Dining

[uk338]

Are they operating fixed dining times at all, or is it all freedom now? 

[Son of Anarchy]

32 minutes ago, HikingPete said:

Have Gala evenings changed at all?

 

I'm sailing on Iona next weekend. I've just tried my suit on and it no longer fits... 😟 However when I look on the website in my personaliser I can't see anything referencing how many nights are black tie...

Iona should have one gala evening per week.

[HikingPete]

7 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Iona should have one gala evening per week.

 

Excellent, thanks. Time to go speedy suit shopping then.

[Selbourne]

29 minutes ago, uk338 said:

Are they operating fixed dining times at all, or is it all freedom now? 

Iona is 100% freedom dining. No club (fixed) dining at all. This will clearly be the policy on all new ships. Club dining remains on all the older ships - for now!

[wowzz]

51 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Iona is 100% freedom dining. No club (fixed) dining at all. This will clearly be the policy on all new ships. Club dining remains on all the older ships - for now!

If P&O go down the Princess route, which I suspect they will, yes, Club dining in the true sense of the word, will disappear. 

[Cruise Puss]

On 11/30/2021 at 8:55 PM, janieb1962 said:

We are currently on Britannia, the ship is sailing with reduced passenger numbers (probably due to covid protocols and lack  of uptake in sales) that said it gives plenty of space for everyone . They are now (2nd week) allowing you to share tables with other diners. No problem getting a table for two and no queuing. The new app is brilliant , tells you how many in the virtual queue , then let’s you know when your table is ready, which is mostly instantly… you can accept the table and it gives you 15 minutes or you can leave the queue and join again later . Only two MDRs in use currently . 
 

 

Hi there,  I wonder if you can help me.  We were on both Britannia and Iona this Summer, but cannot remember if you use the 'app' to book for breakfast or not? Many thanks for your help. CP

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, Cruise Puss said:

 

Hi there,  I wonder if you can help me.  We were on both Britannia and Iona this Summer, but cannot remember if you use the 'app' to book for breakfast or not? Many thanks for your help. CP

No booking required for breakfast.

[Bin man]

Was on Iona 3 weeks ago didn't need app for breakfast 

[grapau27]

41 minutes ago, Cruise Puss said:

 

Hi there,  I wonder if you can help me.  We were on both Britannia and Iona this Summer, but cannot remember if you use the 'app' to book for breakfast or not? Many thanks for your help. CP

We also had a staycation in August on Britannia and Iona in September and no booking needed for breakfast although we got room service breakfast each day then had an early lunch at 12 am which we booked on the app.

Graham.

[Cruise Puss]

22 hours ago, grapau27 said:

We also had a staycation in August on Britannia and Iona in September and no booking needed for breakfast although we got room service breakfast each day then had an early lunch at 12 am which we booked on the app.

Graham.

 

Many thanks.  We had Suites on both trips and didn't, therefore, use the MDR for breakfast and I couldn't remember what the 'app' said every morning when I looked at it.  We've got two Mini-Suites booked on Iona next November and I wasn't sure whether we would have to book in to breakfast, or whether you just turned up.

 

What did you think of the 'app'?  We were on Iona's Maiden, where it was used for the first time, and it was, to be honest, an absolute nightmare the first few days, but it did improve and we used it most nights for dinner.  We also went on Queen Elizabeth in September and they were using it too.  I think we will see this being used not only on ships, but also in hotel chains across the World.  To be fair, it does seem to work well.  My Husband hates sharing a table and this does mean that you get the size table you ask for which he much prefers.

 

Once again, many thanks for your helpful comment.  😊

CP

 

[zap99]

On 12/5/2021 at 7:16 AM, HikingPete said:

Have Gala evenings changed at all?

 

I'm sailing on Iona next weekend. I've just tried my suit on and it no longer fits... 😟 However when I look on the website in my personaliser I can't see anything referencing how many nights are black tie...

Does you tie still fit🤣. If so don't worry.

[Bobblehat71]

On 11/30/2021 at 10:54 PM, Britboys said:

It is certainly not announced on board to the best of my knowledge but they may well have asked staff members who may have given them an indication. I have known Captains to mention that the ship is full but I doubt they would particularly want to acknowledge that it is only half-full...

 

Just got off Ventura Yesterday.

 

The captain announced that there were 2200 passengers on board and 1100 staff.

Average age looked to be around 80+ 😀 

2 main restaurants where freedom dining and one club dining. 

After few teething problems the App worked really well. You could also use it to book breakfast and lunch in the MDR room but probably not required due to the lower passenger numbers. Handy if you want a table for two though.

[HikingPete]

2 hours ago, zap99 said:

Does you tie still fit🤣. If so don't worry.

