Food and dining on P&O ships

[Dermotsgirl]

12 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

With all due respect, P&O need to put a stop to people being able to do this. No wonder there is chaos if this is happening. @molecrochip thoughts?

That’s what I thought. If everyone starts doing that, it’ll double the length of the virtual queues 

[binman2]

Never used the virtual queue? Sailed twice on Iona same cruise to med October/November in 2021 and again 2022 .First time booked same time at the restaurant desk after first night 6pm and had 3 different tables and last 11 nights booked same table and waiters .2nd cruise we did use the app and booked every night for 6.00 pm and had 14 different tables and waiters every night in the mdr table for 2 .We usually book select fare and club dinning for 2 and must say after 31 cruises we must have been lucky and had a table for 2 every time 

[showingdiva]

I've read through most of this thread with horror.   I am tech savvy, but do not go on any sort of holiday to stare at my phone.  Quite the opposite - to virtually ignore it where humanly possible.

 

Surely the way forward is to return, fleet wide, to set dining.   The staff are obviously acutely aware of huge (virtual) queues building up, so even passengers who have dodged them by booking earlier times must be getting rushed through dinner due to the pressure on the staff to feed everyone.   And as for putting "overspill" into the buffet.   

 

I have kept a look out for returning to that first post-pandemic P&O cruise, but this is yet another accumulation to the argument for realising there's more out there for the foreseeable future.

[Scorpio41]

They’re always used to a served section in the buffet in the evening. (Pre-covid)

[Interestedcruisefan]

Just to confirm we only joined a queue on the app once (possibly twice) for dining all two weeks

 

We booked times and dates for restaurants and shows in advance and because  we like to dine early (6pm ish) just did walk ins on the day or booked In advance at the restaurants.

 

Like you would on a normal holiday

 

We chose not to dine In MDR at all

 

Just did a mixture of specialty restaurants and Buffet and The Quays. (We really liked the Quays as an alternative to the buffet). 

 

It's modern and fast service and nice space to dine outside there

 

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

A few points from me:

 

@Selbourne

@ElmaLee

@Interestedcruisefan

...A lot of research has gone into working out how many formal and informal covers should be available on any given night. I wonder if Arvia is suffering from new ship syndrome - everyone wants to do thinks as they have always done. Currently, the number of returning customers will be high as people want to try the ship, some will never go back, some will love it. Ultimately, the hope is that offering the variety of dining options similar to an RCI or MSC will entice a younger new breed of passenger - the type who are less bothered about dress code to get into the MDR. Hence it really might just be teething problems.

 

 

(Sorry, can't get rid of the @'s...)

 

As I have said previously, at present P&O are trying to be all things to all men & women, which is a very precarious path. I hope you are right that things will work out over time.

[molecrochip]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

With all due respect, P&O need to put a stop to people being able to do this. No wonder there is chaos if this is happening. @molecrochip thoughts?

I didn't think this was possible. Certainly you couldn't do this with the shows when I was last on board. 

 

The problem you have is that reservations are not called one by one. The restaurant manager tends to walk around the restaurant, note the available tables and then call the next 4, 6, however many groups to the restaurant. I would therefore expect that the chance of two restaurants calling close together is therefore high.

 

It was never meant to be like this. It was mean to be buzzers like Britannia's freedom dining restaurants. The pandemic caused P&O to create the 'app' to avoid people queuing in close confines to get a buzzer.

[Selbourne]

7 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I would therefore expect that the chance of two restaurants calling close together is therefore high.

 

It was never meant to be like this. It was mean to be buzzers like Britannia's freedom dining restaurants. The pandemic caused P&O to create the 'app' to avoid people queuing in close confines to get a buzzer.

Human nature being as it is, it’s no surprise that people are finding creative workarounds but as I suspected, and as you have highlighted, this is adding to the problems with the MDR. Leaving aside the over reaction to Covid, I made the point some time ago that P&O seem to be trying to solve a problem that never existed in the first place and, in doing so, have created a host of new problems. Time for a re-think?

[Jennizor]

Our recent dining experience on Iona (got home yesterday) was very good. I booked the Limelight Club twice, Sindhu and the Chefs Table all before we sailed. On board we went to the Glasshouse and Olive Grove, both without booking and got straight in. The remaining nights we went to the Coral dining room and again straight in. We have been to the Limelight Club and Sindhu many times previously so knew what to expect. The Chefs Table was a first for us. We were a bit dubious about it but it was great. It was a section separated from the main parts of the Horizon buffet. It was laid out like a smart restaurant, very pleasant. The menu was good and we had a really nice time. 

