P & O cost cutting apparent

[nyree]

In my opinion Cunard Food always excellent. Oriana on Caribbean Cruise just past, rubbish.

Had to go to the Ocean Grill for a decent meal. I don't travel in the grills on Cunard either.

 

Agree, only been on Cunard once and defo wasn't the Grills but the choice and quality was way way better than Azura P&O Transatlantic to Caribbean

[Josy1953]

Have done several Princess cruises over the past few years and MDR food on the Crown was def. the worst we have encountered. That is not to say that it was all bad but, for instance, we had 3 steak meals and only 1 was good. HC food was good.

 

Our last cruise on the Crown Princess was so bad from the point of view of food and service that we have sworn never to cruise again with Princess despite having enjoyed 24 Princess cruises. We have since sailed on P&O and Cunard and both are better than Princess.

[Brian Raine]

P&O always has been a Brits orientated cruise line unlike Princess who cater mainly for the US market, irrespective of where they sail from.

On the drop in standards, I once confronted the Cruise Director about the use of the wooden sticks for stirring ones tea.I said it was cost cutting, "Rationalisation" was his reply."I could not possibly say it was cost cutting" shades of Mr Urquhart.

[Host Sharon]

P&O always has been a Brits orientated cruise line unlike Princess who cater mainly for the US market, irrespective of where they sail from.

On the drop in standards, I once confronted the Cruise Director about the use of the wooden sticks for stirring ones tea.I said it was cost cutting, "Rationalisation" was his reply."I could not possibly say it was cost cutting" shades of Mr Urquhart.

 

I've never seen wooden sticks for stirring tea on P&O! Which ship was that?

[lordmorph13]

Cost cutting is inevitable. Think about it and then decide.

 

You all want to pay less for your cruise.

 

There are more ships to choose from.

 

The companies have to fill the ships.

 

They reduce prices to accommodate all of you.

 

Therefore cost cuttings in food choice etc have to give.

 

That is why there are more and more 'pay as you dine' options appearing on ships. They need to make money on the ships as they are loosing out on the cruise cost.

 

If you pay "cheap fares" and do not spend money on board then standards and choice will slip even further.

 

If, as we all want Cruising, to be like it was 20 years ago then you will have to accept that you will be paying TODAY'S price for a cruise. This is highlighted by the fact that my first cruise 20 years ago Cost me £1212.00 pp for a fortnight. I can now get that same cruise for £899.00 pp.

 

NEED I SAY MORE> PAY THE CORRECT AMOUNT FOR A CRUISE AND THE STANDARDS WILL BE WHAT YOU EXPEC A CRUISE TO BE.

 

If you all want is a cheap cruise, and pay package holiday prices then that is what you get. If the Cruise companies put up their prices and promised you the standards you expect would you pay. If not you should not be moaning about slipping standards

[Somerset Cruiser]

I've never seen wooden sticks for stirring tea on P&O! Which ship was that?

 

The one on which the Cruise Director was doubling up as the food and beverage manager

[GHDPeter]

Cost cutting is inevitable. Think about it and then decide.

 

You all want to pay less for your cruise.

 

There are more ships to choose from.

 

The companies have to fill the ships.

 

They reduce prices to accommodate all of you.

 

Therefore cost cuttings in food choice etc have to give.

 

That is why there are more and more 'pay as you dine' options appearing on ships. They need to make money on the ships as they are loosing out on the cruise cost.

 

If you pay "cheap fares" and do not spend money on board then standards and choice will slip even further.

 

If, as we all want Cruising, to be like it was 20 years ago then you will have to accept that you will be paying TODAY'S price for a cruise. This is highlighted by the fact that my first cruise 20 years ago Cost me £1212.00 pp for a fortnight. I can now get that same cruise for £899.00 pp.

 

NEED I SAY MORE> PAY THE CORRECT AMOUNT FOR A CRUISE AND THE STANDARDS WILL BE WHAT YOU EXPEC A CRUISE TO BE.

 

If you all want is a cheap cruise, and pay package holiday prices then that is what you get. If the Cruise companies put up their prices and promised you the standards you expect would you pay. If not you should not be moaning about slipping standards

 

Well said, I could not agree more.

This discussion topic is repeated in almost every cruise line forum.

 

People want more service, more inclusions, new facilities, old world service, but are not willing to pay for it.

[scareyness]

I have to say I was very disappointed with the food on Ventura last month. Yes, it was edible. But just about every meal was the sort of meals we eat at home every night. Many nights food was not hot, it was only when we told our waiter that we got hot food. Surely it is down to the kitchen to send out hot food without the waiter having to step in.

