First time with P&O..Disappointment

Just returned on Oceana E118

To be honest a tad underwhelmed,firstly the service in the freedom dining restaurant,some of the bars and Marco's cafe Jardin was very poor and in some cases bordering on downright rude.

It appears that you are classed as an inconvenience to order a drink, ask for coffee, or even inquire what cheese is on the cheeseboard!

This to me is totally unacceptable, this happened on a number of occasions not just an isolated incident.

Food on board generally very good but very disappointed in Cafe Jardin.

Very clean, decor a bit dated, some of the entertainment good, some lousy.

Drinks very cheap.

Would I cruise with P&O again? Probably not, I felt it was really geared to the older generations and with not being that stage yet I felt I was in the film cacoon a few times!

Finally, because I travelled on a cruise for the first time from Southampton the weather for 3 days going and 2 days on return was poor I felt that you were trapped on the ship, again I would not do this but fly to Palma etc.

This attitude from the waiters seems to be fleet wide, we encountered the same problem on Arcadia in April.

This attitude from the waiters seems to be fleet wide, we encountered the same problem on Arcadia in April.

This attitude alone would stop me travelling with P&O, I was truly shocked.

This attitude from the waiters seems to be fleet wide, we encountered the same problem on Arcadia in April.

This attitude alone would stop me travelling with P&O, I was truly shocked.

As with all things; there's always at least two sides to every story; and in P&O's defence... we have yet to encounter any such behaviour from wait, or indeed any other, staff... but then we are also of the 'older generation! Perhaps they prefer us!

As with all things; there's always at least two sides to every story; and in P&O's defence... we have yet to encounter any such behaviour from wait, or indeed any other, staff... but then we are also of the 'older generation! Perhaps they prefer us!

I am 47 so not so young, if I was dining in a restaurant and the service was what i received on the Oceana I would not return.

Maybe I have higher standards than others I don't know but I would defy anyone to say they had good service if they had been in my shoes.

I am 47 so not so young, if I was dining in a restaurant and the service was what i received on the Oceana I would not return.

Maybe I have higher standards than others I don't know but I would defy anyone to say they had good service if they had been in my shoes.

Odd I have never had bad service on p&o.

Must just be lucky.

Gan canny

Dai

Gosh, I'm amazed. We have done three P&O cruises - 2 on Artemis and 1 on Azura. I found the waiters and bar staff to be exceptionally polite, always ready with a smile and even remembered what you had to drink each night in the bar! Will be interested to see if things have changed on our cruise in 5 weeks time.

Gosh, I'm amazed. We have done three P&O cruises - 2 on Artemis and 1 on Azura. I found the waiters and bar staff to be exceptionally polite, always ready with a smile and even remembered what you had to drink each night in the bar! Will be interested to see if things have changed on our cruise in 5 weeks time.

Don't get me wrong some of the staff were superb, Agnelo, a waiter in the Winners bar was truly superb, very attentive without being intrusive, a true gent and was a highlight of the cruise but he was in the minority, unfortunately.

Have had some interesting service on p and o ( the champers bottle wrestled out of my hubby's hands is probably the most amusing incident) but tbh it' s things like that that I find make a cruise for me-- just a little Fawlty Towers! If u want 5 star dining then pay 5 star prices Silverseas etc offer this or even better go to The Four Seasons and eat at The Fat Duck (which I highly recommend btw.

Bnbx

PS I don't think I'm 'older' at 35 but maybe I am...

Have had some interesting service on p and o ( the champers bottle wrestled out of my hubby's hands is probably the most amusing incident) but tbh it' s things like that that I find make a cruise for me-- just a little Fawlty Towers! If u want 5 star dining then pay 5 star prices Silverseas etc offer this or even better go to The Four Seasons and eat at The Fat Duck (which I highly recommend btw.

 

Bnbx

 

PS I don't think I'm 'older' at 35 but maybe I am...

Sorry it has nothing to do with 5 star dining, I would expect service and manners at every level.

every cruise is a new experience. never the same.in 7 cruises, we had

one less than wonderful trip. a 2 nighter on arcadia. had 2 cruises on arcadia prior to this, both perfectly fine. 17 nights and 12 nights.

the crew do not like these short ones. please give the cruise line another chance. our bad experience, has not stoped us using p&o exclusively.

we also like cruising from southampton, we live here!:)

Sorry it has nothing to do with 5 star dining, I would expect service and manners at every level.

Whilst I agree to a point, if you pay peanuts you get monkeys...

I wouldn't agree that you get "monkeys" on P&O. I have found all the staff excellent. I will wait to see on my next cruise.

