Ventura and Oceana Dinning

[JamesOceanVillage]

Hi, I am looking into Ventura and Oceana and on P&Os website it says when you book you pick seat dinning or Freedom dinning. Is Freedom dinning like Ocean Villages buffets Thank you Also what ship seems better for families Ventura or Oceana

[LEESRE]

No Freedom Dining is not like Ocean Village, I think Ocean Village is mostly Buffets, apart from the Speciality restaurants. Freedom is the same as the normal dining room where you are served. The difference is that you go to eat when you want to between the hours of 630pm and 930pm. (Times may be changed)

The Club Dining you have two seating one at 630pm and the other at 830pm and you have the same table all cruise. Freedom dining you choose if you wish to have compnay or dine on your own. Tables for two you usually have to wait for these.

Same Menu in both Club Dining and Freedom Dining.

 

Childrens facilities are good on both ships but I think, and this is my opinion, that Ventura has better and larger facilities.

[JamesOceanVillage]

Thank you is thier buffets on Ventura that you can wear what you want and sit with who you want??

[Pontius Navigator]

James,

 

By buffet I take it that you mean the Conservatory rather than one of the dining rooms.

 

Assuming this the conservatory was often divided with speciality dining and waiter service on one side and open buffet on the other.

 

In either you may wear casual clothing rather than dress of the day. You collect your food in the normal self-service way and can dine as quick or a slow as you wish.

 

We chose this option on Oceana one night simply because the offer was sublime - it was seafood. There was only one problem. The variety, standard and quantities meant we were hard pushed to sample even half of what was on offer.

 

As for sitting, the number dining is low so you will have plenty of choice, the only limiting factor is the reduced number of tables available. A table for 4 but just 2 of you is no problem and you could probably get a table for 6 or even 8 if you wished. This really is 'Freedom' dining.

 

True freedom dining on Oceana was a bit of a dogs' breakfast last year with people waiting for an hour or more. Hopefully they have improved the system this year.

[JamesOceanVillage]

So their isnt much choise? Has anyone sailed on the Ov ships and the P&O ships what is the differences with the buffets, Thank you

[BRACEWELL]

We did OV back in 2003 and Oceana in 2007. As others have said with Freedom dining you may turn up and be seated in the waiter service restaurant. On Oceana the Plaza is the casual buffet restaurant and you can dine in there each evening, they usually have a themed menu each evening, this would be comparable to the OV restaurants.

I believe that Ventura has even more choice with a special family all day buffet restaurant.

We found Oceana was very good for children and Ventura is supposed to have even more extensive childrens facilities with a 'Rock School' during school hols etc.

 

Adrian.

[daiB]

So their isnt much choise? Has anyone sailed on the Ov ships and the P&O ships what is the differences with the buffets, Thank you

 

 

James,

 

I get the impression that the buffet in the evening is a rather quite affair with the vast majority of passengers going to the main dining rooms.

 

They do have themed evenings, seafood, Indian etc. but these would not be on formal nights.

 

In many ways the buffet is an extra or after thought.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

[sillysausage]

this was very helpful to me too

thank you

[balf]

,

 

IIn many ways the buffet is an extra or after thought.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

 

Hardly an after thought. We noticed as the cruise went on more and more people were dining in the Waterside and the American Diner. And the food is probaly as good there as in the dining rooms.

 

David.

[daiB]

Hardly an after thought. We noticed as the cruise went on more and more people were dining in the Waterside and the American Diner. And the food is probaly as good there as in the dining rooms.

 

David.

 

 

Must be Carling then.:D

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

[JamesOceanVillage]

Thank you very much Carnival hasnt left Ocean Village passengers much of a choise than P&O and NCL. But I heard on dress themed nights if you wear different themed cloths you are maided to feel terrible, does this count for the buffet, Thank you

[StLucia]

We have been on OV1 & 2 and Ventura. The buffet on Ventura is much better than either of the OV's in the evening. As most of the people go to the main restaurants in the evening the buffet on Ventura is much more relaxed than on OV where almost everyone has to go the buffet unless to pay for the speciality restaurants, which are no where near as good as the specailities on Ventura.

 

We enjoyed OV it was a good introduction to cruising, but P&O is much better in every way.

[Britiscruizin]

We need to find a different cruiseline for next year as NCL will only have the one UK departure the Baltics & we've done that cruise (brilliant!).

