How does Select Dining work on Celebrity

[liketraveling]

We prefer Select Dining or Anytime Dining.

 

We have used it on both Holland America an Princess but not celebrity.

 

Are you allowed to show up between certain times like between 6:00 to 9:00 and be seated?

 

Are you seated with other passengers?  this is something we prefer.  We enjoy meeting other people.

 

We will be on the eclipse and usually prefer eating between 6:30 to 7:30.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

You can either just show up and if tables are not available they will give you a beeper so you can enjoy a beverage while waiting.   Alternatively you can make a reservation for the time you desire.    There will be two lines at the entrance -  one for reservations and one for no reservations.

 

If you desire to dine with others you can let them know and they will try to combine with others that wish shared space.  

[cynbar]

What type of cabin do you have? There are different assigned dining rooms, depending on your cabin class. If you re in a suite, you will be assigned to Luminae. If you are in Aqua Class, you are assigned to Blu. All other cabin types are in the main dining room (I forget the name of it on Eclipse!) Anyway, all offer Select Dining, but shared tables are generally only available for main dining room passengers.

[HeddaGarbled]

You can turn up any time within the dining room opening hours. Sometimes you’ll be seated immediately. At peak times, you may have to wait: they’ll give you a buzzer so you can go to a bar nearby while you wait. The first two nights tend to be very busy. At peak times there can be a long queue to request a table and then a wait for the table as well. After that, it settles down and you can often get in immediately. 

 

You can can request a table for two or a table with others. Often, if you request a table with others, you’ll get seated more quickly, as most people on Select Dining prefer not to share with strangers. 

 

The tables for two are very close together, so you are effectively eating with others anyway. Sometimes your neighbours are willing to be sociable, sometimes not. 

[sandancer]

19 hours ago, cynbar said:

What type of cabin do you have? There are different assigned dining rooms, depending on your cabin class. If you re in a suite, you will be assigned to Luminae. If you are in Aqua Class, you are assigned to Blu. All other cabin types are in the main dining room (I forget the name of it on Eclipse!) Anyway, all offer Select Dining, but shared tables are generally only available for main dining room passengers.

You can definitely share a table on the Eclipse. In fact the hostess will ask you if you wish to share. 

[helen haywood]

I think cynbar meant that Luminae and Blu don’t have sharing tables.

[CruiserN1]

Note that you can make your reservations in advance in the cruise planner. We like to eat early and I've already booked 6pm reservations for our cruise coming up on 2/29.

[terrydtx]

44 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

I think cynbar meant that Luminae and Blu don’t have sharing tables.

And both do not have assigned dining times, they are all open or select.

[kearney]

On the cruises we have been on, they left a letter in our cabin telling us when the peak times were...so that you could avoid waiting. We ususally make reservations on line...  They try to seat you in the same area. You might call and see if you can request being seated at a larger table before the cruise. One observation. the service at smaller tables seems to go faster. We were once seated at a table for 8 or 10 and dinner took hours...vs about an hour. We often find ourselves talking with people sitting at the table next to ours... they are not far apart.

[CruiserN1]

Agree with kearney, the tables are really close and we often chat with the neighbors. We've had good and bad experiences at larger tables. Sometimes you get sat with a group of 4 or 6 who are all traveling together and end up feeling like you crashed a party (and it does for sure take longer to get the food). Sometimes you get sat with another couple and get along great, sometimes the other couple wants to interrogate you on political topics or other argumentative issues. But sometimes we've had great conversations with other couples/groups also, it's a toss up. We like to eat in the MDR for lunch on sea days and have had good luck with interesting table conversation at those too.

[gold1953]

Yes, you can make reservations but there is a cut off for the # of people as they must leave a percent of tables open for those who show up for the 'open' time aspect. We ran into this on the Eclipse. The reservation allotment was filled and we were told to show up and get in line.   If you have a time you want for any nights then book early to avoid this issue

[ipeeinthepool]

55 minutes ago, gold1953 said:

Yes, you can make reservations but there is a cut off for the # of people as they must leave a percent of tables open for those who show up for the 'open' time aspect. We ran into this on the Eclipse. The reservation allotment was filled and we were told to show up and get in line.   If you have a time you want for any nights then book early to avoid this issue

 

I sometimes question if reservations really help but I have dining times booked on all of my cruises through 2021.

[YoHoHo]

On 1/12/2020 at 3:44 PM, HeddaGarbled said:

You can turn up any time within the dining room opening hours. Sometimes you’ll be seated immediately. At peak times, you may have to wait: they’ll give you a buzzer so you can go to a bar nearby while you wait. The first two nights tend to be very busy. At peak times there can be a long queue to request a table and then a wait for the table as well. After that, it settles down and you can often get in immediately. 

Helpful, thanks. Did not consider there could be a long queue to make the request, never mind the wait for it to be filled.

 

I *know* it can vary a great deal but never having been on a ship this size I have no idea what is a typical time range for the queue and wait.

 

Say we wanted to be seated at 7:00 (so a peak'ish time). What would be a good time to show up to make the reservation?

Say we showed up at 6. Can we request 7:00 or is the request just for next available?

Bottom line is what time should we show up to get a 7:00 table?

How long for the queue to make the reservation. Is it worth even mentioning like 5 minutes or could it be say 15+.

And (whew), we are travelling with another couple, does someone from each cabin have to be at the reservation desk or could I make  the reservation for all four of us (both cabin)

 

I realize every day and every sailing can be different and it will vary but any help will calm concerns in the group

 

Edited January 19, 2020 by YoHoHo

[luckyinpa]

has anyone gone on board, went to the MDR and picked out a seat for the week along with times/days

[Madio]

On 1/13/2020 at 2:02 PM, helen haywood said:

I think cynbar meant that Luminae and Blu don’t have sharing tables.

I'm very curious about this because we are in AQ Class for the first time on the Edge March 15 cruise.  Don't know much about Blu, or how it works, (i.e. open on embarkation day for lunch? Sharing tables? We don't mind that. Menu the same as MDR's? Breakfast menu?)  Any info appreciated.

[helen haywood]

Blu is not open for lunch on any day, including embarkation day.  I’ve never seen a Blu hostess asking if you want to share a table as in the MDR....  The menu is definitely not the same as the MDR.  Do a search for the menus...I haven’t eaten in Blu on Edge yet.

[Madio]

21 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

Blu is not open for lunch on any day, including embarkation day.  I’ve never seen a Blu hostess asking if you want to share a table as in the MDR....  The menu is definitely not the same as the MDR.  Do a search for the menus...I haven’t eaten in Blu on Edge yet.

Thanks Helen.  I didn't think it was open for lunch on embarkation day, but someone told me it was, so I thought I'd check with others.  I have looked at menus, but I will check again for the Blu menu.