the same time and it was great to dine at our time since 8:30 is too late for us. The staff loved it because they knew what to expect with all of us and what our preferences were. Every day our Manhattan drinks were waiting for us at the table! Also the staff must have liked it because we all give them extra tips on the last evening, which I don't think happens if you are constantly get a different table with different staff.

 

At our table, the first sitting (the sitting before us) was also the same couple every day and only once did we have to wait a bit because they were a bit slower with their dinner, not a big deal.

 

We loved Select dining.

[hypercafe]

I think it's a great idea. Go resort casual all the time too and got me it would be a perfect line

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

[shipshape sam]

I think it's a great idea. Go resort casual all the time too and got me it would be a perfect line

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

 

WE went resort casual a couple of years ago.

[workstocruise]

We like Select Dining simply because I don't want a set time to have to be in the MDR every night. We may arrive at approx the same time but that's my choice and no one is waiting on me if I'm late. That said, we just got off the Equinox in the Med where there were tons of foreigners on board and every night I looked over the balcony from Select down on traditional and it was more than half empty. So where are all the people? They are either eating in a specialty restaurant or they chose Select. Maybe if traditional goes away, then Select dining could use that dining room which would possibly be a quieter atmosphere for those who don't like noise. Frankly we did not notice the noise or the hustle and bustle of the waiters. We were too busy socializing with our group. Maybe this post is a tempest in a teapot as this rumor may be just that. Either way cruising as I know it and probably most of you as well, has changed and continues to change to attract all those young cruisers who want a more casual and laid back venue. Who knows what the future holds.

[Christine Frances]

I think it's a great idea. Go resort casual all the time too and got me it would be a perfect line

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

 

Sounds like you should stick with NCL :D

Edited June 20, 2015 by Christine Frances

[Can'tstopcruising]

Sounds like you should stick with NCL :D

 

Or Oceania

 

I have cruised only on Celebrity and we love select dining and we would love resort casual and we are not slobs!

[AtleeH]

I'm a cruising novice. One 4 day cruise nearly 2 decades ago on Carnival to the Bahama's. And this past Jan 2015 when we did a western Caribbean cruise on the Silhouette. I was in a group of 10. We did traditional at 8:30. I'm used to eating earlier, but in actuality, this worked great for us. We never felt rushed when returning from being in port all day. We had time to get back, shower and change, then go to the early show. After that our group would mozzy on back to MDR for our 8:30 sitting.

 

All 10 of us were at a large round table, tucked out of the way. We had an excellent wait staff. I'd hate to lose that deal.

 

Now, if select dining is so crowed, maybe some space in the lower level MDR could be used for select dining also, but definitely leave traditional dining in existence. I do suspect that some of the crowded situation in select is probably due to most folks doing select probably want roughly the same prime time spot.

[cle-guy]

Now, if select dining is so crowed, maybe some space in the lower level MDR could be used for select dining also, but definitely leave traditional dining in existence. I do suspect that some of the crowded situation in select is probably due to most folks doing select probably want roughly the same prime time spot.

 

My thought is, select dining is about to overtake the main dining room floor, and Fixed dining if it continues, will be allocated to the smaller Select space on the upper MDR.

[Scrappytraveller]

Make it all select, reservations allowed on the lower floor, no reservations on the upper floor. People who still love same table and same time can go ahead and reserve their table for the whole cruise on day 1. If they don't get a ton of reservations, usher some from the upper level to the lower level as needed.

[bellalisa]

I agree. DH and I feel the same way.

 

As has been pointed out, you just make a reservation for 8:30 for 6 passengers that you would like to eat with. If you make it with the same people every night they usually give you the same waiter and same table. If one night your party wants to eat at 7:30 tell them the night before. It's not the end of the world. It's easy to eat with the same people and the same time every night with select dining.

[Christine Frances]

We are still listed as Early Trad just shy of 2 yrs out!! Feb/17 So no changes yet!! We are not "old folks" but we like the convenience, no wait/pagers, familiarity of the waitstaff, and I think the set dining times are easier on the staff.

 

The switch to all "anytime/dynamic dining" was a disaster on Royal and we truly disliked the service on NCL with their "Freedom" concept. From the posts and comments, Select suffers from the lack of attentive/intuitive service we get in Traditional.

 

We book very, very early to get our choice and people who book later seem to be assigned to Select. One word of advice, if you can't get into the seating you prefer, phone or have your TA phone Specialty Dining and ask how long the wait list is for your preferred seating. I have been confirmed that way a couple of times.

 

In the Med the Late seating fills up first because most Europeans eat later so the Early seating may have vacancies. On our last 28 night cruise our table was vacant a total of 2 nights!! I have never seen TD with "half the tables empty".

