Select dining

[wowzz]

Also, we often find we "click" with another couple, so often arrange to meet up with them and share a table . That way, you get to pick your table mates, rather than have them forced on you.

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

That's where we differ Wowzz. 

We don't see any drawback in eating with the same people every night, quite the opposite, but haven't done any over 19 nights yet. 

Andy 

 

I'd have no problem eating with the same people every night - if they were all nice people.  But it would be hell to have to eat every night with people you just didn't get on with.

 

We've always Freedom Dined, and to be fair rarely met anyone we didn't get on with - but it has happened, and it made for a less than pleasant meal.  To have had that every night would have been dreadful.

 

I like the idea of getting to know the waiters better, though, and getting to know a few people well.  It's just that being tied to a particular time is no good for us, and we've always enjoyed meeting new people every night on tables for 6 or 8.  10 is just a bit too big for easy conversation with everyone.

[Harry Peterson]

23 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Also, we often find we "click" with another couple, so often arrange to meet up with them and share a table . That way, you get to pick your table mates, rather than have them forced on you.

That's worked well for us too.

[jeanlyon]

Yes that happened on our 3rd Freedom night.  We met 4 others who were just delightful and ate with them twice more.

[AndyMichelle]

6 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

I'd have no problem eating with the same people every night - if they were all nice people.  But it would be hell to have to eat every night with people you just didn't get on with.

 

We've always Freedom Dined, and to be fair rarely met anyone we didn't get on with - but it has happened, and it made for a less than pleasant meal.  To have had that every night would have been dreadful.

 

I like the idea of getting to know the waiters better, though, and getting to know a few people well.  It's just that being tied to a particular time is no good for us, and we've always enjoyed meeting new people every night on tables for 6 or 8.  10 is just a bit too big for easy conversation with everyone.

As previously said Harry, perhaps we have been lucky, but we have met fantastic people. 

A bad experience would probably change our opinion, but so far so good.

Never had a 10, but 6 and 8 have both worked well for us. 

Andy 

[Elaine0138]

We have only had one dreadful expeience,  a family of 4, mum, dad and two teenagers and two of their friends. They barely acknowledge us, but what we couldn't stand was the way they let their son talk to the wait staff and laugh at his rude remarks about them. We changed tables the second night.

[jeanlyon]

Sounds delightful - not.

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

...Problem with the second table was there was only one lovely couple but they often ate in Sindhu or elsewhere, so we had a table for 8 on our own.  No fun there, so we decided to try Freedom.  Had some super tables.

As someone with very traditional (old-fashioned?) taste in cruising, this is something I rue about P&O.  The advent of 'Speciality' restaurants has without doubt had an effect on the mdr and for me has negatively affected the atmosphere.  When there was little alternative to the mdr, it was packed every night with a buzzy atmosphere.  Now, as you say, you can frequently have others on your table eating elsewhere and ther can be swathes of empty tables.

I know I am in an increasing minority and appreciate these are only my views.  It will be interesting to see what it is like on Aurora later this year.

From my point of view, I am hoping that all the time Aurora (and to a degree) Oceana are in the fleet, Club Dining will remain - so hopefully at least another 5 years.  Of course, once Iona has a season or two under her belt, P&O may decide to bring in a change "due to customer feedback" - and there will be more feedback from Iona than any other ship purely in the form of number of pax carried.

[jeanlyon]

Unfortunately Andrew it was on Aurora that we had the experience and so many empty tables everywhere.  It really depends on your companions at the table whether they go off to Select Dine all the time.

 

It was the same on Oriana.

Edited January 26, 2020 by jeanlyon

[Britboys]

1 minute ago, jeanlyon said:

Unfortunately Andrew it was on Aurora that we had the experience and so many empty tables everywhere.  It really depends on your companions at the table whether they go off to Select Dine all the time.

 

It was the same on Oriana.

