Celebrity Select vs. Traditional Dining

[irishayes]

We are first-time cruisers and I have a question about the two different dining choices.

 

I've been reading reviews of the Select Dining that makes me think maybe I made a mistake choosing this.

 

But, is it true we would need to choose early or late seating, and we wouldn't be able to choose a time to dine with traditional? If we were to choose early seating, but not show up until say, 7:15, do they then want you to be out of the dining room before the late seating people arrive?

 

Just not quite sure how this works . .

[Alsmez]

With traditional seatings if you show up too late, you won't be seated, from what I understand. The whole point of a fixed seating is that the kitchen and waitstaff can be reasonably sure when they'll need apps, entrees and desserts, so it creates an easier workflow. If you come in at 7:15, the rest of the dining room will be having dessert. Also, they have to turn over the whole room for the next seating, so they won't have time or space to accomodate you.

[radsailor]

I did Select Dining for the first time back in August and had a wonderful experience. We are booked to do it again in May. We never made reservations and just showed up when we wanted. We never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a table.

[chive]

Select Dining is Celebrity's "any time dining". You do not have a set table at a set time. You show up at the designated entrance for Select Dining and you are seated. Sometimes you may have to wait a few minutes. Many posters have indicated that if you speak with the maitre d' in advance perhaps you can be seated with other people or at a table (and with a waiter) you had before. Gratuities must be pre-paid if you have Select Dining. If you have Traditional Dining, you have a set table at a set time with the same waitstaff at either the early or late seating. If you have early seating, you cannot just appear at 7:15. The smooth service of the meal depends on everyone being seated a few minutes after the time stated. Yes, the dining room must be cleared, cleaned and reset before the late diners arrive.

[KirkNC]

This happened on our last Med cruise when a very large group from Spain thought the early seating time of 6:30 was a suggestion. It created massive havoc the first night.

 

Kirk

[Xport]

The doors to the Main Dining Room are closed 30 minutes after the start of each of the dinner seatings; late comers may not be accommodated...

 

If you were to select First [Early] Seating, you would be expected to vacate the table with ample time for it to be reset for Late Seating; it will likely be assigned to others at that time... While there is probably more latitude to linger following Late Seating, know that the Service Staff will be readying the Dining Room for the next morning's breakfast [and though they won't express it, will be eager to call it a day]...

 

And finally, please do let your tablemates--if you plan to be seated with others--and/or your Servers know if you expect to arrive more than a few minutes late for Traditional Dining so that they feel comfortable taking orders and starting service in your absence... It's considered good form...

Edited February 25, 2011 by Xport

[TeaBag]

On our last cruise at a table for 10 (early seating) we had a couple who consistently arrived 45 minutes late. Our waiter never said anything to them and worked very hard to catch them up to the course we were on. It made extra work for him and I don't know why they didn't get the picture after the first night. It annoyed the rest of us as it delayed our service and we decided to say something after the fifth night. However, the 6th night was formal and they didn't appear, likely because the gentleman was supplied with a jacket on the first formal night.

[irishayes]

Select Dining is Celebrity's "any time dining". You do not have a set table at a set time. You show up at the designated entrance for Select Dining and you are seated. Sometimes you may have to wait a few minutes. Many posters have indicated that if you speak with the maitre d' in advance perhaps you can be seated with other people or at a table (and with a waiter) you had before. Gratuities must be pre-paid if you have Select Dining. If you have Traditional Dining, you have a set table at a set time with the same waitstaff at either the early or late seating. If you have early seating, you cannot just appear at 7:15. The smooth service of the meal depends on everyone being seated a few minutes after the time stated. Yes, the dining room must be cleared, cleaned and reset before the late diners arrive.

OK, well maybe we will just stick with Select Dining then.

 

Can you ask to be seated at a table with others in the Select Dining Room? Or would we be required to sit at a table for 2?

[chive]

OK, well maybe we will just stick with Select Dining then.

 

Can you ask to be seated at a table with others in the Select Dining Room? Or would we be required to sit at a table for 2?

 

 

Sure. You may have to wait a few minutes for an appropriate table to open up. Often, the staff will push two or more tables together. You won't be required to sit at a table for two. The staff will always try to accommodate any reasonable request.

[Lois R]

OK, well maybe we will just stick with Select Dining then.

 

Can you ask to be seated at a table with others in the Select Dining Room? Or would we be required to sit at a table for 2?

 

Hi, it is not a "Select Dining Room" but rather a specific area of the main

dining room that is strictly for those who choose "Select Dining".

From everything I have read you may ask to be seated with others.

[caripoo]

WE have been on 20 plus cruises before we tried select dining this past September on our Med cruise. We LOVED it!! The early dining was to early and the late seating to late, so we can go when WE WANT. We never waited for a table and we typically went at 7pm. We were a party of 4 and always asked for a table of 8 or 10 so we could meet other people. We are doing this again in Alaska on the Infinity in August. Try it, if you don't like it, try the traditional dining. Good thing is, they have dining that fits everyone!!! ENJOY!!!:D:D

[cynalan]

My wife and I have chosen select dining for our next cruise on the Constellation. We recently had open dining on the Oceania Nautica and really enjoyed the experience. It provides an opportunity to meet many new and interesting people. Personally, we love being seated with dining companions at a table of 8. This number of people gives great flexibility for stimulating conversation.

 

I do have one question about select dining though. I recognize that there is a separate section. Where is it, i.e. are their any window seats or are the tables in the heart of the dining room? Second, does Celebrity offer to seat you at larger tables? From what I've read so far, it seems that select dining is primarily tables for 2. For us that is OK on an occasional night but we are social people who want to meet new friends.

