Below is the press release officially announcing Select Dining. It will be available on Equinox on Sept. 26 and rolled out on the rest of the ships in 2010. Dates are listed.
Also, for those choosing Select Dining you will be required to pay gratuities PRIOR to the cruise.
I for one am so glad this comes AFTER our upcoming cruise in november... i personally give this decision 2 thumbs down..
It was inevitable, have to keep up with the other lines or lose business. My prediction that next will be the dress codes, they don't enforce them anyway so why have them...
Now, do I understand.. that if you opt for traditional dining... AND there maybe a night that you want the alternative dining...you can, but wll be charged on your account a tip??? If that's the case..I like the idea of dining being flexible..I dont want it one way or another..
I am looking forward to trying it. The main reason is that we can choose our time.
I don't think it will reflect on how people dress, but I do agree that smart casual is the way of the future. That doesn't mean that pax will be sloppy. Those who normally dress nicely will continue to do so. The few delinquents will not change either!
It was inevitable, have to keep up with the other lines or lose business. Don
Don...I understand and think you are correct.,.. this does not mean i have to like it....
Joey:
I wouldn't worry about it too much, from what I have read this should be very similiar to what Royal Caribbean has on their ships and most of the cruisers have said it hasn't impacted those who chose the traditional dining...I think if they keep a seperate area for traditional dining it should not impact you at all except to give more choices.
I wouldn't worry about it too much, from what I have read this should be very similiar to what Royal Caribbean has on their ships and most of the cruisers have said it hasn't impacted those who chose the traditional dining...I think if they keep a seperate area for traditional dining it should not impact you at all except to give more choices.
Don
I guess Don the MAIN reason we are sad is because the traditions that drew us to cruising are slowly leaving..
and as you put it so eloquently in a recent post regarding dress codes..
One of the big reasons we cruise is the dressing for dinner.. as a cruiser I am saddened as a share holder i will be pleased with anything that raises the profit...
I'm happy for options. The good news is, we all will have choices. My vote is traditional. If they were taking that away I would not be pleased.
Maybe everyone will be satisfied now?
I posted a thread on this a couple months back and distinctly recall that the "Select Dining" is NOT for parties of two...so those of us who enjoy our table for two should probably stick to tradtional.
I like traditional dining and will cruise less if they take that away.
TM
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I personally don't think this new dining option is going to fly. Why do people need so many options? Think of all the years that cruisers had two choices-early or late seating in the dining room. That was it. It's nice that they added the alternative casual for those who were late getting back to ship or didn't feel like getting all gussied up for formal night. Then they added specialty dining which we've never tried. If I'm reading this latest news release correctly,then passengers can make reservations as late as 9 p.m.? Will they have yet another shift for the already overworked waiters?
Cruise lines appear to all have the "keeping-up-with-the-Jones" mentality.
I'm sure this new dining option isn't because die hard Celebrity passengers want it-it's simply to attract new customers from other lines, particularily NCL with their 24/7 dine wherever whoever whatever thingy. IMHO, this takes away from Celebrity's cut-above reputation. Time will tell
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I personally don't think this new dining option is going to fly. Why do people need so many options?
no doubt it will fly.....
I called the captains club this morning in regards to another matter and during our conversation I happened to mention to them i thought Celebrity Brand should set the bar.. and let others come up to their standards instead of lowering Celebrity's... These changes IMHO are great for the other RCI brands like royal Caribbean.. possibly Pullman..Azamara is already country club casual.[/u]
Sure hope you're right Joey! It sounds as if you've cruised a lot more than I have, so perhaps you have a better grasp of these things. But I still think Celebrity is following, not leading. That said-still our favorite,we're sailing on Mercury Nov.29.
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Oceanus 1987
Splendor of the Seas 1997
Regal Empress 1998
Horizon 2000
Summit 2001
Sovereign of the Seas 2003
Noordam 2003
Zenith 2004
Mercury 2005
Princess Sun 2006
Princess Sea 2007
Constellation 2008
Mercury 2009
Constellation 2010
One of the things I do enjoy about cruising is meeting new people and often you get a wonderful table of cruisers (only once did I get a table I wanted to toss overboard)..Parrot Pop is anti-buffet.. lol and most of the time we have had lunch or breakfast in the dining room.we do "share a table"... As for the alternative dining rooms..It's quite nice to celebrate perhaps a special occasion or to watch service in the old fashioned French service.. As a way of making additional revenue the lines are offering several alternative restaurants with higher and higher per person charges .. When a waiiter and his assistant are taking care of three or four tables..it is a pleasure to be "fawned on"..lol.. Our last Celebrity experience was on the Constellation where it was a complete joy to watch the "choreography" and elegance of being served.. One reason that I can see about the new dining is the fact you do not have to rush back to the ship after an excursion to wash and get to your seating That all being said.. we are going to try the "free style" of NCL on their Gem..but than again the price of the cruise and expectations are much lower than Celebrity....
It sounds as if you've cruised a lot more than I have, .... That said-still our favorite,we're sailing on Mercury Nov.29.
i would guess we are about equal on expiernce from your signature .. we have done 12 so far.. and you are right Celebrity is still our favorite.... back on the Mercury october 5
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SELECT DINING FINALLY ANNOUNCED
back on the Mercury october 5
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