Love Select dining but what went wrong on this cruise?

[kevinyork]

We have been on the Eclipse five times previously and always have chosen select dining which has worked really well for us. On a couple of trips we reserved dining times online in advance. However, on the others we just turned up when we wanted to eat. Either way we've never had a problem being seated straight away. If we made friends onboard and wanted to eat together, no problem, we all just turned up and were seated.

 

On our recent trip ending last weekend something just didn't work with select dining. As a party of four we had reserved a 7:30 dining time for each evening months in advance. On the first night when we arrived we were taken over to the opposite side of the dining room to our table, a little too far for my mother using a walking stick but at least we were seated. The next night we arrived at 7:30 only to be told there were no tables available and we were given a buzzer. In all our previous trips we had never been given a buzzer nor had we seen any fellow passengers being given buzzers. I queried this with the lady at the podium only to be told quite bluntly we are very busy. I went to guest relations and asked to speak to someone from food and beverage. The maitre d' of the select dining restaurant came to speak with me and I explained that we had never previously been given a buzzer and that we had reserved our dining times well in advance. He said he had checked and could see that we had reserved our dining times and that we will be seated immediately and would not have to wait on any of the subsequent evenings.

 

As the cruise went on we were seated at 7:30 at the same table without issue however every night people with reservations or without reservations would routinely be given buzzers and told to come back. Our usual pre-dinner venue is the martini bar and it was commonplace to see people sat with buzzers, something we had not seen before. Now I appreciate we were dining at a popular time however I could only compare the experience on this cruise with our previous five cruises where we had never had to wait for a table and not experienced others being given buzzers in order to wait for their table. Something was very different about select dining on this cruise. Either it was not being organised very well by the people at the podiums or it was overwhelmed by excessive numbers of people using select dining. We did notice that looking down on the lower floor that traditional dining had many empty seats and some completely empty tables both on their early sitting ( when we were arriving) or late sitting (when we were leaving).

 

Previously on this forum when people had enquired about select dining I've always said it's a great experience and you can just turn up when you want but this cruise has changed that belief. We are back on the eclipse next year and ideally we would just like to turn up and dine when we want ,particularly as it's an itinerary with lots of ports, rather than make reservations in advance however if we must make reservations we will but we are curious as to why it didn't work properly on this cruise compared to the previous 5. It's not a major deal but if you've had your pre-dinner drinks and are ready to eat and then approach the podium and are given a buzzer its a bit of a pain if you then have to try and find somewhere to wait and don't particularly want another pre dinner drink.

 

Have others encountered this or is this a blip?

 

 

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[jelayne]

Select dining is becoming very popular and as mentioned your preferred time is in the busiest window. We have occasionally been given a buzzer and had to wait, it doesn't really bother us.

 

The best laid plans of the dining room staff go off track when folks decide to linger over a 2nd or 3rd cup of coffee and tie up a table for 2+hours.

[scanditaly]

I can see the difficulty in planning one's meal routine. Perhaps someone who was on the ship with you will chime in.

 

Even if you arrived early, (to collect a buzzer), it could happen that a table was ready immediately, and thus your pre-dinner drinks would again be affected.

 

 

Scanditaly

[Hlitner]

Select Dining is popular and 7:30 is a very popular time. We normally get seated without much of a wait because we simply go without a reservation and ask to be share a large table. But those that want a 2-top or want to be seated in a specific location will often be given beepers. Reservations for Select are an inexact science (because much is depends on the earlier diners). Personally, we think they should eliminate reservations from Select. Reservations just complicate the process and we often here folks whining that they have to wait, cannot have their regular table or waiter, etc.

 

Hank

[El Crucero]

If you have a specific request, - table for two, table by the window, table with a particular waiter, etc. - and nothing is available, you will be given a buzzer and as soon as your request is available, you will be called. If you want to be seated immediately, you will have to take best available and will not have to wait. And 7:30 is THE busiest time to eat according to the staff. If have specific requirements for a table and do not want to wait, better to go earlier or later.

 

We like this system and have never had a problem with it.

Edited October 8, 2016 by El Crucero

[Bo1953]

... or you can return to the 'traditional' dining times, which may alleviate much of the anxiety and dismay...

