Celebrity Select Dining is Here

[Denny01]

Edited out my comments. Decided to not join this thread anymore.

 

Denny

[Napi's Mom]

My wife and I much prefer open seating and dining whenever we want. Doing this we have met the most interesting people and had wonderful conversations during our meals. We have traveled very extensively all over the world and have always told the wait staff that we would be more than happy to share a table before or after we have been seated. We do not feel in anyway that this is lowering standards. It is actually raising our understanding of other peoples, cultures and countries.

This is the exact way I'd have said it!!! Thanks!! We love open dining, and have met so many MORE nice people from around the world because of this. We've had nice folks with Traditional Dining...But also some I didn't enjoy spending every evening with, and I'm sure they felt the same. I don't make lifelong friends from dining companions like some here do...But our only choice to spend evenings away from tablemates in Traditional...is to take an inferior meal in another venue, or pay a great deal extra (yes here in the little old Midwest 30$pp is A LOT to spend when you've already paid for your meals, Azamara already changed that idea to~ free ~but restricted reservations at the specialty venues). Amen to open dining! Too bad it won't be in place as of 6/19 when we sail

[cavkc]

I fail to see the problem :confused: Celebrity are not replacing traditional with select, they are simply offering another option. If you wish to stick to traditional dining (as we do) it won't affect you.

 

Celebrity is a business and whilst they cannot please all of the people all of the time, they will do there damndest to ensure that they please as many of the crusing population as they can.

[cavkc]

I fail to see the problem :confused: Celebrity are not replacing traditional with select, they are simply offering another option. If you wish to stick to traditional dining (as we do) it won't affect you.

 

Celebrity is a business and whilst they cannot please all of the people all of the time, they will do their damndest to ensure that they please as many of the crusing population as they can.

[lysolqn]

It was certainly almost inevitable that they would eventually go to this since all the "competition" does it. However, for people who still remember the "old Celebrity" it is just one more example of how they have abandoned the "premium\near luxury" niche that once seemed to work quite well for them. The overall X lines experience has slipped so far since we first cruised with them that we no longer consider them "a cut above" anyway, so this simply confirms our decision to treat them exactly like all the other "mainstream" lines.

 

IMHO X still beats the competition in service, food, ship design/decor and general onboard ambiance, though sadly the gap does appear to be narrowing.

[A Sixth?]

Are Regent, Seaborne, Silversea, SeaDream, Oceania and Azamara, which all have open dining, other examples of "dumbing down in America as far as class goes?" I've never considered banquet dining with 1000 others in an incredibly noisy room with waiters constantly dashing back and forth to be particularly elegant.

 

Dave

 

:):):)

 

I only booked my first X cruise after painfully accepting the fact that they DID NOT offer a dining option that we love, dining when we want to.

 

More choices is a good thing, and for us traditional dining doesn't work, Anytime/Freestyle/Open seating does.

[kelmac]

I suspect X is responding to what it has determined is the preference of the majority of the cruising public - namely, more flexible dining options. The introduction of Select Dining in the not too distant future is part of the evolution of the X product, just as the elimination of informal nights was in response to many pax's demand for a more relaxed dress code. I can't fault the cruise line for wanting to make its product attractive to as many pax as possible, though I am sorry to see the line between the X product and the products offered by other lines continue to blur.

 

I'm reminded of a couple of recent TV adds, one in which a woman can't find her car in a parking garage because all the cars look alike, and another in which kids leaving school can't find their moms because all the cars parked outside school look alike. Now it seems that in an effort to be all things to all people, all cruise lines are starting to look alike and it's becoming increasingly more difficult for pax to distinguish one from another.

 

Well said! Seems like corporate peer pressure.

 

I remember our first formal evening on our first Princess cruise -- we were lead to a great table for two and had just received our appetizer when eight mid-school aged kids were seated at the table next to ours. Not one adult in the group and you can imagine how that played out. Fortunately they became so bored and restless they left after 45 minutes. We tried to get traditional seating, but at that time the traditional seating dining room had no tables for two -- so much for personal choice cruising.