 

The tie still fits (I'm a bowtie guy anyway). The issue is probably that if I'm not wearing zip-off cargo trousers and a running shirt, my smart-casual outfit is chinos and a shirt of the floral variety. Not exactly black-tie attire.

 

I make no apologies for my fashion sense.  😎 

[grapau27]

3 hours ago, Cruise Puss said:

 

Many thanks.  We had Suites on both trips and didn't, therefore, use the MDR for breakfast and I couldn't remember what the 'app' said every morning when I looked at it.  We've got two Mini-Suites booked on Iona next November and I wasn't sure whether we would have to book in to breakfast, or whether you just turned up.

 

What did you think of the 'app'?  We were on Iona's Maiden, where it was used for the first time, and it was, to be honest, an absolute nightmare the first few days, but it did improve and we used it most nights for dinner.  We also went on Queen Elizabeth in September and they were using it too.  I think we will see this being used not only on ships, but also in hotel chains across the World.  To be fair, it does seem to work well.  My Husband hates sharing a table and this does mean that you get the size table you ask for which he much prefers.

 

Once again, many thanks for your helpful comment.  😊

CP

 

On Iona we went straight to the My Holiday help desk and a lovely lady put the app shortcut onto my phone screen which made it easy.

I made all our meal and entertainment reservations straight away so got all the times and restaurants I wanted for lunch and dinner.

I could keep a check of our spend in the app but I could also see this on our interactive Cabin TV.

Graham.

[The Padre]

My wife and I are going on Ventura soon. Freedom Dining, what's P and O policy on "joining a table"?

 

Is it still a thing at the moment or will they only allow us to dine at a table for two?

 

Thanks in advance.

[picsa]

On 12/5/2021 at 9:10 AM, Bin man said:

Was on Iona 3 weeks ago didn't need app for breakfast 

Or lunch.

[Cruise Puss]

29 minutes ago, The Padre said:

My wife and I are going on Ventura soon. Freedom Dining, what's P and O policy on "joining a table"?

 

Is it still a thing at the moment or will they only allow us to dine at a table for two?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

We were on Britannia in October down to the Med. and people were certainly sharing tables then. 😊

[terrierjohn]

44 minutes ago, The Padre said:

My wife and I are going on Ventura soon. Freedom Dining, what's P and O policy on "joining a table"?

 

Is it still a thing at the moment or will they only allow us to dine at a table for two?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

12 minutes ago, Cruise Puss said:

 

We were on Britannia in October down to the Med. and people were certainly sharing tables then. 😊

However do bear in mind that if one your table companions tests positive, you may be asked to go into a quarantine cabin and self isolate, and P&O do keep records of who sits where.

[grapau27]

39 minutes ago, picsa said:

Or lunch.

If you want to go into the main restaurants for lunch you need a reservation.

The buffet,fish and chips etc are walk in with no reservations needed.

[Britboys]

11 hours ago, Bobblehat71 said:

 

Just got off Ventura Yesterday.

 

The captain announced that there were 2200 passengers on board and 1100 staff.

Average age looked to be around 80+ 😀 

2 main restaurants where freedom dining and one club dining. 

After few teething problems the App worked really well. You could also use it to book breakfast and lunch in the MDR room but probably not required due to the lower passenger numbers. Handy if you want a table for two though.

With numbers like that, even I might be able to put up with Ventura or Azura...😂

[Selbourne]

31 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

 

However do bear in mind that if one your table companions tests positive, you may be asked to go into a quarantine cabin and self isolate, and P&O do keep records of who sits where.

We have always enjoyed sharing tables at times during cruises and have met lots of very interesting people as a result, but the risk that you describe would put us off completely and we would only dine on our own in the current climate. 

[Bin man]

We only used app for early booking for evening meal table for 2 between 5.30 _6.00pm on Iona but just walked in at lunch time for table for two in the pearl and coral .At the end of cruise block booked 5 evenings in the Pearl for same table for 2 

[yorkshirephil]

New P&O dress code for restaurants

[picsa]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

If you want to go into the main restaurants for lunch you need a reservation.

 

Not a few weeks ago on Iona.

 

Sure it appears in the webpage to book, same as it appears for breakfast, but walking up and asking for a table was fine.

[grapau27]

1 minute ago, picsa said:

Not a few weeks ago on Iona.

 

Sure it appears in the webpage to book, same as it appears for breakfast, but walking up and asking for a table was fine.

We had a 7 night staycation on Iona in September and the main restaurants were almost empty at Lunchtime so it probably would have been easy to just walk up and get a table.

We booked and went in at 12 noon when they opened.