Advice on MDR dining times when on Select Dining

[laticmon]

Evening folks. Hoping that someone can answer our query regarding booking the MDR when on Select dining?

I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that we would be able to roll up at the MDR at a time to suit and either get a table there and then, or possibly after a wait of say 30 minutes or so? However, looking on our cruise planner some of the timed options to book tables have already gone (assumed booked by other PAX) If we only do it at the restaurant on a day-to-day basis are we basically left with whatever times are left eg early or late? As we have never sailed with Celebrity before, is the best option to book a table now for every night? Can these times be changed on board? Advice would be appreciated as we are also concerned about fitting in around show times etc . Also, if there are three of us incl 17yo would we always be on a table for 3 and is it the same table every night? Occasionally our son may decide to eat in the buffet so there may only be the two of us.

[barneymag]

Evening folks. Hoping that someone can answer our query regarding booking the MDR when on Select dining?

I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that we would be able to roll up at the MDR at a time to suit and either get a table there and then, or possibly after a wait of say 30 minutes or so? However, looking on our cruise planner some of the timed options to book tables have already gone (assumed booked by other PAX) If we only do it at the restaurant on a day-to-day basis are we basically left with whatever times are left eg early or late? As we have never sailed with Celebrity before, is the best option to book a table now for every night? Can these times be changed on board? Advice would be appreciated as we are also concerned about fitting in around show times etc . Also, if there are three of us incl 17yo would we always be on a table for 3 and is it the same table every night? Occasionally our son may decide to eat in the buffet so there may only be the two of us.

 

We always choose select dining and normally pre book first couple of evenings online if time slots we want are available

You can definitely just turn up for 2 or 3 of you and request a table for 2 or 4 no problem. If they have available tables they will take you straight away or you may get a buzzer - I’ve never waited more than 10 or 15 mins

 

Queue on 1st night can be bad between 7 and 7.30 if you’ve not pre booked as a lot of guests haven’t got into a routine and go for the “popular” times

 

You can also reserve a time for the following evening when you leave the restaurant if you want but if they don’t have a time suitable don’t worry just turn up at a time to suit and they will put you in the buzzer system again

 

As I said we’ve never waited longer than 15 mins and more often than not straight in

[gold1953]

They only take a specific number of pre-bookings so that they have tables open for the walk ins. Depending on the table you want ( certain waiter, location, number at table) you may have to wait. Of course some times are very busy so the wait is longer

[wsckky]

This post is very timely as we are sailing on the Equinox this Saturday and was assigned the late seating at the MDR. Thanks for the info!

[39august]

Since you have assigned seating in the MDR, that is what you have, not Select Dining, which is no assigned time. You may be able to change to Select after you board fi that is what you wish. Personnel will be at a desk in front of the MDR to take requests for changing your table or assigned time or to change from traditional to Select.

[rwb]

We are a couple dining alone who have taken many Celebrity cruises. We generally phone in that evening’s requested time each morning after breakfast and have never had to adjust the time more than 15minutes. When we arrive we zip right in, usually to the same waiter’s section — on some cruises always to the same table for two weeks straight. On the rare occasions when we failed to pre-book a time we might have waited five minutes, never more, I agree with the prior post that tables for two and four are almost always available for walk-ins. Our experience is that you will typically get the same sommelier and waiter whenever you arrive.

[miched]

We always booked in advance the earliest time possible and then did a walk up if we wanted earlier. That allowed us to be covered just in case.

 

 

We always wanted the earliest to ensure that they didn’t run out of what we wanted. 🙄🤗😱

 

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[Purplsmurf]

This post is very timely as we are sailing on the Equinox this Saturday and was assigned the late seating at the MDR. Thanks for the info!

 

Since you have the late seating this would not affect you. You can only go at your assigned dining time. If you prefer Select dining you would have to go the the MDR once you are on board and request it. They MIGHT be able to accommodate you, but it’s not guaranteed. Last year we were on the waitlist for select dining in July for a September sailing. Unfortunately, it never cleared and we had to have a fixed dining time. You might get lucky!

[SFCAcruiser]

...

I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that we would be able to roll up at the MDR at a time to suit and either get a table there and then, or possibly after a wait of say 30 minutes or so? Your assumption is correct, but it would be very rare (perhaps unheard of) to have to wait 30 minutes. There would have to be some extraordinary circumstances that result in that long a wait. .... Advice would be appreciated as we are also concerned about fitting in around show times etc . We often "roll up to" the MDR before the early show is over (~19:45). Arriving between 19:45 and 20:00 is inadvisable. Also, if there are three of us incl 17yo would we always be on a table for 3 and is it the same table every night? On our last 16-night cruise, we had a great table location and good waiter; the dining room host gave us the same table almost every night. We typically ate later on that cruise ~20:30, so the table was almost always available....

