flagger Posted September 12, 2007 #1 Share Posted September 12, 2007 My TA told me yesterday that her Key Account Rep for Celebrity told her that Celebrity was definitely going to be offering a version of anytime dining on the Solstice class ships. Their internal research shows a large percentage of their client base wants choices for their dining experience and anytime dining was definitely one of them. I say good for them giving their clients what they want and still offering the traditional set dining times for those who wish it. It is good to have choices when you cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkjretired Posted September 12, 2007 #2 Share Posted September 12, 2007 My TA told me yesterday that her Key Account Rep for Celebrity told her that Celebrity was definitely going to be offering a version of anytime dining on the Solstice class ships. Their internal research shows a large percentage of their client base wants choices for their dining experience and anytime dining was definitely one of them. I say good for them giving their clients what they want and still offering the traditional set dining times for those who wish it. It is good to have choices when you cruise. I think for many Celebrity cruisers this would not be welcome but I don't see a big problem if they offer both. I would predict that the set dining times would not last long on the Solstice class if they do both for awhile. Eventually several years down the line, IMHO set dining times will be gone. As with anything involving the Celebrity rumor mill, I will not believe it until they officially announce it. In the past everyone from room stewards to Captains have been wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocngypz Posted September 12, 2007 #3 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Open dining? Well then they'd better learn to do it correctly. It was not particularly conducive to a pleasant dining experience on the Azamara Journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC2OC Posted September 12, 2007 #4 Share Posted September 12, 2007 We prefer traditional dining but there are times when open dining would caome in handy.If we had to make a hard choice before the cruise we would choose traditional and book one of the other ventures when there was a conflict.My biggest gripe with anytime dining is waiting in lines. I been told it's common on NCL...................................Frank:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C 2 C Posted September 12, 2007 #5 Share Posted September 12, 2007 I say good for them giving their clients what they want and still offering the traditional set dining times for those who wish it. It is good to have choices when you cruise. I'm all for more options. RCL is introducing this on one of their ships shortly and I'm sure it will be introduced on X as well. I would love to have a set 7:00 to 7:30 dining time rather than the choices offered now.... but no lines... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chessbriar Posted September 12, 2007 #6 Share Posted September 12, 2007 We'll see what happens. It's not an option when you book. We still only have the options of Main or Late Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memcrus Posted September 12, 2007 #7 Share Posted September 12, 2007 the open dining concept is being tested on several Freedom of the Seas cruises in October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hajekfam Posted September 12, 2007 #8 Share Posted September 12, 2007 If I was guaranteed my choice of traditional dining, I would be in favor of offering choices. But if I would end up waitlisted for traditional, I would feel they were making a big mistake. We love traditional at large tables where we get to meet and talk to the same people each night. I would hate to have to keep repeating the same opening dinner conversation each night - "Hi - we're X and Y and we're from .... Where are you from? X is retired and I'm a...... Have you cruised before?, etc." Might as well get a tape recording.:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseyguy Posted September 12, 2007 #9 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Open seating dining should not be a challenge for those who have eaten at restaurants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocngypz Posted September 12, 2007 #10 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Open seating dining should not be a challenge for those who have eaten at restaurants. Not for the diners..but for the staff in the dining room.. and in the kitchen..... it is. When I was running my hotel.... new employees were assigned banquet duties which is the equivalent of traditional dining on ships... because it is easier. The experienced staff worked the main dining room. Problem is.... the majority of Cel/AZ staff.... only have "banquet" experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare hcat Posted September 12, 2007 #11 Share Posted September 12, 2007 :( I would only be interested in anytime dining if we could be guaranteed a table for two--at open seating breakfast & lunch it is a real pain to have to introduce yourself to a bunch of strangers each time you sit down to have a meal.. You also cannot select table location & often get stuck at a large table not yet full waiting forever to order..It is better than the buffet & OK for breakfast & lunch but not for dinner. With a set time you can get to know your table mates & servers--it runs very smoothly after the first night or two,,, & if you want to change your table you can request to do so. So if they change it, we'd prefer traditional seating but once that goes by the boards we would want a table for 2... We are booked for the inaugural on Solstice so may get to try this sooner rather than later! Overall this type of dining will dinimish the celebrity experience.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted September 12, 2007 #12 Share Posted September 12, 2007 Hi Everyone ! While I will always favor Traditional Dining, I fully understand the need for choice. I am fine with that. As long as Celebrity comes up with a system that will allow Traditional Dining, along with Open Seating Dining choices, I feel it will be a win-win for everyone. Let's hope Celebrity will come up with a plan that will work for everyone ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseyguy Posted September 12, 2007 #13 Share Posted September 12, 2007 ocngypz-Good analogy with banquet dining and I can see where staff training and requirements would be much different. You had a hotel.....