My Holiday App

[Onelung]

Hi All, we have just booked Iona for next year. This will be the first time on P&O for us (have done several on Celebrity), and I see that bookings for restaurants etc are done via the app. I prefer not to use technology when I'm on holiday so my question is, do you have to use the app for the main dining room (we have open seating) or can you just turn up?

 

Thanks

[Cathygh]

If they are still operating the virtual queuing system next year then unless you want to eat early then go to an MDR before 6pm, ask for a buzzer and tell them you want to eat at x time. Just turn up at that time - no need to wait for the buzzer. This worked for us on Iona in May, but things might have changed when you go.

Edited July 8, 2023 by Cathygh

[majortom10]

On March on Iona we used My Holiday we just joined virtual queue for MDR on leaving the cabin and by the time we got the lift and walked to restaurant it had buzzed saying our table was ready. Excellent service throughout the cruise.

[Onelung]

Thanks Majortom10, I know some people like it and it works for them. My point is that I don't like to take my telephone on holiday - I prefer not to be disturbed 🙂

 

[zap99]

2 hours ago, Onelung said:

Thanks Majortom10, I know some people like it and it works for them. My point is that I don't like to take my telephone on holiday - I prefer not to be disturbed 🙂

 

Right now, some ships use it, some don't.  Next year will probably be ,all change. I think one thing is a definite,  if you don't switch on your phone, you won't go hungry .😁

[majortom10]

4 hours ago, Onelung said:

Thanks Majortom10, I know some people like it and it works for them. My point is that I don't like to take my telephone on holiday - I prefer not to be disturbed 🙂

 

I don't like to use my phone on holiday but it wasn't a problem just to get it out of the safe while getting showered and dressed for dinner then at last minute join virtual queue. Put it in my pocket and 99% of time buzzed before reaching restaurant then turned phone off and put back in pocket.It was no great problem and very easy to use.

[Cloudyrain]

Your phone needs to be in airplane mode to use the app so you won’t get disturbed by taking your phone.

 

But as someone else said, go on the first night and ask for a regular table and they will provide one if that’s what you prefer.

[smokey01]

11 hours ago, Cloudyrain said:

 

But as someone else said, go on the first night and ask for a regular table and they will provide one if that’s what you prefer.

This was not the case on Arvia in March. I tried on several occasions to get a regular table at 8pm, absolutely not possible was the answer.

[Kittyonions]

Smokey01 Totally agree with you. It was impossible to book a table for any time after 6.30 on Arvia in May also.

[tring]

2 hours ago, smokey01 said:

This was not the case on Arvia in March. I tried on several occasions to get a regular table at 8pm, absolutely not possible was the answer.

 

TBH from my point of view that should not be done, so correctly operated in March.  It is known that the ship only has flexible dining and favours for some people over others who bother to go by the real rules, is only going to cause trouble and more problems from honest passengers who go by the rules.  From what I have read, that is also the problem with the app, as some people are being given favours and are allowed to go in without queueing or with very little queueing.  The staff are not operating the system properly, yet the app run correctly for virtual queueing, along with buzzers for those who preferred them, worked brilliantly on Aurora last November.

 

I do not know if the staff are being given backhanders to do this, if they are doing it to quieten people who make a loud fuss, or if they just cannot be botherd operating a system which is in place.  I would like to hear from @molecrochip about his view/opinion of this.

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by tring

[Cathygh]

24 minutes ago, Kittyonions said:

Smokey01 Totally agree with you. It was impossible to book a table for any time after 6.30 on Arvia in May also.

And couldn't do it on Iona in May. 

[Cloudyrain]

3 hours ago, smokey01 said:

This was not the case on Arvia in March. I tried on several occasions to get a regular table at 8pm, absolutely not possible was the answer.

It was possible on the Iona, but granted it was for 6.30 (which was the time requested and given).

[Megabear2]

Arvia is undergoing a change to allow extra times to open before booking for the app opens. I believe it is to be 50/50.

 

I spoke at length to a young lady in the Executive office last week when she called and the issue of apps and restaurants was high.on her list.  It was admitted during this call.they have a "big" problem with dining on that particular ship - emphasis on big is because that's the word she used.  I was asked in detail about my personal experience and also any observations I'd made on dining on the ship.  My comment on the latter was the app.wanting to.offer shared tables in Olive Grove and the Diner , neither of which restaurants in my opinion offered themselves as venues you'd be likely to want to share a table in unlike a MDR.  It was indicated in the conversation that they are rather painted into a corner as to.how to solve the problem.  

