Early seating dining over booked?

[ghstudio]

warning...not to scare anyone, but there has been at least one cruise where, upon arriving on the ship, passengers are told that the dining time on their reservation/confirmation was a "request" and they couldn't dine at that time.

 

This apparently happened when a group takes over a dining time... That's why it's important to go to the person handling dining assignments when you first board...to check that your "request" is really confirmed. Note: a print out of your confirmation does not guarantee this won't happen....group $'s speak louder than a printed confirmation.

Edited September 28, 2014 by ghstudio

[TMLAalum]

This apparently happened when a group takes over a dining time... That's why it's important to go to the person handling dining assignments when you first board...to check that your "request" is really confirmed. Note: a print out of your confirmation does not guarantee this won't happen....group $'s speak louder than a printed confirmation.

 

 

Is this information available during the check-in process?

 

Usually we find our table/dining assignment awaiting us in our cabin. There was an issue once over not having friends cruising with us assigned to the same table. As I recall the maitre'd wasn't available until late afternoon, and there was a queue to be able to meet with him to "plead our case". (BTW, ours was resolved in time for our first dinner aboard).

[hcat]

Same here....we booked our first cruise(back when we barely qualified as middle age...lol) and had late dining and hated it from the first night.....so to each his own...but it isn't just "OLD" people in the early seating.....

 

Families with children would also prefer early...confirmed,

[Lois R]

Is this information available during the check-in process?

 

Usually we find our table/dining assignment awaiting us in our cabin. There was an issue once over not having friends cruising with us assigned to the same table. As I recall the maitre'd wasn't available until late afternoon, and there was a queue to be able to meet with him to "plead our case". (BTW, ours was resolved in time for our first dinner aboard).

 

Hi,:) you should have a card in your cabin when you arrive, and it will

say the table number and seating time as well. IF, (the operative word,

IF) it is not what you had signed up for? You will find one of the Maitr'ds

outside of the dining room and you can go speak with him. If you want

to go earlier (before you go to your cabin) they are usually outside

of the dining room starting about 12:30......so it is definitely not

"late afternoon".

[bvm49]

We always use early sitting. For our upcoming cruise we are wait-listed for early sitting. But due to a great price, we have a Concierge cabin which has the following perk: • Main and specialty restaurant seating time preferences.

 

We wonder if anyone has experience of this - what's our chances of getting shifted to early sitting?

[shipgeeks]

If you are confirmed for 'select' seating, Celebrity ask that we pre-pay our gratuities. But not for early or late traditional seating.

 

On our recent roll call, and elsewhere on CC, a number of people have stated that they only book traditional dining to get out of pre-paying gratuities, and then go to Select once aboard. That could certainly lead to a false sense of too many in early dining, pre-cruise.

It's too bad when it hurts people who genuinely want traditional.

[antsnanny]

On our recent roll call, and elsewhere on CC, a number of people have stated that they only book traditional dining to get out of pre-paying gratuities, and then go to Select once aboard. That could certainly lead to a false sense of too many in early dining, pre-cruise.

It's too bad when it hurts people who genuinely want traditional.

 

Agree!

[dioxide45]

On our recent roll call, and elsewhere on CC, a number of people have stated that they only book traditional dining to get out of pre-paying gratuities, and then go to Select once aboard. That could certainly lead to a false sense of too many in early dining, pre-cruise.

It's too bad when it hurts people who genuinely want traditional.

 

I really don't understand the desire to get around prepaid gratuities? Are people planning to not tip at all or just trying to delay paying them until the cruise? If you plan to pay them anyway, would it really matter when you pay them? Or perhaps they want to use an OBC to pay the gratuities?

[Sloop-JohnB]

We always use early sitting. For our upcoming cruise we are wait-listed for early sitting. But due to a great price, we have a Concierge cabin which has the following perk: • Main and specialty restaurant seating time preferences.

 

We wonder if anyone has experience of this - what's our chances of getting shifted to early sitting?

 

This was discussed recently...

 

Is this a real perk, or just a perceived one ?

 

It was decided that it is much like the "Priority Baggage Delivery" statement for Suites - Aqua - and Concierge

 

Things are indeed in place to make it happen... Does it ? Who's to know, as it is one of those behind the scenes things.

 

It was determined however that there are indeed some spots held in reserve (although the priority for them would go to Suite Pax). This was proved out on the website through someone making a booking... No space in particular Dining Preferences for Standard Cabins... But space if one booked a Suite.

 

Personally, we have travelled Concierge twice now. First cruise The Solstuce was at max capacity. We wanted to make changes to our Seating Assignment, went to the MDR Maitre D, they checked our info (knew we were Concierge) and the change happened.

 

Were we given any priority in this situation ? Hard to know. Just know that we ended up pleased

 

If your issue isn't resolved prior to the Cruise do go see the Maitre D

 

Cheers!

Ps... I am convinced that the computer default is Traditional Early. So often there are more who end up there who don't want to be (preferring Late, or not understanding what Select is... Or just trying to avoid Prepaying Daily Grats upfront)

Edited September 29, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[Tredebo]

This is my first cruise with Celebrity, on Century. We have requested early dining and appear to be okay going on the on line check in; so far so good. However we want to be on deck for sail away, which is 6.30pm. I'll see the Maître D once on board to advise this change. What is the opinion of those in the know regarding keeping our early dining for the rest of the trip?

