Dining confusion for The Edge

[mimbecky]

We are a couple traveling on the Edge in May.  As usual we have chosen to have traditional early dining at a 6-8 tabletop. We enjoy eating with the same "new" people most evenings.  Apparently on the Edge there are 4 "main" dining rooms that you can visit for dinner.  I am a bit confused.

    - Will we be assigned a specific dining room since we have traditional seating?

    - Can we just show up at the other choices on occasion, or do we need to make reservations?

    - If we visit a different one, is there an opportunity to sit with other people or is that unusual.  I know in the past this is common choice for anytime dining.

 

If we are indeed assigned a specific room, opinions please on which we should request in advance?

[Jim_Iain]

Maybe others can fill you in on current protocol of sitting at a larger table but Edge class is a different layout than the huge main dining room.   As you said their are 4 dining rooms and you can select one as  your main dining room i space is available.  I believe you can do it online.    After that you can eat at any of them on a space available basis by making a reservation either by stopping by or using your app. 

 

I don't believe they are currently seating guests who do not arrive together  or are reservations are joined with others due to covid protocol. 

 

We have only dined once in the MDR as a Suite Guest and the dining rooms are beautiful and intimate.  We really enjoyed our visit.  I didn't notice any large tables (8-10 Tops) but they might be able to put them together.    Most of the dining room were 2, 4 and 6 tops.

 

You can either make a reservation or just show up.  I you just show up you may be given a beeper and and they will page you when your table is ready.  The night we were there there were about 20-30 waiting.

 

I seem to remember that when Edge first launched they had fixed seating also where you either had early or late dining and was in one of the restaurants only.

[kwokpot]

9 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

I seem to remember that when Edge first launched they had fixed seating also where you either had early or late dining and was in one of the restaurants only.

Yes pre-pandemic you were assigned a dining room which is only revealed when you embark and see the information card in your cabin. Then if you wanted to eat at another dining room you had to check with the host of the dining room and see if there's space available. Since the restart I haven't requested set seating so I don't know exactly how they're doing it now, but I don't think you can make advance reservations unless you chose Select Dining. I think you will have to make those reservations on board or just show up at the dining room and time you would like to dine. Someone else can correct me, but I'm assuming the assigned Dining Room Card Will still be in your cabin.

 

Edited February 12, 2022 by kwokpot

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

I don't believe they are currently seating guests who do not arrive together  or are reservations are joined with others due to covid protocol. 

 

Was on the edge in last July, perhaps things have changed since then but they were indeed sitting strangers together at all three meals.  I had select dining so do not know if you always sit the same people.  

[judla]

On the Edge in 2020 we had select seating and never made a reservation, just showed up.  I think if you know others and show up together they will seat you together, but that was pre Covid.  We always looked at the menu first then decided where to eat that night.  We were not given a "main dining room".

[kwokpot]

4 minutes ago, judla said:

On the Edge in 2020 we had select seating and never made a reservation, just showed up.  I think if you know others and show up together they will seat you together, but that was pre Covid.  We always looked at the menu first then decided where to eat that night.  We were not given a "main dining room".

By definition you had Select dining which doesn't assign a dining room. The OP has chosen traditional Early seating.

[jelayne]

Traditional seating you will be assigned a dining room,  table and the same wait staff. When we were on they were not doing shared tables but that could change by May.  
No matter what dining room you are assigned to you can order the “special dishes” from any of the 4 MDRs so the only reason to change would be to see the different decor, menu is all the same and good is excellent. 

[mimbecky]

2 hours ago, jelayne said:

Traditional seating you will be assigned a dining room,  table and the same wait staff. When we were on they were not doing shared tables but that could change by May.  
No matter what dining room you are assigned to you can order the “special dishes” from any of the 4 MDRs so the only reason to change would be to see the different decor, menu is all the same and good is excellent. 

Ahhh, this helps quite a bit.  Can you the see the "special dishes" from the other MDRs on the menu or do you need to look them up in advance on the app or TV or something?  Here is hoping they let us share tables by them.  Reducing mask mandates is a start 🙂

[rebar-art]

I was on the Edge in January and am going again in a few weeks. We never made any reservations and never had to wait for a table. As we met people on board, we would sometimes plan to have dinner together and just coordinate when and which one to meet. Michael in Cyprus is just fantastic and has been sailing with Celebrity for many years. He always makes us feel very special so even when we are in Aquaclass or a Suite, we make sure to dine with him during the voyage. 

Since we change waiters with the different restaurants, I try to remember to bring cash for individual tips. We also particularly enjoy dining in Eden and La Petit Chef.

Let me know if you have any more questions. 

[bama4cruisin]

9 hours ago, mimbecky said:

Ahhh, this helps quite a bit.  Can you the see the "special dishes" from the other MDRs on the menu or do you need to look them up in advance on the app or TV or something?  Here is hoping they let us share tables by them.  Reducing mask mandates is a start 🙂

On the menu, you will see 3 sections; 2 of the sections, the nightly dishes that are offered THAT night across all 4 restaurants and the “Classics” or always available that are the same every night in all 4.
 

 You will also see the “Exclusives “, which are the dishes for that restaurant.  There are 3 starters, 3 entrees and then one dessert (shown on the dessert menu) for each restaurant.  You will NOT see the “exclusives “ from the other 3 restaurants.   However, they do not change so once you familiarize yourself with those items from the app, you will be fine as they remain the same.

 

a couple of suggestions from the exclusives:

 

Cyprus- the Greek Style Grilled Sea Bass (entree) and Hot Melted Cheese Saganaki (starter)

 

Normandie -  Baked Brie (starter), Beef Tenderloin en Croute (entree) and Opera Cake (dessert)

 

Enjoy your cruise!  Beautiful ship!

[sunnymonkey]

Is there one dining room where all the unvaccinated are seated? I believe some other cruise line was doing this. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

13 hours ago, jelayne said:

so the only reason to change would be to see the different decor, menu is all the same and good is excellent. 

 

For whatever reason on my Edge sailing which was 60%-ish capacity, Normandie always had a wait, one night was 45mins for a table for two.  I did find out that any MDR host is able to see the wait times at all the other MDRs.  

[kwokpot]

31 minutes ago, sunnymonkey said:

Is there one dining room where all the unvaccinated are seated? I believe some other cruise line was doing this. 

NO