Dining Question : Reflection

[Paul_BB]

If we chose Select Dining time, say 8pm. Does it mean we will have to have dinner every day of the cruise at the same dining area? Can we still use other complimentary locations for dinner ( e.g. buffet). Thanks!

 

[keesar]

6 minutes ago, Paul_BB said:

If we chose Select Dining time, say 8pm. Does it mean we will have to have dinner every day of the cruise at the same dining area? Can we still use other complimentary locations for dinner ( e.g. buffet). Thanks!

 

 

You may dine at other areas as well.  The dinner menu in the buffet may change somewhat nightly as they have theme nights.  For instance, there may be Italian night, Mexican night, German night, etc.  There is a different atmosphere  at the Oceanview buffet for dinner as compared to the lunch craziness. 

[the penguins]

12 minutes ago, Paul_BB said:

If we chose Select Dining time, say 8pm. Does it mean we will have to have dinner every day of the cruise at the same dining area? Can we still use other complimentary locations for dinner ( e.g. buffet). Thanks!

 

If you won't be eating in Select the next night always nice to tell the Check In Staff as you leave that you won't be eating there the next night. If you book  Speciality Dining the Select Dining check in staff will know that but again nice to tell them.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

7 hours ago, Paul_BB said:

If we chose Select Dining time, say 8pm. Does it mean we will have to have dinner every day of the cruise at the same dining area? Can we still use other complimentary locations for dinner ( e.g. buffet). Thanks!

 

Just eat where you want , when you want 😁

[Alakegirl]

Well, not if you want to eat in Blu but you aren’t in AquaClass.  😀

[Ex-Airbalancer]

1 hour ago, Alakegirl said:

Well, not if you want to eat in Blu but you aren’t in AquaClass.  😀

I did quote the person post , where they wrote complimentary dinning 

“Can we still use other complimentary locations for dinner ( e.g. buffet). Thanks!”

 

[WestLakeGirl]

Blue is complimentaary,  it’s just not available unless you are in Aqua. Same is true of Lumiinae.  No extra charge but limited to suites. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

13 hours ago, the penguins said:

If you won't be eating in Select the next night always nice to tell the Check In Staff as you leave that you won't be eating there the next night. If you book  Speciality Dining the Select Dining check in staff will know that but again nice to tell them.

 

I believe it's MORE of a burden because so few people tell them they're not eating there tomorrow, they're wondering "why are they telling me this and what do they want me to do?"  There could be 1000+ passengers in the MDR, while maybe the wait staff will notice you're not present, I can't imagine the check-in staff keeps track and if they did would need to scan your card and put in a note, giving them more work to do

Edited May 20, 2023 by NutsAboutGolf

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

I believe it's MORE of a burden because so few people tell them they're not eating there tomorrow, they're wondering "why are they telling me this and what do they want me to do?"  There could be 1000+ passengers in the MDR, while maybe the wait staff will notice you're not present, I can't imagine the check-in staff keeps track and if they did would need to scan your card and put in a note, giving them more work to do

From conversations with the Check in Staff they do find it useful if you are one of the passengers who have "prebooked" a time as a table is pre allocated to you.

If you have Select dining and book a Speciality Restaurant the Select Team are automatically informed so clearly the management also finds it useful.

Additionally we always say "thank you and goodnight" to the Check in Staff as we leave but perhaps that's just another of our English ideocrincacies.

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

36 minutes ago, the penguins said:

From conversations with the Check in Staff they do find it useful if you are one of the passengers who have "prebooked" a time as a table is pre allocated to you.

If you have Select dining and book a Speciality Restaurant the Select Team are automatically informed so clearly the management also finds it useful.

Additionally we always say "thank you and goodnight" to the Check in Staff as we leave but perhaps that's just another of our English ideocrincacies.

 

 

Prebooking, I just learned something new; just so I understand correctly, a MDR "prebooking" is different than a reservation?  The first time you arrive to dinner, the M'D or asst M'D, will randomly assign you a table where there's availability.  On subsequent nights, regardless of your arrival time, they will try to put in the same table if it's open, if not available then they try for the same section.  Of course you can make location requests and the time to make a request is when you hand them your sea pass.  Is that what you're referring to as a "prebooking"?

 

For a closing salutation, like you, we also say something like have a good night, but that's still different from informing them you won't be there tomorrow.  If you want them to cancel an actual reservation or if a pre-booking is in their computer, they will need to scan your sea pass card if they're taking any action.

 

Therefore, the best way to clear this up is to say what you want them to do by saying something like "Just wanted to let you know we won't be here tomorrow, are we all set or did you need to enter this into the computer?"  If they say you're all set you know you never need to mention it again.

 

We have two different discussions...First is if you tell them you won't be there tomorrow, will they even do anything?  Second is, should you tell them you won't be there tomorrow at all?

Edited May 20, 2023 by NutsAboutGolf

[jelayne]

I have never had my sea pass card scanned when going to the MDR or any dining venue.  They do ask for our cabin number.  
 

We generally arrive every evening within a 15 minute window and 90% of the time are seated at the same table.

If we are not going to be going to the MDR the next evening we always advise the host/hostess so they know that table will be available. 

[neverlaysup]

You can show up anytime you want to eat, no reservations needed. Keep in mind, Select dining gets super crowded early but by 8pm, seating is a breeze.

[the penguins]

7 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Prebooking, I just learned something new; just so I understand correctly, a MDR "prebooking" is different than a reservation?  The first time you arrive to dinner, the M'D or asst M'D, will randomly assign you a table where there's availability.  On subsequent nights, regardless of your arrival time, they will try to put in the same table if it's open, if not available then they try for the same section.  Of course you can make location requests and the time to make a request is when you hand them your sea pass.  Is that what you're referring to as a "prebooking"?

 

For a closing salutation, like you, we also say something like have a good night, but that's still different from informing them you won't be there tomorrow.  If you want them to cancel an actual reservation or if a pre-booking is in their computer, they will need to scan your sea pass card if they're taking any action.

 

Therefore, the best way to clear this up is to say what you want them to do by saying something like "Just wanted to let you know we won't be here tomorrow, are we all set or did you need to enter this into the computer?"  If they say you're all set you know you never need to mention it again.

 

We have two different discussions...First is if you tell them you won't be there tomorrow, will they even do anything?  Second is, should you tell them you won't be there tomorrow at all?

A quick recap.

Select Dining Options:

1) you just turn up and take your chances - if the restaurant is busy you may have to wait or you may be given a pager so you can wait in a bar etc. 

2) you pre book days and times - this has to be done on line i.e. before you board the ship. 

3) when pre booking a day/time you can do this for selected days/times or every day at the sametime (you can also add passengers so you share a table).

We "prebook" for the same time for every day.

As my wife has mobility issues on arriving at the ship we visit the dining room early in the afternoon and arrange to have the same table every night - this can only be done if you have pre-booked the time before boarding.

If we know we won't be eating in Select the next evening we always tell the Check in staff as we leave so they know that the table will be available.