Help with Dining option, please!

I made the mistake of using a Travel Agency to make reservations for our family's cruise. I did get a great price, but now I'm stuck.

The reservations are tagged with Select Dining. We prefer just regular MDR option at 6pm. I don't know how to change it and every attempt to contact this crazy Travel Agent leads me to a less than helpful response.

Can someone offer me a suggestion as to how to change this dining, if possible?

Thanks!

Perhaps you can prebook online at 6 PM each day, and when you get on board speak to the maitre d' about changing to fixed dining.

I made the mistake of using a Travel Agency to make reservations for our family's cruise. I did get a great price, but now I'm stuck.

The reservations are tagged with Select Dining. We prefer just regular MDR option at 6pm. I don't know how to change it and every attempt to contact this crazy Travel Agent leads me to a less than helpful response.

Can someone offer me a suggestion as to how to change this dining, if possible?

Thanks!

It depends whether you like the regular dining because you like sitting at a larger table with others or whether it is just the regular early sitting time that you like. If it is just the timing then simply reserve a table at 6pm every night and leave the travel agent out of it. It is not the busiest time so you should not have much difficulty getting X to reserve you a table at 6.00pm every night.

Keep working on the TA. If they continue to be unresponsive then try social media, others in the office, or other offices.

There was a recent thread here on Cruise Critic talking about Celebrity taking a booking back from a TA on a clients request if they can demonstrate the TA is not providing service. But I don't know if this would meet that criteria or if you want to go through that process.

In most cases you can switch on board but this depends on available space. If you can't get this fixed be sure to head to the dining area and check about getting switched first thing after you board. They're usually set up in a lounge right outside the dining room entrance. On M class they're on the port side of deck 4 for this, can't recall where they are on S class.

Thanks, all.

This site is absolutely invaluable!

We were able to change our dining with a customer service rep from Celebrity. We had select dining and then changed it to late dining. No problem. Just made a phone call.

If you are a Captain's Club member call that # rather than the regular phone # for faster and better service.

I am a Captain's Club member, but I wasn't aware of any special number? I don't have any special status, we've only cruised once before!

May I add another question?

How large are the dining room tables? We are very social, I love to meet new folks and hear about their stories, don't you think this would be a great opportunity to do that?

On our previous cruise, (10 years ago), I met some fascinating folks!!

I met a very rich lady that inherited loads of money when her uncle left her a gas station that happened to be located a few blocks from Central Park, in NYC!! She spends her days cruising and buying gems at the ports!

Can you imagine?

So, if we could get in another big table like that, (I think 8 or 10?), how awesome! Can you do that with Select Dining?

Sissy

I think your first ides is the best one. If you have sailed with Celebrity before you are a Classic member of Captains Club. Call them at 1-800-760-0654 and see if they can switch you to early seating to a 8 or 10 top and explain that you can't reach your TA. They might put you on a wait list though if you are close to sailing but they may be able to tell you where you are on the list. I am not familiar with Select dining but I think you can ask to be seated at a large table but the chances are you will be sitting with different people each night.

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With Select you would meet more people, but not get to know them as well. When we had Select, we were asked each night if we wanted to sit alone or with others. The hostess was brilliant at putting together congenial groupings.

Still, your TA should get you whatever you want. Usually their first question is what time for dinner and how large a table.

Sounds like you will have a great time either way!

Last year on Infinity, we asked (as usual) for a large table at early seating. We got a two top. But the tables in the overflow area, upper level of the dining room were so slose that we became friends with our neighbors. the next cruise - we were doing a B2B - we were in Blu, as found that although most tables were two tops, yu again were close to yur neighbors, and we discovered the right time to arrive that most of them were occupoed, and they were very happy that we would request to sit with others. EM

I think that you will be happy with select dining.

Someone will correct me of I am wrong as I may be because of sailing on

various cruise I may get their policies mixed, but I am sure that you can make reservations either by phone or as you leave the MDR for the next night. You can request a table for 2, the server you want, and time. If you walk up sometimes it is very easy to get seated at a larger table with others if you desire. We found a table and server we liked and basically had it every night at the same time.

It gives you more freedom and options. As you can easily change servers or table mates and etc without hurting anyone's feelings.

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Since you've cruised before, you know that you could be at a table with a large family or folks travelling together and feel like an outsider...used to happen to us occasionally. Select dining was a great solution because a) you can make a reservation and b) when you get there, you can either decide to dine alone or with other people for that night. we've met some very nice folks that way...in fact, you'll meet more folks in select dining, sharing a table then you will sitting with the same 8-10. Another problem with regular dining...when others at the table go to specialty restaurants or don't eat....you are alone at this big table.

I highly recommend that you try select dining...and my bet is that it will become your dining choice on future cruises.

One difference is in how gratuities are handled. If you pick early/late seating, your gratuities will be added to your on board account each day during the cruise. If you choose select dining, you will be billed for gratuities with your final payment. In the end, there's no difference, but for some, paying gratuities in advance is a problem....so just be aware.

As said above, go see the maître d' . Do it the first thing when you get onboard!