[jammen]

Just got a call from our travel agent, early dining is over booked for our cruise which leaves in 12 days. They are looking for people to switch to the late seating and they are offering $50 per cabin, obc. Good luck with that. Not getting early seating or anytime dining is a deal breaker for us. We booked this cruise eight months ago just for this. Besides, with prepaid gratuities, we'll have a hard time spending the $300 obc we got when we booked. 12 days before sailing and they just found this out? You got to love their computer system.

 

I also like early, but the last few times we were traveling with the majority liking late. I found that I was fallowing asleep, not fun. Stay where you are.

[Ando]

If it were me I would offer to give up my early dining time in exchange for a FOC Ultimate Dining Package. From personal experience, the cruise lines can be quite accommodating when they have made an overbooking error ;)

[cruisecriticmember]

Funny thing is I book in advance and prefer late dining :D

But I always go to the buffet around 4pm lolll

 

So you double dip? 4PM and again at 8:30PM? Sounds like a plan!:)

[jayoldschool]

Don't forget, if you have late dining, you can have anything from the MDR menu delivered to your stateroom during dining hours. Get ready for your late seating with some apps delivered to your room!

[Commodore]

On our recent roll call, and elsewhere on CC, a number of people have stated that they only book traditional dining to get out of pre-paying gratuities, and then go to Select once aboard. That could certainly lead to a false sense of too many in early dining, pre-cruise.

It's too bad when it hurts people who genuinely want traditional.

 

On our sailing early dining is locked out, so I can go to the MD and request select dining without paying the ridiculous tip right away?

[jayoldschool]

No. If you want Select, you pre-pay the gratuities. Even if you think they are ridiculous.

[dioxide45]

No. If you want Select, you pre-pay the gratuities. Even if you think they are ridiculous.

 

Not if you go to the MDR to request the move to Select. Nothing is prepaid if you are standing at the MDR making the request...

[WpgCruise]

On our sailing early dining is locked out, so I can go to the MD and request select dining without paying the ridiculous tip right away?

 

Sure you can do that.

 

The only issue might be if Select is also full, which has happened to us when we tried to switch once on board.

[NLH Arizona]

On our sailing early dining is locked out, so I can go to the MD and request select dining without paying the ridiculous tip right away?

If the early seating is already booked up, you might be better off trying to get select before you cruise, since that is probably what a lot of folks will be doing who wanted the early seating as well. You'll pay the tips one way or another, either before or after the cruise, but at least you will have a better chance of getting the early seating.

[Gracie115]

On our sailing early dining is locked out, so I can go to the MD and request select dining without paying the ridiculous tip right away?

 

Would be interested in what is "ridiculous" about the tip......it's SUCH a miniscule amount considering the amount work provided and while some feel paying in advance is too much to bear I've not heard it referred to as ridiculous before.....

 

oh, and you CAN request Select Dining once on board and if you are lucky you might get it but I feel pretty certain the tips will immediately be added to your on board account.

[Gracie115]

Not if you go to the MDR to request the move to Select. Nothing is prepaid if you are standing at the MDR making the request...

 

Not sure that's true....if you "formally" change from fixed to Select I suspect the tips are added at that time....but who knows, perhaps the Celebrity rep on these boards can clarify this for us?????

[gold1953]

The only reason I would want to wait and switch to select on board is to use OBC to cover the grats. Two people on a 2 week cruise is a lot of money. If I don't have excess OBC then I like to have the grats paid before I board

[Mr. Click]

It is strange the way all of this happens. We prefer the later seating just because we do not like rushing back from a busy day ashore and having to rush for dinner. Several of our cruises we were told it was over booked and we were wait listed. Our upcoming Baltic cruise they took our request without any promise. Our TA is paying our grats and we have $300 in OBC as well but if we ask for Select now then we would get charged for the grats before our pre-paid stuff kicks in so it is late seating for us. Oh, I am also a type II Diabetic so I simply plan to have a snack sometime between 4-5pm where ever we are. I typically eat 6 times a day, all smaller meals and on a ship it is easy to find food..at any time

[TMLAalum]

The only reason I would want to wait and switch to select on board is to use OBC to cover the grats. Two people on a 2 week cruise is a lot of money. If I don't have excess OBC then I like to have the grats paid before I board

 

When a pick-your-perk or the 1-2-3 is offered, in lieu of the OBC it makes sense money-wise to choose the prepaid gratuities for longer cruises, if you're not wanting the classic beverage package. Booking aboard for our upcoming cruises, we received OBC for that + a "perk". For the 7 night cruise the OBC>prepaid gratuities, but for the 14 night cruise it was the reverse.

[Commodore]

No. If you want Select, you pre-pay the gratuities. Even if you think they are ridiculous.

 

thanks for the replys. Now its not the tip that is ridiculous but the fact that you are obliged to pay before the service is rendered, there is no service anywhere in the world that requires that. I think that my first cruise with Celebrity starts on a very wrong foot.