Looks like P&O are changing the way dining bookings are done on Arvia

[Megabear2]

14 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Also worth  pointing out that when my wife wanted us to keep booking MDR each night on Arvia she wanted to try a different MDR each day

Are you referring to Arvia in February or Iona in May?  Your blog in February seemed to suggest you didn't use the MDRs on Arvia as you were urging everyone into the buffet and Quays.  If you mean Iona she has 4 dining rooms and the new arrangement is only for Arvia.

[zap99]

21 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

If you go back to my post, I agreed with Megabear that families are choosing more traditional dining than casual dining on Arvia. So of her MDRs (and her buffet), the Quays and Olive Grove are less popular than the traditional MDRs. Of the 4, 2 are hence in higher demand than expected. 

 

She is designed for the family market, and many will be on a budget and will be less likely to pay extra for speciality and shouldn't have to either to be able to have a meal at a suitable time for them. That's what I wrote and I stand by that. 

 

Arvia's second season will be very telling and I expect that is why P&O know they have a problem on her and are trying to think of a way to solve it. 

I would guess that many folk are " on a budget ". That budget may include treating the kids to a few posh meals and staying up late on holiday. We are on a budget too. 6, or 7 holidays a year. A quick look at the range of cars dropping the kids off at school may indicate the budget is larger than you think🤣

[davecttr]

2 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

You could certainly go to the Glasshouse as recently as 2019 with no prior booking. I know this, because I did this several times on my last P&O Cruise on Azura in Sept 2019. In fact, it was one of my favourite things to do. 

My experience on Azura and Ventura as well

[Interestedcruisefan]

7 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

So you sit in the 710 club keeping an eye on your phone all the time, if I were one of the musicians I would be asking you to leave for being so rude.

Bit dramatic John?

 

No I have the app open on my phone and glance at it once or twice.

 

Maybe the third time I join the queue 

 

Nobody even knows. Not even my wife notices. Very easy.

 

As it happens I don't think any staff on P and O could ever question you looking at your phone regardless to join one of their virtual queues.

 

Nor think it's rude to do 

 

Most venues and restaurants nowadays phones are a common sight regardless 

 

My bigger concern in 710 club regarding phones was if they minded you taking a photo of them or recording a clip

 

They don't ask you not to though

[terrierjohn]

1 minute ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Without those set dining times on those ships freedom dining wouldn't be possible?

 

You do realise not everyone on those ships is freedom dining don't you?

 

Depending when you book the choices for sittings or freedom may have been removed as well

 

So my point is Iona and now Arvia were the first P and O ships where NOBODY has to commit to set dining times (as far as I know)

 

More choice more options more freedom for EVERYBODY on board

 

Surely a positive?

 

And now if you can pre-book more restaurants and times there is something for all available. 

 

Pre-book 6.30pm or 8.30pm every night again if you want. In the same or different places. Maybe shared or not shared?  If you can.

 

Or pre-book nothing at all if you want 

 

Iona was the first true freedom dining ship from P and O

 

 

Do you not understand the meaning of spontaneity, all the above require you to take early action, sometimes very early. For many people a holiday is a time to relax, go with the flow, and only decide what to do next when the spirit moves you. For you it seems you need a spread sheet and constant access to your phone, in order to do all the things you want to pack into your tightly managed schedule.

[Interestedcruisefan]

31 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

But there are not enough reports that this is actually what’s happening. Until there are less reports of queues and angst people will have trepidation on sailing these ships. 

Honestly I believe some are nervous before they use the app

 

Some need a couple of days to figure it out

 

Most get the hang of it early on

 

Most appreciate the benefits 

 

Most have a great holiday and would return

 

Knowing what to do different next time 

 

Some don't and wouldnt return 

 

It's an ongoing process. The more people get used to it and return the better

 

Generally P and Other getting  stuff right. 

 

More people cruising with P and O than ever before

 

And the share price going up

 

Most (not all) of the angst is unnecessary IMO

 

 

[Dermotsgirl]

7 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Without those set dining times on those ships freedom dining wouldn't be possible?

 

You do realise not everyone on those ships is freedom dining don't you?

 

Depending when you book the choices for sittings or freedom may have been removed as well

 

So my point is Iona and now Arvia were the first P and O ships where NOBODY has to commit to set dining times (as far as I know)

 

More choice more options more freedom for EVERYBODY on board

 

Surely a positive?

 

And now if you can pre-book more restaurants and times there is something for all available. 

 

Pre-book 6.30pm or 8.30pm every night again if you want. In the same or different places. Maybe shared or not shared?  If you can.

 

Or pre-book nothing at all if you want 

 

Iona was the first true freedom dining ship from P and O

 

 

You are missing my point entirely.

 

You have been trying to imply that the people talking about ‘spontaneity’, are talking about when the only option available was 6.30 or 8.30 dining. You keep asking ‘where is the spontaneity in that’.

 

It’s like you are making a fallacious point to hammer your argument home. 
 

Nobody has said that Club Dining, c 1998 is ‘spontaneous’ 
 

 

 

 

[zap99]

22 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

You can see how many people are in the queues before you join them John?

 

And only join when it makes sense to join.

 

I assume you know this being an experienced cruiser on here though? 

 

Based on experience join at a time that will work for you

 

In my live thread I said how many were in the queues when I joined 

 

Think it was 30 ish ahead of me when in the theatre. That's a small queue for an MDR

 

Im into the app so I would have checked earlier on in the theatre as well and if the queue looked bad joined earlier

 

I realise others don't want to do that. But I actually enjoy it 

 

My biggest worry to date with joining virtual queues on Arvia and Iona was making sure not to join too early to get  to the front too soon

 

The 15 minute grace period helps a lot once you get called of course

 

Occasionally the queue starts going down too quickly and we exit and join another that happened mainly when we joined queues from the cabin in Britannia tbh

 

Experience helps. 

 

The more people use the apps on cruises the more experienced they get the less the issues they will face

 

 

Knowing how the system works helps a bit. If you shower, dress, pop down for a drink and think at 7.00 ' time for dinner ,I'll join a virtual queue ', you may be in for a long wait. About 15 mins,or so before we were finished in the cabin we would join the queue. A bit earlier if the queue was getting  a bit big. We rarely needed to wait very long, sometimes being notified before we had even finished in the cabin, but we had 15minutes.

[crompton21]

The multiple and varied tastes that we all have mean that tastes in dining (times, companions, style etc) will be so varied that it is impossible to suit all of the people all of the time.

What doesn't seem to be in question is that at certain periods there is a chance that having a relaxed evening meal may become a challenge on Arvia.  Not always, but certainly there is enough feedback to indicate that this could happen.

To me, the risk of an inconvenience that may or not happen is enough not to book on the ship, there are plenty of others to choose from.  I don't think my view is too controversial,  but it is a problem that they need to find an answer to.

 

[Angel57]

3 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Do you not understand the meaning of spontaneity, all the above require you to take early action, sometimes very early. For many people a holiday is a time to relax, go with the flow, and only decide what to do next when the spirit moves you. For you it seems you need a spread sheet and constant access to your phone, in order to do all the things you want to pack into your tightly managed schedule.

Agree. I cannot think of anything worse than having to keep checking as to where I should be at what time every day.

[Interestedcruisefan]

5 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Do you not understand the meaning of spontaneity, all the above require you to take early action, sometimes very early. For many people a holiday is a time to relax, go with the flow, and only decide what to do next when the spirit moves you. For you it seems you need a spread sheet and constant access to your phone, in order to do all the things you want to pack into your tightly managed schedule.

You aren't reading my posts properly John?

 

I've accepted not everybody does what I do

 

What exactly is stopping anyone who doesn't want to plan anything at all just heading to MDRs on Arvia and Iona whenever they get the urge? Like you describe above?

 

People can still do that if that's what they want?

 

They actually need people like me alongside them on the cruise to have a plan and be somewhere else some times to help them be able to have that opportunity

 

Just like freedom diners on smaller ships actually need lots of people with no inclination at all to plan anything different to commit to set dining at 6.30pm or 8.30pm in the same place with the same people and same waiting staff

 

Without lots of people who want to pre-book stuff like me or commit to set dining times on these ships then those who want spontaneity wouldn't have a chance to get it?

 

Freedom and spontaneity only exists on cruise ships  for some because others don't want or need it

 

It's not physically  possible for everyone to have it

 

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

7 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

You are missing my point entirely.

 

You have been trying to imply that the people talking about ‘spontaneity’, are talking about when the only option available was 6.30 or 8.30 dining. You keep asking ‘where is the spontaneity in that’.

 

It’s like you are making a fallacious point to hammer your argument home. 
 

Nobody has said that Club Dining, c 1998 is ‘spontaneous’ 
 

 

 

 

Ive answered everybody as they've asked me or replied to me above each with their own interpretation of what's spontaneity for them

 

And I'm saying Iona and Arvia very much still allow spontaneity on board for those who want it?

 

I've changed a theatre booking to an MDR booking in the space of 5 seconds on Iona? Without leaving my seat.

 

Surely that's spontaneity?

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[zap99]

16 minutes ago, davecttr said:

My experience on Azura and Ventura as well

No advances booking for the Glass House in Azura in April. We asked the MD how to book for about 7.00. He told us. We popped down at 6.00 he said I can seat you straight away, get you a drink and take your food order about 6.45. Worked out fine. Booking procedures have changed.  The choices are to work with and around them, or stress yourself out..Dining times are, after all, fairly minor issues.

[davecttr]

I am off on Britannia soon and have not been allocated a dining type. Not worried though I will just go with the flow and I can adopt a grazing strategy as I am not meant to eat late. The main meal at lunchtime is fine by me as is the buffet. I do enough socializing with other passengers without having to sit down at a table with them. I will visit the Glass House  for Tapas and wine

[Interestedcruisefan]

31 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Are you referring to Arvia in February or Iona in May?  Your blog in February seemed to suggest you didn't use the MDRs on Arvia as you were urging everyone into the buffet and Quays.  If you mean Iona she has 4 dining rooms and the new arrangement is only for Arvia.

My mistake Iona

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

2 minutes ago, davecttr said:

I am off on Britannia soon and have not been allocated a dining type. Not worried though I will just go with the flow and I can adopt a grazing strategy as I am not meant to eat late. The main meal at lunchtime is fine by me as is the buffet. I do enough socializing with other passengers without having to sit down at a table with them. I will visit the Glass House  for Tapas and wine

Did you have  a choice for set dining or did you have to have  freedom dining?

[Gettingwarmer]

11 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

You aren't reading my posts properly John?

 

I've accepted not everybody does what I do

 

What exactly is stopping anyone who doesn't want to plan anything at all just heading to MDRs on Arvia and Iona whenever they get the urge? Like you describe above?

 

People can still do that if that's what they want?

 

They actually need people like me alongside them on the cruise to have a plan and be somewhere else some times to help them be able to have that opportunity

 

Just like freedom diners on smaller ships actually need lots of people with no inclination at all to plan anything different to commit to set dining at 6.30pm or 8.30pm in the same place with the same people and same waiting staff

 

Without lots of people who want to pre-book stuff like me or commit to set dining times on these ships then those who want spontaneity wouldn't have a chance to get it?

 

Freedom and spontaneity only exists on cruise ships  for some because others don't want or need it

 

It's not physically  possible for everyone to have it

 

 

Spontaneity. When we read that people are going to the MDRs on Arvia and getting seated there and then or within a few minutes at every time point then we may think it’s true 

[Interestedcruisefan]

15 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

Agree. I cannot think of anything worse than having to keep checking as to where I should be at what time every day.

Angel do you choose set dining or go with the flow of spontaneity each day? 

[zap99]

3 minutes ago, davecttr said:

I am off on Britannia soon and have not been allocated a dining type. Not worried though I will just go with the flow and I can adopt a grazing strategy as I am not meant to eat late. The main meal at lunchtime is fine by me as is the buffet. I do enough socializing with other passengers without having to sit down at a table with them. I will visit the Glass House  for Tapas and wine

Going with the flow works for us. So far since lockdown ended we have been on 8 cruises. We haven't gone hungry.

[9265359]

9 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

What exactly is stopping anyone who doesn't want to plan anything at all just heading to MDRs on Arvia and Iona whenever they get the urge? Like you describe above?

 

The Olive Grove and 710 provide your answer.

 

On my first sailing on Iona you could just think it would be nice to pop in and have something to eat in the Olive Grove or go and listen to some music in the 710 - not any more.

 

Now more recent experience tells me that unless you booked when you embarked the chance of getting a seat in Olive Grove or the 710 is unlikely unless you are lucky and someone who did book didn't turn up.

 

And that is what will happen with the MDR booking - a slippery slope as once bookings are available then they will be snapped up for the whole cruise as people board, and then people complain that they can't book so more are allocated to the booking, until you reach a point where every seat is bookable and you will be siting at your computer at midnight 14 days before your cruise hoping the P&O website isn't overloaded so you can book every meal for the cruise.

[Dermotsgirl]

18 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Ive answered everybody as they've asked me or replied to me above each with their own interpretation of what's spontaneity for them

 

And I'm saying Iona and Arvia very much still allow spontaneity on board for those who want it?

 

I've changed a theatre booking to an MDR booking in the space of 5 seconds on Iona? Without leaving my seat.

 

Surely that's spontaneity?

 

You are still completely missing my point. Nobody has said that old style club dining was spontaneous.

 

Yet on at least two occasions you have asked what was spontaneous about it,

[Megabear2]

6 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

My mistake Iona

 

Thanks.  So actually you haven’t used the app for the MDRs on Arvia then.  Whilst I appreciate your enthusiasm for it perhaps when you have your next Arvia cruise you can try to do things the way you did on Iona and let us know how it works out?  It will be an interesting comparison, although by February when you are planning your next Arvia cruise I can't help wondering if it will all have changed again!

 

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

1 minute ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Spontaneity. When we read that people are going to the MDRs on Arvia and getting seated there and then or within a few minutes at every time point then we may think it’s true 

But on smaller ships you don't mind that many people can only dine at 6.30pm or 8.30pm in order for others to have that possibility.

 

And at some stages of booking don't even have a choice of sittings? 

 

And it's only on Arvia you demand that people can go to MDRs at any timepoint and be seated within a few minutes? In order for spontaneity?

 

You have to be realistic? 

 

 

 

 

[crompton21]

A question for the literary among you, to my mind spontaneous means without thought or planning.  If I turn up for dinner at my set time of 8.30 pm, and haven't asked for a dining time when I booked then I have neither thought or planned.  Is that more spontaneous than having to think about what time I want to eat before I do so?

Asking for a friend...

[Interestedcruisefan]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

Thanks.  So actually you haven’t used the app for the MDRs on Arvia then.  Whilst I appreciate your enthusiasm for it perhaps when you have your next Arvia cruise you can try to do things the way you did on Iona and let us know how it works out?  It will be an interesting comparison, although by February when you are planning your next Arvia cruise I can't help wondering if it will all have changed again!

 

 

As I understand it I will be able to pre-book more of the MDR times won't I MB?

 

In my case as I'm a control freak as you know

 

I will have a plan at least a week ahead. All pre-booked at times that work for other stuff we do.

 

Then on the night if we feel like doing something different will just cancel and do whatever else we decide 

 

Won't just not turn up

 

And happy to be fined alongside anyone else who books anything and just doesn't turn up 

 

No sympathy for anybody. I hope they introduce that in the future if it helps everyone else have a better cruise experience