Arvia K308 - All aboard

[Selbourne]

4 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Unlike Selbourne I've sailed with Cunard for many years and don't really rate Club Britannia for value although it remains to be seen what it offers on QA.  If I was going to spend lots of money based on the dining experience it would have to br the Grills every time. You need to remember the current three Queens are dignified older ladies offering a calm and traditional experience and I have a feeling most definitely not your cup of tea.

 

 

We obviously won’t know until we try it whether it gets our vote or not. They have upgraded Britannia Club recently with the addition of a la carte options at dinner, over and above the full MDR menu. I suspect that this was in order to retain a value added factor, given that the main Club benefit of freedom dining has now been introduced in the standard Britannia MDRs.
 

Frankly, it’s the dedicated table that particularly appeals for any or all of breakfast, lunch and dinner and no need to book or get a pager. The supplement that we paid over Britannia was £70 a day (for the two of us), which is a lot less than they charge for some cruises and, as you will know, way below that of the grill classes. I know that grill class food will be far better, but even though we could afford it we just wouldn’t want to pay those prices. We did a ships tour of QM2 some years ago and were surprised at how cramped the grill class restaurants seemed and how close many of the tables were to each other. I’m sure that Club will be the same, but we at least won’t have paid grill prices!

[zap99]

13 hours ago, Peanut006 said:

Love Epicurean but also think Wonderland on Royal Caribbean is fab and Chops on Royal too 

 

Michelle

Chops for us and Cagney's on NCL. We found Beach House and Glass House on Azura are getting good as well.

[Interestedcruisefan]

4 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Chops for us and Cagney's on NCL. We found Beach House and Glass House on Azura are getting good as well.

Chops not as good as Epicurean IMO

 

Assuming that's Chops on RCL or Carnival? (Can't remember  which)

 

I'm sure we've dined there several times in the past. It's very good don't get me wrong?

 

Great steaks I remember. But atmosphere not as good as Epicurean I think

[Megabear2]

14 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I actually like tradition and elegance but  I realise there's a high cost attached. I love the restaurant scenes in the film Titanic. And the hotel and restaurant scenes in the  Apathy Christie films

 

Want to do Orient Express at some stage

 

We've done afternoon tea at the Balmoral Hotel and the Ritz etc

 

And have paid to enjoy fine dining at some of the most traditional and also contemporary restaurants and Hotels in the world

 

But as ive said I couldn't enjoy a cruise thinking that I've not got access to the best dining options because of my initial cabin choice

 

Hence my questions above

 

Dining experiences we've paid for in the past (some at the most ridiculous cost especially in Dubai)

 

We can't afford to pay those prices 14 nights in a row to access

 

Whereas Epicurean on P and O 14 nights in a row for 2 people would only cost 700 pounds in total

 

That's a price I'm more than willing to pay if needed. But tbh we don't even need Epicurean every night. And the other specialities are cheaper. And some nights nothing beats a buffet/carvery or fish or chips. On or off a cruise.

 

700 pounds for 14 nights Epicurean for 2 is the cost of just 2  nights out at Michelin star restaurants in comparison

 

It's a great  price for quality dining and service

 

It's not Michelin but it's very good

 

Celebrity right now the price isn't right for us as we can get everything we want on P and O far cheaper

 

But never say never

ICF without wishing to sound rude your dining in Michelin starred restaurants etc is a personal choice, you pay your money and take it.  Unless you cruise extremely high end like Ponant or some of those lines its totally irrelevant in this sphere.  I'm sure that very many on here can boast about their high end hotels, restaurants etc but choose not too. And yes, I've dined very high end in the Middle and Far East so appreciate the cost.

 

Re Orient Express it's great but more an experience to spend pots of money on if you want what you see on the films.  There's pleb class on their and also on the trains across Australia, Canada, US etc.  I shared a toilet/washbasin (no shower) for 4 days whilst travelling on one of these "luxury" trains!

 

When I said traditional on Cunard I meant orchestras, big bands, opera singers, book festivals, board games, jigsaw puzzles, harpists, violins, lectures etc not the food.

 

Burgh Island is great.  I've stayed there three times for my birthday, the last two times in the covid Summers as I like to call them.

Edited April 22, 2023 by Megabear2

[Gettingwarmer]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Which is the  cruise line where the price you pay determines the level of dining you receive?

