A change of heart at P&O?

[P&O SUE]

On 2/5/2023 at 4:33 PM, Selbourne said:

We don’t bother with afternoon tea either (nor do we rate it), but we know folk who do. We tend to explore the port on our own after breakfast and usually have a late lunch in the MDR or Glasshouse. However, for those who (like us) avoid the buffet like the plague, if you get back on the ship after MDR lunch has finished, it’s a relaxing (and free) way to have a bite to eat before a late dinner. 
 

We tend to go to the cocktail parties, primarily for a few free drinks and the odd nugget of info from the Captain. Perhaps the solution on Iona and Arvia (if space is an issue) is to restrict them to Caribbean tier and above rather than scrap them altogether?  

Yes we often had a scone in the buffet as an afternoon snack, they were always very nice. 
I agree with Jean, I wouldn’t be able to have my dinner if I had the full afternoon tea.

[Beckett]

I'm with Sue and Jean on this one too. Afternoon tea for me just means another 25 trots around the Prom to walk off some calories. 

 

I went on a Princess cruise a few years ago with a friend who absolutely loved the whole afternoon tea thing - the silver service, the ambience, the tinkling classical music in the background - and my God she could put those scones away! I have a pretty good appetite but no way could I eat a full dinner following an afternoon tea.

 

Each to their own I suppose. Jane.xx

[Angel57]

14 minutes ago, Beckett said:

I'm with Sue and Jean on this one too. Afternoon tea for me just means another 25 trots around the Prom to walk off some calories. 

 

I went on a Princess cruise a few years ago with a friend who absolutely loved the whole afternoon tea thing - the silver service, the ambience, the tinkling classical music in the background - and my God she could put those scones away! I have a pretty good appetite but no way could I eat a full dinner following an afternoon tea.

 

Each to their own I suppose. Jane.xx

I do agree. However, I used to love popping into the MDR about 4pm if I’d been out on tour and had missed lunch. To have a nice cuppa, a crumpet and or a sandwich in a calmer environment to the buffet, just hit the spot. But that would have been the only time I went. The full afternoon tea was/is in my opinion, only do-able if on second sitting - which most of the time I was not - so a light dinner followed if I’d been a tad greedy!

x

[paulatsea]

10 hours ago, Red Leicester said:

I'm sure I've read on here somewhere uproar at lack of afternoon tea yet most here are saying meh, not fussed.  

 

I have never been invited to a Cocktail Party so guessing Mrs RL and me fall into the not quite important pile.  If I was invited I probably wouldn't go anyway.  I'm all for a bit of loyalty though so any perks are worth it.  Take it or leave it.

 

The one I really don't get but causes adverse reaction is evening turndown.  Removing that has caused uproar, not just on here but on other sites / media too.  I have commented before that I just don't get what evening turndown is / was.  Maybe I'm of an upbringing or generation that lost out on this.  I can live without a second invasion of my room and the chocolate.  It gives the already hard working crew some rest.  

 

The one thing I hope is turned round is the quality of the custard in the smash n grab.  Awful on Britannia last September.  I'd take that over evening turndown any day.

It’s nice to go back to the cabin that has had a turn down service.  We miss it.
Would pay extra if that’s what’s needed as it makes the holiday experience special.

Don’t care about custard.

 

I would take turndown over custard any day.

Edited February 7, 2023 by paulatsea

[purplesea]

The only times we have had afternoon tea are when we have been out and got back late and missed lunch. Although the last time we had an afternoon tea on board it was a bit disappointing compared to previous times.

[zap99]

8 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

Yes we often had a scone in the buffet as an afternoon snack, they were always very nice. 
I agree with Jean, I wouldn’t be able to have my dinner if I had the full afternoon tea.

A scone,or a little cake in the buffet is fine. We have never had proper afternoon tea on a ship. If it's on Azura next week, we will give it a go, we can then say it was the best we had ever had.🤔

[zap99]

2 hours ago, paulatsea said:

It’s nice to go back to the cabin that has had a turn down service.  We miss it.
Would pay extra if that’s what’s needed as it makes the holiday experience special.

Don’t care about custard.

 

I would take turndown over custard any day.

Custard and turndown for me please.

[Cristaltips]

Personally, I prefer the no turn down. If it comes back, I’ll tell the cabin steward not to bother in the evening. 

[Britboys]

Always enjoy popping into the mdr for afternoon tea. I don't go for a full spread though. The sandwiches often have things in them that I don't like, such as mustard, pickle or tomato. I do however indulge myself with a scone and a cake and some Earl Grey Tea. Fortunately, I'm always on second sitting dinner...

[paulatsea]

1 hour ago, Cristaltips said:

Personally, I prefer the no turn down. If it comes back, I’ll tell the cabin steward not to bother in the evening. 

That would be a good way of doing it - opt in or opt out at the start of the cruise.
Maybe if -as it seems - not too many want a turn down service they could bring it back just for those who want it - or have as a chargeable extra.

