Anytime Dining

[RTR 21-0]

Haven’t really thought about dining reservations because on other cruise lines we usually just decide where to and what to eat based on the mood of the day and always booked with anytime dining.  Booked same for this cruise but I was playing on the app and checked out the 4 main dining options for upcoming cruise (Beyond) and noticed the first available for each is 9:00 pm each night. Definitely don’t want to eat that late. Thought I’ve read in previous posts most times one can get a table in 30 min (more or less) w/o a reservation.  Is that correct or as Ricky Ricardo said will I, “have some ‘splaining’ to do” to DH? 

[WestLakeGirl]

With any time dining you can go without a reservation and yes you may have a wait if you go at a  popular time, but they will give you a buzzer and you can wait at a nearby bar or lounge

[NutsAboutGolf]

Typically arriving between 630pm-730pm will result in the longest wait times

[KellyCz]

With Anytime Dining, will you have the same table (or at least the same server) every night, regardless of the time you dine?

[cw2go]

1 minute ago, KellyCz said:

With Anytime Dining, will you have the same table (or at least the same server) every night, regardless of the time you dine?

Depends on the ship and time you arrive to dinner. In my experience, E-class no / M-class maybe.

 

Patty 

[marcg11]

On our recent Solstice cruise we arrived between 630 and 730 pm almost every night (only 1 dinner in Tuscan Grill) and had at most 5 to 7 min wait.    Once the maitre'd got to know us after the 2nd night she sat us in the same area very near other shipmates we got to know over the course of the cruise. Almost felt like we were at the same table with a good company like select every night.  From where I could see for us it looked like at most a 10 min wait from about 715 on......

[the penguins]

22 hours ago, KellyCz said:

With Anytime Dining, will you have the same table (or at least the same server) every night, regardless of the time you dine?

Not guaranteed but they do tend to sit you in the same area and you can ask them to do it.  Of course if you turn up at different times and the table you had before is full you will be seated elsewhere. 

[Pinboy]

22 hours ago, KellyCz said:

With Anytime Dining, will you have the same table (or at least the same server) every night, regardless of the time you dine?

If you make it easy for them ( the Host/Hostess ) and make a reservation for the same time every night ( ahead of time on line or the first night of the cruise ) and request the same Server(s), they will be able to accommodate. 

Assuming you are generous, it ensures the Server(s) an additional tip at the end of the cruise.

( This was argued several times on CC on "Gratuities Included" threads ).

We never had a problem and the longest we waited to be seated was 5-6 minutes.

If they don't know when or if you are dining in that restaurant, it's unlikely they will be able to--- unless you wait--- and , who knows for how long.

[davekathy]

23 hours ago, cw2go said:

Depends on the ship and time you arrive to dinner. In my experience, E-class no / M-class maybe.

 

Patty 

We had the same table and time (6 PM) on our March Apex cruise. We requested both when we first boarded the ship. As you and other's have mentioned no reservations for the 4 MDRs.

 

 

[brovol]

Have Apex booked, and have been given early dining for our group, which  think is at 6pm.  If we switch to anytime how early will we be able to get reservations for?  We would love to get reservations for 5:15.  Is that doable?

[davekathy]

1 minute ago, brovol said:

Have Apex booked, and have been given early dining for our group, which  think is at 6pm.  If we switch to anytime how early will we be able to get reservations for?  We would love to get reservations for 5:15.  Is that doable?

When you first board the ship go directly to the MDR that is open for requests. Ask at that time. When we were on the Apex I believe the MDRs opened at 5:30.

 

 

[spearmint]

Anytime-dining was not huge when last I cruised Celebrity about ten years ago, so I am really out of touch. If I recall, Celebrity was making a relatively small section of the main dining area into anytime dining... I'm on Equinox in November and feel really unaware..

First, what times are the set dinings? I was thinking  5:30 and 8:00.... but think that I read on one of the topics and perhaps then recalled that second seating is at 8:30. This had second seating people to see the theatre  productions prior to dinner if I am remembering correctly.

Next, seven years ago I did do Regal/Royal Princess a couple of times and they had separate anytime-dining restaurants; I phoned each morning (after the first night we went there,) and made a reservation for that night. As requested, we were seated in the same place with the same wait staff; loved it. Can I make a call on Celebrity or do I have to just stand in line?  (When we had a reservation, more often that not at 7:30, the host/hostess moved us right past those standing in line, if indeed they did not have two lines for each type of reserved/not reserved guests.)

[spearmint]

Help, Folks. For all cruises on Celebrity, my wife and I chose second seating.  I really don't know much about "anytime dining" on Celebrity, or even the MDR seating times for sure . With two lady friends and I all having opted  to choose second seating, I am now thinking that they won't like it if it is too late, so I am thinking "anytime" might be the better option.  One friend has cruise RCCL and Holland, and the other has never cruised.  The experienced cruiser likes second seating, but  does not know that it could be as late as 8:30.  And I cannot find anything on the Celebrity site...

Bill

[hcat]

going to entry early  is best chance even without res 

 

We always prebook on E class but sometimes a change is needed

[Dancing Shoes]

On 5/2/2023 at 9:27 AM, brovol said:

Have Apex booked, and have been given early dining for our group, which  think is at 6pm.  If we switch to anytime how early will we be able to get reservations for?  We would love to get reservations for 5:15.  Is that doable?

Just off Apex. I selected early dining, 6 pm for my husband and I.  When we got to our room there was a card that said, "To ensure a flawless dining experience we kindly suggest you to join us for dinner for the First Evening only at 5:30-9 in NORMANDIE".  

 

We went down at 5:25.  We liked Normandie so much, that we kept going back about that same time and always got the same table.  Best to be done with dinner by 6:50 if you want to catch the 7:00 pm show.

 

p.s.  between 6-6:45, and 8-8:30 is usually the peak time and you might experience some wait time.  We will make every effort to to accommodate you as soon as possible.

Edited May 5, 2023 by Dancing Shoes

[RTR 21-0]

Returned this past week from our cruise and anytime dining in the complimentary restaurants was easy breezy even on the get your fancy on nights.  We generally dined around 7:30, walked up and asked for availability/wait time and each time in each of the 4 restaurants we were immediately taken to our table.  Food and service in each was great.