 

As far as eating when we want, we are usually very hungry at our designated time. I guess if we hit the grill for a burger at 4 we might not want to eat at 6 but our group only eats 3 meals not 4-5. My experience has mainly been outside of the Caribbean (Europe and Asia) and we have not sailed there for 5 yrs so this is our experience only. Select/Anytime dining probable works well in Blu and Luminea but in the MDR we are not interested.

[wallie5446]

What a day!

Water heater went out this morning, have you shopped for one of those lately?

Could have cruise 7 days! Then cooking the wifester dinner, hand slips off the grill brush and slides across the 500 deg grates:eek: pain!

How we wish we were facing a decision about how to have dinner tonight instead of, well, I need a bandaid.

[shipshape sam]

What a day!

Water heater went out this morning, have you shopped for one of those lately?

Could have cruise 7 days! Then cooking the wifester dinner, hand slips off the grill brush and slides across the 500 deg grates:eek: pain!

How we wish we were facing a decision about how to have dinner tonight instead of, well, I need a bandaid.

 

So sorry. Burns are the worst! Guess you need a beer to kill the pain! :)

[Texed]

Then cooking the wifester dinner, hand slips off the grill brush and slides across the 500 deg grates:eek: pain!

 

Take care Mr. Wallie.

[wallie5446]

So sorry. Burns are the worst! Guess you need a beer to kill the pain! :)

 

Tried that, but had to get into her Austrilian Shiraz too!

[wallie5446]

Take care Mr. Wallie.

 

Thanks Ed! She said for Fathers Day I get waffles in the morning! :D

[varoo]

What a day!

Water heater went out this morning, have you shopped for one of those lately?

Could have cruise 7 days! Then cooking the wifester dinner, hand slips off the grill brush and slides across the 500 deg grates:eek: pain!

How we wish we were facing a decision about how to have dinner tonight instead of, well, I need a bandaid.

Oh no! That is the worst.

You really need another cruise right away.

 

Nothing like being pampered on a cruise ship while you are healing to make you feel better and take away the pain.

 

Hoping it has stopped hurting by the time you read this.

[Ma Bell]

Wally, hope it feels better quickly.

[misha1]

I wouldn't mind weighing in here...DH and I have experienced NCL Free Style Dining, RCL My Time Dining, and Celebrity Select Dining...as well as traditional dining on Celebrity and RCL. We have been cruising for 15 years now and our patterns and likes have switched quite a bit. We used to enjoy the pomp and circumstance of dressing and dining, and maybe we have relaxed a little in our style (that is what I am calling it), we are not as rigid anymore, with attire or dining. We would be mortified to miss a dinner in the MDR in the past, even if we were not hungry. We rather enjoy the choices provided and love specialty dining. We even discovered.... the buffet for dinner Da Da Da Da (ominous sounds)...it was delicious. Another interesting note on this subject which causes me to agree that there is a change a-comin'...we booked a cruise in Sept of 2016 and we have early dining. We booked this cruise 6 months ago. Our friends who jumped on board (no pun intended) are Select...and they could not even get wait-listed (according to Celebrity) for the early dining. I have been trying to get Select but my TA is dragging her feet. Hmmmmmm...summpin's up!

Oh...Hi TEXED! Julie

Edited June 21, 2015 by misha1

[Iamcruzin]

My thought is, select dining is about to overtake the main dining room floor, and Fixed dining if it continues, will be allocated to the smaller Select space on the upper MDR.

 

I have never been in the main dining room. We had select on the Summit. Is the Traditional dining room still larger than select even after the addition of Luminea?

[Iamcruzin]

What a day!

Water heater went out this morning, have you shopped for one of those lately?

Could have cruise 7 days! Then cooking the wifester dinner, hand slips off the grill brush and slides across the 500 deg grates:eek: pain!

How we wish we were facing a decision about how to have dinner tonight instead of, well, I need a bandaid.

 

You need to wrap that hand around a frozen cocktail or cold beer. Drink up my friend.

[chamima]

What a day!

Water heater went out this morning, have you shopped for one of those lately?

Could have cruise 7 days! Then cooking the wifester dinner, hand slips off the grill brush and slides across the 500 deg grates:eek: pain!

How we wish we were facing a decision about how to have dinner tonight instead of, well, I need a bandaid.

 

You need to wrap that hand around a frozen cocktail or cold beer. Drink up my friend.

 

I like this doctor's prescription.

Hope it heals quickly.

[ChiGal1962]

I realize I'm in a different demographic than most, but here's why I like Traditional Dining:

 

I travel by myself. The allure of traditional dining for me is not only the same wait staff every night (big draw), but also finding a new group of people to get to know over the course of a week. Yes, I could always be seated with other people in Select dining, but it is different people every night, and the conversation tends to be so focused on "what's your name, where are you from, what do you do...." introductions. With traditional, the conversations evolve and the table almost always becomes a group of friends by the end of the cruise.

 

It obviously wouldn't be the end of the world to move to all Select, but having done that a few times on Celebrity as a solo traveler when traditional was unavailable, it definitely wouldn't be a selling point for me.