How to book select dining?

[Presto2]

Sorry to sound stupid but how do you now book select dining. (Is it called that or am I on the wrong cruise line???!!)

We want to book Sindhus and the Epicurean (at least) for our up coming cruise, but the personaliser isn't letting us.

Apparently, we have to book on board. (We are going on Britannia)

 

Once upon a time we knew exactly what we were doing, but I am not sure now.

Do we have to use an app when we board, go to reception or to the restaurants themselves?

 

Help

[happy v]

If you are able to book before you board it should appear about 14 days before travel. If it doesn't you will have to book with the app on the ship.

[Presto2]

2 minutes ago, happy v said:

If you are able to book before you board it should appear about 14 days before travel. If it doesn't you will have to book with the app on the ship.

No less than 14 days sadly. What a pain. How people who don't do technology cope I have no idea.

I just hope this P&O app works better for us than the reports we've heard ..........

 

PS Hubby asking what people mean by an 'app' as he can't find one anywhere for P&O. When we went on Celebrity we were able to download the app before we went and it was fabulous. (Even turned the lights on and off for us !)

Edited May 13, 2023 by Presto2

[davecttr]

It is not an 'App' but web pages on the ships internal network. You connect without a fee using the ships WiFi but don't need to buy a WiFi package to do so.

 

My experience over several cruises is it is prone to errors and I try to avoid using it.

[AndyMichelle]

So glad you are asking these questions, saves me doing it😊

We knew our way around before lock down, now feel like newbies again... 

I'm sure you will have a great time, please keep us informed, we would really appreciate it. 

Andy

[happy v]

If you have any problems go to the restaurant in person. They usually manage to fit you in.

Also keep checking 'my p&o'  because nothing is written in stone and they may appear later!

[solentsam]

Hi,  link to web page below you can load it now( save the link for use later to your phone) but wont work until you are in close to the ship or onboard. have a read it will explain some things on how to set it up

the bit about " to log in you'll need your pass number, which is the last six digits below the barcode on your cruise card" you can also use the last six digits of your boarding pass

 

https://myholiday.pocruises.com/

Edited May 13, 2023 by solentsam

[CarlaMarie]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

Sorry to sound stupid but how do you now book select dining. (Is it called that or am I on the wrong cruise line???!!)

We want to book Sindhus and the Epicurean (at least) for our up coming cruise, but the personaliser isn't letting us.

Apparently, we have to book on board. (We are going on Britannia)

 

Once upon a time we knew exactly what we were doing, but I am not sure now.

Do we have to use an app when we board, go to reception or to the restaurants themselves?

 

Help

 

My Mum and Dad could not book anything before they sailed either. In theory, you are meant to be able to walk up to the restaurant and they should fit you in when they can. However, this is not always the case - for example my parents were told to queue using the app for the Glass House as the restaurant was full. Likewise there were unable to get into the Beach House or Sindhu.

 

If you do find that you have to use the app (web page) then just be mindful that it is prone to errors and glitches, and make sure you keep refreshing it. My mum and dad tried to factor in the queues and joined much earlier than they normally would for dinner (they would normally eat at 830, so tried joining around 730. Again this is hit and miss). 

 

[smj777]

• • 203
• May 14, 2015
• Nottingham

• #22  

Posted 4 minutes ago

I don't know why P&O persevere with these dining apps. Everyone seems to have fallen foul of them at one time or another. The old system of turn up, be given a pager if there isn't a table ready was fine. We never had much of a wait and we were never forgotten or ignored as seems to happen now. On our last cruise in October we gave up on the app after we waited an hour and a quarter to be called and sat next to a couple who had just walked up. Thats just what we did afterwards and never had to wait for more than a few minutes to be seated

[Presto2]

Sorry me again. If you are freedom dining (anytime dining) do you have to use the app all of the time? Are the days of just turning up gone?

 

Similarly, does this mean that you can't request a specfic area of the dining room? This was always really good when you could just 'turn up' as it often meant we got used to the same staff.

 

I am sorry if I sound confused .. I am !!!

 

Post Covid I can't see why they are still using this if it has so many issues.

[majortom10]

We used the app (webpage) most nights on Iona in March for dinner in MDR. We joined virtual queue just as we were about to leave cabin and by the time we had got to the lift and made our way down to the MDR we were informed our table was ready. The only time it didn't we had a drink in Anderson's and even then only waited about 15 minutes. We had no issues at all and it worked very well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Presto2]

9 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We used the app (webpage) most nights on Iona in March for dinner in MDR. We joined virtual queue just as we were about to leave cabin and by the time we had got to the lift and made our way down to the MDR we were informed our table was ready. The only time it didn't we had a drink in Anderson's and even then only waited about 15 minutes. We had no issues at all and it worked very well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have to go via the app or can you just go to the restaurant as in the old days ?

