First time doing select dining on the Equinox hint, tips, suggestions.

[matondo]

Not only is this our first time sailing with Celebrity this will also be our first time trying select dining. We will be on the 11 night ultimate Caribbean cruise on the Equinox. The size of our party for dinner will probably be 8 every night but could be as small as 3.

-If we don't make reservations, what kind of wait might we expect?

-Do they give you a beeper or do you have to just wait?

-Is there a place to sit if we have to wait a long time?

-Is there a night where we really should make reservations ie. formal night?

-I know tips are included but if you were to tip nightly how much would you suggest we leave for our servers?

 

So many questions...looking forward to hearing from my Cruise Critic Experts.

[TeaBag]

I would suggest a reservation if you have a party of 8. If there are only 3 you could get in without a wait if you go early.

No beeper.

Nowhere to sit.

I would make a reservation for formal night if there are 8.

We mostly got the same waiter on Equinox (Wilmar, he was fabulous and funny) and we gave him a large tip at the end of the cruise. Never have tipped nightly but I guess you might want to if you get different waiters every night.

I hope this helps with your planning.

Edited May 12, 2014 by YVR cruiser

[Cruise Junky]

We didn't get a beeper, but we got a number and were directed to the martini bar to wait maybe 15 - 20 minutes. This was the last night of the cruise, our other visits to the MDR we were seated rather quickly - party of 2

[MicCanberra]

Not only is this our first time sailing with Celebrity this will also be our first time trying select dining. We will be on the 11 night ultimate Caribbean cruise on the Equinox. The size of our party for dinner will probably be 8 every night but could be as small as 3.

-If we don't make reservations, what kind of wait might we expect?

-Do they give you a beeper or do you have to just wait?

-Is there a place to sit if we have to wait a long time?

-Is there a night where we really should make reservations ie. formal night?

-I know tips are included but if you were to tip nightly how much would you suggest we leave for our servers?

 

So many questions...looking forward to hearing from my Cruise Critic Experts.

 

Reservations would be best but if you go at around 8-8.30pm each evening and you will probably not have to wait, even with a group of 8. Enjoy.:D

[micmacmissy]

We had a terrible time with Select Dining on Silhouette. Maybe Equinox is different, but here is our experience:

 

>Made reservation for first night, yet STILL had to wait 45 min for a table. They sent us to the martini bar to wait and said they'd send someone to get us, which they did.

 

>No reservations were available all week for anything other than before 530pm or after 815pm.

 

>If we decided to 'walk in' wait was easily at least 15 min, if not closer to 30. (We were a party of 4.)

 

>We got seated at the worst tables (and we're not picky)...but I mean: next to waiter station, by the waiter exit door, etc.

 

>Never had the same waiter twice, so service just wasn't the same. We were cruising with friends who had never cruised before, and I felt badly that they didn't get a typical MDR experience.

 

>As a result of their terrible MDR management, we wound up in specialty restaurants 3 of the 7 nights. Which was great!

 

Crazy thing is, Royal Caribbean has figured out how to do this, and they do it well! No waits, same waiter most nights, great service. They're owned by the same company...why can't Celebrity get this straight?

 

I hope they have remedied this issue and hope it works out well for you.

 

Edited to add: this issue was the only blip in an otherwise AWESOME cruise!

Edited May 12, 2014 by micmacmissy
Edited to add: the MDR was the only blip in an otherwise AWESOME cruise.

[matondo]

Thank you for your responses. This could possibly be our first and last time with Select dining. We will see. We orginally wanted early seating but our TA said she could not get it for us. At the time there was only 2 of us. Then I decided I wanted to try select since we were already signed up for it.

 

The biggest advantage I see is not being locked in to a certain time to eat. I still remember on a couple of cruises we were on we missed sailaway because we needed to get ready for dinner.

[swigso]

Thank you for your responses. This could possibly be our first and last time with Select dining. We will see. We orginally wanted early seating but our TA said she could not get it for us. At the time there was only 2 of us. Then I decided I wanted to try select since we were already signed up for it.

 

The biggest advantage I see is not being locked in to a certain time to eat. I still remember on a couple of cruises we were on we missed sailaway because we needed to get ready for dinner.

 

Make friends with the host/hostess, a table for 8 shouldn't be a problem

You may have to wait a while but if you all decide to dine around

the same time each night they will have a table ready for you

Talk to the dining room staff .

You will have a great time but be prepared to sometime go with the flow.

As you say there may be 8 there may be 3

[caladezi]

A nice handshake with $50.00 passing to the host on the first night should assure your party of 8 nice seating for the cruise.

[Lastdance]

We have never had to wait, as we eat early. Didn't you say that you wanted early seating, but it was closed? Make reservations for the same time as early seating. Talk to the hostess after luck aboard ship the first day. We haven't had to use money, but I guess it is an option.

[Going Coastal]

You have probably seen from this thread that the answer is "it depends" on the ship, the time, the hostess, and the size of your party.

There are lots of examples here of what might happen, so you won't be surprised.

Hope your experience is great.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[MicCanberra]

Thank you for your responses. This could possibly be our first and last time with Select dining. We will see. We orginally wanted early seating but our TA said she could not get it for us. At the time there was only 2 of us. Then I decided I wanted to try select since we were already signed up for it.

 

The biggest advantage I see is not being locked in to a certain time to eat. I still remember on a couple of cruises we were on we missed sailaway because we needed to get ready for dinner.

I will be very surprised if you cannot get a table for two in a very short time at just about any time after 7 pm. when the MDr first opens should be fine as well, usually a queue but then one hour (or so) later tables are clearing, so many should be free for use again. My wife and I have never had an issue and we do not make reservations either.:D

[Duanerice1]

Never made a reservation and never really had a wait. I wouldn't cruise any other way now.

[Scrappytraveller]

Don't accept a table all the way in the back on the port side, it's newbie central.;)

[matondo]

Don't accept a table all the way in the back on the port side, it's newbie central.;)

 

I will keep that in mind. I am sure we will have newbie written all over us since everyone in our group is a first time Celeibrity cruiser.

[Scrappytraveller]

I will keep that in mind. I am sure we will have newbie written all over us since everyone in our group is a first time Celeibrity cruiser.

 

Oh sorry, that's not what I meant. :o The newbies I was referring to are the wait staff. Service is quite weak back there, plus you really feel you've been stuck in a corner. There's no atmosphere at all back there. But don't worry about it too much, I'm sure you'll find things you like and don't like but you'll have an amazing trip. Enjoy!

[matondo]

Oh sorry, that's not what I meant. :o The newbies I was referring to are the wait staff. Service is quite weak back there, plus you really feel you've been stuck in a corner. There's no atmosphere at all back there. But don't worry about it too much, I'm sure you'll find things you like and don't like but you'll have an amazing trip. Enjoy!

 

Too funny...I thought what you said was hilarious! We are excited to try Celebrity.

[MicCanberra]

Don't accept a table all the way in the back on the port side, it's newbie central.;)

 

You don't have to be a newbie to be sent to the back, it can happen with a large group and no booking.:p

[Jane2357]

We love Select dining and can't imagine going back to a set dining time - the freedom it gives you is amazing. We did start out making reservations initially and then realized that we didn't need them. Just go and enjoy!