 

1st formal night - all sat in our best dresses! and were given the menus, fish, chips and mushy peas:eek: NOT what I was expecting.

 

There was a lot of very cheap cuts of meat. Never before have I seen a menu with so many frozen peas and frozen green beans on it. It got to the stage when we knew what the veg was going to be!

 

Our last 2 cruises have featured fillet steaks and lobster on the formal nights, for comparison.

 

Regarding cost cutting................. on last P&O cruise we were given a silver (?) photo frame and box set of cufflinks for hubbie. Nothing this cruise, except a folder containing all the evening menus for the entire cruise. Last 3 cruises we have been given a bag with company logo on it.

 

I am not really bothered about having any form of gift, and certainly do not want all the menus. How much must that have cost to produce and print??? and next morning they were all outside the cabins in the bins!

 

But my thoughts on it are: on arrival we had a single orchid in a very small vase, by day 5 it was dead. It was not removed or replaced, which was fine it didn't bother me, but if you are having fresh flowers, then either replace or remove them, who wants to look at a dead one? Or not bother at all.

 

I think all cruise lines should ditch the chocolates on the pillows, I left 14 in the fridge. I personally think they are an un-necessary expense. Don't beleive turn down is necessary.

 

But my biggest comment is about cabin cleaning, do we really need our cabins doing twice a day??? as the own of a B&B I know what work is involved and do not think it is necessary to have my bins emptied twice a day, or my sink cleaned. There is a sign in the bathroom telling us about the amount of towels washed worldwide, and the water used, etc. So I duly put my towel back on the rail EVERY single day, and yet EVERY single day all were replaced morning and evening!!! That said our cabin was not hovered for a week, the windows were very dirty, and the balcony was filthy. On our Celebrity cruise an anouncement was made each morning stating that balcony cleaning was commencing, it was always spotless.

 

I found the buffet restaurant to be pretty grubby too, and staff not that great.

 

But I guess we all notice different things and have different standards.

[Denarius]

Well said, I could not agree more.

This discussion topic is repeated in almost every cruise line forum.

 

People want more service, more inclusions, new facilities, old world service, but are not willing to pay for it.

Very true. You can't have it both ways, and with all the extra tonnage ordered before the recession now coming on the market the priority of most lines is to fill those extra berths. They will not do that by increasing prices, so cost cutting to keep prices down is very much the order of the day.

Taking this a step further, I can see a split forming in the market between lines like Royal Caribbean who concentrate on bigger and bigger ships with more and more facilities, pile it high and sell it cheap, and others like Oceania and Amazara which stick with smaller ships and concentrate on quality - at a price.

[yoj13]

I have to say I was very disappointed with the food on Ventura last month. Yes, it was edible. But just about every meal was the sort of meals we eat at home every night. Many nights food was not hot, it was only when we told our waiter that we got hot food. Surely it is down to the kitchen to send out hot food without the waiter having to step in.

 

1st formal night - all sat in our best dresses! and were given the menus, fish, chips and mushy peas:eek: NOT what I was expecting.

 

There was a lot of very cheap cuts of meat. Never before have I seen a menu with so many frozen peas and frozen green beans on it. It got to the stage when we knew what the veg was going to be!

 

Our last 2 cruises have featured fillet steaks and lobster on the formal nights, for comparison.

 

Regarding cost cutting................. on last P&O cruise we were given a silver (?) photo frame and box set of cufflinks for hubbie. Nothing this cruise, except a folder containing all the evening menus for the entire cruise. Last 3 cruises we have been given a bag with company logo on it.

 

I am not really bothered about having any form of gift, and certainly do not want all the menus. How much must that have cost to produce and print??? and next morning they were all outside the cabins in the bins!

 

But my thoughts on it are: on arrival we had a single orchid in a very small vase, by day 5 it was dead. It was not removed or replaced, which was fine it didn't bother me, but if you are having fresh flowers, then either replace or remove them, who wants to look at a dead one? Or not bother at all.

 

I think all cruise lines should ditch the chocolates on the pillows, I left 14 in the fridge. I personally think they are an un-necessary expense. Don't beleive turn down is necessary.

 

But my biggest comment is about cabin cleaning, do we really need our cabins doing twice a day??? as the own of a B&B I know what work is involved and do not think it is necessary to have my bins emptied twice a day, or my sink cleaned. There is a sign in the bathroom telling us about the amount of towels washed worldwide, and the water used, etc. So I duly put my towel back on the rail EVERY single day, and yet EVERY single day all were replaced morning and evening!!! That said our cabin was not hovered for a week, the windows were very dirty, and the balcony was filthy. On our Celebrity cruise an anouncement was made each morning stating that balcony cleaning was commencing, it was always spotless.

