Freedom Dining

[portofino3]

What are your opinions guys n gals

 

Only done it for one cruise

I liked it met new people

My wife hated it same questions every night(have you ceuised before/how many times have you cruised:what have you been on etc etc)

Daughter loved it

 

Thoughts please

 

Seasider

[Cloudyrain]

Our first two cruises were with NCL which is all Freestyle dining, and table sharing isn't really the norm, so on P&O we were happy to be allocated Freedom Dining. However, we certainly didn't want to be sharing tables with people so always asked for a table for two and didn't have to wait too long for a table on the few times we went in the MDR.

 

We still talk to people in bars and things, but at meals we like to spend time together and not making small talk with strangers. I know some people like it, but it isn't for us!

[Josy1953]

Love the flexiblity of freedom dining.

 

For many years we enjoyed club dining we were lucky and met many interesting people and no-one who we wanted to be avoid as dining companions. When we tried freedom dining for the first time on Princess we were hooked. We now try to get freedom dining every time we cruise but last December we cruised on Aurora and there was no freedom dining and although we enjoyed the cruise and getting to know our waiters and the couple on the next table to us (we and they were on tables for 2) I did feel that it was a step back because first sitting is too early for us and I found that second sitting meant that we were often too late leaving the restaurant to go to the shows so we didn't get to enjoy as much of the entertainment as we normally do. Last month we went on Azura and didn't manage to get freedom dining so again did second sitting again sharing with a very nice couple but I felt myself wishing that P&O would take the Princess line and designate 2 restaurants as freedom dining because once or twice we had to choose which of 2 things we would like to see in the evening but if we had been on freedom dining we could have dined around 7pm and managed to see both things.

[kersh]

Josy, I totally agree with your post. We much prefer Freedom dining. The good news is that there is a post on Facebook where a pax has written to David Dingle suggesting that on ships where there are 3 MDR then 2 should be Freedom.

 

He has written back saying Ventura already has this, Britannia will be launched with this and it is only a matter time before Azura is also changed to 2 freedom dining restaurants.

[lindyloo22]

Freedom dining much better would go with it every time. 1st sitting to early especially if in port and have been out for most of the day, second sitting to late we have still been in restaurant at 10.30/10.45 much to late if you want to see any shows.

Lyn

[annieuk]

I agree with your wife. We have Club Dining, 2nd sitting, table of 8. We too don't like the idea of having to strike up conversations with different people each evening. For us, part of the enjoyment is the social side of meeting and getting to know our table companions so we are able to go to dinner and hear what everyone has been doing that day. We are still in touch with some of the people we met over 10 years ago. I know some people love Freedom Dining and it's good that we are able to have that choice. We experience a sort of Freedom Dining when we go to the main restaurant for breakfast or lunch.

 

When we went on our first cruise we were guided by cruising friends and chose 2nd sitting, table of 8 - there was no Freedom Dining then. Yes, I was concerned about who our table companions would be - what if we were stuck with awful people - well we never have been. Yes we get on better and have more in common with some people than others but we have never felt the need to change tables.

 

I agree it's a bit difficult if you want one thing and your wife another - at least my husband and I agree.

[Thejuggler]

Freedom dining on P&O isn't as good as the offer on Princess or Celebrity, Princess have lots of smaller tables so 2-4 diners is easy to accommodate. Celebrity give the option of booking a table.

 

With the larger ships having two freedom restaurants this may change, but it depends very much on how the dining rooms are set up as to how large the change will be. It may just mean shorter queues at busy times.

[soobs]

Kersh thanks for posting that news Azura joining FD is good news for me, when we were on Ventura December 13, two of the MDR were on FD after the first 2 nights you could eat in either. Even better Britannia the same,we love FD because it give you the freedom to do what you want, when you want, eat on your own, eat 2,4,6 & 8 people if you wish.

