Britannia Club Dining

[dgs1956]

We have Freedom Dining on our forthcoming cruise on Britannia but we were wondering what the chances were of changing it for a table for 2 in Club Dining First Sitting. Can anyone tell me if they know from experience if its possible to have that guaranteed?

 

[david63]

11 hours ago, dgs1956 said:

if its possible to have that guaranteed?

Not possible to have anything guaranteed where dining is concerned.

 

Tables for two on first sitting are probably the most popular request so I would not hold out much hope, unless you requested it on day one when booking opened. Having said that there is never any harm in asking.

 

A lot will depend on how full the ship is as to how easy it will be to accommodate you

[dgs1956]

38 minutes ago, david63 said:

Not possible to have anything guaranteed where dining is concerned.

 

Tables for two on first sitting are probably the most popular request so I would not hold out much hope, unless you requested it on day one when booking opened. Having said that there is never any harm in asking.

 

A lot will depend on how full the ship is as to how easy it will be to accommodate you

Thanks. I pretty much thought that but I did wonder if having Freedom Dining would have helped.

[Selbourne]

12 hours ago, dgs1956 said:

We have Freedom Dining on our forthcoming cruise on Britannia but we were wondering what the chances were of changing it for a table for 2 in Club Dining First Sitting. Can anyone tell me if they know from experience if its possible to have that guaranteed?

 

It’s usually possible to be able to guarantee first or second sitting with Club dining (especially now that Freedom dining is so much more popular these days), but table size is never guaranteed with Club Dining. You can only express a preference. You might be lucky, you might not. The only way to ever be 100% certain of a table for 2 for dinner in the MDR is to select Freedom Dining and be prepared to wait for a table, although pre Covid we always found that we were seated immediately if we dined later, often on a table of 4 for just the 2 of us. 

[dgs1956]

13 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

It’s usually possible to be able to guarantee first or second sitting with Club dining (especially now that Freedom dining is so much more popular these days), but table size is never guaranteed with Club Dining. You can only express a preference. You might be lucky, you might not. The only way to ever be 100% certain of a table for 2 for dinner in the MDR is to select Freedom Dining and be prepared to wait for a table, although pre Covid we always found that we were seated immediately if we dined later, often on a table of 4 for just the 2 of us. 

Thanks. Probably best to stick with Freedom as we normally do. 

 

[Fionboard]

Go and see the Maitre D at the MDR as soon as you board. Have changed mine before so worth a try. First sitting is busier than second though, and depends if ship is full too.

[dgs1956]

1 hour ago, Fionboard said:

Go and see the Maitre D at the MDR as soon as you board. Have changed mine before so worth a try. First sitting is busier than second though, and depends if ship is full too.

We're on a Select Fare and chose Freedom as usual. Have you actually changed from Freedom to Club for 2? The cruise personaliser gives you that option but I don't think it's that simple.

[Pine Man]

On my last booking, a couple of weeks ago, I selected Freedom by mistake.

 

I rang P&O, the phone was answered in minutes, my booking was changed to First Sitting Club Dining, my request for table size was added and an updated confirmation of booking was received instantly by email.

 

Now that is service!

[Fionboard]

5 hours ago, dgs1956 said:

We're on a Select Fare and chose Freedom as usual. Have you actually changed from Freedom to Club for 2? The cruise personaliser gives you that option but I don't think it's that simple.

Yes, have been given Freedom with a Saver fare and changed it to my preferred Club  second sitting when I got on board. Always pay select now so can choose fixed dining as it is important to me as a solo traveller. 

[dgs1956]

2 hours ago, Pine Man said:

On my last booking, a couple of weeks ago, I selected Freedom by mistake.

 

I rang P&O, the phone was answered in minutes, my booking was changed to First Sitting Club Dining, my request for table size was added and an updated confirmation of booking was received instantly by email.

 

Now that is service!

Thank you. I'll give it a go.

[dgs1956]

2 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Yes, have been given Freedom with a Saver fare and changed it to my preferred Club  second sitting when I got on board. Always pay select now so can choose fixed dining as it is important to me as a solo traveller. 

Thanks. I assume you book a table with a number of other guests rather than a table for one.

[Fionboard]

2 minutes ago, dgs1956 said:

Thanks. I assume you book a table with a number of other guests rather than a table for one.

Obviously. I want to have company at dinner and have made some friends this way.

[Selbourne]

2 hours ago, Pine Man said:

On my last booking, a couple of weeks ago, I selected Freedom by mistake.

 

I rang P&O, the phone was answered in minutes, my booking was changed to First Sitting Club Dining, my request for table size was added and an updated confirmation of booking was received instantly by email.

 

Now that is service!

That’s good. It’s almost always possible to change from Freedom to Club but not always possible to swap the other way, especially on busy cruises. Freedom dining is by far the most popular choice nowadays and on our past few cruises (pre Covid) there were notices outside the MDR’s stating that Freedom dining was full and no changes could be made.
 

As previously stated though (as some people don’t realise this), whilst it is usually possible to confirm 1st or 2nd sitting, table size is only ever an expressed preference with Club dining and is never guaranteed (unless things have changed) . Hopefully, most people get what they ask for, but if passengers want an absolute guarantee of a table for 2, their only option is Freedom dining and either be prepared to wait, or dine later when tables for 2 are usually freely available.