Why P&O? (as opposed to the US mainstream lines)

Hi Wendy

What's a salad bar, sounds like healthy cold food, once you live some place were it is either raining or snowing ever day you will find you want hot soup pies and potatoes with everything,

Yours Shogun

I have been fortunate to have been on many cruises (70+) and on several different cruise lines though the VAST majority have been on Celebrity, RCI and princess. Throw in a few NCL and 1 HAL. I have been P&O twice and I'm afraid I was very surprised and disappointed with what I experienced. I am not going to get into boring details, well maybe one.

 

I would like to know whether Brits have ever heard of a salad bar? Not just lettuce, cucumber and something called salad cream. No vegetables or beans or anything else. No Thousand Island, Ranch, Blue cheese nor Caesar. As a veggie (I just don't like meat) I always look forward to a nice salad at lunch and dinner. I was never satisfied. Now would this make me avoid a P&O cruise in the future? Possibly.

 

It is wonderful that the world is full of cruising options. You have to work very hard to have a bad day on a cruise, ANY cruise.

All those were available on my last few P&O cruises and I think the salad selection might be getting better. One problem is some items like smoked haddock seem to be there every day, similar to green beans :eek: in the mdr

Oops :o

 

I got that one wrong, I think read it online but can't remember where. I wonder what they used the presidential suite and boardroom for :confused:

Holland America line as it was in 1983 when the Nieuw Amsterdam a was built along with sister ship Noordam, was not owned by Carnival. It was mainly Dutch and the passengers were Americans and Dutch . Rarely saw British person on their ships. I doubt most cruisers in the Uk in 1980 /1990's had ever heard of them as British people rarely cruised and only knew P&O or Cunard.

The Dutch Royal family traveled on the ships and Queen Beatrix was on the SS Rotterdam in 1981 on the part of the world cruise I remember she joined in Manilla. She would have stayed in the Presidential suite or many of the dignitaries that traveled on HA. Plus they attracted many wealthy, and I mean wealthy, passengers in those days. Conference room? Well, you will find one on many ships. even today. Often used for private functions or some companies do hold their conferences on ships.

NIEUW AMSTERDAM had problems with vibration from the very start of her life and HA eventually sold her only to buy her back later and she has been chartered out ever since.

Thomson Spirit is quite popular with ex -pats in Cyprus they can do a weeks cruise here from Limassol for less than it costs you to run the air con for a week. it is cheap and cheerful and many like it . As for me, I would not go on her as I prefer to go on a decent ship, not some old thing from a by- gone era and prefer to remember her glory days as a new ship.

The SS Rotterdam V is interesting as she has been beautifully restored to her former glory in the style she was built in the late 1950's. She is a floating hotel and conference centre berthed in Rotterdam harbour.

All those were available on my last few P&O cruises and I think the salad selection might be getting better. One problem is some items like smoked haddock seem to be there every day, similar to green beans :eek: in the mdr

No problem with the beans but I'll skip the haddock....yikes.

Holland America line as it was in 1983 when the Nieuw Amsterdam a was built along with sister ship Noordam, was not owned by Carnival. It was mainly Dutch and the passengers were Americans and Dutch . Rarely saw British person on their ships. I doubt most cruisers in the Uk in 1980 /1990's had ever heard of them as British people rarely cruised and only knew P&O or Cunard.

The Dutch Royal family traveled on the ships and Queen Beatrix was on the SS Rotterdam in 1981 on the part of the world cruise I remember she joined in Manilla. She would have stayed in the Presidential suite or many of the dignitaries that traveled on HA. Plus they attracted many wealthy, and I mean wealthy, passengers in those days. Conference room? Well, you will find one on many ships. even today. Often used for private functions or some companies do hold their conferences on ships.

NIEUW AMSTERDAM had problems with vibration from the very start of her life and HA eventually sold her only to buy her back later and she has been chartered out ever since.

Thomson Spirit is quite popular with ex -pats in Cyprus they can do a weeks cruise here from Limassol for less than it costs you to run the air con for a week. it is cheap and cheerful and many like it . As for me, I would not go on her as I prefer to go on a decent ship, not some old thing from a by- gone era and prefer to remember her glory days as a new ship.

The SS Rotterdam V is interesting as she has been beautifully restored to her former glory in the style she was built in the late 1950's. She is a floating hotel and conference centre berthed in Rotterdam harbour.

Her sister ship too but I think most regular cruisers on those ships would describe it as a wobble or occillation with a very low random frequency. I understand that it is due to a generator in the engine room and fixing it would cost more than the value of the ship. I believe they fitted some suspended passenger decks to dampen the wobble but of course of the years these are probably rusted/painted solid.

