Blu or MDR

[bEwAbG]

Thanks for your post. Unfortunately it seems Select guests become third class passengers below Suite Guests and Aqua Guests and are seated only when those other guests have been accommodated should they wish to venture beyond their own exclusive dining room. I'm typing this and yet cannot truly believe this situation exist.

 

I do not think this is the reality, though. More a matter of everyone assigned to the MDR wanting to eat in the MDR on the same night.

[riclop]

Quick question. We are sailing on Constallation in the new year and have treated ourselves to Aqua Class. Have been in both Concierge Class and Inside stateroom in the past.

I know that Blu is our assigned dining room but can we eat in the MDR if we would like a change of scenery or if we would like to dine with other guests who are not Aqua Class. ??

Many Thanks in advance.

 

Why go to the MDR when you have BLU, that is crazy.

[OBX-Cruisers]

You shouldn't have to make reservations in Select Dining, which is what really messes up the concept and creates the wait times. Celebrity needs to drop that for Select as well as for Blu and Luminae. It should be first-come, first-served for the most efficiency.

 

You DO NOT have to make reservations in Select dining either if you have chosen that in a regular stateroom or if you want to eat in the MDR when you are in AQ class. In fact, I have often observed the line for people without reservations is shorter and moves faster than the reserved line [strange but happened often when we were Select Dining]. I NEVER made a reservation any night and if you want a particular waiter or section just show up at around the same time each night.

I checked with the hostess at the Select section of the MDR on our last Equinox cruise, when we were AQ class and dined in BLU, and she told me just to show up and they would accomodate us as soon as possible. We ended up NEVER going to the MDR because our menu was always better in AQ than in the MDR..............I checked every evening of our 12 day TA.

Edited December 20, 2016 by OBX-Cruisers

[tinybabynurse]

Why go to the MDR when you have BLU, that is crazy.

 

Because some nights the meal selections in Blu are just not that great!

Edited December 20, 2016 by tinybabynurse

[bEwAbG]

You DO NOT have to make reservations in Select dining either if you have chosen that in a regular stateroom or if you want to eat in the MDR when you are in AQ class.

 

Yes, I know. I'm saying they should not allow anyone to make reservations. Holding empty tables for people is what causes there to be longer waits overall.

[kevinyork]

Yes, I know. I'm saying they should not allow anyone to make reservations. Holding empty tables for people is what causes there to be longer waits overall.

 

 

 

You can reserve but they don't hold any tables. They just have two lines at the entrance, one for those with reservations and one for those without. The line for those with reservations should get priority. Their isn't a table sat there waiting for those who reserved in advance.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

I do not think this is the reality, though. More a matter of everyone assigned to the MDR wanting to eat in the MDR on the same night.

 

 

 

Why shouldn't they? It's their assigned evening dining restaurant.

 

 

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[galensgrl]

Why shouldn't they? It's their assigned evening dining restaurant.

 

 

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When Suite guests book their cruise, they are asked to choose either set dining times in the MDR (Early, Late) or Select if they are not interested in a set dining time. Select refers to a flexible dining time for all guests. We chose Select, so I guess if we are ever on the same cruise, we might bump into each other in the MDR. Sorry, I know how that concept of Suite guests being "allowed" in "your" dining room confuses you. I would call X to confirm that Suite guests are "allowed" to dine in the MDR, but I'm afraid they would laugh at me. Cheers.

[Fish Lover]

Thanks for your post. Unfortunately it seems Select guests become third class passengers below Suite Guests and Aqua Guests and are seated only when those other guests have been accommodated should they wish to venture beyond their own exclusive dining room. I'm typing this and yet cannot truly believe this situation exist.

 

 

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Nobody ever suggested this is the case. It is not. Everyone is treated equally in select dining. Aqua and Suite passengers are not treated preferentially.

Those that make a reservation are usually seated before those that just show up, however except during the crowded early hour this generally isn't a problem. I have never experienced a wait more than 5 minutes.

 

You are making assumptions and creating a problem where none exists just to be argumentative.

[Fish Lover]

When Suite guests book their cruise, they are asked to choose either set dining times in the MDR (Early, Late) or Select if they are not interested in a set dining time. Select refers to a flexible dining time for all guests. We chose Select, so I guess if we are ever on the same cruise, we might bump into each other in the MDR. Sorry, I know how that concept of Suite guests being "allowed" in "your" dining room confuses you. I would call X to confirm that Suite guests are "allowed" to dine in the MDR, but I'm afraid they would laugh at me. Cheers.

 

As everyone on this board is very well aware, the Celebrity website doesn't deal with the fact that Aqua and Suite guests are generally assigned to another dining room (all of which is select dining). You are correct in that suite guests are certainly allowed in the MDR to eat with non-suite passengers..however, barring that there is no reason for suite guests to go to the MDR (since they are permitted to order from the MDR menu). Blu on the other hand, except for the everyday specials on ships where the galleys are co-located, have to go to the MDR to order from the menu. In any event, the impact of suite or aqua guests impacting anyone's MDR seating is negligible.

[kevinyork]

Nobody ever suggested this is the case. It is not. Everyone is treated equally in select dining. Aqua and Suite passengers are not treated preferentially.

