Guarantee cabins and dining options

[gladface]

Hi, I haven't cruised before but we have been tempted by the bargain price for Brittania on 27th March. I wondered how dîning times work for a guarantee cabin. Is there a chance we would be allocated freedom dîning (which we don't really want) or would it be a choice of first or second sitting . Thanks

[the english lady]

If the fare you are paying is calling itself an early saver or a saver ,then basically.

Early saver (pay deposit and balance)you are given the option on your cruise personaliser at some stage to put in your preferred choice for dining and they will try and accommodate you, after select diners.

Saver (pay 100% at time of booking), you have no choice and they slot you in where they have spaces. If when you get on board you do not like what you have been given you can go see the MD and see if you can change. That is not always possible.

I get the feeling a lot of saver fares are given freedom.

[Heartlands1]

Everyone I spoke to on our flight from Barbados had been on freedom dining including those on savers.

[Bacardi..]

Why would you not want freedom. I've Never had a problem with it, we just ask to be seated on any table available never really had a wait. You can eat when you want then, and it is the same as club dinning menu.

 

Btw

Bonvoyage

[staygulf]

Why would you not want freedom. I've Never had a problem with it, we just ask to be seated on any table available never really had a wait. You can eat when you want then, and it is the same as club dinning menu.

 

Btw

Bonvoyage

 

There are various reasons why club dining is preferred over freedom dining. For my part, I prefer a table of 8 to 10 in club dining so that you can develop a relationship with your dining companions throughout the cruise. The conversation develops and is not the same "how many cruises have done?" etc etc which you tend to get with freedom dining (unless, of course, you are sitting at a table for 2)

[FangedRose]

Hi, I haven't cruised before but we have been tempted by the bargain price for Brittania on 27th March. I wondered how dîning times work for a guarantee cabin. Is there a chance we would be allocated freedom dîning (which we don't really want) or would it be a choice of first or second sitting . Thanks

 

I was allocated freedom on my last cruise, saver fare, paid in full at time of booking. I requested to be put on the wait list for fixed dining, and when I got on board I had fixed dining, and the sitting I wanted 😊

[Mysticalmother]

Why would you not want freedom. I've Never had a problem with it, we just ask to be seated on any table available never really had a wait. You can eat when you want then, and it is the same as club dinning menu.

 

Btw

Bonvoyage

 

I have always preferred Club dining, on a large table where one can get to know ones table companions and have never had a "bad" table (although I can understand that that does happen), rather than suffer every night with "we have done 97 cruises..blah blah! :D

We have however taken the plunge for our next cruise and asked for Freedom dining - quite honestly just to give it a try! We may not get it of course, (early saver fare) but will be happy to report back later in the year as to how we "coped" if we do.

I just hope that p & O continue to give passengers the choice, as we all prefer different things. And if the OP does not want Freedom dining, I dont really think it is fair for any of us to question the reasons why.

Happy cruising folks...

[Bacardi..]

. And if the OP does not want Freedom dining, I dont really think it is fair for any of us to question the reasons why.

 

Happy cruising folks...

 

 

I think it perfectly fair. The op clearly states they have not been on a cruise before, and rules out freedom dinning. They could quite easily not understand or have a misconception on how it works.

 

Btw

I have done freedom dinning many times and I can't remember being asked how many cruises I've done or asking how many someone has done, you must been on some boring tables

[Mysticalmother]

I think it perfectly fair. The op clearly states they have not been on a cruise before, and rules out freedom dinning. They could quite easily not understand or have a misconception on how it works.

 

Btw

I have done freedom dinning many times and I can't remember being asked how many cruises I've done or asking how many someone has done, you must been on some boring tables

 

Maybe it was just the way you worded your response...which I read as being slightly critical ....

 

I haven't done freedom dining before, as I said in my post, and as I also said I have never had a bad table on club dining.

But As others have said many times on this forum, and repeated by Staygulf at post 5 on this thread, there is a tendency on freedom dining for the " how many cruises have you done " type of conversation , which I hate. If you havent experienced it, i would say you have been very lucky.

[mrbluesea]

Personally I love the the discussion about other peoples cruising experiences. It's just that on freedom dinning you have to do it every night to new people. I much prefer to be able to build on the conversation as the cruise progresses with the same group of people. But its good we all are different.

[Scriv]

I have only done Freedom on two 2-nts cruises, where it was still a novelty to be meeting different people at meal times, so we were 'happy to share' and be sociable.

 

However, on a longer cruise, we prefer to be on a fixed table and build on the conversation, like mrbluesea, as the cruise progresses. I have heard that some people on Freedom Dining on longer cruises often make friends and then arrange to meet them at the door to the restaurant and go in together and sit with them? This is in a way, the best of both worlds?

 

And yes, it's good that we are all different.

[Bacardi..]

Maybe it was just the way you worded your response...which I read as being slightly critical ....

