Select dining

[welshwizards]

After a bit of a gap (about 8 years) we are considering returning to P and O. Would someone be kind enough to explain how P and O's select dining works. With Celebrity freedom dining enables you to turn up and be seated (perhaps a bit of a wait depending on how busy they are) OR pre-book your table, Does the same apply to P and O? or is it simply you turn up and take your chance? Thanks in advance

[Harry Peterson]

38 minutes ago, welshwizards said:

After a bit of a gap (about 8 years) we are considering returning to P and O. Would someone be kind enough to explain how P and O's select dining works. With Celebrity freedom dining enables you to turn up and be seated (perhaps a bit of a wait depending on how busy they are) OR pre-book your table, Does the same apply to P and O? or is it simply you turn up and take your chance? Thanks in advance

Not sure whether you're referring to select or freedom dining.

 

Freedom Dining with P&O is not pre-bookable - you just turn up and are either seated immediately, or wait a while

 

Select dining, though, is different and partially or wholly pre-bookable.  I can speak only for The Epicurean (excellent), which is pre-bookable, but you can just turn up if you choose to.  I wouldn't advise it, though - tends to be heavily booked.

[welshwizards]

Thank you for your reply harry Peterson, I was referring to Freedom dining. Would you clarify whether or not we would have to share a table, there will be 4 of us and would prefer not to share.

 

Thanks in advance

[Thejuggler]

No need to share, but you may have to wait until a 4 seat table comes free.

[majortom10]

You can ask for any size table you want and if there isnt a table  the size requested available straight away you will be given a pager and will be called when ready.

[welshwizards]

Thank you all for your info. We were seriously thinking of booking club dining (late sitting) but 2 good friends of ours are adamant that if we book freedom and want to eat at about  19.30 - table for 4 we will not see any queues. Thoughts please

Edited January 9, 2020 by welshwizards

[terrierjohn]

17 minutes ago, welshwizards said:

Thank you all for your info. We were seriously thinking of booking club dining (late sitting) but 2 good friends of ours are adamant that if we book freedom and want to eat at about  19.30 - table for 4 we will not see any queues. Thoughts please

There are no guarantees that waiting times would be less at one time or another.  Tables for 4 are rather few, most are for 6 or 8, so if you want tables for 2 or 4, you do often need to take a pager.

 

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, welshwizards said:

Thank you all for your info. We were seriously thinking of booking club dining (late sitting) but 2 good friends of ours are adamant that if we book freedom and want to eat at about  19.30 - table for 4 we will not see any queues. Thoughts please

I don't think anyone can give you an accurate answer on this, because there are so many variables.  Is there a popular show in the theatre,  is it a port day with a late departure time,  is it a formal night, has it been a rainy sea day and everyone is bored etc, etc. As has been said, tables for 4 are not that common,  so it may be better for you to go for the club option.

[Harry Peterson]

I don't disagree with any of the recent comments about the relative paucity of tables for 4, and they're popular with families, but quite a few people (like us) avoid them as being slightly 'risky'.  Though perfect for small groups, if two couples take a table for four and for whatever reason they don't hit it off everyone's in for a tricky meal!  So the demand for them might not be as great as you might initially think.

 

I'd have thought though, even at 1930, that there will be some kind of wait.

 

 

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

but quite a few people (like us) avoid them as being slightly 'risky

That would include us as well! Being guided towards a table for 4, and seeing that  the couple already seated there are the bores from a previous table turns my legs to jelly!  That's why we like tables of 6 or 8. Safety in numbers! 

[Thejuggler]

My own experience is Grand class (Ventura, Azura, Grand Princess etc) and Celebrity Eclipse.

 

The marked difference between the two is the Celebrity Solstice class ships have a high proportion of square tables.  Lots of tables for 4, but in addition tables in rows so accommodating 2, 4, 6 or 8 diners around one rectangular table is easy, they just push tables together.

 

P&O have far more round tables to seat 6-10, so a wait may be more likely, especially at 7.30pm.  

[Vampiress88]

I think it depends on a lot of different factors. We went in May last year with the kids but it was during the school time. We always got a table of four and would have been prepared to wait but never did. We have freedom dining as with the kids I would never want to be tied to a certain time. 
 

we are On one this year but during the school holidays and I will assume we will have a wait which is not an issue. I would rather make sure I have freedom of what time to dine. Two reasons kids and cos were antisocial 

[jeanlyon]

But the poster says they are 4 friends together, so this wouldn't apply.  I doubt you would have much of a wait.

[jeanlyon]

Actually if you are happy with Club and a table for 4, why not go for that.

[ozzysdad]

If you opt for freedom dining and plan to eat at 7.30 most nights you would more often than not have a table within 20 minutes, restaurants normally open at 6pm so the first wave so to speak will be vacating after about an hour and a half.