 

Our Azamara open seating was fine because the second evening we found a great table, with a great crew, and requested that location for the remainder of the cruise. There was a marked improvement in the service once we got to know our crew.

 

On our last HAL cruise we were "forced" into the open seating portion of the restaurant, and once again we found a crew we liked at a table we liked. Since we usually eat early, we noticed our crew brought our appetizers and stored our soups and salads under their work station so they could speed up the process and "turn over" our table as quick as possible. First time on a cruise ship we completed our dinner in less than an hour. We like cruising Holland America and we have the Maasdam coming up in a couple of weeks -- we however, will not book a cruise with them unless we can be guaranteed traditional seating.

 

We are going to give Oceania a try later this year and I will be interesting to see if they make this open seating work?? So far, we've not be impressed with this form of cruising.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[kelmac]

IMHO X still beats the competition in service, food, ship design/decor and general onboard ambiance, though sadly the gap does appear to be narrowing.

 

Once again, I agree 100%!

 

Kel:)

[Rick-cruiser]

It was certainly almost inevitable that they would eventually go to this since all the "competition" does it. However, for people who still remember the "old Celebrity" it is just one more example of how they have abandoned the "premium\near luxury" niche that once seemed to work quite well for them. The overall X lines experience has slipped so far since we first cruised with them that we no longer consider them "a cut above" anyway, so this simply confirms our decision to treat them exactly like all the other "mainstream" lines. We will book all future cruises solely on itinerary and price, the cruiseline is now virtually irrelevant since they are all essentially mirror images of each other.

 

Perfectly stated. And this is not a derogatory statement towards Celebrity, nor is it a compliment. It is simply the truth. There was, at one time, a distinct, discernable difference between the "Celebrity experience" compared with that of the other premium and mainstream lines. Now they are concerned primarily with just trying to find as many bodies as possible to fill their berths. If they want to stay in business, and not go bankrupt...this is exactly what they may have to do.

 

HOWEVER.... don't forget that, of course, the pendulum MAY swing the other way in a couple of years when the economy improves... and they decide that they do, indeed, want to STAND OUT from the rest and identify themselves as a distinctively different cruiseline... I hope so.

 

We now select our cruises based on, in order: time of year / itinerary / size of ship / price

 

- Rick

[Bridge Maven]

It was certainly almost inevitable that they would eventually go to this since all the "competition" does it. However, for people who still remember the "old Celebrity" it is just one more example of how they have abandoned the "premium\near luxury" niche that once seemed to work quite well for them. The overall X lines experience has slipped so far since we first cruised with them that we no longer consider them "a cut above" anyway, so this simply confirms our decision to treat them exactly like all the other "mainstream" lines. We will book all future cruises solely on itinerary and price, the cruiseline is now virtually irrelevant since they are all essentially mirror images of each other. Still, sad to see yet another so called "relic" relegated to the dustbin of history! For those of you who think you can successfully do both, I have yet to see it. Traditional dining on Princess is a joke and I don't think it has done much to enhance the Holland America experience. I am sure that most people will see it as an improvement. I just don't happen to fall into that camp.

 

During the nineties Celebrity had a very small fleet so it was easy for them to have a product that appealed to a relatively small segment of the cruising market. Now that they have built multiple mega ships that need to be filled they no longer have that luxury and have to consider what the majority of people want to survive.

 

I now consider Celebrity to be just another mass market cruise line to consider when I plan most of our cruises, and sail on luxury cruise lines when I want an upscale experience.

[BrendaJ]

I'm not sure how I feel about the possibility of "Select" dining. I'm a fan of traditional dining at a large table - we've always met wonderful people and had lots of fun during traditional dining.

 

On Azamara last year, open seating worked fine for us, mainly because we always eat early and the six of us had no trouble getting a table around 6 or 6:30. I'm not sure if getting a table would have been a problem at 7:30.

