Apex Dining Headache

[Cruisegoer]

So back in February 2021 we booked the Apex for February 2022. At the time we chose a traditional early seating.  Since the Apex has no single main dining room and the Cruise Planner allowed for reservations to be made at each of the individual complimentary dining rooms (Cosmopolitan, Tuscan, Cyprus and Normandie) I decided to schedule different nights during our 7 night sailing to try each shortly after our deposit in February 2021.  Just like if we were reserving dinner in a specialty restaurant. Yesterday, approximately 6 weeks before our sailing, I received emails from Celebrity canceling every one of these reservations.  The best explanation I could get from Celebrity Enhancements was because of the selection for Early seating meant we are assigned a single restaurant the entirety of our cruise.  So much for choices and this new concept of 4 complimentary restaurants onboard with limited overlap.

[LGW59]

2 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

So back in February 2021 we booked the Apex for February 2022. At the time we chose a traditional early seating.  Since the Apex has no single main dining room and the Cruise Planner allowed for reservations to be made at each of the individual complimentary dining rooms (Cosmopolitan, Tuscan, Cyprus and Normandie) I decided to schedule different nights during our 7 night sailing to try each shortly after our deposit in February 2021.  Just like if we were reserving dinner in a specialty restaurant. Yesterday, approximately 6 weeks before our sailing, I received emails from Celebrity canceling every one of these reservations.  The best explanation I could get from Celebrity Enhancements was because of the selection for Early seating meant we are assigned a single restaurant the entirety of our cruise.  So much for choices and this new concept of 4 complimentary restaurants onboard with limited overlap.

Really not an issue as you can do so once on board.

[SNJCruisers]

If you must have your early dining, once you're on board you can make arrangements to visit the other 3 MDR's besides the one that you're assigned to.  No reason to get a fit over this.  If you had chosen anytime dining, you could have given yourself a 600 pm slot each night once reservations had opened up for your sailing.  Either way, don't fret, you'll be accommodated once you're on board.

[jelayne]

When you selected traditional dining that means, same time, same location, same table.  If you want to rotate dining rooms you can try and move to Select dining if that is still available.

If that isn't possible then when you are on the ship speak to the Maitre D  of the dining room you are assigned and tell them that you would like to try the other dining rooms.  Generally they have been able to do this.  

 

While each dining room has a set of  " special"  items that are unique to that restaurant the majority the the menu in the 4 MDRs is the same.  Many have reported that you can order the "special" items from 1 MDR even if you are seated in another MDR.

[Ipeeinthepools]

30 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

So back in February 2021 we booked the Apex for February 2022. At the time we chose a traditional early seating.  Since the Apex has no single main dining room and the Cruise Planner allowed for reservations to be made at each of the individual complimentary dining rooms (Cosmopolitan, Tuscan, Cyprus and Normandie) I decided to schedule different nights during our 7 night sailing to try each shortly after our deposit in February 2021.  Just like if we were reserving dinner in a specialty restaurant. Yesterday, approximately 6 weeks before our sailing, I received emails from Celebrity canceling every one of these reservations.  The best explanation I could get from Celebrity Enhancements was because of the selection for Early seating meant we are assigned a single restaurant the entirety of our cruise.  So much for choices and this new concept of 4 complimentary restaurants onboard with limited overlap.

 

Perhaps this is a Covid related procedure.  This would be one way to minimize contact between guests and waiters.

[kwokpot]

36 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

So back in February 2021 we booked the Apex for February 2022. At the time we chose a traditional early seating.

 

36 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

So much for choices and this new concept of 4 complimentary restaurants onboard with limited overlap.

I don't understand your frustration. You seem to have wanted it both ways. Traditional Early Seating by DEFINITION means eating in the SAME place at the same time, yet what you are looking for is Select Dining but eating at an early time. You should just to Select Dining.

[Denny01]

Before we get too wrapped up in traditional and select and what it meant w one MDR and now 4….

 

We cruised on the Edge in Mar 2019 prior to the Pandemic, then on the Apex this Thanksgiving. We had traditional dining set at Cypress.
 

on the Edge w a pretty full ship, after our first night meal, we told the M’D we wanted Cosmopolitan. They set us up. We then moved to all the others. We did a B2B and moved thru all of them. Picked our favorites and focused on those. 
 

on the Apex, and I assume due to less than 60% passengers, they told us to just step into wherever and whenever. But we usually set time and which one w the staff. I think as we moved from one to another, we had the same table and staff when we repeated, many times 
 

id assume once the ships are back close to full, they will want you to let them know but that’s how it works with 4 MDRs. You are Not assigned one MDR, one time, one table. 
 

just get onboard and let them know what you wish to do. 
 

den

Edited December 21, 2021 by Denny01

[wallyh4184]

No matter what dining room you are in you can order from the other restaurants, we were on Apex for the November 4th cruise, we were Tuscan for the cruise our server to great care of us.  

