Dining preferences

[Ray Scully]

When we first cruised in the mid 90's the main dining preference was late sitting. Recently and with the introduction of Freedom dining, Freedom is now the most popular with early fixed dining taking second place and second sitting last. This suits us as we have can enjoy the wind down after the exertion of the day before our pre-prandial drink and then dinner. It is apparent however that without tight scheduling it is possible to miss a lot of the entertainment. We miss a lot of the entertainment.

Ray

[screwy]

We always go for freedom dining. We used to have a pre-dinner drink about 7 then eat about 7-30 ish giving lots of time for the 2nd round of entertainment. Now we have a couple of drinks and eat about 8-30 and we still manage to make the 2nd show..if it's something we want to see . BTW Ray, hows the village hall.?

[poole boy]

we always have 2nd sitting 8.15pm and always go to the late show 10.30pm suits us fine.
graham

[Ray Scully]

We always go for freedom dining. We used to have a pre-dinner drink about 7 then eat about 7-30 ish giving lots of time for the 2nd round of entertainment. Now we have a couple of drinks and eat about 8-30 and we still manage to make the 2nd show..if it's something we want to see . BTW Ray, hows the village hall.?

Screwy thanks for asking, it is going from strength to strength under its fine Chairperson
www.mawdesleyvillagehall.co.uk available for all family celebrations etc.

Ray

[Stephen]

Always Freedom for us.

[Raybosailor]

Call me boring if you like but MDR for breakfast, MDR for lunch and MDR for dinner 20:30 it is easier to control my gluten free diet having the same waiters at dinner and even at lunch the waiters have my details on screen.
To be honest even if I didn't have a food allergy I would probably stick to this regime with the exception of the odd lunch in the buffet.

[barney]

I find that eating at 8-30 to 9-00 is too late for me.

We usually eat at about 7 at home so Freedom suits us well.
A table for two.

We mix it up a bit with reference to dining

Depending on weather, we quite like breakfast on our balcony and often lunch as well.
Evening will be split between MDR & the speciality venues
We may occasionally use the buffet when it's Indian theme and MDR for breakfast on Eggs Benedict days.

Buffet is generally first & last day only

I find that I have to be reasonably disciplined or I can pile the pounds on quickly.
I'm too mean to buy a load of new clothes so tend to watch what I eat.
If I go much over thirteen stone I don't feel very comforable.
I don't need scales. My waistband tells me.

[brillo]

Freedom for dinner, buffet for breakfast and lunch is our normal eating habit.

[qbman1]

Call me boring if you like but MDR for breakfast, MDR for lunch and MDR for dinner 20:30 it is easier to control my gluten free diet having the same waiters at dinner and even at lunch the waiters have my details on screen.
To be honest even if I didn't have a food allergy I would probably stick to this regime with the exception of the odd lunch in the buffet.

We must be boring too Ray - the same routine for us, too, although we do tend to lunch out on port days. Always 2nd sitting Club for dinner. 6:30 is far too early and can really bu99er up the day, especially on formal nights if you have to come in at 5 to get ready for dinner (have to do my hair, you know - Stephen will understand !!)

[towny44]

Late buffet for breakfast snack, if needed, from anywhere and freedom MDR for dinner; late show is too late for us now so if we want to watch one we aim to be ready for the first or early show.

[CaroleF]

We still prefer 2nd sitting, table of 8. Particularly in the Caribbean 6.30 would be too early for us after a day out then coming back, having a shower, hair wash etc. and then having time for a leisurely drink would be a rush. More importantly, for us, is we like the social interaction we have with our table companions, getting to know them and not having the same endless conversations that you tend to have when first meeting people.

On Adonia the times are 6.15 and 8.15 and that earlier 15 minutes was good for us, not sure what those who ate at 6.15 thought about it. We are looking at the possibility of doing a last minute, cheap, well cheaper deal on a 6* line like Seabourn or Regent where they only have open seating so if it does happen it will be interesting to see what we make of that. I would certainly never think of doing Freedom Dining on P&O. On a cruise on Oceana in March we met a couple at lunch who usually went for 2nd sitting but booked late and were on Freedom Dining. They commented how poor they thought the food was in the evening. We were really surprised as we thought the food was amongst the best we'd had on P&O. They said that the plates some evening were so hot they couldn't touch them and that the sauce or gravy on the plate was sizzling at the edges and the meat/fish was very overdone. They assumed plates had been left under heat lamps. They had another cruise booked and had chosen Freedom Dining but were going to ask if they could change back to 2nd sitting. They also felt that the waiters were so rushed they didn't have time to talk. So, each to his own.

Carole

[qbman1]

Late buffet for breakfast snack, if needed, from anywhere and freedom MDR for dinner; late show is too late for us now so if we want to watch one we aim to be ready for the first or early show.

Tucked up with a mug of Horlicks by 9:30 ?!

[towny44]

Late buffet for breakfast snack, if needed, from anywhere for lunch and freedom MDR for dinner; late show is too late for us now so if we want to watch one we aim to be ready for the first or early show.

Tucked up with a mug of Horlicks by 9:30 ?!

Quite so Cubie, got to preserve my strength at my age.
But mainly its to avoid falling asleep in the late show and annoying other passengers with my snoring.