[snaefell]

3 hours ago, zap99 said:

A scone,or a little cake in the buffet is fine. We have never had proper afternoon tea on a ship. If it's on Azura next week, we will give it a go, we can then say it was the best we had ever had.🤔

Or the worst!😙

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, paulatsea said:

That would be a good way of doing it - opt in or opt out at the start of the cruise.
Maybe if -as it seems - not too many want a turn down service they could bring it back just for those who want it - or have as a chargeable extra.

make it a perk of a select fare if you want it. I am not bothered and the chocolates just pile up

[happy v]

I think it was only suspended because the stewards had to wash all the seats in the theatre after the first show. A pointless exercise in my opinion. Moley has indicated it would return.

Edited February 7, 2023 by happy v

[Fionboard]

17 minutes ago, happy v said:

I think it was only suspended because the stewards had to wash all the seats in the theatre after the first show. A pointless exercise in my opinion. Moley has indicated it would return.

The stewards have other jobs (due to staff shortages and covid probably). Cleaning and helping in the restaurants mainly. 

[Fionboard]

4 hours ago, Cristaltips said:

Personally, I prefer the no turn down. If it comes back, I’ll tell the cabin steward not to bother in the evening. 

Me too. In fact some days I do not have the morning service. Keep my cabin like my home, clean and tidy! 

[jamiebarnzy]

It’s nice to see the cocktail party back, hopefully we see more of the little nice touches back. Hope they bring back proper cheese broad in the MDR and the port Stilton, also loved that and the plated once they do now are just not the same. 
 

I only done the afternoon tea once in the MDR and didn’t rate it, however I understand the appeal. But it does put extra pressure on the staff. Enjoyed the ice cream one and the Epcureiun one thought but both too much and the deck grill, room service and buffet suit is if I am still hungry after lurch or coming back on the ship. 

 

Evening turn down was a nice touch, but I stay in many hotels and resorts which were much more expensive per a night then what the cruise cost per. Night, With no evening turn down. It was a nice touch but I rather they use the staff to give them some down time or improve the service in other areas of the ship rather then turn down the rooms. 
 

[cheshire]

On 2/5/2023 at 4:37 PM, Jennizor said:

I have to agree with you Jean. As we have got older (69&72), our appetites have lessened. In times gone by I would have enjoyed afternoon tea and then ate a full dinner but not now. We don’t use Epicurean either as there is just too much and I hate waste. Like you, we love the Crows Nest and are quite happy to be there away from the cocktail parties which can get very busy and noisy.

How would you have felt though when you were younger and had afternoon tea or for  that matter if Epicurean was withdrawn?  Tases and desires change with age. A head banging night club isn’t for me either.  

[Dermotsgirl]

I never actually went to the dining room for afternoon tea.  Although, if we got back from an excursion mid afternoon, we did like to go to the buffet for a couple of scones and couple of cakes.

 

We did the Epicurean afternoon tea on our last cruise in 2019, just for the experience. Lovely surroundings, but found that much of the food was very sweet for our taste.

 

I do like the evening turndown, as it’s nice to come back to the welcoming glow of a neatened cabin….. but I don’t like it so much to pay extra for it! 

[Goosebear Mum]

Pay for it? No!   That would move even closer to the budget airline approach… you’re on board but then have to pay for everything!!  
 

 

[Adawn47]

On 2/7/2023 at 11:23 AM, zap99 said:

Custard and turndown for me please.

I always turn down the custard zap. It's a horrible ,watery, strange, dark yellow gloop that bears no resemblence to custard at all.

Avril

[Adawn47]

On 2/7/2023 at 12:48 PM, Cristaltips said:

Personally, I prefer the no turn down. If it comes back, I’ll tell the cabin steward not to bother in the evening. 

We would like to see the return of the turndown service. Not for the chocolates and the actual turndown of the bed, but for clean dry towels and the removal of the the wet ones. 

Avril

[Adawn47]

20 hours ago, Fionboard said:

Me too. In fact some days I do not have the morning service. Keep my cabin like my home, clean and tidy! 

The morning turndown isn't important to us either. It's easy to make the bed, we keep the cabin tidy and don't bath towels in the morning. Maybe the more sensible idea would be to choose a morning or evening turndown service when booking.

Avril

Edited February 8, 2023 by Adawn47

[grapau27]

On 2/4/2023 at 4:47 PM, Selbourne said:

Worth noting that, as with afternoon tea, the loyalty tier cocktail parties won’t be appearing on Iona and Arvia.  

I wonder if on Iona and Arvia they are expecting the vast majority of passengers to be New and Young passengers with little or no Loyalty status.

[grapau27]

51 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

The morning turndown isn't important to us either. It's easy to make the bed, we keep the cabin tidy and don't bath towels in the morning. Maybe the more sensible idea would be to choose a morning or evening turndown service when booking.

Avril

We now request our cabin steward to leave us alone and I collect fresh towels and put used towels in the bin left out in the corridor.

On Azura in November the captain announced on the tannoy If you want your cabins serviced leave the service request card on the outside of your cabin door otherwise it would not be serviced.

[lujaha]

1 hour ago, Adawn47 said:

I always turn down the custard zap. It's a horrible ,watery, strange, dark yellow gloop that bears no resemblence to custard at all.

Avril

I found the custard varied.  The first day I had it it was as you describe above but some days it was more creamy than others and was just passable.