Equinox Select Dining Main Dining Room (MDR)

[DStonelake]

It has been a very, very long time since we have eaten in the MDR (have dined in Blu/specially restaurants the last 10 years).  Our next cruise is with family, so we will have Select Dining in the MDR on the Equinox.  A few questions for those the have eaten in MDR in the last few years ...
 

- What deck is Select Dining located on? 

- What dishes are not to be missed?
- How is the wine service in the MDR with a large amount of individuals having beverage package?

- What is your favorite before dinner convenient bar/lounge?
- What is your favorite table location in the Dining Room and can location be requested?

- Are reservations necessary?  And ... if you have a reservation, is there a grace period, i.e, 15 min late? What if reservation is missed?

 

Thanks in advance

[davekathy]

19 minutes ago, DStonelake said:

It has been a very, very long time since we have eaten in the MDR (have dined in Blu/specially restaurants the last 10 years).  Our next cruise is with family, so we will have Select Dining in the MDR on the Equinox.  A few questions for those the have eaten in MDR in the last few years ...
 

- What deck is Select Dining located on? Deck 3. Silhouette Dining room 

- What dishes are not to be missed? Subjective. 
- How is the wine service in the MDR with a large amount of individuals having beverage package? We had great service from the Sommelier. We had the CBP. 

- What is your favorite before dinner convenient bar/lounge? We always go to the Sky Lounge for the Captains Club HH.
- What is your favorite table location in the Dining Room and can location be requested? Ours was table for two by the wine tower. 

- Are reservations necessary?  And ... if you have a reservation, is there a grace period, i.e, 15 min late? What if reservation is missed? We always make reservations pre cruise in the Cruise Planner as we like to eat early. Personal preference. We are always on time. 

 

Thanks in advance

Welcome to CC. Answers in red. 

[wrk2cruise]

We have been in Luminae and Blu most of the time for the last 5 years.  Last August we did a last minute Concierge room and our first Select dining experience.   It was on Equinox and select was on Deck 4 Port side.  DW has some dietary restrictions so we met with them right after boarding.  We were met by Diego each night and seated in the very back to the right of the galley next to a window.   Our wait staff was superb and the food was very good.   Seating is very tight in the MDR.  I would highly recommend the "back room" as it has some separation from the wide open MDR and the noise level.

[cruisestitch]

We  know how it used to work, but no one knows what we will find once Cruising commences again.  Take all this information with a grain of salt.

[Arizona Wildcat]

4 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

We  know how it used to work, but no one knows what we will find once Cruising commences again.  Take all this information with a grain of salt.

The only thing we do know is Celebrity announced a bit ago that there would be all new menus.  If the same procedure, they try to seat you in the same area with the same waitstaff each evening.  Always had great service.  Food goid to excellent.  We are hoping lamb shanks stay on the menu.

[NantahalaCruiser]

After several years of eating in Blu, we enjoyed Select Dining in the MDR about a year ago on the Reflection.  Food is always subjective, but we would say almost as good as in Blu.  Wait staff was excellent about the same as in Blu.  Ambiance not nearly as great - no where near as refined and much noisier.  Wine service was the biggest disappointment - Sommelier was definitely over worked with little or no time for recommendations; and after the first evening of very delayed topping off of drinks, we asked to have the bottle left on the table so that we could do so ourselves.

[JerseyGirlatHeart]

Dining in MDR also on next cruise, haven't done so in many, many years.  Hope we won't be disappointed.

[Texed]

As I have stated on a roll call,  my choice of dining is:  ATD.

"All the Time Dining".

That works for me.  😂

Edited September 15, 2020 by Texed

[Pinboy]

On 9/13/2020 at 2:25 PM, DStonelake said:

What deck is Select Dining located on? 

- What dishes are not to be missed?
- How is the wine service in the MDR with a large amount of individuals having beverage package?

- What is your favorite before dinner convenient bar/lounge?
- What is your favorite table location in the Dining Room and can location be requested?

- Are reservations necessary?  And ... if you have a reservation, is there a grace period, i.e, 15 min late? What if reservation is missed?

1--- Deck 4

2--- Personal preference -- Beef dishes are excellent as are the 3 shrimp cocktails each night.

3--- N/A -- Non drinkers

4--- Sky Lounge for appetizers, virgin bloody Mary's ( 3 )

5--- Beside the rail or the wine tower ( Table for 2 ) - request as soon as we board the ship.

6--- Make Select dining reservations on line prior to cruise. We are always on time as a courtesy to Staff. If we are going to a Specialty restaurant we notify the MDR Staff the day before that we will not be there.

[GottaKnowWhen]

On 9/13/2020 at 2:25 PM, DStonelake said:

It has been a very, very long time since we have eaten in the MDR (have dined in Blu/specially restaurants the last 10 years).  Our next cruise is with family, so we will have Select Dining in the MDR on the Equinox.  A few questions for those the have eaten in MDR in the last few years ...
 

- What deck is Select Dining located on? 

- What dishes are not to be missed?
- How is the wine service in the MDR with a large amount of individuals having beverage package?

- What is your favorite before dinner convenient bar/lounge?
- What is your favorite table location in the Dining Room and can location be requested?

- Are reservations necessary?  And ... if you have a reservation, is there a grace period, i.e, 15 min late? What if reservation is missed?

 

Thanks in advance

Deck 3 or 4 depending. Depending on proportion of Select vs. Fixed. 
Wine service always has been good with Fixed, we’ve never done select. With Fixed we would often have the Sommalier waiting with open bottle of our preferred tipple.