Early Savers Dining

[Malefage]

Forgive me if this has come up before but I am new to this forum.

We have booked along with four friends a cruise to the Med in May. As we have booked Early Savers the TA said they could not guarantee that we could all sit together for dinner but has put us all under one booking. We are not really concerned which sitting we are on or if there will be other diners at the table as long as we can sit together. I have also noticed that freedom dining has started on Aurora. We are prepared to take freedom dining but would prefer select dining as we enjoy the repartee etc. we have with the same waiters every night. I think we have stated 2nd sitting as a preference. Should we each book a table for six on the dining preference or just one book for six.? Does this booking online apply to Early Savers? Can we change to freedom dining if we are not accommodated with a table for all of us?In the past we have always booked in advance and paid full price so these preferences were catered for but became increasingly angry when taking the cruise to find that people had paid far less than us and some had even been upgraded.

Sorry to be so long winded about this but perhaps someone could let me know what happens with Early Savers.

[majortom10]

Perhaps with all these preferences you should have booked a Select. By booking an Early Saver you save money but there are risks and those the risks you have to take I am afraid you cant have your cake and eat it.

[Malefage]

We only require one preference and that is we can all sit together at dinner. We don't care which sitting etc. or size of table just that we can sit together.

[daiB]

Perhaps with all these preferences you should have booked a Select. By booking an Early Saver you save money but there are risks and those the risks you have to take I am afraid you cant have your cake and eat it.

 

 

Agree but your only saving grace is that at the moment second sitting is the least popular dining option therefore you may be fine.

[themanwithahat]

Forgive me if this has come up before but I am new to this forum.

We have booked along with four friends a cruise to the Med in May. As we have booked Early Savers the TA said they could not guarantee that we could all sit together for dinner but has put us all under one booking. We are not really concerned which sitting we are on or if there will be other diners at the table as long as we can sit together. I have also noticed that freedom dining has started on Aurora. We are prepared to take freedom dining but would prefer select dining as we enjoy the repartee etc. we have with the same waiters every night. I think we have stated 2nd sitting as a preference. Should we each book a table for six on the dining preference or just one book for six.? Does this booking online apply to Early Savers? Can we change to freedom dining if we are not accommodated with a table for all of us?In the past we have always booked in advance and paid full price so these preferences were catered for but became increasingly angry when taking the cruise to find that people had paid far less than us and some had even been upgraded.

Sorry to be so long winded about this but perhaps someone could let me know what happens with Early Savers.

 

My admittedly limited experience and what I have read elsewhere is that it is likely but not guaranteed that you will be together as long as your bookings are linked together.

 

It is a feature of most purchasing that some people will pay less than you and be upgraded ; we were upgraded on our second cruise, I have no idea why. Maybe it is pot luck.

[BrianI]

As Dai says, second sitting is usually the least preferred so you should be ok. If you dont get what you want, just see the restaurant manager and they will endeavor to fit you in.

Brian

[Scriv]

As an Early Saver, your dining preferences will be taken into account once the Select bookers have had theirs allocated - as I am sure you will agree is only fair after having paid the full whack yourself for that in the past.

[Malefage]

I really would like to reiterate that although we put down 2nd sitting as an option we really do not mind which sitting or freedom dining as long as we can sit together.

[Malefage]

Thank you to you all for replying to this thread. We are all on the same booking so hopefully everything will be fine.

[the english lady]

I really would like to reiterate that although we put down 2nd sitting as an option we really do not mind which sitting or freedom dining as long as we can sit together.

 

Please do not upset yourself. You have stated you wish to be sat together. You have linked the bookings.

If heaven forbid when you get to your cabins you have not been allocated the same dining table ,join the long q to see the md and request you are put on the same table.

You will probably find you are on the same table.

Ref the pricing. This is very fluid now, and what with on board spend with select bookings/double onboard spend with select bookings/early saver/saver fares you could find a table for 10 have all paid different prices.

