ChrisPBacon

I had the same experience, although TBH I did not think it was particularly tasty either.

 

You have to wonder why they keep it on the menu when they must know it's not going to provide a really enjoyable experience.

I agree. I wouldn't have it again, but at least I was warned.

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... and was Mrs Bacon's amuse bouche a lipstick?

It certainly was Eddie. [emoji3] I think I got the better deal. [emoji57]

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The desserts in the Epicurean were a work of art in September.

The first was a banana and peanut butter creation that my wife had. Mine was a creme brulee with a white chocolate dome, with fruit.

The 'egg' was an amuse bouche, that was actually coconut 'egg white' with a mango 'yolk'. Beautiful, but played with my head! [emoji3]

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We must all have different perceptions of the various restaurants. I think the Epicurean is much better than the MDR. Fine dining isn't just about the food. It's about the service also, and not just having a plate plonked in front of you.

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Not had one either. Not done 11 but have done two a year in the last 3-4 years.

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Hello all.

 

 

 

Today, we received a Christmas calendar and card by post from P&O. The first in 9 years.

 

 

 

Having now lived in Spain for over 10 years and having previously done a lot of sailings with P&O (we haven't sailed with P&O now for about 9 years, not because we didn't enjoy them,just it's easier and cheaper to sail from Barcelona for us.)

 

 

 

Just wondering if they're now trying to win back past loyal customers. It is a very nice calendar. Happy cruising. :)

You should book. They will probably give you an upgrade.

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I actually wonder whether the Epicurean would actually work better if it scrapped its menu and instead went for a classic Tasting Menu of 8 or 10 exquisite small dishes...?

 

 

 

I wonder whether the buffet has changed since you last ate in it? We only had one breakfast there and it was a scrum for seats but I was deeply impressed that the cooked items were all hot (and I mean properly hot). I can't remember the last time I got buffet breakfast items that were anything other than lukewarm! I also loved the lunchtime salad bad. Each day there was a whole section with maybe 6 different seafood dishes, a good selection of salads, bread rolls, desserts, fresh fruit, etc., and we ate well there. I didn't much fancy the cooked dishes (they didn't look the same quality admittedly), but since the buffet on the NCL ship looked and felt like a motorway service station with food to match this was a considerable improvement!

Im not keen on 'tasting' menus. If there are parts you know you wouldn't like, you wouldn't go. I think that would keep some people away.

Was in the buffet in September, on Ventura....so very recently. The buffet is basic food. I'm not knocking it for that. It is what it is. Some of it is very good, some not so good.

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Good review. I admit that I've had my complaints from time to time, but mainly on P&O's customer services, rather than the ship. But maybe when you cruise a lot on one line, you get used to things and constantly compare each cruise?

I have always enjoyed the Epicurean. Rather than debating whether it's worth paying extra for, I tend to ask what I might pay for this on dry land.....and I think it would be a lot more. Never had a bad meal and actually, what they did on our last cruise, on two visits bordered on culinary wizardry. Particularly the desserts and amuse bouche. I also had the wild boar and you're right.....it's a little tough. But they did warn me that it would be. I decided to take the chance. Tasty, but yes, a little tough. One night we shared chateaubriand. Lovely.

I like the Beach House, but I know what you mean. Happy with the cover charge, but that should be it. Can't go wrong in the glasshouse. Their fish and chips is delicious, as are their starters.

Never had a problem with the cleanliness and I was up at silly-o'clock on the first night of my last cruise on Ventura, as my back was playing up. I spent over an hour walking around every area of the ship and the crew were grafting hard, cleaning all the public areas.

Now, the buffet. It's ok, for some things, but not for others. I could tile my roof with the toast, but I accept it's hard to make all that toast and keep it perfect. For lunch, I think the salad bar could be better. Every blue moon, they have some tuna mayo on, but very rare. Fresh fruit, like melon can sometimes be hard. On curry night, you couldn't ask for more. Given the nationality of many of the chefs, you would expect that. Delicious. But on British night, don't even think about a steak pudding or similar. They can't do suet. [emoji57] I can't help think there's a better way to set the servers out. People walking into each other because they need to get back to a server to get something. Perhaps the biggest problem with the buffet, is getting a seat, especially at breakfast. But having said all this, its fine. It's a buffet and never going to match the MDR or select restaurants.

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A relative of ours often asks for chips on the side and it's never a problem. I once asked for extra meat, after I was given a particularly small portion. "No problem sir". Then he can back with a full dinner. Yes.....I ate it. [emoji3]

Re the cabin steward. Never known one that is anything but polite, courteous and hard working. The only thing I'd say is that some are quite shy and are less proactive unless you specifically ask for something, and then give you a short answer. Those are are less shy will ask you if you need anything or how they can help you and suggest options if you are not sure what you want. But they are all very nice.

When we have a balcony, as we are on the next cruise, we ask the steward to keep us stocked up with ice and lemon for our drinkies on the said balcony, late afternoon.

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Yes always buy it

 

 

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I think the question was about the type of insurance rather than to buy or not to buy. [emoji3]

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Most insurances now cover cruising, but you should still check. Mine actually says it on the policy.

And just remember that if you are going to the Caribbean, you would need the worldwide cover.

One last tip. If you take more than one holiday a year, consider an annual policy. Then you're covered for the year and includes any city breaks you may want to do as well as your main holidays.

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P. S.

 

I was told the reason for no discount on the flights was because P and O charter the plane so if there are 2 empty seats P and O still pay the same.

Fair point, but it hardly encourages people to extend. I work, but I've known some retired people to be offered and extra two weeks whilst they are on the cruise, but with very little reduction in price.

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I'm pretty sure you don't get much. Nothing like you think you would get.

