Are we tied to Select Dining whole cruise?

[kadikale]

Have select dining on forthcoming 19 night cruise but would like option of dining some nights with friends who are on late dining for duration of cruise.

 

Would we be allowed to dine with our friends some evenings on their late option and still maintain select dining option we're booked on the remaining nights?

[cle-guy]

I've done this many times. Assigned Fixed, go with Select friends a night or 2, and have had select join our field table.

 

I'd say avoid it night 1, but subsequent nights, just go with your friends - but have your friends know there are seats for you at their table (i.e. that the other table mates the night prior have let them know they are eating in specialty dining).

 

It boils own to just planning ahead with the others at the table, and being patient if you can't get a particular time.

[Fish Lover]

I see no reason why your friends could not join you in select dining, especially at the later hour. Just tell the maitre'd.

Since they have assigned seating, and their table may be full, they will probably have to join you in select. As a courtesy, they should alert their table mates that they will be dining elsewhere that evening.

 

 

On Summit, select dining enters on deck 5, and scheduled seatings enter on deck 4.

 

Food of course is identical.

[cruisestitch]

Your friends will have a table assignment. It might be easier for them to opt out of it for an evening than for you to try to join the table, unless you pick a night when their table mates might be dining elsewhere.

[wallie5446]

On fixed most times the tables are full, with the same dinners each service, so there would be no open chairs for you to join them.

 

It would be easier for them to join you in select.

 

Bouncing back an forth is not something the personal are set up to handle.

 

Your thought is one of the reasons the concept of making dinner all select and doing away with traditional is drawing much speculation around the ole water cooler rumor mill.:D

[Iamcruzin]

I can understand fixed diners being able to eat in select, which I don't agree should be allowed. This is one of my pet peeves about Princess. However, I don't understand how someone from select can join in at a table in traditional dining when all of the seats are assigned.

[dkjretired]

I can understand fixed diners being able to eat in select, which I don't agree should be allowed. This is one of my pet peeves about Princess. However, I don't understand how someone from select can join in at a table in traditional dining when all of the seats are assigned.

 

The best way to do it is ask your friends to find a night when someone at their table might be eating in a specialty restaurant. Also depends on how many people are able to be at their table. If they are at a two top you have a problem.

[BCHappyGal]

It will only work if your friends assigned table is NOT full in other words there are vacant seats. We have had a table with seats in fixed (traditional dining) and it was not a problem for people from Blu to join us one evening .... ourse if your friends went with Select it would be no problem!

[Jane2357]

I'm in the camp of those that think that fixed dining should not just get to join into select when they feel like it - thereby putting extra wait times for regular select diners who chose that option for the entire cruise. :( If your friends have fixed and you have select but want to eat a time or two together - please go to a specialty restaurant or buffet. If I'm in select there is no way that I'd be asking for someone to make room for me at a table during fixed times.

[Iamcruzin]

The best way to do it is ask your friends to find a night when someone at their table might be eating in a specialty restaurant. Also depends on how many people are able to be at their table. If they are at a two top you have a problem.

 

Honestly, that is just too much work and inconvenience. If it were me I would just suck it up and eat in a specialty restaurant that one night.

[cruisestitch]

Here's a personal anecdote -- friends were traveling with their adult children, sitting at a four-top in fixed early seating. One night the younger two decided to stay in, order room service, and watch a movie. The older couple invited me to join them. We spoke to the MaitreD, so that the tips could be properly re-assigned, and I ate at that table one night instead of my usual Select Dining.

 

I'm with you, having the two of them join me in Select might have been an option, but Select was already busy enough that cruise, and this worked out.

[kadikale]

Thanks everyone for feedback. Our friends prefer fixed late dining and think service is better than on select. I don't think they would be keen on joining select option. We on the other hand like the flexibility of select.

[dutchclogs]

Thanks everyone for feedback. Our friends prefer fixed late dining and think service is better than on select. I don't think they would be keen on joining select option. We on the other hand like the flexibility of select.

 

FWIW, based on our experience on B2B on Equinox last week, we'd agree with your friends.

Our family of 4 had select dining for the first leg and experienced considerable bottlenecks occasioned (so the maitre d. told us ) by the number of (large) groups on board. The service was good, but very stressed. One night we were offered the option to go to fixed late dining a 6 top table diners had given notice they would be in speciality dining. The service was so good we asked if we could swap for rest of cruise but this was not possible as all tables were assigned.

The second week we had fixed late dining which we very much enjoyed, albeit the scheduling meant we missed a lot of the entertainment (another story)

[Muushka]

We were invited to join a lovely couple (Hi Luann and Ken) on New Years Eve and they were traditional, late. They had no table mates so there was room for us. I would think if your friends had a table and knew that some seats would be available (either unoccupied or perhaps they are doing specialty), they could ask their waiter if it was a possibility.

 

Good luck!

Edited August 4, 2015 by Muushka

[WisRiver]

We were on the Constellation transatlantic in April, 2015. My wife and I had select dining. We met two people (traveling as singles) who had fixed dining. Both had full tables. We ate dinner together in the MDR 3 or 4 times. I would have go down to dining room at 5:00 PM and make arrangements for the four of us to have a table. I could not do it on the phone earlier, and I had to make the reservation. One of the our new friends ate alone, so there was no problem with table mates. The other person did not mind leaving an empty seat at an eight top. Select and fixed diners can be mixed, but you have to ask.

[dmk]

I'm in the camp of those that think that fixed dining should not just get to join into select when they feel like it - thereby putting extra wait times for regular select diners who chose that option for the entire cruise. :( If your friends have fixed and you have select but want to eat a time or two together - please go to a specialty restaurant or buffet. If I'm in select there is no way that I'd be asking for someone to make room for me at a table during fixed times.

 

I'm with you! Well put!!