How does P&O compare to Princess and Celebrity?

Have to say that we have looked at Princes a number of times for cruises to the Med. as their itineraries are so good. Sadly we haven't booked as we find that they are easily £1000 more per cruise (even before we add the flights!) when we have to travel, so we have stayed with P&O and are more than happy. Next year we are going with Celebrity in August as we are on Oceana for a week in April and got a good deal. We never seem to see Princes doing special offers....

Too true. Our view is "on a scale of 1 to 10, how much do we want to visit a destination that we are prepared to pay over the odds". Up to now, we have been willing. We did save a fortune once on San Francisco to Hawaii. We had booked it a few months previously when an email popped up from Princess. Our TA got us over a £1,000 discount and ended up with $1,400 obc. Doubt it will happen again.

Too true. Our view is "on a scale of 1 to 10, how much do we want to visit a destination that we are prepared to pay over the odds". Up to now, we have been willing. We did save a fortune once on San Francisco to Hawaii. We had booked it a few months previously when an email popped up from Princess. Our TA got us over a £1,000 discount and ended up with $1,400 obc. Doubt it will happen again.

Because we have to go mid August we have never seen a cheap deal for a fly / cruise on Princess. Very sad as we would love to try it. For the price of going in a balcony on Princess we can book P&O (having a super time) in a balcony on a similar ship and we can still have an additional 2nd holiday somewhere snowy in February. No brainer for us.

 

Without being a snob, I loved one review of the Caribbean which referred to "18 stone females with more tattoos than brain cells". Nasty, but we thought the same! Was also surprised at the lack of ambition of cruisers, booking the same cruise next year.

I don't personally think it's possible to make assumptions about fellow passengers based upon their weight, tattoos or holiday preferences without sounding like a snob, whether you preface said comment with "Without being a snob ..." or not.

I don't personally think it's possible to make assumptions about fellow passengers based upon their weight, tattoos or holiday preferences without sounding like a snob, whether you preface said comment with "Without being a snob ..." or not.

I concur. Ten years ago I weighed 18 stone (although I didn't wear a bikini or have a tattoo). Now I weigh 10.5 stone, wear a (Helen Mirren) bikini, but still no tattoos. How should I be classified? I acknowledge that it's human nature to judge, and we all do it because it is a vital tool for survival, but just because you're fat doesn't make you lower class, bad mannered or stupid. Just an honest opinion.

My parents-in-law are regular P&O cruisers but have also been on Princess several times and Celebrity. They're always going on about Princess being better and we'd love to give them a try but having a young son and being restricted to school holidays we just cannot afford it. For the last 3 years we've priced up various cruises during the school holidays and P&O is consistently the most affordable for us. We know what to expect at a price we can afford and always enjoy ourselves.

Maybe next year............!

My parents-in-law are regular P&O cruisers but have also been on Princess several times and Celebrity. They're always going on about Princess being better and we'd love to give them a try but having a young son and being restricted to school holidays we just cannot afford it. For the last 3 years we've priced up various cruises during the school holidays and P&O is consistently the most affordable for us. We know what to expect at a price we can afford and always enjoy ourselves.

Maybe next year............!

Sometimes it is a case of 'If it 'aint broken why fix it?'

We have got a great deal for Celebrity next year but the holiday will be more expensive.

Re Princess, even for our 25th anniversary, we can't justify the cost if it means sacrificing our winter holiday somewhere beautiful and snowy :-)

We have returned today from our first sojourn on P&O Britannia we were hoping it would compare with Celebrity so we could avoid the dreaded Miami airport but it in no way compared. The cabin and balcony were very nice but tiny, the balcony hardly functional it was so small. Plus points kettle and great TVs. The service in peninsular was poor especially at breakfast. Food choices and quality poor. Main offering 1 night gammon egg n chips another liver n mash! Not what we expected. Entertainment on a par. Drinks are cheaper but we have always had a package and P&O British measures so it evens itself out. Perhaps our view was jaundiced by the fact on our 6 day cruise with 3 ports the last was missed due to the weather. Yes that is out of p&o control but as apparently it happens frequently we would expect contingency plans not just a few games of shuffleboard!

