Colsers Posted February 18, 2023 #451 Share Posted February 18, 2023 1 hour ago, TigerB said: You're welcome.🙂 What's your desired time for eating? I was able to book a table for four at 18:30 every evening; that though was as soon as the bookings opened on the Cruise Planner, at least two weeks before we sailed. There could be several reasons why your desired time may not be available. One reason may be that you are joining mid-cruise and folk already onboard may have taken the available slots. Or they are popular times, so are being kept back for the virtual queuing system. Also, we sailed from Southampton, so everyone was in the same boat (pun intended) and all had the same chance of picking slots. It may well be that, once you are on board, you may strike lucky in booking on My Holiday. If you get lucky on your first attempt but cannot book other nights, you could approach the restaurant host with a smile and ask if you could get the same slot each evening. Asking costs nothing!😉 Our desired time of 7.30 or 8pm will possibly be more popular so these are maybe held back for virtual or physical queuing on the day. Dining and entertainment bookings have opened on cruiseplanner for our cruise but as I say only 5-6pm pre bookable. Having cruised many times before but only twice previously on P&O, fixed seating, we've never had the "pleasure" of freedom dining so were a bit confused about the ability to pre book some dining slots and entertainment but not for the whole cruise. Indeed we may be lucky whilst onboard either online or approaching the host, however I'd rather have had that all booked up in advance so to completely relax onboard. 🤗 I do wonder how cruise newbies find this complicated (imo) system of booking or just turning up, for dining and entertainment only whilst onboard via smartphones. I bet there will be a few bewildered souls onboard in the dining and theatre queues for a few nights 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amajaa Posted February 18, 2023 #452 Share Posted February 18, 2023 Sorry another question, how does the Limelight Club work as regards seating? Is it first booked gets the best seats or first in the queue on the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TigerB Posted February 18, 2023 #453 Share Posted February 18, 2023 10 minutes ago, amajaa said: Sorry another question, how does the Limelight Club work as regards seating? Is it first booked gets the best seats or first in the queue on the day? I have a feeling that tables are assigned by the restaurant host or head waiter, and may bear no relation to order of booking or arrival. I say that because we were by no means one of the first to arrive, and we were assigned two tables together fairly close to the performance area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy v Posted February 18, 2023 #454 Share Posted February 18, 2023 1 hour ago, amajaa said: Sorry another question, how does the Limelight Club work as regards seating? Is it first booked gets the best seats or first in the queue on the day? I think it is in order of booking. We had two bookings and the one we had booked earliest had seats nearer the front. Your place in the queue on board had no relevance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amajaa Posted February 19, 2023 #455 Share Posted February 19, 2023 14 hours ago, TigerB said: I have a feeling that tables are assigned by the restaurant host or head waiter, and may bear no relation to order of booking or arrival. I say that because we were by no means one of the first to arrive, and we were assigned two tables together fairly close to the performance area. 13 hours ago, happy v said: I think it is in order of booking. We had two bookings and the one we had booked earliest had seats nearer the front. Your place in the queue on board had no relevance Thanks both I was hoping to book onboard to use OBC but perhaps might just have to book before . Do you still get your Peninsular discount if you book beforehand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colsers Posted February 19, 2023 #456 Share Posted February 19, 2023 34 minutes ago, amajaa said: Thanks both I was hoping to book onboard to use OBC but perhaps might just have to book before . Do you still get your Peninsular discount if you book beforehand? Yes amajaa, we got ours 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TigerB Posted February 19, 2023 #457 Share Posted February 19, 2023 57 minutes ago, amajaa said: Thanks both I was hoping to book onboard to use OBC but perhaps might just have to book before . Do you still get your Peninsular discount if you book beforehand? 21 minutes ago, Colsers said: Yes amajaa, we got ours 👍 ....and you get a 20% discount for booking before you board. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy v Posted February 19, 2023 #458 Share Posted February 19, 2023 24 minutes ago, TigerB said: ....and you get a 20% discount for booking before you board. For the Limelight? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TigerB Posted February 19, 2023 #459 Share Posted February 19, 2023 34 minutes ago, happy v said: For the Limelight? Yes. We have previously paid £24 before Peninsular discount, and once on board the price was £30. Some shows are as much as £35 if booked on the ship. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colsers Posted February 19, 2023 #460 Share Posted February 19, 2023 2 hours ago, happy v said: For the Limelight? Yes, as I said, we have booked limelight in advance for our upcoming cruise and got 20% discount 😀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clodia Posted February 19, 2023 #461 Share Posted February 19, 2023 I am on Iona on March 4th, and have made bookings for as many restaurants as possible because I am travelling solo and don't want to share since covid. What are my chances of a table for one in the MDRs, or will I have to have room service any night I cannot get into the onboard available places like the Keel & Cow, the Glass House or the Olive Grove? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TigerB Posted February 19, 2023 #462 Share Posted February 19, 2023 25 minutes ago, Clodia said: I am on Iona on March 4th, and have made bookings for as many restaurants as possible because I am travelling solo and don't want to share since covid. What are my chances of a table for one in the MDRs, or will I have to have room service any night I cannot get into the onboard available places like the Keel & Cow, the Glass House or the Olive Grove? It shouldn't be a problem; I have frequently seen solo diners in the MDR. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlet ohara Posted February 19, 2023 #463 Share Posted February 19, 2023 There were single diners in the Olive Grove, Beach house, Sindhu and Epicurean each time we were in them the last 3 weeks. We didn’t manage to get into Olive Grive in the evening. On G303 there was no pre booking or booking on board- it was all turn up and get a pager. No virtual queue for it either. On G304 it was booking only, but was fully booked for evenings from the first time we tried. It never appeared on the “app” at all. We were advised to try at lunchtime, but were in port most days. It would be helpful if P&O would be consistent with each restaurant as to whether they are pre bookable before boarding or onboard as that might help lessen confusion 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrierjohn Posted February 22, 2023 #464 Share Posted February 22, 2023 On 2/18/2023 at 11:22 AM, Selbourne said: Hence my question 😂 If I can’t book for all 6 of us, we would end up with 3 tables for 2, which would then need unravelling when we turn up. I’d also like to get our Caribbean tier discount on all 6 covers, especially as I’m paying! The app only reserves your bookings, if you all turn up together the MDR host will put you all on one table. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binman2 Posted February 25, 2023 #465 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Does Aurora use the app for freedom dinning or is it a case of queuing or using a pager if no availability at the time you want ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thornegirl Posted February 26, 2023 #466 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Does anyone know which restaurants are open on embarkation day? We don't do the Peninsular club lunch (the last one on Iona was awful). We normally go in the Glass House but that wasn't open at all in August on Iona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thornegirl Posted February 26, 2023 #467 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Sorry forgot to say on Arvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecttr Posted February 26, 2023 #468 Share Posted February 26, 2023 On Iona a couple of weeks ago the Glass House was open but not for food until 3pm. The Peninsular club lunch was packed so I found a quiet place in the buffet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thornegirl Posted February 26, 2023 #469 Share Posted February 26, 2023 2 hours ago, davecttr said: On Iona a couple of weeks ago the Glass House was open but not for food until 3pm. The Peninsular club lunch was packed so I found a quiet place in the buffet Thanks for the information, wonder if the Quays is open. If not, buffet it is then to the Glass House for drinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EM35 Posted February 26, 2023 #470 Share Posted February 26, 2023 On Aurora last summer (August 2022) you could book freedom dining on the app with the the queue opening about 15 minutes before the dining room did. I used the app without any problems but people certainly did just turn up at the restaurant and they would give you them a pager if they didn't have any tables available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britboys Posted February 26, 2023 #471 Share Posted February 26, 2023 I've read elsewhere that use of the 'app' is no longer necessary on Aurora but don't have personal recent experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Selbourne Posted February 26, 2023 #472 Share Posted February 26, 2023 1 hour ago, thornegirl said: Thanks for the information, wonder if the Quays is open. If not, buffet it is then to the Glass House for drinks. That’s a good question. I’d also like to know if The Quays is open during embarkation. We find the priority boarders lunch to be underwhelming and avoid the buffet like the plague, so have always gone straight to the Glasshouse for lunch, which is no longer an option. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fionboard Posted February 26, 2023 #473 Share Posted February 26, 2023 Massive queues every night for early dining in Freedom at Xmas. No queues for 6.30 fixed dining upstairs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daiB Posted February 26, 2023 #474 Share Posted February 26, 2023 5 minutes ago, Fionboard said: Massive queues every night for early dining in Freedom at Xmas. No queues for 6.30 fixed dining upstairs! Upstairs, are you thinking Arcadia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daiB Posted February 26, 2023 #475 Share Posted February 26, 2023 We were on her at Christmas and people were using pagers cos you could hear them in Andersons. I think the app was used as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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