Back from first cruise with P&O and....

[babs135]

There is a danger of using hearsay to put a cruise line down when you get the facts wrong.

 

Sorry, had to reply this way as I couldn't get the multi-quote to work for some reason :mad:

 

Not hearsay if the gentleman himself told me he was disappointed with the vegetarian selection. As I said in an earlier post it is possible he did not know that he could ask to see more choices.

 

Perhaps there is a case for P&O to print on their menus that there is a vegetarian menu available if you ask?

[daiB]

There is a danger of using hearsay to put a cruise line down when you get the facts wrong.

 

Sorry, had to reply this way as I couldn't get the multi-quote to work for some reason :mad:

 

Not hearsay if the gentleman himself told me he was disappointed with the vegetarian selection. As I said in an earlier post it is possible he did not know that he could ask to see more choices.

 

Perhaps there is a case for P&O to print on their menus that there is a vegetarian menu available if you ask?

 

 

Sorry but that is hearsay as you do not know all the facts, you do not know if the gentleman was offered the vegetarian menu or if he told P&O if he was vegetarian at all.

 

It sounds to me as if he had not informed the company.

 

 

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[dgs1956]

I agree. We made friends with a couple and she is intolerant to a variety of dairy products (not all). Every night the maitre d' would come to our table - Freedom Dining so we were on different tables every night! - and show her the following days' lunch and dinner menus. She would choose and, if necessary, ask for things to be replaced and without fail it was done. They never got it wrong the whole cruise.

 

Sorry to have a go but you have been quick to put the boot into P&O even to the point of commenting on an unhappy "Vegetarian" that you happened to talk to. It took you quite a while to bring up how wonderful P&O were in looking after your friends. Its very easy to knock anything as nothing is perfect. It gives a wrong impression to those who may be contemplating a first cruise with P&O. In my opinion they are a wonderful company who are adored by many.

[babs135]

Sorry to have a go but you have been quick to put the boot into P&O even to the point of commenting on an unhappy "Vegetarian" that you happened to talk to. It took you quite a while to bring up how wonderful P&O were in looking after your friends. Its very easy to knock anything as nothing is perfect. It gives a wrong impression to those who may be contemplating a first cruise with P&O. In my opinion they are a wonderful company who are adored by many.

 

Considered long and hard as to whether to answer this, but felt I had to reply. Please do not turn this into a slanging match, but I feel your comments are out of order.

 

I felt my review was honest and at all times I made it clear that any opinions I made were mine and mine alone. I couldn't ignore the fact that the plumbing failed, etc and to have left it out of any review would not have been right. It's easy to dwell on the positives, but there are negatives as well.

 

I'm really not sure what you mean by taking a long time to say how wonderful P&O behaved towards our friends. If you think I should have mentioned it in my report then so be it. I didn't mention it simply because it never occurred to me to mention it. I really think you are nit-picking on this.

 

I will end with this reminder:

 

1st post: We did enjoy ourselves

2nd post: Did we enjoy ourselves; Yes we did

3rd post: Did we enjoy our cruise - yes

[dgs1956]

Considered long and hard as to whether to answer this, but felt I had to reply. Please do not turn this into a slanging match, but I feel your comments are out of order.

 

I felt my review was honest and at all times I made it clear that any opinions I made were mine and mine alone. I couldn't ignore the fact that the plumbing failed, etc and to have left it out of any review would not have been right. It's easy to dwell on the positives, but there are negatives as well.

 

I'm really not sure what you mean by taking a long time to say how wonderful P&O behaved towards our friends. If you think I should have mentioned it in my report then so be it. I didn't mention it simply because it never occurred to me to mention it. I really think you are nit-picking on this.

 

I will end with this reminder:

 

1st post: We did enjoy ourselves

2nd post: Did we enjoy ourselves; Yes we did

3rd post: Did we enjoy our cruise - yes

 

Fair enough but in your reply you say you didn't want to turn this into a slanging match and then you have two digs at me.

I absolutely accept your comments about plumbing. Its not acceptable.

My point was that its easy to be negative.

[cuzzie]

If you want the WOW factor choose RCL with 24 hr food outlets.

It seems to me, and this is just my opinion, that RCL is all about the ship and P&O is all about the islands - yes ok there isn't the WOW factor on board but you get a different island every day I know what I would rather have :D

[Antmadmanda]

If you are going to judge a holiday on the quality of the food, when it's mass produced, then that is rather strange!

 

A holiday is more than food. I don't expect fine dining. If I wanted that, I would never do a cruise, or any 'organised' holiday. The best you can hope for is in the speciality restaurants! They are catering for vast numbers, it's never going to be 'fine dining'!

 

It's a holiday. Relax, chill, enjoy!