[qbman1]

Wouldn't worry about that - on Adonia last month, most of them were asleep in the shows even in the afternoon !

[Mervyn and Trish]

Second sitting for us. The only time we tried Freedom we found we were ready to eat at about that time anyway so it seemed pointless queuing for a table when we could have one reserved and waiting for us. But if it was a choice of Freedom or First it would be Freedom. Too much rush for us to be ready by 6.30, especially after a port day.

[Ray Scully]

Tend to use the buffet if on board around lunchtime, sea days depends on the mood. A light breakfast is now taken in our cabin. I am not fit company first thing so avoid the MDR. As for the buffet for breakfast, well, despite numerous requests P&O do not supply serving implements that will only pick up one sausage,egg , slice of bacon etc and I can't afford to get too fat

[Silver_Shiney]

Tend to use the buffet if on board around lunchtime, sea days depends on the mood. A light breakfast is now taken in our cabin. I am not fit company first thing so avoid the MDR. As for the buffet for breakfast, well, despite numerous requests P&O do not supply serving implements that will only pick up one sausage,egg , slice of bacon etc and I can't afford to get too fat

It's not just the serving implements, Ray, those plates look too empty with just one of each on.... and it wouldn't be right for that solitary sausage/rasher/etc to be lonely without a similar item next to it



We tend to have breakfast in the MDR, lunch in the buffet (or sometimes Cafe Jardin on Oceana) then dinner in the MDR at the first sitting. The second sitting is too late for us to eat. We're considering trying Freedom next time we're on P&O, though.

[JillD66]

We prefer 1st sitting - although its a bit of a rush on port days, because we can make the most of the entertainment. Also we enjoy the syndicate quiz which is usually around 10.30. The 6.15 slot on the Adonia is too early but I'd eat at any time to keep the ship sailing out of Southampton!

Breakfast is always in the buffet, as we're a bit greedy and prefer to choose the variety and quantity of our full Englishes! Loved the waiters bringing our drinks to our table on the Adonia - obviously assumed us poor old dears not capable of pouring or carrying our own!

We also enjoy our Horlicks, following the quiz, with the odd irresistible hot snack or two.

[Gill W]

When we started, first seating on a table for two was our preference for dinner.

We don't eat late at home, and we feel 8.30pm is too late for us to be sitting down for our main meal. Also, we enjoy the entertainment, so if there's two shows on, eating early gives us a better chance of seeing both shows.

We were early adopters when it came to freedom dining, embracing the concept when others thought it wasn't quite the thing.

However, recently, the shine has been taken off freedom, as, on some cruises people start queuing outside the MDR at 5.30pm, which I find bizarre. This means that when we turn up at 6.15pm to 6.30pm we always have to have a pager to get our preferred table for two. It's not too much of a hardship, but can play havoc with seeing the shows that we want to.

So, for our next cruise on Oceana, we've moved back to first sitting. We requested a table for two, which I am hopeful that we'll get as we booked very early. This means we can have a relaxing pre dinner drink knowing we have our table available at 6.30, and not wonder about the size of the queue. Also, now I have a special diet, I think it might be easier to have the same waiters.

Breakfast and lunch are normally taken in the buffet

[Manoverboard]

Breakfast and lunch in the MDR on sea days ... neither if we are in a Port, bar a coffee plus yogurt / muffin in the cabin first thing.

Dinner at 19:15 when taken in the buffet on a suitable theme night or in one of the Select Dining Venues, otherwise second sitting if Freedom is unavailable.

Can't be eating too late these days although upgrading from Gaviscon to Lansoprazole has eased the problem considerably.

[Suekersh]

We now much prefer freedom dining. Please ourselves when we eat and can choose table size. Mix it up by using select dining once or twice a week. Hubby likes the Indian buffet so I generally join him unless I get a better offer, but that is the only time I eat dinner in there. Lunch usuall MDR or on the balcony, Breakfast is usually room service and twice a week MDR for scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on Sunday and Eggs Benedict on Monday.

Regarding Freedom dining we find the service superior to club dining simply because the tables are not all filled in the same section at the same time. Either we have been very lucky in our 20 plus cruises we have chosen freedom dining or others have been very unlucky. My pescetarian diet is also well catered for freedom. The restaurant manager comes round every evening with the following days menu and takes my order. When we arrive in the restaurant the maitre D who allocates our table lets him know we have arrived and he gives our waiter my order. Works very well and the food is cooked fresh.

[anniec]

Breakfast and lunch in buffet (HUGE mistake, as my idea of a salad does not include much greenery). Dinner mainly in speciality, occasionally in buffet or room service, never in MDR.

[oldbluefox]

it seems ironic that those of us who book saver fares are not allowed to request a preference for second sitting considering that is the least popular option.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I think it varies from cruise to cruise Foxy. We've done cruises where second sitting is the one that is oversubscribed. I think it depends on the demographic. The older the average age the more of them want to eat early.

[Quizzical Bob]

it seems ironic that those of us who book saver fares are not allowed to request a preference for second sitting considering that is the least popular option.

We had a saver fare on Adonia last year and were allocated first sitting but the restaurant manager was only too willing to change to second since there was a big queue wanting to change the other way.