Early Saver Dining as a party of four

[gadabout60]

Usual typical moaners.

They want to pay the cheapest price but get all the benefits.

Well you have had that for the last couple of years - maybe it will start to change now and about time too.

 

Simon

 

This post comes across to me as arrogant and offensive. I don't think the OP's concerns could be called moaning. Perhaps you would like anyone not paying top fare to be sleeping in the hold?

[gadabout60]

They haven't said you would not be seated together, they have just said they cannot guarantee it.

P and O have promised the select fare passengers ,that what seating they want ,they will get.

If you believe everyone who posted on here that some ships were sailing with 80% getaway fare payers, then that does not leave a lot of select fare passengers requiring to the seating they want. You will probably be alright.

Also looking at it from p and O's side -which in fairness one should do...if they "guarantee" you will get what you want as a getaway/saver fare payer, then to make it fair they would have to "guarantee" that any other group that book multiple cabins would have to be treated the same as you, and "guaranteed" they would be sat together. This would then mean they could not "guarantee" that select fare payers would get what they want.

I have already stated I would not book these fares in the future, as I would not like to end up on early seating.

To state again they have not said you will not be sat on the same table-they just cannot guarantee it. You are looking at it from your point of view. P and O have to look at the whole ship.

 

I too do not want early dining - but I don't think its necessarily worth paying top fare for. The food in the MDR is good most of the time but not great.

 

I don't go to any of the standard theatre shows - I think the quality is poor from those I have seen. I think the quality of entertainment is on the whole quite poor.

 

However I do still enjoy my cruise I just don't think it is worth the vantage fare or select price - whatever its called. I am not over fussy about cabins - I just want a balcony.

 

So I will continue to book Getaways / Early Savers or whatever they are called!. I am not worried about paying for shuttle buses. That would typically be only for a few days per cruise as I do book some trips and don't mind walking or getting a taxi as appropriate.

 

The only deal breaker for me is early dining. I would probably want to dine at 6.30 no more than once or twice per cruise. I have been lucky so far and have always been granted late dining. It seems to me that more people want early dining and that this isn't a big risk. However if I did get a good cruise price but early dining and couldn't swop, I would just use the select dining facilities. Food is much better and on average at say £10-£15 per person per head per night it would still be a better deal overall with much superior food.

[bee-ess]

I too do not want early dining - but I don't think its necessarily worth paying top fare for. The food in the MDR is good most of the time but not great.

 

I don't go to any of the standard theatre shows - I think the quality is poor from those I have seen. I think the quality of entertainment is on the whole quite poor.

 

However I do still enjoy my cruise I just don't think it is worth the vantage fare or select price - whatever its called. I am not over fussy about cabins - I just want a balcony.

 

So I will continue to book Getaways / Early Savers or whatever they are called!. I am not worried about paying for shuttle buses. That would typically be only for a few days per cruise as I do book some trips and don't mind walking or getting a taxi as appropriate.

 

The only deal breaker for me is early dining. I would probably want to dine at 6.30 no more than once or twice per cruise. I have been lucky so far and have always been granted late dining. It seems to me that more people want early dining and that this isn't a big risk. However if I did get a good cruise price but early dining and couldn't swop, I would just use the select dining facilities. Food is much better and on average at say £10-£15 per person per head per night it would still be a better deal overall with much superior food.

 

Quite agree with you Gadabout60 - this is exactly my point (so better explained by you !)

 

We don't pay Select fares because at the current standard of the product we don't feel it is worth it. Have been totally happy with P&O product up until the last couple of years but now feel that the Getaway/Saver price or perhaps a bit more is what the product is worth. We are happy to have the GUAR cabin grade that we book and don't expect anything more, But we think that messing around with the Dining is a step to far, like you we only want 2nd or perhaps freedom but not 1st. I think that to give the Select Day 1 brigade the upgrades is fair and right but I don't think they should mess with the Dining - what does it gain P&O - is it just to placate the Day 1 Select brigade. Surely if I book a cruise 2 months before departure I should get what is available at that point - the earlier bookers will already have their choice.

