getting a good table in the main dining room

[mike-c52]

I recently returned from an 11 day cruise on silhouette. this is my sixth cruise with celebrity and I am select in the captains club. my question to everyone is how to go about getting a good table in the main dining room? I almost always get the late fixed seating and on every cruise I have been stuck back in a corner of the dining room. to get to our table we walk thru the beautiful open area where the wine tower is located and almost always see many unused tables. I had a wonderful wait staff but I just feel like I am a second class passenger even though I have sailed with celebrity so many times. has anyone had this experience and somehow found how to get a good table. thanks in advance for any help you may have to offer.

[Snit13]

We eat in Blu because we always sail AQUA but when we sail Royal I take a $5 bill for each night we dine in MDR. I request a table in the area we would enjoy sitting and if I get table of my choice the host/hostess gets the $5 in my hand. If I don't get what I want they get a Thank You. After the first night, as soon as they see us we are ushered to a table and they get their $5 from my hand. I learned this in Las Vegas many, many years ago when being seated for shows. I also use this tactic in BLU and believe me it works every night. Maybe it is cheating but I believe they may need the $$$ more than I do. I also always smile and treat them with respect. My friend always carried $20 with her but I don't have her financial debth. We both have past experience in the hospitality industry and know the value of respect and tips.

I also firmly believe "Ask politely and you will receive."

[sylmack]

You can try calling Captain's Club customer service to give them your preferred table size, and then inquire about location.

 

Failing that, approach the maitre d' when you board the ship. You can get your table location beforehand and modify it if it is not suitable. Be diplomatic.

[cruisestitch]

Interesting -- many people prefer the tables off in the corner because they are quieter. Some don't like being in the center of the dining room where they can be observed by others, so what constitutes a "good" table varies from person to person. If you want to be in the center area, definitely take it up with the MaitreD on embarkation day.

[sunshine nana]

When we have traditional, I go to the dining room as soon as we board and wait in line to see the host there. I tell him where I want to be seated at a table for two and he puts it into the computer.

[eandj]

We see the maître d upon boarding. You can request to see then where you will be seated. However, if you don't like the position of the table, there is no guarantee that you can be moved. Remember MOST have already been assigned a table. And what remains is all you will be offered. And those are not necessarily any better located.

Sometimes, if not happy with your table, they can seat you at an empty table for a night if the staff has been notified that a couple will be dining elsewhere that one night. I've seen that done.

 

We cross our fingers. Like stated, it's hard to please everyone. And your select standing really has no weight, unfortunately.

[awhfy]

I have to see the maitre d to advise on allergies. They have always asked me if my table is acceptable & take me to it. If it isn't it is adjusted then. I always make sure to have the reservation numbers & cabin numbers of our companions with me.

 

Be pleasant

[Got2Cruise]

I think you might have more leeway choosing a better table with select dining than traditional seating. I know that our table number was in the computer upon checkin and we received a card with the number around the time of the lifeboat drill. We had table 301 on the Summit, a table for 8, in front of aft windows and a table away from Captains Table. We loved this table. The only negative is that the MDR on Summit is much too crowded and the tables too close together that getting from entrance back to the table was a chore. The table next to the Captains table were two separate families who obviously did not like each other. Of the 7 nights I only saw both families sit there together twice and their body language showed it was very awkward. The sixth night nobody showed and the table was vacant. What a waste of a beautiful table. Finally on the last night nobody showed up but they ushered a group of 8 to the table after awhile and they were obviously happy and grateful with the location

Edited September 19, 2015 by Got2Cruise

[eandj]

Yes and so many of the tables for two on the s class ships are no more than 18 in. from each other. last cruise we were lucky to have one on the end of the grouping and could pull ours another 6 in. away from our neighbors.

 

We still make small talk with our two-top neighbors, but don't spend the time knowing them like when we eat at larger tables. We figure if we all chose a two top for dinner, we aren't looking to make our dinners a group event.

 

Only once have we purposely tried to ignore a couple...the woman never shut up, and tried getting us pulled into her monologues directed towards her husband, who wasn't paying attention. :rolleyes: LUCKILY after 4 days, they disappeared.

Edited September 19, 2015 by eandj

[wallie5446]

We have sailed with Celebrity since 1992 and had tables from one end to the other, port to starboard, and in the middle. Never thought of one as being better than the other.

 

Last yr on the Equinox, late seating, we moved tables 3 times as we found friends we wanted to dine with. The 3rd time was back to the original corner we started at, just at a 6 top instead of a 10 top.

 

Turns out our waiter was just back from his 3 month break and starting his 27th YEAR with the line!

[cb at sea]

For us, it's the company at the table, more than the table's location! Once, we were stuck right near the kitchen door....thought it would be awful, but our tablemates were so much fun, we never noticed! And, our food was always served HOT!!! Win-win!!!

[Desertbelle]

I'm surprised that anyone would think they are a "second class passenger" because of where their MDR table is located. The dining rooms are so lovely, and I have never thought that the location within the room had anything to do with my status on the ship.

 

The tables along the walls and in the corners are more quiet and your chair isn't being bumped every time someone walks by the table. I used to think being by the window would be important, but we soon found that it's usually dark by the time we eat dinner and they close the draperies most of the time, so a window is of minimal use. :)

[jelayne]

We much prefer the tables in the back. We find it much quieter and no getting bumped by servers or passengers coming or going from another table.