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We're doing the Caribbean in Feb, 3rd or 4th time or so.

If you haven't got the dining you want, go straight to the restaurant as you board. You should be able to change.

We never book the ship's tours. Too expensive and not necessarily better tours or transport. But you know you're insured and won't miss your ship with the official tours. But we use the local drivers.

Don't pre book any spa treatments before you go. They are rarely full and there are always deals on.

Same with the premium restaurants, unless it's a special occasion and you need a specific date. On a med cruise in September, they were throwing in a bottle of wine free in the first week, and money off on the second.

If you fancy a Costa coffee in the atrium, but wonder if it's worth paying for.....your cake will be free.

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There are too many stories of people that book holidays and then don't get the ESTA. Often turns out to be a mistake, but by then, their holiday is ruined. The idea that it's valid for two years is daft, when you have to get it long before your holiday, just to make sure they haven't mistaken you with someone unsavoury like a drug dealer, thief or politician.

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I think it's because many people don't say too much if the service is good. But they are vocal when it's bad.

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I thought P&to had stopped going there. I wouldn't book one going to the US Virgin Islands for that reason.

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We are landing in Barbados on 4th Feb, but we aren't going to any US islands. I thought P&O had stopped going to the US islands for that reason?

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Absolute rubbish. Read my post again. I referred to being at the buffet before it opened and therefore first in line. Of course it's nothing to do with the type of passenger or what type of cabin they haver simply the numbers. I don't use the buffet beyond that point as you only get the chance to do that once - when you board as a priority passenger.

 

 

 

It is a great shame that these forums can, on occasion, go the way of social media, when certain people chose to pick a fight over the way that they chose to misinterpret a comment that someone else has made.

 

 

 

I suspect that my mistake was referring to the fact that we had enjoyed priority boarding as suite passengers. As your wife will know (being a nurse), jealousy is a disease for which there is no cure.

[emoji3][emoji3][emoji3] you talk of social media and go on to make a comment like that. As someone else has said, you dug a hole and left no way out. Yes I'm probably jealous both of your extraordinary wealth and your norivirus-free hands. All I can do is to work harder and try and attain the same wealthy, bug-free status as you! Wish me luck! [emoji57]

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Oh dear. Now there's two of you being silly. I'm not really sure that I can be bothered to merit this with a reply, but for the benefit of those who may be unaware of Norovirus but genuinely interested, I would suggest reading up on it. Without going into all the graphic details, it spreads from poor toilet hygiene meeting food. Buffets are the highest risk areas, hence why, during an on board outbreak, a buffet will be closed or staff allocated to serve passengers. Other areas of the ship, whilst not entirely risk free, are far less susceptible to spreading the virus.

My wife is a nurse. I don't need you to explain what it is, how it's spread and where the high risk areas may be. But I appreciate your attempts to educate me. If I had a cap, I'd doff it towards you.

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before the Norovirus spreading people who don't wash their hands arrive. For this reason, it is the only time throughout our entire cruise that we are happy to use the buffet.

It was you who attributed class of travel to this, not us. You didn't talk about the probability going up through more people using the buffet. Since you don't use the buffet AT ALL, after that initial visit, you just mean that all those priority passengers DO wash their hands and are unlikely to spread norovirus. If you thought otherwise, why would you use it at all?

Anyway, the last I'll say on the matter.

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Hope it's better than the two we've had on Britannia, the first of which was in Sindhu and the last in one of the main restaurants.

 

 

 

The choice of food was minuscule and the quality underwhelming and the 'champagne' was nothing of the sort - some sort of cheap fizzy plonk which tasted vile. It takes a lot for me to leave a free drink, but neither my wife nor I could drink it.

 

 

 

Personally, we find that a better plan is to use priority boarding to be first on, drop your hand luggage in the cabin and then head straight for the buffet. We have managed to get there before it has opened on our last 2 cruises and it means you have first pick, before the Norovirus spreading people who don't wash their hands arrive. For this reason, it is the only time throughout our entire cruise that we are happy to use the buffet.

Yes, those grubby little poor people should stick to steerage.

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It's 14 weeks before, at midnight. Not that we bothered on our recent flight to Barbados. Still sat together, with extra legroom too!

 

 

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We were actually talking about when the seat booking option closes here, rather than when it opens. Booked ours just after midnight bang on the 14 week point.

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We're due to go to Amber Cove in the new year and from my research, I think I'd prefer Grand Turk since as well as the resort facilities (good Wifi, pools, bars etc) there is a beach there with plenty of free loungers under the palm trees just by the berth. We also got a local taxi to the village a few miles away and found a nice beach bar on stilts - the barman us arranged for a taxi back for us. We then had some time by the pool. So... time on the beach and a swim, local bar and look around then back to the resort pool etc.

 

I think the resort element at Amber Cove is a bit more extensive with more facilities than Grand Turk but no beach in the immediate vicinity. It all depends on what you're looking for as to which would suit you better.

 

I can understand your disappointment though - most people book a cruise for the itinerary so it's very annoying when changes are made especially if the reason behind the changes isn't transparent. Hope you enjoy yourselves nevertheless.

I know we'll enjoy GT. That beach is amazing. But we booked this particular cruise on this date, because it went to 2 or 3 ports we hadn't done. Amber Cove included.

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Grand Turk is beautiful so you will not be disappointed. When you get on the beach walk towards the end where you will find a nice little bar and the water beautiful.

 

 

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Sorry, I should have said....we did do Grand Turk before. It's lovely and the beach is fantastic. But was looking forward to seeing Amber Cove.

Just having a rant at P&O. They have the Caribbean sewn up, so perhaps they don't feel the need to explain.

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