How have P&O got themselves in this mess - whatever they do upsets someone. Other cruise lines do not seem to have these problems - they all have Saver fares but don't penalise the customers that book them by takings things away.

[jeanlyon]

Early dining appears to be the most popular, therefore you would probably get late sitting. I haven't eaten at 6.30 since I was about 6, so couldn't eat at that time.

[wilson2579]

I'm sure the usual linked booking situation applies. If you tell them the bookings are linked then whatever booking you get, the others should get the same. Anyway, at the end of the day, if they are different, then you simply eat in the buffet. simples.

 

It is not the cruising experience people expect. I wouldn't book a cruise if I thought I couldn't eat in the main dining room. Having said that I am quite happy to take what comes along. I would prefer not to have early sitting but it wouldn't make me go the buffet every night. I have booked an early saver for one of my cruises this year, so I am in this position but still cannot warrant the extra ££££s to secure the dining option.:eek:

[gadabout60]

It is not the cruising experience people expect. I wouldn't book a cruise if I thought I couldn't eat in the main dining room. Having said that I am quite happy to take what comes along. I would prefer not to have early sitting but it wouldn't make me go the buffet every night. I have booked an early saver for one of my cruises this year, so I am in this position but still cannot warrant the extra ££££s to secure the dining option.:eek:

 

I would only go to the buffet on a themed night - say Indian. I get bored with the buffet for lunch and don't want to eat in the MDR at lunch. So if I get the wrong sitting it will mostly be the speciality restaurants for me

[the english lady]

So as we seem to be wandering down different paths what would you suggest that Pando do ,to make it seem worthwhile for the early bookers to get what they want?

Reading this and other threads the charge for shuttles does not seem to be a deal breaker-however that is being said without people having to pay for it so far.

Dining options, well that seems to be upsetting some people. However they seem to have brought in freedom dining across the fleet to hopefully stop too many problems. I guess the only problems there are if you book soo late that freedom is booked up, and 1st sitting, and only 2nd sitting left.

This thread seems to hang on the word "guarantee". They have not said this group will not be sat together..(if it's just a change of table reqd I am sure the m/d can do that no problem) just that its not 100% guaranteed.

I wish I could find the thread I posted on about a year ago....It was when getaways first came in I think. Somebody had booked 2 cabins on getaway fares that were at opposite ends of the ship, and they came on here and complained. I remember writing then that the next thing would be people booking getaways for 2 cabins that ended up opposite ends of the ship on different decks and the 2 cabins being on different dinner sittings (not just not the same table-different times)

People are posting they do not think the select fares are worth it. However then in the next breath those fares are not worth it-but I want the same deal/options they are getting. I am confused.

[bee-ess]

So as we seem to be wandering down different paths what would you suggest that Pando do ,to make it seem worthwhile for the early bookers to get what they want?

Reading this and other threads the charge for shuttles does not seem to be a deal breaker-however that is being said without people having to pay for it so far.

Dining options, well that seems to be upsetting some people. However they seem to have brought in freedom dining across the fleet to hopefully stop too many problems. I guess the only problems there are if you book soo late that freedom is booked up, and 1st sitting, and only 2nd sitting left.

This thread seems to hang on the word "guarantee". They have not said this group will not be sat together..(if it's just a change of table reqd I am sure the m/d can do that no problem) just that its not 100% guaranteed.

I wish I could find the thread I posted on about a year ago....It was when getaways first came in I think. Somebody had booked 2 cabins on getaway fares that were at opposite ends of the ship, and they came on here and complained. I remember writing then that the next thing would be people booking getaways for 2 cabins that ended up opposite ends of the ship on different decks and the 2 cabins being on different dinner sittings (not just not the same table-different times)

People are posting they do not think the select fares are worth it. However then in the next breath those fares are not worth it-but I want the same deal/options they are getting. I am confused.