We have returned today from our first sojourn on P&O Britannia we were hoping it would compare with Celebrity so we could avoid the dreaded Miami airport but it in no way compared. The cabin and balcony were very nice but tiny, the balcony hardly functional it was so small. Plus points kettle and great TVs. The service in peninsular was poor especially at breakfast. Food choices and quality poor. Main offering 1 night gammon egg n chips another liver n mash! Not what we expected. Entertainment on a par. Drinks are cheaper but we have always had a package and P&O British measures so it evens itself out. Perhaps our view was jaundiced by the fact on our 6 day cruise with 3 ports the last was missed due to the weather. Yes that is out of p&o control but as apparently it happens frequently we would expect contingency plans not just a few games of shuffleboard!

Sorry, to say there was a main choice of gammon and chips is just wrong. There are 9 to 10 choices every night. Some of them will be to British tastes, it is a British ship.

Missing a port does not happen frequently. Missing Guernsey because there was a 20 to 30 knot wind happens.

We found plenty to do on the extra sea day.

The main problem wit the cruise was that it was only 6 days long.

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Last night Dai the main offerings were chicken korma n rice, mixed grill and venison liver n mash! We will have to agree to differ there is simply no comparison to Celebrity. We paid the same basic price for this cruise over xmas cruise on reflection. There are definitely pros for P&0 but definitely not food or service!

Last night Dai the main offerings were chicken korma n rice, mixed grill and venison liver n mash!

Unless there was a problem onboard, resulting in a seriously scaled down selection of main courses, you would have been offered approximately 7 main courses, plus a Taste of Britain main course (this would be your chicken curry, fish and chips etc), plus a Classic Roast main course, plus a Daily Grill main course option.

The seven or so 'main' main courses will be a la carte type dishes (albeit pre-plated banquet style), such as Roasted Bream Fillet, Seafood Stew with a Crab Bisque, Pork Knuckle with Sage Butter (all these are examples of main course from one menu currently being served across the fleet.

Last night Dai the main offerings were chicken korma n rice, mixed grill and venison liver n mash! We will have to agree to differ there is simply no comparison to Celebrity. We paid the same basic price for this cruise over xmas cruise on reflection. There are definitely pros for P&0 but definitely not food or service!

That's 3 of the 8/9 main dishes sorry if you don't like them

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I'm only telling this to add some humour to the thread as I found it very amusing the breakfast special on wed was kedgeree which I ordered along came a plate of curry and a timbal of boiled rice I very politely said I didn't want chicken curry and rice for my breakfast and was immediately offered something else another gentleman came over and said "I believe you have returned your breakfast as it is chicken curry and rice well I can assure you madam it is fish curry and rice" ha ha I was still laughing a day later

Sorry but I don't follow that last post. Did you think that the fish was chicken or did you just not know what kedgeree was?

This is kedgeree,

Kedgeree (or occasionally kitcherie, kitchari, kidgeree, kedgaree, kitchiri, or khichuri) is a dish consisting of cooked, flaked fish (traditionally smoked haddock), boiled rice, parsley, hard-boiled eggs, curry powder, butter or cream and occasionally sultanas.

Kedgeree

Place of origin India/United Kingdom

Main ingredientsrice, smoked haddock, eggs, parsley, butter or cream

Variationstuna or salmon

Cookbook: Kedgeree Media: Kedgeree

The dish can be eaten hot or cold. Other fish can be used instead of haddock such as tuna or salmon,[1] though that is not traditional.

In India, khichari (among other English spellings) usually refers to any of a large variety of legume-and-rice dishes. These dishes are made with a spice mixture designed for each recipe and either dry-toasted or fried in oil before inclusion.

