Celebrity Beyond Main Dining

[Bamlin]

19 hours ago, StellaTN said:

A lot of people here and on FB seem to be very worried about reserving a time for dinner on Beyond. I did some research and math to help illustrate the actual situation with the 4 dining rooms:

 

So the Beyond holds 3,260 passengers at full capacity.

The four MDRs hold a total of 1,378 people (I added these up based on Celebrity's info they provide).

With 2 seatings, that's 2,756 people who could eat dinner in the MDRs in a night. 

 

3260 pax at full capacity - 2,756 max in MDRs = 504 left who would have to be eating in Luminae, Blu, OVC or a specialty restaurant. I think the reality is way more than 504 choose those options in a night. And, on top of that, most ships have not been sailing at max capacity unless it is a holiday or special sailing.

 

So all that to say, scarcity of seats should NEVER be a problem in the MDRs, unless everyone chooses to eat at 6p, which is just not the case. People's preference for dinner times are staggered enough that this is a non-issue, which is I'm sure what the data has shown for X and why they are making changes - to allow people to have one less thing to worry about (i.e. dinner reservations) - and to just enjoy the beautiful ship 🙂

 

Its really ok to not have a reservation 🙂

Good information, thanks

[Bamlin]

19 hours ago, StellaTN said:

A lot of people here and on FB seem to be very worried about reserving a time for dinner on Beyond. I did some research and math to help illustrate the actual situation with the 4 dining rooms:

 

So the Beyond holds 3,260 passengers at full capacity.

The four MDRs hold a total of 1,378 people (I added these up based on Celebrity's info they provide).

With 2 seatings, that's 2,756 people who could eat dinner in the MDRs in a night. 

 

3260 pax at full capacity - 2,756 max in MDRs = 504 left who would have to be eating in Luminae, Blu, OVC or a specialty restaurant. I think the reality is way more than 504 choose those options in a night. And, on top of that, most ships have not been sailing at max capacity unless it is a holiday or special sailing.

 

So all that to say, scarcity of seats should NEVER be a problem in the MDRs, unless everyone chooses to eat at 6p, which is just not the case. People's preference for dinner times are staggered enough that this is a non-issue, which is I'm sure what the data has shown for X and why they are making changes - to allow people to have one less thing to worry about (i.e. dinner reservations) - and to just enjoy the beautiful ship 🙂

 

Its really ok to not have a reservation 🙂

Thanks

[Spif Barwunkel]

10 hours ago, kwokpot said:

Incorrect, it's already been established with many posts that the E-Class ships are all anytime dining. 

Right now, in my case your incorrect is incorrect. On my Ascent cruise in 12/2023, we will dine at 6:00pm (early seating) as booked and showing on the invoice. MDR yet to be determined. As is the case, in many cases, many posts do not necessarily make the case. Below, is what X sent me.

 

"At this time, the Edge Class is going to be ran as normal. No changes have been made or released to us here about that update.

It was mentioned as a new concept but nothing was changed. As the Ascent, is part of the Edge Series, there will still be an Early, Late, and Celebrity Select Option. These guests are in early dining.

Guests will be advised Day 1 of which Dining Room they're to meet at each day. From there they can work with the Matr'd to get that changed if they wish to try the other restaurants out during the sailing."

 

"These guests" refer to DW and me.

 

 

 

  

[terrydtx]

11 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Right now, in my case your incorrect is incorrect. On my Ascent cruise in 12/2023, we will dine at 6:00pm (early seating) as booked and showing on the invoice. MDR yet to be determined. As is the case, in many cases, many posts do not necessarily make the case. Below, is what X sent me.

 

"At this time, the Edge Class is going to be ran as normal. No changes have been made or released to us here about that update.

It was mentioned as a new concept but nothing was changed. As the Ascent, is part of the Edge Series, there will still be an Early, Late, and Celebrity Select Option. These guests are in early dining.

Guests will be advised Day 1 of which Dining Room they're to meet at each day. From there they can work with the Matr'd to get that changed if they wish to try the other restaurants out during the sailing."

 

"These guests" refer to DW and me.

 

 

 

  

All this proves is that Celebrity is still consistent with being inconsistent. A lot can change in the next 11 months, as we have seen recently.

[Spif Barwunkel]

34 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

All this proves is that Celebrity is still consistent with being inconsistent. A lot can change in the next 11 months, as we have seen recently.

To me, it's more cruiser confusion. Like moths to a flame and blinded by the light. Can't figure things out for themselves, with or without help.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Spif Barwunkel

[Bamlin]

4 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Right now, in my case your incorrect is incorrect. On my Ascent cruise in 12/2023, we will dine at 6:00pm (early seating) as booked and showing on the invoice. MDR yet to be determined. As is the case, in many cases, many posts do not necessarily make the case. Below, is what X sent me.

 

"At this time, the Edge Class is going to be ran as normal. No changes have been made or released to us here about that update.