 

bon voyage

[fshagan]

For those of you given a buzzer (beeper?), how long do you typically have to wait?

 

We are still planning our first X cruise and will choose select dining because we like it so much on NCL. We have been given a beeper on NCL but have never had more than a 10 minute wait.

[Blazerboy]

Select dining is becoming very popular and as mentioned your preferred time is in the busiest window. We have occasionally been given a buzzer and had to wait, it doesn't really bother us.

 

The best laid plans of the dining room staff go off track when folks decide to linger over a 2nd or 3rd cup of coffee and tie up a table for 2+hours.

Which is why we have always had second seating. Dining, as opposed to the Monday through Friday post long work day strap on the feedbag type sustenance, is one of the things we most enjoy about cruising. We love when a dinner experience is so great- food, service, fellow table mates- that we linger over coffee(or, more likely wine). We do not want to be rushed. That said, I wish we could dine at 7:30 each night. But, in order for us to linger, all the earlier diners would have to agree to start at 5:00!!! ;-)

 

This is why we usually have several specialty restaurant meals...so we can dine a little earlier, and still linger- little demand for tables at 9:30...

 

Andrew

[uktraveller]

I honestly think that you were just lucky on previous cruises.

We have been doing a mixture of Select dining in MDR and the open seating arrangement in Blu for the last few years and have never had a "beeper free" cruise.

Some cruises were better than others but, for us at least, it has been the norm.

[Jem 12]

My feelings are that it is due to all the shows for later diners being pre dinner now. So everybody comes out of the theatre and heads for dinner. This was our experience on the Constellation also. We had prebooked tables on some nights but were nearly always given a buzzer and that was despite being happy to share a table.

 

Perhaps the fact that tips do not have to be prepaid for select has also increased the popularity.

 

 

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[kevinyork]

I honestly think that you were just lucky on previous cruises.

 

We have been doing a mixture of Select dining in MDR and the open seating arrangement in Blu for the last few years and have never had a "beeper free" cruise.

 

Some cruises were better than others but, for us at least, it has been the norm.

 

 

 

So lucky for 5 Eclipse cruises but very unlucky for one? Surely something Changed?

 

 

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[need2bespoiled]

The change could be something external, like port times (a bit later, and the ealry diners show up at 6:00p or 6:15p instead of 5:30p), show times, demographics of the sailing, mixed with more diners in select vs set times, mixed with better bartenders keeping folks who may diner earlier at bars, or slower kitchen, keeping some diners at their tables longer and a bit of luck. You experienced the big challenge with slept dining from the cruise line's perspective, it's hard to manage when even 100 people want to eat in a short period of time and they have 50 seats open.

 

I would argue that if you find yourself in this situation again, maybe show up 15 min earlier and beat everyone else showing up at 7:30p or go for 7:00p.

 

This "isssue" will continue to evolve and shift as a "problem" as the shift from set dining times clearly continues.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[jayoldschool]

Buzzers are normal, and common. They have been since the start of Select. Especially for the time you want, right in the middle of service. If you want the same time every night without the possibility of a wait, Traditional Dining will be a better choice for you.

 

For others that have asked about wait times: I've never waited long enough to order a second drink...

[jagoffee]

So lucky for 5 Eclipse cruises but very unlucky for one? Surely something Changed?

 

 

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I believe you are correct. Our last two cruisers we used Luminea, but previously we always used Select. We never received a buzzer even with out reservations. I would guess Celebrity is overbooking or it is just the mix of people that want to eat at 7:30 PM.

 

I suspect the Select area will be moved to the larger area one deck below if the demand increases.

[varoo]

Table availability in Select dining can vary from day to day, just as it can at a land restaurant.

We are usually seated right away if we come early or late, when the dining room is not full.

 

But if we arrive during their busiest times, we may be seated immediately, or we may need to wait for a table.

 

I don't see how there is anything "wrong" with that, or how it can be considered a blip.

 

 

Whether dining on a ship or on land, they are not about to kick out the people already seated there. :eek:

 

"Sorry, but you are eating too slowly and must vacate this table right now because varoo has arrived and wants to be seated immediately." ;)

 

Some meals take longer than others, for any of a number of different reasons.

We realize that there are trade-offs and Select dining does require the ability and willingness to be flexible.

