quick simple ?. Does Iona have a suite exclusive restaurant

[ighten]

The website suite description seems to say yes but I cant find what/where it could be

[Gettingwarmer]

Only for breakfast Epicurean. Not for lunch or evening. 

[ighten]

Thanks - Is the butler usually able to get you priority into restaurants

Edited February 5, 2023 by ighten

[Windsurfboy]

31 minutes ago, ighten said:

Thanks - Is the butler usually able to get you priority into restaurants

 

Something I'd also like to know , Given comments that speciality restaurants get booked up quickly. 

[ighten]

Weird thing is P and O have now DM tweeted me to say Epicurean is exclusive to suite guests for all meals! When I said that doesn't seem to be the case they replied that was when staffing was not fully implemented.

Edited February 5, 2023 by ighten

[Selbourne]

56 minutes ago, ighten said:

Thanks - Is the butler usually able to get you priority into restaurants

They imply that they can but, in reality, if the restaurants are full then they are full. As suite passengers you are first to board on embarkation day, so it’s best to make your bookings as soon as you board (assuming that you haven’t been able to book prior to boarding). By the time you meet your Butler they may be sold out!

[Selbourne]

1 minute ago, ighten said:

Weird thing is P and O have now tweeted me to say Epicurian is exclusive to suite guests for all meals!

If that was true then we would consider booking suites again, but I don’t think it is. P&O land based customer service staff are often very poorly informed. 

[Gettingwarmer]

1 hour ago, ighten said:

Weird thing is P and O have now DM tweeted me to say Epicurean is exclusive to suite guests for all meals! When I said that doesn't seem to be the case they replied that was when staffing was not fully implemented.

Not the case. People on Iona have been making bookings for Epicurean on their Cruise Personaliser. 

[Selbourne]

26 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Not the case. People on Iona have been making bookings for Epicurean on their Cruise Personaliser. 

Thought so, but thanks for confirming. We won’t book suites any more, but intend to use Epicurean a couple of times when on Iona in August! 

[jeanlyon]

They almost couldn't have a restaurant purely for suite passengers.  Not on any ship.  How many suites are there for instance on Arvia?

[sandancer]

We have 4 P&O cruises booked. Would be very disappointed if we couldn’t eat in Epicurean so I’m hoping this rumour is just that “a rumour”.

Thanks Gettingwarmer for the positive post. 

[Windsurfboy]

Only 26 suites on Arvia and Iona, 1% of cabins smallest share in fleet. 

 

Only Brittania has enough suites to justify suite only restaurant. 

 

Anyone know How many covers in Epicurean on Arvia Iona ?

[Stu UK]

Suite prices on P&O are steep given few perks. They could easily create a section of the MDR for suite guests as they did on Oceana for breakfast. 

Edited February 11, 2023 by Stu UK

[Selbourne]

18 minutes ago, Stu UK said:

Suite prices on P&O are steep given few perks. They could easily create a section of the MDR for suite guests as they did on Oceana for breakfast. 

No need. Suite guests have exclusive use of Epicurean for breakfast (or another speciality restaurant if there isn’t one), which is far better than a section of the MDR. I agree that suite perks are very poor considering the prices of them though, which is why we don’t book them anymore. 

[wowzz]

I'm surprised that P&O haven't followed Princess, and "fenced" off part of one MDR for suite and club class mini suite cruisers. Open for breakfast, lunch (sea days) and dinner, with a seperate entrance, no reservations required,  the same wait staff, and an additional main course for dinner, over and above the standard MDR menu. 

The club class supplement ( now termed Reserve Class ) for the minisuites would more than offset any extra costs

[Selbourne]

9 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I'm surprised that P&O haven't followed Princess, and "fenced" off part of one MDR for suite and club class mini suite cruisers. Open for breakfast, lunch (sea days) and dinner, with a seperate entrance, no reservations required,  the same wait staff, and an additional main course for dinner, over and above the standard MDR menu. 

The club class supplement ( now termed Reserve Class ) for the minisuites would more than offset any extra costs

We have booked exactly that on Cunard with Britannia Club. Separate restaurant altogether with your own dedicated table for the whole cruise (breakfast, lunch and dinner), so no reservations or queuing needed. Full MDR menu with additional a la carte choices for dinner. Best of all you can access this ‘club’ with standard sized balcony cabins, albeit with prices that compare to a suite on P&O. However, with what I am reading about how the MDRs on P&O are going, we are happy to pay extra for a (hopefully) better experience. I did suggest a few weeks back that P&O could look at a similar thing, but others rightly pointed out that they are chasing a different market now.

[Windsurfboy]

I think if you book a suite on P&O , must be prepared to pay speciality dining to get a suite experience,  even so it is good value.. 

 

Which goes back to one of orginal questions  , can the butler help get you reservations if speciality restaurants  full, or do you have to hope you can book all you want before boarding.