P&O Cruises has clarified its 'pre-pay' dining rule after a passenger asked about it on social media. The British cruise line responded to a query on X, explaining that the amount paid upfront is deducted from the final bill at the end of the meal.
Passenger query prompts response
On X, a passenger asked: "Just made a dining reservation for Singhu on Azura and made a payment per person. How does this work if dishes are priced individually? Is this just a deposit?" P&O Cruises replied: "Hi Philip, the amount you pre-pay will be deducted at the end."
P&O Cruises hosts tens of thousands of guests on its ships, with each vessel holding between approximately 1,800 and 5,200 passengers. The busiest periods are the peak summer months of July and August, as well as significant school holidays such as Christmas and New Year.
How the pre-pay rule works
When pre-booking speciality or select dining before a cruise, passengers must pay the cover charge or reservation fee in full upfront with a payment card at checkout. Pre-cruise onboard spend or promotional dining credits cannot be used for advance online bookings; those credits are applied only once on board.
P&O Cruises says: "Some of our venues offer a menu with individually priced items. In these venues, a per person reservation charge is to be paid at the time of booking for pre-cruise reservations. Individually priced items will be charged to your onboard account based on your order."
The total prepaid reservation charge is deducted on board from the final bill at the end of the meal. Any advertised discounts are applied on board to the final bill at the end of the meal.
Booking options and cancellations
Reserving speciality restaurants such as Sindhu or The Beach House in advance via the online account requires immediate payment by card. For venues with individually priced items, the upfront fee acts as a reservation or cover charge that is later credited or deducted from the final bill.
If passengers wait to book dining once on board, using the My Holiday app or speaking to crew, charges or promotional spend or onboard credit can be routed directly to the stateroom account.
Pre-cruise bookings can be cancelled online up to 24 hours before the reservation time for a full refund to the original payment card. Cancelling within 24 hours incurs a late cancellation fee, which is charged to the onboard account. P&O Cruises says: "If you cancel less than 24 hours prior to your reservation, you will be charged a cancellation fee of £5.00 per person. Any cancellation charges will be applied to your onboard account."
