Select fare dining advantage or not.

[Bumpy ride]

Greetings fellow shipmates,

 

Although we have sailed several times with P&O on different ships including the Azura I am a tad confused.

 

I thought that booking the select fare option we would be granted our requested dining option. On this forthcoming trip A517 we selected 2 nd sitting club dining.

 

Turns out with 5 weeks to departure we are still on a "wait list"

 

We booked through an agent who told me at time of booking the list was short. But now after contacting P&O they only refer me back to the booking agent.

 

Just looking for any advice as to what we can do as we don't really fancy the freedom dining option as we are a family of four and we like to have the same table / time option.

We have always found it a benefit to get to know our waiters and enjoy the banter with them as the holiday progresses.

 

Anybody going out on the A517 from Southampton on the 11th July and want to swap ????or give me some advice please.

[shallwe]

Freedom dining means that you can choose your dining time. and if you all go together, you can be seated on the same table. If you ask for a table for four, they will try to accommodate that too.

[Bumpy ride]

Thanks for your reply but my observation is the select fare doesn't give you the desired dining option of 2 nd sitting Club dining.

[Bumpy ride]

Thanks for your reply but my observation is the select fare doesn't give you the desired dining option of 2 nd sitting Club dining.

[the english lady]

Thanks for your reply but my observation is the select fare doesn't give you the desired dining option of 2 nd sitting Club dining.

 

From what people have posted 1st sitting club dining is now the most popular for people. So if you have asked for 2nd sitting club dining there is every chance that is what you will get.

You can still pay a select fare quite close up to actual sailing. How far in advance of sailing did you actually book . If it was closeish, then other select fare payers (who may have booked over a year in advance) will be getting their choices. Then the later select fare payers.

If everyone has paid select fare and they all wanted 1st sitting, not all of them would be happy with what they got.

If you don't get what your heart desires, on boarding go and see the MD. He will do his very very best to make you happy, even if it takes a couple of days.

[Bumpy ride]

Thank you English lady I will try this approach.

[terrierjohn]

Thanks for your reply but my observation is the select fare doesn't give you the desired dining option of 2 nd sitt/QUOTE]

If freedom dining is still available then as shallwe said you could book this and make a firm reservation every day for 8.15 at the same table with the same waiters. My experience is that 6.30 to 7.30 is the busiest time in freedom, outside of this should not be a problem.

[Esprit]

We booked with a select fare for Britannia next month back in March and have been waitlisted for second sitting with a table for 8!

 

I'm not holding my breath that we'll get our preferred choice and if we don't we'll just settle with Freedom. I can't be bothered to ask. It just is what it is.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Esprit

[john watson]

The situation may be that everybody is on "waitlisted" on account of the Maitre'D has not sorted anybodies final allocated dining arrangement out yet.

 

Regards John

[BrianI]

The situation may be that everybody is on "waitlisted" on account of the Maitre'D has not sorted anybodies final allocated dining arrangement out yet.

 

Regards John

I think this is what happens. We have often been wait listed but always ending up getting what we requested.

Brian

[Bumpy ride]

That sounds very plausible Its interesting to see how it all pans out.

I was also unaware that you can book a table with the same waiters every evening in freedom dining.

So thanks terrierjohn and all who piped up

[Sanjam cruisers]

Hi Bumpy Ride

If you choose or are allocated Freedom Dining on P&O you cannot reserve a table, when you turn up at the restaurant you can request a table and the restaurant manager will do his best to meet your request.

When we are onboard we normally find a table with waiters we like we thereafter try to get a table in their sector and this request is normally always met even if we may have a short wait.

Enjoy your cruise.

[Midsomer Madness]

P&o, in their infinite wisdom once again, thought it a good idea to make two of the three restaurants on Britannia, Azura and Ventura, freedom dining, therefore there is now only one club restaurant in each ship. If you want club dining the chances are you are going to have to book early now in order to secure it..i personally don't like freedom dining, but can out up with it on a short cruise if I had to. If I was on 14 nights on Azura and was given freedom dining i would be eating in the glasshouse and sindhu a lot! I just dind service is not as good on freedom dining and the times I've done it most of the food has arrived tepid at best...

[terrierjohn]

P&o, in their infinite wisdom once again, thought it a good idea to make two of the three restaurants on Britannia, Azura and Ventura, freedom dining, therefore there is now only one club restaurant in each ship. If you want club dining the chances are you are going to have to book early now in order to secure it..i personally don't like freedom dining, but can out up with it on a short cruise if I had to. If I was on 14 nights on Azura and was given freedom dining i would be eating in the glasshouse and sindhu a lot! I just dind service is not as good on freedom dining and the times I've done it most of the food has arrived tepid at best...

