Open seating on first night

[CajunLiner]

I read in a thread that dinner on one's first night is now done with assigned seating time but with open tables. I remember sitting at my assigned table on the first night. Is this something new?

 

Justin

[Traceybell]

Last March on Connie we were surprised to have open seating, but at your early/late assignment, on the 1st night also. This was a 12 night trip out of Bayonne, NJ.

 

Every other year in the past on Celebrity it was your assigned table.

 

Tracey

[dkjretired]

It depends on the cruise and the time of day it is leaving. ie: Leaving Puerto Rico around 11:00P.M. there will be open seating.

[SusieV]

I still can't figure out why. What difference could it possibly make not to offer people their regular tables?

 

We have open seating the first night next week, apparently. We leave San Juan at 10pm.

[tuggers]

Leaving late from SJ, so many people opt for restaurants in SJ or eat pizza, burgers, pasta and go to the casino and night clubs that open seating allows them to fill tables and not have every table used but with only 1 or 2 couples or people per table.

Any other cruise will be assigned tables from the first night.

Cajunliner, if I was going you could sit with me from the very first night!!:D

[CajunLiner]

Cajunliner, if I was going you could sit with me from the very first night!!:D

And the pleasure would be all mine, Ma'am! :D

 

Justin

[jen826]

On Summit, September 30th, we had our regular assigned table on our first night. I think we left the port around 7 pm.

[Rev22:17]

SusieV,

 

I still can't figure out why. What difference could it possibly make not to offer people their regular tables?

 

We have open seating the first night next week, apparently. We leave San Juan at 10pm.

 

I just returned from a cruise to the Southern Caribbean aboard MV Galaxy, so let me clarify the actual arrangement on embarkation day.

 

>> The passenger emergency drill takes place at 7:45 PM.

 

>> The main dining room operates open seating during two windows -- 6:00 to 6:30 PM and 8:30 to 9:00 PM IIRC -- on embarkation day. You must come to the dining room within one of these windows if you wish to be seated and served there. (Note that the pizza and pasta bar, located on the starboard side of the magrodome, is open from noon to 1:00 AM, so there is a late meal option.)

 

This arrangement allows the staff to consolidate tables that would otherwise be half vacant, facilitating service. It also allows the ship's main dining room to accommodate passengers who embark during the normal first stating, so it works out pretty well.

 

That said, I strongly recommend that passengers who choose to eat during the first window (1) arrive during the early part of the window so that you will have enough time to eat and (2) bring your life jacket to dinner so you can proceed directly to your muster station, without returning to your cabin, for the emergency drill. Several passengers who arrived in the dining room just before 6:30 were complaining that their meals were rushed due to the emergency drill.

 

Norm.

[thejuliars]

Which Southern Caribbean trip was that? We leave Feb 23 for a 10-day S.C. cruise - sailing time is 10 p.m. Is that what you're describing? Your suggestions are good ones -- it sounds like the 6 - 6:30 window would work best, since we need to be up early the following morning in Tortola to meet our tour.

 

For a 10 p.m. sailing, when can passengers board? I read somewhere that boarding isn't until 5 p.m., but read somewhere else that boarding starts as early as 1 or 2 pm. We'll arrive in San Juan the day beforehand so we can board at any time that works. A related question is when during that window of boarding time is it a good idea to arrive? (length of lines, etc.)

 

Thanks for your help.