Looks like P&O are changing the way dining bookings are done on Arvia

[Interestedcruisefan]

14 minutes ago, Happy afloat said:

Not sure where you get your figures of thirds/two thirds from?

The point though, is that those who select to dine at 6.30 or 8.30 CHOOSE to do so, they don't want freedom dining. Nor does everyone want to book every meal and holiday to a timetable. If that works for you then that's great, but it's not what I'd call "proper freedom" as you say. Being pushed into using an app to run your hard earned holiday is not my, or it seems from the conversations on here, many other people's idea of fun. 

 

 

 

From what I'm reading above some aren't choosing and dont actually get any choice? 

 

Could be 6.30pm 

Could he 8.30pm

 

Could it be freedom? Or has that always gone by the time they get on board and find out?

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

Really?  So people are complaining about paying a Select fare and then not getting priority dining, which is explicitly not a benefit of a select fare on Arvia, as is very clear throughout the booking process.  

If you read the post I replied to it was Britannia that was under discussion and ICF had asked a question about the dining arrangements. Post #201 refers.

Edited June 17, 2023 by Megabear2

[Interestedcruisefan]

23 minutes ago, Happy afloat said:

Not sure where you get your figures of thirds/two thirds from?

The point though, is that those who select to dine at 6.30 or 8.30 CHOOSE to do so, they don't want freedom dining. Nor does everyone want to book every meal and holiday to a timetable. If that works for you then that's great, but it's not what I'd call "proper freedom" as you say. Being pushed into using an app to run your hard earned holiday is not my, or it seems from the conversations on here, many other people's idea of fun. 

 

 

 

I am seeing and learning from this thread there is way more freedom on the bigger ships for everyone than on the smaller ships for NOT everyone? 

 

And saver prices on the bigger ships give you the exact same choices and opportunities once on board as people who have paid select fares? 

 

The more I read and learn the more I think the big ships get unfair criticism on here from some

 

Finally you don't have to use the app on the bigger ships if you don't want to? And want to see what's available each night on spec.

 

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Happy afloat]

4 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

From what I'm reading above some aren't choosing and dont actually get any choice? 

 

Could be 6.30pm 

Could he 8.30pm

 

Could it be freedom? Or has that always gone by the time they get on board and find out?

Okay, you choose either freedom or club dining when you book, not once you board.

EVERYONE has the freedom to choose when you book.

[Interestedcruisefan]

2 minutes ago, Happy afloat said:

Okay, you choose either freedom or club dining when you book, not once you board.

EVERYONE has the freedom to choose when you book.

Only everyone who pays a select fare It appears?

 

The rest get pot luck?

 

And find out on board

 

Hence me saying you have to pay extra for freedom dining on the smaller ships?

Edited June 17, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[CarlaMarie]

5 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

From what I'm reading above some aren't choosing and dont actually get any choice? 

 

Could be 6.30pm 

Could he 8.30pm

 

Could it be freedom? Or has that always gone by the time they get on board and find out?

 

It has never been about what time you get onboard. 

 

You get a choice of what dining preference you would like - club (and what time, table size) or freedom.

 

Depending upon which fare type (saver, early saver, select (and the guaranteed select fares), you will often get your first choice and this is either confirmed before sailing or once onboard in your cabin (especially if you are a late booker). 

[CarlaMarie]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Only everyone who pays a select fare It appears?

 

The rest get pot luck?

 

That is incorrect.

[Happy afloat]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Only everyone who pays a select fare It appears?

 

The rest get pot luck?

How on earth do you make that out? 

When you book you have a CHOICE  to go saver fare and club dining, or select fare and freedom dining. You CHOOSE. 

Pot luck does not come into the equation. 

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Angel57 said:

Agree. I cannot think of anything worse than having to keep checking as to where I should be at what time every day.

Put all your appointments in your calendar and set notifications. Sorted.🤣

[Interestedcruisefan]

3 minutes ago, Happy afloat said:

How on earth do you make that out? 

When you book you have a CHOICE  to go saver fare and club dining, or select fare and freedom dining. You CHOOSE. 

Pot luck does not come into the equation. 

