Celebrity Flex Dining or Assigned Seating

[kevinyork]

Ok, we've done 5 X 14 night Eclipse trips. One cruise was as a group of four and the others just the two of us. We've never waited or been given a buzzer on any occasion despite only wanting a table size just for our party. On a few cruises we've made friends and gone into Select together and again been able to get a table straight away.

 

As a couple we love the tables for two. We've made so many cruise friends from our chats with neighbouring tables.

 

 

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[deedee 65]

We always do the late seating, particularly when you are sightseeing and want to get back to relax and shower before dining. We can enjoy the early show and then dine.

[Travel Pat]

Thanks for the replies! Definitely giving it a try again in November based on the positive comments :)

 

 

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[TexasBrit]

We used to do the fixed dining option, and did this recently when cruising with the kids and grandkids. But on one Carnival cruise 3 years ago, we could not get a 2-top in fixed and were placed on a rectangular 8-top (4 each side with companion and I on the same side) with the most unhappy people we have ever seen. The man opposite me looked as though he had been told he had only days to live (perhaps he had). After one evening meal there, we went to the anytime dining, even though the Maitre D' had told us it was not available. We never had to wait anytime at all and were able to get essentially the same table area with the same servers every night. It was the same on our next Carnival cruise. But on our recent Princess TA, there was always a wait for a 2-top and we were always (slightly) pressured to share, which we did a couple of times. This was because we wanted to be sure to be finished to get a seat in the show, which were always completely full. However it did not work because the service on a 6-top and 8-top were extremely slow. Also on one night there were arrogant and snobbish people at the table who spent the entire evening telling everyone else how many cruises they had been on. The problem was that there were not many 2-top tables and a larger proportion of passengers on that cruise were very experienced cruisers in the same demographic group and all wanted 2-tops at around 7 PM! Also the reservation line was always busy and I was told that they only reserve about 40% of the tables, and they all get given out very early each day, as soon as the line opens. Even with this, the wait was never more than 20 minutes and we tried to get there a little earlier. Overall for us that is much better than being at a fixed time and having to stick to that schedule, and also avoids being stuck on a table with incompatible people.

But as was mentioned previously, a lot depends on the type of cruise and passenger mix.

Edited August 24, 2016 by TexasBrit
corrections