Latest survey - question about freedom dining

In reality Freedom dining only allows for two covers most of the time.

There is a large rush at 6.30 when it opens with this group leaving around 7.30 to 7.45. The next large numbers of people arriving are around 8 to 8.30, and they will be leaving around 9.30 to 9.45 after the MDR closes.

As someone who tends to eat late I will often go to the MDR around 9.15 to 9.30 just before it closes as I cannot be bothered with the queueing or even the buzzers. It also gives you the opportunity to see the early show which usually finishes by 9.15 and the late show starting at 10.30.

In reality Freedom dining only allows for two covers most of the time.

 

There is a large rush at 6.30 when it opens with this group leaving around 7.30 to 7.45. The next large numbers of people arriving are around 8 to 8.30, and they will be leaving around 9.30 to 9.45 after the MDR closes.

 

As someone who tends to eat late I will often go to the MDR around 9.15 to 9.30 just before it closes as I cannot be bothered with the queueing or even the buzzers. It also gives you the opportunity to see the early show which usually finishes by 9.15 and the late show starting at 10.30.

Doesn't Freedom Dining start at 6pm? Most tables for two are vacated by around 7.15 in our experience and it is often these tables which are in demand and fill up quickly.

I would agree perhaps two covers per night on large tables is likely to be the case but think 3 is perfectly possible for tables for two.

Three covers might be theoretically possible, but in my experience doesn't happen.

Even if the table is vacated at 7.15 and refilled by 7.30, it will not become free again until 8.45 or so.

You get very few people heading into the dining room towards 9pm.

Three covers might be theoretically possible, but in my experience doesn't happen.

 

Even if the table is vacated at 7.15 and refilled by 7.30, it will not become free again until 8.45 or so.

 

You get very few people heading into the dining room towards 9pm.

I have actually seen this happen quite frequently, particulalry on the tables for 2. We go in at say 7.00pm and the table next us is being vacated and refilled then the next lot are gone in an hour so table cover number 3 comes in at 8pm.

It amazes me how quickly some people actually eat their food. To be fair in some cases people are more retrained than I am and only have a main course and an small ice cream (as opposed to my starter, main, pudding, cheese, coffee and petit four with the accompanying wine and spirits :) )

You also see couples who never talk to each other and so just concentrate on the food or the ones who have a fork in one hand and a phone in the other!

We have sometimes gone to the early show and then to the freedom dining at 9.15 and in spite of being in well before closing the staff rush you through to get you out.

They may move more towards Princess. Freedom dining in any freedom restaurant where there are more than one on a ship and the ability to book a time.

If you are Freedom Dining on P&O you can Dine in any of the Freedom Dining Restaurants, but not book a time.

As other thread says, this would then make a mockery of the F D :cool:

A particular question included in recent surveys we have received relates to the dining room staff. Something like, Do you wish your waiter to get to know you and your particular needs?

Some diners may have certain specific needs/likes that can be catered for without recourse to the Diet Chief's section, by a waiter who gets to know the diner.

Over the years, we have made friends with a number of dining room staff, learnt about their forthcoming marriage, growing family, and in some cases their promotion. This has been facilitated by Club Dining on two weeks or longer cruises. It also means that we have meet up, from time to time, on different ships. Alas, with the increase in number and size of the fleet's ships, this is happening less and less. The result, a move away from a 'friendship club like' Line, to one where crew and 'guests' are just numbers contributing to the 'bottom line'.

The Adonia, Aurora, and Oriana provide(d) such a cruise line. Obviously this comes at a cost, witness the sale of the Adonia. One fears that the mega ships will not and so a move towards Freedom may increase.

Finally, on the occasions we have not dined in Club, we have not made any longterm friends, whilst we have in Club from the USA and across the UK.

49 cruises 17 ships 3 liners

Might be in your junk mail, that’s where mine usually go to.

 

 

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Mine was in my Junk Mail

A particular question included in recent surveys we have received relates to the dining room staff. Something like, Do you wish your waiter to get to know you and your particular needs?

Some diners may have certain specific needs/likes that can be catered for without recourse to the Diet Chief's section, by a waiter who gets to know the diner.

Over the years, we have made friends with a number of dining room staff, learnt about their forthcoming marriage, growing family, and in some cases their promotion. This has been facilitated by Club Dining on two weeks or longer cruises. It also means that we have meet up, from time to time, on different ships. Alas, with the increase in number and size of the fleet's ships, this is happening less and less. The result, a move away from a 'friendship club like' Line, to one where crew and 'guests' are just numbers contributing to the 'bottom line'.

The Adonia, Aurora, and Oriana provide(d) such a cruise line. Obviously this comes at a cost, witness the sale of the Adonia. One fears that the mega ships will not and so a move towards Freedom may increase.

 

 

Finally, on the occasions we have not dined in Freedom, we have not made any long term friends, whilst we have in Club from the USA and across the UK.

 

 

49 cruises 17 ships 3 liners

I disagree with you that the bigger ships lead to less friendly interaction with the wait staff. We have found that on RCI and Celebrity the wait staff are far friendlier than on P&O, and the standard of service is far higher, and all our cruises have been on big ships.

In my view this results from the style of management which on P&O is do as I say whilst on the RCI group the senior staff lead by example and regularly clear tables and help out on busy sections.

Possibly on smaller ships the rigid management style is a bit more relaxed, but this is one of the main differences we notice with P&O on all the ships we have sailed on.

I disagree with you that the bigger ships lead to less friendly interaction with the wait staff. We have found that on RCI and Celebrity the wait staff are far friendlier than on P&O, and the standard of service is far higher, and all our cruises have been on big ships.

In my view this results from the style of management which on P&O is do as I say whilst on the RCI group the senior staff lead by example and regularly clear tables and help out on busy sections.

Possibly on smaller ships the rigid management style is a bit more relaxed, but this is one of the main differences we notice with P&O on all the ships we have sailed on.

Funny you should say that, we are just back from a month on Azura and the M'aitre D was helping almost every night, he was clearing and re-setting up the tables to help the waiters :cool:

I also found this survey in my spam folder; it is easy to work out what each question is trying to elicit and where the company might move based on the answers, so it's worth filling in.