 

Personally I got the impression that running as a full.ship.is causing a big challenge on the dining front.  It was stated they know the app isn't going to iron out or remove the problem with booking.

 

Going forward with the 50/50 thing I'm told they are trying to iron out all the problems which have led to virtual queues closing down and not reopening as happened on Arvia on my May cruise.

 

With regard to Tring's comment on backhanders to staff I doubt this would be possible on Arvia because there simply isn't capacity to do this.  The virtual queue showed full at both MDRs very shortly after 6.45pm every day and the physical queuers at that point were being given pagers.  In fairness to the staff they actually didn't have any seating capacity for either the physical or app queue a lot of the time.  Eating on Arvia can be very challenging if you haven't got reservations for the early times and that includes the alternative dining venues.  I waited over 90 minutes for a call to dine in the Glass House after using the app. That call never materialised and I removed myself from the queue.

 

The app works well for breakfast but only in non peak times - I never had a problem but spoke to others on my shared tables who confirmed they had ended up asking to be walk ins.

 

It may all be great on the other ships but Arvia is currently the wild west of dining - and that again is from my telephone conversation!

[smokey01]

2 hours ago, tring said:

 

TBH from my point of view that should not be done, so correctly operated in March. 

 

That is all very well but I was on holiday and it was taking an hour and half to get a table. It has so far caused me to cancel 2 P&O cruises this year and book 2 MSC cruises and a Princess one instead. I am most probably going to cancel an Arvia cruise next April for an MSC if I like the 2 cruises I have booked for this year. P&O can continue with their policy if they wish, I will just book less cruises with them.

Edited July 9, 2023 by smokey01

[tring]

25 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Arvia is undergoing a change to allow extra times to open before booking for the app opens. I believe it is to be 50/50.

 

I spoke at length to a young lady in the Executive office last week when she called and the issue of apps and restaurants was high.on her list.  It was admitted during this call.they have a "big" problem with dining on that particular ship - emphasis on big is because that's the word she used.  I was asked in detail about my personal experience and also any observations I'd made on dining on the ship.  My comment on the latter was the app.wanting to.offer shared tables in Olive Grove and the Diner , neither of which restaurants in my opinion offered themselves as venues you'd be likely to want to share a table in unlike a MDR.  It was indicated in the conversation that they are rather painted into a corner as to.how to solve the problem.  

 

Personally I got the impression that running as a full.ship.is causing a big challenge on the dining front.  It was stated they know the app isn't going to iron out or remove the problem with booking.

 

Going forward with the 50/50 thing I'm told they are trying to iron out all the problems which have led to virtual queues closing down and not reopening as happened on Arvia on my May cruise.

 

With regard to Tring's comment on backhanders to staff I doubt this would be possible on Arvia because there simply isn't capacity to do this.  The virtual queue showed full at both MDRs very shortly after 6.45pm every day and the physical queuers at that point were being given pagers.  In fairness to the staff they actually didn't have any seating capacity for either the physical or app queue a lot of the time.  Eating on Arvia can be very challenging if you haven't got reservations for the early times and that includes the alternative dining venues.  I waited over 90 minutes for a call to dine in the Glass House after using the app. That call never materialised and I removed myself from the queue.

 

The app works well for breakfast but only in non peak times - I never had a problem but spoke to others on my shared tables who confirmed they had ended up asking to be walk ins.

 

It may all be great on the other ships but Arvia is currently the wild west of dining - and that again is from my telephone conversation!

 

So there certainly does seem to be a problem on one particular ship, the thread does not mention a particular ship, so my comment was an overall one.  Sounds like the problem there is the lack of sufficient dining space, or perhaps the kitchens are too slow producing the food.  Either way, certainly not good.

 

Regards your comment of, "the physical queuers at that point were being given pagers".  pagers are all very well, (though imo not as good as an app as they have a very limited range so you have to hang around near the MDR or they drop out), but was everyone given pagers, or just those who ask for a table for two?  On our June Arcadia cruise the app was not working at all and at busy times only people wanting tables for two were given pagers, those prepared to share had to form a physical queue outside the MDR, which in my opinion is totally unacceptable.  I understand the reason given was that they did not have enough pagers!  On realising that was what was happening, we decided to go early, use a speciality restaurant or the buffet.  We had experienced enough of that on Oriana for the solar eclipse and northern lights cruise when initially we were standing in a queue for 45 mins every night.  There were comment cards on the tables, so I filled one in complaining about the queue and was berated by the MD'hotel the next night for giving that feed back.  About half way through that cruise we decided all we could do was to play the system, so we went to the MDR just after we knew the tables for two would be occupied (about 6.30pm) and asked for a table for two.  We were duly given a pager and were able to swan in, straight past the people who were queuing at a later time.  That is what is going to happen if they do not use a fair system, no matter how well planned the system.