 

I don't understand why if I book a Saver P&O cannot tell me on the day I book what my dining option will be. The last 3 Getaways I have booked they have told me when I book what sitting I will be on - why can they not do that on a Saver. P&O are asking customers to book what is, even on a Saver still an expensive holiday without knowing your dining arrangements and to me that is an unreasonable arrangement.

I don't object to being told that my choice is not available, then the decision to book or not is up to me, but to ask you to book blind is not reasonable.

You say to ask the M/D to sort out if you are split up but the terms of Saver say that it cannot be altered once on board.

[simonpjd]

The English Lady is quite correct. We say the same thing only I am a bit more blunt.

This thread is full of people who want to pay less but still get all the advantages. As for this specific gripe - I think we all know the chances of you not being sat together are miniscule. As EL says P&O just cannot 100% guarantee it. But you will be OK.

 

And if you are still not happy (probably) then try Cunard or Princess or Fred O or Carnival or Costa etc etc.

[bee-ess]

For blunt read arrogant.

[simonpjd]

And lets not forget that even those who pay the full price are NOT guaranteed their dining choice. Again look at it from P&Os point of view. First sitting may be full already when you book. This enjoying yourself lark is quite stressful isn't it?

[the english lady]

You say to ask the M/D to sort out if you are split up but the terms of Saver say that it cannot be altered once on board.

If the 2 cabins are on the same sitting I am sure the md would be able to move people around so they were on the same table. What you would not be able to do once onboard with a saver fare is change sittings or go onto/come off of freedom dining.

Since I started cruising with P and O I have always been asked which sitting I would like. I have told them, and they have always said it is a request. Always managed to get what I wanted (including the old getaway fares).

As I have not booked a saver fare yet, do they not ask you what you would like. If they do ask I would guess it would be as it has always been-a request. Only diff being if the one you request is full up you may get something else-that cannot be changed.

As I have never looked into it too far, when is the dining allocated? One would guess (and it is only a guess) if you specified that you would like 2nd seating and could they check if it is still available ,before booking...then you would hopefully know at that stage that they had spaces. Ofcourse that would not stop a select fare cruiser coming along and maybe having the last 2 seats-in which case you would still end up with something else.

[bee-ess]

You say to ask the M/D to sort out if you are split up but the terms of Saver say that it cannot be altered once on board.

If the 2 cabins are on the same sitting I am sure the md would be able to move people around so they were on the same table. What you would not be able to do once onboard with a saver fare is change sittings or go onto/come off of freedom dining.

Since I started cruising with P and O I have always been asked which sitting I would like. I have told them, and they have always said it is a request. Always managed to get what I wanted (including the old getaway fares).

As I have not booked a saver fare yet, do they not ask you what you would like. If they do ask I would guess it would be as it has always been-a request. Only diff being if the one you request is full up you may get something else-that cannot be changed.

As I have never looked into it too far, when is the dining allocated? One would guess (and it is only a guess) if you specified that you would like 2nd seating and could they check if it is still available ,before booking...then you would hopefully know at that stage that they had spaces. Ofcourse that would not stop a select fare cruiser coming along and maybe having the last 2 seats-in which case you would still end up with something else.

 

I don't want to argue with posters about this issue but all I can say is that the last 3 getaways I have booked I have had my Dining confirmed at the point of booking and the confirmation has always said 'Sitting confirmed and table size unconfirmed'. I will happily PM a copy to anyone as proof of this.

When I next try to book a P&O Saver if I cannot get my Dining confirmed at that point I will go somewhere else, there are plenty of cruises companies that sell offers without all this aggravation.

If P&O think that they can do without selling Savers/last minute deals they are wrong and these new Dining arrangements will be a deal breaker for some.

[jeanlyon]

With these latest fares - Select and Early Saver - if they confirmed dining sitting to Saver fares, then they couldn't give the option to Select payers. The Early Savers come out so early, there would be people booking both options. They surely have to give the Select payers the option first before the Savers. Seems only fair to me.