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctipton55 Posted September 13, 2007 #14 Share Posted September 13, 2007 It is all about choices, being asked for by clients and by those coming over to Celebrity from other lines. Also competing between the lines. Holland America is going to have traditional and "as you wish" dining on all ships by mid next year. The next day Royal Caribbean announced it was testing it out. Soon they will probably all have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negc Posted September 13, 2007 #15 Share Posted September 13, 2007 The devil is in the details. I don't think that many would object if Celebrity can learn from Princess' mistakes and provide both options and satisfy the majority of its guests. The difficulty will be accommodating those who request traditional along with those who want some form of open dining. Princess' insistence on providing more dining rooms for anytime dining even when those requesting traditional vastly outnumber those requesting anytime, results in long waiting lists which usually end up with guests being forced into anytime dining regardless of how far in advance they book. The comparison with dining at a land-based restaurant completely ignores the different dining experience that a cruise has traditionally offered. Somehow getting a beeper when my table onboard ship is not ready, is not the kind of dining experience that I look forward to. It happens when I am at a restaurant on land, why should I be thrilled at the prospect of it happening on the ship?:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxuriate Posted September 13, 2007 #16 Share Posted September 13, 2007 If I was guaranteed my choice of traditional dining, I would be in favor of offering choices. But if I would end up waitlisted for traditional, I would feel they were making a big mistake. We love traditional at large tables where we get to meet and talk to the same people each night. I would hate to have to keep repeating the same opening dinner conversation each night - "Hi - we're X and Y and we're from .... Where are you from? X is retired and I'm a...... Have you cruised before?, etc." Might as well get a tape recording.:D This is what I don't want to repeat every single night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Germancruiser Posted September 13, 2007 #17 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Hi I sure hope they offer both, not just anytime dinning. Sound chaos to me! I agree with two previous posters- I won´t repead introducing myself every evening. Of course there are more dinning options needed then. Just imagine you sit at your usual table- maybe one of six or even eight, everyone comes, goes, one has its Salat the others are already inmidst of their dessert. Hm you can call my stubborn and old fashioned- but .. ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinelyCruising Posted September 13, 2007 #18 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Then opt out of the anytime dining or request only tables for two or find friends to dine with....those are some options a change like this is in the wind. That is if you have booked this ship at this point at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocngypz Posted September 13, 2007 #19 Share Posted September 13, 2007 The best concept of open dining is used on Cunard. Grill class on all ships and Caronia on the QE2. The table is yours for the entire night. Same table every night. You choose your size table when you make you reservation. They are never turned over. No waiting. No lines. And no rushed dining room staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moeve Posted September 13, 2007 #20 Share Posted September 13, 2007 The system Princess uses doesn't work either since if you book even a little later you will always find a waitlist for the traditional dining now days. This in turn means a whole lot of people who would prefer traditional dining are forced to do this anytime business even though they don't want it. In my case it would be a reason to rethink the booking if I could not get traditional at the time of booking. I even hate main seating because I always have the feeling someone is waiting to pull the chair from under my bum and dessert often feels rushed. I like to enjoy my wine and cheese desert but in most cases the lights are put on as a signal to hurry up and get out!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chessbriar Posted September 13, 2007 #21 Share Posted September 13, 2007 The system Princess uses doesn't work either since if you book even a little later you will always find a waitlist for the traditional dining now days. This in turn means a whole lot of people who would prefer traditional dining are forced to do this anytime business even though they don't want it. In my case it would be a reason to rethink the booking if I could not get traditional at the time of booking. I even hate main seating because I always have the feeling someone is waiting to pull the chair from under my bum and dessert often feels rushed. I like to enjoy my wine and cheese desert but in most cases the lights are put on as a signal to hurry up and get out!!You can make anytime dining into traditional, by making a reservation for 2 for every night at the same time with the same waiter. That's what we did and it worked great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chessbriar Posted September 13, 2007 #22 Share Posted September 13, 2007 You can make anytime dining by making a standing reservation for 2 each night for the same table and same waiter. It worked great for us on our cruise last year and will do it again the next time we cruise Princess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schplinky Posted September 13, 2007 #23 Share Posted September 13, 2007 the open dining concept is being tested on several Freedom of the Seas cruises in October. Yes, but only on one of the three levels of the dining room. I do hope that passengers are offered a choice. I do find it interesting that Princess loudly trumpets that they offer a choice between the two but the fact is, unless you book very early, it can be hard to get traditional dining. I do see the use of both. I strongly prefer traditional dining as I don't want to have that "getting to know you" conversation over and over and we do like to share a table. On the other hand, we often meet other couples on a cruise who we'd like to get to know better and so anytime would be helpful there. Another wrinkle in all of this is Aqua Class. Those of us booked there have access to Blu and it appears that it is to be our primary dining venue. It will be interesting to see how that is managed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C 2 C Posted September 13, 2007 #24 Share Posted September 13, 2007 I do hope that passengers are offered a choice. As an aside... Your cruise history and future bookings show a strong slant towards RCI. How do you compare the food/dining arrangements between RCL and X? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hajekfam Posted September 13, 2007 #25 Share Posted September 13, 2007 You can make anytime dining into traditional, by making a reservation for 2 for every night at the same time with the same waiter. That's what we did and it worked great That is good if you don't mind dining alone. We love sitting at a large table and conversing with others - one of the reasons we cruise. We probably will enjoy it even more after both of us are retired later this year. I mean when you are together 24/7, dinners tend to be just meals - eat and move on to other things. We enjoy meeting our new dining companions on the first night and then having delightful conversations with them for the rest of the cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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