Things that we want P&O to INTRODUCE ...

[wowzz]

38 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

In practice, as on land, reservations inevitably mean periods, however short, when tables are empty. The present system provides close to 100% occupancy.

 

That can only mean less efficient use of tables and longer queues for anyone wanting the freedom to dine when they choose to.

 

Another vote against from me, purely on logical grounds.

Sometimes people don't understand the complexities of restaurant management.  Well said Harry.

[peteukmcr]

37 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Sometimes people don't understand the complexities of restaurant management.  Well said Harry.

I’ll take that as a dig at me who worked in a restaurant for 6 years 😀. You still can’t convince me it can’t be done, as I stated at least 3 other lines we sail on operate a reservation system, it’s obvious to me P&O don’t want to be more customer focused. 

[happy v]

6 minutes ago, peteukmcr said:

I’ll take that as a dig at me who worked in a restaurant for 6 years 😀. You still can’t convince me it can’t be done, as I stated at least 3 other lines we sail on operate a reservation system, it’s obvious to me P&O don’t want to be more customer focused. 

Or......they are focused on what their customers want. I.E. freedom to dine when you choose, and not to be told it is full when you can see empty tables.

[davecttr]

On 1/4/2020 at 2:51 PM, Denarius said:

Shared tables in select restaurants in the evening, for solo passengers wishing to eat there in company.

As a solo traveller, I would like to eat in Sindu etc but do not wish to do so in splendid isolation. I suspect that others feel the same way. I would like to see a shared table available every evening at which solo travellers could book a seat. I accept that for practical reasons this would probably have to be at a fixed time.

As a solo cruiser returning to P&O I think that is an excellent idea.

[happy v]

7 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Further to my previous, if when you check the Itinerary, it just gives AM and PM, click on Learn More and the times appear.

Jean, I may be thick, most probably am🙂, but I can't see Learn More on the itinerary page. In fact it doesn't even say AM, PM.

But I did know we were late in Genoa so I must have seen it somewhere.

Now I'm just confused!

[davecttr]

2 hours ago, dunnster1965 said:

Green beans on the menu in the MDR... 😉

Aaargh! they are still serving them?

[davecttr]

4 hours ago, Britboys said:

I would like to see solo pax pre-dinner drinks get-togethers listed in the Horizon Paper - not hosted or with free drinks of course, just a 'focal point' for us solo pax.

I would also like to see 'thermos' carafes for water in each cabin with chilled water stations on most decks.  That was one of the few decent things on Marella Discovery 2. 

Carafes in the cabins and chilled water stations on passenger decks are an excellent idea. However some passengers need reminding that the carafe is not a flower vase!

[majortom10]

I am of the opinion that freedom/anytime dining should be exactly that and no reservations should be made in advance. Princess allows reservation and on one occasion we asked for a table for two at the front desk and told there would be a wait as there were no tables for 2 available. When we were buzzed in less than 5 minutes later that wasnt a problem but when we were taken to our table there were loads of empty tables for 2 and when we asked why we had to have a pager we were told that those were for tables reserved in advance and they hadnt arrived yet. Sorry but that cannot be right.

Edited January 5, 2020 by majortom10

[peteukmcr]

7 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Further to my previous, if when you check the Itinerary, it just gives AM and PM, click on Learn More and the times appear.

Thanks for the info. I assumed it was in the personaliser (the most logical place IMHO) but I can't see them in there, but can if I review the cruise as though I was making a new booking!

26 minutes ago, happy v said:

Jean, I may be thick, most probably am🙂, but I can't see Learn More on the itinerary page. In fact it doesn't even say AM, PM.

But I did know we were late in Genoa so I must have seen it somewhere.

Now I'm just confused!

As I mentioned above I found them for our upcoming sailing on the main site, not the personaliser.

[davemorton]

3 hours ago, Tikka234 said:

Something more for families to do together,  mini go!f, or games tables (air hockey type of thing), not just children clubs. maybe a slide in a slide in a pool. Not looking for things like RC ships just a couple of things

daughter likes being with her kids 

There is a small room on at least 2 of the ships which has air hockey, but its well hidden just near the casino/pub.

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, peteukmcr said:

I’ll take that as a dig at me who worked in a restaurant for 6 years 😀. You still can’t convince me it can’t be done, as I stated at least 3 other lines we sail on operate a reservation system, it’s obvious to me P&O don’t want to be more customer focused. 

I agree.

I always pre-book RC My Time Dining on line months before the cruise.

If we need to change on board it is easily done.

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, peteukmcr said:

How does it make table management more difficult? Surely as in a restaurant on land, if you know what reservations you have for the evening, you know how many ‘walk ins’ you can manage. Front of house staff can ‘reserve’ tables in preparation, just as we used to do where I worked. In addition, at least 3 other cruise lines manage this in our experience superbly (one of which is totally ‘freedom dining’). 
 

As opposed to wait times, showing how full/busy a restaurant is does help. 

RCI's reservation system caused major queues in the MDR with loads of empty tables awaiting tardy passengers, I do hope P&O dont go down that route.