 

 

 

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[jenpet]

Oh dear I am now very worried. We are booked on the Oriana in 2 weeks time & i am beginning to think we have made a big mistake. From faulty air conditioning, water leaks & dirty tap water, I can think of nothing worse!

 

I shall be getting off at the first port if we suffer any of these problems!

 

I cannot understand why cruise ships cannot rectify these problems if they are ongoing & frequent.

 

It sounds like the Oriana needs a major overhaul & update!

 

Watch this space.

[daiB]

Oh dear I am now very worried. We are booked on the Oriana in 2 weeks time & i am beginning to think we have made a big mistake. From faulty air conditioning, water leaks & dirty tap water, I can think of nothing worse!

 

I shall be getting off at the first port if we suffer any of these problems!

 

I cannot understand why cruise ships cannot rectify these problems if they are ongoing & frequent.

 

It sounds like the Oriana needs a major overhaul & update!

 

Watch this space.

 

Remember this is one report from one person

 

Go and enjoy your cruise.

[Scriv]

And read through the whole of this thread - there are many of us with good reviews of the much loved Oriana.

 

And go ahead and enjoy your cruise.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Scriv

[jeanlyon]

We sailed on her last September and she was wonderful. We are on her in October and also next year. Don't forget, one person with a problem doesn't mean the whole ship!

[Cloudyrain]

Dear OP - thank you for posting your review as a warning to everyone else thinking of doing a review (that might have just an ounce of criticism in it) not to bother because other people will only spend their time telling you how wrong you are :D :rolleyes:

 

Jenpet - i agree with Scriv and daiB, most of the comments are in support of P&O/Oriana. Although the OP was critical of some issues she still (repeatedly) stated that they had a good holiday. You will be on holiday, there are a lot worse places to be!

 

I always remember one of the best (land based) holidays I ever had with my husband was in a rubbish hotel (everything was closed) in the middle of nowhere, with torrential rain on 5 out of the 7 days. It's all about your travelling companions and your attitude ;)

[babs135]

Dear OP - thank you for posting your review as a warning to everyone else thinking of doing a review (that might have just an ounce of criticism in it) not to bother because other people will only spend their time telling you how wrong you are :D :rolleyes:

 

Jenpet - i agree with Scriv and daiB, most of the comments are in support of P&O/Oriana. Although the OP was critical of some issues she still (repeatedly) stated that they had a good holiday. You will be on holiday, there are a lot worse places to be!

 

I always remember one of the best (land based) holidays I ever had with my husband was in a rubbish hotel (everything was closed) in the middle of nowhere, with torrential rain on 5 out of the 7 days. It's all about your travelling companions and your attitude ;)

 

I could have posted a review which simply read:

 

1) We had a great holiday

2) The entertainment was excellent

3) The crew/waiters/bar staff, etc, etc were very friendly and extremely helpful

4) The Great British Sailaway was great fun.

 

All of which is true

 

But it wasn't the full picture and I felt it only fair to add those negatives as I and DH saw them. I just don't understand why people can't accept that not everything in the garden is rosy - and that includes ALL cruise lines, not just P&O. I've even stated that we would be prepared to give P&O another chance.

 

Lighten up people, it's the opinion of one person, namely me.

[jeanlyon]

Babs, I totally agree with you, yes of course if there were leaks and other problems, then they should be sorted, but don't forget it only affects about 1% or less of the passengers, so therefore all the others didn't have problems.

[daiB]

I could have posted a review which simply read:

 

1) We had a great holiday

2) The entertainment was excellent

3) The crew/waiters/bar staff, etc, etc were very friendly and extremely helpful

4) The Great British Sailaway was great fun.

 

All of which is true

 

But it wasn't the full picture and I felt it only fair to add those negatives as I and DH saw them. I just don't understand why people can't accept that not everything in the garden is rosy - and that includes ALL cruise lines, not just P&O. I've even stated that we would be prepared to give P&O another chance.

 

Lighten up people, it's the opinion of one person, namely me.

 

 

If you had started with the above then perhaps things would have been different but your first post was very anti. And people will react to such posts.

 

BTW telling people to Lighten up is not helpful as that rubs people up the wrong way as well.

 

I think people were reacting to the tone of the post rather than the content.

 

 

 

 

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[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

Just logged in to catch up with what's happening.....see you are all still arguing with each other....I'm off😫

 

 

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[Clodia]

I have sailed on US ships - not all are big btw - including Nautica, Royal Princess and the Cunard fleet but out of all the ships I have travelled on still around today, Oriana is my favourite. I love the fact she still has a separate cinema and theatre, the theatre has unobstructed sight lines, the teak decks everywhere, the sheer amount of open deck space, much of it secluded, the elegant colour scheme.. I could go on. I don't need late night snacks and my cruises are itinerary driven anyway. But bottom line is that it is as well we don't all look for the same thing in our ships or they would be awfully crowded and expensive!

