Dining On Celebrity

[Goguinness]

Friends of ours are taking the Millenium to Alaska in June, and they have been told they have "no early" seating anymore unless you pay a fee of $118 a person. Has anyone heard of this. We were on the Mercury in Feb and had nothing like that. Has anyone heard of this?

Thanks, Paul S

 

[Calgon1]

I just went to =X= website and looked all through the dining information. Saw nothing about this.

 

[maw]

We were on Equinox in Feb. and had early seating with no extra fee have never heard of this. Our friends who had anytime could come within 15 minutes of early seating in their area.

 

[MisterD21]

Sounds like they got "pushed" into late dining schedule. It just doesn't make sense to tell guests that dining is late unless you pay for early dining. the logistics of it alone would be a nightmare. Can you imagine trying to have dining for all guests in the MDR in a short 2hr span???

The only way i could see them doing that would be because they are underbooked. Making for having 2 dining times unnecessary. Then there's the whole "charge for early dining" thing... what cruiseline would want to alienate their customers in that manner?

I'm curious, did they use a TA to book the cruise?? as much as i hate to say it i think if it was through a TA, the TA might have been padding their commission. Which if the case would make me want to steer clear of that TA..

 

[Calgon1]

I'm curious, did they use a TA to book the cruise?? as much as i hate to say it i think if it was through a TA, the TA might have been padding their commission. Which if the case would make me want to steer clear of that TA..

That thought had popped into my feeble little brain here too ... Somet'in' stinks here .... Have checked a half dozen other active =X= forums and boards. Nothing on this. If it were something =X= were doing, there'd be screaming all over the place ...

 

[Mbandy]

The only "fee" for dining on Celebrity that I know of, aside from the specialty restaurants, is that you have to pre pay your gratuities for anytime dining but that shouldn't come to $118 per person on a 7 night Alaska cruise.

 

[BruinSteve]

Someone is confused...

We were just on the Summit 3 weeks ago...and had early seating...no problem, no "fees"...

My first thought was that, if this were on a Solstice Class ship, then we might be talking about upgrading a cabin to Aqua Class--which would switch Dining from the MDR to Blu...and that, perhaps, Blu had early still available...

But, this is the Millie...no Blu...

You cannot "buy" your way into early seating...either they have the space or they don't...If they don't, they put you on a waiting list...You can get some priority if you're Elite Captains Club...but, even with that, there needs to be space...

Of course, I've never seen any seating be entirely full...Sign up for whatever...when they get to the ship, they should go see the Maitre d' right away...

Trust me, some folks find themselves in Early and wanted Late...or they realized they'd rather have the new open option...in which case, space opens up and they will accommodate you if they can ...and chances are they can...

But, I've never heard of a "charge" for any seating time in the MDR...

 

[Goguinness]

My thanks to everyone who answered. All of you have seconded my thoughts on this.

Happy Cruising, Paul S

 

[Parrot Mom]

Just got off the Soltice Sunday, Aqua Class.. we were able to eat in Blu and MDR...and of course the specialty restaurants.. We found the MDR boring and somehow or other not up to our standards tastewise.. one night we had been eating supper there and when we saw the menu we looked at each other and walked out much to the consternation of the waiter and Maitre d... and went all the way to the end of the ship back to Blu.. As for extra charge to eat early.. I would if I was using a travel agent.. dump them STAT

 

[CathP]

The new open seating "anytime dining" option offered by Celebity which allows you to dine early if you wish does (for some reason) require prepaid gratuities at time of final payment and as I understand it cannot be removed for any reason from your bill. It is not a fee - just prepayment for what you would be charged anyway by Celebrity for the daily gratuities. Perhaps that is the "fee" your TA was referring to - if that is the case - get a new TA since they obviously don't research in order to explain to you what your paying for.