tipping?

[caziann]

Hi everyone, going on our first cruise in June, we have opted for freedom dining on p&o oceana and our tips have allready been added to our on board account, most of our party are on medication and we will more often than not use the buffet restraunt as need to eat early, so my question is, can we have our tips removed and tip as we please? also can somebody tell me what time buffet restraunt opens and closes? :)

[tightwad]

Never been on Oceana but we have just returned off a 14 night cruise on Ventura where we also chose freedom dining and it was excellent .Removing the auto gratuities from your account is simple , just phone the reception from your cabin and tell them you want it removed and it is done instantly and without question , i had ours removed on Ventura not because i am greedy but because i want to tip when i want to tip for a service that i can see rather than upfront before i have even unpacked my cases . On Ventura the buffets are open 24/7 so you are never short of somewhere to eat and i should think the same applies throughout the fleet, enjoy the cruise.

[caziann]

thankyou :)

[Thejuggler]

Ventura buffet is open 24/7, but for an hour at around 5pm it is reserved for families with children (Noddy tea!) so the children can eat and be in the night nursery leaving parents to have their meal in one of the restaurants later in the evening.

 

At this time the food available is 'child friendly' and not the usual buffet fare.

 

The buffet has a themed evening every night (Indian, Chinese, British etc) and this starts once Noddy Tea is over at about 6.30pm.

[caziann]

what type of food could you expect if you went into buffet around four ish?

[KenAndJulie]

Caziann, at about 4 there is usually afternoon tea type food out ... scones, sausage rolls, chips, sandwiches etc. Don't forget though that you can order room service at a time that may suit yourself more. It would be a shame if you were to miss out on some of the wonderful dishes they serve in the restaurants ... would a light afternoon snack tide you over until evening meal (if so food is available 24/7) or is it the eating later that is the problem?

[caziann]

Hi, its just that a couple of the party prefer not to eat too late, take medication and find it harder to digest if they eat to late, so thought maybe the buffet may suit them better :)

[PhilGB]

Hi everyone, going on our first cruise in June, we have opted for freedom dining on p&o oceana and our tips have allready been added to our on board account, most of our party are on medication and we will more often than not use the buffet restraunt as need to eat early, so my question is, can we have our tips removed and tip as we please? also can somebody tell me what time buffet restraunt opens and closes? :)

 

Just back from 2 weeks on Oceana. My advice would be to go to Reception as soon as you board and request that they remove automatic tipping. Otherwise they charge each of you (I think) £1.60 a day. Freedom diners usually eat in the Liguria restaurant which serves from 6 o'clock and none of the people I spoke to had to wait. If you are in any way infirm you will be seated there and served by waiters. I think if you request a table for 2 you may have a wait. The procedure there is to give your tip to the head waiter at the end of your cruise as you will have different waiters throughout your cruise. The buffet restaurant is on deck 14 and I should warn you that tables there are like duck's teeth and the food areas are very busy! There are no trays provided so unless you can carry 2 or 3 plates along with cutlery, glasses and cups you will have to make a few trips. If you are lucky enough to find a table don't all get up and leave it to get your food, leave someone sitting there or you will lose it. The waiters will have it cleared within seconds and you will return to find others sitting there.

[LynnKnicker]

.i had ours removed on Ventura not because i am greedy but because i want to tip when i want to tip for a service that i can see rather than upfront .

I Think that is awful. Tipping is part and parcel of any cruise. I always leave my prepaid gratuties and then also tip accordingly. I consider it rather cheap to do it any other way.

 

The buffet restaurant is on deck 14 and I should warn you that tables there are like duck's teeth and the food areas are very busy! There are no trays provided so unless you can carry 2 or 3 plates along with cutlery, glasses and cups you will have to make a few trips. If you are lucky enough to find a table don't all get up and leave it to get your food, leave someone sitting there or you will lose it. The waiters will have it cleared within seconds and you will return to find others sitting there.

Have to agree that this is by far the worst lido restaurant I have ever seen on any cruise line ever. There are no trays, and only oval shaped mellamine plates which are difficult to handle. It is difficult to obtain seats, and as PhilGB mentioned, if you are to return to the food buffet for any reason, you are not sure if your table is there when you return.

I am sure that others will disagree as some will think that P&O is perfect in ever way...... we know who they are.:D

[MattyBarlow]

Have to agree that this is by far the worst lido restaurant I have ever seen on any cruise line ever. There are no trays, and only oval shaped mellamine plates which are difficult to handle. It is difficult to obtain seats, and as PhilGB mentioned, if you are to return to the food buffet for any reason, you are not sure if your table is there when you return.

I am sure that others will disagree as some will think that P&O is perfect in ever way...... we know who they are.:D

 

I found it busy at peak times, as you would expect, but never ran out of trays and always found a seat. A lot of it is to do with timing and how hungry you are :D

 

Best buffet layout i have come across is in Plantations on OV.

[LynnKnicker]

but never ran out of trays . A lot of it is to do with timing and how hungry you are :D

 

I didnt think that Oceana actually has any trays in the lido self service restaurant.

 

I really dont have a big appetite. I do like to try different foods. As for timing... well it should be the cruise line managment to coordinate as to timings of shore excursions back to the ship etc etc in order to avoid lines of people who have not eaten for hours ....... sea days are another matter however.

I think that even RCCL's Windjammer is not perfect either. they need some improvments too.

[KarenR_UK]

I didnt think that Oceana actually has any trays in the lido self service restaurant.

 

I really dont have a big appetite. I do like to try different foods. As for timing... well it should be the cruise line managment to coordinate as to timings of shore excursions back to the ship etc etc in order to avoid lines of people who have not eaten for hours ....... sea days are another matter however.

I think that even RCCL's Windjammer is not perfect either. they need some improvments too.

 

I used to use the oval plates as trays :D - trying to keep the cutlery / napkin etc on one side of the plate clean forced me to put less food on it as I always want to try everything at the buffet:D