First time having Select Dining...

[redflag216]

For our previous nine cruises, we have always had timed dining at 6pm on the dot (mainly to appease my mother). This time around, we were provided with Select Dining; which is fine with everyone in my party, with the exception of my mother. In doing a bit of research, I have found that you can pre-book reservations, make a reservation once on board the ship with the maitre’d, or just simply show up to the MDR at the time you want to eat.

 

We definitely don’t want to eat at the same time every night and like that we can be flexible with it, but are there any best practices in having this flexibility? Simply, if we just show up to the MDR, what is the typical wait time for a table? If we become accustomed to particular waitstaff, are we able to request to be seated in their section (whether through a reservation or just showing up)?

 

Also, in the fine print of the overview for Select Dining it states “gratuities must be prepaid in order to participate in Select Dining”....what exactly does that mean?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[cruisestitch]

The requirement to pre-pay gratuities in order to have Select Dining has been dropped.

[redflag216]

Thanks for the quick response! [emoji16]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[ghstudio]

You can ask for the same waiters but of course there has to be a free table in that area or you will wait. Obviously, if they don't know when you are going to arrive, they aren't going to hold a table for you. Different cruises have different peak times....so there's no way to predict wait times. If you have a reservation, there usually is almost no wait time. Wait times are generally shorter if you are willing to dine with others at a larger table....but you can request a table for 2 or 3 and you may have to wait a little longer. It's rare that wait times exceed 15 minutes.

[Mr. Click]

We figure out our excursion schedule and then add the time we think we need to catch our breath and clean up for dinner and make our reservations based on that idea. Some how we always seem to end up with 7pm plans but we do make our reservations as soon as we can, well before our sailing date. You can always change your bookings if you need to, the staff is pretty flexible about changes.

[mafig]

We never used to make reservations for Select dining. We usually eat early and there was never a problem.

 

However, on our last Celebrity cruise, we did make reservations for the first night ....some here suggested doing that.

 

We ended up making reservations every night once on board.

 

At least on Reflection I think it was necessary. My husband left the dining room (for the men's room) once at 7 pm and he said it was a madhouse out there. Long lines and people yelling at each other.:eek:

 

So my suggestion would be to be safe and make reservations. You can change on board if necessary.

[karena1]

For our previous nine cruises, we have always had timed dining at 6pm on the dot (mainly to appease my mother). This time around, we were provided with Select Dining; which is fine with everyone in my party, with the exception of my mother. In doing a bit of research, I have found that you can pre-book reservations, make a reservation once on board the ship with the maitre’d, or just simply show up to the MDR at the time you want to eat.

 

We definitely don’t want to eat at the same time every night and like that we can be flexible with it, but are there any best practices in having this flexibility? Simply, if we just show up to the MDR, what is the typical wait time for a table? If we become accustomed to particular waitstaff, are we able to request to be seated in their section (whether through a reservation or just showing up)?

 

Also, in the fine print of the overview for Select Dining it states “gratuities must be prepaid in order to participate in Select Dining”....what exactly does that mean?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

We love Select Dining. We rarely, if ever make reservations. That is the whole point of Select Dining-we go to eat when we feel like it. Rarely do we have much of a wait, maybe 10 minutes. Yes, if you like a particular wait staff you can ask to be seated in their section.

[Vacation Nut]

We never used to make reservations for Select dining. We usually eat early and there was never a problem.

 

 

 

However, on our last Celebrity cruise, we did make reservations for the first night ....some here suggested doing that.

 

 

 

We ended up making reservations every night once on board.

 

 

 

At least on Reflection I think it was necessary. My husband left the dining room (for the men's room) once at 7 pm and he said it was a madhouse out there. Long lines and people yelling at each other.:eek:

 

 

 

So my suggestion would be to be safe and make reservations. You can change on board if necessary.

 

 

 

The dining Room is often chaos on the first night so I do a specialty restaurant. Then, i will call at 9am and reserve a time for day 2 and maybe 3, but as the cruise progresses walk-in without reservation seems to be no problem. We always had a table for 2 and met some nice people on adjacent tables

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[dateacher]

We just got off the Summit and had Select Dining. You can make a reservation each night for the next night but it has to be for after 8:15 or before some early time. You can also go up to the hostess desk any time and if they don't have an available table, they will give you a pager. I don't think we waited more than 15 minutes any night. What they will do (and it was confirmed by someone from the ship) is they will put you with your same waiter to insure your tips go to the same person. You are going to be in the same area, each night. Not necessarily the same table.

[helen haywood]

How many are in your party? If you are a larger party and go at whatever the peak time is on your cruise, you may be given a pager.

[jonsmom]

We love Select Dining. We rarely, if ever make reservations. That is the whole point of Select Dining-we go to eat when we feel like it. Rarely do we have much of a wait, maybe 10 minutes. Yes, if you like a particular wait staff you can ask to be seated in their section.

 

I totally agree with you.

 

There is always the buffet

[Luv2Crus40]

Last time on Summit we were stuck with Select Dining. We sat at a table for 6. Our tablemates were really nice (thank goodness) and all agree that we would stay with each other for the entire cruise. After our first meal, we went to the maitre'd and asked if we could be seated together. Luckily they were able to accommodate us with the same couples and table for the whole cruise!

[jayoldschool]

When I have had to wait, after being given a buzzer, I have never had time to finish a drink at the Ensemble or Celler Masters. So... not very long ;-)

[thon]

We have only been on 2 cruises, both on Reflection, both one-week Caribbean cruises and both using Select dining. The first was a few years ago and I do not recall having to wait too long each night. However last year we often had to wait long enough to be on our second drink before our buzzer went off. So for our upcoming cruise we have already made reservations for 7 p.m. each night.