Can MDR Passengers Sometimes Be Seated In Select Without Issues?

[varoo]

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.

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Don't know about that as Select dining is very popular.

 

We have seen them do the reverse a number of times, seating Select passengers in main dining at times when Select passengers were waiting in line and they had open tables available on the main dining floor.

 

 

[Northern Aurora]

Don't know about that as Select dining is very popular.

 

We have seen them do the reverse a number of times, seating Select passengers in main dining at times when Select passengers were waiting in line and they had open tables available on the main dining floor.

 

 

 

I also have never seen a traditional dining passenger able to be seated in select dining, whether the traditional diining passenger was with a select dining passenger (ie, a guest of a select dining passenger) or not. Select generally is totally booked.

[mafig]

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!

 

 

If you've always done my time and like the flexibility (as we do) I wouldn't change. I find Princess annoying with letting their Traditional go to My Time, but even with that I would still choose My Time. Especially in Alaska.:)

[denatravels]

If you've always done my time and like the flexibility (as we do) I wouldn't change. I find Princess annoying with letting their Traditional go to My Time, but even with that I would still choose My Time. Especially in Alaska.:)

 

 

Now I'm MORE confused about what to do!!

Wouldn't early dining be smart and then I can be the one that swaps later if I need? (I'm also about 30 years too young to be on princess and I'm going solo!). But the cruisetours are pretty phenomenal!

[eandj]

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.

 

Agree that I think X has it right. ;) Princess is screwy and just makes for unhappy cruisers. It's time they either do all anytime dining or follow X's practice which leaves little to complain about after you make a choice.

[varoo]

........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?

Most likely by the time you sail you will have been assigned to one of the 3 MDR seating options. So you certainly should be able to eat in the MDR, although the assignment you receive may not be your first choice.

 

Of course the choice of whether or not to use it is always up to you.

 

There are usually a lot of seating changes made after the chaotic first night.

If you are unhappy with your assignment, go see the Maitre D'. If you let them know, they may be able to move you a day or two later when things settle down somewhat.

 

[Adidas4fun]

This is why fixed dining timesshould be assigned to the history bin. How many select a fixed dining time so they dont have to prepay their gratuities when they have little or no intention of using the MDR.

 

And what percentage of fixed dining seats are empty each night due to specialty dining etc.

 

Its one big waste of space. Turn the whole of the MDR into select. Those that want to dine at a specific time every night can book it without space being wasted on those who arent coming.

[denatravels]

This is why fixed dining timesshould be assigned to the history bin. How many select a fixed dining time so they dont have to prepay their gratuities when they have little or no intention of using the MDR.

 

And what percentage of fixed dining seats are empty each night due to specialty dining etc.

 

Its one big waste of space. Turn the whole of the MDR into select. Those that want to dine at a specific time every night can book it without space being wasted on those who arent coming.

 

 

Good points!

[ChinchillaGrl]

Or, we could restrict Fixed Time dining to those who would sit with others at 4 top or more. Get rid of the small tables, then have those folks who don't want the social contact go to select. And, it isn't a matter for me about when I pay for gratuities. That seems like a petty reason to consume a resource that you don't intend to use!

 

Thank you for the advice and the conversation, though.:)

[bEwAbG]

And, it isn't a matter for me about when I pay for gratuities. That seems like a petty reason to consume a resource that you don't intend to use!

 

But this is Celebrity's fault. If you have OBC that you want to use to pay for your gratuities, they force you to book the MDR because if you book Select, you must prepay the gratuities at the time final payment is due. They could solve this by allowing you to use your OBC to pay for things in advance of your cruise (or not make people prepay to be in Select).

 

Part 2 of this problem (which is, again, entirely a situation created by Celebrity) is that suite passengers are booked into the MDR even though most will be dining in the suites-only dining room. I have a late seating spot on my reservation for an upcoming cruise, and I won't be in the MDR for even one night. They do this to keep those guests from having to prepay their gratuities when final payment is due. A few hours of re-coding their software and coming up with different business rules would save a ton of aggravation for their customers.

Edited September 27, 2015 by bEwAbG

[kevinyork]

But this is Celebrity's fault. If you have OBC that you want to use to pay for your gratuities, they force you to book the MDR because if you book Select, you must prepay the gratuities at the time final payment is due. They could solve this by allowing you to use your OBC to pay for things in advance of your cruise (or not make people prepay to be in Select).

 

Part 2 of this problem (which is, again, entirely a situation created by Celebrity) is that suite passengers are booked into the MDR even though most will be dining in the suites-only dining room. I have a late seating spot on my reservation for an upcoming cruise, and I won't be in the MDR for even one night. They do this to keep those guests from having to prepay their gratuities when final payment is due. A few hours of re-coding their software and coming up with different business rules would save a ton of aggravation for their customers.

 

 

Really. So suite guests have an allocation in the MDR, plus have access to Luminae plus can go to select dining as well? What a silly situation.

 

 

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[Ontario Cruiser]

RCL now allow you to book anytime dining without paying the gratuities upfront so I think that Celebrity will probably change their policy as well. The sad thing about this is that some people have them removed from their shipboard account. There is a rumour that traditional dining will be replaced by anytime for everybody Ontario Cruiser

[Lois R]

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.

 

 

Hi, you can pay your grats up front even if you have traditional

dining. I am sailing Summit in November and I paid them up front.

So, you may do it either way.

[wallie5446]

.

 

Part 2 of this problem (which is, again, entirely a situation created by Celebrity) is that suite passengers are booked into the MDR even though most will be dining in the suites-only dining room. I have a late seating spot on my reservation for an upcoming cruise, and I won't be in the MDR for even one night. They do this to keep those guests from having to prepay their gratuities when final payment is due. A few hours of re-coding their software and coming up with different business rules would save a ton of aggravation for their customers.

