Caziann,

Club Dining: You are allocated the same table in a dining room for the duration of the cruise at choice of a 6:30 or 8:30 sitting. There are normally 2, 4, 6 or 8 to a table depending on your choice.

Freedom: You decide the time and the table size you want to eat at. So, if you want to dine at 7 pm, then you let the Maitre de know and they allocate a table that is available for the time and size, same sizes as above, you have asked for. If they are pushed for a table at your requested time you will be given a pager for when a table is free. When you book the following night you will get a different table. There are normally a couple of dining rooms allocated for Freedom dining.

Select: On board most ships there are speciality restaurants, White Room (Ventura) Rhodes (Arcadia) to name a few. You need to book these through that restuarant, and there is a cover charge, ie £15 for Gary Rhodes. If you are thinking of a certain night then the earlier you book one of these the better.

Hope that helps. Ps, if you have a 2009 P&O brochure look on paage 232.

Thanks peter, ive got p&o brochure and just read that page. Just got another couple of questions, if you or someone could answer them. ok, what if you wanted to book a table for following night, can you do that? so you dont have to wait. also can you eat anywhere else in the afternoon if you didnt want to wait until restraurant opens, also is there anywhere to eat at the end of the night if your peckish after a few drinks? sorry for all the questions, ive got my family here adding to my list of questions. thanks

There was no need to book freedom dining on Ventura - just turn up at the restaurant when you want to eat. If you aren't fussy they will show you to empty seats at the tables they are currently filling up. If you have a specific requirement (e'g table for two) you may have to wait during busy times.

We only waited once for about 5 minutes, but this was on the Captain's welcome night and everyone was outside the restaurant at the same time listening to his speech. Once he finished everyone wanted to eat.

A full lunch with waiter service is available in the restaurants every day. The self service buffet is open all day and depending on the ship there are other eateries for snacks - pizzas, burgers etc.

The buffet is open 24 hours so no danger of not getting fed.

Thanks dave, we are going on the oceana, hope the dining options are the same as ventura as that would be perfect for us. A couple of our party may have to eat earlier than six as they are on medication, diabetes etc, is that about the time the main resteraunt opens, someone said 6 till 10, or can you walk in the main resteraunt before six?

6pm sounds about right.