 

[tring]

21 minutes ago, smokey01 said:

That is all very well but I was on holiday and it was taking an hour and half to get a table. It has so far caused me to cancel 2 P&O cruises this year and book 2 MSC cruises and a Princess one. I am most probably going to cancel an Arvia cruise next April for an MSC if I like the 2 cruises I have booked for this year. P&O can continue with their policy if they wish, I will just book less cruises with them.

 

I did not mean to criticise your actions, but the system and the fact the system is not operated properly by the staff - I have seen other comments which make it obvious that is the case on some ships.  It depends on the length of cruise, but on a cruise we did in November on Aurora, we very soon learnt how long we would be waiting in the queue, so we joined it at the appropriate time, counting back from the time we wanted to go into the MDR.  That would depend though if the app is working in the cabins, which it was in our case, but I know it does not on Azura at least.

 

From what Megabear has said it does sound as though the dining problem on Arvia is not just concerning the app, but a lack of dining facilities and/or staffing to ensure an efficient service and I have acknowledged that in my previous post.  I am also surprised to hear that the app is also being used for breakfast, not just in the evenings, which has been our experience.  We have no interest in the bigger ships, so I am not really aware of how they are operating.  Sorry if the posts on this thread were purely about one ship, but the title of the thread does not indicate that, as no particular ship is mentioned there.

 

[Megabear2]

1 minute ago, tring said:

 

So there certainly does seem to be a problem on one particular ship, the thread does not mention a particular ship, so my comment was an overall one.  Sounds like the problem there is the lack of sufficient dining space, or perhaps the kitchens are too slow producing the food.  Either way, certainly not good.

 

Regards your comment of, "the physical queuers at that point were being given pagers".  pagers are all very well, (though imo not as good as an app as they have a very limited range so you have to hang around near the MDR or they drop out), but was everyone given pagers, or just those who ask for a table for two?  On our June Arcadia cruise the app was not working at all and at busy times only people wanting tables for two were given pagers, those prepared to share had to form a physical queue outside the MDR, which in my opinion is totally unacceptable.  I understand the reason given was that they did not have enough pagers!  On realising that was what was happening, we decided to go early, use a speciality restaurant or the buffet.  We had experienced enough of that on Oriana for the solar eclipse and northern lights cruise when initially we were standing in a queue for 45 mins every night.  There were comment cards on the tables, so I filled one in complaining about the queue and was berated by the MD'hotel the next night for giving that feed back.  About half way through that cruise we decided all we could do was to play the system, so we went to the MDR just after we knew the tables for two would be occupied (about 6.30pm) and asked for a table for two.  We were duly given a pager and were able to swan in, straight past the people who were queuing at a later time.  That is what is going to happen if they do not use a fair system, no matter how well planned the system.

 

No, nothing to do with table size.  There are actually plenty of 2 tables. Pagers were for everyone who couldn't get in the app queue.

 

Until you've actually experienced Arvia it is very difficult to understand the set up.  I'd expected the app to offer reasonable times before calling however 1 1/2 hours wait is pretty much the normal.  The app queues also fill up for dinner almost immediately they open and a log jam then ensues.  The physical queues are constant, there are two such queues, one with those called by the app but who find their table unready on arrival and those who are walk ups because they either couldn't get a booking or might not have a phone with the app. The wait with a pager could vary but I understand from people I spoke to you were.just as likely to get a 2 or an offer of a shared table if you took one and if you wanted to eat you just accepted the offer!

 

The dining from 5.30 to 6.30 was fully bootable before sailing and therefore very few if any availability was there for people to "swan in".  A few did get taken from the walk up queue but this was generally if a booking wasn't honoured within the 15 minutes. 

 

The conversation I had last week was enlightening in as much as the caller admitted they have a problem that is proving virtually impossible to solve.  As you are aware only two dining rooms on Arvia plus the Olive Grove and Diner. Both of these very popular but again actually getting in is problematic.

 

 

[Son of Anarchy]

18 minutes ago, tring said:

About half way through that cruise we decided all we could do was to play the system, so we went to the MDR just after we knew the tables for two would be occupied (about 6.30pm) and asked for a table for two.  We were duly given a pager and were able to swan in, straight past the people who were queuing at a later time.  That is what is going to happen if they do not use a fair system, no matter how well planned the system.