 

I found the buffet restaurant to be pretty grubby too, and staff not that great.

 

But I guess we all notice different things and have different standards.

 

Thank you Scaryness for saving me a job. We have just left Aurora after doing the first leg of the World Cruise and you have said everything I would have said too. Our carpets remained un-hoovered for the entire journey and the fluff under the beds on embarkation was under the bed on de-embarkation! The Orangery windows were a disgrace inside and out - not surprising really as there is just not enough staff to go around. They are literally run ragged. I'm afraid its Celebrity for us in the future.

[nyree]

I've never seen wooden sticks for stirring tea on P&O! Which ship was that?

 

On the Azura in the buffet Jan 10th - 24th Cruise

[Host Sharon]

On the Azura in the buffet Jan 10th - 24th Cruise

 

That would explain it then since Azura is the one P&O ship I haven't cruised on. Certainly on Adonia, Oriana, Arcadia and Aurora you get proper tea spoons!

[annieuk]

I'm really surprised at all the negative comments I'm reading. I know some people have strong views about a Cruise Director but a Cruise Director would never make or mar a cruise for us. We have our 10th cruise coming up and I've never experienced a dirty or tatty cabin and never yet found reason to complain about the food. I would agree that the food on Cunard (not Grills) is a notch above P&O but the service we had on Cunard left a lot to be desired. It may well be that we were unlucky.

 

I hear people saying that they were shocked to see "Fish and Chips" on an evening menu - well there is always a section on the menu titled "British Choice" or something like that but it's only ever one dish - the rest give a really good choice - well in our opinion anyway. Yes occasionally there may be an evening where the menu is not particularly to our taste but that doesn't mean it's dreadful.

 

I hope some people feel they have a good cruise. We are shortly to go on Azura for the second time - we were amazed that we liked her as we didn't think a larger ship would suit us, but we really enjoyed ourselves. Our favourite ship is still Oceana - even though she's now one of the older ships. We had a fantastic cruise to the Central Med. last October.

:):)

[GHDPeter]

Im booked on the Aurora out of Auckland, we were to go to Napier and Wellington and then to Sydney but due to a problem with the port propeller shaft we will now overnight in Auckland and then go to bay of islands on the way to sydney.

 

Is this a result of cost cutting or just a jinxed ship with world voyages?

[simonpjd]

I know this is cruise-'critic' but blimey I cannot believe some of the whining and whinging that goes on. You are on holiday. Getting waited on hand and foot. Cabin cleaned twice a day. Fresh towels daily. All food included. Drinks cheaper than London pubs.

And probably paying between £100 and £150 a day. On top of this you are waking up each day in a different port seeing wonderful sights.

Suggest you put things in perspective and actually realise how lucky you are.

And if your home is not as clean and tidy as the ship is kept, then I also suggest you shut up.

[Denarius]

I'm really surprised at all the negative comments I'm reading. I know some people have strong views about a Cruise Director but a Cruise Director would never make or mar a cruise for us. We have our 10th cruise coming up and I've never experienced a dirty or tatty cabin and never yet found reason to complain about the food. I would agree that the food on Cunard (not Grills) is a notch above P&O but the service we had on Cunard left a lot to be desired. It may well be that we were unlucky.

 

I hear people saying that they were shocked to see "Fish and Chips" on an evening menu - well there is always a section on the menu titled "British Choice" or something like that but it's only ever one dish - the rest give a really good choice - well in our opinion anyway. Yes occasionally there may be an evening where the menu is not particularly to our taste but that doesn't mean it's dreadful.

 

I hope some people feel they have a good cruise. We are shortly to go on Azura for the second time - we were amazed that we liked her as we didn't think a larger ship would suit us, but we really enjoyed ourselves. Our favourite ship is still Oceana - even though she's now one of the older ships. We had a fantastic cruise to the Central Med. last October.

:):)

So am I. I have recently returned from Ventura and whilst some further cutbacks on the entertainment were noticable, the food in the MDR was no different in quality than on my previous P&O cruises. As regards fish and chips, this has always appeared on the menu and is welcomed by many. An earlier poster complained that it was offered on a formal night. What they did not tell was that because of a change in itinerary to allow passengers whose flights were delayed 24 hours to board, a formal and casual night were swapped, but the menus were not. We therefore got an upgraded menu (inc sorbet) on a casual night and a normal menu on a formal. The latter happened to include fish and chips, and very tasty it was too!