Did you point this out to your waiters? If so did they change it for you? If not did you complain to the restaurant manager?

If none of these then its your own fault you were unhappy.

[annieuk]

We usually book early and have always had Club Dining, 2nd sitting, table of 8. On the booking confirmation it has always said, 2nd sitting confirmed, table of 8 requested. We have always been given a table of 8. Last cruise on Oceana we met a couple at lunch who had usually had Club Dining but they booked very late and had Freedom Dining. The first thing they said to us was Hasn't the food at dinner been awful? We said that for us the food that cruise was the best we'd ever had on a P&O ship. They then said that they wondered if it was Freedom Dining that was the problem. Some evenings the plates were so hot they couldn't touch them and the sauce on the food, or gravy or whatever, was frazzled at the edges and the meat was tough. On other evenings the food was tepid on cold plates. The menus in the restaurants is exactly the same so the only thing they could think was it was Freedom Dining that was the problem. They said that the next cruise it would be back to Club Dining.

[Sanjam cruisers]

We had always selected 1st sitting for dining, we were introduced to Freedom Dining when we were joined on a cruise by friends and we were converted.

On all of our subsequent cruises we selected Freedom Dining and have never experienced any problems and in my opinion it has improved with the introduction of plated meals. We find it allows us flexibility in dining times and saves us rushing to get ready for 6.00pm especially on formal nights.

But each to their own that's what makes cruising so enjoyable.

[Bumpy ride]

Do you know Sanjam if it's plated meal service in both club and freedom dining ?

[Britboys]

I know I am not sanjam but I believe plated meals are now served in all main dining rooms across the whole fleet, both club and freedom.

[Bumpy ride]

Mmm jury is out on that one

[Mysticalmother]

I know I am not sanjam but I believe plated meals are now served in all main dining rooms across the whole fleet, both club and freedom.

 

I'm not Sanjam either but plated meals ARE served across the fleet in the evening in all the MDRs - whatever they are called.

Now the " pay for" dining may be different, and of course the buffet is another kettle of fish, but for Freedom and Club dining , meals are plated. And they are much better for it IMHO.

[john watson]

From what people have posted 1st sitting club dining is now the most popular for people.

 

As an aside; Princess Cruise Line runs a 6.30pm and 8.30pm system on traditional fixed time dining. In addition to these fixed time dining sittings they run a fixed time of 5.30pm, as an extra early fixed dining time for those that request it. I have dined on this system. After this extra early set time dining that MDR then transforms into a flexible dining times set up. This system seems to have advantages for those that want it specifically because they are not rushed out the venue after their meal by the next sitting on a set timing or they can leave more promptly to achieve early doors at the theatres and show lounges. After the extra early sitting the Anytime Dining starts as tables become available spasmodically. Then at a time when the bulk of flexible diners want to dine there is this extra MDR available.

 

This seems a very good system and I hope P&O consider trying it as there are benefits for all diners preferences.

 

Regards John

[Mysticalmother]

It does sound like a feasible option....but I have to say that the thought of dining at 5.30 pm fills me with horror! But each to their own.

[Midsomer Madness]

Did you point this out to your waiters? If so did they change it for you? If not did you complain to the restaurant manager?

If none of these then its your own fault you were unhappy.

 

yes I pointed it out, yes they changed it, yes it was still tepid! Yes I complained to the restaurant manager, made no difference, every night was the same...it was dreadful! Things have hopefully improved!

[jeanlyon]

I suppose it depends when you book whether you get your choice of dining on Select. If you book early, then you get your choice, but after a while if everyone wants 2nd sitting, then some will be waitlisted.

 

If I had to eat at 6.30 i would be in the buffet every night. Couldn't eat at that time. however, on Freedom Dining last time on Oriana, there were queues formed at 5 oclock. Couldn't believe it.

[balf]

It seems like P&O cover all their options.

 

 

Terms & Conditions

 

P&O Cruises Select Prices come with a range of benefits:

 

- they are available on all cruises, at all times

- choice of cabin number (subject to availability)

- first priority for dining time and table size in the main restaurants

- first priority for upgrades (where and if available)

- choice of on board spending money, car parking in Southampton, return coach travel to Southampton or airport parking. Available on cruises of 7 nights or more

- 15% deposit

- flexibility to change your booking (subject to our booking conditions)

- shuttle buses (where available)

 

These benefits are subject to availability.

 

However every time we have booked Select or any of the variations on other lines the Personaliser has shown "dining option confirmed".

 

If you book Select and don't get the total benefits what's the point?

 

David