First Review Of Britannia

[towny44]

We've taken pot luck this time with a saver fare, so will have to see what we end up with dining-wise. I don't really mind what we get, as long as it's not first or second sitting ....

I like your style.

[daib GC]

We've taken pot luck this time with a saver fare, so will have to see what we end up with dining-wise. I don't really mind what we get, as long as it's not first or second sitting ....

I like your style.

You may hope for freedom but it depends on the ship, the least favourite at the moment is second sitting in club.

[Quizzical Bob]

We've taken pot luck this time with a saver fare, so will have to see what we end up with dining-wise. I don't really mind what we get, as long as it's not first or second sitting ....

I like your style.

You may hope for freedom but it depends on the ship, the least favourite at the moment is second sitting in club.

The restaurant manager is quite happy to change dining arrangements for any passenger, including savers.

[barr0ld]

We've taken pot luck this time with a saver fare, so will have to see what we end up with dining-wise. I don't really mind what we get, as long as it's not first or second sitting ....

I like your style.

You may hope for freedom but it depends on the ship, the least favourite at the moment is second sitting in club.

The restaurant manager is quite happy to change dining arrangements for any passenger, including savers.

towny 44 - my first wife says I'm the only person who ever thinks I'm funny, so thank you!

dGC - as I said, I only hope. We decided against paying what amounted to nearly £300 extra each to guarantee the flexible dining arrangements we prefer (though sometimes, we've done just that)

Q Bob - is that really so? I thought once dining was allocated, that was it.

[Quizzical Bob]

Q Bob - is that really so? I thought once dining was allocated, that was it.

Yes, we have been on a few saver cruises now and on each there was a queue for the restaurant manager on the first day. On Adonia last November we were allocated first sitting but changed it to second, and there were a lot who were swapping the other way. Adonia doesn't do freedom, alas.

[wolfie]

We only opted Freedom Dining last year for the first time ,AND, despite being second sitting die hards................we loved it!

Celebrity Eclipse and Arcadia cruises last year, no queues, no pagers needed, and a table for 2 every night, except for the first night.

[Mervyn and Trish]

As I understand it, the cakes ARE free in Java, providing you buy a drink. Market Cafe is a celebrity chef venue, so food items, which are in a totally different league, are at a cost. Seems reasonable to me.

Quite correct. Java exactly as on other ships. Nothing is charged for on Britannia that was free before. There are just more choices.

[qbman1]

We prefer freedom dining and the flexibility it offers.
Never had a problem with long waits. And if we did have a short wait of say 20 - 30 minutes we would be given a bleeper and off we would go for another drink at the bar. And we can almost guarantee that as soon as we had sat down with our drinks the bleeper would go off. No problem though, just take them with you.

,,,,and those bleepers are a bloody nuisance too ! You are sitting in Anderson's for a quiet pre-prandial and there are those things going off every few minutes. It's like being on a train with the old Yuppies with their mobiles !

[oldtimer]

There are three big plusses for Freedom Dining, 1. You don't have to rush to be ready at a certain time and it gives you the flexibility to see the early show or the late show in the theartre. 2. you can miss the queue, we usually arrive between 7pm and 7-30 pm.
3. You meet different people each evening, you can tell the same jokes as they won't have heard them, and if there is anyone you don't like, you only see them one night. :

[barr0ld]

Thanks QB

I'm always surprised P&O don't let you at least express a preference when you book a saver, even if they can't guarantee you'll get it. Because they don't bother, they must end up allocating some people early who would prefer late, and vice versa......

[oldbluefox]

Thanks QB

I'm always surprised P&O don't let you at least express a preference when you book a saver, even if they can't guarantee you'll get it. Because they don't bother, they must end up allocating some people early who would prefer late, and vice versa......

I quite agree. If they have a sitting which is less popular why not allocate it to those who request it. It's much easier than people getting a sitting they don't want, and taking up places of those who would relish the sitting they have been given.

[Manoverboard]

The reason they do not allocate them, notionally or otherwise, is because of all the whingers who were anti anybody getting a last minute deal back in the ' Getaway ' era, no perks and benefits etc was the cry but that includes dining time choices ... yet another example of ( not ) being careful what you ask for.

[oldbluefox]

and sometimes common sense gets in the way of logic.

[towny44]

I can see no harm in allowing saver/super saver passengers to express their dining preference when booking, just as long as their request is only honoured after all select fare passngers have been satisfied.
In fact is it not possible to make a dining request on the cruise personaliser?

[Manoverboard]

.......... In fact is it not possible to make a dining request on the cruise personaliser?

I think not, I recall that it states that one's dining room table plus sitting will be allocated once on board ... bed configuration is, thankfully, selectable.

[Mervyn and Trish]

.......... In fact is it not possible to make a dining request on the cruise personaliser?

I think not, I recall that it states that one's dining room table plus sitting will be allocated once on board ... bed configuration is, thankfully, selectable.

And who shares it.......

[Manoverboard]

.......... In fact is it not possible to make a dining request on the cruise personaliser?

I think not, I recall that it states that one's dining room table plus sitting will be allocated once on board ... bed configuration is, thankfully, selectable.

And who shares it.......

Good point ... I just checked and the 2nd passenger is ' Mobietta ' .

As for dining choices, the Official line is ...

Early Saver Bookers
Early Savers receive 2nd priority for dining. We will attempt to accommodate your request but this is not guaranteed. Dining will be allocated on board and cannot be changed. To register a dining preference please click on the below link.

http://www.pocruises.com/early-saver-dining/

Saver Fares

Dining Information
You have purchased your cruise using a Saver Fare. As such your dining time will be allocated on board and we are
unable to take note of your preference prior to departure or make any changes once on board.

So ... there you are then ...

[oldtimer]

I thought this post was a review of Britannia not freedom dining?

[Manoverboard]

I thought we were discussing Freedom Dining because of the related queuing problems on Britannia ... ?

[barr0ld]

I can see no harm in allowing saver/super saver passengers to express their dining preference when booking, just as long as their request is only honoured after all select fare passngers have been satisfied.
In fact is it not possible to make a dining request on the cruise personaliser?

My point exactly; I'd feel better for letting P&O know, even if it made no difference.

I'd hate to be on the early sitting, wishing I could be eating later whilst a fellow cruiser, starving, and at deaths door, is counting the seconds till 20:30.........

[barr0ld]

I thought this post was a review of Britannia not freedom dining?

My bad.....I'll await the ban

[qbman1]

Not sure whether anyone has posted this link:

http://cruisemiss.com/2015/03/26/britan ... og-part-3/

but it makes an interesting read

[Stephen]

I can see no harm in allowing saver/super saver passengers to express their dining preference when booking, just as long as their request is only honoured after all select fare passngers have been satisfied.
In fact is it not possible to make a dining request on the cruise personaliser?

Oh yes it is. We always put in a request for freedom dining on cruise personaliser. And if it is not what we get allocated once on board we just go down to the restaurant and get it changed. Never a problem.

[Stephen]

Cruise personaliser/dining options/click on link under Early Saver Bookers.

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[Manoverboard]

Early Savers ' Yes ' but Savers ' No ', as per my posting above on the 25th ...

https://www.cruise-community.me.uk/view ... 40#p133335