Speciality restaurants - Booking Before Departure

[Megabear2]

I have for a few months been in contact with P&O regarding why it is no longer possible on some ships to book speciality dining before departure.  The conversation has been interesting to say the least.  Anyway today I have received the long awaited reply.

 

Quote

 

Good morning,

Thank you for your email.

We are currently unable to offer pre booking of speciality dining venues on Azura, Arcadia and Britannia (excluding Limelight Club).

This is under constant review and we apologise for any upset or frustration this may cause prior to your cruise. Should you wish to book a speciality venue during your cruise, we kindly ask that you book this via My Holiday App once onboard, via one of the My Holiday podiums that will be set up by our team onboard or at the main desk of the restaurant you wish to book.

I am unable to give you reasons why we are operating this way at the moment but like I have previously mentioned this is under constant review and if anything changes, we will of course notify you.

I am sorry that I am unable to offer you any more information than that at the moment.

We look forward to seeing you on board.

Kind regards,

 

Unquote 

[Selbourne]

😂 A typical P&O response that tells you absolutely nothing at all!

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

😂 A typical P&O response that tells you absolutely nothing at all!

What is the point of a customer service dept that does not know what is happening and why you cannot pre book speciality dining on some ships.

[Dermotsgirl]

They could have at least said it was for 'operational reasons' ! 

[ohnonotmeagain]

1 hour ago, Dermotsgirl said:

They could have at least said it was for 'operational reasons' ! 

99.9% would have believed this🙄

[Presto2]

5 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

I have for a few months been in contact with P&O regarding why it is no longer possible on some ships to book speciality dining before departure.  The conversation has been interesting to say the least.  Anyway today I have received the long awaited reply.

 

Quote

 

Good morning,

Thank you for your email.

We are currently unable to offer pre booking of speciality dining venues on Azura, Arcadia and Britannia (excluding Limelight Club).

This is under constant review and we apologise for any upset or frustration this may cause prior to your cruise. Should you wish to book a speciality venue during your cruise, we kindly ask that you book this via My Holiday App once onboard, via one of the My Holiday podiums that will be set up by our team onboard or at the main desk of the restaurant you wish to book.

I am unable to give you reasons why we are operating this way at the moment but like I have previously mentioned this is under constant review and if anything changes, we will of course notify you.

I am sorry that I am unable to offer you any more information than that at the moment.

We look forward to seeing you on board.

Kind regards,

 

Unquote 

Oh this makes me so cross. Useless .. totally useless. The same mumbo jumbo we are getting in answer to the same question.  If we get there and they are all full for once I will be the stroppy one at reception having a heated discussion. We are pretty easy going but this really winding me up. Coupled with the app dining fiasco you couldn't make up what a total farce it is. Molechip pls say something encouraging to restore my faith in the idiots running PO at the moment ...

[Megabear2]

1 minute ago, Presto2 said:

Oh this makes me so cross. Useless .. totally useless. The same mumbo jumbo we are getting in answer to the same question.  If we get there and they are all full for once I will be the stroppy one at reception having a heated discussion. We are pretty easy going but this really winding me up. Coupled with the app dining fiasco you couldn't make up what a total farce it is. Molechip pls say something encouraging to restore my faith in the idiots running PO at the moment ...

I had hoped as we had gone to Coming Soon things might be getting changed.  I'm really intrigued by why only these three ships.  

 

One of my points was if it was to be onboard only did they retain availability for day 2 arrivals (I recall you were told that was the case) and would common sense apply if a plane was delayed.  Deadly silence... 

[Presto2]

2 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I had hoped as we had gone to Coming Soon things might be getting changed.  I'm really intrigued by why only these three ships.  

 

One of my points was if it was to be onboard only did they retain availability for day 2 arrivals (I recall you were told that was the case) and would common sense apply if a plane was delayed.  Deadly silence... 

I'm going to keep pushing it and keep all emails. Is there a direct email to someone higher up we can message?

If we can not book a speciality restaurant.. one of the reasons we book Britannia .. for no-fault of our own, is that a case of us not being given what we have paid for? 