 

Is that Cunard?

also Celebrity has separate restaurants for different classes of cabins. Also MSC.  Plus l think NCL.  And Princess. 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Gettingwarmer

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I guess I'm trying to confirm my suspicion that if you are prepared to pay extra for Epicurean (perhaps mixed in with the other better quality specialities) that the dining standards on P and O as well as facilities can all have improved from the halycon days even when MDR was at its best

 

My argument would then become that with the lower comparable prices nowadays to the past and the relatively cheap prices for adding speciality dining 

 

There really never has been a better time to cruise P and O

 

Other than if you are single and/or want to dine with the same group each night. Which I still totally understand. And remains a tradition of cruising. 

But it also depends upon an individual's personal tastes in food too. I have no doubt that Epicurean serves very good quality dishes that are very well presented but there are many dishes on the menu that would not appeal to me, so my choice would be limited. Likewise Sindhu. I don't like spicy food, so again my choice would be limited. I have eaten in Sindhu when tablemates decide to eat there but would certainly only do it once per cruise. Generally, the only main course in the Beach House that I would bother with is the Steak.

So it isn't just a case of using the extra-charge restaurants for better quality dining...

[zap99]

3 minutes ago, Britboys said:

But it also depends upon an individual's personal tastes in food too. I have no doubt that Epicurean serves very good quality dishes that are very well presented but there are many dishes on the menu that would not appeal to me, so my choice would be limited. Likewise Sindhu. I don't like spicy food, so again my choice would be limited. I have eaten in Sindhu when tablemates decide to eat there but would certainly only do it once per cruise. Generally, the only main course in the Beach House that I would bother with is the Steak.

So it isn't just a case of using the extra-charge restaurants for better quality dining...

Epicurian had 2 menus,  1 DW didn't like and the other only a couple of things. Last time we ate there nothing was prepared at the table. All was dished up already plated. No theatre, decent food, but not ' special '.

[zap99]

39 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Chops not as good as Epicurean IMO

 

Assuming that's Chops on RCL or Carnival? (Can't remember  which)

 

I'm sure we've dined there several times in the past. It's very good don't get me wrong?

 

Great steaks I remember. But atmosphere not as good as Epicurean I think

Last time we used Epicurian it was dead. Good food, but a sterile atmosphere

[Interestedcruisefan]

39 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

ICF without wishing to sound rude your dining in Michelin starred restaurants etc is a personal choice, you pay your money and take it.  Unless you cruise extremely high end like Ponant or some of those lines its totally irrelevant in this sphere.  I'm sure that very many on here can boast about their high end hotels, restaurants etc but choose not too. And yes, I've dined very high end in the Middle and Far East so appreciate the cost.

 

Re Orient Express it's great but more an experience to spend pots of money on if you want what you see on the films.  There's pleb class on their and also on the trains across Australia, Canada, US etc.  I shared a toilet/washbasin (no shower) for 4 days whilst travelling on one of these "luxury" trains!

 

When I said traditional on Cunard I meant orchestras, big bands, opera singers, book festivals, board games, jigsaw puzzles, harpists, violins, lectures etc not the food.

 

Burgh Island is great.  I've stayed there three times for my birthday, the last two times in the covid Summers as I like to call them.

Yes I've read about only having wash basins in the room

 

Might be just a once in a lifetime experience for us

 

I do like the tradition aspect of them

 

The money part in my posts is basically I can and will pay at the right times if I cant get what I want cheaper

 

But on P and O I can get what I want cheap currently so why pay higher prices elsewhere

 

The value on offer with cruising right now is leading me to cruise more and holiday elsewhere less

[Megabear2]

3 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Last time we used Epicurian it was dead. Good food, but a sterile atmosphere

Same for me, even on Christmas day last year. Lovely food and wine but not a spot on the years before.

[Interestedcruisefan]

3 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Last time we used Epicurian it was dead. Good food, but a sterile atmosphere

Maybe I mean traditional and formal atmosphere which is nice for a change. I get your point though

[Interestedcruisefan]

38 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

also Celebrity has separate restaurants for different classes of cabins. Also MSC.  Plus l think NCL.  And Princess. 

All stuff I wasnt aware of

 

But can you have cheapest cabins and pay surcharges to access these or better restaurants on board when you want to?

