Aurora

Sailing next week on a late saver, am worried about dining as we are used to freedom dining and think as as a late booking we will be assigned late sitting any advice to get an earlier slot.

Sue

Sorry but if your choice of dining time is so important to you you should have booked a select fare.....:rolleyes:

You will have to take what you are given unless you can persuade the Maitre'd to accommodate your request.

Sue, it will all depend on what spaces they have once the Select and Early Savers have been given their preferences and which sitting is less popular on your particular cruise, so there is no way of predicting which sitting you will be offered.

You might be lucky.

If the ship isn't full you will have every chance of getting an earlier time, if not just hope and pray the maitre d' isn't Mysticalmother. :D

I think it would also depend on the ship. I would think Club Dining might be more popular on Aurora? Therefore, you might get Freedom.

I'd love freedom, didn't think they had it on Aurora until after the re fit

Sue

I'd love freedom, didn't think they had it on Aurora until after the re fit

 

Sue

Correct. Freedom dining starts 19 Dec.

Brian

I think that it really is just luck as to which sitting you get on a Saver fare and you just have to accept that choosing to save money on your fare does give you no choice about which sitting you get. My husband and I prefer Freedom Dining but don't have a problem if we can't get that so booking a Saver last year was fine for us and on Aurora last December we were given First sitting. We ate lunch mid-cruise with a couple who were very upset because they had Second sitting and had not been able to change it with the Maitre d' even though they had told him that the husband had a health problem that meant that eating late was a problem. The Maitre d' had told them that he could not ask people to change with them because they had made a conscious decision to take the risk of not getting their preferred dining time in order to pay less for the cruise.

We decide whether to book Select or Saver depending on the circumstances at the time we are cruising, we are on a Saver on Adonia in December but we booked Select for Britannia because it was the maiden voyage and we wanted to be certain of getting on that particular cruise, we are also Select on Azura in May because we will have a 4 year old with us so we will need to eat early.

Don't let the possiblility of getting a less than desirable dining time cause you stress or spoil the cruise for you. You can ask the Maitre d' to change you if you get a late sitting but if he can't make a change then just go with the flow, enjoy your cruise and remember that you are lucky to be able to cruise when many people don't have the chance of having any sort of holiday.

We ate lunch mid-cruise with a couple who were very upset because they had Second sitting and had not been able to change it with the Maitre d' even though they had told him that the husband had a health problem that meant that eating late was a problem. The Maitre d' had told them that he could not ask people to change with them because they had made a conscious decision to take the risk of not getting their preferred dining time in order to pay less for the cruise.

I always find this "health problem" that I've heard people quoting when they can't get the sitting times they want quite strange. Why can't they move their whole day backwards by 2 hours so they can still eat dinner at the equivalent time before bed.

Or can anyone tell me why someone HAS to have first sitting.

Sorry OP going off topic but just ask when you get on board and if there's no joy the first day try the second as sometimes people take a couple of days to change.

Correct. Freedom dining starts 19 Dec.

Brian

oops, sorry didn't know that.:o

If I got given first sitting I would be eating in the buffet every evening. I couldn't eat at 6, I'm still enjoying the sun and the pool!

I agree, we like to sit in the sun as long as possible and at that time of day all the early diners have gone to get ready.

We quite like the buffet. We used it quite a lot on Crown Princess round Britain and instead of sitting in a stuffy dining room, we sat up on deck 15 in Horizon Court and enjoyed some spectacular sunsets :)

We were Saver and got C deck cabin and 2nd sitting. Asked the Maitre D after 3 days for Freedom dining and twas granted. We used it twice then ate in Beach House and the buffet.

Sorry but if your choice of dining time is so important to you you should have booked a select fare.....:rolleyes:

 

You will have to take what you are given unless you can persuade the Maitre'd to accommodate your request.

Yup, you are the lowest of the low for booking a non select fare and should be grateful that you are even being fed..........at least thats how P&Os fare structure makes people feel. It leaves people in fear of being given poor cabin and dining choices just so they can push their inflated Select fares.

To the OP I would suggest looking towards RCi or Celebrity where you have full choice of cabin and dining whenever you book and are not made to feel like a 2nd class citizen.

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I don't see it like that. I see it like this. Those who pay more and book early get some perks, cabin choice, shuttle buses, OBC or parking etc. those who save money on a saver don;t get the perks, doesn't make them second class citizens at all. They know the terms and conditions when they book?

We also made a sudden decision to take this cruise- no chance of people sunbathing as it's mainly in the Atlantic- and take it for granted that we'll be in 2nd sitting, which isn't as popular on cold cruises. We'll probably go to the MDR on the first formal night, but other than that it will be buffet and speciality dining.

