Change to dining times

[cruiser1955]

Just received this from P&O. Guess that it will spread to the other ships eventually:

 

Important Information

 

Dear ,

 

We hope you are looking forward to joining us shortly for your cruise!

 

We have been listening to feedback regarding dining arrangements and our recent experience on board Oceana has indicated that dining earlier in the evening gives you more time to enjoy the fabulous entertainment we have on offer.

 

Therefore we have amended the times of Club dining so that first sitting starts at 6pm and second sitting starts at 8pm. Freedom dining will be available from 6pm as usual.

 

We hope that this small adjustment to times will provide you with a much better dining experience.

 

We look forward to welcoming you on board Oceana very soon!

 

 

Kind regards

[LondonTowner]

Whenever we go on a cruise we would never even consider first sitting. By the time you have been out all day it just doesn't give you enough time to get ready.

 

We like second sitting as we can get dressed for dinner and have a pre dinner drink. Mind you we normally have dinner around 8pm at home too.

[Scriv]

Oh no!!!!!

 

We are fans of 6 30pm because we like to dine and then 'go out' as it were. However I don't think I could cope with as early as 6pm, so will probably opt for the 8pm sitting now as 8 30pm was too late for us.

 

Who are all these people who they are listening to feedback from? No one I know would contemplate eating at 6pm????

Edited December 21, 2015 by Scriv

[Mysticalmother]

Oh no!!!!!

 

We are fans of 6 30pm because we like to dine and then 'go out' as it were. However I don't think I could cope with as early as 6pm, so will probably opt for the 8pm sitting now as 8 30pm was too late for us.

 

Who are all these people who they are listening to feedback from? No one I know would contemplate eating at 6pm????

 

Apparently, so I have read, people on freedom dining can be found queuing from around 5pm onwards! I certainly wouldn't want to eat at 6pm either! Much prefered late sitting but 8pm is a much better time for that...

[Scriv]

Oh yes, I agree that 8pm is a much better time for the late sitting and does give those people more chance of enjoying the entertainment.

[pete14]

On Arcadia last month, first sitting was 6:15 although they still started peninsular club and captain's parties at 6:00. A large number arrived late most nights, even towards the end of the cruise. I suspect this was the first cruise when they had this earlier time and it seemed to catch out many people including those working behind the scenes.

[annieuk]

I read this on another forum a while ago. We always opt for 2nd sitting and would be very pleased to eat at 8pm rather than 8.30. Not sure what 1st sitting people will think - for us 6.30 is too early, never mind 6pm. Still some people may like it as it gives them more time for entertainment the rest of the evening.

[chrisg1uk]

Apparently, so I have read, people on freedom dining can be found queuing from around 5pm onwards! I certainly wouldn't want to eat at 6pm either! Much prefered late sitting but 8pm is a much better time for that...

 

I can't help but wonder whether some 1st sitters haven't been able to race through their meal quick enough to get to the theatre to get the best seats as the early freedom diners have got there before them. Should even up the race! Some folk must spend a fair amount of their cruise queuing at one place or another ot be first. Not for me but each to their own.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

We had this letter before our cruise on Oceana in November. It didn't affect us as we were on freedom dining. We found that, the theatre seemed to fill up quickly and we thought it was because first sitting were now ready to go to the theatre 30 minutes earlier!

 

One night we arrived at 8pm and the theatre was full, so we had to go back for the second one.

 

Another time we had to go right to the front, but someone behind was holding seats for friends who came in at the last moment. A lot of moaning going on about that! We spoke to a lady later, who got the last seat and her husband had to go and watch something else or stand at the back, while people were reserving seats!

[Midsomer Madness]

P&o said on their official facebook page that it was only Oceana that was changing....we usually opt for second sitting and are more than happy with 8.30 as it is on the other ships but 8.00 wouldn't be a problem...6 would be far too early though

[jeanlyon]

8pm would be better, however, it will make it much more popular. 6pm is so early, but I have also seen people queuing on Freedom at 5pm.

[tartanexile81]

Apparently, so I have read, people on freedom dining can be found queuing from around 5pm onwards! I certainly wouldn't want to eat at 6pm either! Much prefered late sitting but 8pm is a much better time for that...

