Can MDR Passengers Sometimes Be Seated In Select Without Issues?

[florida lover]

We have 8:30 MDR seating on an upcoming cruise and may like to dine earlier than 8:30 on some evenings. Is it possible to go to Select on some evenings and be seated without issues? On those evenings when we might go to Select we might be joining other passengers who are in our group, the others in our group are in the MDR with us.

 

We are aware of the buffet, room service and specialty restaurant options and possible issues with wait staff gratuities but still wonder if Select somehow might also be an option?

 

Thank you.

Edited September 26, 2015 by florida lover

[donaldsc]

We have 8:30 MDR seating on an upcoming cruise and may like to dine earlier than 8:30 on some evenings. Is it possible to go to Select on some evenings and be seated without issues? On those evenings when we might go to Select we might be joining other passengers who are in our group, the others in our group are in the MDR with us.

 

We are aware of the buffet, room service and specialty restaurant options and possible issues with wait staff gratuities but still wonder if Select somehow might also be an option?

 

Thank you.

 

The basic answer is you are not allowed to eat in the anytime dining room but the practicality is that you will probably get away with it.

 

The problem is with dining room capacity and the length of time that anytime people have to wait for a table. You will probably argue that it is just the 2 of you although you have specifically mentioned that you have a group of people and it can't really matter. However if 50 people or groups of people assigned to the MDR decided to crash the anytime dining room one night, it certainly would matter. What would you think if a bunch of people from anytime dining decided that the MDR sounded good for a night and decided to all sit at your MDR table. You are doing the same thing.

 

I hate to be harsh but you and your group have picked or were assigned to the MDR, not the anytime dining room. Stay there.

 

If you feel that you have to eat early, go to the buffet or a specialty restaurant.

 

DON

Edited September 26, 2015 by donaldsc

[kevinyork]

As far as Im aware you cannot.

 

As a select diner I hope club dining passengers cannot switch since you would be taking a select table away from those who booked select and leaving spaces at a club dining table.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Typically the hosts will turn away those on traditional dining when they ask to dine in select, as they should. Special circumstances may, and do, warrant an exception - a delayed return of a ship sponsored shore excursion would be one such example.

 

If you choose to skip the MDR at your assigned traditional time you can dine speciality, Bistro or Buffet, but you should not expect to be accommodated in select. If you want flexibility change to select. There are more than likely a few passengers on the wait list for traditional dining who would be thankful.

[chemmo]

Why not just see if you can all swap to select dining? You could try and do this pre cruise or if not talk to the MD as you board.

[dutchclogs]

^ agree best option would be to change to select. We had a reverse experience on Equinox in July --- select was under stress for later dining (8 15 onwards) due to a large number of groups opting for then. One night we (family of 4) were offered option to go to the main later sitting in dining room.

We liked this so much that we asked if we could change but was told no as all tables were fully assigned and only available if diners indicate that they are dining elsewhere for a particular evening.

[Demonyte]

Is it possible to go to Select on some evenings and be seated without issues?

 

 

I certainly hope not.

 

Having used to NCL's Freestyle Dining that simply works even with reservations, our Select experience of getting a table on Reflection was subpar (after queuing at the right time still having to wait 20-30mins for a reserved table, etc).

 

It seems to me that they are struggling to seat Select diners as it is, and based on how many empty tables we saw downstairs almost every night around 9pm when we finished dining, a lot of those late seating diners chose to eat elsewhere.

 

It hadn't even occured to me that some of those people might have wanted to dine in "the middle timeslot" like us (early is too early for our friends and late is too late for us) and hence at least causing extra queues on the upper floor - although we rarely saw anybody turned away from the hostess station so if somebody did try, they were probably accommodated causing even more congestion for those that had actually chosen Select.

 

A working freestyle/my time/anytime/select dining is probably the biggest thing that I'm going to miss about NCL - it seems that nobody else has been able to implement that so that it'd work properly. :(

[cruisestitch]

Select is often overbooked. When those from fixed dining or from other dining rooms (Blu, Luminae) come over, it just makes the matters worse for those who have booked Select because that is what they wanted. After all, we can't just go to the other places to balance things out.

 

As you already know, there is the matter of gratuities. Yes, they can re-assign your gratuities but it is a pain to do, and also isn't really fair to the waiter in the MDR who set the table and was ready to serve you and then your gratuity gets removed from his "account" and assigned to the Select dining room.