I make a point of never discussing what I have paid with anyone. It is not their business and if they wish to be a total bore and say how little they have paid ,well if that is the limit of their conversation obviously I would not be talking to them much.

My feeling is early savers are between a rock and a hard place. you don't get first pickings like select fare payers, but equally you do not get the sometimes much cheaper price of the saver fares.

P and O will do what they can-they just cannot guarantee it. If they guaranteed it with you they would have to guarantee it for the other early saver fare payers.

Think no more about it-do not worry and fret ..just wait until you get onboard.

[bee-ess]

Think you will OK - esp. if you don't mind 2nd sitting. Go and see the Restaurant Manager about 2-30/3-00 on your boarding day and they will try to sort you out. They do get quite a queue sometimes for changes.

[Malefage]

Thank you English lady for your reply. We have always paid full fare before and we never talk about how much we paid. We took advantage of the Early saver fare as we did not mind what cabin we had or if they were far apart we only wanted to dine together in the evenings no matter where or when.

I am sure I read a while ago on a forum (not sure if it is was this one) that P & O were pretty stubborn about dining arrangements for Early savers and that you had to take what you were given and it could not be changed. Rest assured when we embark the first thing we shall do is check the dining arrangements and if we are unfortunate not to be sitting together we shall go straight to the dining room. We shall have to see what the outcome is and if the worse comes to the worse we shall have to lunch together!!

[BrianI]

Last year we had one cruise on a saver which is more restrictive than an early saver as you cannot nominate a dining preference. We were allocated second sitting which we do not like. We went to see the restaurant manager (there was quite a queue) and it was changed to first sitting.

Brian

[tjwa]

Last year we had one cruise on a saver which is more restrictive than an early saver as you cannot nominate a dining preference. We were allocated second sitting which we do not like. We went to see the restaurant manager (there was quite a queue) and it was changed to first sitting.

Brian

 

Good to hear that with a saver fare the RM was willing to change the sitting.

[Mr Piano]

We booked early saver on last cruise and got everything we asked for. However this time we have booked select. As we considered with on board spend and no charge for shuttle bus. The saving for early saver is not as big amount as you think. The little extra is worth comfort choosing your cabin and knowing you will get the dining you want

[SDadw01]

We booked early saver on last cruise and got everything we asked for. However this time we have booked select. As we considered with on board spend and no charge for shuttle bus. The saving for early saver is not as big amount as you think. The little extra is worth comfort choosing your cabin and knowing you will get the dining you want

 

I couldn't agree more!

[PJ's]

As long as all the bookings are linked you should get the same dining. Each cabin should have their own booking reference and will be able to submit dining preferences.

When we book our cabins (ourselves and friends) we each submit dining preferences (sitting & table size) through the cruise personaliser even though I actually do the booking. On our last cruise which we booked as early saver we were put on 1st sitting, table for 4 but had requested 2nd sitting. No problem we just joined the queue and it was changed to 2nd sitting, still a table for 4.

[kevinyork]

I am repeating myself but I really dislike the 'air of doom' P&O cast over those who book Saver fares. For that reason we would never book a Saver fare and have only booked a Select fare for a cruise in March because the differential was not that great and they had double obc (£640) per cabin on offer making it ultimately better value.

 

 

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[richleeds]

I am repeating myself but I really dislike the 'air of doom' P&O cast over those who book Saver fares. For that reason we would never book a Saver fare and have only booked a Select fare for a cruise in March because the differential was not that great and they had double obc (£640) per cabin on offer making it ultimately better value.

 

 

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Yes but if P&O are going to create different pricing structures they they need to differentiate the proposition on each.

 

That air of doom you talk about gets you paying more but as you say quite often it works out even or better value.

 

OBC doesnt cost P&O as much as its perceived value to the passenger.

[Midsomer Madness]

i have read of many people on early saver and saver fares who tried to get their dinner sitting changed and were unsuccessful.

