Naturally, we can provide diabetic, fat-free, vegetarian and gluten-free meals etc. A limited range of kosher food items are carried on board our ships though you should note that kosher food production is unsupervised. In order to give us plenty of time to place the necessary orders and also to give you the best possible service, please let us know your needs and any food allergies that you may have when you make your booking or by calling our Reservations Centre no later than 12 weeks before you travel. Please note, however, that we cannot guarantee specific brands. Substitute items may apply.

Normally, children sit with their parents at breakfast and lunch. But, since even the most affectionate parents may look forward to dinner on their own, we lay on a special children’s tea on board Aurora, Oceana and Oriana for children accompanied by their parents. On Ventura, families can dine together at The Beach House.

We look after babies too, with a selection of baby foods. Again, the earlier you let us know what you need, the better we’ll be able to stock up for your little one(s), though please note that we are unable to guarantee specific brands.

On all of our ships, we have myriad dining choices specifically designed to add greater flexibility and spontaneity to your time away. As you would expect from any world-class restaurant or hotel, the care and skilled lavished on the cuisine and the standard of service you receive will be exceptional, wherever you choose to dine, at whatever time of the day. And, with 24 hour dining available on all of our ships, you can enjoy a broad variety of dining venues. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, or even a midnight snack, you will be spoilt for choice.

We have a wide choice of dining venues where children can enjoy breakfast and lunch. In the evenings, families can dine together or alternatively, parents can accompany their children to a special children’s dinner, choosing to dine later in the evening on their own.

Come the evening, with P&O Cruises Dining Choice we offer a number of alternative dining options, tailoring your holiday to your mood, timetable and lifestyle.

Freedom Dining

Enabling you to dine at any time you wish, with whom you like, Freedom Dining allows you the flexibility to turn up at selected restaurants anytime you choose and every effort will be made to accommodate you. Freedom Dining is included in your fare and available on Oceana and Ventura. If the flexibility of Freedom Dining appeals, then please opt for it when making your booking.

Club Dining

This style of dining is a wonderful way to share your holiday experiences and meet new people. Operating on a fixed sitting basis we will pre-reserve your seat at a table in one of the sumptuous main restaurants, for the duration of your holiday. Included in your fare, Club Dining is available on all of our ships when you choose between first sitting at 6.30pm or second sitting at 8.30pm. Seating arrangements are made on a ‘first come, first served’ basis when you book your cruise. Please state your sitting preference at the time of booking. Sittings are allocated according to availability. Also, when booking, please let us know if you wish to sit with a specific party or would like a specific table size. Please note that tables for two are extremely limited and cannot be guaranteed. Whether you opt for Freedom or Club Dining you will enjoy silver service in the main restaurants.

Select Dining

In addition to Club Dining and Freedom Dining, Select Dining gives you the choice of enjoying exquisitely prepared bistro cuisine one night and grill fare served al fresco under a moonlit sky or signature dishes inspired by Michelin-stared chefs, another. Simply reserve your table in advance for a time and evening that suits you best, and we will do the rest. Please note that a Select Dining cover charge applies.

The Select Dining venues on each ship are:
Ventura – The White Room, East, Ramblas
Oceana – The Plaza Bistro, The Horizon Grill
Arcadia – Arcadian Rhodes, The Orchid
Aurora – Café Bordeaux, The Pennant Grill
Oriana – Oriana Rhodes, The Terrace Grill
Artemis – The Grill at the Conservatory

Balcony Dining

Giving you the opportunity to indulge in dinner beneath the stars, a premium menu will enhance the very special and exclusive experience of balcony dining. Available from April 2008 on Ventura and June 2008 on all other ships (except Artemis). Please note that there will be a charge per person. For more information on our dining options and restaurants please visit our website.

The secret of packing is ‘keep it simple’. We hold Formal, Semi-Formal and Smart Casual evenings on board and the occurrences of each type of dress code will vary according to the duration of your cruise. We will send you confirmation with your travel documents. If you forget something, don’t worry as our shops on board carry a wide range of leisurewear and formal clothing.

Daywear

Casual shirts, shorts, trousers and beachwear are ideal. For going ashore and walking on deck, flat comfortable shoes are a must. You will also need a lightweight jacket or coat for cool evenings and occasional showers. Don’t forget sun protection cream, a sun hat and sunglasses as the sun is much stronger at sea. Packing a spare pair of glasses and an ample supply of any medicines you are taking is also a good idea.

Formal

This is the opportunity for ladies to wear formal evening wear such as a ball gown, trouser suit or a cocktail dress. For men, a dinner jacket or tuxedo are the norm, otherwise a dark suit and tie or a kilt and jacket is fine.

Semi-Formal

Ladies can wear anything from tailored trousers to smart separates or an elegant dress, while men can wear a jacket and tie. However, smart shirts that do not require a tie are also acceptable when worn with a linen jacket or blazer.

Smart Casual

Stylish resort or leisurewear is ideal, for example casual separates, dresses or smart jeans for ladies and open-neck shirts, polo shirts and trousers or smart jeans (not shorts) for men. Men are not required to wear jackets on Smart Casual nights. We would request that sportswear, (e.g. trainers, tracksuits) are not worn in the evenings.

Bring your brightest clothes for our Tropical evening. Don’t worry if you do forget something as our shops on board carry a wide range of leisure wear and formal clothing. As a guide there are normally four Formal evenings, four Semi-formal evenings and six Smart Casual evenings on a two week cruise. However, in extremely hot temperatures these suggested dress codes may be relaxed. For example, for Artemis, Arcadia, Oceana and Ventura’s Caribbean seasons, there will be four Formal nights and ten Smart Casual nights.