bee-ess

You sound like me ! We have been on nearly 50 cruises and Arvia in June was our first Freedom dining ever and I must admit we did not really like it. I don't think it is as bad on the other ships as Arvia, our first night we could not get in anywhere and ended up in the buffet, My problem is that you have to guess when to join the queues to eat when you want to, we did eventually manage to get a fixed table and time after about 5 days. Like you I realise that we are fixed dining people but how much longer that will last, who knows. We are back on Arvia again in February, we tried to change to Britannia but the increase in cost was too much as we had a good price for Arvia. I must say that apart from the faffing about with the dining we loved everything else on the ship and hopefully we learned enough in June to deal with Feb better.

In June, we asked our waiter for a fixed table for 4 for 8PM every night and got it OK

My observations of using the MDR in June was that it took a long time for the waiters to turn the tables around between guests and that must of had a big impact on the virtual queues. Probably this delay was caused by staff shortages in the MDR's. Maybe the same is happening in the other restaurants.

Hi Damian We were on Arvia in June and found it difficult to find anywhere to eat on the first night and ended up in the buffet. We like to eat at 8 to 8:30 and found that after the first night debacle that if we joined the MDR queues at 7:30 we got in OK somewhen between 8 and 8:45. After 5 days in we asked the waiters if we could have the same table every night at the same time and he said yes, so that may be worth asking the waiters (not the Managers that sit out the front), especially as you are a large group. I would recommend you try to book some Club 710's if you get the chance, great entertainment. If you cannot get booked they start a queue from 30 mins before the show for people without reservations as there are always no-shows. Sun beds were hard to get at the Infinity pool when we went - 7pm was too late. I am an early riser so it was no problem for us to get beds. Be warned though, one random sea day morning they came round about 8:30 and cleared all the beds with towels and no-one sitting on them ! Have a great cruise!

This worked OK from Southampton but we are flying to Caribbean next and that will be a lottery, it will all depend on getting an early flight on the Friday, Saturday people will find everything booked up I think.

On Arvia you could book 710 for multiple days. I booked ours from the terminal using the last 6 characters trick for the App and managed to get several. For me it was the best entertainment on the ship. You can Q 30 mins before the shows for entry if there are any no-shows, we got 3 of those.

We have only done the TA home once in 2017, we usually do it going out in October. The time we did it home, it was v warm until the day before PD when it was overcast and a bit chilly on deck. PD day itself rained all day.

Pretty sure we saw a handful of children in there on Arvia 3 weeks ago, but I would phone P&O to be 100% sure.

So sorry to hear this sad news, our condolences to you and your family at this sad time. I think that contributing to CC is probably the last thing on your mind at this time, but I hope that you return at a later date when you feel ready.

I take offence to this post I have never said that anything was Sold Out - I said that they were not available when I got up and that was 100% True. I confirmed nothing - I said that more timeslots came up in the afternoon The purpose of my original post was to describe my experience, not to cause alarm. Who are you to ask if the post should be deleted or closed as a false alarm, that implies that I have deliberately spread false information. I find your attitude of 'correcting me' and 'advising me' in other posts equally offensive and condescending. You have set yourself up as the font of knowledge as far as Arvia is concerned and woe betide anyone who has a different opinion Please do not refer to my posts anymore

If it is my.post you are incorrect - please not post anymore inaccuracies about my posts I booked my slots after midnight I checked when I got up this morning and they were not available This afternoon more timeslots opened up You make it seem as though I corrected something on your say so ?

If you look at my original post I didn't say this anywhere in the post - please don't imply that I did I never said that it was sold out - I said that my slots were not available this morning I posted to explain the situation that happened and is backed up by others on other social media I was advised by a friend to book at midnight as he did not get the bookings he wanted on the ship I am not saying if this was right or wrong, just what I chose to do. You then say that when extra timeslots turned up this afternoon that you thought that would happen As I said you keep grinding on and on to prove yourself right This is my last and final word on the subject

I Give Up

No, I think what you want to be is to be right. I posted originally to describe my experience/problems last night in case it helped anyone else, but have found myself arguing with you and justifying why I tried to book at midnight. Every one of your posts is trying to prove yourself right and the rest of us wrong. Why does it matter to you.

Never thought of that - It is my initials - BS

I don't need to justify my decisions to you. Are you saying that you knew that more slots are added the next day. I wish I was that clever.

You don't think that the situation may have changed since you were on. Arvia when you breezed through everything. Megabear has been on there last 2 weeks and I tend to trust her comments.

I'm a he !! - Brian.

I also have no reason to make it up either, the situation was as I have described. Back to my comment in Post 1 - if this is what is required to book up restaurants I don't really want it, to be honest I would rather have fixed MDR Dining and 1 or 2 Specialities. We have always booked up specialities easily in the past.

Although having just looked there are more time slots available nownow strangely enough - there were only a small amount of later slot times last night for Epicurean, Sindhu, Beach House and Green and Co. Now there are slots at 15 min intervals. I think what happened was that there were a lot of people chasing a few slots.. A big factor also was the inability of the IT to handle the demand, hence loads of buffering. As I said I have learned from this for next time, I chose to do that but will not next time. We could have easily have got the MDR and Olive grove for 6PM but we don't eat early.

I have told you the experience I and others had, I booked at Midnight as I was advised to do this as a friend had problems 2 cruises ago. It was a nightmare and I won't do it again as I have learned my lesson. I have nothing else to add.

If you look on the face cloth you will see lots of complaints about the problems people had last night - it was not lack of slots as much as not being able to book them, loads of buffering and a race to actually get them booked and paid for..

It may well be, I hope it is John !

We did get what we wanted thanks