 

That's what we did last time we on Oriana.  I used to go along in shorts, get our pager, then go back to our cabin to get ready for dinner.  As you say though, the pagers drop out of range and certainly didn't reach to the cabins (which we already knew). 

 

On one occasion they must have paged us a lot earlier, the podium staff commented that it always take a long time to get from the Crows Nest!  

[Megabear2]

18 minutes ago, tring said:

I am also surprised to hear that the app is also being used for breakfast, not just in the evenings, which has been our experience

The app on the two big ships is intended for use at every meal.  The Glass House and Keel and Cow are exclusively app based at every time.  

 

I note you mentioned the speciality restaurants as one of your alternative choices rather than queue. These are fully booked on Arvia every night almost from the point of sailing.  The buffet became extremely busy during my two weeks due I understand to it becoming many people's only option.

 

I appreciate others have different opinions on the situation and a lot depends on a particular cruises clientele, however P&O confirmed to me last week they are receiving lots of complaints and comments on the app and queues for dining.  

 

I note the OP is actually sailing on Iona so a lot of the comments on this thread may not be applicable although it shares a lot with Arvia on how booking works.  The 4 dining rooms appear to make a difference according to other posters.

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Megabear2

[purplesea]

30 minutes ago, tring said:

 

So there certainly does seem to be a problem on one particular ship, the thread does not mention a particular ship, so my comment was an overall one.  Sounds like the problem there is the lack of sufficient dining space, or perhaps the kitchens are too slow producing the food.  Either way, certainly not good.

 

Regards your comment of, "the physical queuers at that point were being given pagers".  pagers are all very well, (though imo not as good as an app as they have a very limited range so you have to hang around near the MDR or they drop out), but was everyone given pagers, or just those who ask for a table for two?  On our June Arcadia cruise the app was not working at all and at busy times only people wanting tables for two were given pagers, those prepared to share had to form a physical queue outside the MDR, which in my opinion is totally unacceptable.  I understand the reason given was that they did not have enough pagers!  On realising that was what was happening, we decided to go early, use a speciality restaurant or the buffet.  We had experienced enough of that on Oriana for the solar eclipse and northern lights cruise when initially we were standing in a queue for 45 mins every night.  There were comment cards on the tables, so I filled one in complaining about the queue and was berated by the MD'hotel the next night for giving that feed back.  About half way through that cruise we decided all we could do was to play the system, so we went to the MDR just after we knew the tables for two would be occupied (about 6.30pm) and asked for a table for two.  We were duly given a pager and were able to swan in, straight past the people who were queuing at a later time.  That is what is going to happen if they do not use a fair system, no matter how well planned the system.

 

I was on the same cruise as Megabear on Arvia in May and had problems with the app as it kept crashing. On about 3 occasions we went as walk ins prepared to share a table, and were given pagers. On one occasion the wait was so long that we got fed up of waiting and went and handed the pager back. One morning for breakfast we were in the queue of those that had been told that their table was ready and the walk-ins were being shown straight in. When finally getting to the desk we were told that we shouldn't have been able to book as there was "a glitch in the system"!

[Onelung]

These answers are not filling me with confidence, I have to say.  We will be  on Iona so hope things work a bit better than Arvia.  I am happy to share a table but would not be able to stand for 45 mins to 1 hour in  a queue for a table.  We like to eat later, say 8-8.30 so it seems that the only way to get a table at that time is to queue?

[Megabear2]

1 minute ago, Onelung said:

These answers are not filling me with confidence, I have to say.  We will be  on Iona so hope things work a bit better than Arvia.  I am happy to share a table but would not be able to stand for 45 mins to 1 hour in  a queue for a table.  We like to eat later, say 8-8.30 so it seems that the only way to get a table at that time is to queue?

Iona seems to have far less problems with the app than Arvia and also has 4 dining rooms.  I cannot speak personally but I do not think you will have a problem and the app will work fine for you.  There are lots of posts from recent Iona passengers and no one has mentioned the same sort of problems.

 

The physical queue on any ship should not mean standing waiting for a table, these queues on Arvia are unprecedented elsewhere and hopefully being addressed.  

 

I'm sure you will be fine on the app but the worst you can expect is to have a pager, definitely no long physical queues.

[purplesea]

Being given a pager on Ar

8 minutes ago, Onelung said:

These answers are not filling me with confidence, I have to say.  We will be  on Iona so hope things work a bit better than Arvia.  I am happy to share a table but would not be able to stand for 45 mins to 1 hour in  a queue for a table.  We like to eat later, say 8-8.30 so it seems that the only way to get a table at that time is to queue?