Same Italian builder that built HAL Nieuw Amsterdam built P&O Britannia.

Value for money ................??

Oh my goodness! I remember Ocean village! We looked at them for our honeymoon (this was in 2010 when they were heading down the pan).

For the record...as a Brit I love all random salads and not just what someone said P&O served. :)

For the record...as a Brit I love all random salads and not just what someone said P&O served. :)

Me too. It wasn't so much the salads offered that disappointed me, but the lack of choice of dressings. The first day I went round and round the buffet, assuming they must be somewhere and I was just missing them. No such luck. If I go into a local supermarket, even the discount ones, there are different salads and dressings on offer, so why not on P&O.

Same Italian builder that built HAL Nieuw Amsterdam built P&O Britannia.

Value for money ................??

The Nieuw Amsterdam ship now known as Thomson Spirit and been discussed on this thread was NOT built by the same shipyard that built P & O Btriannia.

The 1983 Nieuw Amsterdan was built by Chantiers de l'Atalntique in St Nazaire France.

Britannia and the 2010 Nieuw Amsterdam were both built but Fincantieri, in Monfalone Italy. We were discussing the 1983 Nieuw Amsterdam on this thread.

Wow, what an interesting discussion. We did our first Caribbean cruise on Ventura in 2008, and absolutely loved it, especially flying direct from Manchester to Barbados then having a full 14 days visiting lots of islands. We did the same cruise the following year on Sea Princess, still flying direct to Barbados. That was the last year Princess did that, but for some reason we stayed with them, and each year since then we've flown to the US to take a Princess cruise. We have thoroughly enjoyed them all, the food, staff, entertainment, and meeting lots of nationalities. We've also enjoyed a few days in whatever US town we've flown to, or stayed with our friends in Florida, to make our holiday a little longer. That's because Princess only seem to have mostly 7, 10 or 21 day cruises - no proper 14 days. We've done two 7’s together but didn't enjoy that the same.

Anyway, this November we are trying P&O again, on Britannia to the Caribbean. We were on Royal Princess last November, so we have an idea of the ship's layout. Looking forward to different decor, also tea and coffee in our cabin! I believe the entertainment is going to be excellent, from what I've read? There do seem to be a few extras to pay for, which we weren't expecting - did someone mention paying extra for steaks? And the safe in the cabin? I am so looking forward to the itinerary, most of which we've done before so we know what to expect. I'll miss my free wifi, which we get with Princess [emoji6] And it looks like I'll need my own bath robe, but not a major problem. And we love to dress up, so I'm pleased P&O still appear to keep up the formal nights.

I don't think we'll have complaints, we're very easy going. Shall let you know when we've been [emoji4]

Wow, what an interesting discussion. We did our first Caribbean cruise on Ventura in 2008, and absolutely loved it, especially flying direct from Manchester to Barbados then having a full 14 days visiting lots of islands. We did the same cruise the following year on Sea Princess, still flying direct to Barbados. That was the last year Princess did that, but for some reason we stayed with them, and each year since then we've flown to the US to take a Princess cruise. We have thoroughly enjoyed them all, the food, staff, entertainment, and meeting lots of nationalities. We've also enjoyed a few days in whatever US town we've flown to, or stayed with our friends in Florida, to make our holiday a little longer. That's because Princess only seem to have mostly 7, 10 or 21 day cruises - no proper 14 days. We've done two 7’s together but didn't enjoy that the same.

Anyway, this November we are trying P&O again, on Britannia to the Caribbean. We were on Royal Princess last November, so we have an idea of the ship's layout. Looking forward to different decor, also tea and coffee in our cabin! I believe the entertainment is going to be excellent, from what I've read? There do seem to be a few extras to pay for, which we weren't expecting - did someone mention paying extra for steaks? And the safe in the cabin? I am so looking forward to the itinerary, most of which we've done before so we know what to expect. I'll miss my free wifi, which we get with Princess [emoji6] And it looks like I'll need my own bath robe, but not a major problem. And we love to dress up, so I'm pleased P&O still appear to keep up the formal nights.

I don't think we'll have complaints, we're very easy going. Shall let you know when we've been [emoji4]

You do not pay for your safe in the cabin. Not sure where that came from. You pay for your steaks in the pay restaurants not the MDR.

