Adonia - Possibilities of changing from early to late dining?

[cruiseryder]

Considering Adonia for February 2016 but not sailed on her before. On other P & O ships have always done Freedom Dining so am concerned that we may be allocated First Sitting which would really spoil the cruise for us. Can any regular Adonia cruiser advise what are the chances of changing sittings on board and any guesses to which are the favoured sittings? P & O stance is that we can nominate our preferance but they cannot guarantee anything.

[majortom10]

If you are booking a Saver fare then you should be made to stick with dining allocated and not allowed to change it that is why Saver fares are cheaper than those that book Select and they have the choice of preference.

[cruiseryder]

I think you misunderstood my query Majortom10. I never mentioned a Saver Fare as I do understand all the T & C's which rightly or wrongly apply to the different fare levels.

I had enquired with P & O about a Select Fare as I wanted to state my preference and was advised that whilst this is noted it could not be guaranteed. I had hoped that maybe someone on CC who had been a similar position could offer a little bit of advise. Unfortunately not all of us are able to make our reservations months in advance.

[BandBlady]

We cruised on Adonia in October and were able to change to 2nd sitting .They always do their best ,at the end of the day they want you to enjoy your holiday .

Hope you book Adonia and enjoy her as much as we do .

[cruiseryder]

Thank you Bandlady, thats reassuring.

[dgs1956]

If you are booking a Saver fare then you should be made to stick with dining allocated and not allowed to change it that is why Saver fares are cheaper than those that book Select and they have the choice of preference.

 

What nonsense! So one couple have early sitting and one late sitting and both would prefer to change but aren't allowed?

[insanemagnet]

If you are booking a Saver fare then you should be made to stick with dining allocated and not allowed to change it that is why Saver fares are cheaper than those that book Select and they have the choice of preference.

No they shouldn't an no it isn't.

 

Select fares are simply more expensive as the rely on the fear of being allocated a poor cabin and the "wrong" sitting.

 

Early saver fares permit expressing an option of sitting with no guarantee.

 

Late saver fares do not permit expressing an option.

 

However P&O are smart enough to realise that there is no point unnecessarily pissing off people, and so if they can meet their dining request when on board they will.

 

P&O know that this reasonable attitude will not seriously dent sales of Select fares because of the strong fears of those customers, and those customers are stupidly loyal to P&O. However if they are unreasonable to Saver fare customers, they know they will simply shop elsewhere.

[annieuk]

On our last cruise on Adonia there was a notice placed at the entrance to the main dining room saying there was no possibility of changing sittings - this may just have been a one off for that particular cruise.

[davecttr]

As the dining room allocated to club dining has two sittings obviously only a set number of passengers can be served. If more than half of those want second sitting then some are not going to get their choice, even if they have paid a select fare !.

 

P&O must have a plan for allocating sittings in such a situation, hopefully by date of booking but then of course those booking suites would expect their choice to be honoured whenever they booked ;)

[Otter18]

What nonsense! So one couple have early sitting and one late sitting and both would prefer to change but aren't allowed?

 

I returned from a cruise on Aurora this month, and that is exactly what happened. On the first evening a saver fare passenger asked to change to freedom dining, with another passenger that wanted to swap the other way. It was a simple request and easily accommodated as it was a mutual request by both parties. It was turned down by the reception staff.

[kruzseeka]

I returned from a cruise on Aurora this month, and that is exactly what happened. On the first evening a saver fare passenger asked to change to freedom dining, with another passenger that wanted to swap the other way. It was a simple request and easily accommodated as it was a mutual request by both parties. It was turned down by the reception staff.

 

Unbelievable! Guaranteed to upset passengers. I understand the numbers game and it could be impossible to accommodate everyone with their choice, also the priorities which come with specific types of bookings and have no issue with that. But who on earth benefits from such a 'Job's Worth' attitude? Two parties happy to swap - no change in numbers and no one else inconvenienced so why be so uncooperative? Wonder if it was down to a particularly unsympathetic (and I wonder, unsuitable?) personality on Reception or whether the Maitre d' would have adopted the same approach.

Edited December 18, 2015 by kruzseeka

[balf]

I think we can all agree that those who opt for the more expensive fares should have priority over others who choose less expensive fares.

 

In fact that has always been the way it has worked for me. I fear there would be an almighty row if I booked Select and didn't get my choice over any other fare.

 

David.

[Scriv]

Me too, David. I think it is only fair. Once those preferences are met, then the preferences of the Saver fares can be allocated and so on. I understand that this is what tends to happen on board.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Scriv

[Mysticalmother]

Considering Adonia for February 2016 but not sailed on her before. On other P & O ships have always done Freedom Dining so am concerned that we may be allocated First Sitting which would really spoil the cruise for us. Can any regular Adonia cruiser advise what are the chances of changing sittings on board and any guesses to which are the favoured sittings? P & O stance is that we can nominate our preferance but they cannot guarantee anything.