 

Those that make a reservation are usually seated before those that just show up, however except during the crowded early hour this generally isn't a problem. I have never experienced a wait more than 5 minutes.

 

 

 

You are making assumptions and creating a problem where none exists just to be argumentative.

 

 

 

My observations are based on fact. We made reservations in Select for our Sep cruise and yet faced delays and buzzers to return later. Select is popular and any extra pressure from Luminae or Blu guests choosing to try the MDR places extra pressure on space.

 

We experienced waits of 15-30 minutes WITH reservations and those without could wait an hour or so. Nothing in my posts is trying to be argumentative , it's based on actual experience. Think about it....they allow 1/4 of passengers to book early dining, 1/4 to book late and 1/2 to book select and then allow others from elsewhere to just turn up and take away a table from the Select diners. There's the problem. It's made worse by us Select diners looking down below on traditional diners and seeing loads of empty seats. So whilst the pressure is on Select, the traditional dining area has empty places. Trust me I'm not creating a problem that doesn't exist. It does.

 

 

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[galensgrl]

My observations are based on fact. We made reservations in Select for our Sep cruise and yet faced delays and buzzers to return later. Select is popular and any extra pressure from Luminae or Blu guests choosing to try the MDR places extra pressure on space.

 

We experienced waits of 15-30 minutes WITH reservations and those without could wait an hour or so. Nothing in my posts is trying to be argumentative , it's based on actual experience. Think about it....they allow 1/4 of passengers to book early dining, 1/4 to book late and 1/2 to book select and then allow others from elsewhere to just turn up and take away a table from the Select diners. There's the problem. It's made worse by us Select diners looking down below on traditional diners and seeing loads of empty seats. So whilst the pressure is on Select, the traditional dining area has empty places. Trust me I'm not creating a problem that doesn't exist. It does.

 

 

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I suggest you call Celebrity and ask if Suite guests are forbidden from dining in the MDR. Bottom line - it's not your place to tell people what they can and cannot do on a cruise because you're upset you're not getting what you didn't pay for. If you have a problem with X's MDR policies, take it to X. The MDR is included in ALL cruise fares. Don't believe me, call X and ask. The problem obviously doesn't have to do with what you don't understand - the problem is with what you refuse to accept.

Edited December 20, 2016 by galensgrl

[kevinyork]

I suggest you call Celebrity and ask if Suite guests are forbidden from dining in the MDR. Bottom line - it's not your place to tell people what they can and cannot do on a cruise because you're upset you're not getting what you didn't pay for. If you have a problem with X's MDR policies, take it to X. The MDR is included in ALL cruise fares. Don't believe me, call X and ask. The problem obviously doesn't have to do with what you don't understand - the problem is with what you refuse to accept.

 

 

People choose their dining arrangement when booking. Aqua class are allocated to Blu (it's a big perk of Aqua), Suite to Luminae ( a big perk of Suites) and the rest to the MDR. Of the latter, some choose fixed dining, some Select dining. Those allocations for the MDR are split between fixed times and Select and are based on specific values:- available tables and expected throughout.

 

If everyone that was eligible to eat in Blu and Luminae turned up at the Select area of the MDR because they fancied a change then it would be chaos. To say the MDR is included in all cruise fares is just rubbish. X expect that by giving some passengers an upgraded dining experience that they would actually take up that experience and value it. If those in Luminae and Blu had a desire to eat in the MDR and there was a reciprocal option for someone from Select dining to take their abandoned table then that would be excellent. I'm guessing the other diners in Blu/Luminae wouldn't value commoners from the MDR creeping in.

 

What makes this more unpalatable is that it is Select dining that has to take the strain of those from Blu or Luminae that might choose to try the MDR. How would it look if someone who opted for fixed dining at a regular set table and time in the MDR turned up one night to find that their seats at their regular table had been given to people from Blu/Luminae because they wanted to try the MDR? That would be unacceptable to anyone and hopefully the persons from Blu/Luminae wouldn't feel comfortable and clearly it would not happen. And yet, it seems many, and you, are happy for the same Blu/Luminae guests to 'steal' a space from the select area of the MDR from Select guests who don't have the option of dining in Blu or Luminae. Thereby causing a possible delay to those Select diners being accommodated. Really, can you be comfortable with this?

 

I don't disagree that it is X that allows this, however it doesn't make it ethical or agreeable. If you were waiting to be seated at your favourite restaurant for which you had a reservation and someone arrived from the posh restaurant down the road without a reservation and they were seated before you pushing your wait back 20 minutes would that be ok just because the restaurant allowed it? I would hope not and yet that is what Select diners experience and what many on this thread seem to believe is acceptable. Just because the management allow it doesn't make it right.

 

Ok this is my last post on this thread. I cannot reconcile the views of the many that agree that it's OK for Select passengers to be inconvenienced by those with better restaurant options just because they want a change/sit with others/experience the MDR. That might be a limitation on my part. All I know is that if I ever was able to book an Aqua or Suite cabin and have a special upgraded restaurant to eat in I would embrace it fully and I would not feel comfortable stealing a space in the MDR from those for whom that is their only evening waiter service dining venue. If you would be comfortable and I am wrong then flame away.

 

 

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Edited December 21, 2016 by kevinyork