 

It would be best for all in your group to just change to Select Dining if it is available, not to try to jump around from MDR to Select on a night-by-night basis.

[wallie5446]

We have 8:30 MDR seating on an upcoming cruise and may like to dine earlier than 8:30 on some evenings. Is it possible to go to Select on some evenings and be seated without issues? On those evenings when we might go to Select we might be joining other passengers who are in our group, the others in our group are in the MDR with us.

 

We are aware of the buffet, room service and specialty restaurant options and possible issues with wait staff gratuities but still wonder if Select somehow might also be an option?

 

Thank you.

 

It would be rude to your fellow passengers for you and your friends to do so. But your never going to see us again, right? Switch to select or arrange your evening around the choices you have in place.

Thank You.

[drinkspackageexpert]

I will be a party of 5 on the eclipse, and have paid gratuities in advance for select dining. Now, if i have to cue up due the amount of select diners, great.

BUT, if i have to wait because traditional diners have taken up spaces in the select dining area, you will have one upset mummy. I chose select because the traditional time were either to early or to late for my children. As a select diner, i cannot just pop down and grab a table in traditional dining room, so in my opinion, it should not be allowed the other way round either. It is hard enough accommodating those Blu passengers who decide that Blu is not for them after all, and of course suite passenger have the right (due to high cost of suite, so not complaining), to choose where and when they dine, with the exception of traditional dining. So, unless your willing to change your dining option completely, then no, select dining should not be an option. (again, this is my opinion)

[florida lover]

Why not just see if you can all swap to select dining? You could try and do this pre cruise or if not talk to the MD as you board.

 

Good idea, thank you.

 

The question I posted had to do with just my wife and I. Part of our group is already assigned to Select and the other part is assigned to Traditional, I should have made that more clear.

 

We have no intention of trying to bend or break any rules, that is not our nature.

 

My question was an honest one, with no intent implied, we are clear on the answer now.

 

Thanks to those that responded.

[ChucktownSteve]

On our 9/12 Summit cruise the only dining option I had available upon booking was late seating. So as soon as we got on the ship I went to the dinning room where the maître d' was set up with a table. Since it was early boarding, there was no line. I've heard later in the afternoon, the line could get pretty long.

 

I requested anytime dining. He said they were overbooked for anytime dining and early seating but they would see what they could do. They'd call me the next afternoon and let me know.

 

About 2:30 there was a message on my phone that they could accommodate my request and switched us to anytime dining. He said that we could show up anytime during their open hours.

 

That is the only way to switch your seating. I don't believe you can switch back and forth though.

Edited September 26, 2015 by ChucktownSteve

[chemmo]

Always difficult if cruising with others to sort out the finer details. Can you get Celebrity to link your assorted bookings? May be worth a phone call. If not I really would make the MD your first stop on boarding.

 

If you cannot sort anything out Silk Harvest on S class and Q'sine M class are really great venues for extended family/friendship groups.

 

Have a great cruise

[JMG]

On our Summit Bermuda cruise we made arrangements to dine the first night with someone from the roll call. They thought they had Select. When we got to the dining room they were denied seating because they had a reservation for early seating.

 

Bermuda is different since the ship is docked for 3 days. Our second night in Bermuda, one of our tablemates did say that they had late seating but asked if they could do Select that one evening. Many people were still off ship so the dining rooms were not as full as they are when the ship is at sea. That is why they were allowed to switch for that evening.

Edited September 26, 2015 by JMG

[florida lover]

On our Summit Bermuda cruise we made arrangements to dine the first night with someone from the roll call. They thought they had Select. When we got to the dining room they were denied seating because they had a reservation for early seating.

 

Bermuda is different since the ship is docked for 3 days. Our second night in Bermuda, one of our tablemates did say that they had late seating but asked if they could do Select that one evening. Many people were still off ship so the dining rooms were not as full as they are when the ship is at sea. That is why they were allowed to switch for that evening.

 

Good to know.

[az_tchr]

Good idea, thank you.

 

The question I posted had to do with just my wife and I. Part of our group is already assigned to Select and the other part is assigned to Traditional, I should have made that more clear.

 

We have no intention of trying to bend or break any rules, that is not our nature.

 

My question was an honest one, with no intent implied, we are clear on the answer now.

 

Thanks to those that responded.

 

Interesting comment as you choose select and if it is full you simply put your name on a waiting list. Almost always those on the list at least a couple weeks before the cruise get moved. You must have prepaid gratuities to be moved or sign up for select. Why not do that?