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Oh I am sure you can still look down your nose at them. Only it's easier as they are on your ship. :) :) :) :)

 

 

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Our first cruise was on OV2 and we fell in love with cruising. Hated the idea of the formal dressing as we felt intimidated by it all, but gave Oceana a go as we just love the whole being at sea thing and are now smitten with cruising! So, yip, we are now on P&O ;-)

I do think it is sad that OV disappeared for whatever reason ---- their speciality restaurant by James Martin was the very, very best speciality restaurant we have ever had the pleasure of using. Fabulous. (And we have sailed Celebrity and RCI and used all of theirs too). Shame they don't recreate that one on P&O

You do not pay for your safe in the cabin. Not sure where that came from. You pay for your steaks in the pay restaurants not the MDR.

 

 

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Oh, thanks for that daiB, I thought it was strange paying for the safe, but it was somewhere in this long discussion. Maybe I misunderstood. I'd read about paying extra for steaks in speciality restaurants, again somewhere in this thread it was stated you pay in MDR. [emoji57]

Oh, thanks for that daiB, I thought it was strange paying for the safe, but it was somewhere in this long discussion. Maybe I misunderstood. I'd read about paying extra for steaks in speciality restaurants, again somewhere in this thread it was stated you pay in MDR. [emoji57]

Safes and steaks cost money on Thomson. Probably someone in P&O HQ is wondering how they could get away with introducing them ;)

Of course many don't use the safe. Travel safes are popular and I have one.

with smaller ships there are not sufficient cover charge dining options to rake the cash in.

Oh, thanks for that daiB, I thought it was strange paying for the safe, but it was somewhere in this long discussion. Maybe I misunderstood. I'd read about paying extra for steaks in speciality restaurants, again somewhere in this thread it was stated you pay in MDR. [emoji57]

Im guessing this is down to a game of 'whispers'. In the evening on some P&O ships, a section of the buffet restaurant is turned into a casual waiter served diner called the Beach House. Theres a small cover charge, and a further surcharge for a steak. I think thats where the rumour of paying for a steak in the 'for free' restaurants has come from. No supplements in the MDR that I'm aware of!

I do think it is sad that OV disappeared for whatever reason ---- their speciality restaurant by James Martin was the very, very best speciality restaurant we have ever had the pleasure of using. Fabulous. (And we have sailed Celebrity and RCI and used all of theirs too). Shame they don't recreate that one on P&O

Presto2,

I have seen several commenters saying this about OVs food on these boards. Now James Martin is a Food Hero I'm hoping P&O might decide to get him to replace Marco Pierre White, whose menus I've always found underwhelming :)

I do think it is sad that OV disappeared for whatever reason ---- their speciality restaurant by James Martin was the very, very best speciality restaurant we have ever had the pleasure of using. Fabulous. (And we have sailed Celebrity and RCI and used all of theirs too). Shame they don't recreate that one on P&O

Presto2,

I have seen several commenters saying this about OVs food on these boards. Now James Martin is a Food Hero I'm hoping P&O might decide to get him to replace Marco Pierre White, whose menus I've always found underwhelming :)

Have never got the Marco PW thing at all like you -------- now a restaurant like the OV Bistro .... that would be brilliant.

We like to alternate between P&O and Princess and love both. Cruising out of Southampton we find there are more similarities than differences.

P&O is easy and comfortable in its Britishness. We enjoy the reserved service and it's classy ambience.

Princess is lively and upbeat. We enjoy the positivity of our fellow passengers.

Both lines offer excellent food and entertainment. Sailing from Southampton the vast majority of passengers on both have been British and on both lines most have respected the dress code fully.

As a family of four the biggest difference has been cost. Princess regularly offer huge savings on 3rd and 4th passenger prices in school holidays. This year our 14 nights around the Med on Emerald Princess is less than £4000 in a Mini Suite ( equivalent to a Superior Deluxe on Ventura or Azura ). Unfortunately P&O at the moment are asking much more.

We did 2 cruises with Ocean Village, one to the Caribbean and one to the Eastern Med. Absolutely loved our experiences and sorry when she was no more. The ship was owned by P&O who then sent it to Australia under the name Pacific Pearl. It is now coming back to British waters in 2017 as the Columbus with Cruise & Maritime.

James Martins asparagus tart starter in the speciality restaurant on OV was to the best starter I have had on any cruise !!!

Check out OCEANIA CRUISES, they have slashed their Mediterranean cruise prices recently. I expect the Americans are running scared in the face of increased terrorism - some great deals if you want luxury small ships renown for the best cuisine at sea.

They dont seem to sail from the UK though?

They dont seem to sail from the UK though?

I would give them a go if they did. Flying with the scooter is just a hassle.

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I would give them a go if they did. Flying with the scooter is just a hassle.

Have you thought of trying HAL they have a Grand Prix for scooters, there are so many of them !

Have you thought of trying HAL they have a Grand Prix for scooters, there are so many of them !

Yes, and a still a lot of gals with blue rinse's :D