[molecrochip]

19 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Human nature being as it is, it’s no surprise that people are finding creative workarounds but as I suspected, and as you have highlighted, this is adding to the problems with the MDR. Leaving aside the over reaction to Covid, I made the point some time ago that P&O seem to be trying to solve a problem that never existed in the first place and, in doing so, have created a host of new problems. Time for a re-think?

So the strict reliance on the 'app' has now gone. The official line is that the 'app' is now optional.

 

I think its fair to say that we are now in a middle ground. The 'app' is optional yet P&O are keen for people to use it as the next logical step has always been Ocean Medallion (like Princess).

 

For me, Ocean Medallion is lightyears better than the 'app'. Its still optional but because it uses technology to identify your location, it makes things like ordering a drink so much quicker.

 

If it wasn't for Covid, I think we would have seen a Medallion trial on Britannia by now. I've never had it confirmed, but there were strong rumours that Britannia was kitted out for Medallion as part of her return to service post pandemic (being the first ship). The thought was to use Medallion for contact tracing however with protocols changing rapidly, that never happened. Iona and Arvia have been built to allow easy conversion to Medallion too, as I understand.

 

Ultimately, Medallion is a cost first, therefore I expect the bigwigs to want to see a business case to support it.

[Selbourne]

2 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

So the strict reliance on the 'app' has now gone. The official line is that the 'app' is now optional.

 

I think its fair to say that we are now in a middle ground. The 'app' is optional yet P&O are keen for people to use it as the next logical step has always been Ocean Medallion (like Princess).

 

For me, Ocean Medallion is lightyears better than the 'app'. Its still optional but because it uses technology to identify your location, it makes things like ordering a drink so much quicker.

 

If it wasn't for Covid, I think we would have seen a Medallion trial on Britannia by now. I've never had it confirmed, but there were strong rumours that Britannia was kitted out for Medallion as part of her return to service post pandemic (being the first ship). The thought was to use Medallion for contact tracing however with protocols changing rapidly, that never happened. Iona and Arvia have been built to allow easy conversion to Medallion too, as I understand.

 

Ultimately, Medallion is a cost first, therefore I expect the bigwigs to want to see a business case to support it.

Interesting, although never having been on Princess I don’t understand the medallion concept. The ‘app’ being optional seems to be causing other issues though. Some reports suggest that those who have used it aren’t just walking in freely when called (as they should), as the app users and walk ups are merging. At the very least, dealing with walk ups slows the seating of those who are in a virtual queue.
 

I will end where I started, that I think that this needs unravelling. The hybrid system on Arvia (or, as others have described it, trying to be all things to all people) is overly complicated both for customers and staff. IMO P&O need to either have confidence in the app and make that the only option, or ditch it and revert to Freedom Dining as it was. As a number of passengers struggle with (or refuse to use) IT, I would have thought that the latter was the better option. 

[Selbourne]

20 minutes ago, Jennizor said:

Our recent dining experience on Iona (got home yesterday) was very good. I booked the Limelight Club twice, Sindhu and the Chefs Table all before we sailed. On board we went to the Glasshouse and Olive Grove, both without booking and got straight in. The remaining nights we went to the Coral dining room and again straight in. We have been to the Limelight Club and Sindhu many times previously so knew what to expect. The Chefs Table was a first for us. We were a bit dubious about it but it was great. It was a section separated from the main parts of the Horizon buffet. It was laid out like a smart restaurant, very pleasant. The menu was good and we had a really nice time. 

That’s good to hear. Can I ask, is Olive Grove open for lunch as well as dinner? The P&O website says that it is, but I’ve only ever heard people talk about it as a dinner venue. Also, is everything free of charge in there? Thanks. 

[davecttr]

20 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

That’s good to hear. Can I ask, is Olive Grove open for lunch as well as dinner? The P&O website says that it is, but I’ve only ever heard people talk about it as a dinner venue. Also, is everything free of charge in there? Thanks. 

The Olive Grove is open from noon to 9.30 and a few of the menu items have a charge. It is also casual on Celebration night.

Edited March 5, 2023 by davecttr

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

Human nature being as it is, it’s no surprise that people are finding creative workarounds but as I suspected, and as you have highlighted, this is adding to the problems with the MDR. Leaving aside the over reaction to Covid, I made the point some time ago that P&O seem to be trying to solve a problem that never existed in the first place and, in doing so, have created a host of new problems. Time for a re-think?

There really is no major problem with dining in the MDR or the App, if our experience over the last 2 weeks on Iona are typical.

However like most things IT on P&O, they dont always function correctly, and there are times when they dont function at all, thankfully these are few. Then there are those people who cant use the app, those who dont want to, and those who prevaricate. But despite all these issues dining in the MDRs, on Iona at least, is no longer an issue.