Edited December 22, 2021 by wallyh4184

[gaunerdog]

On our Apex cruise ending on 12/11, we were assigned to the Normandie. We went there the first night, but as the other person posted you can visit any of the 4 restaurants on any day. Just walk up without any reservation and they will seat you at anytime during dining hours. There was no difficulty and yes you could order from any of the other restaurant menus for that night as well as Celebrity's Classic menus.  If you opt for other specialty dining I would suggest Le Petit Chef($55 pp) and a great show as well, for one evening. We also returned for lunch in this restaurant($20 pp) and it was extraordinary. We also visited Raw on Five for lunch($20pp) and it to was great.

[Cruisegoer]

17 hours ago, kwokpot said:

 

I don't understand your frustration. You seem to have wanted it both ways. Traditional Early Seating by DEFINITION means eating in the SAME place at the same time, yet what you are looking for is Select Dining but eating at an early time. You should just to Select Dining.

Um no, traditional early seating dining means eating at a select time consistently and not showing up between 5-9.  Historically this isn't an issue since ships only had 1 main complimentary "sit down" dining area.  Experience shows us that with Specialty restaurants you still choose your Main dining preference then make reservations to attend any other dining venue (sans buffet of course).  I'm sorry, I've been cruising for well over 30 years so perhaps you don't know exactly how classic cruising has worked. Lastly, yes, I'm paying for my vacation experience so I want it customized to my preference, would you like to tell me that's wrong? Maybe it was wrong of Celebrity's Cruise Planner to allow me to schedule reservations in the various dining rooms for the full week only to cancel them 10 months later.  I'm sure you would be much more understanding and less frustrated had it happened to you.

[Ipeeinthepools]

2 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

Um no, traditional early seating dining means eating at a select time consistently and not showing up between 5-9.  Historically this isn't an issue since ships only had 1 main complimentary "sit down" dining area.  Experience shows us that with Specialty restaurants you still choose your Main dining preference then make reservations to attend any other dining venue (sans buffet of course).  I'm sorry, I've been cruising for well over 30 years so perhaps you don't know exactly how classic cruising has worked. Lastly, yes, I'm paying for my vacation experience so I want it customized to my preference, would you like to tell me that's wrong? Maybe it was wrong of Celebrity's Cruise Planner to allow me to schedule reservations in the various dining rooms for the full week only to cancel them 10 months later.  I'm sure you would be much more understanding and less frustrated had it happened to you.

 

What happens if you back and try to make your reservations again?

[Cruisegoer]

2 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

What happens if you back and try to make your reservations again?

It will not allow for it, it says we are not "flex dining guests"

[Ipeeinthepools]

2 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

It will not allow for it, it says we are not "flex dining guests"

 

Have called Celebrity or your TA and asked them to return you to Flex Dining?

[Cruisegoer]

Just now, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Have called Celebrity or your TA and asked them to return you to Flex Dining?

Yes, nothing's happened as of yet. 

[DCPIV]

10 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

Um no, traditional early seating dining means eating at a select time consistently and not showing up between 5-9.  Historically this isn't an issue since ships only had 1 main complimentary "sit down" dining area.  Experience shows us that with Specialty restaurants you still choose your Main dining preference then make reservations to attend any other dining venue (sans buffet of course).  I'm sorry, I've been cruising for well over 30 years so perhaps you don't know exactly how classic cruising has worked. Lastly, yes, I'm paying for my vacation experience so I want it customized to my preference, would you like to tell me that's wrong? Maybe it was wrong of Celebrity's Cruise Planner to allow me to schedule reservations in the various dining rooms for the full week only to cancel them 10 months later.  I'm sure you would be much more understanding and less frustrated had it happened to you.

 

I'm not sure what you're on about.  At least with regard to the larger lines (RCL, Celebrity, etc.), traditional dining has been at an assigned time and table, not just an assigned time.  I only started cruising in 1995, so I may not have the benefit of all your experience, but I recall that much.

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 minute ago, Cruisegoer said:

Yes, nothing's happened as of yet. 

 

I'm not sure why you're waiting.  If I booked direct, I would be on the phone with Celebrity until they resolve the issue.  If I booked with a TA, I would expect the TA to be on the phone until it's resolved.

[RichYak]

16 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

Um no, traditional early seating dining means eating at a select time consistently

As far back as I can recall, traditional seating on X is not just the same time. It has always meant the same table with the same wait staff as well. By extension, this would have to mean the same dining room also.

