Food and dining on P&O ships

[zap99]

On 5/16/2023 at 8:49 AM, Froxfield said:

Well we have one more Cunard cruise coming up in November and then we will see. Frankly we don't much care for the Britannia class experience, based on two QM2 transatlantics and Princess Grill is becoming prohibitively expensive for us! Again, whilst the Grills restaurants are nice and true Freedom dining (!), the menu seems resolutely stuck in the 1970s with things like duck a l'orange And I do not need caviar: having lived in Moscow for six years, I have had my fill of that!  We enjoy the grills cabins on QV and QE but (horror of horrors) the new Queen Anne cannot offer a bath in the bathroom: shower only!  And the prices! We think this might be our last Cunard cruise.

 

To get back on topic, I think P&O offer a great choice of dining experience. And I must disagree with Snow Hill above. The experience is nothing like the "ferries" of my experience. Just a normal good international hotel standard. We now have three more cruise booked on Iona/Arvia.  Wild horses wouldn't get us on the smaller ships! It takes all sorts......Other opinions are available!

I'm with you.  If folk don't like P&O and prefer to spend twice as much to have a posh cruise, that's fine. Trying to Rubbish ordinary folks holidays by calling them budget says more about the poster than P&O.  ......IMVHO.🤣

[Harry Peterson]

2 hours ago, Al_W said:

PO food doesn’t feel special anymore unless you want to pay for it. 

That one short sentence about sums P&O up now, and unfortunately it goes way beyond just the food.  A cruise with P&O used to be special - now it isn’t.

 

Cheaper, relatively speaking, certainly, but no longer a special holiday.  Pluses and minuses to that of course.

[zap99]

12 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

That one short sentence about sums P&O up now, and unfortunately it goes way beyond just the food.  A cruise with P&O used to be special - now it isn’t.

 

Cheaper, relatively speaking, certainly, but no longer a special holiday.  Pluses and minuses to that of course.

Sorry Harry, but this is based on what some folk have told you, not your own experience. Since lockdown finished we have been on 8 cruises with 3 different cruise lines. 4 flyaway holidays, 6 UK holidays and numerous weekends. They are all special in their own way. Off to Majorca in 3 weeks, Devon a few weeks later, then South of France.  Each will be different and each will be special. If I'm told not to go somewhere because the bingo is a rip off, I use the ignore button.

 

[Snow Hill]

39 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

That one short sentence about sums P&O up now, and unfortunately it goes way beyond just the food.  A cruise with P&O used to be special - now it isn’t.

 

Cheaper, relatively speaking, certainly, but no longer a special holiday.  Pluses and minuses to that of course.

Would it be cynical of me to say that this is perhaps P&O Policy to get as many people as possible to pay extra to dine in the paid for restaurants, by making the MDR menus less special?

 

For someone who has only ever cruised with P&O descriptions of people’s experience here are making us look at other cruise lines yes the price maybe higher but if you factor in the P&O add ons there might not be that much difference. 
 

[Harry Peterson]

31 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Sorry Harry, but this is based on what some folk have told you, not your own experience. Since lockdown finished we have been on 8 cruises with 3 different cruise lines. 4 flyaway holidays, 6 UK holidays and numerous weekends. They are all special in their own way. Off to Majorca in 3 weeks, Devon a few weeks later, then South of France.  Each will be different and each will be special. If I'm told not to go somewhere because the bingo is a rip off, I use the ignore button.

 

Up to a point I'd agree with you of course.

 

But we were already becoming disenchanted prior to the changes brought about by the virus and the need to try to reclaim lost profits.  Cruising with P&O a few years back was special, but by 2020 it wasn't - and that's very much based on personal experience.  

 

That's not to say that you can't have an enjoyable holiday with P&O - plenty do.  But for a lot of people, including us, it's not remotely the same product and there are other options for holidays, and for cruises.

[Harry Peterson]

16 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Would it be cynical of me to say that this is perhaps P&O Policy to get as many people as possible to pay extra to dine in the paid for restaurants, by making the MDR menus less special?

 

For someone who has only ever cruised with P&O descriptions of people’s experience here are making us look at other cruise lines yes the price maybe higher but if you factor in the P&O add ons there might not be that much difference. 
 

That's exactly the policy - and it makes good business sense if it doesn't cost you too many customers.  Some, however, probably including us, will defect to something like Saga for a much more all-inclusive cruise with very few extras and a better quality experience all round.

[zap99]

17 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Would it be cynical of me to say that this is perhaps P&O Policy to get as many people as possible to pay extra to dine in the paid for restaurants, by making the MDR menus less special?

 

For someone who has only ever cruised with P&O descriptions of people’s experience here are making us look at other cruise lines yes the price maybe higher but if you factor in the P&O add ons there might not be that much difference. 
 

If you have only ever cruised with P&O, trying an alternative would IMO, be a nice change for you. Changing because somebody else didn't like P&O is confusing.

[Snow Hill]

Just now, Harry Peterson said:

That's exactly the policy - and it makes good business sense if it doesn't cost you too many customers.  Some, however, probably including us, will defect to something like Saga for a much more all-inclusive cruise with very few extras and a better quality experience all round.

We are considering defecting to Virgin after friends who have been on cruises have said they have enjoyed the experience and the food. 

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

We are considering defecting to Virgin after friends who have been on cruises have said they have enjoyed the experience and the food. 

Saga?...Virgin..? Pretty much the same aren't they?.

[Snow Hill]

7 minutes ago, zap99 said:

If you have only ever cruised with P&O, trying an alternative would IMO, be a nice change for you. Changing because somebody else didn't like P&O is confusing.

Multiple somebody’s, not just one and not just here either, the comments of our next door neighbours who had an awful time on a P&O cruise late last year and only on Wednesday the Treasurer of a committee I am a member of told us about her recent experience on P&O only a few weeks ago. 
 