 

It's not just freedom where people queue for 1st sitting. I was amazed on our most recent cruise to see people on queueing from just before 6:00 p.m. outside the MDR. Can anybody tell me why they'd do this?

[Mysticalmother]

It's not just freedom where people queue for 1st sitting. I was amazed on our most recent cruise to see people on queueing from just before 6:00 p.m. outside the MDR. Can anybody tell me why they'd do this?

 

Obviously they must have missed afternoon tea and were starving hungry....:p

 

On a more serious note, I'm afraid some people have a strange mentality and that they MUST be first everywhere they go. So they want to be first in the dining room , so that they can be served first, so that they can get out first and be first in the theatre.......etc. It's the same on second sitting....

[NSWP]

Oh no!!!!!

 

We are fans of 6 30pm because we like to dine and then 'go out' as it were. However I don't think I could cope with as early as 6pm, so will probably opt for the 8pm sitting now as 8 30pm was too late for us.

 

Who are all these people who they are listening to feedback from? No one I know would contemplate eating at 6pm????

The Americans do, they have a 5.30pm sitting on Princess Cruise Lines.

 

I often hear on the ships..'Americans like to eat early !!' So perhaps it is the Carnival Corp HQ in the 'Land of the Free' making these changes to P&O UK.

 

I agree though 6.30pm on P&O UK was fine with us on Aurora/Oriana a few months ago.

Edited December 22, 2015 by NSWP

[CCFC]

On Britannia last week the first sitting varied between 6.30 and 6.45 with second sitting between 8.30 and 8.45. Doors for Freedom dining opened at 6.00 some days and 7.00 others. You really had to keep an eye on the times in Horizon if you wanted to be first in.

[jeanlyon]

But why would you want to be first in? The restaurant would be empty?

[Brayman]

But why would you want to be first in? The restaurant would be empty?

 

I never thought to ask our dining companions that! I just thought they didn't want anybody else to sit in THEIR seats! :)

[staygulf]

We had this letter before our cruise on Oceana in November. It didn't affect us as we were on freedom dining. We found that, the theatre seemed to fill up quickly and we thought it was because first sitting were now ready to go to the theatre 30 minutes earlier!

 

One night we arrived at 8pm and the theatre was full, so we had to go back for the second one.

 

Another time we had to go right to the front, but someone behind was holding seats for friends who came in at the last moment. A lot of moaning going on about that! We spoke to a lady later, who got the last seat and her husband had to go and watch something else or stand at the back, while people were reserving seats!

 

I don't have any truck with all this holding seats in the theatre. If there are unoccupied seats I will sit there whether or not someone says that they are holding them. As far as I'm concerned it's first come first served. Most of the ships we've been on have a no seat reservation policy, but some people think that they are more deserving of a seat than others.

[jeanlyon]

Agree, don't take any truck from these people. Sit where you want!

[dgs1956]

I don't have any truck with all this holding seats in the theatre. If there are unoccupied seats I will sit there whether or not someone says that they are holding them. As far as I'm concerned it's first come first served. Most of the ships we've been on have a no seat reservation policy, but some people think that they are more deserving of a seat than others.

 

Good for you. You are absolutely right !! More people should act this way and do the same when it comes to sunbeds as well.

[terrierjohn]

That is probably the most common excuse for reserving a seat. "My partner has gone to the toilet and will be back in a minute". Yeah right.

 

If your wife is late in it means she has stopped off en route to the theatre. In which case you should also have stopped and waited for her so you can enter the theatre together in the hope of finding two seats together instead of HOGGING a seat.

 

Rant over.

On a civilised line like Celebrity you are permitted to reserve one seat per person without being considered a pariah, perhaps P&O should include a similar statement in the Horizon.

[Millers]

First come first served. Tuff

[staygulf]

On a civilised line like Celebrity you are permitted to reserve one seat per person without being considered a pariah, perhaps P&O should include a similar statement in the Horizon.

 

The Solstice class ships on X have much better designed theatres and I have generally found that there are enough seats to go round. But even on X they issue a verbal statement before the show to the effect of "reservation of seats in the auditorium is not permitted". I'm not sure where you get this one seat policy. I don't think that's stated anywhere.

[staygulf]

First come first served. Tuff

 

By George, he's got it!

[Millers]

It beats watching Mama Mia