Select Dining - question

[garda]

Hi Everyone!

 

When in doubt, I turn to the experts! Just received an email from Celebrity. I never did Select Dining. DonI have anything to do prior to boarding or can I reserve once on board?

 

This is part of the email:

 

Celebrity Select Dining reservations have not been purchased at this time.

To search for Celebrity Select Dining, you may visit: http://www.celebritycruises.com/DayByDay

 

 

Thank you

[cruisestitch]

You are not required to make reservations in advance, but you may if you wish. It is also quite possible to wait until you are on board. Either method works.

[macaroni]

We make reservations ahead of time and then make changes day to day once on board.....

[jelayne]

We make a reservation for the first night because things are a bit chaotic that night. After the 1st night we go day by day. We book Select because of the flexibility to dine when we feel hungry

[flyingv4me]

We've always chosen select dining and have never made reservations, either before the cruise or during. The most we've waited is about 20 minutes (they gave us a beeper) on the first night, just enough time to enjoy a cocktail before dinner. Most nights there was no waiting. Of course, it depends to some extent on when you like to eat. We normally eat around 7:30 and many folks like to eat based on show times.

[LF2C]

Hi Everyone!

 

When in doubt, I turn to the experts! Just received an email from Celebrity. I never did Select Dining. DonI have anything to do prior to boarding or can I reserve once on board?

 

This is part of the email:

 

Celebrity Select Dining reservations have not been purchased at this time.

To search for Celebrity Select Dining, you may visit: http://www.celebritycruises.com/DayByDay

 

 

Thank you

 

The whole point about Select is to just turn up. Either ask for a table for 2 but other tables are close enough to be able to chat, or ask for a larger table (6or 8 works best and just join others.

Then if you do meet up with people who you want to dine with, book a table.

We don't usually dine till after 8.00 so we never have a problem.

Between 7.00 & 8.00 can get a bit busy and as others have said, they just give you a buzzer. Works for us. Don't like regimentation!

[kevinyork]

We've always chosen select dining and have never made reservations, either before the cruise or during. The most we've waited is about 20 minutes (they gave us a beeper) on the first night, just enough time to enjoy a cocktail before dinner. Most nights there was no waiting. Of course, it depends to some extent on when you like to eat. We normally eat around 7:30 and many folks like to eat based on show times.

 

 

 

But, if you like to eat at a certain time and don't want a 20 min wait surely it's better to reserve select dinings?

 

 

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[wallie5446]

But, if you like to eat at a certain time and don't want a 20 min wait surely it's better to reserve select dinings?

 

 

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True, but even with a reservation that does not mean the folks seated before you will not chit chat a bit longer one evening. :D

[Kartgv]

...This is part of the email:

 

Celebrity Select Dining reservations have not been purchased at this time...

 

That's rather unfortunate wording on the part of Celebrity as you don't "purchase" anything, only reserve a time. We went to the dining room right after boarding and talked to the host to reserve a 7:30 time for the first night. He initially told us that wasn't possible, but we pushed back a little as we know that people are often seated at that time. He finally relented but told us to expect a wait. We didn't intend to necessarily make reservations for each night, were happy to take it one day at a time.

 

We had a very short wait that first night and ended up at a lovely table for 2 with a great wait staff. At the end of dinner, our waiter came over and asked if we had enjoyed the table & service. When we said yes, he asked if we'd like to be seated in the same area at the same time each night. He put us on his list and it worked out beautifully; we had the dining time we wanted, with the same staff each night.

[karena1]

Hi Everyone!

 

 

 

Celebrity Select Dining reservations have not been purchased at this time.

To search for Celebrity Select Dining, you may visit: http://www.celebritycruises.com/DayByDay

 

 

Thank you

 

We rarely make reservations. That is the whole point of flex dining. have done it on all cruise lines since it came out. We love being able to go eat when we feel like it and not be tied to a clock

 

Now - if you have a bigger group, then yes, it makes sense make reservations. Last time on Summit, there were 8 of us. So we would look at the paper each morning and then I would call and make reservations for whatever time worked for us so we could make the show we wanted to see

 

When DH and I cruise alone, we never make reservations. Once in a while we might wait 10 minutes for a table, but that is about it.

[Dreamer68]

Hi there,

 

I think reservations are a good idea when you are traveling during any high season or when you know the ship is fully booked. I was just on the Summit to Bermuda which sailed 31/7. Group of 8. Ship was indeed fully booked. We chose Select Dining as the traditional set times were too early or too late. I decided to buy/reserve our dining times in advance, online, one week before we boarded. And BOY AM I GLAD I DID! On the first 3 nights, which were sea nights, there were L-O-N-G lineups at the Main Dining Room. Our group chose to dine at 6:30 pm and most nights we'd be done by 8:00 to 8:15 pm. We were always taken into the dining room as soon as we arrived...in fact they recognized us and by mid-cruise when we arrived as separate people, they would tell us that our friends were already waiting and we were waved right in. Exception was one night, there was a complication with a booking for a big group (there were reunion groups onboard)

 

If you are simply 2 people, you might not be waiting long if you show up but if you are a group of more than 4, then honestly, I'd recommend you do the online reservations and choose the time options they offer. For my gang, we decided it was better to have a reservation that we could then change or cancel...rather than no reservation and have to wait....but, that's just me. :)

[kevinyork]

With the switch taking select dining downstairs and traditional upstairs do they have two podiums to check select diners in given there is only one entrance at that level?

 

 

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[fleckle]

With the switch taking select dining downstairs and traditional upstairs do they have two podiums to check select diners in given there is only one entrance at that level?

Yes, it is still done the same way as previously -- one podium for people with reservations and one for people without.