Topic: Open Dining

QUOTE:

Del, we have been in party's of 6 on more than half our 'freestyle' cruises. Are you saying you walk through the dining room doors, you are greeted by a senior waiter who takes you directly to a table and sits you down?

My experience, whether pre booked or not, means arriving at the reception, waiting whilst those in front are sorted and then wait to be escorted in to the dining room.

That in my book is queuing and being the Victor Meldrew that I am, you would not want me behind you waiting to be fed.

Wilba

There has only ever been two of us, and on most occasions, have been led directly to a table, on the odd occasion, have had at the most 2/3 groups in front of us.
Victor Meldrew's are no problem, having been in hotel management, I have had to deal with a few of them. When you get a coach load of weddings guests arrive at your Hotel at 1am, having attending a wedding elsewhere. All wanting to check in immediately, so they can carry on drinking and cannot until they have registered and presented their credit card details. The odd Victor Meldrew is no problem.:D

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

We tried anytime dining on Grand Princess earlier this year. Problem is my husband likes to check his blood sugar and inject his insulin last thing as we are leaving the cabin so he then needs to eat within 15 or so minutes. This is his routine and as he is getting a bit forgetful it is best that he sticks to it.

On Grand Princess we were either given a pager and told it would buzz when a table was available, this when we wanted a table for 2. One night it was almost an hour and we had given up and gone to the buffet when it buzzed.Or we were sat at a big table and often over half an hour went by without any signs of food so I was almost begging just for a roll and butter for him or he would be in a heap under the table.

Think I will try ringing Celebrity and certainly in any more bookings I will ask the TA to cancel if we cannot eat when we want to.

Well I phoned Celebrity this morning and the person i spoke with was not at all helpful, except for informing me we are not even on the waitlist for early dining!

Back to the Travel Agent and they are going to check the recording of the call made back in March 2009 to see exactly what I asked for. If they find I did ask for first sitting then apparently they can sort it out as it will be their error. This will take 48 hours. So back to the waiting.

QUOTE:

Well I phoned Celebrity this morning and the person i spoke with was not at all helpful, except for informing me we are not even on the waitlist for early dining!

Back to the Travel Agent and they are going to check the recording of the call made back in March 2009 to see exactly what I asked for. If they find I did ask for first sitting then apparently they can sort it out as it will be their error. This will take 48 hours. So back to the waiting.

I am a fan of Celebrity but my experience of their 'Select' was not a good one, and we had prebooked a set time each night prior to the cruise.

I can add that it very easy to revert to traditional dining if things aren't working out, once onboard. It is almost a relief to the Maitre D as you become one less table to worry about.

QUOTE:

Well I phoned Celebrity this morning and the person i spoke with was not at all helpful, except for informing me we are not even on the waitlist for early dining!

Back to the Travel Agent and they are going to check the recording of the call made back in March 2009 to see exactly what I asked for. If they find I did ask for first sitting then apparently they can sort it out as it will be their error. This will take 48 hours. So back to the waiting.

I understand this is quite important to you, but dont let it spoil your holiday. I really dont think you will have any problem once you are on board and have explained your circumstances to the Maitre D. Just make sure you get on board early and if he is not on duty in the restaurant, then look up his number in the welcome on board pack and phone him.

QUOTE:

I understand this is quite important to you, but dont let it spoil your holiday. I really dont think you will have any problem once you are on board and have explained your circumstances to the Maitre D. Just make sure you get on board early and if he is not on duty in the restaurant, then look up his number in the welcome on board pack and phone him.

Bradbury is right if it is not sorted out before your cruise then find the Maitre'D ASAP fter you board or phone him and get it sorted out on the first day so you can both relax and enjoy your cruise. first sitting is usually 6.15pm but the first course won't be served till about 7ish so make sure he eats some bread rolls to keep him going. well thats what hubbie and I do, they are so fresh and crispy, and we don't have an excuse to eat!! ;) enjoy your cruise.

I accessed our reservation on the Celebrity site today to find we now have 1st sitting so we are happy bunnies.

Looking again at a bit of paper sent by the TA in March 2009 it does state that early dining has been requested so I wasn't imagining that I had asked for it.

Can now just get on with looking forward to Eclipse. The luggage tags arrived today, lots of them!

I wasn't terribly impressed with the TA who insisted that no dinner seating is ever guaranteed however far in advance you book. I doubt we will use their services again whatever the inducement. Surely there are some benefits to booking 18 months ahead.

We've tried both fixed-time and 'freedom' dining and, while we can see advantages in both kinds, our preference is for fixed-time.

Whilst we initially liked the idea of 'freedom' dining - meeting different people every time - we soon realised that unless we turned up early, we usually had to wait for a table. And because we started arriving early, we found that we often sat with the same group of people!

On our last two fixed-time cruises we've been allocated a table for two (even though I said 'whatever...' to the relevant question) which has suited us just fine. (I hate having to wait for people taking forever to get through their five courses when we only have three .)

Well, lucky you krisskross

We are sailing on Eclipse in October, travelling with friends. We both used the same agents, but our reservation was a 'group' one, and our friends was not. Presumably because they booked after us.

I tried to organise Select Dining for the first night but because our friends are not on the 'group booking' Celebrity will not take the booking, so this is something we shall have to deal with when we get on board. Perhaps this is an American thing, where very often large groups of people travel together. We Brits don't!

This is so irritating - computerised check ins are fine, and so is the fact we can book tours, etc. in advance and pay in sterling. But a simple thing like booking a table is out of the question.

We are looking forward to experience Eclipse - we should have done so earlier in the year, but a slip on the dance floor put an end to that!

QUOTE:

I accessed our reservation on the Celebrity site today to find we now have 1st sitting so we are happy bunnies.

Looking again at a bit of paper sent by the TA in March 2009 it does state that early dining has been requested so I wasn't imagining that I had asked for it.

Can now just get on with looking forward to Eclipse. The luggage tags arrived today, lots of them!

I wasn't terribly impressed with the TA who insisted that no dinner seating is ever guaranteed however far in advance you book. I doubt we will use their services again whatever the inducement. Surely there are some benefits to booking 18 months ahead.

QUOTE:

We prefer fixed dining, late sitting on a large table. From our previous experiences, we have enjoyed the company of the people we were seated with and looked fore do you come from ward to meeting them each evening.

Here, here! We really enjoy getting to know other people at our table, comparing notes about what we've done / will be be doing, relaxing in each others' company and probably sharing a few drinks. We might not end up lifelong friends but it's still enjoyable. We avoid breakfast / lunch in the mdr because we can't bear the stilted conversations you tend to have when you continually meet new people in that formal situation.