[Megabear2]

7 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

I'm going to keep pushing it and keep all emails. Is there a direct email to someone higher up we can message?

If we can not book a speciality restaurant.. one of the reasons we book Britannia .. for no-fault of our own, is that a case of us not being given what we have paid for? 

I started out with Executive Correspondence, not my contact but just the higher up office.  The reply has come from guest support so it looks like they passed it on.  I have two personal contacts in Executive Office so I could perhaps try them.

 

Where have you been writing to, was it guest support or elsewhere?

[Presto2]

Just now, Megabear2 said:

I started out with Executive Correspondence, not my contact but just the higher up office.  The reply has come from guest support so it looks like they passed it on.  I have two personal contacts in Executive Office so I could perhaps try them.

 

Where have you been writing to, was it guest support or elsewhere?

The guest services form on PO. I once saw an address on here higher up but can't find it and have never needed to use it before. I just wonder if it is breaking a contract if they can not give you what was sold at time of booking because of their system and not our fault. If that makes sense. 

[Megabear2]

1 minute ago, Presto2 said:

The guest services form on PO. I once saw an address on here higher up but can't find it and have never needed to use it before. I just wonder if it is breaking a contract if they can not give you what was sold at time of booking because of their system and not our fault. If that makes sense. 

No breach of contract I'm afraid.  If there's 2,700 onboard they can't guarantee everyone will be able to have everything advertised including speciality dining.  What they should and can do is offer a level playing field for everyone to have an equal chance and currently that's not being offered.

 

Try this one.  I suggest you tell them you're not happy with the vague response from Guest Services. You never know if they see enough questions on it they might actually do something, it's not like we want the world and we're actually trying to give them guaranteed money upfront!

 

Executive.Correspondence@carnivalukgroup.com

 

I might drop a line to my personal contacts in a month or so, want to see how my Canadian cruise goes first.  We have a while yet.

 

 

[Presto2]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

No breach of contract I'm afraid.  If there's 2,700 onboard they can't guarantee everyone will be able to have everything advertised including speciality dining.  What they should and can do is offer a level playing field for everyone to have an equal chance and currently that's not being offered.

 

Try this one.  I suggest you tell them you're not happy with the vague response from Guest Services. You never know if they see enough questions on it they might actually do something, it's not like we want the world and we're actually trying to give them guaranteed money upfront!

 

Executive.Correspondence@carnivalukgroup.com

 

I might drop a line to my personal contacts in a month or so, want to see how my Canadian cruise goes first.  We have a while yet.

 

 

I feel like a moaner but I want to go prepared and things that are unfair never sit well with me. I'll message and see what happens. No use waiting until we get there then moaning. Get me moaning over and plan ahead !! Will keep everyone informed about any response we get. Wish us luck

[jh1809]

4 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

They could have at least said it was for 'operational reasons' ! 

My own guess is that it might be that they currently can't guarantee in advance whether they'll have enough catering crew to actually operate the specialty restaurants. They seem to have struggled to tempt enough crew back post-Covid. (Incidentally it's not just the three ships that their email mentions where you can't pre-book. It also applies to Arcadia.)

[terrierjohn]

2 minutes ago, jh1809 said:

My own guess is that it might be that they currently can't guarantee in advance whether they'll have enough catering crew to actually operate the specialty restaurants. They seem to have struggled to tempt enough crew back post-Covid. (Incidentally it's not just the three ships that their email mentions where you can't pre-book. It also applies to Arcadia.)

I doubt that staff shortage is the problem, it's more likely to be IT incompetence that is preventing the booking system from working.

[lebreos]

on Ventura last year they were 68 chefs down on required - no glass house - no epicurean, sindu on 1/2 covers. I saw the executive chef in the buffet and asked him why they were shut...so straight from a guy who should know. They also hadn't fully staffed the kids club either at that point. Wouldnt surprise me if they were still short of staff apparently Virgin cruises have tempted staff away from other lines to join them. Other massive ships have come into the market recently - no Idea if offset by older smaller ships they scrapped during covid. 

