interesting rumor - X going to all select?

[HouseRulz]

More like:

 

Traditional dining = Works for some people

 

Select = Works for some people

 

Both of these options are guest friendly.

 

 

 

WHY IS THIS THREAD STILL OPEN?

 

When there are empty tables in one part of the dining room, while there are people waiting in another part of the dining room, that is not guest friendly.

 

Again, any person can replicate traditional dining using the select dining system; the traditional dining option offers no flexibility.

 

Ok, now the thread can be closed. :D:D

[Christine Frances]

And why, if those traditional dining times are so sacrosanct, why would these diners suddenly refuse to eat at those "desirable" times?

 

Heavens, the fear and loathing that this rumor has unearthed!

 

Again, it is not the "times" that are so important! We eat at 6 because we like most of the evening ahead of us. but we would have no problem with the 6:30-7:30 time frame if Select was forced on us.

 

It is just the low stress of heading off to dinner knowing your table awaits you. Your waiter usually sees you coming and seats you, he knows your preferences ie aways bring the pepper mill, to bring decafe with dessert (and I always want fresh berries so I don't have to ask each night), the sommelier and waiter both know that we won't order diner until we have wine in front of us, etc. We continue conversations from the evening before with our tablemates, To us dinner is an important part of cruising and we time our activities around it, not as other people do who head for dinner when their activities are over.

 

The Happy Hour will also be much busier as the early diners won't be vacating at 6 anymore.

[CruisingChick]

It is just the low stress of heading off to dinner knowing your table awaits you. Your waiter usually sees you coming and seats you, he knows your preferences ie aways bring the pepper mill, to bring decafe with dessert (and I always want fresh berries so I don't have to ask each night), the sommelier and waiter both know that we won't order diner until we have wine in front of us, etc. We continue conversations from the evening before with our tablemates, To us dinner is an important part of cruising and we time our activities around it, not as other people do who head for dinner when their activities are over.

 

The Happy Hour will also be much busier as the early diners won't be vacating at 6 anymore.

 

Besides the fact they will have your Celebrity dressing already waiting for you and you don't have to fight with someone new to get it for your salad.

[Christine Frances]

When there are empty tables in one part of the dining room, while there are people waiting in another part of the dining room, that is not guest friendly.

 

Again, any person can replicate traditional dining using the select dining system; the traditional dining option offers no flexibility.

 

Ok, now the thread can be closed. :D:D

 

This is not new for Pete's sake!! There has always been empty tables during the transition from Early to Late seating!!

 

If you don't want to wait in Select go at off peak times:) Problem is everyone wants "not too early" and "not too late" and they all end up at the door at the same time. Then they still have to sort out who has reservations etc

[cgags47]

Again, any person can replicate traditional dining using the select dining system; the traditional dining option offers no flexibility.

 

 

But both systems are currently in place, and are working just fine. Once again, no need for any elimination at all. Keep both.

[HouseRulz]

But both systems are currently in place, and are working just fine. Once again, no need for any elimination at all. Keep both.

 

I think a review of the boards here and in the forums for other cruise lines would suggest otherwise.

 

That being said, I'm all for keeping both. 15 minute wait = pre-dinner cocktail.

[dmk]

I used to love traditional Dining but not anymore. We love to meet new people so we used to request a table for 8. What started to happen is that with many Speciality restaurants, the table was rarely full. We encountered many nights with 4 of us or just 2. It felt ridiculous sitting at at such a large table with so few people...and not very condusive to conversation.

 

Now we do Select dining. We are always able to sit at a full table or a table for 2 if we feel like it.

[kevinyork]

I used to love traditional Dining but not anymore. We love to meet new people so we used to request a table for 8. What started to happen is that with many Speciality restaurants, the table was rarely full. We encountered many nights with 4 of us or just 2. It felt ridiculous sitting at at such a large table with so few people...and not very condusive to conversation.

 

 

 

Now we do Select dining. We are always able to sit at a full table or a table for 2 if we feel like it.

 

 

I think your post is exactly what Celebrity are aiming at resolving, if the rumour is correct.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[TomTN]

I used to love traditional Dining but not anymore. We love to meet new people so we used to request a table for 8. What started to happen is that with many Speciality restaurants, the table was rarely full. We encountered many nights with 4 of us or just 2. It felt ridiculous sitting at at such a large table with so few people...and not very condusive to conversation.

 

Now we do Select dining. We are always able to sit at a full table or a table for 2 if we feel like it.

 

Good Post.