This dish moved to Victorian Britain and changed dramatically. In the West, kedgeree consists of cooked, flaked fish (traditionally smoked haddock), boiled rice, parsley, hard-boiled eggs, curry powder, butter or cream and occasionally sultanas.

Sounds like fish curry and rice. So what was your complaint again?

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This is kedgeree,

 

Kedgeree (or occasionally kitcherie, kitchari, kidgeree, kedgaree, kitchiri, or khichuri) is a dish consisting of cooked, flaked fish (traditionally smoked haddock), boiled rice, parsley, hard-boiled eggs, curry powder, butter or cream and occasionally sultanas.

 

Kedgeree

 

Place of origin India/United Kingdom

Main ingredientsrice, smoked haddock, eggs, parsley, butter or cream

Variationstuna or salmon

Cookbook: Kedgeree Media: Kedgeree

The dish can be eaten hot or cold. Other fish can be used instead of haddock such as tuna or salmon,[1] though that is not traditional.

 

In India, khichari (among other English spellings) usually refers to any of a large variety of legume-and-rice dishes. These dishes are made with a spice mixture designed for each recipe and either dry-toasted or fried in oil before inclusion.

 

This dish moved to Victorian Britain and changed dramatically. In the West, kedgeree consists of cooked, flaked fish (traditionally smoked haddock), boiled rice, parsley, hard-boiled eggs, curry powder, butter or cream and occasionally sultanas.

 

 

Sounds like fish curry and rice. So what was your complaint again?

 

 

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Kedjerri and fish curry and rice are 2 totally different dishes.I dont think you have tried either,I think you are just being confontational.

That is taken from a dictionary. They are the same dish.

Fish rice and curry.

With many variations on that theme.

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Whatever re food names .. ... we have done both lines and think Celebty buffet is just amazing. We prefer main dining on P&O as portions are right and not too salty or huge !!!!;. Just our opinion. Each to their own. Both lines are good in their own way. Just go and enjoy

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That is taken from a dictionary. They are the same dish.

 

Fish rice and curry.

 

With many variations on that theme.

 

 

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If any hotel served me fish curry and rice separately after I had ordered Kedgeree, I think I would be pi**ed of as well, certainly not my idea of the correct way to serve this even if the ingredients are the same; think boiled egg and sausage meat served separately when you ask for a scotch egg.

When I cruised on Azura some years ago they served the most delicious kedgeree for breakfast, it had a kick but was blooming lush!

That is taken from a dictionary. They are the same dish.

 

Fish rice and curry.

 

With many variations on that theme.

 

 

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If my bank balance allowed then Celebrity wins hands down every time

I love everything about Celebrity

:mad:I am very well aware of what kedgeree is hence I ordered it what I did not expect was a plate of boiled rice and curry sauce with whatever it was floating in it! It looked suspiciously like the chicken curry with black pepper sauce from the previous day's buffet. I wasn't telling this as a confrontational point just as humour that they thought I was only returning it because it was chicken.

Have only travelled Celebrity once but never again. Hated the 'grab, grab, grab' ethos. Equinox is beautiful, the food was probably better than Cunard, who we mostly travel with or P&O, but there it ended. Hated having to run the gauntlet through casino and shops to get to MDR with fliers being thrust into your hands. Hated that after the very short, although good, theatre show there was very little to do - quizzes and game shows were a joke. Hated the arrangement of a live band at the bottom of a staircase with very little room to dance, not enough seats and sometimes the photographer using the stairs and even the show team on one occasion. Absolutely hated that the 'martini bar' was supposed to be a source of entertainment - I.e. spend, spend, spend. The whole thing is brash, brash, brash and now they do not even have a decent formal night. How long before swim wear in the MDR? Never again. Back to Cunard for a bit of class. Oh, forgot to mention that the Cruise a Director in October 2014, although a good musician, was a loud-mouthed, pompous prat!

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Very simply put, in answer to the original question it doesn't compare and its ratings testify to this fact.