It was mentioned as a new concept but nothing was changed. As the Ascent, is part of the Edge Series, there will still be an Early, Late, and Celebrity Select Option. These guests are in early dining.

Guests will be advised Day 1 of which Dining Room they're to meet at each day. From there they can work with the Matr'd to get that changed if they wish to try the other restaurants out during the sailing."

 

"These guests" refer to DW and me.

 

 

 

  

Good information, thanks

 

[kwokpot]

4 hours ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Right now, in my case your incorrect is incorrect. On my Ascent cruise in 12/2023, we will dine at 6:00pm (early seating) as booked and showing on the invoice. MDR yet to be determined. As is the case, in many cases, many posts do not necessarily make the case. Below, is what X sent me.

 

"At this time, the Edge Class is going to be ran as normal. No changes have been made or released to us here about that update.

It was mentioned as a new concept but nothing was changed. As the Ascent, is part of the Edge Series, there will still be an Early, Late, and Celebrity Select Option. These guests are in early dining.

Guests will be advised Day 1 of which Dining Room they're to meet at each day. From there they can work with the Matr'd to get that changed if they wish to try the other restaurants out during the sailing."

 

"These guests" refer to DW and me.

 

 

 

  

IT doesn't matter what is sent to you. What Celebrity sent to you with regard to CURRENT E-Class ships is patently false. Currently, the E-Class ships are running full anytime dining. Whatsmore, I'm speaking from experience, not just as an armchair traveler. My parents was booked into Early set dining on the Beyond, and when we all boarded the Beyond on 10/26/22 it was confirmed that there's no set early or late seating. All the current trip reports on E-Class ships on Cruise Critic confirm this dining room status. 

It is correct we have no idea what the Ascent will do when it premiers,  nor do we know if Celebrity will change back to a choice of Set early and late seatings or anytime will occur at some latter date on E-Class ships. But to say that currently there's no change to dinner seating choices on E-Class ships is just false. 

[Spif Barwunkel]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

IT doesn't matter what is sent to you. What Celebrity sent to you with regard to CURRENT E-Class ships is patently false. Currently, the E-Class ships are running full anytime dining. Whatsmore, I'm speaking from experience, not just as an armchair traveler. My parents was booked into Early set dining on the Beyond, and when we all boarded the Beyond on 10/26/22 it was confirmed that there's no set early or late seating. All the current trip reports on E-Class ships on Cruise Critic confirm this dining room status. 

It is correct we have no idea what the Ascent will do when it premiers,  nor do we know if Celebrity will change back to a choice of Set early and late seatings or anytime will occur at some latter date on E-Class ships. But to say that currently there's no change to dinner seating choices on E-Class ships is just false. 

kp, all of my posts are relevant to DW and me, right now, per my booking on the Ascent in December 2023. I have stated that fact emphatically per what X told me about our booking. What is happening right now to others on E-Class ships is certainly very important but is totally different from our current status and that of other perspective cruisers looking to book an Ascent sailing. I'm thinking that this bit of news is important as well. What will be in twelve-twenty-three remains to be seen. See my post #22.  

Edited January 31, 2023 by Spif Barwunkel

[Dancing Shoes]

I trust others' actual experience rather than Celebrity's site or their customer service.  I booked Early dining on Apex for April.  Recent cruisers are saying, no fixed dining.  So, I changed my booking to Anytime and went in and made reservations.  

[Pushkin]

We are just off the Beyond.  There was no early/late dining.  The 4-restaurant setup is really not conducive to it.  Of course, who knows for the Ascent, but I would doubt it.

[kwokpot]

19 minutes ago, Pushkin said:

We are just off the Beyond.  There was no early/late dining.  The 4-restaurant setup is really not conducive to it.  Of course, who knows for the Ascent, but I would doubt it.

It would be extremely odd for Celebrity to backtrack on this whole issue for E-Class ships.

[helen haywood]

You just can’t convince some people.  We’ve sailed Beyond recently, as most people who have actually sailed an E Class ship recently have reported, there is no Early or Late fixed seating…only anytime.  It would be nice if Celebrity’s invoices, website or customer service agents gave correct information.  But since they don’t, others are trying to alert future cruisers what the reality will be onboard.

[RichYak]

6 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

You just can’t convince some people.  We’ve sailed Beyond recently, as most people who have actually sailed an E Class ship recently have reported, there is no Early or Late fixed seating…only anytime.  It would be nice if Celebrity’s invoices, website or customer service agents gave correct information.  But since they don’t, others are trying to alert future cruisers what the reality will be onboard.

People believe what they want to believe. I give it one shot, then disengage.

[TripLLLe]

On 1/30/2023 at 9:39 PM, kwokpot said:

I'm unclear by your statement of being assigned a 6pm dinner at Blu. There's no assigned dining times at Blu. And for the record, I was in Aquaclass on the Beyond in the October 26th sailing. So I'm not quite sure what you're referring to in your post can you elaborate? 