 

We recently had a poster discussing their nearly empty table for 8 in traditional dining. As you have pointed out moving to a different table will not always result in a full table. There are so many different places to eat (free and fee) these days that it is unlikely that a table of eight will be full very often.

We don't like late seating. Most of our cruises are to ports where we get in a full day ashore, and we are tired when we return. The thought of having to rush to make early seating is not desirable to us. We like to rest, clean up, relax with cocktails, and eat, usually 6:30 to 7 depending on how we feel.

 

FWIW, after the first night the Hostess/Host(sorry if wrong title) ask us if we liked the previous night, and, depending on our remarks, makes adjustments from there. We have found that person to be very accommodating and eager to please each time we have sailed with Select.

[Charles4515]

Not completely true. My wife and I are 29, been cruising since we were 20, always had traditional. Some people just like that structure.

 

 

 

More like:

 

Traditional dining = Works for some people

 

Select = Works for some people

 

Both of these options are guest friendly.

 

 

 

WHY IS THIS THREAD STILL OPEN?

 

 

Exactly. It does not have to be one or the other. They should keep both options. Sometimes I do Select, sometimes traditional depending on the itinerary and who I am sailing with. Currently I am on Summit doing Select. I made a 7:30 reservation every evening. Both nights so far have had to have a beeper even with the res waiting 15 to 20 minutes. So it doesn't work perfectly.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Charles4515

[bhughey]

We absolutely,100% prefer select dining to traditional. On our past 3 cruises, we had no problem reserving the same table with the same waitstaff each night. Every night before leaving the dining room, we would just check with the select hostess to make a reservation for the following night.

[Charles4515]

When there are empty tables in one part of the dining room, while there are people waiting in another part of the dining room, that is not guest friendly.

 

 

 

Again, any person can replicate traditional dining using the select dining system; the traditional dining option offers no flexibility.

 

 

 

Ok, now the thread can be closed. :D:D

 

 

I have been on NCL which has no traditional dining and still had to wait up to 30 minutes for a table. Having all Select won't solve that. They had the same issues in Quantum of the Seas. No traditional dining and long lines.

 

The cruise lines would like no traditional dining to turn the tables and cut staff. There is no benefit to passengers. Having both options is the passenger friendly, not having all open seating or all traditional.

[ECCruise]

How do you think it will affect the Select experience if all those people who put up with early and late dining times decide that since they don't have Traditional Dining any more they might as well reserve their table every night at the same time everyone else already wants one? It's going to be lots of fun when everyone tries to do that. Anyone who has ever been a server in a restaurant knows that in order to make it best for service issues there needs to be some kind of seating pattern that provides a smooth sequence of service for the waitstaff.

 

At least most of those people are now going at either 6 or 8:30. If you want more competition for your prime time reservation, do away with Traditional and see what happens. Everyone on the ship can't dine at their preferred time, with their preferred waiter. Try looking at the whole picture.

 

Except you are missing one key point: There would be more than double the number of tables available since the whole lower level would now be Select. There would be no problem. Everyone doesn't want to dine at the same time every night. Some do, some could care less. There would be plenty of tables available, though, for both choices.

[4774Papa]

Again, it is not the "times" that are so important! We eat at 6 because we like most of the evening ahead of us. but we would have no problem with the 6:30-7:30 time frame if Select was forced on us.

 

It is just the low stress of heading off to dinner knowing your table awaits you. Your waiter usually sees you coming and seats you, he knows your preferences ie aways bring the pepper mill, to bring decafe with dessert (and I always want fresh berries so I don't have to ask each night), the sommelier and waiter both know that we won't order diner until we have wine in front of us, etc. We continue conversations from the evening before with our tablemates, To us dinner is an important part of cruising and we time our activities around it, not as other people do who head for dinner when their activities are over.

 

The Happy Hour will also be much busier as the early diners won't be vacating at 6 anymore.

I agree with you about early dining, we loved it until our last two cruises, when our tablemates turned out (most of them) to be either rude, tardy, or not friendly.

 

The first time we were reassigned to another early dining table and it did work out, but that took three nights and our table of 10 still only had six people show up.

 

The second time we switched to Select, which worked out great. We usually dined with friends we met at the elite happy hour.

[Christine Frances]

We absolutely,100% prefer select dining to traditional. On our past 3 cruises, we had no problem reserving the same table with the same waitstaff each night. Every night before leaving the dining room, we would just check with the select hostess to make a reservation for the following night.

