Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

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Smoggie on tour
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Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#1

Post by Smoggie on tour »

Booked Aurora cruise for 2015 today and was offered freedom dining. Travel agent says this will be available when we sail. Hope she is right. Checked the P&O website but could not find any information. Has anybody else been offered this option for any future cruises booked on Aurora?

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The Monocled Mutineer
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#2

Post by The Monocled Mutineer »

Hope she is wrong.

The absence of Freedom Dining makes the Aurora (& Oriana) retain a more traditional ambiance within the subset of the fleet which are the P&O Commission builds designed and specifically built for the ex.UK cruise market.
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ChesterfieldJohn
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#3

Post by ChesterfieldJohn »

According to the P & O site freedom dining will be available on Aurora from December 2014

Which ships offer freedom dining?

Freedom dining is available on Azura, Oceana and Ventura.

Freedom dining will also be available on:
Arcadia as of 15 December 2013
Oriana as of 18 May 2014
Aurora as of 19 December 2014.


Which is good, we much prefer freedom dining.

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The Monocled Mutineer
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#4

Post by The Monocled Mutineer »

Dam, dam, dam:

Cannot see it being successful on two MDR ships.

Many adherents to Freedom or Club will become disappointed cruisers when a a particular form of dining becomes oversubscribed for a particular cruise.
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david63
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#5

Post by david63 »

The Monocled Mutineer wrote:
Dam, dam, dam:

Cannot see it being successful on two MDR ships.

Many adherents to Freedom or Club will become disappointed cruisers when a a particular form of dining becomes oversubscribed for a particular cruise.
On the other hand it may well encourage those who prefer Freedom dining to sail on those ships which, by their choice, have not been available to them.

Like it or nor (and personally I do not) Freedom dining is the way forward. Eventually I can see that Freedom dining will be the "norm" with the only other option, apart from buffet, being Select dining.

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ChesterfieldJohn
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#6

Post by ChesterfieldJohn »

The Monocled Mutineer wrote:
Dam, dam, dam:

Cannot see it being successful on two MDR ships.

Many adherents to Freedom or Club will become disappointed cruisers when a a particular form of dining becomes oversubscribed for a particular cruise.

Why should it become oversubscribed?

Surely it will work exactly the same has 1st and 2nd sittings with a maximum number allowed.

We have used it on the 3 ships that allow it now and never had any trouble with it.

We prefer it because it allows us to fit more evening entertainment in.

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Capt Black
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#7

Post by Capt Black »

Makes me wonder whether this part of PandO's cunning revisions of Vantage vs Getaway effective next year. My understanding is that dining for Getaways will be allocated rather than expressing a choice.

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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#8

Post by Dancing Queen »

Unfortunately it is probably feedback from customers and what "they" want ... a bit like the smoking ban on balconies I suppose, if they want it and shout loud enough they will get it :roll:
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#9

Post by ChesterfieldJohn »

Capt Black wrote:
Makes me wonder whether this part of PandO's cunning revisions of Vantage vs Getaway effective next year. My understanding is that dining for Getaways will be allocated rather than expressing a choice.

Where have you got this information from?

I have not read or heard anything about it.

John
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The Monocled Mutineer
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#10

Post by The Monocled Mutineer »

Oceana, Azura and Ventura have three MDRs that can flex for skews in demands for Club & Freedom.

I do not wish to dine with strangers every night of a cruise, because of the same "first night questions" for 17 nights, the increased risk of being seated with serial bores, the "silents" or unreconstructed English national socialists or / and those who promulgate for the whole service their repugnant views from their "informed" study of the Daily Mail / Express, often in front of the stewards as if they are deaf or do not understand English.

Although I prefer 2nd sitting, I would settle for 1st. However open dining at dinner for a whole cruise would fill me with dread every night, and I do not wish to use Select Dining every night (cost) and only use the buffet at dinner perhaps once (eg spending an evening ashore on a midnight sailing or an overnighter).
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#11

Post by ChesterfieldJohn »

The Monocled Mutineer wrote:
Oceana, Azura and Ventura have three MDRs that can flex for skews in demands for Club & Freedom.

I do not wish to dine with strangers every night of a cruise, because of the same "first night questions" for 17 nights, the increased risk of being seated with serial bores, the "silents" or unreconstructed English national socialists or / and those who promulgate for the whole service their repugnant views from their "informed" study of the Daily Mail / Express, often in front of the stewards as if they are deaf or do not understand English.

Although I prefer 2nd sitting, I would settle for 1st. However open dining at dinner for a whole cruise would fill me with dread every night, and I do not wish to use Select Dining every night (cost) and only use the buffet at dinner perhaps once (eg spending an evening ashore on a midnight sailing or an overnighter).

You have not answered my question.

The choice will still be yours as to fixed or freedom.
John
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oldbluefox
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#12

Post by oldbluefox »

I have never tried Freedom dining and possibly prefer Club dining. I say possibly as how can I express a preference for something I have never tried?

However it is all about freedom of choice and that is to be welcomed.

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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#13

Post by Dancing Queen »

oldbluefox wrote:
I have never tried Freedom dining and possibly prefer Club dining. I say possibly as how can I express a preference for something I have never tried?