[beachmudhut]

On the Azura in the buffet Jan 10th - 24th Cruise

 

I think this must have been at a time when they just ran out of teaspoons because we were on this same cruise and we definitely had teaspoons!

 

We have cruised with lots of cruise lines (Celebrity the favourite so far) and none of them have been perfect in all respects. We really enjoyed our Transatlantic with Azura and would book the same trip tomorrow if we could.

 

We travelled once with Cunard a couple of years ago on Queen Elizabeth for the Royal Wedding. Amittedly it was "cattle class" and in our view was the worst cruise ever.

 

On Azamara in April for the first time. So many good reviews. It will be interesting to see if this is really so much better than the others.

[cruisebore]

Our first Caribbean cruise, Victoria in 1996, cost £1650 each in a tiny inside cabin. Current insides on Azura/Ventura still cost £1650. Adjust the 1996 figure by inflation and you are looking at £2450. So it appears that despite a possible lowering of standards we are still getting value for money, particularly considering the massive hike in fuel costs.

However, for those who find the perceived cutbacks, challenging one can always pay the extra and upgrade to the six star cruise lines.

 

Cb

[scareyness]

For those who have made remarks about my 'fish and chips' comment, I did not say they were dreadful, but that I did not expect to see that on a formal night.

 

We were not on the cruise that was held up due to weather so it was nothing to do with an itinery change.

 

I know this is cruise-'critic' but blimey I cannot believe some of the whining and whinging that goes on. You are on holiday. Getting waited on hand and foot. Cabin cleaned twice a day. Fresh towels daily. All food included. Drinks cheaper than London pubs.

And probably paying between £100 and £150 a day. On top of this you are waking up each day in a different port seeing wonderful sights.

Suggest you put things in perspective and actually realise how lucky you are.

And if your home is not as clean and tidy as the ship is kept, then I also suggest you shut up.

 

I have been on a number of cruises and have always felt extremely priviliged to do so. Maybe we have been lucky or maybe the last 3 cruises have spoilt us, but this last one was a long way from what we had experienced before in terms of ship, food, cleanliness and some of the passengers. The main thing for me is being with my husband and waking up in a new port each day, and as you rightly point out this is cruise critic, and this is exactly what I have been.

 

Also, I am on holiday, a holiday from running a very busy high end guest house. My guests are a priority, they are served excellent locally sourced food in immaculate accomodation with clean towels daily.

 

I am VERY lucky, I have a job I adore and had some fantastic holidays and do not need anyone telling me to put things into perspective.

 

Additionally there are threads here with those moaning about both prices and tipping. I have kept my price the same for 3 years and do not consider that I should be tipped (I also work 16 hours a day), and I have not 'whinged' at things like this.

 

Quite who you are to suggest I shut up I really don't know!!!!

[Corfe Mixture]

After seven years cruising exclusively with P&O, in premium cabins- indeed on many occasions booking early so that we could get our prefered suite, we finally came to the conclusion that P&O did not appreciate the enhanced contribution to profits from premium cabin passengers, or that they they could so easily fill the suites/mini-suites that they took these passengers for granted and simply concentrated on filling the ship.

 

As someone has already said, if you don't like it, the answer to all is to vote with your feet.

 

We did and transferred our loyalty to other brands, also in the Carnival Group. Last year we used Seabourn and this year we are using Princess for the first time. Although we have not travelled with Princess before, the difference is already noticeable. Based on our cruising history with P&O (10 cruises and 138 nights - almost all in mini-suites or suites) they have offered us Platinum memberhip of the Captain's Circle even before our first cruise and will elevate us to Elite at the end of our first cruise.

 

The contrast with P&O is amazing. P&O, never offer any loyalty premium for suite passengers and when they last changed the scheme they simply made it even more difficult for us to attain the eqivalent of the old Portunus Gold, and I calculated that as suite passengers it was going to have cost me around four times what is costs a late booker to get to the next level of their scheme.

 

 

As someone said in this thread, back on February 9th,

 

"it appears that despite a possible lowering of standards we are still getting value for money, particularly considering the massive hike in fuel costs.

However, for those who find the perceived cutbacks, challenging one can always pay the extra and upgrade to the six star cruise lines."

 

and therein lies the rub. These people WILL pay the extra to upgrade to different lines, but the rest of you shouldn't complain if standards then fall. Premium grade passengers make a much greater contribution to the profit margin of a cruise and, if they vote with their feet, that loss of margin can only be restored by savings in the operating costs. Then, if those savings become too apparent more will vote with the feet which will just perpetuate the downward trend until eventually one arrives at the 'Ocean Village' product.

