Freedom Dining

[Big Foot]

We're off on Azura on 21st Oct & for the 1st time have selected Freedom Dining as opposed to Club Dining.

 

I (sort of) understand how it works, but do have a question.

 

When you are on a ship that has 2 Dining rooms allocated to Freedon Dining, do you still get allocated one or can you simply pop along to either one?

 

The reason for asking is that we've booked the same cruise as some friends but we're not cruising "with them"(it's just a coincidence we've booked the same cruise) & therefore the bookings are not linked.

 

They are also on Freedom Dining & we might want to dine together a few times (or not!). They are in a forward cabin on Lido deck, whilst we have a midship cabin on C deck.

 

Any advice greatly appreciated & also on tips re vegetarians re Freedom Dining. I know there is a separate menu as we enquired about that for our friends on our last cruise.

 

Thank you.

 

Joan

[Sunshine Boy]

Hi

Sorry you will not be able to interchange dining rooms but you should be able via a phone call link the bookings so that you will be allocated the same dining room

You could wait until you are onboard but the queues. Are generally long and you could be unsuccessful

Hope that helps and enjoy your cruise

 

 

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[Big Foot]

Thank you for your prompt response.

 

I don't know what made me think of it, but glad I did & asked the question!

 

Joan

[Josy1953]

On Azura in July we were assigned to the MDR on deck 6 but on 2 nights we turned up but were sent down to deck 5 because they were less busy down there so I suppose that there would be little or no problem if you wanted to go to the MDR on the odd occasion.

[Thejuggler]

Another small change which P&O could adopt from Princess. When on Freedom with them you can go to either Freedom dining room.

[Bruce62]

On arrival you will find a card with a restaurant allocated to you in the cabin. In theory this is an attempt to try and get people to use both restaurants evenly.

 

In reality, we have found that you can use either at any time. We normaly just go to the buffet on the first night, and by the time comes to dine on the 2nd, I've usually thrown the card away and forgotten which restaurant I was allocated to.:D

[Big Foot]

Thank you.

 

That make sense re trying to even out the numbers for each etc, however, as you say how would they know / remember which one you were supposed to be in.

[BrianI]

Thank you.

 

That make sense re trying to even out the numbers for each etc, however, as you say how would they know / remember which one you were supposed to be in.

They check your cruise card/cabin number when you go in. This also stops anyone allocated to club dining from using freedom dining.

Brian

[Bruce62]

They check your cruise card/cabin number when you go in. This also stops anyone allocated to club dining from using freedom dining.

Brian

 

Agreed! This is to stop those on 'Club' dining, and i'm sure it also gives them a lot of data on the dining habits of those on board, but I have never been questioned / challenged for being in the wrong restaurant.

[the english lady]

As is my wont I recently wandered to the princess/celebrity boards.

On there was a discussion about dining. What quite a few posters complained about was that which ever line I was on allowed you, if you missed your club dining slot, to go into freedom dining. This meant that people on freedom ,with the dine whenever you like, couldn't, as the people who really shouldn't be there were filling up the spaces and the freedom diners were on the boards complaining about the length of waiting times..

I would guess it couldn't work the other way (unless you were sent there) as club diners do have their own table and table mates..interlopers would be sniffed out ...

[BrianI]

On P&O, cruise cards/cabin numbers are checked on entry to the Freedom restaurant and if you are not on the list, you don't get in. This stops any Club diner from using the Freedom restaurant.

Brian

[P&O SUE]

I've just come off Azura today and we've just had the best freedom experience we've ever had. We didn't have to go and wait in a bar once and went straight to our table. And we were asking for a table for two.

I don't know if it was because it was a shorter cruise (5 nights) but I don't think so many people were using the MDR's. One day after a long port day we decided to go to the buffet but it was heaving so went across to the Beach House instead.

 

 

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Edited October 7, 2016 by P&O SUE

[Big Foot]

Thanks good to know :)

[Thejuggler]

As is my wont I recently wandered to the princess/celebrity boards.

On there was a discussion about dining. What quite a few posters complained about was that which ever line I was on allowed you, if you missed your club dining slot, to go into freedom dining. This meant that people on freedom ,with the dine whenever you like, couldn't, as the people who really shouldn't be there were filling up the spaces and the freedom diners were on the boards complaining about the length of waiting times..

I would guess it couldn't work the other way (unless you were sent there) as club diners do have their own table and table mates..interlopers would be sniffed out ...

 

 

What these two companies have effectively done with this policy is open freedom to all passengers - oops.

[Big Wonga]

Got off Ventura last week and we managed to dine in either restaurants with freedom dining. We were cruising with family and were allocated to different restaurants but no problem in interchanging. One thing that I did notice was the fewer people were using the restaurants deeper into the cruise. Definitely more people ended up in the buffet.

[Big Foot]

Got off Ventura last week and we managed to dine in either restaurants with freedom dining. We were cruising with family and were allocated to different restaurants but no problem in interchanging. One thing that I did notice was the fewer people were using the restaurants deeper into the cruise. Definitely more people ended up in the buffet.

 

Our bookings are now linked; however, it's good to hear that you were able to eat in either restaurant.