Dining with an Early Saver

When we have booked an early saver before I am sure we had a box to tick to say what dining we preferred which hopefully we would get (although didn't on Aurora last year)

I can't remeber how it worked but think we got an e-mail with a link. Am I right on that and if so how long before the cruise do we get it?

When we have booked an early saver before I am sure we had a box to tick to say what dining we preferred which hopefully we would get (although didn't on Aurora last year)

 

I can't remeber how it worked but think we got an e-mail with a link. Am I right on that and if so how long before the cruise do we get it?

You can state your preference on your Cruise Personaliser. Go into 'Dining Options' and you will see that you can make a selection there. Of course it will state that as an Early Saver this may not be possible (as you have discovered) but at least you will have registered your choice.

The Main Dining Room food quality and service is so bad you would be better taking the saving and dine in the fee paying restaurants.

Well we have never had a problem with the MDR, use it for breakfast and lunch as well.

I have the e-mail with the link now thanks. On the Cruise Personaliser it didn't let you click into the dining options.

We were on two different P&O ships in December and January, Aurora and Ventura and we thought the new menus were very good in the Main Dining Room and that the food was do a higher standard than we had experienced previously. The service from the waiters was, as always excellent. I had the sirloin steak on a few occasions and it was,looked exactly as I asked, medium rare, and the steaks were always juicy and tender. I always think that to produce a good steak when catering for so many people is the test,of a good chef.

First night on Britannia Peninsular restaurant I ordered Sirloin Steak, couldn't even cut it with the knife. The replacement was no better so walked out and went to the buffet. What a mistake that was ! self service is too dangerous with all the hands as the hygiene standards of many of the guests leave a lot to be desired.

I saw a guy laddle soup into his dish, taste and then poured the soup back into the pan - what a pig. Take care there are many like him so try to avoid self service, if at all possible, although the MDR food is of a poor standard it is by far safer than the buffet, enjoy.

Did you report the guy putting the soup back, as they need to be told so they can remove the offending pot of soup?

editing - boards got gremlins and duplicating posts.

Does anyone know how likely it is that we will get Freedom Dining on an Early Saver? I tried searching for this topic but the search function isn't working.

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Does anyone know how likely it is that we will get Freedom Dining on an Early Saver? I tried searching for this topic but the search function isn't working.

 

 

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From what I have read on here it seems freedom dining is the most likely option. On my last cruise everyone we spoke to who had booked the saver fares were allocated freedom dining.

Does anyone know how likely it is that we will get Freedom Dining on an Early Saver? I tried searching for this topic but the search function isn't working.

 

 

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It depends on the ship really on Ventura and Azura for example they have 2 freedom dining restaurants and one set dining so much more likely to get freedom.

On Aurora they have one freedom dining and one set dining so percentage wise less likely. We got allocated second sitting on Aurora but fortunately I asked to change and the first morning we got up and found a note in our letter rack saying we had been changed to first sitting. Which was very lucky as I didn't really want to go to the buffet for 17 nights. I think that was with a late saver though.

You will get a chance to give a preference which hopefully will work out for you.

I thought freedom dining was the best option.... is that not so?

I thought freedom dining was the best option.... is that not so?

Not if you want to eat with the same group of people, as we do, every night.

Second sitting table for 8 is excellent for us. Never had a bad table. We would only do freedom on a short cruise and then only to try out all the other venues.

Most of the complaints I have read have been from people on freedom.

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Not if you want to eat with the same group of people, as we do, every night.

 

Second sitting table for 8 is excellent for us. Never had a bad table. We would only do freedom on a short cruise and then only to try out all the other venues.

 

Most of the complaints I have read have been from people on freedom.

 

 

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Oh no! I've pre registered today and booked freedom dining as thought it was best to not be tied to a time. There will only be two of us and we'd be happy to sit with others on occasion but would like it to just be us two in the additional paid for dining areas. I was thinking freedom dining in case we were back late from excursions on port days and we cant do the second sitting as my partner often falls asleep early. What complaints have you heard about please DaiB?

I thought freedom dining was the best option.... is that not so?