[Cruisegoer]

18 minutes ago, RichYak said:

As far back as I can recall, traditional seating on X is not just the same time. It has always meant the same table with the same wait staff as well. By extension, this would have to mean the same dining room also.

The point is there have never been multiple dining rooms to choose from.

[Bo1953]

51 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

Um no, traditional early seating dining means eating at a select time consistently and not showing up between 5-9.  Historically this isn't an issue since ships only had 1 main complimentary "sit down" dining area.  Experience shows us that with Specialty restaurants you still choose your Main dining preference then make reservations to attend any other dining venue (sans buffet of course).  I'm sorry, I've been cruising for well over 30 years so perhaps you don't know exactly how classic cruising has worked. Lastly, yes, I'm paying for my vacation experience so I want it customized to my preference, would you like to tell me that's wrong? Maybe it was wrong of Celebrity's Cruise Planner to allow me to schedule reservations in the various dining rooms for the full week only to cancel them 10 months later.  I'm sure you would be much more understanding and less frustrated had it happened to you.

c - methinks you may have 'missed' OR not understood how the new dining venues work on The Edge Class ships.

 

Have you sailed on X in the last five (5) years, would be my question in response.

 

Most of us know and understand how 'traditional dining' worked before then and still today, especially on The Edge Class of ships, unfortunately it sounds like you did not know or understand how this works with multiple dining venues available at no charge.

 

CP allowed you to book your choices when you did either through a glitch OR your preferences were logged at the time the selections were made.

 

Nothing wrong with wanting to 'customize' your vacation, yet when there are policies in place for this, then we must adhere to them. X, IMO allows for lots of customization's on The Edge Class, we just need to understand how to do it and not be upset when we, with help from X's IT, can throw things askew....

 

Now you know what needs to be done, I Am sure it will be changed/corrected to your greatest satisfaction.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

[RichYak]

22 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

The point is there have never been multiple dining rooms to choose from.

Sorry, the point is that you made an incorrect assumption. Same table and waitstaff should have made it obvious to you that you're in the same room with traditional dining.

[Cruisegoer]

9 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Sorry, the point is that you made an incorrect assumption. Same table and waitstaff should have made it obvious to you that you're in the same room with traditional dining.

Okay, do you feel validated now? Lord forbid someone voice a dissatisfaction. It's a great thing keyboard warriors like you step up to shut them down!  Cheers to you and God Bless on this holy Christmas holiday!

[Cruisegoer]

24 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

c - methinks you may have 'missed' OR not understood how the new dining venues work on The Edge Class ships.

 

Have you sailed on X in the last five (5) years, would be my question in response.

 

Most of us know and understand how 'traditional dining' worked before then and still today, especially on The Edge Class of ships, unfortunately it sounds like you did not know or understand how this works with multiple dining venues available at no charge.

 

CP allowed you to book your choices when you did either through a glitch OR your preferences were logged at the time the selections were made.

 

Nothing wrong with wanting to 'customize' your vacation, yet when there are policies in place for this, then we must adhere to them. X, IMO allows for lots of customization's on The Edge Class, we just need to understand how to do it and not be upset when we, with help from X's IT, can throw things askew....

 

Now you know what needs to be done, I Am sure it will be changed/corrected to your greatest satisfaction.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

When was your last cruise?  Seems you have plenty of input but there is virtually nothing in your profile identifying sailings you've been on.

Edited December 22, 2021 by Cruisegoer

[jagoffee]

Obviously is someone wants to book different restaurants at different times they should not pick Traditional dining, but Select instead.

 

On the other hand the Celebrity system should not allow you to pick different restaurants and times if you pick traditional dining, so that is a valid complaint.

 

I am confident that the OP willl be able to change to Select and make their reservations.  (Even with their lack of Christmas spirit)

Edited December 22, 2021 by jagoffee

[Bo1953]

1 minute ago, Cruisegoer said:

I know you like to stalk me on these boards and comment on every post I make, let me wave hello to you with my Christmas finger once again.  Cheers

I think my comments hit a nerve, then, and may be correct in observation.

 

Stalk you? No desire for that, as opposed to responding to posts accordingly.

 

Please wave your New Years finger as well... LOL

 

😎

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

[dazey]

We sailed a few weeks ago and made reservations at the 4 non-specialty restaurants and 3 of the specialty restaurants ahead of time.  Once on board I changed my time selection and was told it was not a problem and no need to cancel.  I was surprised to hear I did not have to cancel the 8:30 time slot and then just went at 6 PM without a problem.  I am sure you will be able to arrange what you want either before sailing and then, if you want, can rearrange your selections once on board.