We can only book last minute for any holiday due to OH being self employed and being carer's so with this change we will have more chance of being offered FD than club which is fantastic news and it gives us more holiday options and choice of ships

[daiB]

I agree with your wife. We have Club Dining, 2nd sitting, table of 8. We too don't like the idea of having to strike up conversations with different people each evening. For us, part of the enjoyment is the social side of meeting and getting to know our table companions so we are able to go to dinner and hear what everyone has been doing that day. We are still in touch with some of the people we met over 10 years ago. I know some people love Freedom Dining and it's good that we are able to have that choice. We experience a sort of Freedom Dining when we go to the main restaurant for breakfast or lunch.

 

 

 

When we went on our first cruise we were guided by cruising friends and chose 2nd sitting, table of 8 - there was no Freedom Dining then. Yes, I was concerned about who our table companions would be - what if we were stuck with awful people - well we never have been. Yes we get on better and have more in common with some people than others but we have never felt the need to change tables.

 

 

 

I agree it's a bit difficult if you want one thing and your wife another - at least my husband and I agree.

 

 

Annie, you have pinched my post. I agree 100%. We have dinner with couples we have met through cruising when we go to Southampton.

 

BTW we tried freedom on our last cruise. Lasted one night. The food and staff were just as good but we felt the experience was not enjoyable, difficult to put a finger on the reason. Luckily we were on Azura so had plenty of choice of other venues.

 

 

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Edited July 6, 2014 by daiB

[heywood]

We are trying Freedom dining later in the year and as others, I wanted to try it but my husband would prefer a table for 8- 2nd sitting. I twisted his arm and he agreed to try :D

We have fortunately always enjoyed the company we meet at the table but I am looking forward to (hopefully) eating later than 1st but earlier than 2nd.:)

[majortom10]

Freedom dining for us every time if wehave the option there is always a risk on club dining that you might not click with your table companions and you are then stuck with them the whole cruise. It has only happened to us on a couple of occasions out of over 30+ cruises but its amazing what a difference on a table for 8 if 2 are awkward.

[Corfe Mixture]

We always (well normally) go for a table with 8 people, have never had a bad group and we tend to prefer fixed dining.

 

We tried Freedom dining on Ventura once but didn't enjoy it.

 

However, on Princess we deliberately choose Anytime Dining, as we are aware that they have a 'unofficial' modus operandi where they phone suite passengers to ask them their preferred dining time which enables us to pre-book 19.30 for the whole cruise which has worked out really well.

 

Last Christmas, we found ourselves on a table for two, on Island, immediately adjacent to another table for two with a very nice francophone Swiss couple where the lady did not really speak much English. Realising that we were able to communicate with our neighbours, the maitre d' saved the same two tables for the four of us throughout the cruise and it worked out very well indeed.

 

We have also experienced 'open dining' on Seabourn where they do not have sittings and we found that the maitre d' tried to put 'similar' people together and we found ourselves part of a group of around 12 people who always seemed to be put together on tables of either 4 or 6 and that worked out fine, though we did not maintain contact with any of our dining companions after the cruise ended.

 

Still not really sure why we did not like Freedom dining on Ventura, but think it was down to the fact that we never really became part of a social group. Certainly, our dislike was not just a neutral feeling. We really didn't like it at all and, at the time said we would never do it again.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Corfe Mixture

[insanemagnet]

It is a con, as when you want to eat, all they do is give you a pager and go away for 20 or 30 minutes.

[dgs1956]

It is a con, as when you want to eat, all they do is give you a pager and go away for 20 or 30 minutes.

 

They only give you a pager if you want a table for 2. If you are happy on a large table then you are normally seated straight away. I don't agree it's a con. No restaurant can seat everyone if they all appear at the same time. We always went to the restaurant and got our pager and then went for a drink. No problem.

[kersh]

We have done freedom dining on approx 8 cruises and never had a pager yet. Mostly had a table for 2 but always willing to share if not available.

[Josy1953]

We have done freedom dining on approx 8 cruises and never had a pager yet. Mostly had a table for 2 but always willing to share if not available.

Same for us, we always request a table for 2 and usually get one, we have on odd occasions shared because there was no table for 2 available but that has been rare. I think that it is down to the time that we choose to go for dinner.

[insanemagnet]

They only give you a pager if you want a table for 2. If you are happy on a large table then you are normally seated straight away. I don't agree it's a con. No restaurant can seat everyone if they all appear at the same time. We always went to the restaurant and got our pager and then went for a drink. No problem.

