Will MDR wait times now be even longer?

[steveso]

I haven’t read all 27 pages of this thread but we love cruises on lines such as Celebrity and RC because of the total flexibility that a lunch and evening buffet allows both as we are vegetarian and also to get to shows and similar. Is it really true that the evening buffet will be greatly curtailed?

[jwlane]

Lots of theorizing, but I'm yet to see where anyone talking about the "lines" has provided any evidence that there has been a substantive wait for a table.

[Julma]

I think the changes will have some impact on MDR.  The new charge for room service and limiting choices at OVC will push people to the MDR no doubt.  Some will make do with limited OVC choices.  As far as "speculation" goes, I blame Celebrity for not passing on timely information regarding these changes.  I have read rumors pertaining to extra charges on second entrees, lobster tails, room service.  Elimination of turn down, limited choices at dinner in OVC, limited new menu at MDR.  Time for Celebrity to list changes (good and bad) at least for those who have already booked.  Celebrity's website had room services as an included benefit days after they had started charging people in real time. Many passengers are not on these boards and arrived on a ship with expectations that Celebrity didn't follow through on.  As a consumer, that bothers me.  If these cutbacks don't impact your trip, maybe the next ones will and you could be past final payment or on the ship before you're even aware.   I find the changes lazy and the lack of communication shady.  I have 3 cruises booked with Celebrity, that I am sure I will enjoy.  I have spent over 60 days on Celebrity since August 2021.  I'm not ruling them out, however I will watch closely and not make them my default.  It's disappointing.  

[CaribbeanBound]

At what point can we make reservations for a dining time (when we're on anytime dining).

 

[the penguins]

6 hours ago, CaribbeanBound said:

At what point can we make reservations for a dining time (when we're on anytime dining).

 

Usually as soon as you've booked 

[upwarduk]

6 hours ago, CaribbeanBound said:

At what point can we make reservations for a dining time (when we're on anytime dining).

 

I’ve made them in December for an August cruise.

[CaribbeanBound]

Interesting, I'm aware of the ability to reserve a "seating", but when that's not available or you elected "Anytime Dining" I've not been able to locate anywhere on the website to book times for each individual day.  Anyone know exactly where I can find the ability to make daily reservations?

[prmssk]

16 minutes ago, CaribbeanBound said:

Interesting, I'm aware of the ability to reserve a "seating", but when that's not available or you elected "Anytime Dining" I've not been able to locate anywhere on the website to book times for each individual day.  Anyone know exactly where I can find the ability to make daily reservations?

It's under dining on the website.  Scroll down below all the specialty dining options and you should see a select dining option.  It's also on the app, on the page that lists your room number.  Scroll down and you should see Celebrity Select Dining Anytime with a link to Make a Reservation.

[CaribbeanBound]

Thank you.  It worked.  I did it online as I haven't downloaded the app yet.  I've never had to go through the process of reserving dinner times on a daily basis (adding each day to the cart as I progressed through all 11 nights of the cruise).  Interesting.  Lots of time choices.  Although I couldn't get the set 6pm dinner seating in advance when I booked the cruise, I was able to get a daily 6pm dinner reservation, so I'm good.  

[jelayne]

On 1/7/2023 at 2:10 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I'll answer for you. Celebrity hasn't eliminated fixed dining times on all ships (yet) as was suggested in post #16 (which I was responding to). 

 

The bottom line is that there will be more people forced into the Main Dining room due to lack of choice at the buffet. I can't see how this will lead to shorter lines.

 

 

 

 

 

Without eliminating traditional fixed dining it won’t lead to shorter lines.    But it will reduce the wasting of food that was prepared to fill all the buffet stations some of which was barely touched.

[NutsAboutGolf]

7 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Without eliminating traditional fixed dining it won’t lead to shorter lines.    But it will reduce the wasting of food that was prepared to fill all the buffet stations some of which was barely touched.

 

I suppose X making better tasting quality food is out of the question...

[Georgia_Peaches]

On 1/7/2023 at 7:32 AM, LadySpoilt said:

On our recent Apex cruise we noticed how long the lines to get into MDR were and all the pagers being given out.  With the recent change to the buffet I suspect the lines to become even longer.  My question is how this will be handled?  We eat early so we were able to almost be seated immediately but by 6:15 or so the lines to get in were very long. Yes, while I know you can make reservations I wonder just how long you would have to wait.  Example....you have 6:30 reservations, you arrive at dining room however the lines just to sign in were sometimes all the way down the hall. Just to get to the desk you were going to be waiting in a long line so just how good is making a reservation going to be?  Granted I suppose you could "dig" your way though the crowds to get to the desk but at times even that was difficult as there we so many in line and only a single person at the sign in desk.  So your 6:30 reservation to get in and then be seated was already closer to probably 7 or later.

On several cruises I’ve experienced, long lines at the MDR were handled by offering complimentary dining at one of the specialties. Happened to us once on Equinox where were were offered Tuscan grill and on Silhouette where were were offered Lawn Club Grill. I predict the elimination of dinner service in the buffet will be short lived.