We love NCL as its "eat when you like" and we don't have to dress up!

Can you tell me whether we would have to dress up on Ventura if we booked Freedom dining? What about other ships which are the less formal (if any). We don't object to a collar & tie (husband) & I'm happy in smart trousers & top but really don't want to wear DJs, suits, long dresses on holiday in the Med! Not our thing although we appreciate many people love this aspect of cruising.

Any information on Freedom dining, dress codes, best ships etc would be very welcome.

Thanks everyone:)

[Single Cruiser]

Just thinking about it, if there are no formal nights on fly-cruises due to the luggage weight restrictions does that mean for Oceana/Ventura on fly-cruises and with no semi-formal nights it's smart-casual every night?

[balf]

We love NCL as its "eat when you like" and we don't have to dress up!

Can you tell me whether we would have to dress up on Ventura if we booked Freedom dining? /quote]

 

This has been covered in another recent thread. If anyone responds to this post the same insults will be traded anew.

 

David.

[balf]

Just thinking about it, if there are no formal nights on fly-cruises due to the luggage weight restrictions

 

Are there?

 

David.

[daiB]

Just thinking about it, if there are no formal nights on fly-cruises due to the luggage weight restrictions does that mean for Oceana/Ventura on fly-cruises and with no semi-formal nights it's smart-casual every night?

 

Hi Single Cruiser.

 

There are no semi formal nights in the Caribbean, however there are still formal nights. 2 per week.

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

[daiB]

We need to find a different cruiseline for next year as NCL will only have the one UK departure the Baltics & we've done that cruise (brilliant!).

We love NCL as its "eat when you like" and we don't have to dress up!

Can you tell me whether we would have to dress up on Ventura if we booked Freedom dining? What about other ships which are the less formal (if any). We don't object to a collar & tie (husband) & I'm happy in smart trousers & top but really don't want to wear DJs, suits, long dresses on holiday in the Med! Not our thing although we appreciate many people love this aspect of cruising.

Any information on Freedom dining, dress codes, best ships etc would be very welcome.

Thanks everyone:)

 

Hi

 

It is true that you can wear what you like on Ventura but you will find that 99% of the rest of the passengers will be in DJ's.

 

If your husband does not mid a collar and tie then perhaps he could wear them with a dark suit which would be perfectly acceptable on formal nights.

 

Ladies in smart trousers and a fancy top would equally fit in.

 

BTW most dinner suits are lighter than ordinary suits. and are very easy to wear. When the whole ship is dressed this way I find it makes you feel great.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

[JamesOceanVillage]

So in the buffets do u have to dress up ??

[LibraLass41]

They say the dress code is for the whole ship on the night on p and o.

 

There is a long discussion on this subject on a thread below 'what if I don't like dressing up?' by Fred....

[daiB]

So in the buffets do u have to dress up ??

 

 

James,

 

Read my first line.

 

But you may be alone in doing so.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

[Noblemount]

We tried Freedom Dining on Ventura in Jan for the first time . I was not over keen but it was OK.One point many people on Ventura thought that not only could you turn up at any time for Dinner but at any of the Main Restaurants.This is not the case you will be allocated a Restaurant [ours was The Saffron] and you just turn up at any time between 6.30 and I think 9.30.We found between 8pm and 8.30 were the busiest but we only waited at the most 15mins for a table.7.45 seemed to be a reasonable time if you prefer eating later.Don't forget to try Marco Whites. Even with the surcharge it was worth it.Also The Beach Hut is worth a try for excellent steaks and grills and no surcharge.The young waiters were particulary good.One last point about Freedom Dining we did have problems getting into some of the shows in the theatre as the Timings of the shows seemed to match with Sittings of Club dining times.

And Oh the Food was excellent.

[tom_uk]

Noblemount: thanks for your positive comments on Freedom Dining on your cruise on Ventura. Can I ask a question? I assume that it was *not* possible to book a table in advance for a particular time in the Saffron restaurant - can you confirm that?

[jocap]

Apparently the captain on a recent OV cruise has announced that Oceana and Ventura are now going to be freestyle to make up for OV's loss. That's something to think about for we Brits who have moved over to NCL-jocap.

[JamesOceanVillage]

No I dont think P&O would suit me at all NCL is the best bet Thank You