Next Suede Boots Drop From £75 to £31 in Latest Sale, Liverpool 2026

Key Points

• P&O Cruises has provided details about a “pre-pay” policy that applies to certain customers seeking to dine at specialty restaurants onboard their vessels.
• This clarification comes in the wake of a customer’s question raised on social media, reports the Liverpool Echo.
• Most meals at the main dining rooms, buffet and some casual dining spots are covered under the cost of the cruise package.
• Specialty restaurants have a separate policy, which might include an extra fee.
• P&O Cruises provides Freedom Dining, Club Dining, Buffets, Pool Side Grills, Room Service and Specialty Dining.
• In Club Dining, passengers are provided a pre-scheduled dining time and seat, while Freedom Dining is more flexible.
• The dining policy, fee structure and operating hours may differ from vessel to vessel and even the cruise schedule.
• Passengers are recommended to see the Horizon newspaper issued every day during the cruise.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) August 18, 2026 — P&O Cruises passengers have been reminded that some dining experiences on board may require payment in advance or involve an additional charge.

The clarification came after a passenger raised a question about the cruise line’s dining arrangements on social media. As reported by the Liverpool Echo, the British cruise operator explained what it described as a “pre-pay” rule for passengers planning to eat at certain restaurants on its ships. The report said the matter concerned passengers eating on board and the need to make payment arrangements before using some dining facilities.

The report did not indicate that passengers must pay separately for every meal during a P&O Cruises holiday. Instead, P&O Cruises’ published dining information distinguishes between complimentary dining and speciality restaurants, where additional charges may apply.

The distinction is important because the cruise fare generally covers a substantial range of food available in the main dining rooms, buffets and selected casual venues. However, speciality dining is treated differently and can include restaurants offering particular cuisines or premium menus.

P&O Cruises says guests can choose from Freedom Dining, Club Dining, speciality restaurants, buffets and poolside grills. The cruise line describes Freedom Dining as a flexible option, while Club Dining is intended for passengers who prefer to eat at the same time and with the same group of fellow travellers each evening.

Which P&O Cruises restaurants are included?

P&O Cruises’ official guidance states that the main Freedom and Club restaurants form part of its principal dining arrangements. Passengers may be offered a choice between the two styles when booking, although Club Dining is not available on Arvia and Iona.

Freedom Dining allows guests to arrive at a participating restaurant when they choose, although there may be a wait during busy periods. The cruise line also says passengers can join a virtual queue through My Holiday on ships where that service is available.

Club Dining follows a more traditional arrangement. Guests select an early or late sitting and are allocated the same dining time and table group for the cruise. On selected ships, the first sitting is listed at 6.30pm and the second sitting at 8.30pm.

The main restaurants offer breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. P&O Cruises’ published guide lists breakfast from 7am to 9.30am, lunch from noon to 2pm, afternoon tea from 4pm to 4.45pm and dinner from 6pm to 9.30pm for Freedom Dining. Exact times may differ between ships and sailings.

Buffet restaurants provide another included dining option, although passengers should check the details of their fare and the information supplied for their specific cruise. P&O Cruises lists buffet breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, children’s tea, dinner and late-night snacks among its on-board dining periods.

The published buffet schedule gives breakfast as 7am to 10am, lunch from noon to 2.30pm, afternoon snacks from 3pm to 4.30pm, children’s tea from 5pm to 5.45pm, dinner from 6.30pm to 9pm and late-night snacks from 10pm to 1.30am. These times are general guidance and may differ between sailings.

When do passengers have to pay for dining?

Passengers may face additional charges when they choose speciality restaurants or certain room-service items. P&O Cruises describes speciality dining as a separate category from its main Freedom and Club restaurants and buffets.

The cruise line’s dining information refers to speciality venues offering choices such as steaks and Indian cuisine. These venues can be booked through My P&O Cruises before departure, subject to availability.

The “pre-pay” wording reported by the Liverpool Echo appears to relate to arrangements for a particular dining experience rather than a general requirement to pay before entering all restaurants. The available report and P&O Cruises’ published information do not establish that complimentary meals have been replaced by a universal pre-payment policy.

Passengers should therefore distinguish between the following:

• Meals in the main dining rooms and buffets, which are part of the standard dining offering described by P&O Cruises.
• Speciality restaurants, where an additional charge may apply.
• Room service, where charges apply to most items, apart from continental breakfast ordered through the cabin breakfast card.
• Drinks, which may incur separate charges even when standard food items are included.
• Dining priority linked to the type of fare booked.

P&O Cruises says passengers who select a Select Price fare may receive priority for their preferred dining style on ships offering Freedom and Club restaurants. They may also receive priority when choosing a seating time or table size for Club Dining.

What does the rule mean for room service?

P&O Cruises also provides room-service dining, but it does not treat every room-service order as free.

Guests can order from the main restaurant menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner in their suite during the relevant dining periods. The cruise line says standard food items will not be charged in those circumstances, although drinks may cost extra.

