Food and dining on P&O ships

[Selbourne]

7 hours ago, roomba920 said:

Has anyone here tried the Norway Tester Menu dinner in Epicurean?

What did you think?

Yes. It’s only on Iona and only on one night of the cruise. It was fabulous. It often sells out on the day that reservations open though (14 days before the cruise?), so you have to be quick. 

[TigerB]

8 hours ago, roomba920 said:

Has anyone here tried the Norway Tester Menu dinner in Epicurean?

What did you think?

 

I'll second what @Selbourne wrote. I really enjoyed it, and thought it represented good value for money, more so if you pre-book.

There are two menus, a meat/fish one and a vegetarian one. You can pick individual dishes from each; that suited me as I am a pescatarian and had a fish dish from that particular menu.

[terrierjohn]

On 4/15/2024 at 11:29 AM, Gettingwarmer said:

I am sure that Princess has got it right by giving everybody what they want. 

They have, but the one thing that hasn't  changed is the number of dining places, and now one third of those are back to TD  which limits the numbers because they can only manage 2 seatings a night.

This is probably the same number that a bookable dining room can operate because of the numbers of empty tables that are waiting for their customers.

That will eave the walk up dining room very over stretched to accomodate everyone else who want to eat in the MDR.

anyway come September we will find out.

[roomba920]

On 4/17/2024 at 3:00 AM, Selbourne said:

Yes. It’s only on Iona and only on one night of the cruise. It was fabulous. It often sells out on the day that reservations open though (14 days before the cruise?), so you have to be quick. 

Great, thank you. Yes, we managed to get a booking.

[amajaa]

Do you still have to use the myholiday for dinner on Ventura or is it just turn up now like Arcadia? 

[MyriamS]

Hi everyone, I read that Olive Grove must now be booked onboard Iona. What are our chances to secure a spot for lunch or dinner on the second day of our cruise (it is a sea day and celebration night)? We don't have loyalty with P&O so are expecting to be some of the last people to board the ship.

[terrierjohn]

19 minutes ago, MyriamS said:

Hi everyone, I read that Olive Grove must now be booked onboard Iona. What are our chances to secure a spot for lunch or dinner on the second day of our cruise (it is a sea day and celebration night)? We don't have loyalty with P&O so are expecting to be some of the last people to board the ship.

Boarding seems to be based on which deck you are on, so you might be lucky.

Edited April 22 by terrierjohn

[Gettingwarmer]

38 minutes ago, amajaa said:

Do you still have to use the myholiday for dinner on Ventura or is it just turn up now like Arcadia? 

You just turn up on Ventura. If you want a table for two and they are full they will issue a pager and you can sit in a lounge or bar and wait. 

[TigerB]

50 minutes ago, MyriamS said:

Hi everyone, I read that Olive Grove must now be booked onboard Iona. What are our chances to secure a spot for lunch or dinner on the second day of our cruise (it is a sea day and celebration night)? We don't have loyalty with P&O so are expecting to be some of the last people to board the ship.

 

If you do have late boarding, and are waiting at the terminal for your slot, you can access the My Holiday app/non-app there to make any bookings.  You need the last six digits from your boarding card to do so.

[amajaa]

1 hour ago, Gettingwarmer said:

You just turn up on Ventura. If you want a table for two and they are full they will issue a pager and you can sit in a lounge or bar and wait. 

Okay thanks. We were on 18 months ago and you had to use the myholiday. We will need a table for 4 

[Gettingwarmer]

38 minutes ago, amajaa said:

Okay thanks. We were on 18 months ago and you had to use the myholiday. We will need a table for 4 

Sorry should have said. We were on Ventura a couple of weeks ago.

[Bazrat]

Just sat through a video headlined school dinner's, they went to the mdr and had a meal of pie and mash, the crime of p&o was to put a scope of mash on the plate so they called it a school dinner, yes the mash should have been tastily arranged not to offend anyone.

[carlanthony24]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

Just sat through a video headlined school dinner's, they went to the mdr and had a meal of pie and mash, the crime of p&o was to put a scope of mash on the plate so they called it a school dinner, yes the mash should have been tastily arranged not to offend anyone.

