Select/MyTime/Anytime Dining, or whatever they call it.

[Wine-O]

We always use Traditional Dining, late seating.  We have an upcoming cruise in the Med in Aug 2020 and chose Select Dining.  What is the protocol?  Do we have to make reservations for every night?  Can we just show up whenever we want, like Blu?  We are a party of 4.  Do we have to make reservations every night in advance on the cruise planner?    If so, when will reservations be available on the cruise planner?   🍷

[alcpa1]

You can access the dining room any time you wish. You can also make reservations with the maitre d for a set dining time if you wish. You can also request a table for 4 or a larger table. 

You will do this upon boarding unless Celebrity begins a new protocol which will surely be noted on Cruise Critic.

Enjoy your cruise.

[NantahalaCruiser]

5 minutes ago, alcpa1 said:

You can access the dining room any time you wish. You can also make reservations with the maitre d for a set dining time if you wish. You can also request a table for 4 or a larger table. 

You will do this upon boarding unless Celebrity begins a new protocol which will surely be noted on Cruise Critic.

Enjoy your cruise.

The existing protocol also includes making reservations online prior to boarding via the Cruise Planner. Not sure, but I believe the option to make select dining reservations via the CP is activated at the same time as when advance purchase of specialty restaurants is activated.

[jelayne]

To make Select Dining reservations go to the Cruise Planner and look under dining, it believe it is the last item listed the Specialty restaurants.  We usually make reservations for night 1, just because the 1st night is a bit crazy.  Then as we are leaving the dining room each evening we tell the hostess what time we plan to arrive the next night.

[GlennaRoseGoes]

You can make reservations in advance if you wish, but the point of Select Dining for me is to go whenever I feel like it and not have to plan ahead......so I have never made them. Almost always get seated without a wait, but if you go near when the first show gets out, there can be a 30 minute wait. You get a buzzer and can entertain yourself in a nearby bar.

[gold1953]

There will be a cut off when you can not make reservations . They only allow a certain number each night as they must have space for walk ins . Last cruise we were told all reserved spots were taken so show up when we wanted to eat .  They wait varied form immediate seating to 30 minutes

[aml3679]

In all of our cruising years, we have never been offered Traditional Dining - I sort of want to sit at a table with strangers and get to know each other - how can we get this?  It is nice to eat anytime we want but long for the other experience.

[gold1953]

19 minutes ago, aml3679 said:

In all of our cruising years, we have never been offered Traditional Dining - I sort of want to sit at a table with strangers and get to know each other - how can we get this?  It is nice to eat anytime we want but long for the other experience.

We are always asked about our dining preferences and always choose fixed early. Anytime was not an option when we started cruising in 2010.  I don't think it was a thing in 2012 either. Not sure what year Celebrity started it .

 Just ask or log in and choose your dining time. Some options are filled faster than others but they have a wait list if you call

[Wine-O]

20 minutes ago, aml3679 said:

In all of our cruising years, we have never been offered Traditional Dining - I sort of want to sit at a table with strangers and get to know each other - how can we get this?  It is nice to eat anytime we want but long for the other experience.

We've always asked for traditional dining, late seating, and it's never been an issue.  We just ask for it at time of booking.  Of course, if booking late, it may be full, but you can always ask the Maitre'd for it once you board.  We've never found the late seating MDR full.  

 

We're requesting select dining because this will be a port intensive cruise, and late seating is 8:45pm, which is too late.  Early seating is 6:00pm, which is too early.  🍷

[ghstudio]

Reservations in select dining are different than at your home restaurant.  There are two lines to enter select dining, one for those with reservations, the other for others.  No tables are actually held for your reservation, it just allows you to get in the reservation line.  The truth is that the lines are roughly the same length...but occasionally the non reserved line can get longer.  We always make reservations in advance for every night because we prefer to dine at 7pm which can be a peak time....but the peak time varies by cruise.  They try to seat you with the same waiter for the entire cruise which means the same area of the restaurant...if you have a large party, they probably will seat you at the same table....but you may have to wait (they have beepers) for the previous folks to leave. If you prefer to dine somewhere else or with a different wait staff, just ask. 

 

The tables for 2 are close together....max one ft apart so you can easily talk with the folks at the next table, or not, your choice. 

[Wine-O]

Good info.  Thanks to all.  I just found it in the cruise planner so I will make reservations ahead of time.  🍷

[dkjretired]

1 hour ago, aml3679 said:

In all of our cruising years, we have never been offered Traditional Dining - I sort of want to sit at a table with strangers and get to know each other - how can we get this?  It is nice to eat anytime we want but long for the other experience.

 

Traditional Dining should not be a problem getting since it is losing its popularity and there is a good chance that if you sit with others there will be nights when some or all of them might not be there.  Traditional dining can be picked on your web site or your TA can set it up for you.   

[dkjretired]

53 minutes ago, Wine-O said:

Good info.  Thanks to all.  I just found it in the cruise planner so I will make reservations ahead of time.  🍷

 

Mike:

 

Couple of other things, if you choose Select dining you can ask to sit with others at the table, no guarantee if you do this every night that they will be the same people but that can happen.   You can also choose to sit alone if you wish.   

 

Also, I don't know if you've done it but if you have a very port intensive cruise, the Buffet is excellent in the evening.  Generally no crowds like at lunch or breakfast and the choices are excellent especially the grill area. 

Edited July 25, 2019 by dkjretired

[Wine-O]

4 hours ago, dkjretired said:

 

Mike:

 

Couple of other things, if you choose Select dining you can ask to sit with others at the table, no guarantee if you do this every night that they will be the same people but that can happen.   You can also choose to sit alone if you wish.   

 

Also, I don't know if you've done it but if you have a very port intensive cruise, the Buffet is excellent in the evening.  Generally no crowds like at lunch or breakfast and the choices are excellent especially the grill area. 

Hi Don,

 

We will be a party of 4, so shouldn't be a problem getting a table to ourselves.    If the weather is nice, we will probably be at the Sunset Bar for 5-7 Happy Hour (we'll have the package, but our friends won't), then roll over to the buffet/grill.  🍷

[CardRock]

I made reservations on my cruise planner for 6:30 every night.  We did show up at 6:00 one time and got seated right way without issue.  The only time we waited was when the hostess told us she could have a window table for us if we wanted to wait or she could seat us elsewhere immediately.  We waited and went to Craft Social.  By the time our drinks arrived the buzzer was going off.  

[hcat]

10 hours ago, Wine-O said:

Good info.  Thanks to all.  I just found it in the cruise planner so I will make reservations ahead of time.  🍷

 

We are fairly new to this as we are taking a break from  AQ class with BLU for our next few cruises . 

 

Reserving ahead on line or with Cap Club rep  seems to be the best approach.  You can always cancel for any night you want to skip the mdr for the buffet or Specialty dining.  

 

We like a set schedule and  choose an early time for most nights...table for 2.  We can always agree to a shared table upon arrival.

[aml3679]

I will get in touch with my TA since we like to eat early.

[kathynorth]

31 minutes ago, aml3679 said:

I will get in touch with my TA since we like to eat early.

 

Ask your TA to put you on the wait list if the early seating is full. Check in at the MDR reservations desk when you arrive on ship the first day. That person can help you change your dining assignment and time if this doesn't happen pre-cruise.