Dining times in self service on Oriana

[tring]

Can anyone tell me what time Brealfast, lunch and dinner are served on Oriana in the self service restaurant? If we return to the ship Late, e.g. 1.30am, will we be able to get snacks or does the restaurant close down completely over night.

 

Also, is there good views from the restaurant, or is it more closed in like the main restaurants, (smallish windows with curtains which are a distance from some tables).

 

Sounds like a strange question, but we are thinking of a 'Northern Lights' cruise, so regular dining times may not be the best!

[Dennis-The-Menace]

Hi Tring

 

No matter how late at night I have gone there, the Conservatory (the self service buffet restaurant onboard Oriana) has always been serving late night snacks - basically a reduced version of a full "meal time" offering. It usually means there is 3 or. 4 proper meals on offer ( such as a curry, cottage pie, breaded chicken, chios etc) but also lighter stuff like sausage rolls, cakes etc.

 

On a cruise like the Northern lights, where more passengers are "up" later, I would expect the choice to increase further.

 

The Conservatory, as its name suggests, is a bright open eatery with floor to ceiling glass and the majority of tables right next to, or within a few feet, of that glass. The perfect place to view a visually stunning, if chilly, sail in/out.

 

Have a great time, she's a lovely old ship

Edited May 25, 2014 by Dennis-The-Menace

[tring]

Thanks for that Dennis. It helps a lot when looking to book trips as there are some strange times offerred. We have now booked a 4.5 hour 'Sami' trip for 12.30pm, just after we dock and a 'northern lights' one for 8pm the same day, which allows a 3 hour break,

 

Flexible dining offerred by P&O has cinched the deal from the cruise lines with smaller ships that we often vere towards nowadays. Freedom dining on Oriana is a winner for that as well, as we have tended to book cruise lines offering open dining over the last couple of years.

[majortom10]

When we did the Northern Lights cruise in March on Oriana we used buffet restaurant occasionally for late night snacks and they were very poor in fact the poorest I have ever received on a P&O ship. The night we did the "In search of the northern lights" excursion we got back to ship late and there was no difference in choice than any other night and if my memory serves me right I think the buffet closed at 1am. No hot meals at all for the whole cruise just cold meats, cheese and salad, slices of pizza and perhaps a toasted sandwich or something very similar and hot chocolate and horlicks.

Edited May 25, 2014 by majortom10

[majortom10]

Hi Tring

 

No matter how late at night I have gone there, the Conservatory (the self service buffet restaurant onboard Oriana) has always been serving late night snacks - basically a reduced version of a full "meal time" offering. It usually means there is 3 or. 4 proper meals on offer ( such as a curry, cottage pie, breaded chicken, chios etc) but also lighter stuff like sausage rolls, cakes etc.

 

On a cruise like the Northern lights, where more passengers are "up" later, I would expect the choice to increase further.

 

The Conservatory, as its name suggests, is a bright open eatery with floor to ceiling glass and the majority of tables right next to, or within a few feet, of that glass. The perfect place to view a visually stunning, if chilly, sail in/out.

 

Have a great time, she's a lovely old ship

 

Sorry Dennis but it was nothing like that whatsoever and was like that for the whole cruise never saw any hot meals, chips or a sausage rolls.

[Host Sharon]

On the Northern Lights cruise in March the MDR offered open sittings on the two overnight stops.

 

We had a good dinner in the Conservatory BEFORE doing the late tip to see the NL so made do with a hot drink on our return. Don't forget there is room service although I think only cold food can be served on Oriana.

[BrianI]

The self service restaurant (Conservatory) opens at 0630 for continental breakfast followed at 0700 for full breakfast, then brunch at 1030, lunch at 1200, afternoon snacks from 1430 till 1700. Then themed dinner 1800-2030.

I don't recall the self service restaurant being open for late night snacks but Al Fresco is open all night for this purpose.

Brian

[AchileLauro]

The self service restaurant (Conservatory) opens at 0630 for continental breakfast followed at 0700 for full breakfast, then brunch at 1030, lunch at 1200, afternoon snacks from 1430 till 1700. Then themed dinner 1800-2030.

I don't recall the self service restaurant being open for late night snacks but Al Fresco is open all night for this purpose.

Brian

 

That's exactly as I remember it also but I haven't been on this ship for a few years now and am unlikely to since it went adult only. Such a pity that they decided to change things as Oriana was the favourite of all the family.

I doubt that things have changed as it worked well.

[majortom10]

Late night snacks are no longer served in Al Fresco and are served in the Conservatory and close at 1am or 1-30am.

[AchileLauro]

Late night snacks are no longer served in Al Fresco and are served in the Conservatory and close at 1am or 1-30am.

 

I take it that's because of the change to adults only resulting in mainly older passengers. Once they have had their Horlicks it's off to bed with them, not many night owls any more. :)

[tring]

Like your comment AchileLauro - perhaps we can change that as there are a number of sea days on this one!

