Breakfast / lunch questions

[postcardswansea]

We'll be a party of 2 on Oceana in April and I'm hoping some of you lovely people will be able to help with my queries. Apologies if this is all very basic information! I've read up on a lot of things, but haven't found answers to the following:

 

What are the seating arrangements for breakfast / lunch in the main dining rooms? I understand it's not the same procedure as in the evenings, but will we be able to ask for a table for 2?

 

Are both MDRs open for breakfast / lunch?

 

What are the seating arrangements in the Select Dining venues for breakfast / lunch?

 

Is there anything else I should be thinking about?!

[BrianI]

For breakfast and lunch (and afternoon tea) there is one main restaurant open. Seating is open seating i.e. you just turn up whenever you want within the opening times and you will be allocated a seat. Tables for two are available.

Brian

[Josy1953]

We'll be a party of 2 on Oceana in April and I'm hoping some of you lovely people will be able to help with my queries. Apologies if this is all very basic information! I've read up on a lot of things, but haven't found answers to the following:

 

What are the seating arrangements for breakfast / lunch in the main dining rooms? I understand it's not the same procedure as in the evenings, but will we be able to ask for a table for 2?

 

Are both MDRs open for breakfast / lunch?

 

What are the seating arrangements in the Select Dining venues for breakfast / lunch?

 

Is there anything else I should be thinking about?!

 

Breakfast and lunch in the MDR are free sitting, you show up within the published time frame and will be shown to a table, you will be asked if you would like to share a table or you can ask for a table for 2. In the evening if you are on club dining you will have an assigned table where you will each every night, if you have chosen freedom dining you will go to your assigned MDR when you are ready to eat and again you can request a table for 2, if there are none available you can take a bleeper and you will be bleeped as soon as there is a table available for you. The select venues are not open for breakfast or lunch.

[Clodia]

If you want a table for 2 at busy times you may have to wait; if you are willing to share you'll be seated usually on a larger table straight away. Last time on Aurora there were couples standing in a queue every morning to get tables for 2, whereas those willing to share got served immediately. I always shared because I was alone and you meet some nice people that way.

[FluffyFiFi]

We have always got a table for two without a problem, both for breakfast and lunch. In the evening we are freedom dining and are happy to wait for a table for two.

[Sea Green]

The one thing its important to remember about breakfast and lunch in the MDR is the rules that apply to dinner don't apply. You'll be given your allocation for evening dining. I think there are two MDRs on Oceana, menus are exactly the same, its just easier to manage if the passengers are split into groups. Whichever restaurant you are given for the evening, that is your slot for the duration of the cruise for DINNER.

 

Now because the MDRs are not as busy for breakfast and lunch, they dont need to open both restaurants every day. I have heard of people who didn't realise they could go to any MDR during the day, and if 'their' MDR was closed for breakfast and lunch they had to stick to the buffet. Not true! The ships newspaper is delivered to your cabin each night and it will have the details of next days dining, and which MDRs are open for breakfast, lunch and the 'silver service' afternoon tea. You just turn up to whichever MDR is on that day and its open seating - you turn up when you are ready and the waiters will seat you . Its normally fairly quiet for daytime service, so I shouldn't think you'd have trouble getting a table for two.

[insanemagnet]

One of the issues with sharing a table at lunch, is if you only want a single course but someone else wants all of them, you will be kept waiting.

 

Yes this is the same in the evening, but most people will have a starter then, but at lunch it is not unusual to give it a miss.

Edited March 2, 2016 by insanemagnet

[amajaa]

Yes as Sea Green says we have also met many, many people who thought that because their evening allocated dinning room wasn't open for breakfast and lunch that they couldn't go to the dinning room that was open. We have told loads of people that they CAN use whichever dinning room is open for breakfast and lunch. One couple we met on their first cruise were thinking they were never going to cruise again as they thought they could only use the buffet for breakfast and lunch. Once they found out differently they started to enjoy their cruise.

