Select Dining-seats in waiting area?

[Love PalmTrees]

Hi! We have reservations for 7:30pm Select Dining each night on our upcoming Reflection cruise. Do you think there still could be a long wait time, and if so, are there seats in the waiting area? Thanks!

[az_tchr]

That is fairly late so not likely a long wait. Most people choose select for an early time on sea days and sometimes a later time if a port call. There are a couple of nearby seats, but only a couple.

[Mr. Click]

If you have a reservation you should be seated quickly. That is what reservations are all about. Our last two cruises, 12 nights on Silhouette and 12 nights on Solstice we had reservations and never waited more than a few minutes. If you don't have a reservation and there is a wait they now give you a pager so you can wander to some of the nearby areas with seating. There is no real seating in the waiting area.

[Love PalmTrees]

Thanks for the info! Our DIL's will be cruising with us, both in their 80's. Just a thought...Will the maitre d' seat just us and then they can meet up with us, coming directly to the table? I am not sure how we would communicate this to them, though. Hmmm... something for my techie DH to ponder on.

[Love PalmTrees]

I wasn't sure if they give out pagers or not. Do they also give pagers to people with reservations, but for whatever reason still a long wait? That would work out quite well. Thanks! :)

[neverbeenhere]

I was going to suggest you tie a long string to your in-laws ;) but perhaps requesting the pager would be the better solution.(if there is a long wait) Send them into the lounge next door with the pager and they can join you when it flashes. OR when the maitre 'd is ready to seat you, run over to the lounge yourself and you will all be seated together.

[Love PalmTrees]

The long string idea is definitely a possibility!! At least TSA won't stop me if I have string packed in my bag. I could also re-purpose it for fishing off our veranda for a midnight sushi snack. :D:D

[swigso]

I was going to suggest you tie a long string to your in-laws ;) but perhaps requesting the pager would be the better solution.(if there is a long wait) Send them into the lounge next door with the pager and they can join you when it flashes. OR when the maitre 'd is ready to seat you, run over to the lounge yourself and you will all be seated together.

 

😂😂😂😂😂

Why do people make things so complicated 😜

[MissMapp]

Thanks for the info! Our DIL's will be cruising with us, both in their 80's. Just a thought...Will the maitre d' seat just us and then they can meet up with us, coming directly to the table? I am not sure how we would communicate this to them, though. Hmmm... something for my techie DH to ponder on.

 

 

Your DILs are in their 80s?!? DIL = Daughter-in-law, right? Or have I been mistaken all this time?

[schlimazel_traveler]

My young adult daughter has a medical condition that makes it very difficult for her to stand for more than a very short time. (She can walk, but she cannot simply stand.) I worried about long lines when traveling with her, but we never had more than a few minutes' wait if we had reservations for select dining on Reflection (or on Summit, for that matter). Moreover, I believe if I'd asked for a chair, they could have given her one while we were waiting. Additionally, on Summit we requested the same table each night, so if need be, we could have had her wait in a lounge until, say, 5 minutes after our reservation time and find us either in line or, ideally, seated at the table.

 

7:30 should be a good time for short lines, as it doesn't dovetail well with performance times in the theater.

Edited December 6, 2015 by schlimazel_traveler

[Love PalmTrees]

Sorry, for any confusion. I was talking about my Darling In-Laws, my hubby's parents. (I figured DH = Darling Husband. DIL would then be Darling In-Law's. I see how that could cause a mix up.) That would make me, what, say 100 or so???? How funny!! They are in their 80's, but still very active. Looking forward to spending time with them, especially on a cruise!! :)

[gimletgal]

I wasn't sure if they give out pagers or not. Do they also give pagers to people with reservations, but for whatever reason still a long wait? That would work out quite well. Thanks! :)

 

Yes, they give pagers to people with reservations. Just ask for one. We had a pager every night on the Equinox. Would pick one up between 6 and 6:30 and then go to the Martini Bar. Our reserved time was 7PM. It worked very well.

[neverbeenhere]

Sorry, for any confusion. I was talking about my Darling In-Laws, my hubby's parents. (I figured DH = Darling Husband. DIL would then be Darling In-Law's. I see how that could cause a mix up.) That would make me, what, say 100 or so???? How funny!! They are in their 80's, but still very active. Looking forward to spending time with them, especially on a cruise!! :)

 

 

I understood perfectly... I was sure you weren't using your urbandictionary.;)

[Luckynana]

We always do Select Dining and love it. We usually make reservations for 7:45 and have never had to wait. We've also lucked out by being seated at the same table almost every night.:D

 

How wonderful that you have DIL's! ( Darling In-Laws). You are truly Blessed!

 

Enjoy your cruise!:)

[jerseygirl3]

Hi! We have reservations for 7:30pm Select Dining each night on our upcoming Reflection cruise. Do you think there still could be a long wait time, and if so, are there seats in the waiting area? Thanks!

 

The Martini Bar is just steps away from the entrance to the Dining Room. If your table isn't ready, they will give you a pager and you can go have a seat in the Martini Bar (you don't have to order a drink). When it starts blinking you can head to the dining room. We just did that a few weeks ago on Silhouette. Worked like a charm.

[downtowncanada]

On just about every Solstice ship we've been on, Cellar Masters or Martini Bar was recommended as a waiting area for Select, but the pagers work within the lounges/bars close to the MDR, they won't reach to Ensemble Lounge or Molecular, although ours did work at Molecular once. If they ran out of pagers, the MDR would ask where you will be waiting and they would come announce when you're table is ready.

[Love PalmTrees]

Thanks to everyone for all your recommendations! We have never done Select Dining and you have all made me feel better. It sounds like longer wait times don't happen very often, and there are some great alternatives should there be longer wait times. :)