The problem seems to be that all the tables for two are constantly full, but they are surrounded by numerous tables for 6 or 8 that are all empty.

 

It seems that P&O doesn't understand what its customers want. Advertising Freedom dining as you can eat when you want, when it knows it can't deliver it, is a con.

[heywood]

The problem seems to be that all the tables for two are constantly full, but they are surrounded by numerous tables for 6 or 8 that are all empty.

 

It seems that P&O doesn't understand what its customers want. Advertising Freedom dining as you can eat when you want, when it knows it can't deliver it, is a con.

 

What happens if a couple are happy to share, do they have to wait for the table to fill before their order is taken?

[daiB]

What happens if a couple are happy to share, do they have to wait for the table to fill before their order is taken?

 

 

From our very limited experience the larger tables fill fairly quickly, a bit like at lunch, when you do not have to wait long for a full table. Certainly no longer than we have waited on fixed dining, a matter of a few minutes.

 

 

 

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[Somerset Cruiser]

What happens if a couple are happy to share, do they have to wait for the table to fill before their order is taken?

 

Unless you go late when footfall is low then that would rarely happen in my experience. Done Freedom 7 - 10 times and it has worked well. Go at a busy time you will have to wait, but doesn't that apply to anything.

[NauticalMiss]

What happens if a couple are happy to share, do they have to wait for the table to fill before their order is taken?

 

We did Freedom Dining on the Azura last November, and always asked for 6-8 diners. We never had to wait for additional couples to join the table. They fill very quickly; practically all seated at the same time. On the evenings that we decided to dine as a couple, we had to wait for a free table for 30 minutes at most. We just went to the bar for pre-dinner drinks.

 

Strange experience on the first night that we wanted to dine alone (to discuss business stuff); the next table was so close to us that private conversation was practically impossible, especially as the couple dining there didn't appear to want to speak to one another (why did they ask for a table for two??) Bizarre.

[Brayman]

So it's all these couples who want to dine alone that cause the problems?

 

It is something different about cruising that people share tables at dinner, some people don't like doing that but for us it makes for a more entertaining cruise.

[dgs1956]

The problem seems to be that all the tables for two are constantly full, but they are surrounded by numerous tables for 6 or 8 that are all empty.

 

It seems that P&O doesn't understand what its customers want. Advertising Freedom dining as you can eat when you want, when it knows it can't deliver it, is a con.

 

This is how P&O describe Freedom Dining.

 

Freedom dining is a flexible style of cruise dining. You can arrive at the restaurant at any time between 18.00 and 21.30 and ask to be seated. Tables for four, six or eight can be requested and there are a limited number of tables for two available. These are provided on a first come, first serve basis dependant on the type of booking you have made*. If your requested table size is not available, you will be given a pager so you can take a pre dinner drink at one of the bars or explore the ship whilst waiting for your table. Freedom dining offers you the opportunity to be seated with different people every night on different sized tables and with different waiters serving you.

 

As I say, no problem. On the Azura we go for a pre-dinner drink and a dance in the Atrium.

[insanemagnet]

Taking a pager and going for a drink is a sensible idea, except the time between taking the pager and being paged is a random time between 1 minute and over 30 minutes (and each time being told it will be 20 minutes). So if you do get a drink and then are paged straight away, if you don't go straight back they give the table away and you start again.

 

The only failsafe method seems to be to turn up at 9:30pm, but then you get poor service as the staff just want to clear everyone out.

 

The real problem seems to be that P&O is trying to force its customers to share tables, when it is clear from the occupancy of the tables for two, that is what customers want.

[heywood]

The real problem seems to be that P&O is trying to force its customers to share tables, when it is clear from the occupancy of the tables for two, that is what customers want.

 

I don't see that they are forcing customers to share tables. We know what size tables are provided in both main dining rooms and freedom dining and those who prefer a table for 2 will be accommodated if available.

I have only ever used MDR previously with tables for 8 so was thinking that with FD this time we will just accept what is on offer.

I got the impression from your earlier post that there were tables with couples, queues for the same and lots of empty larger tables.