 

Although I enjoy traditional dining, I'm sure Celebrity has to look at the bigger picture and do their best to appeal to people who dislike being tied down to eating at a particular time and place.

 

My parents would prefer a buffet in the evening, and if it was offered on Celebrity, they would never eat in the main dining room. In order for "Select" dining to work, I think a full dinner buffet would have to be available. I imagine it would attract a fair number of people - those who don't want to commit 2 hours to a meal, people with young children, etc. I am quite sure that Celebrity is hoping to appeal to a younger demographic - the younger people I know would prefer a more casual, flexible environment.

 

Although it makes me sad, I believe a formal, traditional dining experience is soon to become a rare offering.

[Jeka]

In order for "Select" dining to work, I think a full dinner buffet would have to be available. I imagine it would attract a fair number of people - those who don't want to commit 2 hours to a meal, people with young children, etc. I am quite sure that Celebrity is hoping to appeal to a younger demographic - the younger people I know would prefer a more casual, flexible environment.

 

Although it makes me sad, I believe a formal, traditional dining experience is soon to become a rare offering.

 

I doubt Celebrity Select Dining will be a buffet, it certainly isn't on Royal Caribbean. Also, the dress code of the evening applies to Royal's My Time Dining, therefore it isn't anymore casual than traditional. The one thing I can agree with you on in your above statement is yes, Select will be more flexible.

[Jeka]

Most people would prefer to eat at 7:30 so there will obviously be some disappointments. How annoyed will all the "new" Celebrity cruisers be if they let the frequent cruisers have first choice of times?

 

Funny thing, Royal Caribbean hasn't run into that problem even on its mega ships. Not sure why it would become a problem on Celebrity.

[Ma Bell]

I hope you're correct.

[Jeka]

I can only report on what I've observed the 5 times I've done My Time and the fact that there has never been a thread on the RC boards whinning about service in My Time or My Time having a negative impact on traditional.

[CruisingChick]

I'm just wondering how this "Select Time Dining" effects the activites and entertainment that go on all around the ship.

 

Now things are basically scheduled around the dinner seating times, i.e. shows in the Celebrity theater, entertainment in the lounges, Captain's Club Party, etc.

 

Does anyone know what the impact would be on those things?

 

Thanks.

 

Anne Maria

[Jeka]

It has had no impact on activities on RC, if you want to attend them and you've opted for Select, then you dine at a time which would allow you to attend.

 

On another note, just did a search on the Royal Caribbean forum and found the first tread on My Time. Any of it sound familar? Enjoy!!;)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=610483

[ITALIAN ADVENTURER]

I just returned from a cruise on RCCL, Brilliance of the Seas, BARCELOANA RT .Select dining was offered and after the first day there seem to be no problems. It was offered only one side of the lower dinng area.

The first day people seem to line up as usual for dining so there was a long line. After that there seem to be no lines of people. They also offer alternative dining up in the Windjammer cafe area. They also offered at 2 speciality restaurants, Portafino, itialian cruisine , and Grill and Steaks for an additional flat fee$20 & $25.

We did not do the select dining, but spoke to those who did. Their comments seem all positive. The specialty restaurant we did try and found it worth the price for a more intimate, quite and service value.

We also notice the staff members each night also ate there. Just wondered what it was costing RCCL for that pert.Since RCCL where on a cost cuting operation due to the economy. However found the line employees much happier than our experience just two months earlier on Celebrity Millenium where the food had no taste, service was poor and buffet area service middle line management personnel incompetitant.

[Arwenmark]

I am glad to be vindicated, I said on this board that this was coming and I was basically told I was full of it.

 

It is about time and between that and the no smoking in cabins or BALCONIES it now becomes my cruiseline of choice for future sailings.

[Hopmont]

In times past, we have always had a limited alternate dining choice on Infinity and Mercury for which we paid an extra gratuity of about $2.00 each. The location was set up in a corner of the buffet at night. The menu was rather basic, but we did enjoy using this service at that time. After 34 cruises, we do prefer flexibility and welcome this feature at night in the dining room and hope all the lines adopt the policy.