Saver fares on Britannia are just allocated, it's pot luck

 

(That's what Megabear posted)

[Interestedcruisefan]

5 minutes ago, Happy afloat said:

How on earth do you make that out? 

When you book you have a CHOICE  to go saver fare and club dining, or select fare and freedom dining. You CHOOSE. 

Pot luck does not come into the equation. 

Did you have  a choice for set dining or did you have to have  freedom dining?

The dining type has not been allocated so I expect to find out when I board.

 

(And that's what davectr posted)

 

Both on page 9 of this thread?

[CarlaMarie]

6 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Saver fares on Britannia are just allocated, it's pot luck

 

(That's what Megabear posted)

 

Saver fares are not allocated, it is what you book. Depends upon what is available. Plus the select fares vary and you now get a guaranteed select fare (confirming minimum cabin grade and location but not specific cabin). 

 

But when you book, you are asked your dining choice. Dining choices can be confirmed late, and sometimes once onboard. If you have not received your first choice of dining, you can head down to see the restaurant manager and he will more than happily try to sort it for you either that day or during the cruise. 

Edited June 17, 2023 by CarlaMarie

[zap99]

1 hour ago, lancashire_cruisers said:

Probably going to be shot down in flames because this tends to be how some threads on this forum go these days 🙄

 

For context we have cruised with P&O (along with others) since 2002 and reading some posts I think some have their rose coloured glasses on. I’ve certainly experienced not being able to book specialty restaurants on the older ships including Azura on multiple occasions but there’s always been somewhere else to grab a bite to eat.

 

I honestly can’t believe that on the new big girls you can’t find anywhere to eat, it might not be where you want to eat but you’re not going to go hungry!

 

I think the mistake P&O have made with Arvia and Iona is to try to be all things to all people when IMO they should have been more radical and done away with the MDR completely (cue clutching of pearls 😂). I just think along with card rooms and libraries the MDR has had its day.

We got back from holiday last night. We will eat out somewhere tonight, but don't know  where. We will need to see what's available. If we can't get in the restaurant of choice, is that the restaurants fault ,or ours?.

Edited June 17, 2023 by zap99

[Happy afloat]

5 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Did you have  a choice for set dining or did you have to have  freedom dining?

The dining type has not been allocated so I expect to find out when I board.

 

(And that's what davectr posted)

 

Both on page 9 of this thread?

You choose freedom or club dining. The times for club dining are allocated once on board, but you have an option to switch. It's not pot luck, it's what you agree to when you book.

[Megabear2]

12 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

And saver prices on the bigger ships give you the exact same choices and opportunities once on board as people who have paid select fares?

Which is correct. However the advertising/pricing structure for the two big ships is advertised exactly the same listing benefits for select passengers which actually don’t apply.  Therefore John books select months or even years i advance and pays £2,000 for his cruise, Dave meanwhile books a saver for  £1,000also months or years in advance. John picks a cabin, Dave doesn't but they get exactly the same.

 

On every other ship bar the big ones, John has chosen his dining as one of his benefits for paying far more whereas Dave gets allocated by P&O and the rules are very clear when you book.  So if you get freedom on a saver that's what you get, however you might get either of the fixed dining times.

 

Turning your booking selection on its head you choose a saver because you get identical terms as the select passengers for all but cabin choice - the shuttle on Ariva is meant to be a benefit but in the Caribbean they are not needed. The select passenger gets very little for paying his £1000 more.  Eventually he'll say no thanks and either walk away from those ships with no benefits or he'll book your saver fare and push the price up so late bargain fares are no more.

 

Surely a win win for P&O.

[Interestedcruisefan]

7 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

Saver fares are not allocated, it is what you book. Depends upon what is available. Plus the select fares vary and you now get a guaranteed saver fare (confirming minimum cabin grade and location but not specific cabin). 

 

But when you book, you are asked your dining choice. 

But this is about guaranteed dining times isn't it? Not cabins

 

Both those save fare clients don't appear to have had a choice of freedom dining

 

Unless they pay select?