Gosh what a whiplash, it is only on P&O that you get this discrimination, I will now say that the miserable waiters, dreadful beef and no benefits as we as are elite on Princess as most probably most of the P&O will be as Princess accept your cruises and P&O do not.

There again we are taking a very cheap cruise in a deluxe balcony AE

I hope we do not meet too many "need to keep up the standards" folks

Sue

Gosh what a whiplash, it is only on P&O that you get this discrimination, I will now say that the miserable waiters, dreadful beef and no benefits as we as are elite on Princess as most probably most of the P&O will be as Princess accept your cruises and P&O do not.

 

There again we are taking a very cheap cruise in a deluxe balcony AE

 

I hope we do not meet too many "need to keep up the standards" folks

 

Sue

This sounds (although it is written) very slurred (hic).

We always book a restaurant with a fee on the first night - then have a quite chat with the restaurant manager at lunchtime on the first full day. So far it has worked in our favour.

I agree with Josy1953 and jeanlyon.

Its not discrimination. (Talk to those who need an accessible cabin - I bet they would love to be able to get a saver fare)

'Saver' passengers are not the " lowest of the low" (quote). Some would argue they are the astute ones!

P & O's price structure does, I totally agree, leave a lot to be desired.

BUT - when you book you have a choice. It is the way it is. The T's & C's spell it out. Dining choice is not guaranteed, cabin and location is allocated by P & O, subject to grade chosen. If you dont like them, don't book with P & O. And if you do, please (and this is not directed at anyone in particular!) don't keep moaning if you don't get exactly what you would have chosen/wanted had you paid a bit more.

You pay more for the choice of your seat on a flight, more for a better class of hotel room - what's the difference?

I don't see it like that. I see it like this. Those who pay more and book early get some perks, cabin choice, shuttle buses, OBC or parking etc. those who save money on a saver don;t get the perks, doesn't make them second class citizens at all. They know the terms and conditions when they book?

I quite agree. But we don't feel 'superior' because we choose to book early most times. We book early so that we can pick our preferred cabin and dining options end of. If, as we did this summer, we book a last minute trip, we accept what is offered and don't let lack of cabin or dining choice spoil our cruise. As the old saying goes "You pays your money and you takes your choice". I hope Sue that you have a lovely time on Aurora.

Sandra

Yup, you are the lowest of the low for booking a non select fare and should be grateful that you are even being fed..........at least thats how P&Os fare structure makes people feel. It leaves people in fear of being given poor cabin and dining choices just so they can push their inflated Select fares.

 

To the OP I would suggest looking towards RCi or Celebrity where you have full choice of cabin and dining whenever you book and are not made to feel like a 2nd class citizen.

 

 

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Yes and your dislike for P&O comes out again. What is the purpose of your posts, do you wish to disrupt?

In respect to this topic P&O are giving choice. Pay full fare and have what you want or pay less and take what is available, which may suit you or not.

Some people like myself have no choice as we are disabled. We have to book early. As it happens that does not concern me as we would most likely book early in any case.

The company tried keeping the price fixed and then selling off the cabins remaining at the end, people did not like it so we are where we are.

Remember all cruise lines give deals and all cruise lines sell off cheaply at the end any cabins they have. From the highest priced to the lowest.

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Havent really heard this whole "if saver fare passengers want all the perks and benefits they should pay full fare etc etc" argument before....

can anyone elaborate? 🙈

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Blimey, you don't come on here much then?

I always find this "health problem" that I've heard people quoting when they can't get the sitting times they want quite strange. Why can't they move their whole day backwards by 2 hours so they can still eat dinner at the equivalent time before bed.

Or can anyone tell me why someone HAS to have first sitting.

 

Sorry OP going off topic but just ask when you get on board and if there's no joy the first day try the second as sometimes people take a couple of days to change.

Move the day backwards? OK, let's try. Evening meal at 8.30, so we pretend it's 6.30. Bed at 1.30, we pretend it's 11.30. Get up at 9.30, we pretend it's 7.30. Leave for our 9.30 excursion at 11.15, we pretend it's 9.15. Get on the bus ...

I think I've found the reason. ;)

Certain people, especially older people (and there are some on P&O), have problems if their routine gets disturbed too much. This applies especially to people with diabetes, or borderline or undiagnosed diabetes, or possibly similar unspecified and/or unidentified conditions that have an impact on their blood sugar or other internal workings if the timings go too far astray. They could get round it perhaps by having a big afternoon tea, but that rather spoils the enjoyment of dinner.