[ITALIAN ADVENTURER]

Answer to comments or questions to Anna Maria

 

On our cruise, there was two shows each night and a captains party on the first formal night. It seem by the size of the of the crowds, no one missed the free boooze at the captains party.

There are those who are experienced cruisers that are not interested in the Production Shows rather do dancing or other events. Only the headliner shows seem to draw the crowds.

I would assume , those who do select dining would just plan their dining time around these events .If there was no availabiltiy, they would just opt for the Windjammer Cafe or speciality restaurants.

One thing should be noted, eating aboard any ship is never a problem. They feed you constantly to the point you may not want to see food.

[Arwenmark]

I'm not sure how I feel about the possibility of "Select" dining. I'm a fan of traditional dining at a large table - we've always met wonderful people and had lots of fun during traditional dining.

 

On Azamara last year, open seating worked fine for us, mainly because we always eat early and the six of us had no trouble getting a table around 6 or 6:30. I'm not sure if getting a table would have been a problem at 7:30.

 

Although I enjoy traditional dining, I'm sure Celebrity has to look at the bigger picture and do their best to appeal to people who dislike being tied down to eating at a particular time and place.

 

My parents would prefer a buffet in the evening, and if it was offered on Celebrity, they would never eat in the main dining room. In order for "Select" dining to work, I think a full dinner buffet would have to be available. I imagine it would attract a fair number of people - those who don't want to commit 2 hours to a meal, people with young children, etc. I am quite sure that Celebrity is hoping to appeal to a younger demographic - the younger people I know would prefer a more casual, flexible environment.

 

Although it makes me sad, I believe a formal, traditional dining experience is soon to become a rare offering.

 

Brenda,

 

You don't seem to understand nor do a lot of other people on here how this works.

The only thing different about select dining will be that people arrive to dinner at various times EXACTLY like any restaurant you go to on land. The food will be the same the menus the same, the Dress code for the day the same, the only difference is that THOSE WHO SELECT THIS OPTION will arrive at a time of their own choosing and sit either by themselves, with a party of their own choosing or at a table with strangers. It will have no affect on those who choose traditional dining early or late. You will still be committing to the same time frame experience, they are not suddenly fast food.

Anyone seeking a quicker option would still eat elsewhere on the ship. This is an excellant OPTION and long overdue.

[sealover155]

It would be interesting to know what the average number of passengers are waitlisted for traditional dining on lines such as Princess and Holland America. From reading the reviews, I believe that it is often in the 300-400 range. That's a lot of disappointed people who are forced into Anytime, Freestyle, As You Wish, or Whatever dining.

 

Hopefully the powers that be at Celebrity are prepared to deal with this. It will be a bad marketing move if the choice is granted at time of booking only to repeat, loyal customers, thereby forcing the beepers, long lines, and confusion on new customers.

[CruisingChick]

It would be interesting to know what the average number of passengers are waitlisted for traditional dining on lines such as Princess and Holland America. From reading the reviews, I believe that it is often in the 300-400 range. That's a lot of disappointed people who are forced into Anytime, Freestyle, As You Wish, or Whatever dining.

 

That's exactly what kept me from booking a Princess Cruise. Traditional Dining was sold out and they only had "Anytime Dining" as a choice.

[MGT2007]

From USA Tody (Cruise Log) although I am not sure what date this was posted.

 

"Is Celebrity Cruises developing a plan to offer flexible dining on its ships?

That's the word this week from industry watcher Cruise Critic, which quotes a spokesperson for the line as confirming the concept is in the works.

The online cruise site notes that word of the plan got out prematurely this week after the line accidently posted information about what it is calling Celebrity Select Dining on the Celebrity web site. The information has since been taken down."

 

I also did not see any announcement on the Celebrity Website. I love the concept and hope it gets implemented before our cruise in November!