 

Our TA told us that even if bookings are linked things like dining, flights etc cannot be guaranteed and you take your chances.

 

We booked an early saver on Oriana last year when the early saver fares first came out, we asked for second sitting, table for 8 and that is what we got.

 

The fare when it went to saver from early saver never went as low as what we paid. So sometimes you can be lucky in that respect!

 

We tend to book select fares when we are cruising with family or friends to ensure we get the dining we want and are all sat together, and also on the same flights if doing a caribbean fly cruise.

 

If its just myself and my husband we book whatever deal we can get at the time, sometimes select, sometimes early saver. As yet we have never booked a late saver though.

[majortom10]

I know this will upset a lot of people but unless you pay Select fare then whether it be Early Saver or Saver it should not be allowed to be changed once onboard it is end of the day what people that have booked Select fares for so they can have choice if you want to pay less i.e. Early Saver or Saver you should have to put up with what you are given with no complaints.

[the english lady]

I know this will upset a lot of people but unless you pay Select fare then whether it be Early Saver or Saver it should not be allowed to be changed once onboard it is end of the day what people that have booked Select fares for so they can have choice if you want to pay less i.e. Early Saver or Saver you should have to put up with what you are given with no complaints.

 

Ouch, yes I think you may have some comments about this.

I think with early saver fares its the word guarantee that is the very important word. Requests can go in, but no Guarentee.

I have said before I would always go select or saver, never early saver-rock/hard place...etc

[richleeds]

I know this will upset a lot of people but unless you pay Select fare then whether it be Early Saver or Saver it should not be allowed to be changed once onboard it is end of the day what people that have booked Select fares for so they can have choice if you want to pay less i.e. Early Saver or Saver you should have to put up with what you are given with no complaints.

 

 

As much as P&O love full fare passengers they need and only continue to fill their ships and run a business with Saver fare passengers.

 

They need repeat business from Saver fare passengers.

 

If you alienate them too much they will go elsewhere.

 

If a Saver fare knew there was space on the early sitting but P&O wouldn't let them change as "that's the rules" it would spoil their cruise, bug them daily and P&O would probably lose future custom.

 

I have no issue with not changing sitting for Savers when there is no availability but to do it on a point of principle or rule set would cost P&O more in the long run.

 

 

 

 

 

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[bobstheboy]

I know this will upset a lot of people but unless you pay Select fare then whether it be Early Saver or Saver it should not be allowed to be changed once onboard it is end of the day what people that have booked Select fares for so they can have choice if you want to pay less i.e. Early Saver or Saver you should have to put up with what you are given with no complaints.

 

Wow !

 

I like being a cheap skate and getting deals, so I must put up with what I am given and be grateful.

 

Reminds me of the time I was on Dawn Princess, inside cabin on the lowest passenger deck, in the Caribbean. I went back to my cabin mid morning and there was a young American couple just by my cabin door. I opened it and the "lady" said to me, "Are you crew ?" I said "No, Why ?" Her reply was "I didn't realise passengers were living this far down." I replied "Well we do have to do menial jobs to justify the cheap rate we paid." She replied " Oh, I hope you don't have to work too hard." I just burst out laughing, shook my head and walked away.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Wow !

 

I like being a cheap skate and getting deals, so I must put up with what I am given and be grateful.

 

Reminds me of the time I was on Dawn Princess, inside cabin on the lowest passenger deck, in the Caribbean. I went back to my cabin mid morning and there was a young American couple just by my cabin door. I opened it and the "lady" said to me, "Are you crew ?" I said "No, Why ?" Her reply was "I didn't realise passengers were living this far down." I replied "Well we do have to do menial jobs to justify the cheap rate we paid." She replied " Oh, I hope you don't have to work too hard." I just burst out laughing, shook my head and walked away.

Brilliant bobstheboy :D:D:D I have booked saver fare too, so will just have to put up with what I am given!