P&O website , 2 weeks to our cruise

[DebiGee]

I am at my wit's end with the website . 14 days to go (29th Oct) and I am trying to book restaurants but this site is awful. The dining area doesn't have 'Add to Basket' on the individual restaurants . I went into it early this morning and was able to book Limelight club as that was put on yesterday and after messing with Olive grove booking finally the ATB came up and i managed to book one but that was it , ATB dissappered again. Good grief can't P&O do anything well. I want to book Olive grove again and sindu but no option to do this . This is very irritating and yes these are first world problems and not life changing but why can they not get this simple thing right. Also Keel and Cow will not be available to book in advance, what's up with that?. Can anyone assist with these issues ? thanks

[Teddy123]

Could be that there are simply no more places in Olive Grove.  Recently on Ventura, Sindhu couldn't be booked online, only when onboard.

[DebiGee]

To be honest I never even entertained that thought this morning as there were so may spaces available in OG. The ATb in fact never came up on the front page for dining only when I went in and out of the detail page several times it came up like an afterthought . If it is full now then they could just say that.

[cheshire]

When do bookings for restaurants onboard normally open up before departure

[Mad4WDW]

2 minutes ago, cheshire said:

When do bookings for restaurants onboard normally open up before departure

It says 14 days before on the website. Actually Ive just logged into the site and for our upcoming cruise it give you the actual date you can book dining at the top of the dining page inside an info box

Edited October 15, 2022 by Mad4WDW
Add more info

[davecttr]

The Keel and Cow is virtual queue only and as a gastro pub IMO it should stay that way. The Olive Grove should be virtual queue only as well, also the Glass House. The problem with timed reservations is people making multiple reservations and then cancelling or not turning up. Maybe having a £30 per person reservation charge which is refunded when you turn up, no, £50 😠

[terrierjohn]

8 minutes ago, DebiGee said:

To be honest I never even entertained that thought this morning as there were so may spaces available in OG. The ATb in fact never came up on the front page for dining only when I went in and out of the detail page several times it came up like an afterthought . If it is full now then they could just say that.

Pre booking seems to be the main problem with spec restaurants and especially the Olive Grove, presumably because it's free.  Lots of passengers make multiple bookings early on, knowing they can easily be cancelled.  We managed to join a previously non existent queue the other night, and when we arrived at 6:30 most tables were empty waitinv for 7 to 8 o':clock patrons, and the waiters were loitering around twiddling their thumbs.  If they dropped all pre bookings and just used the virtual queue they could easily seat double the numbers they do now.

[Mad4WDW]

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

Pre booking seems to be the main problem with spec restaurants and especially the Olive Grove, presumably because it's free.  Lots of passengers make multiple bookings early on, knowing they can easily be cancelled.  We managed to join a previously non existent queue the other night, and when we arrived at 6:30 most tables were empty waitinv for 7 to 8 o':clock patrons, and the waiters were loitering around twiddling their thumbs.  If they dropped all pre bookings and just used the virtual queue they could easily seat double the numbers they do now.

Yes, we've noticed the same. Virtual queues would be much better I think

 

[Bin man]

The page listing  the restaurants is a joke the Coral and Pearl say they are extra till you go into each one then it says included which of cause  they are .Why can't they get the set up correct in the first place . Being able to book them for iona as a trial doesnt seem to be happening nowhere on your personaliser to book the MDR as yet 

[DebiGee]

While I understand what you are saying re virtual queues I was hoping to give myself less to do once on board . I suffer with anxiety and like to pre plan as much as possible. I think I should be able to do that. As it is, the thought that I have to queue at customer service on day one to arrange my wi-fi, navigate the intranet/app to book MDR and also speciality dining makes me anxious. I will be the one to do everything in my party and was just hoping to spare me some stress.This is my first cruise and the thought of potentially forgetting to do something and regretting it for 2 weeks is frustrating. I take it will alos have to book a thermal suite session when we arrive as this is also not on the spa booking session page .

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Bin man said:

The page listing  the restaurants is a joke the Coral and Pearl say they are extra till you go into each one then it says included which of cause  they are .Why can't they get the set up correct in the first place . Being able to book them for iona as a trial doesnt seem to be happening nowhere on your personaliser to book the MDR as yet 

Expecting perfection from P&Os IT  dept is never going to happen, we have to to live with the problems.

[terrierjohn]

40 minutes ago, DebiGee said:

While I understand what you are saying re virtual queues I was hoping to give myself less to do once on board . I suffer with anxiety and like to pre plan as much as possible. I think I should be able to do that. As it is, the thought that I have to queue at customer service on day one to arrange my wi-fi, navigate the intranet/app to book MDR and also speciality dining makes me anxious. I will be the one to do everything in my party and was just hoping to spare me some stress.This is my first cruise and the thought of potentially forgetting to do something and regretting it for 2 weeks is frustrating. I take it will alos have to book a thermal suite session when we arrive as this is also not on the spa booking session page .

If you want pre planning you need ships that still offer club dining.

[Gettingwarmer]

1 hour ago, DebiGee said:

on day one to arrange my wi-fi,

If you look on Cruise Personaliser under Travel Extras you can find the prices for WiFi. You can then ring and buy WiFi before you go. 

[DebiGee]

2 hours ago, Gettingwarmer said:

If you look on Cruise Personaliser under Travel Extras you can find the prices for WiFi. You can then ring and buy WiFi before you go. 

thank you ,it looks like I will have to do that

Edited October 15, 2022 by DebiGee

[Teddy123]

2 hours ago, DebiGee said:

thank you ,it looks like I will have to do that

I assume you know that you don't need to buy wifi to use the app for booking restaurants, etc.  You can connect to the ship intranet for free for that.

[DebiGee]

12 hours ago, Teddy123 said:

I assume you know that you don't need to buy wifi to use the app for booking restaurants, etc.  You can connect to the ship intranet for free for that.

I do ,thanks