Can we make reservations in the MDR or not?

[Travelling2Some]

We have not sailed Celebrity for a few years and do not remember the specifics.  We were in Aqua last time and this time are just in a regular cabin.  We have the flexible dining but would like to make some dinner reservations (at all different times, not a single time every night).  Is this possible?  Will it help to avoid waits or is it unnecessary?  We are on the Constellation in Europe in May.  Thank you.

[Mr. Click]

You should be able to book your dining times in the cruise planner.  You can do it on M and S class ships.  You cannot do it on the newer E class ships.   Since the Connie is an M Class you are good to go. Just find the dining tab in your cruise planner and scroll down.

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, Mr. Click said:

You should be able to book your dining times in the cruise planner.  You can do it on M and S class ships.  You cannot do it on the newer E class ships.   Since the Connie is an M Class you are good to go. Just find the dining tab in your cruise planner and scroll down.

Confusingly it comes under Speciality Dining. You can book any day and time - you just have to do it one day at a time. There is no charge. You have left it a bit late for May so popular times will probably be full, but there will be tables held back for walk ins - you might have to wait or take a buzzer and retreat to a bar. When you "check in " each night you will generally be seated quicker if you make it clear you are happy to share a table - our choice is a table for 6.

[Baw531]

1 hour ago, Mr. Click said:

You should be able to book your dining times in the cruise planner.  You can do it on M and S class ships.  You cannot do it on the newer E class ships.   Since the Connie is an M Class you are good to go. Just find the dining tab in your cruise planner and scroll down.

I have booked all my ‘Anytime Dining’   times on the Apex in the planner for my July cruise .

[Mr. Click]

4 minutes ago, Baw531 said:

I have booked all my ‘Anytime Dining’   times on the Apex in the planner for my July cruise .

I tried it on Beyond in January and it would not take. Others have said here that you can book in the planner and then get onboard and find nothing.   Hope yours work out.  For us it was simple to just to the the desk a day or two ahead and ask them to make a reservation for us.  It just would not work online for me.

[cruisestitch]

22 minutes ago, Baw531 said:

I have booked all my ‘Anytime Dining’   times on the Apex in the planner for my July cruise .

You can try but don’t be surprised to find that your effort is wasted

[Baw531]

7 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

You can try but don’t be surprised to find that your effort is wasted

Just checked ‘ Manage My Booking ‘ via the website and all the reservations I made using the planner are showing …..no effort , quick and easy.

[cbfb]

We have booked anytime dining reservations on the summit, silhouette and Beyond and all showed up and were honored onboard. 

[Baw531]

29 minutes ago, Baw531 said:

Just checked ‘ Manage My Booking ‘ via the website and all the reservations I made using the planner are showing …..no effort , quick and easy.

Also received email confirmation for all bookings I made .

[Travelling2Some]

Thanks, everyone.  I will give it a go.

[kabmab]

49 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

You can try but don’t be surprised to find that your effort is wasted

We've never had an issue making online  MDR reservations that are in the system when we board. Five E class cruises so far and one coming up in April.

[hrhdhd]

1 hour ago, Baw531 said:

Just checked ‘ Manage My Booking ‘ via the website and all the reservations I made using the planner are showing …..no effort , quick and easy.

Yes, but more often than not, Apex (as an E-class ship) is all open seating. You may find differently, but really you just need to pick a DR and show up to eat.

[Baw531]

10 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

Thanks, everyone.  I will give it a go.

Very easy to do .I also took advantage of being able  to choose table size . (2) 

[hcat]

12 hours ago, Baw531 said:

I have booked all my ‘Anytime Dining’   times on the Apex in the planner for my July cruise .

Based on this post, we are going to try for APEX next January in one or  two fav restaurants...the smaller ones.

 

We wanted to book specialty dinng first (Eden for my b- day),  but  so far  they only show dining packages..not looking for that .

 

 

We previously had good luck pre booking( although tedious doing one night at a time), but now it  seems some E ships do and some don't honor the res made...

 

 

Some procedural consistency would be helpful!

[cruisestitch]

12 hours ago, cbfb said:

We have booked anytime dining reservations on the summit, silhouette and Beyond and all showed up and were honored onboard. 

For Summit (m class) and Sihouette (s class) the reservation system for Anytime Dining works.  
 

but the e class ships operate differently and I doubt that your reservation made a whit of difference there.  You just gained entry at the “reserved” time but it was not due to the reservation because all the dining rooms are open seating.