 

If we wanted to have a table always ready and available for us as soon as we arrive, we would choose traditional dining instead.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2016 by varoo

[varoo]

.......I suspect the Select area will be moved to the larger area one deck below if the demand increases.

 

They have already done that.

 

We have also been on cruises where they seat Select people at vacant tables in Traditional dining

(if the tables remain vacant at least a half-hour past the starting time for traditional dining, at either main or late seating).

 

 

[kevinyork]

Table availability in Select dining can vary from day to day, just as it can at a land restaurant.

We are usually seated right away if we come early or late, when the dining room is not full.

 

But if we arrive during their busiest times, we may be seated immediately, or we may need to wait for a table.

 

I don't see how there is anything "wrong" with that, or how it can be considered a blip.

 

 

Whether dining on a ship or on land, they are not about to kick out the people already seated there. :eek:

 

"Sorry, but you are eating too slowly and must vacate this table right now because varoo has arrived and wants to be seated immediately." ;)

 

Some meals take longer than others, for any of a number of different reasons.

We realize that there are trade-offs and Select dining does require the ability and willingness to be flexible.

 

If we wanted to have a table always ready and available for us as soon as we arrive, we would choose traditional dining instead.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't disagree with anything you say but am just comparing our experience on our recent cruise with the previous 5 (always dining around the same time). As I said we had not previously even seen a buzzer nor seen people being turned away. So something must have changed.

 

 

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[2ndtimelucky]

We have always had a buzzer on previous cruises, we usually eat about 8.30 and never wait to long to be seated , and always in the same area with same waiting staff. I think you have been lucky. Maybe as select dining is becoming more popular. Hope it didn't spoil your cruise :)

[villauk]

I don't disagree with anything you say but am just comparing our experience on our recent cruise with the previous 5 (always dining around the same time). As I said we had not previously even seen a buzzer nor seen people being turned away. So something must have changed.

 

 

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Were all your previous 5 cruises on Eclipse prior to the change in prepayment for the Select gratuities?

[CABINET]

I think Select is just becoming more and more popular. The fact that more space is being given over from the Traditional dining area seems to reflect this.

 

The more people who want Select the more buzzers are going to have to be used.

 

With Traditional dining obviously the dining passengers were divided into two (well apart from those wanting to dine in the buffet or having speciality dining).

 

To get the same number of people through on select requires turning the tables which is difficult if you are going to allow people to turn up when they feel like it. If most people's favourite time is around 7.30 pm (and I know ours is) then you have a logistical nightmare.

 

I suspect the removal of pre-paid gratuities, the increasing popularity of Select and a ship with maybe more people wanting to eat at around 7.30 pm may have caused a perfect storm.

 

Personally I love the idea of Select and accept that the trade off is that you may have to wait a while when you decide to meander down for dinner. If I am forced to have another pre-dinner drink then I just carry that into the restaurant with me when the buzzer goes and it becomes the drink I have while perusing the menu or eating my appetizer.

 

You can't get a quart into a pint pot and if more and more people choose Select then the consequences are inevitable.

Edited October 9, 2016 by CABINET

[royalcruz]

Celebrity is forcing more people into Select and putting people on wait lists for fixed dining, even when booking well in advance. That may be contributing to the zoo that it is becoming.

[maggie.1008]

Many Elite and above come from the happy hour and then to dinner. 7-7:30pm is prime time. I have seen beepers used as far back as 2010.

[Baron Barracuda]

It's unrealistic to expect "second seating" with no wait in Select at 7:30 when 2nd Traditional isn't until 8:15. They just don't turn tables over that much faster.

 

Also, carve-out of Luminae a couple of years back reduced capacity in mdr yet some suite and Aqua still dine there as Select. Swings in specialty bookings also cause mdr attendance to fluctuate.

[Jeremiah1212]

I've seen this on NCL and RCL too. More people choose non-traditional dining and as as a result, you may have to wait even if you've requested a specific time. Especially during prime dinner hours. It's actually unfortunate that they allow people to complain then get their way and essentially cut in front of those that are patiently waiting. If they don't have a table available, you will have to wait.

 

 

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[wallie5446]

As it is with any nice dinning establishment at home, even with a reservation there are times a wait is necessary. As more of us want to come an go as we please it will only cause back ups in the waiting line.