 

 

[solentsam]

Here is what I think. P&O are trying to get some fixed dining back without calling it that.

only my thinking is below so not to be taken as read

 

so if we tell you you can book in the mdr every night (the only times you will see is 6 to 6:30 and 8 to 8:30)

so if we allocate say half the Tables to this we can let the other half be available as before. Plus we can freeup the ones that have not been booked if any to go to the queue. 

 

do you think that would work?

[9265359]

6 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We got back from holiday last night. We will eat out somewhere tonight, but don't know  where. We will need to see what's available. If we can't get in the restaurant of choice, is that the restaurants fault ,or ours?.

Fault - it depends. 
 

If it is a ‘see if you can book, and pay if you eat’ restaurant then obviously your fault if you didn’t book, whether that is a land based restaurant or ship based specialty restaurant.

 

But a ‘we will take your money in advance, with a flash website saying you can eat whenever you want there’, well that’s definitely the restaurant’s fault if they don’t let you in.

[Interestedcruisefan]

3 minutes ago, Happy afloat said:

You choose freedom or club dining. The times for club dining are allocated once on board, but you have an option to switch. It's not pot luck, it's what you agree to when you book.

So just to confirm on a saver fare you can still choose freedom dining?

[Interestedcruisefan]

12 minutes ago, solentsam said:

Here is what I think. P&O are trying to get some fixed dining back without calling it that.

only my thinking is below so not to be taken as read

 

so if we tell you you can book in the mdr every night (the only times you will see is 6 to 6:30 and 8 to 8:30)

so if we allocate say half the Tables to this we can let the other half be available as before. Plus we can freeup the ones that have not been booked if any to go to the queue. 

 

do you think that would work?

I think it's what plenty of here have complained they can't do until now

 

I think it can work

 

I hope I can add MDRs to the places I can pre-book on Arvia and Iona pre cruise if I want or before the day at least

 

With the added bonus you don't have to commit every night to the same place either

 

Hence I'm suggesting it's a positive for all concerned 

 

Ticks a lot of boxes and for those who do want same place same time every night exactly what they've been asking for

Edited June 17, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[9265359]

17 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Hence I'm suggesting it's a positive for all concerned 

As explained multiple times, it isn’t.

[Happy afloat]

24 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

So just to confirm on a saver fare you can still choose freedom dining?

I could have made myself a little clearer here, perhaps. Sittings for club dining are allocated but you may be able to change from one to the other once on board.

Whether you can upgrade to freedom dining once on board I'm not sure, not heard of anyone doing this.

[daiB]

7 minutes ago, Happy afloat said:

I could have made myself a little clearer here, perhaps. Sittings for club dining are allocated but you may be able to change from one to the other once on board.

Whether you can upgrade to freedom dining once on board I'm not sure, not heard of anyone doing this.

That assumes “Freedom” is an upgrade.

[majortom10]

All I can say we have never yet cruised on Arvia so cannot give an opinion. We have cruised on Iona once 14 nts in March, not school holidays, and we pre booked Epicurean and Sindhu pre cruise. We ate in the evening in Keel & Cow on one occasion and Olive Grove 2-3 times both booked on app during cruise with no problems or issues booking. The rest of the time we ate in various MDRs booking on the virtual queue at varying times to suit us. We joined virtual queue on leaving cabin and we were buzzed telling us table on every occasion before we got to restaurant except on one occasion and we went in Anderson's for a pre dinner drink. We was buzzed before we had finished our drink so took it with us to MDR. The only great queue we had during the whole queue was at The Quays for fish and chips for lunch which is very popular and we struggled to find a vacant table. We had a great time on Iona and was impressed with space on the ship and available facilities. We never at any time day or night finding a seat to sit and in bars at night. One thing which has always been a struggle on Aurora/Arcadia is finding a seat in a bar in the evenings. I would book Iona again in a heart beat but unfortunately don't do 7 nt cruises so limited at the moment.

 

[Happy afloat]

10 minutes ago, daiB said:

That assumes “Freedom” is an upgrade.

Perhaps I should have said swap, although given that freedom dining is usually part of the more expensive select fare, unless aboard Arvia or Iona, perhaps upgrade is correct?

Edited June 17, 2023 by Happy afloat