We have never made any reservations at all for Select dining. That would defeat the whole purpose of Select dining, for our style of cruising. As you can see from this thread, different cruisers have different preferences re: reservations.

[HardyVA]

We just got off Summit on Sunday. We had select dining and made reservations weeks before. We make our reservations for 6 pm when at sea and 6:30 on port days. We never waited for a table and had the same waiter every time. Those without reservations waited on line.

[LeftcoastBC]

Interesting thread. Going to use select for the first time soon. I see where people prebook. Hi exactly do you do that? On line or TA. I just thought anytime was anytime but I would like a bit of a change. Maybe dine with other folks we meet or just pull up and say we will sit with anyone. (Maybe). :D

I can see the various methods everyone has written here. Any other comments or idea appreciated

 

Thanks

[wsckky]

Since you have assigned seating in the MDR, that is what you have, not Select Dining, which is no assigned time. You may be able to change to Select after you board fi that is what you wish. Personnel will be at a desk in front of the MDR to take requests for changing your table or assigned time or to change from traditional to Select.

We prefer to eat earlier than 8:30pm but could not switch. Will definitely try after we are on the ship. Thanks for your advice :) .

[kevinyork]

Interesting thread. Going to use select for the first time soon. I see where people prebook. Hi exactly do you do that? On line or TA. I just thought anytime was anytime but I would like a bit of a change. Maybe dine with other folks we meet or just pull up and say we will sit with anyone. (Maybe). :D

 

I can see the various methods everyone has written here. Any other comments or idea appreciated

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

You can reserve Select Dining times in your planner. It’s under the dining selection. Choose the select dining option and reserve for each evening. Even if you have reserved when you turn up you can ask to share a table but you might have to wait a while for a table to fill up with others wanting to share.

 

When we first started cruising Celebrity Select Dining worked great, truly flexible and no need to reserve. However as our cruises have gone on we’ve experienced issues and on one cruise the Martini Bar was full of people with buzzers some waiting up to an hour. One couple we met were told there was no availability for a table for 2 for them all the Cruise unless they came when the restaurant opened which meant they shared a table every night.

 

We now prebook each evening in advance. We like to have cocktails before dinner and don’t want to do that, arrive at Select and given a buzzer and have to go back to a bar again.

 

Personally, I don’t think anyone should be able to prebook Select. Doing so reduces the flexibility for everyone else.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[laticmon]

We have never made any reservations at all for Select dining. That would defeat the whole purpose of Select dining, for our style of cruising. As you can see from this thread, different cruisers have different preferences re: reservations.

 

These are my thoughts exactly as we prefer the freedom of anytime dining. Maybe I was overly concerned that certain "bookable" times were not available, having already been pre-booked. we have plenty of port days and so don't want to be tied down to a certain time. We don't mind waiting a short while; so now that someone has confirmed that tables are set aside for walk-ins then that's fine by us

[gold1953]

We prefer to eat earlier than 8:30pm but could not switch. Will definitely try after we are on the ship. Thanks for your advice :) .

 

That happened to us and I will not eat later than 7 . it is just not in my body clock as I am an earlier riser , early to bed folk and if I eat the late I do not sleep. I called and said they need to take me off the list as it will have to be the buffet and please remove the dining room grats. 2 days later I had early dining

I was not just making up the story to switch. I was serious!

[4774Papa]

We never reserve a time for select dining. We normally go to the Elite happy hour until about 7, then migrate with our new cc roll call friends to the dining room. Never had to wait more than 10 minutes on 10 X cruises.

[Aus ATC]

We enjoy the "select" on Celebrity or "my time" on Royal Carribean. Generally we book the same time each night - we just find the traditional dining times too early or late for us. Our choice does mean we sometimes miss the late show, but c'est la vie.

[laslomas]

We have always just wandered up to Select Dining when we feel like it, never booked, and although we have been given a buzzer a few times hardly ever waited more than 10 minutes. Except the time that the buzzer was not working!!

 

The Select dining always seemed to work perfectly well up until a few years ago, I do not think they even had the buzzers. But with more and more passengers making bookings the format has failed. I wish it would return to a true Select dining and probably the situation would improve. I do not know from one day to the next when I will want to eat, that is the fun of a cruise. So much to do, so many people to chat to. :D :):cool::ship:

[LeftcoastBC]

We never reserve a time for select dining. We normally go to the Elite happy hour until about 7, then migrate with our new cc roll call friends to the dining room. Never had to wait more than 10 minutes on 10 X cruises.

 

Now that seems just right. Look me up sometime :D