 

This post is a good example. So if your reservation was for 8 pm and the previous occupants at "your" table finished at 7:30 it's ok for your table to remain vacant for 1/2 an hour? I have read posts of people waiting in line but seeing lots of vacant tables being held for reservations. Gee just like sometimes there are empty tables in the TD:D

[Christine Frances]

How do you think it will affect the Select experience if all those people who put up with early and late dining times decide that since they don't have Traditional Dining any more they might as well reserve their table every night at the same time everyone else already wants one? It's going to be lots of fun when everyone tries to do that. Anyone who has ever been a server in a restaurant knows that in order to make it best for service issues there needs to be some kind of seating pattern that provides a smooth sequence of service for the waitstaff.

 

At least most of those people are now going at either 6 or 8:30. If you want more competition for your prime time reservation, do away with Traditional and see what happens. Everyone on the ship can't dine at their preferred time, with their preferred waiter. Try looking at the whole picture.

 

I agree~ I think it will be a hot mess:eek:

[Ma Bell]

Except you are missing one key point: There would be more than double the number of tables available since the whole lower level would now be Select. There would be no problem. Everyone doesn't want to dine at the same time every night. Some do, some could care less. There would be plenty of tables available, though, for both choices.

 

No, I think you might be missing the point. The people who are at those tables now are all dining early (beginning 5:30 to 6:00) or late (beginning 8:30 to 9) and none of them are coming in between 6 and 8:30, if they don't have the choice for Traditional any longer you can be sure many of them will want to eat at a more prime time possibly even competing for your favorite time. If there are more people in the dining room ordering their food between 6:30 and 8:30 don't you think it's probable that it will affect the whole dining experience? The kitchen can only put out so many meals at a time.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Ma Bell

[Lois R]

Not completely true. My wife and I are 29, been cruising since we were 20, always had traditional. Some people just like that structure.

 

 

 

More like:

 

Traditional dining = Works for some people

 

Select = Works for some people

 

Both of these options are guest friendly.

 

 

 

WHY IS THIS THREAD STILL OPEN?

 

Why? Because it is public message board and people want to

give their opinions........as long as the subjcet is being debated without

people being attacked for their opinions it will probably stay open.

[SantaFeFan]

So why is everyone [select fans] coveting the tables in Traditional?

 

Because they don't care for Traditional and think that what they like should be forced on everyone else.

 

I continue to wonder why it is so darn difficult for Select fans to understand that some of us actually like Traditional? I never read any postings from fans of Traditional here complaining about Select being available for Select fans. So why do so many Select fans feel the need to question our reasons, complain about our preferences, and insult our choices? We shouldn't have to surrender and join them in Select just because they happen to like it better. Personally, Select is no more special than going to any restaurant in my home town. When I'm on a cruise I like to do things differently than at home, such as enjoying the tradition of set meal times, which I still associate with the glamour of passenger ships in the past.

Edited June 23, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[neverbeenhere]

Personally we prefer Select, but to each his own. If every rumor we heard was discussed this much, this board would be even more of a mess. So here you go... Rumor has it, Celebrity is going buffet dining only.:rolleyes:

[Christine Frances]

Because we like Traditional, that is why. I continue to wonder why is that so darn difficult for Select fans to understand that? I never read any postings from fans of Traditional here complaining about Select being available for you. Why do so many Select fans feel the need to question our reasons, complain about our preferences, and insult our choices? We shouldn't have to give up and join you in Select just because you happen to like it better. Personally, Select is no more special to me than going to any restaurant in my home town. When I'm on a cruise I like to do things differently, such as Traditional meal times, which I still associate with the glamour of cruising.

 

Hey! I am on your side:D

[SantaFeFan]

Hey! I am on your side:D

 

Yes, I know. I edited my comment to better reflect that we are indeed team mates in this "Kill Traditional" movement that some are promoting. ;)

Edited June 23, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[wallie5446]

... Rumor has it, Celebrity is going buffet dining only.:rolleyes:

 

And is it going to start with the return of the afternoon Grand Buffet in the MDR, and will continue as the main venue thru the dinner hours.;)

Edited June 23, 2015 by wallie5446

[HouseRulz]

Personally we prefer Select, but to each his own. If every rumor we heard was discussed this much, this board would be even more of a mess. So here you go... Rumor has it, Celebrity is going buffet dining only.:rolleyes:

 

Will suite guests be permitted to cut the line? Asking for a friend. :D

[MicCanberra]

More like:

 

Traditional dining = Works for some people

 

Select = Works for some people

 

Both of these options are guest friendly.

 

I agree, but the discussions are fascinating.:D