It's Official... Celebrity is rolling out Open Seating on all ships

[Rick-cruiser]

Here's an article just out regarding Celebrity rolling out its version of open seating.... "Celebrity Select":

 

 

8/25/09 - Celebrity Select “Celebrity Select” will be introduced on the Equinox in September, according to a spokesperson for Celebrity Cruises. Celebrity Select is the line’s version of open seating and will be rolled out to the rest of the fleet between January and March 2010.

 

The spokesperson said that on the Solstice-class of ships up to 400 guests chose to dine in the alternative restaurants each night, which frees up “extra” seats in the main dining room, allowing flexibility and no lines of people waiting to be seated.

 

Commented Jacques van Staden, vice president of culinary operations for Celebrity. “We may be the last cruise line to offer open seating, but we want to offer the best such system.

 

“Passengers have had some problems with open seating on other ships. For example, a couple may want to dine alone, but when they arrive in the dining room they may be told they can only be seated at a table with other guests. That’s really not open seating. So starting this fall we will offer our guests an option. If a couple wants to dine alone at 7:30, we will let them know if that’s possible. If not, the guests can choose to dine with other passengers or select another time.”

[Toonjambo]

What's wrong with the current dinner arrangements?

 

If you don't want to go to either of the MDR sittings, you can still dine by booking the Ocean View (Destinations on Summit) at any time between 19:00 and 21:30 or dine casually.

 

Current options seems to cater for everyone.

[Christine Frances]

We really like open seating and we will be looking forward to it in Jan. We really like the flexibility to eat in the MDR at a time convenient to us. We love the ritual of dressing for dinner, a few drinks with friends but on our own time schedule. We find a waiter we love and only sit in his section and let him spoil us. I don't like the idea of having to eat at the buffet because we want to eat at 7:30 My DH has also found any steaks etc much better at open seating as it is cooked to order rather than 1000+ at one time. Azamara has it down pat and NCL does a great job as well. Our 27 day cruise on the Millie was our first exposure to traditional dining and while it was an incredible cruise we did regret on occasion not to be able to choose our own dinning time. What I like with this change is that it makes everyone happy:D

[Gracie115]

I hope this is available on Solstice by January. We love dining in the MDR but don't like the times for either early or late seatings so this is great option for us. We did it on Jewel of the Seas last fall and we both liked it very much. We still had same wait staff every night and same table all but one night. It made our cruise even better. Sister and husband who were with us felt the same. Glad X is adding this option!:)

[Lois R]

Here's an article just out regarding Celebrity rolling out its version of open seating.... "Celebrity Select":

 

 

8/25/09 - Celebrity Select “Celebrity Select” will be introduced on the Equinox in September, according to a spokesperson for Celebrity Cruises. Celebrity Select is the line’s version of open seating and will be rolled out to the rest of the fleet between January and March 2010.

 

The spokesperson said that on the Solstice-class of ships up to 400 guests chose to dine in the alternative restaurants each night, which frees up “extra” seats in the main dining room, allowing flexibility and no lines of people waiting to be seated.

 

Commented Jacques van Staden, vice president of culinary operations for Celebrity. “We may be the last cruise line to offer open seating, but we want to offer the best such system.

 

“Passengers have had some problems with open seating on other ships. For example, a couple may want to dine alone, but when they arrive in the dining room they may be told they can only be seated at a table with other guests. That’s really not open seating. So starting this fall we will offer our guests an option. If a couple wants to dine alone at 7:30, we will let them know if that’s possible. If not, the guests can choose to dine with other passengers or select another time.”

 

Hi Rick:)...where did you find this press release?

(Just wondering;))

[jackdiamond]

Does anyone have any information whether this will apply to the Blu restaurant for dinner. I believe that it is already available for breakfast in that venue as total open seating without a reservation.

[dkjretired]

It should be pointed out that if what they have released in the past is any indicator, this is not really open seating. According to the previous accidental web site release and the USA today interview, you still will be required to make reservations for each evening, you can't just walk in as you can on other lines. Also, it is my understanding that this must be done for the entire cruise and cannot revert back to traditional. Tips will automatically be placed on your account and if you choose "select" they cannot be removed.

[FinelyCruising]

Big news all the way around on this one!

[pris993]

Thanks for the info, we will stick to Traditional second seating, table for 2.:)

[Christine Frances]

My DH would be full at late seating - he would have been up grazing at the buffet:D

[J & G]

How do we reserve it? We loved My Time Dining on RC! :) Just like traditional, except on our schedule.....same table area, same wait staff, all the perks....just on our schedule!

[A Sixth?]

Sure hope open dining will be an option on our January Millenium cruise. The lack of a choice to dine when we wanted to was nearly a deal breaker for our 25th (or so ??) cruise but first on "X".

 

And by 'dine" I mean the dining room meal we look forward to so much. Not a buffet feed, a real dining room diner with all the trimmings we enjoy, just when we choose to eat and not according to a clock. :p Don't even suggest that they are the same so the choice has always been there. It's like saying you have a lawn chair why do you need a bed too?

 

Good going Celebrity.

[Jeka]

What's wrong with the current dinner arrangements?

 

If you don't want to go to either of the MDR sittings, you can still dine by booking the Ocean View (Destinations on Summit) at any time between 19:00 and 21:30 or dine casually.