 

It is a very delicate balancing act and only time will reveal the consequences of a perceived lowering of standards.

[Josy1953]

After seven years cruising exclusively with P&O, in premium cabins- indeed on many occasions booking early so that we could get our prefered suite, we finally came to the conclusion that P&O did not appreciate the enhanced contribution to profits from premium cabin passengers, or that they they could so easily fill the suites/mini-suites that they took these passengers for granted and simply concentrated on filling the ship.

 

As someone has already said, if you don't like it, the answer to all is to vote with your feet.

 

We did and transferred our loyalty to other brands, also in the Carnival Group. Last year we used Seabourn and this year we are using Princess for the first time. Although we have not travelled with Princess before, the difference is already noticeable. Based on our cruising history with P&O (10 cruises and 138 nights - almost all in mini-suites or suites) they have offered us Platinum memberhip of the Captain's Circle even before our first cruise and will elevate us to Elite at the end of our first cruise.

 

The contrast with P&O is amazing. P&O, never offer any loyalty premium for suite passengers and when they last changed the scheme they simply made it even more difficult for us to attain the eqivalent of the old Portunus Gold, and I calculated that as suite passengers it was going to have cost me around four times what is costs a late booker to get to the next level of their scheme.

 

 

As someone said in this thread, back on February 9th,

 

"it appears that despite a possible lowering of standards we are still getting value for money, particularly considering the massive hike in fuel costs.

However, for those who find the perceived cutbacks, challenging one can always pay the extra and upgrade to the six star cruise lines."

 

and therein lies the rub. These people WILL pay the extra to upgrade to different lines, but the rest of you shouldn't complain if standards then fall. Premium grade passengers make a much greater contribution to the profit margin of a cruise and, if they vote with their feet, that loss of margin can only be restored by savings in the operating costs. Then, if those savings become too apparent more will vote with the feet which will just perpetuate the downward trend until eventually one arrives at the 'Ocean Village' product.

 

It is a very delicate balancing act and only time will reveal the consequences of a perceived lowering of standards.

 

I hope that you enjoy your Princess cruise, we have done 25 on Princess but have found that on our cruise last May their cost cutting has reached a level that we can no longer tolerate and so we sailed with P&O in July and Cunard in December. We will be sailing again with P&O in May and later in the year with Cunard and Celebrity, I know that all lines are cutting back but for us Princess has gone too far.

[Cosmic Rays]

Also, I am on holiday, a holiday from running a very busy high end guest house. My guests are a priority, they are served excellent locally sourced food in immaculate accomodation with clean towels daily.

 

I am VERY lucky, I have a job I adore and had some fantastic holidays and do not need anyone telling me to put things into perspective.

 

I think your comments are interesting, and I agree with them............what star rating does your guest house have of interest and do you have an accolade? Having been in the industry myself for 40 years and having recently retired, we work extremely hard for our holidays, cruises or otherwise, so my addage of 'work hard, play hard' is true - the only trouble is there ain't much time to play!!!!

[Captain Beefheart]

I read with interest comments made about the cost cutting and in the majority people seem to agree this is happening, i know that expressing your concerns on this matter and what steps you are taking i.e; booking with other cruiselines etc; are discussed but the only way to get your message over to P&O is to e-mail/write directly to David Dingle CEO and Carol Marlow MD and express your concerns to them(not just this particular subject but all your concerns).If pepole contact them directly on mass they might consider your comments. I know it is said that the cruise companies regularly look at this sight but they don't seem to rectify any of the problems because the same subject posts keep reoccuring.

[Brayman]

I read with interest comments made about the cost cutting and in the majority people seem to agree this is happening, i know that expressing your concerns on this matter and what steps you are taking i.e; booking with other cruiselines etc; are discussed but the only way to get your message over to P&O is to e-mail/write directly to David Dingle CEO and Carol Marlow MD and express your concerns to them(not just this particular subject but all your concerns).If pepole contact them directly on mass they might consider your comments. I know it is said that the cruise companies regularly look at this sight but they don't seem to rectify any of the problems because the same subject posts keep reoccuring.

 

Ah, but people don't like complaining directly, they much prefer to do it behind people's backs and then they can vent away without any proper reaction, which they may not be able to cope with. Face to face people are much nicer than they appear on these forums! :) :)

[daiB]

Ah, but people don't like complaining directly, they much prefer to do it behind people's backs and then they can vent away without any proper reaction, which they may not be able to cope with. Face to face people are much nicer than they appear on these forums! :) :)

 

You are right.

 

 

Dai