 

As I thought, the self service could well be closed from 17.00 to 18.00 which would be a good time to have an early meal before going off for the northern lights trip and will be when we get back from the afternoon trip - we may have to queue to get into the restaurant at 6pm, but I would prefer not to eat just before we go out. We were hoping for a brunch/early lunch about 11.00 or 11.30 ish but the restaurant may close between brunch/lunch, unless times are changed as they have trips leaving at 12.30.

 

Never mind we will not starve on a cruise ship, we are now thinking of taking some cupasoups to make in the cabin as required which could be a tad better than just a hot drink and good if we have spent time out in the cold at any stage. That is something we always take on half board hotel hols and they work very well. Some oatcakes are my staple holiday fodder to go with them.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

[Sea Green]

Just back off Oriana and my Horizon tells me late snacks were in Al Frescos til 2am.

 

They may make extra arrangements as they did with our overnight in St Petersburg - a special early 5pm dinner for those going on evening excursions and extended late snacks in the buffet

[AchileLauro]

Like your comment AchileLauro - perhaps we can change that as there are a number of sea days on this one!

 

As I thought, the self service could well be closed from 17.00 to 18.00 which would be a good time to have an early meal before going off for the northern lights trip and will be when we get back from the afternoon trip - we may have to queue to get into the restaurant at 6pm, but I would prefer not to eat just before we go out. We were hoping for a brunch/early lunch about 11.00 or 11.30 ish but the restaurant may close between brunch/lunch, unless times are changed as they have trips leaving at 12.30.

 

Never mind we will not starve on a cruise ship, we are now thinking of taking some cupasoups to make in the cabin as required which could be a tad better than just a hot drink and good if we have spent time out in the cold at any stage. That is something we always take on half board hotel hols and they work very well. Some oatcakes are my staple holiday fodder to go with them.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

 

I wouldn't bother with the cupasoups, as I've yet to hear of anybody starving to death on a cruise ship yet. :) If fact you might even be glad to miss the odd meal or two. I generally get back from a cruise having added a stone in weight due to all the additional meals and lack of exercise and look forward to getting back to my normal routine.

Edited May 26, 2014 by AchileLauro

[tring]

Thanks again for replies. Good to know they do change meal times if they have unusual excursion times.

 

I understand the problems of cruiseships, I could well do with loosing some weight at the moment and we are off to Greenland with Fred Olsen in July!! The cupasoups were more of a warm us up thing than adding a lot of calories though. Northern Norway in the winter could be quite problematic, especially as we could spend a lot of time outdoors, (standing round at times), either on trips or on deck hoping to see the northern lights.

[majortom10]

Just back off Oriana and my Horizon tells me late snacks were in Al Frescos til 2am.

 

They may make extra arrangements as they did with our overnight in St Petersburg - a special early 5pm dinner for those going on evening excursions and extended late snacks in the buffet

 

Interested to see that you were on Oriana recently and Al Fresco was open until 2am. We did Northern Lights in March and throughout the cruise Al Fresco's was not open at night at all. The only place for late snacks was conservatory and it closed at 1-30am and was a very poor offering. I wonder why P&O keep on changing things around cruise by cruise.

[BrianI]

Probably because on the Northern Lights cruise there would be many more people staying up late at night and therefore a bigger demand for late night snacks. Moving the late night snacks to the Conservatory gives more room.

Brian

[Dennis-The-Menace]

Hi Brian

 

It was the conservatory on our Iberia cruise last year too, so I think they must decide on a cruise by cruise basis - both in terms of where and how much choice is on offer.

[jeanlyon]

I think you're right Dennis - we were on Oriana last September and I'm sure there were late night snacks available if you really want.

 

By the way, Cupasoups are so bad for you. Absolutely full of salt and no goodness whatsoever. :-(

[majortom10]

Probably because on the Northern Lights cruise there would be many more people staying up late at night and therefore a bigger demand for late night snacks. Moving the late night snacks to the Conservatory gives more room.

Brian

 

There was no more on the nights we were in Alta for the "In search of the Northern Lights" excursions than any other night in the conservatory it was very poorly attended because it wasnt worth going and if it would have been just purely for the demand and room on those 2 nights they would have opened Al Fresco for the rest of the cruise but they didnt.

[majortom10]

I think you're right Dennis - we were on Oriana last September and I'm sure there were late night snacks available if you really want.

 

By the way, Cupasoups are so bad for you. Absolutely full of salt and no goodness whatsoever. :-(

 

There were late night snacks available in the conservatory even though choice was very poor it seems that P&O seem to decide on a cruise by cruise basis whether they use Conservatory or Al Fresco.

[Britboys]

Yes, it does look as though they decide on the basis of the cruise. I did a 2-night 'party cruise' on Oriana at Easter and Horizon says that for both nights the Conservatory served late snacks between 1030 and 0300!

[Dennis-The-Menace]

That's how I remember it too Andrew, so it definitely changes.

 

Maybe it's decided by a number if things - cruise itinerary, times of port calls, demographic on board etc.