 

Current options seems to cater for everyone.

 

What's wrong with change that will make many of us happy? No, the current options don't cater to everyone.

 

Thanks Celebrity!!!!!!:)

[Jeka]

It should be pointed out that if what they have released in the past is any indicator, this is not really open seating. According to the previous accidental web site release and the USA today interview, you still will be required to make reservations for each evening, you can't just walk in as you can on other lines. Also, it is my understanding that this must be done for the entire cruise and cannot revert back to traditional. Tips will automatically be placed on your account and if you choose "select" they cannot be removed.

 

One would assume this option will be similar to Royal's where you can walk in. And yes, tips will be required in advance. What's the big deal unless someone is prone to not follow tipping guidelines.

[A Sixth?]

Wow, imagine that. I can eat anytime I want. Now I can be thousands of miles from home after spending thousands of $$$$ and still live my life like I never left home. Amazing!

 

I'll stick to traditional. If I wanted to avoid the things that for years have made cruising a special experience, I would take a land vacation.

 

Rick

 

Here's a great idea.

 

You do the traditional dining thing, and you let me do what I want on my vacation. It may seem hard to believe that both can be offered, but they can in many ways from reserving the same table/mates and servers to what Princess offers which is a combination of both traditional dining rooms and open.

 

Why are traditional diners so afraid of letting others have a choice?:confused:

 

BTW The only land based places that have assigned dining times are boarding schools, the military and prisons. :p

[Brad1185]

Truly a sad day for Celebrity.

 

I'll stay with traditional.

 

Hopefully traditional will still be offered with Blu.

 

The open seating on NCL and Princess was a joke.

 

I dont ever want to be handed a buzzer again on a cruise ship.

 

As stressed as I always seem to be, the last thing I want on a cruise is having to make reservations each night. Give me a 6:00 dining time with a table and ice tea a waiting.

[Scottish Cruiser]

We are amongst those who much prefer traditional dining. You have the same wait staff, you have the same table companions and can build a friendship with them. We still exchange Christmas cards with people we met this way on every cruise we have been on, except the first one. Just got an email and photos from one of them last week.

[pmymmw]

Hi,

 

I wonder if this explains why late seating was full when we booked Constellation for 9th May next year about 4 months ago, even though our travel agent confirmed that the ship was less than half full at the time. Seems to suggest they are holding back availability of tables to use for anytime dining when it is implemented fleet wide.

 

Not a good start as it hasn't even been implemented yet but could already be having a negative impact on my cruise experience as we have had to book with early seating.

 

We are wait listed for late seating so will have to see what happens over the next few months.

 

Mark

[sweetair]

good for celebrity to offer as you wish/my dining/anytime/blah blah blah as long as i am NOT put on a waiting list for traditional seating when i make my cabin reservations Do NOT take away my options. Sadly more people cannot get traditional seating on princess and placed on a very long waiting list. That would be my deal breaker!!!!!!

 

personally i hated it on princess!!! Why should i have to wake up at 7am to try and make a reservation just to be told it wasnt available. buzzers? oh please..i could wait online at FRIDAYS if i wanted a buzzer.

On princess, the souffles were NOT an option on anytime dining FEH

 

Even with anytime dining, we found ourselves eating the same time every night.

 

i prefer 8pm dining but i have no problem waiting til traditional 830pm Ill just stay in the martini bar and have a drink and a yummy breadstick :)

 

*sweet*

[spearmint]

Wow, imagine that. I can eat anytime I want. Now I can be thousands of miles from home after spending thousands of $$$$ and still live my life like I never left home. Amazing!

 

I'll stick to traditional. If I wanted to avoid the things that for years have made cruising a special experience, I would take a land vacation.

 

Rick

I'm with you, Rick!

Bill

[dkjretired]

One would assume this option will be similar to Royal's where you can walk in. And yes, tips will be required in advance. What's the big deal unless someone is prone to not follow tipping guidelines.

 

In a previous interview, that was not the case, you had to make a reservation....

[TMaine]

So I guess if you have to make a reservation and there are none available when you want to eat, then its not really anytime dining is it?

 

Or, if you show up and there is a line and a 30 minute wait, its not really anytime dining either.

 

I like the traditional seatings. I will try the "anytime" dining but will look at alternative cruiselines if its not up to par. The traditional dining is one of the reasons we chose =X=.

[CLEMM]

I am a traditionalist myself but have no problems with choice, unless it is going to interfere with the ambience. On my last cruise my MDR table was fairly near the entrance and I certainly would have been upset if people were coming and going all the time while I was dining. As long as there is a separate area not intermingled among the traditional diners then I have no issues. Perhaps traditional diners should be in the back and the select diners could be nearer the entrance.

[smtcan]

Clem

That was the suggestion I was going to make. I enjoyed flexible dining on Hal recently, although I didn't expect to. We booked late and had no choice. If people coming and going bothers traditional diners, let that group sit further from the entrance to reduce the impact on their tables. Maybe then everyone can be happy!

Sheila

[lifevicarious]

If I wanted to avoid the things that for years have made cruising a special experience, I would take a land vacation.

 

Rick

 

Being told when to eat makes it a "special experience"?? If you think that is special, perhaps Celebrity should tell us all when to go to bed and wake up as well.

 

I'm looking forward to it and I just happen to be on Equinox in September.