 

That said my DW and I have on a couple occasions joined another couple in Select. The host said - no problem and asked our regular table number. We have also done it in reverse when one of our table members was going to eat at a specialty restaurant one evening invited a select dining couple to eat with us. They tipped our waiter when they left.

[Muushka]

Good idea, thank you.

 

The question I posted had to do with just my wife and I. Part of our group is already assigned to Select and the other part is assigned to Traditional, I should have made that more clear.

 

We have no intention of trying to bend or break any rules, that is not our nature.

 

My question was an honest one, with no intent implied, we are clear on the answer now.

 

Thanks to those that responded.

 

Yes, Cruise Critic is not for the faint of heart when it comes to questions such as yours.

You never know what kind of reply you're going to get!

 

I hope it all works out for you and that you all have a wonderful cruise.

[Iamcruzin]

I hope Celebrity doesn't start this practice. This is one of my peeves with Princess. It has a two fold negative effect on both dining experiences . First it leaves the traditional dining rooms half empty and those who enjoy eating with the same group all of a sudden are by themselves at an 8 top. Second it now adds to the chaos in select dining. Also I resent the fact that I have to pay gratuity with final payment and those who book traditional get to use OBC to pay for their gratuity.

[mafig]

I hope Celebrity doesn't start this practice. This is one of my peeves with Princess. It has a two fold negative effect on both dining experiences . First it leaves the traditional dining rooms half empty and those who enjoy eating with the same group all of a sudden are by themselves at an 8 top. Second it now adds to the chaos in select dining. Also I resent the fact that I have to pay gratuity with final payment and those who book traditional get to use OBC to pay for their gratuity.

 

 

How very right you are. On Princess we always select Anytime Dining. It's great at the beginning of the cruise. Toward the end the traditional dining rooms are empty and we have a huge line to get into Anytime because all the Traditionals have switched! It used to be on Princess that they allowed you to switch from Traditional to Anytime ONCE. However, now it seems people go back and forth until the end when they settle on Anytime, leaving those dining rooms packed.

[wallie5446]

It would be rude to your fellow passengers for you and your friends to do so. But your never going to see us again, right? .

 

However, now it seems people go back and forth until the end when they settle on Anytime, leaving those dining rooms packed.

 

Hence my comment.

 

When we started taking cruises for our vacation one of the things that was never in doubt, was that our fellow passengers were going to be courteous.

Most still are, but yet,,,,,,,,,,:rolleyes:

 

ps: OP, this is NOT directed at you, but a base observation in general.

Edited September 26, 2015 by wallie5446

[dmk]

Just to remember that those who will have select dining will pre pay their gratuities in advance of the cruise

[POA1]

Just to remember that those who will have select dining will pre pay their gratuities in advance of the cruise

Do fixed dining people not pay this? Just curious.

[ORV]

Do fixed dining people not pay this? Just curious.

 

Not with final payment. They pay theirs once on board by either using OBC or it's charged to your credit card or cash account.

 

Many people want to use their OBC to pay the grats.

[denatravels]

How very right you are. On Princess we always select Anytime Dining. It's great at the beginning of the cruise. Toward the end the traditional dining rooms are empty and we have a huge line to get into Anytime because all the Traditionals have switched! It used to be on Princess that they allowed you to switch from Traditional to Anytime ONCE. However, now it seems people go back and forth until the end when they settle on Anytime, leaving those dining rooms packed.

 

 

So glad I read this-- just booked a princess Alaska cruise this week. I had read about the swap. I booked anytime but now maybe thinking traditional is better. I have always done my time and like the flexibility: eaten as early as 5:45 and as late as 9:15!

[ChinchillaGrl]

We would love to be in trad seating for sure, and we prefer large tables, nice strangers, and late dinner. These things are part of what makes this a cruise rather than a floating hotel. I can go to restaurants any day.

 

I would hope that those who do not really want to do trad seating, give up your place to those who want it! We just booked 10nt on Connie , Venice rt in May: 2nd seating was closed, we were automatically put on select.200 days out, 1st seating is only available waitlisted. I begged my CC agent Tony for options. He got them to open second seating for reservation, which he put in, and it is on the docs. Now when I look at the site, it shows only second seating waitlist.

 

What happens to us if neither seating has room? The buffet and in room options really diminish the value of cruising for us. Select is 3rd place after MDR options exhausted. Realistically, what should we expect?