[keesar]

3 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

For Summit (m class) and Sihouette (s class) the reservation system for Anytime Dining works.  
 

but the e class ships operate differently and I doubt that your reservation made a whit of difference there.  You just gained entry at the “reserved” time but it was not due to the reservation because all the dining rooms are open seating.

 

You are correct.  On our cruises on the E class ships, it has been  Anytime Dining. On the Beyond, I had gone through the trouble of booking and when we showed up, we were told there were no reservations but Anytime Dining.  But if you wanted to be seated in a particular area, you can ask if there is a table available in that location. Just show up to whatever main dining room when you want to dine.  

[RichYak]

13 hours ago, Baw531 said:

Just checked ‘ Manage My Booking ‘ via the website and all the reservations I made using the planner are showing …..no effort , quick and easy.

 

12 hours ago, Baw531 said:

Also received email confirmation for all bookings I made .

 

2 hours ago, Baw531 said:

Very easy to do .I also took advantage of being able  to choose table size . (2) 

No one is saying that making reservations can't be done in the cruise planner. What people are saying is that oftentimes MDR reservations are ignored by E-class ships, in your case, Apex. Just be advised that the work you did in making careful dinner reservations might be for naught.

[cbfb]

32 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

For Summit (m class) and Sihouette (s class) the reservation system for Anytime Dining works.  
 

but the e class ships operate differently and I doubt that your reservation made a whit of difference there.  You just gained entry at the “reserved” time but it was not due to the reservation because all the dining rooms are open seating.

Actually we asked the hostess on the first night at Normandy and she looked it up and confirmed our times and that reservations are honored with a 15 minute grace period. 

[Oceangoer2]

2 hours ago, Baw531 said:

Very easy to do .I also took advantage of being able  to choose table size . (2) 

I've booked Anytime Dining and under Complimentary Dining I can choose a time, but where is the option for table selection?  Can't find it.  Thanks for your help.

[Alakegirl]

31 minutes ago, RichYak said:

 

 

No one is saying that making reservations can't be done in the cruise planner. What people are saying is that oftentimes MDR reservations are ignored by E-class ships, in your case, Apex. Just be advised that the work you did in making careful dinner reservations might be for naught.

I am reminded of the quote from Seinfeld, said to the car rental agent
 

“ see, you know how to take the reservation; you just don’t know how to hold the reservation “

Edited March 30 by Alakegirl

[Baw531]

18 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

I've booked Anytime Dining and under Complimentary Dining I can choose a time, but where is the option for table selection?  Can't find it.  Thanks for your help.

It was just ‘ there’ ….ages since I did it .Maybe phone Celebrity .If I have any queries like this I ring my Celebrity Cruise Consultant , she is wonderful and always either knows or finds out things for me.

[Baw531]

47 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

I've booked Anytime Dining and under Complimentary Dining I can choose a time, but where is the option for table selection?  Can't find it.  Thanks for your help.

Try calling this number which I found under ‘Need help booking Anytime Dining and requesting table size’ ….Cruise Planner 800-722-5941….…I assume it is an American number …here in the UK we have 0800 numbers not 800 ones.

[hcat]

We dine early.. table for 2 by the window...hope same team each night.   Hopefully not an issue. We do not think E Class  mdrs are suited for buzzers or line ups along the hallway

 

Sometimes  the desk person remembers us from past cruises...and do their best to assist.

 

Not spending worry time on this.  Just hoping for EDEN res on my birthday!

[BytownMatt]

Would point out that on a recent cruise on the Edge, there were a couple of nights when the 4 MDRs had separate lines for those with reservations and those without. This was the first time I had seen this on an E-class ship. Once seated, one could see many empty seats in the restaurant(s), so it would seem the issue was one of staff capacity, not seating capacity. Long waits (45 min +) to be seated for dinner on Celebrity are rare but do happen from time to time (maybe 5 or 6 times over 11 cruises for me) with all or almost all of those being on "evening chic" nights.

Edited March 30 by BytownMatt
typo

[Liao]

1 minute ago, BytownMatt said:

Would point out that on a recent cruise on the Edge, there were a couple of nights when the 4 MDRs had separate lines for those with reservations and those without. This was the fine time I had seen this on an E-class ship. Once seated, one could see many empty seats in the restaurant(s), so it would seem the issue was one of staff capacity, not seating capacity. Long waits (45 min +) to be seated for dinner on Celebrity are rare but do happen from time to time (maybe 5 or 6 times over 11 cruises for me) with all or almost all of those being on "evening chic" nights.

That's unfortunate, because I'd not consider 5/6 times out of 11 cruises to be rare.