Select Dining

We just switched from early dining to select dining and were told we would have to prepay gratuities.

I really dont understand why that Celebrity requires that. We have cruised on Princess, HAL and Oceania as well as Celebrity and this is the first time ever we have been asked to pay gratuities in advance.

Gratuities are always charged at the end of the cruise so why does it make any difference that you have chosen Select Dining??

Gratuities are paid to all the staff including the stateroom stewards so why should choice of dining determine when gratuities are to be paid?

What if we get poor service? What recourse do we have??

Pre-payment of the service charges is the standard for Celebrity if you choose Select Dining. That is just how it is. A couple of the waiters and a Restaurant Manager told of that one of the reasons waiters accept Select Dining assignments is because they know up front how much they will earn, since Select Dining passengers are not allowed to remove gratuities. Traditional dining passengers sometimes do remove them.

If you have a situation where you experience poor service, tell management right away. They will follow up with you. When we had very poor service by a bar tender one morning, and contacted one of the supervisors, he wrote it up, and we received a call from the beverage manager. He definitely took our complaint seriously. We never saw the bartender again. My comment was that I hoped he used it as a teachable moment. He offered a bottle of wine for our trouble

A couple of years ago aboard Silhouette there was great offer for the speciality restaurants on the first night. Can't remember exact details but it was most worthwhile. Is this a usual offer? We're aboard Equinox and Eclipse this winter. Can we expect the same deal?

I thought the whole point of select dining was to go to dinner when you wish and they will find a table and sit you there. Like in a restaurant. Am I missing something? I chose select so that I wouldn't be locked into a time or table.

We did our first Celebrity cruise without making any reservations despite receiving e-mails encouraging us to make them and reading posts all over these boards that talked about reserving.

Having used MTD on RCL without reservations and no problems getting a table, I held my own and didn't book.

We had a wonderful experience so I certainly won't be making any plans ahead of time. Some nights we had to wait a bit for a table but we would go to the wine bar and they would come and get us so it was not a problem.

You are not missing anything. Some people just like to over plan. Others really do know what time they want to eat at 3 months in advance.

For those that need to reserve, go for it, for the rest of us the system works fine.

FWIW, I'm still about 5 months away from our sailing (sadly) and was just able to make a Select Dining reservations for the first night. I thought I read that only suite passengers could do so, but we're in a CC room.

We did our first Celebrity cruise without making any reservations despite receiving e-mails encouraging us to make them and reading posts all over these boards that talked about reserving.

 

Having used MTD on RCL without reservations and no problems getting a table, I held my own and didn't book.

 

We had a wonderful experience so I certainly won't be making any plans ahead of time. Some nights we had to wait a bit for a table but we would go to the wine bar and they would come and get us so it was not a problem.

 

You are not missing anything. Some people just like to over plan. Others really do know what time they want to eat at 3 months in advance.

 

For those that need to reserve, go for it, for the rest of us the system works fine.

3 months in advance?

I can't even predict what time I will feel like having dinner tomorrow night. ;)

Back in the days when we used to do traditional dining, it seemed like we always needed to interrupt whatever we were enjoying (taking photos of the sunset out on deck, chatting over drinks with new friends, listening to one of the musical groups in a lounge), just because it was our scheduled time for dinner, hungry then or not.

What we love about Select dining is the freedom of being able to take our time, going to dinner whenever we feel like it and get around to it.

No more "hurry up and get dressed - we have to be at dinner in 10 minutes."

We also like the option of requesting a large table with a group, or just a quiet table for 2, as the mood strikes us each night.

But we do not eat dinner on a fixed schedule at home either, and don't at all mind occasionally waiting for our table to be ready.

FWIW, I'm still about 5 months away from our sailing (sadly) and was just able to make a Select Dining reservations for the first night. I thought I read that only suite passengers could do so, but we're in a CC room.

