Happy afloat

Where on earth do I mention which is the most favoured sitting? The point is about costing and what you get for your money, and whether switching from club to freedom is an upgrade, not the popularity of one over the other. Your interpretation of what I've written really confuses me. The facts, as you put it, can't be argued with:-club dining is part of saver fare and freedom part of select. That's all I've said and can be proven by going through the booking process for any cruise. Oh, and whatever I, or anyone else on here says, IS up for discussion. It's a forum. That's the whole point . We all inform, debate, question and opinionate. We don't have to agree with what's said, just respect that we are entitled to say it.

Simple. It's a fact; saver fare=club dining, select fare= freedom dining. You pay more for select fare, therfore, being moved to moved to freedom from club could be seen as an upgrade. That was the point you took exception to for some reason.The queues for club dining and the age of the passengers choosing it were not under discussion, nor the demographic during term times, or the popularity of one dining type over another. Far from me being way off the mark in my assessment, you seem to be way off the mark in your interpretation of what's being written.

Perhaps I should have said swap, although given that freedom dining is usually part of the more expensive select fare, unless aboard Arvia or Iona, perhaps upgrade is correct?

I could have made myself a little clearer here, perhaps. Sittings for club dining are allocated but you may be able to change from one to the other once on board. Whether you can upgrade to freedom dining once on board I'm not sure, not heard of anyone doing this.

The dining type has not been allocated so I expect to find out when I board. (And that's what davectr posted) Both on page 9 of this thread? You choose freedom or club dining. The times for club dining are allocated once on board, but you have an option to switch. It's not pot luck, it's what you agree to when you book.

How on earth do you make that out? When you book you have a CHOICE to go saver fare and club dining, or select fare and freedom dining. You CHOOSE. Pot luck does not come into the equation.

Okay, you choose either freedom or club dining when you book, not once you board. EVERYONE has the freedom to choose when you book.

And the smaller ships cost more per capita to run and are staffed properly, Aurora's 1870 passengers to 850 crew (approx)

Not sure where you get your figures of thirds/two thirds from? The point though, is that those who select to dine at 6.30 or 8.30 CHOOSE to do so, they don't want freedom dining. Nor does everyone want to book every meal and holiday to a timetable. If that works for you then that's great, but it's not what I'd call "proper freedom" as you say. Being pushed into using an app to run your hard earned holiday is not my, or it seems from the conversations on here, many other people's idea of fun.

Hi, Glass House on Aurora is not available for pre booking, just turn up and get seated. Sindhu does have to be pre booked.

Yes, but the key phrase in your argument is "queue". You seem to be missing the point that there was no queueing for freedom dining, physical or electronic. "Are you ready to eat ,dear?" "Yes dear". Carry your g&t down to the restaurant and get seated. Also, you seemed to make the point that freedom dining meant being seated at either 6.30 or 8.30, which was club dining. Still used on Aurora in April alongside freedom dining, no app, and no queueing anywhere for anything.

Hi, don't think you've got this quite right. There were two sittings for saver fares, 6.30 and 8.30 (or thereabouts) and freedom dining for all others. Meaning you could turn up to the mdr at any time and get a table, occasionally being offered a pager in exceptionally busy periods(only happened once to us in about 8 cruise pre-covid). Not the same restaurant nightly, nor the same table, or with the same people. That's the spontaneity that's been lost. Alternative restaurants did have to be booked, but availability was plentiful. In fact, they would often patrol the ship offering free bottles of wine if you booked during quieter periods. We are still working, so live our life by the clock. Don't really want to do it on holiday.

Have to say that this wasn't the case when we were aboard in November, there were a lot of people 60+

My wife has a blue light card, myself defence discount card; the two can't be combined so I can't see them allowing a split of the type that's been suggested.

Hi, No, it's not better. But what is is the old system of 2 sittings for club dining and freedom dining for those that wanted it. When this was in place we never experienced any queues and only ever had a pager once. It seems to me that this is all led by a reduction in staffing levels as a money saving exercise. Understandable, profits have to be made. If it impacts unduly on the holiday experience, then that's a different thing.