[molecrochip]

17 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

That’s good to hear. Can I ask, is Olive Grove open for lunch as well as dinner? The P&O website says that it is, but I’ve only ever heard people talk about it as a dinner venue. Also, is everything free of charge in there? Thanks. 

On Iona its open for lunch and dinner as a paid restaurant. On Arvia its dinner only as its included.

22 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Interesting, although never having been on Princess I don’t understand the medallion concept. The ‘app’ being optional seems to be causing other issues though. Some reports suggest that those who have used it aren’t just walking in freely when called (as they should), as the app users and walk ups are merging. At the very least, dealing with walk ups slows the seating of those who are in a virtual queue.
 

I will end where I started, that I think that this needs unravelling. The hybrid system on Arvia (or, as others have described it, trying to be all things to all people) is overly complicated both for customers and staff. IMO P&O need to either have confidence in the app and make that the only option, or ditch it and revert to Freedom Dining as it was. As a number of passengers struggle with (or refuse to use) IT, I would have thought that the latter was the better option. 

I love Medallion but am not keen on the myholiday 'app'. I don't recall the Medallion app having queues - just allowing bookings, or walk-ups.

 

Firstly Medallion is a proper app. You do your check-in through it, your reservations can be made through it, choose your embarkation and disembarkation times instantly, and more.

 

Secondly, Medallion has a "wearable" instead of a cruise card. Its the size and weight of a round pound coin. Stick it on a chain, lanyard, wristband, in your pocket - it doesn't matter. The technology can place the wearable to precision of about 5 meters anywhere in the public areas of the ship - or it can tell you are in your cabin.

 

For example, go sit on deck somewhere random and order a beer from the nearest bar using the app. The bar gets the order, sends a waiter with it to you. The technology shows the waiter where you are and as they get within range, it shows your picture so they correctly identify you. No more finding a waiter, waiting while they take 4 other orders before returning to the bar. Not just drinks, want a snack, a sandwich, burger, some fries - order in the same way.

 

The app also allows you to do all of this to your cabin, as room service.

 

If you don't want to use the app, there are big screens around the ship you can use. Tap your app and browse shows or make a dining reservation. Need help, visit the Medallion store in the atrium.

 

As you can see - I'm a big fan.

[davecttr]

2 hours ago, Scorpio41 said:

They’re always used to a served section in the buffet in the evening. (Pre-covid)

That is the Beach House which occupies the forward starboard quarter of the buffet which has different decor and can be closed off so it is only accessible from the midships lift lobby. On Iona recently it was expanded into the forward port side of the buffet as well on Celebration night. Known as the Chefs Table

[molecrochip]

34 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Interesting, although never having been on Princess I don’t understand the medallion concept. The ‘app’ being optional seems to be causing other issues though. Some reports suggest that those who have used it aren’t just walking in freely when called (as they should), as the app users and walk ups are merging. At the very least, dealing with walk ups slows the seating of those who are in a virtual queue.
 

I will end where I started, that I think that this needs unravelling. The hybrid system on Arvia (or, as others have described it, trying to be all things to all people) is overly complicated both for customers and staff. IMO P&O need to either have confidence in the app and make that the only option, or ditch it and revert to Freedom Dining as it was. As a number of passengers struggle with (or refuse to use) IT, I would have thought that the latter was the better option. 

On Iona, they had two queues, people who wanted a buzzer as 'walk-ups' and those who were returning having been called.

 

I have seen a fight because someone thought someone else was queue jumping - but that was largely poor queue management rather than IT failing.

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Firstly Medallion is a proper app. You do your check-in through it, your reservations can be made through it, choose your embarkation and disembarkation times instantly,

To be pedantic, you cannot choose your disembarkation time through the app.

[terrierjohn]

3 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

On Iona its open for lunch and dinner as a paid restaurant. On Arvia its dinner only as its included.

I love Medallion but am not keen on the myholiday 'app'. I don't recall the Medallion app having queues - just allowing bookings, or walk-ups.

 

Firstly Medallion is a proper app. You do your check-in through it, your reservations can be made through it, choose your embarkation and disembarkation times instantly, and more.

 

Secondly, Medallion has a "wearable" instead of a cruise card. Its the size and weight of a round pound coin. Stick it on a chain, lanyard, wristband, in your pocket - it doesn't matter. The technology can place the wearable to precision of about 5 meters anywhere in the public areas of the ship - or it can tell you are in your cabin.

 

For example, go sit on deck somewhere random and order a beer from the nearest bar using the app. The bar gets the order, sends a waiter with it to you. The technology shows the waiter where you are and as they get within range, it shows your picture so they correctly identify you. No more finding a waiter, waiting while they take 4 other orders before returning to the bar. Not just drinks, want a snack, a sandwich, burger, some fries - order in the same way.

 

The app also allows you to do all of this to your cabin, as room service.