 

If you book the equivalent of an Early Saver on P&O, then it costs an extra £2 pp per night to confirm your dining sitting.

Edited February 10, 2014 by jeanlyon

[wilson2579]

With these latest fares - Select and Early Saver - if they confirmed dining sitting to Saver fares, then they couldn't give the option to Select payers. The Early Savers come out so early, there would be people booking both options. They surely have to give the Select payers the option first before the Savers. Seems only fair to me.

 

If you book the equivalent of an Early Saver on P&O, then it costs an extra £2 pp per night to confirm your dining sitting.

 

I wasn't told when I booked my early saver that I could pay £2 pp to confirm my dining option!!!!!!

[west2000]

I don't want to argue with posters about this issue but all I can say is that the last 3 getaways I have booked I have had my Dining confirmed at the point of booking and the confirmation has always said 'Sitting confirmed and table size unconfirmed'. I will happily PM a copy to anyone as proof of this.

When I next try to book a P&O Saver if I cannot get my Dining confirmed at that point I will go somewhere else, there are plenty of cruises companies that sell offers without all this aggravation.

If P&O think that they can do without selling Savers/last minute deals they are wrong and these new Dining arrangements will be a deal breaker for some.

 

The point that is being glossed over is that people do not think that choosing a dining time is worth the extra money and for those who want specific times this has become a deal breaker. Several posters have suggested they will just look at other lines. The bottom line still comes down to brochure price being heavily inflated to compensate for getaway/ early saver however they dress it up. Flexible pricing increasing with demand is the only way round this. It would be interesting to see how many late bookers became early bookers if the initial prices were lower rising as sailings fill. P&O have encouraged a culture that they will need to work hard to break.

[bee-ess]

The point that is being glossed over is that people do not think that choosing a dining time is worth the extra money and for those who want specific times this has become a deal breaker. Several posters have suggested they will just look at other lines. The bottom line still comes down to brochure price being heavily inflated to compensate for getaway/ early saver however they dress it up. Flexible pricing increasing with demand is the only way round this. It would be interesting to see how many late bookers became early bookers if the initial prices were lower rising as sailings fill. P&O have encouraged a culture that they will need to work hard to break.

 

Well said - they have made a difficult situation for themselves and I have been cruising with P&O long enough to know that the first week used to be the best time to book, it is obvious after the way it has changed in the last 2-3 years that customers would wait for Savers/Getaways as we knew that they could not sell the cabins without dropping the price. Having said that I am just not going to buy an expensive holiday without knowing my dining time and I don't think that that is unreasonable. I may be wrong but I don't think I have EVER booked a P&O cruise without knowing this including 3 P&O getaways.

[Snookumps]

Just thought I would give you an update regarding early savers dining restrictions.

I have received a letter from customer services today, to clarify the fact that two cabins booked together will not be linked for dining. So that means I will have to wait and see if common sense will prevail we we arrive onboard.

I would also advise that unless there is only two of you travelling I would recommend you book with another cruise company that don't place so many restrictions on dining on a saver deal, or pay full price.

It is taking some of the shine of the holiday, but like I say I will just have to wait and see what happens, and just hope that we are all on the same sitting.

[dinger63]

Hi Just wondered if you had already sailed and if you have what happened when you finally got your dining arrangements? Were you all together? We are in the same position but with Cunard. Hope you had a great cruise whatever the outcome was! :)

[themanwithahat]

I did something similar on the QE before Christmas. It's much the same I think, no guarantees, but you are almost certain to be togehter. We shared with a family of four who were great. Most days we were last out of the dining room.

 

But there are no guarantees. The P&O Woman I booked Azura with a while back summed it up ; you almost certainly will be together, worst case scenario you can eat in the Buffet, and for the money you save you can eat in all the speciality restaurants every night and you'll still be ahead. (precis).

[dinger63]

It's the QE we are on just before this Christmas! Hope we're together for dining, not bothered about the cabins or which sitting at the dining but it would be nice to be together. Ah well it won't spoil our cruise for sure :)