Whilst I agree to a point, if you pay peanuts you get monkeys...

I don't, and in any case is a P&O cruise a back street cafe?

Bad service is bad service at any level, why accept it?

The problem is not the staff it's the training... The issue I have with the staff is that they are aggressively helpful. Every issue I've ever had with them is when they try and force a service on me... Eg insisting they do my room when my child is sleeping or insisting on pouring our wine when we've told them not too... It's this culture of forced service that I find hard... But they would say , I'm sure that they are doing their job.

and again, we have not experienced that. My husband likes to pour own wine and he has asked the wine waiter to leave it and it has always been adhered to.

No....and I'm thinking really hard here....:D.....I can't think of any one incident on board Ventura which was less than very good.....and that's 3 cruises on her in the last 2 years. Mainly excellent, in fact.;)

Jo.

Just returned from Oriana 17 days Venice etc. and did Oceana 14 days Rome/Florence etc. last year. We had excellent food and service on both ships. Also really enjoyed Cafe Jardin last year, but only used it for breakfast and lunch when there is no cover charge. We had club dining on both ships, where you can get to know the waiters quite well and that seems to make a real difference. Our waiters in club dining on Oceana said that they didn’t like freedom dining as they get less tips, but they had to take turns in that restaurant every other cruise. Not sure whether freedom diners ask for their tips to be taken off their bills or club diner give more than the recommended amount, but one or the other appears to be the case.

Club dining makes the cruise for us. We really like having the same table- and wine-waiters each night. Usually we travel as a group of six anyway, but when we go just as a couple we still prefer club dining.

We've only had freedom dining on one cruise, again as a party of six, but it seemed like the dinner was a big non-event each night rather than a special occasion.

Carol x

Just returned on Oceana E118

To be honest a tad underwhelmed,firstly the service in the freedom dining restaurant,some of the bars and Marco's cafe Jardin was very poor and in some cases bordering on downright rude.

It appears that you are classed as an inconvenience to order a drink, ask for coffee, or even inquire what cheese is on the cheeseboard!

This to me is totally unacceptable, this happened on a number of occasions not just an isolated incident.

Food on board generally very good but very disappointed in Cafe Jardin.

Very clean, decor a bit dated, some of the entertainment good, some lousy.

Drinks very cheap.

Would I cruise with P&O again? Probably not, I felt it was really geared to the older generations and with not being that stage yet I felt I was in the film cacoon a few times!

Finally, because I travelled on a cruise for the first time from Southampton the weather for 3 days going and 2 days on return was poor I felt that you were trapped on the ship, again I would not do this but fly to Palma etc.

Perhaps you could be more specific as to the poor service and what you expect as good service? We have never found the stewards or waiters on P&O to be less than efficient and more than helpful.

Older generation? Oceana is certainly not in that category, you want FO for that.

Didn't you consider that sailing ex Sotton would have SOME sea days???

Future advice, read the brochure.

This attitude from the waiters seems to be fleet wide, we encountered the same problem on Arcadia in April.

and on Ventura Elaine:(

Perhaps you could be more specific as to the poor service and what you expect as good service? We have never found the stewards or waiters on P&O to be less than efficient and more than helpful.

 

Older generation? Oceana is certainly not in that category, you want FO for that.

 

Didn't you consider that sailing ex Sotton would have SOME sea days???

 

Future advice, read the brochure.

I am not having a personal attack at you, see that's the problem with people like yourself because you love P&O it's beyond criticism.

WAKE UP!

I find it quite interesting hearing of the bad service especially when people are considering age group a factor.

I am 23, the girlfriend 21 and our son was 10 months so i would consider us quite young. We had nothing but praise for the service though i guess we werent on oceana.

Can I ask the OP what other cuiselines they have sailed with? Assuming this wasn't your first cruise overall people often compare to previous cruises.

The service on Arcadia in the MDR in the evening was fine although the waiters never once addressed by name, we were only every greeted with a smile no response to hello, good evening or any other pleasantries. The wine waiter was a bit hit and miss and twice vanished completely during dinner.

Breakfast in particular was bad it seemed the waiters would prefer you to eat somewhere else. One morning the waiter announced to the table full English and toast, when we all said no the face he pulled was unbelievable, I'm still waiting on my tea and croissants. Spoke to the head waiter on the way out and was told a real cock and bull story.

When on other lines the staff and crew always greet you when passing not on Arcadia they often looked the other way, they were a real miserable bunch. The only friendly people who we came across on the ship were the spa staff, who always greeted you no matter where you were on the ship you met them