[dkjretired]

For us, it's the company at the table, more than the table's location! Once, we were stuck right near the kitchen door....thought it would be awful, but our tablemates were so much fun, we never noticed! And, our food was always served HOT!!! Win-win!!!

 

I have been told a couple of times by waiters that the better servers get assigned near the kitchen doors. This is based upon evaluations and actually makes sense, rewarding those who are rated high with less carrying.

[shadowlover]

We had set seating on millenium in June and they placed us at a table that was in a horrid spot. It was right next to an area where the waiters place all of the empty plates, glasses etc and in the back of the dining room with absolutely no view but of the waiter station. My husband simply kindly asked the Maitre D if we could possibly be moved and within seconds we were. No one else was placed there for the remainder of the cruise... it was just not a good area for anyone. We also sat there for about 30 minutes without any waiter coming to us so I doubt they put the "best waiters near the kitchen" because we were right next to the kitchen.

[zoncom]

I request a quiet table for two, not by wait station, early seating WITH INITIAL BOOKING. Only once has this failed. Think request got lost. We were seated in an overflow alcove with maybe a hundred Asians on a group charter.Took two nights to correct.

Edited September 19, 2015 by zoncom

[donaldsc]

We eat in Blu because we always sail AQUA but when we sail Royal I take a $5 bill for each night we dine in MDR. I request a table in the area we would enjoy sitting and if I get table of my choice the host/hostess gets the $5 in my hand. If I don't get what I want they get a Thank You. After the first night, as soon as they see us we are ushered to a table and they get their $5 from my hand. I learned this in Las Vegas many, many years ago when being seated for shows. I also use this tactic in BLU and believe me it works every night. Maybe it is cheating but I believe they may need the $$$ more than I do. I also always smile and treat them with respect. My friend always carried $20 with her but I don't have her financial debth. We both have past experience in the hospitality industry and know the value of respect and tips.

I also firmly believe "Ask politely and you will receive."

 

Yet another "bribe the help to get what you want" person. Have you tried asking them politely for your preferred location? I will bet that it would work without having to shell out $5 each night.

 

DON

[Desertbelle]

Yet another "bribe the help to get what you want" person. Have you tried asking them politely for your preferred location? I will bet that it would work without having to shell out $5 each night.

 

DON

I completely agree. Asking nicely goes a long, long way to getting whatever it is that you are requesting.

[wallie5446]

Yet another "bribe the help to get what you want" person. Have you tried asking them politely for your preferred location? I will bet that it would work without having to shell out $5 each night.

 

DON

 

I completely agree. Asking nicely goes a long, long way to getting whatever it is that you are requesting.

 

We have never exchanged a 'firm' handshake with the Matre 'D to make a location change either.

[Snit13]

Yet another "bribe the help to get what you want" person. Have you tried asking them politely for your preferred location? I will bet that it would work without having to shell out $5 each night.

 

DON

 

Don, You live in Vegas. That is where I learned this trick way back in early 70's. I always ask politely as that is the way I am, but sorry, I believe in rewarding good service.

 

Grace

[eandj]

If I have to bribe staff members with $5 bills on a cruise ship for "good service" I wouldn't cruise that line. I have expectations that are met on Celebrity without waving bills in their faces. ;)

[Oceangoer2]

We have mostly been pleased with our table locations, but once with Select dining we requested a table by the rail for each evening. We were seated with great table-mates whose company we enjoyed most evenings after that. DH wanted to thank the hostess with $$'s but she politely refused and told us that wasn't allowed.

[Baron Barracuda]

DW really feels the heat, so we try to avoid the corners of the mdr which can get very warm. Airflow in the center is much better. We request table for two at booking, but only get it about half the time. Check with maitre'd on embarkation day and he has ALWAYS been able to accomodate our request.

[4774Papa]

I recently returned from an 11 day cruise on silhouette. this is my sixth cruise with celebrity and I am select in the captains club. my question to everyone is how to go about getting a good table in the main dining room? I almost always get the late fixed seating and on every cruise I have been stuck back in a corner of the dining room. to get to our table we walk thru the beautiful open area where the wine tower is located and almost always see many unused tables. I had a wonderful wait staff but I just feel like I am a second class passenger even though I have sailed with celebrity so many times. has anyone had this experience and somehow found how to get a good table. thanks in advance for any help you may have to offer.

We prefer a table that is not in the middle of the dining room, due to the noise.

We successfully enjoyed 6pm fixed seating for Dinner our first six X cruises. The seventh and eighth were a disaster. The seventh cruise, we had a table for 12 and 8 showed up, except four kept showing up 30-45 minutes late. The two nice people at the table transferred to another table, which we had to do as well. The eighth wasn't as bad, but we just didn't have the chemistry with the people at the table. so we transferred to Select. We now do Select.

[kevinyork]

Maybe it is cheating but I believe they may need the $$$ more than I do. I also always smile and treat them with respect.

 

 

Made me cringe reading this. Of course they need the $$$ more than you and of course thats why they pander to your whim. Hope they dont seat you at our table.

 

 

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