This isn't one of those things made up, but there are some tables I hate as I have an eye condition and the lights are right in my face. I know where I prefer to sit. Is there any chance of asking for certain areas or not? 

 

PS Thinking about it, this may have been on Ventura .. seems a life time away now

Edited May 13, 2023 by Presto2

[Bill Y]

9 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Sorry to sound stupid but how do you now book select dining. (Is it called that or am I on the wrong cruise line???!!)

We want to book Sindhus and the Epicurean (at least) for our up coming cruise, but the personaliser isn't letting us.

Apparently, we have to book on board. (We are going on Britannia)

 

Once upon a time we knew exactly what we were doing, but I am not sure now.

Do we have to use an app when we board, go to reception or to the restaurants themselves?

 

Help

For Sindhu and Epicurean, once you get to 14 days keep checking under dining on Cruise Personaliser or what ever it's now called,. ours has just changed from "Coming soon" to "Add to basket".

[Presto2]

1 minute ago, Bill Y said:

For Sindhu and Epicurean, once you get to 14 days keep checking under dining on Cruise Personaliser or what ever it's now called,. ours has just changed from "Coming soon" to "Add to basket".

Brill, great information, thank you

[majortom10]

37 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Do you have to go via the app or can you just go to the restaurant as in the old days ?

This isn't one of those things made up, but there are some tables I hate as I have an eye condition and the lights are right in my face. I know where I prefer to sit. Is there any chance of asking for certain areas or not? 

 

PS Thinking about it, this may have been on Ventura .. seems a life time away now

Of you just turn up you risk the situation of either a queue or being turned away with a pager. As far as we were concerned it was worth the risk and even though first time using virtual queue system was simple and only took seconds to do. As far as picking actual tables you had no choice and it was different every night.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

Do you have to go via the app or can you just go to the restaurant as in the old days ?

This isn't one of those things made up, but there are some tables I hate as I have an eye condition and the lights are right in my face. I know where I prefer to sit. Is there any chance of asking for certain areas or not? 

 

PS Thinking about it, this may have been on Ventura .. seems a life time away now

Once you reach the restaurant hosts desk you can still ask for any table preferences, even though you used the app.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

Once you reach the restaurant hosts desk you can still ask for any table preferences, even though you used the app.

Only as far as size of table you will be unable to ask for a particular table as there is every chance that it will already be occupied.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Only as far as size of table you will be unable to ask for a particular table as there is every chance that it will already be occupied.

But that was equally the situation pre covid, when you turned up when you wanted, your favourite window table could, even then, have just been served their starters. 

[carlanthony24]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Only as far as size of table you will be unable to ask for a particular table as there is every chance that it will already be occupied.

Had no trouble having the same table every night 

[majortom10]

24 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But that was equally the situation pre covid, when you turned up when you wanted, your favourite window table could, even then, have just been served their starters. 

I have never been on P&O on freedom/anytime dining where I have sat at a shared table where some have already started their meal. The staff are very good at filling tables before starting to serve.

 

[majortom10]

16 minutes ago, carlanthony24 said:

Had no trouble having the same table every night 

So whatever the ship you were on you had the same table at the same time pre arranged even though you were on freedom/anytime.

[carlanthony24]

15 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

So whatever the ship you were on you had the same table at the same time pre arranged even though you were on freedom/anytime.

Yep only twice did we not even went 45 minutes late the once and our table was still waiting for us.

[Pink-belle]

I am a fan of the My Holiday app, although I personally chose not to use it my husband does.  So nice to join the virtual queue from the comfort of our room.

 

If you have issues accessing or using the technology, there are My Holiday podiums with staff who can help you get set up.  
 

Last three times on Britannia there was a dining enquiry desk set up on embarkation day right at the enterance of The Limelight Club, to help with bookings.

 

Plus  Yes you can go to the venues and book, during the cruise.  

[CarlaMarie]

On 5/14/2023 at 9:36 AM, Pink-belle said:

I am a fan of the My Holiday app, although I personally chose not to use it my husband does.  So nice to join the virtual queue from the comfort of our room.

 

If you have issues accessing or using the technology, there are My Holiday podiums with staff who can help you get set up.  
 

Last three times on Britannia there was a dining enquiry desk set up on embarkation day right at the enterance of The Limelight Club, to help with bookings.

 

Plus  Yes you can go to the venues and book, during the cruise.  

 

Again this is hit and miss being able to go to a restaurant during the cruise to book for a later date or time. My Mum and Dad had gone to the Glass House previously in the day and asked if they could book a table for that evening. They were told no and that they would have to join the queue via the app. It seems different cruises brings different experiences! 

[jh1809]

IIRC, on my Aurora cruise before Christmas they were still publishing a phone number in Horizon by which you could book select dining as an alternative to using the app.