dining times

[brovol]

My wife and I are sailing the Apex in April, and will be with other couples and a single, totaling 9.  Our bookings have us with 6pm fixed dining.  We were all hoping to get an earlier time, so I called and asked about switching to the anytime dining option, and was told that I could switch, but it wouldn't help because all main dining rooms open at 6, so that is the earliest you can be seated.  First cruise (out of 40+ cruises) I can remember which doesn't have dining in main dining room seating prior to 6.  This is our first with Celebrity however. 

 

Does that sound right?  No main dining room option prior to 6pm on the Apex?

[PTC DAWG]

Sounds right to me, and early.  I'm just getting cocktail hours started then.  🙂

Edited December 21, 2023 by PTC DAWG

[jelayne]

Where are you sailing?  Our cruise n tx month in the Caribbean shows the MDRs opening at 5:30.  But on some itineraries it has been 6.

[doghog]

17 minutes ago, brovol said:

My wife and I are sailing the Apex in April, and will be with other couples and a single, totaling 9.  Our bookings have us with 6pm fixed dining.  We were all hoping to get an earlier time, so I called and asked about switching to the anytime dining option, and was told that I could switch, but it wouldn't help because all main dining rooms open at 6, so that is the earliest you can be seated.  First cruise (out of 40+ cruises) I can remember which doesn't have dining in main dining room seating prior to 6.  This is our first with Celebrity however. 

 

Does that sound right?  No main dining room option prior to 6pm on the Apex?

The Apex doesn't do early or late TD.  The four MDRs are open at 5:30. Show up at the time and at the MDR of you choice when you are ready. 

[brovol]

6 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Where are you sailing?  Our cruise n tx month in the Caribbean shows the MDRs opening at 5:30.  But on some itineraries it has been 6.

Western Caribbean.

[jelayne]

Did you check on the app, it will show times for dining rooms.

 

[brovol]

1 minute ago, doghog said:

The Apex doesn't do early or late TD.  The four MDRs are open at 5:30. Show up at the time and at the MDR of you choice when you are ready. 

Thats what I thought/hopped.  But I called and the Celebrity rep (who also seemed a bit surprised) said earliest seating is 6, and confirmed that our group had fixed dining at 6.

[doghog]

10 minutes ago, brovol said:

Thats what I thought/hopped.  But I called and the Celebrity rep (who also seemed a bit surprised) said earliest seating is 6, and confirmed that our group had fixed dining at 6.

The call center rep probably has never even stepped foot on a Celebrity cruise. 

 

We were on the Apex in March 2023. I made 6:PM ATD reservations pre cruise in our CP. Once on board we were advised reservations would not be honored for ATD and the Apex wasn't doing early or late TD either. MDRs open at 5:30. We showed up every evening at 6 and were able to get the same two top table each evening with no waiting. We elected to go to the same MDR each evening. 

[cruisestitch]

14 minutes ago, brovol said:

Thats what I thought/hopped.  But I called and the Celebrity rep (who also seemed a bit surprised) said earliest seating is 6, and confirmed that our group had fixed dining at 6.

You don’t have fixed dining despite the appearances because the e class ships don’t have fixed dining.  What you, and tge clueless representative saw, is an artefact of the booking system.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

What the difference between 5:30 and 6 ? 
 

[brovol]

23 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

What the difference between 5:30 and 6 ? 
 

Half hour.

[brovol]

Our travel agent (who booked our entire group) called, and was just told by the celebrity TA rep the same thing I was told.  Perhaps recent change?

[jelayne]

Did you check the app?  Our Jan Caribbean cruise the MDRs open at 5:30.

[hcat]

show up at 5:30..worst scenario is you will wait til they open...

[locksley10]

5:30 isn't that lunch time😁

[Ex-Airbalancer]

6 minutes ago, locksley10 said:

5:30 isn't that lunch time😁

It use to be sushi time when when they use to sushi in the OVC 😁

[doghog]

1 hour ago, brovol said:

Our travel agent (who booked our entire group) called, and was just told by the celebrity TA rep the same thing I was told.  Perhaps recent change?

I still wouldn't take that as accurate information. With that many people in your group that want to be seated together you should go directly to the MDR when you first board the ship and speak with host and let her/him know your party size and requested dining time. Do you plan on eating in the same MDR each evening?  The Apex has four MDRs that you can eat in. 

[brovol]

3 minutes ago, doghog said:

I still wouldn't take that as accurate information. With that many people in your group that want to be seated together you should go directly to the MDR when you first board the ship and speak with host and let her/him know your party size and requested dining time. Do you plan on eating in the same MDR each evening?  The Apex has four MDRs that you can eat in. 

Would prefer to eat at least once in each of the dining rooms.

 

We will follow your advice, and try to reserve once on board.  On the app it says reservations start at 5:15, but wont let me reserve anything in any of the rooms.  So I agree, I'm not getting perfect information.

[doghog]

35 minutes ago, brovol said:

Would prefer to eat at least once in each of the dining rooms.

 

We will follow your advice, and try to reserve once on board.  On the app it says reservations start at 5:15, but wont let me reserve anything in any of the rooms.  So I agree, I'm not getting perfect information.

One thing about the app is, consistently inconsistent. I'm sure it will all workout for you. Enjoy. 🍷

Edited December 21, 2023 by doghog