 

If you don't want to use the app, there are big screens around the ship you can use. Tap your app and browse shows or make a dining reservation. Need help, visit the Medallion store in the atrium.

 

As you can see - I'm a big fan.

But what if you want a relaxing holiday without needing to book everything ahead, and just dine when you want, or go to a show at short notice. If medallion is similar to Myholiday, then all the 8:30 shows will be fully booked well in advance, and included dining venues like The Olive Grove and American diner, won't be available at short notice either.

[swanseaboy]

Were they waiting all that time for a table for 2? Just share! Tables for 2 are like hens teeth but inexorably dull. Always share. Much more fun and you can get into the MDR much quicker 🙂

[swanseaboy]

I never use the booking system. I just turn up at the MDR and ask to share a table. Never a problem. Always fun.

 

*Generally always fun but I have shared with some bores. I try to avoid them on future sharing tables 😉

[molecrochip]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

But what if you want a relaxing holiday without needing to book everything ahead, and just dine when you want, or go to a show at short notice. If medallion is similar to Myholiday, then all the 8:30 shows will be fully booked well in advance, and included dining venues like The Olive Grove and American diner, won't be available at short notice either.

So you would rather turn up at 8pm and wait for 30 minutes in a long queue to ensure you get a seat because its first come first served? Not for me thanks. I'd rather book.

 

There is no requirement to use the app onboard. You can just turn up, but then you take the chance.

50 minutes ago, swanseaboy said:

Were they waiting all that time for a table for 2? Just share! Tables for 2 are like hens teeth but inexorably dull. Always share. Much more fun and you can get into the MDR much quicker 🙂

A lot of people are not that socially outgoing at dinner. If they want a table on their own, let them. 

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

To be pedantic, you cannot choose your disembarkation time through the app.

You can - some ships use it, some don't depending upon voyage. But its there.

[Interestedcruisefan]

5 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

But what if you want a relaxing holiday without needing to book everything ahead, and just dine when you want, or go to a show at short notice. If medallion is similar to Myholiday, then all the 8:30 shows will be fully booked well in advance, and included dining venues like The Olive Grove and American diner, won't be available at short notice either.

Personally I found this cruise far more relaxing knowing I had something pre-booked with a  place waiting for us at a set time than I would having to arrive  30 minutes plus early to make sure we got a  space when you have no idea how many others will be there

 

We  pre- booked our entertainment for 8.30pm each night

 

We dined and/or drank til 8.15pm approx each night and then calmly made our way to the show

 

Way way better than what a normal night used to be like on a cruise for us

 

Definitely took stress away from us and stopped us having  to rush to be places in case we didnt get a space

 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Froxfield]

8 hours ago, doog442 said:

 

In a dedicated area of the Horizon restaurant (suitably styled for the occasion), you’ll be served an exclusive menu; a culinary collaboration from three of our illustrious Food Heroes in one extraordinary meal. 

 

https://www.pocruises.com/onboard-activities/dining/the-chefs-table

 

Its a bit shabby isn't it 🤣

 

Well, we did MDR for the first Celebration night on an Iona two week cruise. The food was the least inspiring we saw all fortnight and we were rushed through in under an hour! To be fair this may have been the fault of the couple sat next to us who had clearly been at the same table all cruise and encouraged the staff to speed up service, as they proudly announced! We then tried the "Chef's Table" for the second formal night. The food was much better and the service a nice pace: plus we got a visit from Ollie Smith.  We will be trying to stick to the "canteen" approach for both formal nights on our upcoming Arvia cruise: it takes all sorts? I am reluctant to post this view as I don't want to fill the place up!!

[Interestedcruisefan]

So "Chef's Table" is the term to describe buffet tables with tablecloths on and waiter service in the buffet on celebration nights?

 

It's genius tbh

 

Credit to whoever came up with the idea and the name. 

 

I'd heard it mentioned and genuinely thought it was something really exclusive on formal nights that would be virtually impossible to book

 

An experience like you used to get on Royal Caribbean or Carnival - can't remember which?

 

Where we paid to have an intimate dining experience in a private dining room for about 16 guests with special menu, talk from the head chef and tour of the galley included etc. (Was it called Captains Table on there?)

 

So when the lady who queued for 45 minutes and was told she had to wait another 45 minutes for MDR or else be seated in the buffet - she was actually being offered "chef's table" ?

 

I assume the vast majority accept the offer at that stage? If faced with a further 45 minutes wait for MDR

 

Maybe they should be offering this whilst people are queuing for MDR in the first place? Assuming they have room at "Chef's Table" then? (Perhaps they dont have room to offer it to the queue as well. Maybe they need to make the chefs table area even larger)

 

Its already large from what I saw. I should have taken photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan