P&O Dinning room Dragon Lady/Angelos

[fishtaco]

Best time to book or are later sittings walk in?

We have always preferred a large share table for dinner even on carnival USA and RCC but given the main dinning room on Explorer looks more like a cafe I suppose there is no point? 

On a 12 nighter I don't want to commit to any venue in advance or when first boarding.

Does P&O Close the Buffet for dinner like they used to? Its that long since I have done a P&O cruise that even though on my last 2 it had become ATdinning the staff preferred and allowed it if you booked same time same table like we had for Trad dinning.

 

Thanks

[arxcards]

Dragon Lady isn't really geared to a large share table. Could be possible for Angelos though, which is very much a dining room menu, but a bit more like it used to be.

 

If you want to eat at 9pm, just walk-up when you are ready. If you want to eat any earlier, I would suggest reserving something for the first 2 or 3 nights as soon as you board. The buffet is open for dinner as far as I am aware.

 

Luke Mangan's is still excellent, and we both enjoy Shell & Bones (both paid). From all reports, avoid the seafood tower at Shell & Bones if you dine there. I have yet to bother with 400 Gradi for pizzas.

[fishtaco]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

Dragon Lady isn't really geared to a large share table. Could be possible for Angelos though, which is very much a dining room menu, but a bit more like it used to be.

 

If you want to eat at 9pm, just walk-up when you are ready. If you want to eat any earlier, I would suggest reserving something for the first 2 or 3 nights as soon as you board. The buffet is open for dinner as far as I am aware.

 

Luke Mangan's is still excellent, and we both enjoy Shell & Bones (both paid). From all reports, avoid the seafood tower at Shell & Bones if you dine there. I have yet to bother with 400 Gradi for pizzas.

Thanks, shared table isn't necessary as there are only 2 of us but we used to have a ball on shared Dinner tables, not everyone's cup of tea but we found it fun with late dining.

[wceprincess43]

Hi, Fishtaco.

I was on Explorer last July and always ate at the buffet for my meals. It was open for all main meals. I was on my own and I liked the variety of the food.

I hope this helps.

Enjoy your cruise,

Debbie

[ceeceeDee]

Encounter's buffet is open for all meals. Main dining room is not open for lunch on port days. Dining venues can be changed on the P&O app or by going in person to Dragon Lady. We always book for the evening dining, so not sure how you would get on with being a 'walk in' .

[Bubbeh]

15 hours ago, arxcards said:

If you want to eat at 9pm, just walk-up when you are ready.

OMG, 9pm???  I'm in my cabin in my jammies with my fluffy acrylics and a cup of cocoa watching telly by 9pm.  😆

[fishtaco]

13 minutes ago, Bubbeh said:

OMG, 9pm???  I'm in my cabin in my jammies with my fluffy acrylics and a cup of cocoa watching telly by 9pm.  😆

Lol we always eat dinner on a cruise at around 8.30pm, this started when Trad dinning was still around and  even with MTD early seating was always snapped up first by the avid show goers.

Its not like we will go hungry between Lunch and late dinner but from memory P&O didnt have a buffet at dinner time.

[Bubbeh]

2 hours ago, fishtaco said:

Lol we always eat dinner on a cruise at around 8.30pm, this started when Trad dinning was still around and  even with MTD early seating was always snapped up first by the avid show goers.

Its not like we will go hungry between Lunch and late dinner but from memory P&O didnt have a buffet at dinner time.

Not been on P & O so didn't know that the buffet was not necessarily available at night.  We tend to eat around 6:00-6:30pm at home and do the same when travelling.  If I'm starting to strain my seams around half way through most cruises, I'll skip an evening meal and go straight to show.  

[possum52]

3 hours ago, fishtaco said:

Lol we always eat dinner on a cruise at around 8.30pm, this started when Trad dinning was still around and  even with MTD early seating was always snapped up first by the avid show goers.

Its not like we will go hungry between Lunch and late dinner but from memory P&O didnt have a buffet at dinner time.

Hasn't the Pantry taken the place of the former buffett? The P&O webpage states the Pantry is open every night for dinner.

[wceprincess43]

Yep, it's now the Pantry. Problem is, the desserts are in the middle of the dinner options and it was so hard to resist eating dessert first! At least I had an incentive to eat my vegetables!

[reeves35]

On 7/1/2023 at 4:23 PM, fishtaco said:

Best time to book or are later sittings walk in?

We have always preferred a large share table for dinner even on carnival USA and RCC but given the main dinning room on Explorer looks more like a cafe I suppose there is no point? 

On a 12 nighter I don't want to commit to any venue in advance or when first boarding.

Does P&O Close the Buffet for dinner like they used to? Its that long since I have done a P&O cruise that even though on my last 2 it had become ATdinning the staff preferred and allowed it if you booked same time same table like we had for Trad dinning.

 

Thanks

There are only a few large tables in both the Waterfront and in Angelos.  I don't think there are any in Dragon Lady though I assume a few tables could be joined together.  

 

It is obvious that customer surveys have shown that people prefer to sit within their group rather than with strangers so the days of the big circular tables of 8 - 10 people have probably gone for good.  On our recent cruise, we were only sat with other couples once though the tables are fairly close together in lots of the restaurants including Dragon Lady and Luke's so you might as well be sitting with someone else.

[ceeceeDee]

Pantry (buffet) is definitely open for dinner

[arxcards]

3 hours ago, reeves35 said:

There are only a few large tables in both the Waterfront and in Angelos.  I don't think there are any in Dragon Lady though I assume a few tables could be joined together.  

 

It is obvious that customer surveys have shown that people prefer to sit within their group rather than with strangers so the days of the big circular tables of 8 - 10 people have probably gone for good.  On our recent cruise, we were only sat with other couples once though the tables are fairly close together in lots of the restaurants including Dragon Lady and Luke's so you might as well be sitting with someone else.

There were still quite a few large tables in use for open seating for breakfast & lunch, as well as the "high chair" stools & tables in the middle. That was the go for Explorer last year, but I wonder if P&O has rethought how the layout works for Encounter & Adventure. We do prefer small table stuff for breakfast & dinner, but usually share at lunch. Main point is that we often skip the first course, and are twiddling our thumbs for 30 to 40 mins while others at the table are eating their entrees. At least with those rows of very adjacent tables, you can be served out of sequence with those around you.

[Sparky74]

3 hours ago, arxcards said:

There were still quite a few large tables in use for open seating for breakfast & lunch, as well as the "high chair" stools & tables in the middle. That was the go for Explorer last year, but I wonder if P&O has rethought how the layout works for Encounter & Adventure. We do prefer small table stuff for breakfast & dinner, but usually share at lunch. Main point is that we often skip the first course, and are twiddling our thumbs for 30 to 40 mins while others at the table are eating their entrees. At least with those rows of very adjacent tables, you can be served out of sequence with those around you.

I’m an early bird but DW is a late riser, especially on holidays, so she usually goes to the buffet for breakfast a couple of hours after I’ve had mine in the dining room. I always ask for a shared table at breakfast as I want someone to talk to. This wasn’t a problem on our cruise on the Pacific Encounter last month. 

[mum and son]

On 7/1/2023 at 6:28 PM, arxcards said:

Luke Mangan's is still excellent, and we both enjoy Shell & Bones (both paid). From all reports, avoid the seafood tower at Shell & Bones if you dine there. I have yet to bother with 400 Gradi for pizzas.

I heard that Shell & Bones is no more, and won't be returning. I guess I'll find out next month!

[arxcards]

8 minutes ago, mum and son said:

I heard that Shell & Bones is no more, and won't be returning. I guess I'll find out next month!

Hmm, yes. 

It has disappeared from P&O's website regarding dining options. It is still marked in part of the pantry on the deck plans, but those are harder to update. Looks like we can all applaud the demise of the seafood tower 😁

[Hammer61]

15 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Looks like we can all applaud the demise of the seafood tower 😁

It was dreadful to be fair, on our 1 and only P&O Cruise they didn't charge us, felt sorry for the Matre'd who couldn't apologize enough after we complained about the famed Seafood tower ☹️ tiny little lobster with a bit of shriveled meat and the rest was basically a seafood basket you could get at any local fish and chip shop!!!

 

To be fair though Angelos and Dragan Lady are pretty good, as is the other restaurant whose name escapes me? the Pantry however is as good as Shell and Bones, pretty dire at the best of times and best avoided although the Indian section was ok.

Edited July 4, 2023 by Hammer61

[fishtaco]

On 7/3/2023 at 8:19 AM, reeves35 said:

There are only a few large tables in both the Waterfront and in Angelos.  I don't think there are any in Dragon Lady though I assume a few tables could be joined together.  

 

It is obvious that customer surveys have shown that people prefer to sit within their group rather than with strangers so the days of the big circular tables of 8 - 10 people have probably gone for good.  On our recent cruise, we were only sat with other couples once though the tables are fairly close together in lots of the restaurants including Dragon Lady and Luke's so you might as well be sitting with someone else.

Just old fashioned cruisers 'we are' who loved fixed dining with table guests who only just  tolerated me then had to  accepted! lol I have life long cruising friends from accidental USA cruise shared tables but alas those days seem to be long gone!