[davecttr]

If you want a freedom dining reservation scheme charge £30 per person refundable deposit which you forfeit if you don't turn up within 15 minutes of your reserved time. the table is immediately allocated into the general pool

[ann141]

38 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

RCI's reservation system caused major queues in the MDR with loads of empty tables awaiting tardy passengers, I do hope P&O dont go down that route.

We too found on a Princess cruise last year that so many people wanted to reserve tables for Freedom Dining (often for 2 but also several larger groups)that when we arrived at the restaurant the staff were busy sorting the 'reserved' queue out and we had to wait ages to 'share' a table mainly because nearly everyone had a reservation.On our previous Princess cruise a few years earlier we didn t find it a problem but I think the problem has been caused by allowing reservations.We like sharing a table with others on Freedom Dining and have found previously on Club or Fixed dining there is a problem if one of the couples(or both) decides to eat elsewhere on certain nights.This didn t used to happen until speciality dining restaurants became popular.I also hope P and O don t go down the route of reservations for Freedom Dining

[wowzz]

11 minutes ago, davecttr said:

If you want a freedom dining reservation scheme charge £30 per person refundable deposit which you forfeit if you don't turn up within 15 minutes of your reserved time. the table is immediately allocated into the general pool

An excellent idea,  but personally I would say that if you want a table at a specific time,  you should pay for it. After all, I have paid extra for a select fare, so that I can dine whenever I want. If someone wants to reserve a table to dine at a specific time, they should pay for it.

[terrierjohn]

18 minutes ago, davecttr said:

If you want a freedom dining reservation scheme charge £30 per person refundable deposit which you forfeit if you don't turn up within 15 minutes of your reserved time. the table is immediately allocated into the general pool

15 minutes is way too long, you should be there on time or the table is forfeited.

[terrierjohn]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

An excellent idea,  but personally I would say that if you want a table at a specific time,  you should pay for it. After all, I have paid extra for a select fare, so that I can dine whenever I want. If someone wants to reserve a table to dine at a specific time, they should pay for it.

Hey that's even better, but you should still turn up on time, or pay anyway and forfeit the table.

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, ann141 said:

We too found on a Princess cruise last year that so many people wanted to reserve tables for Freedom Dining (often for 2 but also several larger groups)that when we arrived at the restaurant the staff were busy sorting the 'reserved' queue out and we had to wait ages to 'share' a table mainly because nearly everyone had a reservation.On our previous Princess cruise a few years earlier we didn t find it a problem but I think the problem has been caused by allowing reservations.We like sharing a table with others on Freedom Dining and have found previously on Club or Fixed dining there is a problem if one of the couples(or both) decides to eat elsewhere on certain nights.This didn t used to happen until speciality dining restaurants became popular.I also hope P and O don t go down the route of reservations for Freedom Dining

We didn't find a problem on Princess, but, to be fair, that was 3 years ago. My feeling is that freedom dining is exactly that. You turn up, you get a table. Just don't allow reservations, as it makes a mockery of the whole process. Why should I,  as a freedom diner, have to wait because someone has reserved a table.  

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

Hey that's even better, but you should still turn up on time, or pay anyway and forfeit the table.

Agreed.  I'm just aware that we may be strolling into "table policing" territory! 

[ann141]

Just now, wowzz said:

We didn't find a problem on Princess, but, to be fair, that was 3 years ago. My feeling is that freedom dining is exactly that. You turn up, you get a table. Just don't allow reservations, as it makes a mockery of the whole process. Why should I,  as a freedom diner, have to wait because someone has reserved a table.  

When we cruised on Princess  3 years ago we didn t find a problem.It was only on our cruise last June that it seemed to cause problems.

[terrierjohn]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

We didn't find a problem on Princess, but, to be fair, that was 3 years ago. My feeling is that freedom dining is exactly that. You turn up, you get a table. Just don't allow reservations, as it makes a mockery of the whole process. Why should I,  as a freedom diner, have to wait because someone has reserved a table.  

 

Just now, wowzz said:

Agreed.  I'm just aware that we may be strolling into "table policing" territory! 

Maybe but my view is that if you want fixed time reserved dining then you book club.  If the times are not right for you then take it up with the cruise line, but leave us genuine Freedom diners alone.

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, ann141 said:

When we cruised on Princess  3 years ago we didn t find a problem.It was only on our cruise last June that it seemed to cause problems.

I just wonder if Princess have  been coerced into this reservation malarkey  by their predominantly US clientele,  who expect table reservations.

[peteukmcr]

Well I give up. I really do give up. Freedom to me means I can dine at a time that I choose, not at a fixed time mandated by the cruise line. If I can make reservations to guarantee that time, as on land, I will. I can also guarantee we are not tardy, so charge me a deposit, because I won’t lose it. 
 

Why do I like reservations as on other lines. Because I can choose my time, my table size and don’t have to stand in line waiting for the next to be free like a cafeteria! 

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

 

Maybe but my view is that if you want fixed time reserved dining then you book club.  If the times are not right for you then take it up with the cruise line, but leave us genuine Freedom diners alone.

Totally agree with you.

[ann141]

Just now, wowzz said:

I just wonder if Princess have  been coerced into this reservation malarkey  by their predominantly US clientele,  who expect table reservations.

There were far more Americans onboard than our Princess cruise 3 years ago and that could have been a factor particularly as there were some quite large groups.