Topic: P&O Freedom Dining on the Ventura

Hi,


Can anyone advise on P&O's Freedom Dining on the Ventura. I have booked this and wonder if there are any tips out there as to which restaurant to use for the best and, will we literally just walk up and get a table?

Also, Is there a restaurant or restaurants that are solely for the allocated diners with pre-set times. ie; first and second sitting or do freedom diners use these too?

Thanks.

There are three main restaurants, Bay Tree and Saffron are used for Club dining and Cinnamon for Freedom dining. The menus and dress code are the same for all. You have a better chance of being seated straight away if you share a large table. This allocation only applies in the evening. For breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea the main restaurant operate on a free seating system, which ever are open - usually just Saffron and BayTree.
There is also the option of the self service buffet in the evening or the three extra cost restaurants
Brian

We had a week of Freedom dining on Ventura last July. We like to share a table and never had to queue once or wait to be seated. The system all worked really well. We do tend to eat earlier, though, which I know can make a difference as more folk do prefer to eat later.

hi pete,just a quick imput from our own experience pete, on board ventura, we were allocated the bay tree restaurant, but our accomodation was at the opposite end of the ship to this, if you go for this option pete, try to avoid this happening to you, because it is

hard work getting to the baytree from the opposite end of the ship, let me tell you.

only other thing to watch out for pete is the food, apparently it is very bland according to some gourmet diners, who use this forum
i mean it just wont do will it pete? imagine coming off your cruise and having to tell every body you had to eat bland food!

just would not do would it pete.......michael.

Pete

As has been explained on Ventura you have three main dining restaurants, 2 restaurants set up for Club Dining (Fixed times 6/30 and 8/30) I believe, and one restaurant set up for Freedom.

You have to decide at the time of booking which option you choose, you cannot alternate between Club or Freedom restaurants when on board. If you have chosen Freedom, that will be your chosen restaurant for the whole of the cruise.

You also have for example other alternative places to eat such as the buffet (pop along anytime, any night, it is open, no booking), or speciality restaurants (booking required), to choose from

If you have chosen Freedom, you just turn up at the restaurant at a time you wish to eat, and it can vary each night. You decide on the size of table, more likely to get a table straight away for 8 than you would a table for 2. If no tables available, you will be given a pager told approx how long the wait will be.

Breakfast & Lunch can be taken in either the Main Dining Room allocated for this, or at the buffet. We always have breakfast in the Buffet, others choose the Main Dining Rooms.

There is not a choice of main dining room as such. One the dining rooms is allocated for freedom dining and then other two are allocated to those on fixed time dining. Menus at all three are the same. There is also the option of buffet and beach house which are free of charge, plus extra charge dining at Ramblas, East and the White Room.

There are times you may have to wait for a table. We generally want a table for two and if we collect a pager at 7.15 we will usually get called with a table by 8pm. If we agreed to share we would probably have been seated straightaway.

Loved the freedom dining on Ventura as we found it convenient to just make our way to the dining room when the time suited us. Only ever had to wait 20 minutes (with pager) at the most.

Hi Pete, We sailed on the Ventura last March (Barbados to Southampton). We prefer freedom dinning which gives you the option to dine when you want. We have chosen freedom dinning for the last five years and on the first day of the cruise we reserve a table for 2 with the MD for the duration of the cruise never had any problems.

I was under the impression with Freedom Dining that you couldn't book a table (we were unable) and that the waiters sat you as you filed into the dining room as they do with breakfast and lunch.

As yet no one has mentioned the tips. On freedom dining you will be automatically charged tips to your on board account (check your on screen account daily). Although you can request this to be cancelled if you wish to hand out the tips yourself, especially if you feel someone has given exceptional service. Otherwise you have no idea where your tips are going as they are shared out.