My cruise is also 5 months away, but I have made our reservations for all 10 nights already. After frustratingly having the website crash two or three times while entering the time slots, I called Celebrity and they confirmed my reservations for me. You might want to give it a try. We have done Select Dining on at least 3 cruises and love it.:D

Maryann

You are fast becoming the leading contender for 2014's HCY award (Happiest Cruiser of the Year)

Amen. If I were her Id stop cruising and have a "stay cation" close to home. Common theme - can't win.

Would appreciate suggestions for good table locations on Equinox away from work stations. We are a party of 6, but would not mind sharing a larger table.

When we were on Eclipse in March '13, Select Dining was on the Upper Floor (Deck 5)

On the first night we were placed close to the balcony, which I found very noisy ( sounds rising from MDR below) I found it difficult to hear the conversation on our table.

Later, we were put at the back of the Select area, with the same Maitre'D, as I was pre- ordering for the next night, due to a Lactose Intolerance.

I had pre- booked our dining time for 7.15 every night, as we were eating with friends who preferred to eat early and my husband prefers Late sitting.

Having said all this, I believe some of the Select area on Equinox has been taken for Suite dining, so I think it will be a case of 'wait and see' where the Select area is!

Can anyone tell me what the go is with Select dining on Century? As our next cruise is a shorty the boss said "Let's give it a go again".

Also can I switch from late to select once we embark?

We have select dining. Since this is our first cruise we really do not know what time we will be wanting to eat, thus our plan is to make reservations daily. My question is how hard is it to get a table for 2 or will we be eating with others each night? Not that we are anti-social we just prefer to eat together by ourselves, especially since this is anniversary cruise.

 

Also can I switch from late to select once we embark?

Don't count on it. Maybe you will be able to, but Select is popular and sometimes is fully reserved long before departure date.

We have select dining. Since this is our first cruise we really do not know what time we will be wanting to eat, thus our plan is to make reservations daily. My question is how hard is it to get a table for 2 or will we be eating with others each night? Not that we are anti-social we just prefer to eat together by ourselves, especially since this is anniversary cruise.

We've never been denied a table for two in Select. Celebrity has more than some lines do. Some of them are quite close to other tables, so you you might tell the dining room manager you'd prefer one that's not, even if it means a little wait.

We had select dinning the first time we went on Celebrity and I have to say I really enjoyed it, we sat all over the dinning room and had all different waiters and met loads of different people, so we loved it.

We had select dinning the first time we went on Celebrity and I have to say I really enjoyed it, we sat all over the dinning room and had all different waiters and met loads of different people, so we loved it.

We also tried it on our last cruise for the first time and enjoyed it for the same reasons. The last couple of nights we had a brother and sister for waiter and assist. and they were just wonderful! Met some very interesting people and never had to wait more than 5 min. for a table. We're hooked!:D

Can anyone tell me what the go is with Select dining on Century? As our next cruise is a shorty the boss said "Let's give it a go again".

 

Also can I switch from late to select once we embark?

Select Dining was fully booked on Century, when we sailed to Hawaii in March 2012.

My criteria for picking a cruise and / or is pretty simple. One of those things on my selection list is some sort of flex dining option. If X would not have had that option, the cruise I selected would have dropped lower on my list.

With the variety of schedules i.e. in port, sea day, whatever. We absolutely hated designated dining times and have minimal issues with the process regardless of line.

I also made reservations for each night. We'll probably hit 6 or 7 or the nights at the time reserved. Other nights we'll just let them know we won't make it. Normal day is get back on the boat, clean up, have a drink then dinner. If something comes up or we are in the middle of something then we'll play it by ear.

But, the reason I make a reservation is that we like to eat at a popular time and it's usually easier to go to the reservation line. The non-reservation line can be quite long at times just to get to the hostess.

enjoy,

Duane

Have been on many cruises on various lines but have never done "select dining". Once we did on NCL because they don't have traditional seating so were forced into it!

We need input from fellow cruisers.....We are a group of 8 currently on wait list for late traditional seating. However, we are now thinking that Select Dining may be preferred. Can anyone let me know if the shows on Reflection are usually 7 and 9? (they were on other Celebrity ships that we sailed) That will help with making a decision on a specific time to book for each night when we get on board. I think, however, that the formal nights may have different times.

Thank you!