 

Really. So suite guests have an allocation in the MDR, plus have access to Luminae plus can go to select dining as well? What a silly situation.

 

 

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The same coding is done for Aqua cabin pax. On our booking we are coded for early seating on our Nov cruise. We are in Aqua, so we will be dinning in BLU, not the MDR.

 

With all the wonderful reports about the quality and old style Celebrity service being experienced in Luminae, I can't fathom why anyone would want to not enter and stay out in the MDR.

[Iamcruzin]

Now I'm MORE confused about what to do!!

Wouldn't early dining be smart and then I can be the one that swaps later if I need? (I'm also about 30 years too young to be on princess and I'm going solo!). But the cruisetours are pretty phenomenal!

 

 

You will find that the early diners on Princess tend to skew towards the older demographic. If I was sailing solo I would choose anytime dining. First of all you have to option of eating alone, second you may meet other solos along the way who also have select and you may want to dine with them. Finally if you are in select you can watch who stands in line and pick your odds of who you may have something in common with and stand behind them and possibly be seated at the same table. My wife and I do that all of the time and it has worked out more time than not.

[Lois R]

Now I'm MORE confused about what to do!!

Wouldn't early dining be smart and then I can be the one that swaps later if I need? (I'm also about 30 years too young to be on princess and I'm going solo!). But the cruisetours are pretty phenomenal!

 

 

Hi Dena:)......not sure I understand your age comment......I always

cruise solo on Celebrity.....I am in my 50s....(older part of 50s)

what is 30 years too young for Princess?:confused:

[Iamcruzin]

Really. So suite guests have an allocation in the MDR, plus have access to Luminae plus can go to select dining as well? What a silly situation.

 

 

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Plus Blu upon availability and don't forget the specialty restaurants. I don't think that the should automatically hold a spot in traditional for suite guests unless the request it.

[Iamcruzin]

Hi Dena:)......not sure I understand your age comment......I always

 

cruise solo on Celebrity.....I am in my 50s....(older part of 50s)

 

what is 30 years too young for Princess?:confused:

 

 

My first cruise on Princess I was 30 and my bride was 22 and we both felt like children compared to the majority of other passengers. 25yrs later we fit right in.

Edited September 27, 2015 by Iamcruzin

[denatravels]

My first cruise on Princess I was 30 and my bride was 22 and we both felt like children compared to the majority of other passengers. 25yrs later we fit right in.

 

 

I guess 30 was too much. My parents went on a princess cruise in their mid 40s and I remember them saying everyone was at least 20 years older. I'm 40, so maybe it's only 25!! The truth is, age doesn't really make a difference-- attitude does!!

[bEwAbG]

I guess 30 was too much. My parents went on a princess cruise in their mid 40s and I remember them saying everyone was at least 20 years older. I'm 40, so maybe it's only 25!! The truth is, age doesn't really make a difference-- attitude does!!

 

I'm also 40 and travel with a late-30s friend. A lot of people on our first Celebrity cruise kept telling us that we would probably enjoy Royal Caribbean more because of the demographics, more or less apologizing for their age. Pretty absurd way of thinking. I had to assure them that the only people who bother me are the rude ones, and that I actually found the lack of families with kids to be a big plus.

[jagoffee]

Plus Blu upon availability and don't forget the specialty restaurants. I don't think that the should automatically hold a spot in traditional for suite guests unless the request it.

 

I doubt that Celebrity holds a spot in the MDR for suite guests that select early or late any more than Celebrity holds a spot in the MDR for Aqua Class guests who select early or late. Suite guests are most likely assigned to Luminate just as Aqua Class guests are assigned to Blue.

I just think someone make an incorrect assumption.

[We're The Groupnors]

This is why fixed dining timesshould be assigned to the history bin. How many select a fixed dining time so they dont have to prepay their gratuities when they have little or no intention of using the MDR.

 

And what percentage of fixed dining seats are empty each night due to specialty dining etc.

 

Its one big waste of space. Turn the whole of the MDR into select. Those that want to dine at a specific time every night can book it without space being wasted on those who arent coming.

 

I completely disagree. We have always done traditional late seating on every cruise we've taken where it's offered. DH has a lot of eating restrictions and it's very important to us to have the same wait staff every night so that the 20 minute educational session as to what he can and cannot eat only has to take place once during our vacation, versus every night.

[drinkspackageexpert]

I completely disagree. We have always done traditional late seating on every cruise we've taken where it's offered. DH has a lot of eating restrictions and it's very important to us to have the same wait staff every night so that the 20 minute educational session as to what he can and cannot eat only has to take place once during our vacation' date=' versus every night.[/quote']

 

My.mum and I always dine select dining and we.usually alays end up requesting the same.table/section in order to have the same wait staff. I prefer being familiar with my wait staff be a use I feel more comfortable.but the tradional dining times are either too early or too late for me.and.my.children...so it can be as straightforward with regards to special requirements as traditional dining is. :)

[rockdoctor]

I also have never seen a traditional dining passenger able to be seated in select dining, whether the traditional diining passenger was with a select dining passenger (ie, a guest of a select dining passenger) or not. Select generally is totally booked.

 

If you have early dining and will return late from an excursion, the MDR staff will tell you to go to Select. They don't want you to show up very late.

[Adidas4fun]

I completely disagree. We have always done traditional late seating on every cruise we've taken where it's offered. DH has a lot of eating restrictions and it's very important to us to have the same wait staff every night so that the 20 minute educational session as to what he can and cannot eat only has to take place once during our vacation' date=' versus every night.[/quote']

 

I have major food allergies so your objection doesnt wash with me.