Hi...it all depends what you like to do. We have had some great evenings on the set dining times with fabulous company. On one cruise there was eight of us and each evening was great until one evening a couple ordered something that wasn't to their liking so needed to order something else. We all had to wait until they received their new order... which for some reason took an absolute age to arrive....then wait for them to finish it before they served the next course. It was far too long at the table so now we do Freedom dining and ask for a table for two.... which we get without too much of a wait. It suits my digestive constitution much better

Oh no! I've pre registered today and booked freedom dining as thought it was best to not be tied to a time. There will only be two of us and we'd be happy to sit with others on occasion but would like it to just be us two in the additional paid for dining areas. I was thinking freedom dining in case we were back late from excursions on port days and we cant do the second sitting as my partner often falls asleep early. What complaints have you heard about please DaiB?

You make exactly the case for Freedom Dining which persuades us this is what we prefer. You have flexibility and can dine as a couple or with others at a time to suit yourself. We tend to go at the same time and find others do too and since we ask for tables in the same area we find we get to know our dining companions (tables for two are usually close enough to chat with those on adjacent tables) as well as our waiters. Best of both worlds as far as we're concerned. Try it - I don't think you have much to lose.

We now always go for Freedom dining. As we like to eat in the other dining venues some evenings we would often not attend the MDR, which would leave a gap in the table if we were on set dining. Better that we choose freedom and allow others who are better suited to set dining to get their choice. Also, we like the flexibility of choosing when we want to eat and accept we may need to wait for a table. On our recent 14 night cruise, we only needed to wait for a table once but we were expecting that as we went at a peak time, so we happily went for a drink until the buzz occurred. I do however miss the conversation and banter which develops on set dining, with the table companions and the waiters.

Oh no! I've pre registered today and booked freedom dining as thought it was best to not be tied to a time. There will only be two of us and we'd be happy to sit with others on occasion but would like it to just be us two in the additional paid for dining areas. I was thinking freedom dining in case we were back late from excursions on port days and we cant do the second sitting as my partner often falls asleep early. What complaints have you heard about please DaiB?

Generally on shorter cruises people complain that the service is not personal and can be rushed. However if you want to dine with just your partner then freedom is possibly better. We have done freedom once and hated it. It felt quite busy people coming and going all the time. We never felt relaxed. Our service was very good but impersonal. Our style of dining is more relaxed and it fits well with our cruising routine.

We have booked for freedom again for a short cruise but we will not use the MDR.

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From what I have read on here it seems freedom dining is the most likely option. On my last cruise everyone we spoke to who had booked the saver fares were allocated freedom dining.

In the past I have once been allocated fixed dining when booking a saver fare, but all the other times it was freedom. When I asked to change from fixed to freedom it wasn't an issue.

I have used Freedom twice now. On the short cruise it was fairly appalling but it was New Years Eve and the staff were all over the place (on NYE Freedom effectively becomes fixed with two sittings and they didn't handle it well). On the longer cruise we had no issues and much preferred it. We felt less rushed than on fixed sitting and the quantity was acceptable. We mostly dine in speciality restaurants and also like the convenience of the buffet. I do agree that people can be fairly disgusting at the buffet, I recently saw a woman licking her fingers every time she spooned anything onto her plate, I've also seen people saying they don't need to wash their hands - I try to get there early, it amazes me how little knowledge people seem to have on the subject of food hygiene.

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Thank you everyone for your comments :)

I recently saw a woman licking her fingers every time she spooned anything onto her plate, I've also seen people saying they don't need to wash their hands - I try to get there early, it amazes me how little knowledge people seem to have on the subject of food hygiene.

 

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Eurgh, the filthy mare :o:eek:

We always tick the box for preferred first sitting when booking early saver. We have sometimes been allocated second sitting which we have always been able to change to first except once when we got freedom which worked fine too. Sometimes you sit with someone in freedom who you hit it off with and arrange to meet up and share a table for the rest of the cruise.

Oh no! I've pre registered today and booked freedom dining as thought it was best to not be tied to a time. There will only be two of us and we'd be happy to sit with others on occasion but would like it to just be us two in the additional paid for dining areas. I was thinking freedom dining in case we were back late from excursions on port days and we cant do the second sitting as my partner often falls asleep early. What complaints have you heard about please DaiB?

Another positive people overlook regarding Freedom Dining is the shows. They run repeat performances at 8.30pm and 10.30pm, each being suitable for first or second sitting. If you do your Freedom dining about 20-30 mins earlier that the set sitting times, you get a head start on the rush to venue for the best; or any remaining seats, on a performance by the most popular acts.

Regards John

The Main Dining Room food quality and service is so bad you would be better taking the saving and dine in the fee paying restaurants.

What tosh! I have rarely had a bad meal in the MDR on any of my cruises.