[Snibs]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

I doubt that staff shortage is the problem, it's more likely to be IT incompetence that is preventing the booking system from working.

Wouldn’t surprise me, but if it can work on Ventura, they should manage it on the sister ship Azura and the more modern Britannia if they put a bit of effort to do so. Mind as the none app ‘app’ is half arsed so is this.

[posford]

Work on Ventura, that’s a joke.  We were on there last month, they didn’t even use the my holiday app.  It took ages with a pager to get into eat.

Mind you it was not worth the wait. The food was dire.  By far the worst on any ship from any company - and we have done over 40.

The food on Iona last September was much, much better and the dinner organisation much superior.

[jh1809]

11 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I doubt that staff shortage is the problem, it's more likely to be IT incompetence that is preventing the booking system from working.

I doubt that it's an IT problem, as unless my memory is seriously at fault I was able to pre-book restaurants on the cruise personaliser in the year or two before Covid. Indeed, for my Northern Lights cruise on Aurora in March 2020 - which left Southampton on schedule but was aborted a few days later because Norway closed all its ports to cruise ships - I remember eventually getting a refund to my credit card for my pre-booking of Sindhu.

[Megabear2]

2 hours ago, jh1809 said:

I doubt that it's an IT problem, as unless my memory is seriously at fault I was able to pre-book restaurants on the cruise personaliser in the year or two before Covid. Indeed, for my Northern Lights cruise on Aurora in March 2020 - which left Southampton on schedule but was aborted a few days later because Norway closed all its ports to cruise ships - I remember eventually getting a refund to my credit card for my pre-booking of Sindhu.

You are correct.  All ships you could book online in advance.  Even in January 2020 it was a relatively simple exercise.  Christmas 2021 first time I came across it which was fair enough as it was only a few months after restart.  Every cruise with P&O since apart from on Arvia I've not been able to book on my cruise planner. 

 

Strangely our next Britannia cruise changed last week from Enquire on Board to Coming Soon as did the January 2023 one so I had hoped it was a change but then the email above arrived.

 

Sailing from Southampton I am not too worried but being a Saturday arrival on a Barbados later arrival I'm pretty sure it will be a struggle as for reasons best known to the ship they open up the reservations for day 2 long before anyone on the Saturday flights actually arrive.

[Presto2]

9 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

You are correct.  All ships you could book online in advance.  Even in January 2020 it was a relatively simple exercise.  Christmas 2021 first time I came across it which was fair enough as it was only a few months after restart.  Every cruise with P&O since apart from on Arvia I've not been able to book on my cruise planner. 

 

Strangely our next Britannia cruise changed last week from Enquire on Board to Coming Soon as did the January 2023 one so I had hoped it was a change but then the email above arrived.

 

Sailing from Southampton I am not too worried but being a Saturday arrival on a Barbados later arrival I'm pretty sure it will be a struggle as for reasons best known to the ship they open up the reservations for day 2 long before anyone on the Saturday flights actually arrive.

Told you.....we'll race you on to the ship !!

I will be practising my rugby tackles over the next few months !

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Told you.....we'll race you on to the ship !!

I will be practising my rugby tackles over the next few months !

My OH is playing at Twickenham on Bank Holiday Saturday ... I'll ask him to treat you gently!

[jeanlyon]

Why didn't they include Aurora.  You can't book for her either.

[Megabear2]

23 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Why didn't they include Aurora.  You can't book for her either.

They won't go live until 2 weeks before your cruise.  I understand that some people have had offerings in recent times, but I could be wrong.  My friend sails on 3 September to US/Canada so I'll see what happens there.

[Spike11]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

They won't go live until 2 weeks before your cruise.  I understand that some people have had offerings in recent times, but I could be wrong.  My friend sails on 3 September to US/Canada so I'll see what happens there.

Unfortunately we were unable to pre book any restaurants on Aurora last month (14 night cruise). As others have said, you could do this pre-Covid so why the backward step? They also get more money from you if you prebook as you can’t use your OBC - can’t understand their “business” reasoning.

[thornegirl]

We’re on Aurora on the 15th August, can’t book restaurants says enquire onboard