After being given a pager on Arvia we were advised to wait in Andersons Bar as that was basically the range of the pager, so not actually standing in a queue!

I have been on Iona, and didn't have any problems with the app. Although as there were three of us, in two cabins we didn't use if for booking meals. We didn't have any problems as walk-ins either, but so saying that the ship was only sailing with about 50% occupancy. 

Having sailed on both Arvia and Iona, I tend to think that the main problem is the lack of main dining rooms. The 6th Street Diner and The Olive Grove, which replace two of the dining rooms on Iona, don't seem to have the seating same compacity. I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong!

[tring]

3 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

 

The physical queue on any ship should not mean standing waiting for a table, these queues on Arvia are unprecedented elsewhere and hopefully being addressed.  

 

 

I am sorry Megabear, but you are incorrect in that.  As I reported in an earlier comment there were physical queues on Arcadia last month at busy times of night.  That was on the 16 night cruise which commenced 6th June.  People requesting a table for two were given pagers, but those prepared to share a table where expected to stand and wait in a queue outside the MDR.  We had spoken to a family of three who were particularly annoyed as they had to queue outside the MDR each night, and of course, as a threesome they could not ask for a table for two.

 

I also reported it happening on Oriana a fair number of years back, the year if the solar eclipse in the Faroes, when we were expected to queue for 45 minutes each night.  Though once we got the full story of what was happening, we asked for a table for two and were given a pager each night, which the Maitre D'Hotel was not prepared to do for those prepared to share a table, yet the queue only moved forward a small amount very occasionally, when a table did become available.  I do not have any personal experience if other cruises, either on Arcadia now, or Oriana in the past, but certainly on Oriana, we got the impression it was standard practice.

 

Standing in a queue, waiting for dinner is certainly not something unprecedented on P&O.  Hence not just because of the bigger ships either.  That was not happening on Azura or Aurora though as they were using the app and pagers for those who did not want to use the app.

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by tring

[Megabear2]

31 minutes ago, tring said:

 

I am sorry Megabear, but you are incorrect in that.  As I reported in an earlier comment there were physical queues on Arcadia last month at busy times of night.  That was on the 16 night cruise which commenced 6th June.  People requesting a table for two were given pagers, but those prepared to share a table where expected to stand and wait in a queue outside the MDR.  We had spoken to a family of three who were particularly annoyed as they had to queue outside the MDR each night, and of course, as a threesome they could not ask for a table for two.

 

I also reported it happening on Oriana a fair number of years back, the year if the solar eclipse in the Faroes, when we were expected to queue for 45 minutes each night.  Though once we got the full story of what was happening, we asked for a table for two and were given a pager each night, which the Maitre D'Hotel was not prepared to do for those prepared to share a table, yet the queue only moved forward a small amount very occasionally, when a table did become available.  I do not have any personal experience if other cruises, either on Arcadia now, or Oriana in the past, but certainly on Oriana, we got the impression it was standard practice.

 

Standing in a queue, waiting for dinner is certainly not something unprecedented on P&O.  Hence not just because of the bigger ships either.  That was not happening on Azura or Aurora though as they were using the app and pagers for those who did not want to use the app.

 

I actually meant standing in a queue after joining the app queue and being buzzed your table is ready.  This was happening regularly on Arvia while I was on board. It was a queue after a queue so to speak.  Very few people were allowed in the physical queue at a time. Staff were based in the corridor in an attempt to stop to big a build up.

 

I cannot speak.historically about Oriana etc but certainly in the past six years or so physical queues do occur but most times they have been small.

 

Unless the app fails completely (I see you said it had on your Arcadia cruise) the staff on the ships other than Arvia generally clear the queues quite well in my experience.

 

I have also physically queued on Azura and Britannia, mainly for a table for 2, but never for more than 10 to 15 minutes.  Arvia is nothing like the other P&O ships, not even Iona, and as Purplesea said you are asked to leave the area and go to Anderson's or wait in the area at the end of the corridor with your pager.  There is seating available.

 

All this talk of physical queues has I  believe led Onelung to believe he will be required to stand in a queue on Iona for 60 to 90 minutes every night.  Although I haven't sailed on her I have not seen anything to indicate this is happening in 2023 and do not think he should be unduly worried about such a thing happening. Several on this thread alone have stated how well the app works on Iona and how they did not encounter queues.

Edited July 9, 2023 by Megabear2