 

Just got off Oriana and totally agree; it had a lovely chilled relaxed feel for the entire cruise! One of my best!

[jonjo69]

I do find the question of food quality interesting.

 

December will be my first cruise. That said, I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively, nearly always flying 1t class and staying in 5+* hotels. Now, even though I rarely go full board, I would say £500 a day for meals and accommodation would not be unusal and for that I expect fine dining.

 

If I look at my cruise, it works out at £200 per day full board, with entertainment and as such, although I'm expecting more than a Little Chef, I'm not expecting Benares (favourite restaurant). I'm guessing it would be similar quality to a Harvester. Any more is a bonus.

 

Am I right and are cruisers expecting slightly too much for their buck?

 

 

Jonjo.

[Spursgirl]

I feel much the same. I don't need a WOW factor, or an atrium come to that. My Wow comes from just being on board, being at sea, enjoying the activities and some of the shows. After breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I definitely don't need late night snacks and it's very bad for you to eat late at night and go to bed.

 

I wouldn't try an American ship, because they are too big for our taste, I don't want to be charged in dollars, nor do I want to be charged 15% on each drink.

 

As others have said there are cruise ships for all of our tastes.

 

But, not all American ships are huge. One of the lines I sail has less than 700 passengers and no service charge for drinks as most are included. Can't avoid any charges being in dollars though.

 

Have sailed P&O many times but think other lines deliver more friendly service. Just my opinion of course

[daiB]

I do find the question of food quality interesting.

 

December will be my first cruise. That said, I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively, nearly always flying 1t class and staying in 5+* hotels. Now, even though I rarely go full board, I would say £500 a day for meals and accommodation would not be unusal and for that I expect fine dining.

 

If I look at my cruise, it works out at £200 per day full board, with entertainment and as such, although I'm expecting more than a Little Chef, I'm not expecting Benares (favourite restaurant). I'm guessing it would be similar quality to a Harvester. Any more is a bonus.

 

Am I right and are cruisers expecting slightly too much for their buck?

 

 

Jonjo.

 

 

Yes, some are expecting that for less than £100.00 per day.

 

 

 

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[Antmadmanda]

I do find the question of food quality interesting.

 

December will be my first cruise. That said, I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively, nearly always flying 1t class and staying in 5+* hotels. Now, even though I rarely go full board, I would say £500 a day for meals and accommodation would not be unusal and for that I expect fine dining.

 

If I look at my cruise, it works out at £200 per day full board, with entertainment and as such, although I'm expecting more than a Little Chef, I'm not expecting Benares (favourite restaurant). I'm guessing it would be similar quality to a Harvester. Any more is a bonus.

 

Am I right and are cruisers expecting slightly too much for their buck?

 

 

Jonjo.

 

 

Bit better than Harvester, but certainly not fine dining! They are catering for so many, so the quality is not bad considering! Enjoy!

 

 

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[jeanlyon]

I am paying less than £100 per day on most of my cruises, so I think its excellent.

[Somerset Cruiser]

Although the menus are very similar on all the P&O ships there are some differences. For example we are just back from Oceana and thought the food was very good, a little better than Azura in February and much better than we have experience over the years. The variety of ways that potatoes were served was a revelation! I don't recall ever having Dauphinoise before. Carl Withers was the exec chef and I have an idea that the food is always good under his watch.

[rooftop]

If I look at my cruise, it works out at £200 per day full board, with entertainment and as such, although I'm expecting more than a Little Chef, I'm not expecting Benares (favourite restaurant). I'm guessing it would be similar quality to a Harvester. Any more is a bonus.

 

Am I right and are cruisers expecting slightly too much for their buck?

 

 

Jonjo.

 

I work in hospitality (manage a theatre/function venue) and if our caterers were serving up a meal akin to the P&O evening menus you'd probably be looking at £40 - £45 per head - and that would be for a "no choice" menu - i.e. same starter/main/dessert for everyone, except for the vegetarian option.

 

So if you add to that the fact you can have waiter service breakfast and lunch, and that the waiter-guest ratio is about 2:14 whereas normal banqueting you can do 1:10/1:12 you're probably looking at perceived menu value of around £120 per person per day.

 

The fare for my last cruise was £71 pppn so I think that was pretty good value considering I had a balcony cabin too :D

Edited August 3, 2014 by rooftop
changed waiter ratio

[jeanlyon]

I couldn't agree more. I do think some people want the earth when they pay peanuts.