I'm hoping that I will be on a 'solos' table as usual Jean - then we mostly arrange to eat in one of the 'Select' venues together.

[jeanlyon]

Ah yes, that would work.

[terrierjohn]

3 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Unfortunately Andrew it was on Aurora that we had the experience and so many empty tables everywhere.  It really depends on your companions at the table whether they go off to Select Dine all the time.

 

It was the same on Oriana.

This problem only matters in club dining since tables in freedom are normally full, and it's not until later in the night that one notices an increasing number of empty tables.

[Britboys]

19 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

This problem only matters in club dining since tables in freedom are normally full, and it's not until later in the night that one notices an increasing number of empty tables.

Yes, I rather assumed that would be the case...

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

As someone with very traditional (old-fashioned?) taste in cruising, this is something I rue about P&O.  The advent of 'Speciality' restaurants has without doubt had an effect on the mdr and for me has negatively affected the atmosphere.  When there was little alternative to the mdr, it was packed every night with a buzzy atmosphere.  Now, as you say, you can frequently have others on your table eating elsewhere and ther can be swathes of empty tables.

I know I am in an increasing minority and appreciate these are only my views.  It will be interesting to see what it is like on Aurora later this year.

From my point of view, I am hoping that all the time Aurora (and to a degree) Oceana are in the fleet, Club Dining will remain - so hopefully at least another 5 years.  Of course, once Iona has a season or two under her belt, P&O may decide to bring in a change "due to customer feedback" - and there will be more feedback from Iona than any other ship purely in the form of number of pax carried.

Freedom dining throughout will solve the issues of empty seats that you often get in club dining, but I hope it does not become too hectic at certain times.. 

Everybody who doesn't get freedom are allocated a table in club at the moment, why can't you opt out... 

We saw one couple on a table for eight on their own for the whole cruise as their companions had chosen to eat elsewhere, ridiculous... 

Andy 

[Eglesbrech]

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

As someone with very traditional (old-fashioned?) taste in cruising, this is something I rue about P&O.  The advent of 'Speciality' restaurants has without doubt had an effect on the mdr and for me has negatively affected the atmosphere.  When there was little alternative to the mdr, it was packed every night with a buzzy atmosphere.  Now, as you say, you can frequently have others on your table eating elsewhere and ther can be swathes of empty tables.

I know I am in an increasing minority and appreciate these are only my views.  It will be interesting to see what it is like on Aurora later this year.

From my point of view, I am hoping that all the time Aurora (and to a degree) Oceana are in the fleet, Club Dining will remain - so hopefully at least another 5 years.  Of course, once Iona has a season or two under her belt, P&O may decide to bring in a change "due to customer feedback" - and there will be more feedback from Iona than any other ship purely in the form of number of pax carried.

We get regular surveys about this (among other things) and I always say on them that they should retain club dining even though I personally don’t use it. It is nice for the option to be there for everyone and who knows one day I may prefer this myself.

 

 

[Harry Peterson]

29 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

We saw one couple on a table for eight on their own for the whole cruise as their companions had chosen to eat elsewhere, ridiculous... 

Andy 

How awful for them.  Unless of course they were responsible for the situation.  

 

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

How awful for them.  Unless of course they were responsible for the situation.  

 

They never got the chance Harry, they were on their own the very first night until the last...  We invited them to join our table towards the end and the waiters agreed to make our 8 into a 10, but they politely declined. 

Andy 

[wowzz]

56 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

They never got the chance Harry, they were on their own the very first night until the last...  We invited them to join our table towards the end and the waiters agreed to make our 8 into a 10, but they politely declined. 

Andy 

Andy - perhaps they had heard your 4 jokes!

[AndyMichelle]

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

Andy - perhaps they had heard your 4 jokes!

Probably.... we were about 4 nights in, so definitely... 

We were quite a loud table with a lot of banter going on, so I don't blame them for staying in their quiet corner.. 

Andy