Tom & Dom Travel?

[zjc]

Does anyone know if the Always Available Chicken in the MDR on the Dinner menu has now been removed? 
 

thanks 

[AndyMichelle]

3 hours ago, zjc said:

Does anyone know if the Always Available Chicken in the MDR on the Dinner menu has now been removed? 
 

thanks 

It was still there a couple of weeks back on Britannia, although not listed as 'always available' it was 'always available', along with the 5oz steak. 

Andy 

[majortom10]

12 hours ago, zjc said:

Does anyone know if the Always Available Chicken in the MDR on the Dinner menu has now been removed? 
 

thanks 

On Arvia recently they were never classed as always available like they used to they are now part of the main menu that doesn't change. Also very disappointed that the "daily specials" at breakfast seems to be a thing of the past.

[zjc]

Thanks both

[JeanieC,Aston]

On 4/22/2024 at 9:21 AM, terrierjohn said:

Boarding seems to be based on which deck you are on, so you might be lucky.

Hi

They must be working top down then,we are on deck 15 on Britannia and got 12:30 boarding,,,,no matter,,I’m coming on a coach.

We are Atlantic tier going into the next tier during the cruise.

So I don’t know what the criteria is for boarding times.

 

Maybe Eavesway give P&O a list of names travelling on their coaches.

Edited Tuesday at 06:52 PM by JeanieC,Aston

[AlexMcSpot]

34 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

They must be working top down then,we are on deck 15 on Britannia and got 12:30 boarding,,,,no matter,,I’m coming on a coach.

We are Atlantic tier going into the next tier during the cruise.

So I don’t know what the criteria is for boarding times.

 

Maybe Eavesway give P&O a list of names travelling on their coaches.

We have travelled Eavesway (Arcadia) and Intercruise (Arvia), and on both occasions we had late embarkation times and both times were greeted as we come of the coach, taken directly to the booking desks, processed. Then it was straight to security checks and then on to the ship. In both cases we were onboard within 30-40 minutes of arriving. There was no mention of allotted embarkation times, deck numbers or peninsular level.

This is one of the biggest advantages of travelling by coach, although there are a lot of downsides (early starts, multiple pickups, etc.).

Edited Tuesday at 07:25 PM by AlexMcSpot

[JeanieC,Aston]

Hi Alex

Thats what I find happens,,,,the allotted boarding time is shown on your checkin paperwork/online ,,,but as you say coach arrivals go straight through whatever the allotted time.

You are earlier than us,,we leave Burtonwood Services at 07:45,,then a relaxing 5.5hr journey down,Rolling Sones albums loaded onto the iPad,earphones on and away we go.

[Interestedcruisefan]

On 5/19/2024 at 9:04 PM, majortom10 said:

On Arvia recently they were never classed as always available like they used to they are now part of the main menu that doesn't change. Also very disappointed that the "daily specials" at breakfast seems to be a thing of the past.

I suggest - just ask your waiter for what you want for breakfast regardless of if it's on the menu

 

You might be pleasantly surprised

 

He was actually suggesting adding smoked salmon to a course on a breakfast menu on arvia when my wife ordered scrambled eggs with avocado for example

 

They want to please if they can

 

Ps I was given a magic tip that's worked for me a lot lately

 

Use the 3 magic words

 

"What's the chance" followed by whatever you want. And for some magical reason most people like the challenge and will try to help you if they can

 

Can't do any harm either?

 

Worst can happen is they say no.

Edited Tuesday at 08:14 PM by Interestedcruisefan

[Megabear2]

7 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I suggest - just ask your waiter for what you want for breakfast regardless of if it's on the menu

 

You might be pleasantly surprised

 

He was actually suggesting adding smoked salmon to a course on a breakfast menu on arvia when my wife ordered scrambled eggs with avocado for example

 

They want to please if they can

 

Ps I was given a magic tip that's worked for me a lot lately

 

Use the 3 magic words

 

"What's the chance" followed by whatever you want. And for some magical reason most people like the challenge and will try to help you if they can

 

Can't do any harm either?

 

Worst can happen is they say no.

Agree.  I wanted cream cheese for my bagel. After the first day of asking it appeared every day without asking.