 

We've chosen freedom on each of our cruises and the wait has been thirty minutes tops, if there is a particular show or two you'd like to watch I'd suggest joining the queue shortly before 6 as this would almost guarantee you getting a table for four, of the ships with the longest wait for a table for 4 I'd say Ventura, surprisingly on Oceana we thought we'd struggle but were accommodated at different times almost every night, Azura fell somewhere in between. 

 

Freedom does give us the flexibility though which is the over riding attraction.

[welshwizards]

Thank you all so much for your views. We have selected club dining late sitting. That way we know exactly where we are, we will tailor our evening accordingly. If our plans don't fit in well for an evening or two we will go to the buffet or a select dining venue. 

 

Thank you all again

 

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, welshwizards said:

Thank you all so much for your views. We have selected club dining late sitting. That way we know exactly where we are, we will tailor our evening accordingly. If our plans don't fit in well for an evening or two we will go to the buffet or a select dining venue. 

 

Thank you all again

 

Good choice, it works for us. 

You soon settle into a routine. 

Afternoon tea in the MDR is a good shout if you are on late sitting. 

Andy 

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

Good choice, it works for us. 

You soon settle into a routine. 

Afternoon tea in the MDR is a good shout if you are on late sitting. 

Andy 

Followed by a sharpener in one of the bars  - although that inevitably leads to another one or two,  which is why we can't do fixed dining!

[AndyMichelle]

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

Followed by a sharpener in one of the bars  - although that inevitably leads to another one or two,  which is why we can't do fixed dining!

We call them a nightcap... Nobody told me you was only supposed to have one.. 😊

Andy 

[chismrules]

We are going on Arcadia and first time with P&O.  Is there anytime dining on the ship? We are doing the Fjords this summer and don't want to have to be in a dining room instead of enjoying the view lol. But also don't like eating late, the travel person told me there wasn't except the buffet. Can someone tell me definitely. Thanks Debbie

[Hampshire Steve]

Freedom dining is an option for you to pre book, it's part on the select price option, if you have booked a saver fare then you will be allocated one of the fixed options, speak with your TA to check or change if you need to. 

 

Your other options on Arcadia are staying with whatever you have booked so far and then on nights you do not want to use that option you can use inclusive Buffet, for a very small fee a limited Room Service hot & cold menu, for a little more the Ocean Grill or Sindhu restaurants.

 

If you are in a suite the full restaurant menu is available free on room service via your butler.

 

Arcadia is a little tired in places but also has it's own charm, handles well (not that you are likely to expect issues in the summer) and is one of our favourites, enjoy your trip to the Fjords.

Edited January 25, 2020 by Hampshire Steve

[davecttr]

So if you are allocated fixed dining you can't use anytime dining?

 

how do they police this?

[Hampshire Steve]

I doubt if it can be policed, perhaps that's why there is often a queue at Anytime. Perhaps that's why they are changing the options on the Iona when launched?

 

I have not tried to "buck" the system on this but perhaps someone else can advise. I wonder if they would only know if you ordered drinks at the table? would they do anything about it?

 

It is a bit like allocated disembarkation times, I am certain lots just get off when they want to but it doesn't help with the queues

[the english lady]

6 hours ago, chismrules said:

We are going on Arcadia and first time with P&O.  Is there anytime dining on the ship? We are doing the Fjords this summer and don't want to have to be in a dining room instead of enjoying the view lol. But also don't like eating late, the travel person told me there wasn't except the buffet. Can someone tell me definitely. Thanks Debbie

Arcadia has 2 main dining rooms. 1 freedom and 1 set dining with 2 sittings. Anytime dining equates to freedom dining on pando (turn up anytime between 6.30-9.30pm..i think those are the times) If you didnt book freedom dining on booking you are highly unlikly to be able to change to it. It is very popular. So your TA isnt very knowlegable about pando ships..or even the line itself. When you booked the cruise what did they say about the dining options?

 

[the english lady]

17 minutes ago, davecttr said:

So if you are allocated fixed dining you can't use anytime dining?

 

how do they police this?

You have to either show your cruise card or give them your cabin number on entering the MDR. They will know you are not on Freedom/anytime dining.

5 minutes ago, Hampshire Steve said:

I doubt if it can be policed, perhaps that's why there is often a queue at Anytime. Perhaps that's why they are changing the options on the Iona when launched?

 

I have not tried to "buck" the system on this but perhaps someone else can advise. I wonder if they would only know if you ordered drinks at the table? would they do anything about it?

 

It is a bit like allocated disembarkation times, I am certain lots just get off when they want to but it doesn't help with the queues

Cabin number  given so they will know what dining you are on, so not possible to buck the system at all.

 

Edited January 25, 2020 by the english lady