 

The other thing we are often asked is do you have to pay to use the dinning rooms for breakfast and lunch. Again the answer is no it is all free and part of your cruise enjoyment.

[john watson]

It is funny that after a while cruising you think that some things are obvious. This is only because you have become used to all the rules and have experience of what people do.

 

I have heard stories of people who avoided the MDR all cruise long to keep costs down as they were on a tight budget.

 

There is this website to sort out all the problems, before you make an enormous faux pas. This sort of facility has never been needed when I have gone to a hotel on a city break, therefore cruising must be an incredibly complicated mine field to get through.

 

Regards John

[postcardswansea]

Thank you so much for all your replies! :)

 

I feel I now have a much better understanding of the dining 'complexities', and it all sounds so straightforward I wonder why it isn't spelt out in the same easy-to-understand way on the P&O FAQ pages!

 

Thanks again.

[amajaa]

Most of the ship's also have a burger bar on deck which is also free. Also a pizza station on deck, the pizza is free but the ice creams, soft drinks etc you have to pay for. Sometimes on a sail-away or something special they also roll out a big barbecue on deck, also, guess what, free.

[annieuk]

The other restaurant on Oceana that is open with no charge at breakfast or lunch is Cafe Jardin which is at the top of the atrium on Deck 8. Breakfast here gives a much smaller choice than the MDR or the Buffet, but we like it an often use it for breakfast. There are things like fresh fruit, melon etc., compotes, some cereals like muesli, croissants, fantastic pastries, cold meats, cheeses etc. There are a small number of cooked dishes which change every few days, things like kedgeree, panini with bacon, that sort of thing. For the first part of a cruise it is very peaceful in the Cafe Jardin at breakfast as many passengers don't know about it.

 

At lunch time, also no charge, there is a salad bar and various hot dishes on offer, also puddings. In the evening it does change to a Select Dining Venue and there is a charge, not very much, can't remember exactly. This offers a reasonable variety of dishes and we have used it several times when we want a change in the evening.

[postcardswansea]

Thank you annieuk! Most useful :)

[john watson]

Cafe Jardin opens about half an hour prior to the MDR breakfast venue. Problem with Cafe Jardin is they do not do the Full English, so if you get up early but nevertheless want a cooked breakfast you can go in Cafe Jardin first, it's upstairs near the photo place and walk through casino sports bar. After a light starter and cuppa you can go down to the MDR for breakfast at the opening time.

 

Incidentally; Cafe Jardin is bookable in the evening as an upgrade fee payable restaurant. When it closes though, really late on, you can go in be seated and get a late night snack, some drinks are not listed like Hot Chocolate so do not be frightened to ask about this sort of thing. They do a small sandwich selection four different quarter sandwiches on a plate which is nice with a cuppa. This latter facility is not bookable but it is free and they are open very late. Note late in cabin room service is catered for by this area so they do not mind late people having a snack.

 

Regards John

Edited March 6, 2016 by john watson

[FangedRose]

Thank you so much for all your replies! :)

 

I feel I now have a much better understanding of the dining 'complexities', and it all sounds so straightforward I wonder why it isn't spelt out in the same easy-to-understand way on the P&O FAQ pages!

 

Thanks again.

 

Be aware that the breakfast time slot in the dining room is early (well too early for me), seating closes about 9am or 9.30. If you arrive 10 or 15 mins before seating closes you will find that tables around you are being set for lunch service, not a very relaxing start to the day.

 

That is why I much prefer to use the buffet where breakfast items (cereal, egg, toast etc.) is available for far longer.

Edited March 6, 2016 by FangedRose

[BrianI]

The main dining room is usually open for breakfast from 7:30 to 9:00 on port days and 8:00 to 9:30 on sea days.

Brian

[postcardswansea]

Great information! Thank you all :)

[zib_zib]

You can also have Breakfast and lunch in Café Jardin on deck 8 top of the atrium