 

 

 

I haven't done freedom dining before, as I said in my post, and as I also said I have never had a bad table on club dining.

 

But As others have said many times on this forum, and repeated by Staygulf at post 5 on this thread, there is a tendency on freedom dining for the " how many cruises have you done " type of conversation , which I hate. If you havent experienced it, i would say you have been very lucky.

 

 

Perhaps it was worded badly, but I only asked why they would rule out freedom.

 

My last cruise was a early saver and got allocated second sitting. It was the worst table I've ever had. Nothing particularly wrong with the people but they were a lot older than us. (We're no spring chickens). We did not bother after the second night and used the buffet.

 

With freedom we would have been on a different table and would of made more use of the formal dinning. As another poster has suggested if you get on with someone you can arrange a drink and go down together.

 

But you are correct we are all different and I do hope p&o continue offering the different dinning options. I believe that there must be a better way of doing it with the saver fares, as the amount of people unhappy with the choice they've been allocated is large.

[tartanexile81]

 

Btw

I have done freedom dinning many times and I can't remember being asked how many cruises I've done or asking how many someone has done, you must been on some boring tables

 

Well you've been very lucky. It's the same at any Open Seating meal. It's what puts us off Freedom, as well as the inevitable discussions about where you're from (Yawn!). We've had amazing tables on Club, but we've had the odd bad experience too, so we change between depending how the mood takes us at booking! Next cruise on P&O is Club, one after Freedom.

Edited January 16, 2016 by tartanexile81

[staygulf]

Well you've been very lucky. It's the same at any Open Seating meal. It's what puts us off Freedom, as well as the inevitable discussions about where you're from (Yawn!). We've had amazing tables on Club, but we've had the odd bad experience too, so we change between depending how the mood takes us at booking! Next cruise on P&O is Club, one after Freedom.

 

In over 20 cruises 18 have been "club" dining, the other 2 NCL. Yes there have been one or two occasions when we have had a "bad" crowd. A swift visit to the Maitre d' to change tables soon sorts that out. We would never intentionally book freedom dining.

[Florry]

I'm going to try Freedom on a 24 night this year - let's hope the range of ice-breaker questions becomes more diverse by then, or I might wear a sign around my neck [emoji6]

Edited January 16, 2016 by Florry

[kersh]

We always choose freedom as it gives us so much choice. Eat when and where we want. Eat on a large table or as a twosome. Dine with friends we have met on board, choose to dine at a Select restaurant without having to let anyone know we are not going into dinner.

 

If we opt for a large table I usually start the conversation by asking what people did that day. It usually flows from there and we get great ideas for the next time we cruise to the same place. My problem is remembering it all after a few glasses of vino.

 

Whichever dining allocation you get you can always ask to change and if the restaurant manager can accommodate you he will do so.

 

Sue

[Scriv]

Sue, that's what I usually ask as well to kick off - or what are you planning to do?

 

Perhaps we should all collaberate on a list of good ice breaker questions?

[LondonTowner]

We were allocated Freedom sitting on our last cruise, but prefer to sit with the same people each evening. Once on board we asked to change to a second sitting large table and that is what we got.

 

It was the nicest group of people we have sat with on a cruise and we had lots of fun with them.

 

We had Freedom sitting at lunch time a few times and met a few odd bods and some who didn't speak. Luckily we didn't have to sit with them twice.

[Scriv]

I think people who choose fixed dining on larger tables tend to be those who like to socialise and chat.

[jeanlyon]

We always request a Table for 8 and have never had a bad table yet. Also, have never had the problem of talking about other cruises. I think we have been asked if we have been on that particular ship before, but that's OK. We are still in contact with a number of people we have shared a table with.

[LondonTowner]

Scriv

 

Yes, you are right we like to socialise and we enjoy the company. Have met some very nice people over the years and had lots of laughs.

[Scriv]

Yes, us too :) We are very good friends with and cruise with the people we met on our very first cruise.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Scriv

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Personally, I would rather have freedom dining than 1st sitting :eek::eek: especially if it is at 6pm as it was on Oceana in November.

 

We like to use the buffet some nights and if you are on freedom dining you don't have the hassle of informing your table mates.

[davecttr]

I used to have club dining then changed to freedom and then back to club ;) however I have now changed to freedom for my next cruise as I found club too inflexible and the table on my last cruise did not 'gel' to put it mildly.

Edited January 18, 2016 by davecttr

[FangedRose]

I now travel solo and so prefer fixed dining.

 

Earlier cruises were with husband and young teenage son and got totally fed up of the negotiations and nagging about when to go to dinner and getting ready etc. There was always one of us who was famished earlier than the other two so had a snack in the buffet or poolside grill and then not hungry for dinner when the others were ready to eat. We never managec to synchronise. Much easier and relaxed when on cruises with fixed dining.