Happy afloat

1 minute ago, daiB said:

Wrong The most popular dining is club first sitting. It has been for some time. Freedom is next and then club dining second sitting. When we started cruising 22 years ago second sitting was most difficult to get. There was a change about 10 to 15 years ago, difficult to pin that one down. From my experience freedom is not the most favoured dining option and the proof is that so many people try to turn freedom into first sitting. Whatever you say is not up for discussion. Clearly you don’t like those facts as they do not fit your narrative.

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.

23 hours ago, daiB said:

Not sure how you make that out?? Set dining is still very popular especally first sitting which is why there is a problen with freedom, on all P&O ships, as so many want to go early there is a long queue and always has been and of course you can now book the erarly slot for the whole cruise, certainly on Iona. You are way off the mark with you assessment of the situation. Do not forget that on the big 2, the age of passengers is still high out of the school holidays.

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.

10 minutes ago, daiB said:

That assumes “Freedom” is an upgrade.

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?

24 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

So just to confirm on a saver fare you can still choose freedom dining?

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.

5 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

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

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.

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Only everyone who pays a select fare It appears?

 

The rest get pot luck?

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. 

4 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

From what I'm reading above some aren't choosing and dont actually get any choice? 

 

Could be 6.30pm 

Could he 8.30pm

 

Could it be freedom? Or has that always gone by the time they get on board and find out?

Okay, you choose either freedom or club dining when you book, not once you board.

EVERYONE has the freedom to choose when you book.

6 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

I am completely lost as to how passengers are paying extra for freedom on the smaller ships which you get for free on the bigger ships?

 

Passengers are generally paying more on the smaller ships for knowing they can choose club dining or freedom if they wish, adult only if they wish, currently no app, more port choice and itineraries (normally), less busy, more formal nights etc.... 

 

That is what you are paying for. 

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

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

 

 

But that can only be the case if the other two thirds of the ship have already had to commit to either  6.30pm and 8.30pm sittings?

 

So 2 thirds of the ship have no freedom allowing one third of the ship to have freedom?

 

Now the aim is for 100 per cent to have freedom?

 

Some can be ultra organised and pre-book every single thing they do before they cruise

 

Some can pre-book on the day

 

Some can pre-book on the night

 

Some can play it by ear every night and just try their luck

 

Something for everyone?

 

Proper freedom wouldn't you say?

 

And if you dont want the freedom ships with set dining still available?

 

 

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. 

33 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

But the other places you would want to eat you would need to pre-book? To get a table? 

 

Wouldn't you?

 

Same as on the big ships?

 

Unless you mean buffet. Which again is the same on the big ships?

 

Speciality on the small ships is not something you can just choose to do at the time?

 

I don't see any difference between the big and small ships in respect of speciality dining? You have to pre-book on both? Or not get a table.  You can't spontaneously decide to do that? 

Hi,

Glass House on Aurora is not available for pre booking, just turn up and get seated.

Sindhu does have to be pre booked.

16 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Freedom dining agreed you could turn up at any MDR on the night at any time and hope to walk in or get asked to wait. I've done that in the past.

 

That's exactly what I can still do on Arvia or Iona though? It's not been taken away from me?

 

But with the choice of walking to do it or joining a virtual queue?

 

I choose to use the virtual queue and make my choices whilst sat in a bar or theatre or the cabin? 

 

I don't have to though. I could walk to the restaurants if I wanted to.

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. 

10 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Now the other thing that I have to question is people who refer to losing the spontaneity of being able to do what they wanted when they wanted in the old days?

 

Weren't the old days 6.30pm or 8.30pm every night that you had  to decide when you booked your cruise holiday - sat on the same table in the same restaurant every night?

 

And if your were lucky one alternative restaurant for a special occasion. That you needed to pre-book asap to have a chance of getting a table

 

Is there any spontaneity whatsoever in the above?

 

What spontaneity exactly has been lost on the bigger ships? Compared to the old days?

 

What spontaneity at all actually existed in the  old days of cruising?

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. 

1 hour ago, 9265359 said:

Trouble is that on Iona and Arvia you don’t get the numbers of elderly people who actually want to eat dinner at 6.30, so forcing an early sitting on someone who doesn’t want it is a very second class solution for them.

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.

2 hours ago, solentsam said:

So OK lets take away the booking system. Then you turn up along with another say 50 pax who had the same idea as you for the time you wished to eat, you will now have to wait outside for how long?? Is that better

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.

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Yes that is again common sense and P&O haven't learnt much of that for years. On Ventura maiden cruise in 2008 they thought they could operate the ship with same number of crew as Aurora/Arcadia which they couldn't and was the reason why there was very poor and slow service in restaurants and bars.

Is this a case of history repeating itself, re- Iona and Arvia? 

7 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

So not an app problem, but one caused by the staff not being correctly trained to manage the restaurant under the app system, and being permitted to operate their own workarounds to overcome the reluctance of passengers to use the app, thus leading to even longer wait times for those passengers correctly using the app.

But in  Paul Ludlowland I imagine that 99.9% of passengers still believe that the dining arrangements are perfect.😗

Not just a training issue, but staffing levels also.

On Aurora in April the guest to staff ratio was something like 1800 to 800. Fixed dining for those that wanted it over two sittings meant no queueing or app needed for those of us who didn't. 

The old system, as I've said many times, worked. Don't fix it if it ain't broken. 

So they found a knife in your luggage and the wife "looked daggers" at you🙂

Love it!!

Have a great holiday👍

Hope you have a great holiday, it sounds like you've had a tough time.

All the best

Think it's a litre each of spirits

1 hour ago, Camberley said:

Oh he has branched out

Perhaps. But how far?

4 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

OK on Facecloth, it has just been asked whether on Arcadia and Aurora, passengers are hiding plastic ducks?   Why on earth would adults want to go hunting for plastic ducks?  Maybe on the kids ships, I could understand it, but seriously?  And why?

Paul Ludlow says 99.9% of adults enjoy searching for plastic ducks. 

On the subject of compensation, I wonder how many settlements are subject to

non-disclosure agreements? By doing this, the company at fault is in admission of the problem, but said problem does not get aired in public. Therefore, as far as the public are concerned, there is no problem, and no band wagon for anyone else experiencing the same issues to jump on. Thus, no stream of claims from people experiencing the same issues.

13 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Why does it seem that you cannot express an opinion on this forum, good or bad, without someone challenging you because it doesn't match their experiences... 

I appreciate the positive and negative reviews as it enables me to hopefully make a balanced decision. 

Please keep sharing your experiences, that is what this forum should be for... 

Andy 

 

Well said!

I wonder what Bobby Crush is up to these days?