However it is all about freedom of choice and that is to be welcomed.
We tried freedom dining on a Celebrity cruise and I was very sceptical but it worked very well and I was pleasantly surprised, sometimes we dined just with the friends we were with and other times we would ask for a larger table.

I agree freedom of choice is always welcome.
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#14

Post by sunseeker16 »

Club Dining is not being withdrawn, so the addition of Freedom Dining is simply extra choice. Those who enjoy Club will still be able to do it.

Personally, on holiday, I enjoy the freedom to do many things at times of my choice, and that includes eating my main meal at a time to suit, rather than ridiculously early at 6.30 or indigestion-inducing late at 8.30. Neither of those times is a total no-no as a one off but not for a whole cruise

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The Monocled Mutineer
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#15

Post by The Monocled Mutineer »

There is no choice if Club Dining is over-subscribed and I have to take Freedom.
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#16

Post by david63 »

The Monocled Mutineer wrote:
There is no choice if Club Dining is over-subscribed and I have to take Freedom.
No doubt that will be dependant on when you book - book early (albeit at a cost) and get the options you want or leave booking until later and take your chances as to what is available.

You still have a choice.

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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#17

Post by sunseeker16 »

Exactly

Also, should you be travelling with friends, you could make your own 'virtual club' in the freedom dining restaurant by going together at the same time and even requesting the Maitre'D to seat you in the same area of the restaurant

Freedom fans do not have a similar option to appear in a club restarant at 7.30 seeking a table

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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#18

Post by The Monocled Mutineer »

But today I have the choice of always being guaranteed Club, albeit not the sitting whether early booking or last minute. I fear with a two MDR ship offering Freedom that if demand is skewed I will not have choice but to accept Freedom.

I understand that this is not such an issue when cruising with friends or family but out of 30 cruises we have only sailed with friends twice and mummy once. And the option to sail with family continues to diminsh as my elders pass away and with us two having no siblings, no nephews / neices and both our parents being either only child or with siblings who did not reproduce, other than possibly with friends we will sail as a couple until one of us passes away.
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#19

Post by Quizzical Bob »

Yippee! at last! Freedom is as freedom says and offers those who prefer it an alternative choice. Fear not, Derek, I cannot see the availability of club dining being limited, it is a simple matter to arrange both club and freedom in the same restaurant and the tables could be adjusted to the demand, which would be set at the beginning of the cruise.

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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#20

Post by The Monocled Mutineer »

QB:

If that is the case (creating a subset of the freedom dining room for an overflow of demand then so be it, although I believe the presence of Freedom Dining on any of the fleet erodes the ambiance, especially on Formal nights, with people wondering around the public rooms after 6pm in day wear and deck wear because they're not eating till late. as well as people drifting in and out of the restaurant during my preffered sitting time.
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#21

Post by Quizzical Bob »

The Monocled Mutineer wrote:
QB:

If that is the case (creating a subset of the freedom dining room for an overflow of demand then so be it, although I believe the presence of Freedom Dining on any of the fleet erodes the ambiance, especially on Formal nights, with people wondering around the public rooms after 6pm in day wear and deck wear because they're not eating till late. as well as people drifting in and out of the restaurant during my preffered sitting time.
If you're second sitting then there shouldn't be too much wandering in and out. I often find that there is a lot of this during normal club dining, to be honest. Those on second sitting are, of course, entitled on formal evenings to use the public areas in casual clothes, that is their prerogative.

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The Monocled Mutineer
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#22

Post by The Monocled Mutineer »

QB:

The dress codes quite clearly states that the dress code (as a minimum standard) applies to designated public areas (most of the public internal areas of a ship) after 6pm. The exclusion is usually the buffet restaurant and at least one indoor bar.
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#23

Post by Gill W »

The Monocled Mutineer wrote:
QB:

If that is the case (creating a subset of the freedom dining room for an overflow of demand then so be it, although I believe the presence of Freedom Dining on any of the fleet erodes the ambiance, especially on Formal nights, with people wondering around the public rooms after 6pm in day wear and deck wear because they're not eating till late. as well as people drifting in and out of the restaurant during my preffered sitting time.
Derek, you've said many times that you retire to your cabin at 6pm, so that you can prepare for the evening, and so that any early diners aren't exposed to the Kane knees in your casual shorts, so I don't know how you acquired your belief, as this is a time you are not habitually in the public areas of the ship.

On freedom dining, they tend to fill areas of the restaurant at the same time, so there is not a large amount of coming and going of diners. I actually find freedom more relaxing and quieter, as you don't have 500 people coming in all at once, all talking (it sometimes seems) at the top of their voices.

My hunch is that freedom will book more quickly than club, so I feel you'll be able to get your club dining without too many problems.
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#24

Post by BrianI »

Yes its 6pm. I have seen people politely asked to leave the Crows Nest just after six.
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Re: Freedom dining on Aurora 2015

#25

Post by Quizzical Bob »

The Monocled Mutineer wrote:
QB:

The dress codes quite clearly states that the dress code (as a minimum standard) applies to designated public areas (most of the public internal areas of a ship) after 6pm. The exclusion is usually the buffet restaurant and at least one indoor bar.
Not so, MM, on Aurora for example it only applies to the two MDRs, the Crows Nest and Anderson's. Café Bordeaux is also mentioned but I have found that in practice the code here is more relaxed, especially on jackety evenings.

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