[tip]

We did "Select Dining" on the Equinox last month and loved it. The service was excellent and the food was outstanding!

[jerseygirl3]

My wife and I have chosen select dining for our next cruise on the Constellation. We recently had open dining on the Oceania Nautica and really enjoyed the experience. It provides an opportunity to meet many new and interesting people. Personally, we love being seated with dining companions at a table of 8. This number of people gives great flexibility for stimulating conversation.

 

I do have one question about select dining though. I recognize that there is a separate section. Where is it, i.e. are their any window seats or are the tables in the heart of the dining room? Second, does Celebrity offer to seat you at larger tables? From what I've read so far, it seems that select dining is primarily tables for 2. For us that is OK on an occasional night but we are social people who want to meet new friends.

 

We were on Eclipse last week and traditional diners were seated on the lower level of the MDR. Those who chose Select Dining were seating on the upper level. You can always request a large table when you arrive and I'm sure they will accommodate you.

[gracecarmo]

and wonder if the service will be as good as having your "own" servers for the duration would be better?

We will most likely be on an Alaskan voyage (our 4th!) in June.

 

Oh...Hi Jo-Ann...did I mention that my grandson goes to Rutgers and loves New Jersey? It was hard to pull him away from KU, but he got a good scholarship.

 

Hope to see you again sometime on another cruise.

[PMO]

We cruised the Med. last July and we were VERY sorry that we did not choose My Time Dining (RCI), the same as Select. You did not say where you are cruising to but if it is port intensive I would suggest doing Select Dining. The dining room is a different experience, I hear more relaxed then Select Dining. That is IF you get there on time. On our Med cruise we were not able to go to dinner because we were too late getting back from our tours and late dining started at 9:00, way too late for us. We really enjoyed eating elsewhere however, one thing is true, you will not ever be hungry on a cruise.

[smtcan]

We have enjoyed Select Dining on three Celebrity cruises. We were always asked if we wanted to join a large table or eat by ourselves. The wait time was sometimes five minutes for a two top, but never longer than that. Generally a large table was not served until everyone was seated, but if there was a delay filling the table service began, and usually no one else was seated once the meal had started. This did leave empty seats occasionally.

Sheila

[bailey57]

And finally, please do let your tablemates--if you plan to be seated with others--and/or your Servers know if you expect to arrive more than a few minutes late for Traditional Dining so that they feel comfortable taking orders and starting service in your absence... It's considered good form...

 

Also good form to let your traditional dining tablemates know if you are not going to join the table at all the next night - if you're eating at one of the other dining options, etc.

[nycruise]

We did Select Dining on the Eclipse last week and it worked great. The only drawback we saw was that you are always seated on the upper level of the dining room. AKA Siberia.

[cruisin'sue]

We chose Select Dining on our recent Eclipse cruise and really enjoyed it. Before we went, we made reservations for 6:45 each night. We always were shown immediately to a table, even if we arrived a little early. Some nights we were at a table right by a window. We chose to be seated at tables for 2 people, but the tables are rather close together and often talked with nearby diners. We enjoyed our waiters, so were seated in the same section each night. The Main Dining time of 6 seemed too early for us, and 8 was too late, so the Select option was perfect.

[Shir Hayam]

We've done Select Dining on our last two Celebrity Cruises with very different experiences. On the Millennium in December, our request for a table for two was always honored and the only time we had a wait was on one of the formal nights - and then for only a few minutes. On the Equinox earlier this month, the Select Dining seating was much more chaotic. Reservations were not honored and if you came between 7 - 7:30, there was often a long wait. So your experience with Select Dining may depend on how well the individual ship's dining staff handles it as well as your flexibility in choosing a table size.

 

Sheila

[irishayes]

Thanks for all the replies!

 

If we stick with Select Dining and then after the first night decide we want to switch to the traditional, are we able to do that?

[jerseygirl3]

Thanks for all the replies!

 

If we stick with Select Dining and then after the first night decide we want to switch to the traditional, are we able to do that?

 

It's not a guarantee, but you can always speak with the maitre 'de. I've found Celebrity to always go out of their way to accommodate their guests.

 

BTW, on Eclipse last week the early dining time was 6:15 and late was 8:30. We did late, but it really was too late. Since we were at a large table with friends, we frequently didn't leave the dining room until almost 11 p.m. (not our waiter's fault, we did a lot of chatting and took our time during dinner). But by 11 p.m., DH and I were too tired to go to any of the shows, lounges, etc.

[helen haywood]

I really can't think of any reason not to do Select Dining. You can make it as similar to assigned dining if you want to do so. If you have a waiter and staff you like at a certain table you can ask the hostess to give you one of their tables again. You can sit alone or you can sit with others. I don't believe you would see any difference at all in service. I've done Select on Solstice and twice on Eclipse and enjoyed it very much...in tables by the window, tables overlooking the lower tier of the MDR, at intimate tables, at tables for 4 and tables for 8.

[Kelownabccan]

We usually love this way of eating....depending what tour we have been on....arriving back late ...wanting to chill....have a shower and drinks....then dinner.....when we want....sometimes late...sometimes early....with people or a quiet just the two of us dinner.....lots of flexibility.....but why on Celebrity do you have to prepay the gratuities for the whole time at once and are they adjustable???....on the other cruise lines we have been on they just add it on to your ship bill each day.....if you had a really bad time you could adjust gratuities somewhat when you paid your bill the second to last night......