 

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

17 minutes ago, Britboys said:

But it also depends upon an individual's personal tastes in food too. I have no doubt that Epicurean serves very good quality dishes that are very well presented but there are many dishes on the menu that would not appeal to me, so my choice would be limited. Likewise Sindhu. I don't like spicy food, so again my choice would be limited. I have eaten in Sindhu when tablemates decide to eat there but would certainly only do it once per cruise. Generally, the only main course in the Beach House that I would bother with is the Steak.

So it isn't just a case of using the extra-charge restaurants for better quality dining...

Something I had never considered

[Gettingwarmer]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

All stuff I wasnt aware of

 

But can you have cheapest cabins and pay surcharges to access these or better restaurants on board when you want to?

 

 

No, but they do have other pay for restaurants

Edited April 22, 2023 by Gettingwarmer

[Megabear2]

Just now, Interestedcruisefan said:

All stuff I wasnt aware of

 

But can you have cheapest cabins and pay surcharges to access these or better restaurants on board when you want to?

 

 

Yes, it works like RCL. There's a very big upselling of the speciality restaurants though and unless you reserve a time bu buying before boarding you may well not get in the speciality restaurants. Some on Edge had dining until 10.30pm

[Megabear2]

3 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

No, but they do have other pay for restaurants

Yes, I was referring to those.  The suite guests and Yacht Club etc have separate venues, including deck space etc. In my opinion far more "class" driven than Cunard who get a very bad press about separate areas.  The whole of the front of Celebrity Edge open deck was handed over to Retreat guests.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Gettingwarmer said:

also Celebrity has separate restaurants for different classes of cabins. Also MSC.  Plus l think NCL.  And Princess. 

Not on any of the current Princess fleet, just a seperate section in one of the MDRs for Club and Suite passengers.

[Harry Peterson]

I’m not going to bang on about the high end restaurants we may, or may not, have dined at, but I will make special mention of the Regency Cafe in Pimlico. Way out there on its own, as featured in Layer Cake etc!

 

Seriously though, it really isn’t in P&O’s interest to maintain the previously high standards of the MDR when all that’s going to do is reduce the numbers paying a supplement to eat elsewhere. Tricky balancing act for them.

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

Last time we used Epicurian it was dead. Good food, but a sterile atmosphere

Excellent. That would suit us perfectly. We are quite happy being the only guests in a restaurant. What most people consider to be ‘atmosphere’, we consider to be noise! 😂 

[Interestedcruisefan]

10 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

I’m not going to bang on about the high end restaurants we may, or may not, have dined at, but I will make special mention of the Regency Cafe in Pimlico. Way out there on its own, as featured in Layer Cake etc!

 

Seriously though, it really isn’t in P&O’s interest to maintain the previously high standards of the MDR when all that’s going to do is reduce the numbers paying a supplement to eat elsewhere. Tricky balancing act for them.

Some of my favourite meal memories are fish and chips on a tray in Skegness

 

We booked pre-theatre dinner in Stratford on Avon before Shakespeare theatre last month. Then walked past a great looking fish and chip restaurant almost opposite the theatre. I was envious looking at what they were eating. 

 

And next time that's what I'm doing 

 

Fish and chips then Shakespeare (obstructed view tickets) then move to better seats if available

 

Cheap night out

 

[Gettingwarmer]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Not on any of the current Princess fleet, just a seperate section in one of the MDRs for Club and Suite passengers.

But still a separate section which gives you extra dining privileges. 

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

But still a separate section which gives you extra dining privileges. 

Well, one extra entree! 

[Gettingwarmer]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

Well, one extra entree! 

Ease of dining. Going at any time and a table is waiting, no hassles. 

[yorkshirephil]

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

All stuff I wasnt aware of

 

But can you have cheapest cabins and pay surcharges to access these or better restaurants on board when you want to?

 

 

You can on MSC (larger ships), they have a great range of eateries, Hola (Mexican) served us some of the best food we have eaten on a ship, they have several packages where you can pick out where you want to eat. 

[Bill Y]

33 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Seriously though, it really isn’t in P&O’s interest to maintain the previously high standards of the MDR when all that’s going to do is reduce the numbers paying a supplement to eat elsewhere

Unfortunately you are correct. They even baked this in when allocating MDR space on Arvia. The old criteria of every passenger must the catered for in a MDR is going.