Trying P&O for the first time ....

[Sue's Mom]

Thanks to all for your inputs. I am none the wiser now! :confused: Perhaps I will report back here at the end of the cruise.

[Harry Peterson]

For what it's worth, I felt that the food on Ventura last time we cruised was excellent. Better than it had been 4 years earlier in fact, despite all the complaints about falling standards. We ate almost exclusively in the MDR (freedom dining - is there any other way?) but occasionally in the Epicurean, which was truly exceptional and well worth the extra charge. Breakfasts were also in the Epicurean (wonderful) but the MDR also does a great breakfast.

 

The buffet serves excellent food too - but the problem with the buffet is the greedy, rude people you tend to meet. The staff are great too, despite the rudeness they encounter from some of the passengers.

 

The Stilton, though, was very poor indeed - a semi-runny unpleasant mess on the plate, which was politely refused. I don't know why all the fuss about the Stilton, though - it's not an expensive cheese any more, particularly at Aldi and Lidl.

[snaefell]

[quote=docco;56016854

 

The buffet serves excellent food too - but the problem with the buffet is the greedy, rude people you tend to meet. The staff are great too, despite the rudeness they encounter from some of the passengers.

 

We love buffets but have never experienced behaviour by people like on Britannia recently,my Wife was adamant that they were downright rude & greedy too,I tried to be a bit more understanding & think that they just weren't taking enough care(sod it,my Wife was right!),as we were at the stern of the ship we got multiple chances to dodge death in the Horizon buffet as when we were on deck 16 & needed to reach the aft lifts & stairs that was the way to go!

 

We didn't use the MDR until the second week of our cruise & were very much left with mixed feelings,the first few evenings I definately got the impression that quality & quantity had gone way down,the last couple of nights seemed totaaly the opposite.

[Sea rabbit]

We have sailed on RC, P and O and Celebrity. I think the standard of food has decreased over the seven years we have been cruising on all of the lines we have done ( sometimes twice a year). One time seemed to be a ‘ cabbage ‘ year on P and O, every evening in MDR the veg of choice! Saying that we enjoy every cruise, we set out to enjoy it and invariably we do. I think the choice in MDR on RC is better. Only sailed on Celebrity once and feel that was the best food. Overall love that the food is cooked for us and my husband doesn’t have to slave over the stove.

[jody75]

Thanks to all for your inputs. I am none the wiser now! :confused: Perhaps I will report back here at the end of the cruise.

Best is to look at the overall ratings for the cruise lines. Why is P&O so far done the list? Only 54% rate it as good compared to 86% on Celebrity.

[bobnjeff]

Best is to look at the overall ratings for the cruise lines. Why is P&O so far done the list? Only 54% rate it as good compared to 86% on Celebrity.

 

 

 

Celebrity does an amazing job at selling themselves as a premium line somehow better then others. But if you venture away from them you quickly learn they are no better than the others and worse than many. But many people just stick with one line.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Harry Peterson]

Best is to look at the overall ratings for the cruise lines. Why is P&O so far done the list? Only 54% rate it as good compared to 86% on Celebrity.

 

But which 'ratings'? They all show different results.

[Presto2]

Best is to look at the overall ratings for the cruise lines. Why is P&O so far done the list? Only 54% rate it as good compared to 86% on Celebrity.

 

Have done both and would not recognise this difference at all. Plus the fact that you are not comparing like for like re the ships and more importantly the cost. We would (and do) sail on both and are very fond of both cruise lines. Neither is perfect, but we love our holidays and feel privileged to have such brilliant holidays.

[AnOnymously]

Celebrity does an amazing job at selling themselves as a premium line somehow better then others. But if you venture away from them you quickly learn they are no better than the others and worse than many. But many people just stick with one line.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Spot on

[Serendipity50]

We came off the Azura last week...A Norwegian Fjord cruise.

The food was really awfull...we only ate in the MDR for two nights...the rest in the buffet which was not much better...everything was cold...and too many curries.

But we got to Norway after a Force 11 Gale and the place was stunning.

[Sue's Mom]

We came off the Azura last week...A Norwegian Fjord cruise.

The food was really awfull...we only ate in the MDR for two nights...the rest in the buffet which was not much better...everything was cold...and too many curries.

Oh nooooooo! We are on the Azura for half term week :o and I am keeping everything crossed that the food will have improved by then. If it has not, then I cannot see my husband ever going on a cruise again.

[janny444]

Hi ...we were on Azura last month and the food in the MDR was perfectly fine....what could have happened to make the food " really awful" ....was it served lukewarm....a soggy mushy mess....greasy spoon type food.....old boot style meat....overcooked to the point of disintegration or a combination of all of them ?

[Serendipity50]

Awfull being cold every day...DH never complains about food...but he never had one hot meal...either in the MDR or buffet.

The cruise itself was enjoyable Norway stunning and we met a lots of nice fellow cruisers on-board....maybe we have been spoilt with Disney etc...but DH was expecting more from P&O.

[janny444]

Hi.....just shows doesn't it that no 2 cruises are alike....even on the same ship. When we were on Azura in April the food was perfectly served.. piping hot served on very hot plates...too hot to touch at times and the quality of food was excellent....no soggy veg. If there was a negative and it is a very minor point ....too many green beans. We were on Freedom dining on a table for two.

[Harry Peterson]

Hi.....just shows doesn't it that no 2 cruises are alike....even on the same ship. When we were on Azura in April the food was perfectly served.. piping hot served on very hot plates...too hot to touch at times and the quality of food was excellent....no soggy veg. If there was a negative and it is a very minor point ....too many green beans. We were on Freedom dining on a table for two.

 

More a question, I think, of no two people being alike. We found the food last time to be excellent in the MDR and the buffet (not keen on the way people behave there, though) - and we're both pretty fussy about food.

 

Some people do like to complain, though. A guy on our table kept banging on about the poor quality of the food, but a little further discussion with him pretty soon established that he knew as much about food as a clock. Full of bluster and bravado, trying to impress, but actually making himself look rather silly.

[Serendipity50]

More a question, I think, of no two people being alike. We found the food last time to be excellent in the MDR and the buffet (not keen on the way people behave there, though) - and we're both pretty fussy about food.

 

Some people do like to complain, though. A guy on our table kept banging on about the poor quality of the food, but a little further discussion with him pretty soon established that he knew as much about food as a clock. Full of bluster and bravado, trying to impress, but actually making himself look rather silly.

@

We are not one for complaining...all though we had every right to...we were were not saying the food was bad just really cold every day.

We have a lot to compare with...it's not much to ask for.

[janny444]

@

We are not one for complaining...all though we had every right to...we were were not saying the food was bad just really cold every day.

We have a lot to compare with...it's not much to ask for.

 

Just out of curiosity Serendipity50....Did you share a table with others or did you have a table for two?

[Serendipity50]

Just out of curiosity Serendipity50....Did you share a table with others or did you have a table for two?

Good question...we asked for 8/10 table and got one for two next to a wall...so not many people to mix with.

[vwgolf]

I've never had a bad meal in the Azura MDR - a few mediocre ones, but never a bad one. The food is always hot and plentiful, although a little on the unadventurous side. I agree with a previous poster about the green beans, though; we all joked on our table that they must buy them by the tonne! I enjoy my food and always come off a cruise several pounds heavier than when I first boarded but to me, a cruise is not about the meals; it's about the destinations, the people I meet, the entertainment (admittedly mixed on P&O) and the fact that someone cooks for me and clears up afterwards. What more could a man want!