Our last cruise in 2019 wasn’t the best either, there were numerous issues we had onboard, which we raised at the time and most we resolved, but shouldn’t have happened in the first place, cost cutting was happening pre Covid.

 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Snow Hill

[zap99]

13 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Multiple somebody’s, not just one and not just here either, the comments of our next door neighbours who had an awful time on a P&O cruise late last year and only on Wednesday the Treasurer of a committee I am a member of told us about her recent experience on P&O only a few weeks ago. 
 

Our last cruise in 2019 wasn’t the best either, there were numerous issues we had onboard, which we raised at the time and most we resolved, but shouldn’t have happened in the first place, cost cutting was happening pre Covid.

 

Oh well, best not then.

[Ardennais]

4 hours ago, Al_W said:

On Britannia, 7 days into a 14 night cruise. 
 

We are freedom dining. MDR food is not special at all, very standard and not feeling very special even on the celebration nights. Getting bored with the options already which seem very bland and similar.
 

The amuse bouche on celebration nights never arrived even though it says in the menu. If you ask to get it when your starters arrive. Mixed service we had terrible service one night spoke to the manager and asked what is going on and was told he’s new. Then asked the waiter and he said it’s his 18th year on a cruise ship!
 

We have had to wait up to and over an hour for a table. One evening we joined at 7.30 both queue over 100 and didn’t start eating until 8.45. Freedom dining is not working as well on this one as it had on our other cruises. If you join earlier it’s a bit quicker but I’ve never seen a queues less than around 50 when we like to eat. 

 

1st visit to epicurean on any po cruise. Food was better than MDR but I thought it would be better for the price. I had the tiger prawns for my main though and that was amazing, other courses weren’t that special. One of us had the lamb and it was terrible, complained and was offered a  replacement. 
 

Beach house was nice last night for £9.50 plus extras. Better than MDR.
 

Limelight was nice, better than MDR but no welcome cocktail anymore on arrival.

 

Buffet not really noticing any issue with no trays other than a couple of people carrying too much and dropping something. Food is not as good as before, definitely feels budget and more about quantity over quality.

 

We are going to try Glass House one evening. 

 

PO food doesn’t feel special anymore unless you want to pay for it. 

Similar to our experience on Britannia last month, but we did have trays! I can do without special, but I don’t like cold lukewarm food! 

[brian1]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

Up to a point I'd agree with you of course.

 

But we were already becoming disenchanted prior to the changes brought about by the virus and the need to try to reclaim lost profits.  Cruising with P&O a few years back was special, but by 2020 it wasn't - and that's very much based on personal experience.  

 

That's not to say that you can't have an enjoyable holiday with P&O - plenty do.  But for a lot of people, including us, it's not remotely the same product and there are other options for holidays, and for cruises.

You wont be amused either, Harry.

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, brian1 said:

You wont be amused either, Harry.

The kids find Disney land enchanting

[Froxfield]

Disneyland!  Try Disney prices against P&O!!!

I have probably said this before, but I'll say it again anyway!  We first cruised P&O in 2012 and would never have described it as a "special" experience although the cruises were decent value for money. This particularly applies to the food in the MDRs (silver service and all) which reminded of the old Trust House Forte of the 1970s: loads of overcooked meat and two veg.  

[terrierjohn]

6 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

That one short sentence about sums P&O up now, and unfortunately it goes way beyond just the food.  A cruise with P&O used to be special - now it isn’t.

 

Cheaper, relatively speaking, certainly, but no longer a special holiday.  Pluses and minuses to that of course.

Harry all your observations are second hand for post covid cruises, and whilst there have been plenty of posts which do raise complaints, there are equally as many that are more than happy with the current P&O standard.

[Megabear2]

Any suggest9for dinner in the Beach House tonight? I've never been before and am starving after only a room service croissant this morning.

[solentsam]

steak on lava rock

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, solentsam said:

steak on lava rock

After all that poor MB has been through on this cruise, you now want her to cook her own dinner... 😂

 

[solentsam]

2 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

After all that poor MB has been through on this cruise, you now want her to cook her own dinner...

No but its really nice

[No pager thank you]

MB - pay the couple of quid extra for the Double Decker burger - perfect if you are hungry!

[carlanthony24]

Always the Lava rock steak if you go to the Beach House. The Beer can chicken sharer or the sizzling chicken is also quite nice.

Edited May 19, 2023 by carlanthony24

[zap99]

4 minutes ago, carlanthony24 said:

Always the Lava rock steak if you go to the Beach House. The Beer can chicken sharer or the sizzling chicken is also quite nice.

We always plan to try something else......but🤔

 

.

[Al_W]

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Any suggest9for dinner in the Beach House tonight? I've never been before and am starving after only a room service croissant this morning.

I had the ribs and they were amazing last night on Britannia 

[Britboys]

12 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

That one short sentence about sums P&O up now, and unfortunately it goes way beyond just the food.  A cruise with P&O used to be special - now it isn’t.

 

Cheaper, relatively speaking, certainly, but no longer a special holiday.  Pluses and minuses to that of course.

That is exactly what went through my mind after my cruise last summer. Even before covid I still felt my P&O cruises were special. Yes, standards had gradually fallen but there was still a lot to make it different from an average hotel holiday. Twice-daily cabin servicing, little flowers and sweets in the cabin, nice toiletries, a small complimentary water, decent menus with a wide choice, Welcome aboard party with copious drinks, cabin attendants that had time to talk to you. And a few years before that decent biscuits 😂.

None of these are especially important or essential but for me, they all added up to make a special experience.

Whilst I didn't have any significant problems on my cruise, I was definitely left feeling that it had become more like a bog-standard hotel holiday that happened to be on a ship.