Staycation dining times

[The Med]

I know that the second sitting time on regular cruises is 8.30pm but I wondered if it was the same on the staycation cruises?
 

The reason that I’m asking is that on Cunard the second sitting is anytime after 7.00pm and I wondered if it was the same on P&O or fixed at 8.30pm. 

[wowzz]

10 minutes ago, The Med said:

I know that the second sitting time on regular cruises is 8.30pm but I wondered if it was the same on the staycation cruises?
 

The reason that I’m asking is that on Cunard the second sitting is anytime after 7.00pm and I wondered if it was the same on P&O or fixed at 8.30pm. 

I'm sure that the second sitting is never as late as 20:30. 

[The Med]

We’ve done freedom dining before so I wasn’t sure what time the sittings were, I’m just going by the bumph on their dining information page.

[wowzz]

10 minutes ago, The Med said:

We’ve done freedom dining before so I wasn’t sure what time the sittings were, I’m just going by the bumph on their dining information page.

I also read that the second sitting was 20:30. I was under the impression that it was earlier,  (we are freedom diners too), but it looks as if I am wrong. 

[Waju]

32 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I'm sure that the second sitting is never as late as 20:30. 

P&O sittings are usually 6.30pm and 8.30pm but I understand that on the staycation cruises it is anytime dining.

[The Med]

No it’s not all freedom dining.

It’s first, second or freedom.

 

[Waju]

8 minutes ago, Waju said:

P&O sittings are usually 6.30pm and 8.30pm but I understand that on the staycation cruises it is anytime dining.

Thinking back, my last two cruises pre Covid were long cruises and I think they may have moved dining to 6.30pm and 8.30pm on those,  Perhaps 6pm and 8pm are 'normal' dining times.

[Waju]

1 minute ago, The Med said:

No it’s not all freedom dining.

It’s first, second or freedom.

 

Oh good, that suits me better!  I asked the question on here recently and was told it was all freedom.

[terrierjohn]

3 minutes ago, Waju said:

Oh good, that suits me better!  I asked the question on here recently and was told it was all freedom.

I thought you were encouraged to use the app to book your dining time, and could only dine with your guests on your booking, which sort of negates the fixed dining option.

[Cathygh]

On Britannia last week it as all freedom dining. However if the number of passengers has increased they may very well revert to 1st, 2nd and freedom. Iona is all freedom dining. 

 

[sagaris]

Just come back from a mini cruise on Britannia and there was no fixed dining.

Meridian - dinner - 6pm to 9pm, Peninsular - dinner 5.15pm to 9pm.

I think it was all freedom dining when we did a weeks cruise in 2019

[The Med]

I’m booked on one and it’s giving me the option of first, second or freedom.

 

[sagaris]

Ours was a 3 night one, it is possibly different on the 7 night ones.

[rattla]

7 minutes ago, The Med said:

I’m booked on one and it’s giving me the option of first, second or freedom.

 

I think they may be showing that but in reality it’s all freedom dinning.

[Host Sharon]

1 hour ago, The Med said:

I know that the second sitting time on regular cruises is 8.30pm but I wondered if it was the same on the staycation cruises?
 

The reason that I’m asking is that on Cunard the second sitting is anytime after 7.00pm and I wondered if it was the same on P&O or fixed at 8.30pm. 

In normal times, P&O second sitting is 20:30, exactly the same as Cunard, unless you a Grill passenger, in which case they are single sitting dining rooms.

[terrierjohn]

6 hours ago, The Med said:

I’m booked on one and it’s giving me the option of first, second or freedom.

 

What else would you expect from P&Os IT system!!

[Stu UK]

On Britannia this week it’s all freedom dining irrespective of what you selected on booking or on the website. 

[The Med]

6 hours ago, Stu UK said:

On Britannia this week it’s all freedom dining irrespective of what you selected on booking or on the website. 

Thank you for a direct reply from someone that is actually on the ship.

I do love this forum but it’s very frustrating to ask a question and then get replies from people just “guessing” or not actually reading the question.

 

I was only interested in the staycation cruises, and specifically from someone who had experienced one.

 

Thank you,  I appreciate the current information.