Outside the main restaurant dining periods, passengers can order from the room-service menu. P&O Cruises states that charges apply to most room-service items, while continental breakfast can be ordered without a food charge by completing the breakfast order card in the cabin the previous night.

The cruise line also warns that room service on Arvia and Iona includes a delivery charge. The precise prices are shown on the menu provided in the cabin directory.

This means passengers who want to avoid unexpected costs should check the room-service menu before placing an order. The same approach applies to speciality restaurants, drinks and any dining package or reservation selected during the booking process.

How can passengers check the correct dining information?

P&O Cruises says dining times and venue availability can vary according to the ship and cruise. The cruise line recommends checking the daily Horizon newspaper once on board for the most accurate information.

The general schedule published by P&O Cruises places most speciality dining venues’ dinner service between 6pm and 9.30pm. Some venues may also open during other meal periods, but this is not guaranteed across the fleet.

The cruise line’s official guidance also states that virtual queuing is not available on Arcadia or Aurora. Guests on those ships may therefore need to follow different arrangements when waiting for a table.

Passengers can also ask the ship’s staff about:

• Whether a restaurant is included in their fare.
• Whether a reservation is required.
• Whether payment must be made before dining.
• Whether the restaurant charges per person or according to the items ordered.
• Whether drinks are included.
• Whether a dining package changes the normal price.
• Whether the venue is open on a particular evening.

These checks may be especially relevant to families, larger groups and passengers travelling in separate cabins. P&O Cruises says larger parties can request to sit together by linking their bookings, although seating remains subject to availability and the arrangements of the relevant restaurant.

What dining choices are available for children?

P&O Cruises says children can eat in buffets, Freedom restaurants and Club restaurants. The cruise line also provides a children’s menu in the main dining rooms.

A dedicated children’s tea is offered in the buffets. The published general schedule places children’s tea between 5pm and 5.45pm, although the exact arrangements can vary by ship.

Speciality restaurants do not necessarily provide separate children’s menus or pricing. P&O Cruises says children may be able to choose from the children’s menu available in the main dining rooms, but families should confirm the policy before booking.

For babies and infants, P&O Cruises says bottle warmers are available on family-friendly ships and a limited number of steam sterilisers may be available. The cruise line also offers selected HiPP organic baby-food jars. Baby food must be requested at least eight weeks before the holiday, according to the company’s guidance.

Why has the payment rule attracted attention?

The issue has attracted attention because cruise passengers often assume that food is fully covered by the headline cruise price. While many meals are included, cruise operators commonly separate standard dining from premium or speciality experiences.

The question reported by the Liverpool Echo illustrates how the difference can cause uncertainty before or during a holiday. A passenger may see dining advertised as part of the cruise experience while still being required to pay for a particular venue, reserve a table or cover drinks and service-related costs.

P&O Cruises’ own guidance presents dining as a mixture of included and chargeable options. Its official pages do not describe all food on board as free, and they specifically note charges for most room-service items and additional costs for drinks.

The practical effect is that passengers need to read the dining terms attached to their booking rather than rely only on general descriptions of the cruise.

Background: How P&O Cruises dining works

P&O Cruises offers several dining formats across its fleet. Freedom Dining is designed for passengers who want to choose when they eat, although they may have to wait at busy times. Club Dining is based on a fixed time, table and group of fellow guests.

The restaurants supporting each format vary by ship. P&O Cruises lists Freedom and Club venues on ships including Arcadia, Aurora, Azura, Britannia, Ventura, Arvia and Iona, but the availability of a particular style differs between vessels. Club Dining is not available on Arvia and Iona.

The company also operates buffets, grills, pizzerias and speciality restaurants. Grill and pizzeria venues are generally listed as open from 11am to 6pm, while speciality restaurants are usually open for dinner, subject to the ship’s programme.

P&O Cruises’ dining system therefore combines meals included in the fare with optional experiences that may cost more. The exact balance depends on the ship, fare type, venue, menu and the passenger’s selections.

Prediction: What could the rule mean for P&O Cruises passengers?

For P&O Cruises passengers, the immediate effect is likely to be greater emphasis on checking whether a restaurant is included before making a reservation. Travellers who plan to use speciality venues may need to budget for additional costs or complete payment arrangements before dining.

Passengers who mainly use the buffet and principal dining rooms are unlikely to be affected in the same way, because P&O Cruises continues to describe those venues as part of its standard dining offering. However, drinks, room-service orders and premium venues may still produce extra charges.

The development could also encourage passengers to compare the total cost of different fare options more carefully. A fare that offers dining priority may be useful to guests who want a particular dining style, time or table, while other passengers may prefer the flexibility of included buffet and Freedom Dining options.

For families, checking children’s dining arrangements in advance will remain important, particularly if they want to use a speciality restaurant. Guests with dietary requirements should also contact P&O Cruises before departure, because the cruise line says some meals need to be pre-ordered to allow suitable preparation.

The clearest expectation is that passengers will increasingly seek confirmation of dining charges before boarding. Checking booking documents, My P&O Cruises and the daily Horizon information should help travellers understand which meals are included and which choices require payment.