Looking back at the card, I conflated two things: the Celebrity app said 6:00 was our dining time; unfortunately I can no longer access that information.

 

The card below is what I was referencing. I misstated the 5:00-5:30 time - it was actually 5:30-6:00. As the card notes, dining is from 5:30-9 in Blu - the 6:00 thing in the app must have been an artifact left over from booking in mid-2022.

[The Traveling Man]

19 hours ago, RichYak said:

People believe what they want to believe. I give it one shot, then disengage.

"Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest."  - Paul Simon

[kwokpot]

42 minutes ago, TripLLLe said:

Looking back at the card, I conflated two things: the Celebrity app said 6:00 was our dining time; unfortunately I can no longer access that information.

 

The card below is what I was referencing. I misstated the 5:00-5:30 time - it was actually 5:30-6:00. As the card notes, dining is from 5:30-9 in Blu - the 6:00 thing in the app must have been an artifact left over from booking in mid-2022.

So to be clear, the card is stating a 'suggested' dining time when there most likely won't be any wait times and you'll be able to be seated immediately. As the card says Blu has no assigned dining times nor can you ever make a reservation. 

[RTR 21-0]

Will be 1st time Celebrity cruisers in May on Beyond and not with an Aquaclass booking.  Just so I’m clear and to wrap this up for us newbies:  (1) no specific dining room is assigned; (2) Beyond has 4 MDRs which are all any time dining; and (3) all of the MDRs basically serve the same menu except for a few speciality dishes.  Did I get all that correct? 

[kwokpot]

11 minutes ago, RTR 21-0 said:

Will be 1st time Celebrity cruisers in May on Beyond and not with an Aquaclass booking.  Just so I’m clear and to wrap this up for us newbies:  (1) no specific dining room is assigned; (2) Beyond has 4 MDRs which are all any time dining; and (3) all of the MDRs basically serve the same menu except for a few speciality dishes.  Did I get all that correct? 

Exactly. Whatsmore, the specialty dishes can be ordered in any of the other MDRs. 

[RTR 21-0]

4 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Exactly. Whatsmore, the specialty dishes can be ordered in any of the other MDRs. 

Thank you! Sounds easy breezy 😉

[shipshape sam]

We sailed Beyond Jan 15th embarkation.  Dinner for us was easy  We booked the various MDR's on line, but then as things changed staff accommodated us each time.  They actually were letting people enter early the nights we attended, while we were standing for 6 pm.  Wanted to do 7:30 shows.

 

We could tell that a very high percentage of wait staff wanted to please us as they wanted 10's .  I can only guess that there is a LOT of pressure to get 10's and maybe 9's on occasion.  

 

We never saw the MDR full, but we also only had  approx. 2100 passengers where ship capacity is about 3200.  Not sure how other restaurants fared, but we thought we got '10' rated service for their dining service each night it all of the MDRs.  If there was an issue, we had a slight one, they acted like there was no tomorrow and fixed it.  For us, I had ordered coffee and after about 5 minutes my desert came and then still no coffee after an additional 4-5 minutes.  In hindsight, I would not wait as long to follow-up with them on whereabouts of the coffee.  As it turned out, went to al Bacio for a latte and it was good. 🙂

[emsee]

Still trying to get my head around this dining issue!

My wife and I are booked on Celebrity Beyond in February 2023. We booked anytime dining. Just gone on to the app to book dinner at 6.45pm at the 4MDRs restaurants each day but it is only offering 9.00pm &/or 9.30pm available which is far too late for both of us! Any advice as to what we can do to eat at the times we want?

[terrydtx]

38 minutes ago, emsee said:

Still trying to get my head around this dining issue!

My wife and I are booked on Celebrity Beyond in February 2023. We booked anytime dining. Just gone on to the app to book dinner at 6.45pm at the 4MDRs restaurants each day but it is only offering 9.00pm &/or 9.30pm available which is far too late for both of us! Any advice as to what we can do to eat at the times we want?

Walk up at the time you want in the MDR you want (4 to choose from) and at most you may have to wait a few minutes. I have read recent reports form CC people on E Class ships and some report that the MDR's do not honor the prebooked times, it is all first come first seated. Showing up at 6:45 is a good time for seating as the early diners are finishing and the table are turning by that time.

 

Here is one of those comments from a current passenger posting on the Edge.

"We never made any reservations for MDRs. Only one night we were asked to wait for five minutes, but it was actually more like one. All other nights we were seated immediately".

 

This why we prefer anytime dinning.

Edited February 12, 2023 by terrydtx

[kidz_rn]

On 2/1/2023 at 4:50 PM, The Traveling Man said:

Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest."  - Paul Simon

 

From "The Boxer," one of Paul's most outstanding efforts (from S&G's 1970 final album as a duo, Bridge Over Troubled Water). Another lyric quote from Paul (and something to worry about especially while onboard a cruise ship):

 

"Everything Put Together, Sooner or Later Falls Apart"