 

If you are booking a select fare (which I think you indicated you are) then ask for your preferred sitting and it is highly likely you will get it. P & O's stance has always been (for as long as I have been cruising with them!) that dining preferences cannot be guaranteed for any grade of fare or cabin! Only once, nearly 10 years ago, did we not get what we wanted but that was a very late booking in Arcadia's maiden few months (not a saver fare either!) - we never thought to ask if we could change and it was only a short cruise anyway.

And again, if you are a select fare passenger, and you don't get your choice, I am sure a quiet word with the maitre'd will have you sorted.

[dgs1956]

I think we can all agree that those who opt for the more expensive fares should have priority over others who choose less expensive fares.

 

In fact that has always been the way it has worked for me. I fear there would be an almighty row if I booked Select and didn't get my choice over any other fare.

 

David.

 

I'm sure we all agree. I normally book Select as I do get caught up with wanting Freedom Dining and Cabin Choice however as long as I get what I pay for then I'm not bothered what anyone else gets.

[Scriv]

As long as I get what I pay for then I'm not bothered what anyone else gets.

 

Me too :) Hope you get your choice Cruisryder :)

Edited December 18, 2015 by Scriv

[bee-ess]

I think we can all agree that those who opt for the more expensive fares should have priority over others who choose less expensive fares.

 

David.

 

I don't

[balf]

I don't

 

 

So to use your logic, if you pay for, say, business class seating on a flight and I bag it before you that would be OK with you.

 

David.

[bee-ess]

So to use your logic, if you pay for, say, business class seating on a flight and I bag it before you that would be OK with you.

 

David.

 

No but that is not the same. You are paying for a cabin not a restaurant seat

If I book a last minute/saver on Princess or Celebrity I am asked which dining option I would prefer, it is not guaranteed but likewise it is not allocated to me when I board, with no attempt to ask my preference.

I think that dining option should be allocated in order of customers booking not on how much they spend, just my opinion and not something I expect you to agree with.

Edited December 18, 2015 by bee-ess

[majortom10]

No they shouldn't an no it isn't.

 

Select fares are simply more expensive as the rely on the fear of being allocated a poor cabin and the "wrong" sitting.

 

Early saver fares permit expressing an option of sitting with no guarantee.

 

Late saver fares do not permit expressing an option.

 

However P&O are smart enough to realise that there is no point unnecessarily pissing off people, and so if they can meet their dining request when on board they will.

 

P&O know that this reasonable attitude will not seriously dent sales of Select fares because of the strong fears of those customers, and those customers are stupidly loyal to P&O. However if they are unreasonable to Saver fare customers, they know they will simply shop elsewhere.

 

As my grandmother used to say "if you cannot say something without swearing then it is not worth saying" so straight away because you have to revert to foul language then you immediately have lost the argument.

[insanemagnet]

Don't be a silly boy.

[Ataraxia]

As my grandmother used to say "if you cannot say something without swearing then it is not worth saying" so straight away because you have to revert to foul language then you immediately have lost the argument.

 

That old chestnut - lost argument, find some obscure way of claiming victory - language that is freely used on TV, and even radio 4.

Edited December 19, 2015 by Ataraxia

[clivep]

I returned from a cruise on Aurora this month, and that is exactly what happened. On the first evening a saver fare passenger asked to change to freedom dining, with another passenger that wanted to swap the other way. It was a simple request and easily accommodated as it was a mutual request by both parties. It was turned down by the reception staff.

 

Why ask at reception? It's the restaurant manager who deals with this.

 

On our last Adonia cruise (on Saver fares) we were allocated late sitting (which we expected and wanted) and went as usual to see the restaurant manager after boarding to request a table of 2. The queue was very short. The two couples in front of me found that a switch of their tables was all that was needed and the restaurant manager did this for them straight away.

 

There were signs saying 1st sitting was full (as is usual on Adonia) and that there were no available tables of 2. Nevertheless, I asked politely for a table of 2 should anything become available. My request was noted and later in the afternoon our new table reservation was delivered to the stateroom. As anticipated, this turned out to be a table for 4 with 2 empty seats which they could do as 2nd sitting was not full.

 

On P&O those paying the exhorbitant Select fares get to express their preferred (not guaranteed) dining times whilst those on late Saver fares, unlike on most other cruise lines, do not get to express a preference and have their dining times allocated on board. However, "allocated on board" does not mean "cannot be changed" and the restaurant manager will try to accommodate changes with priority given to those with earlier bookings.

[mrbluesea]

I doubt very much that the time of booking is taken into account when any on board changes are made.

[clivep]

I doubt very much that the time of booking is taken into account when any on board changes are made.

 

The restaurant manager told me that they do have access to this information and it is taken into account in prioritizing requests.