Cafe Jardin - Oceana

[oceana20]

Can anyone please advise. Has anyone been on Oceana recently and dined in the evening in Cafe Jardin, I have read that the menu has been changed from fine dining to more of a casual one, i.e Pizza and pies. Would really appreciate any feedback recent cruisers can offer, many thanks :confused:.

[tring]

We sailed on Oceana in February. The menu had been considerably changed, with it becoming what is basically a pizza and pasta joint. There were two menus, one of which had salmon on and the other some sort of white fish, but appart from that, pizza or pasta were your only choice for main course. Hence we, along with the vast majority of other passengers, gave it a miss in the evening. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea were OK, and there is no charge for that so we went a few times on those occasions. The few customers we saw there in the evening seemed to be groups of staff. It is a great shame as we had eaten there quite a lot when we were previously on Oceana, so we were very disapointed.

 

It was acknowledged by the staff that the menu was not working and they said they have given feedback to the company, so I expect it to change again at some stage, but I do not know when. We were told that a lot of time and money had been invested in producing those new menus! I think the menus are devised by Marco (or his staff) rather than P&O.

[daiB]

We sailed on Oceana in February. The menu had been considerably changed, with it becoming what is basically a pizza and pasta joint. There were two menus, one of which had salmon on and the other some sort of white fish, but appart from that, pizza or pasta were your only choice for main course. Hence we, along with the vast majority of other passengers, gave it a miss in the evening. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea were OK, and there is no charge for that so we went a few times on those occasions. The few customers we saw there in the evening seemed to be groups of staff. It is a great shame as we had eaten there quite a lot when we were previously on Oceana, so we were very disapointed.

 

It was acknowledged by the staff that the menu was not working and they said they have given feedback to the company, so I expect it to change again at some stage, but I do not know when. We were told that a lot of time and money had been invested in producing those new menus! I think the menus are devised by Marco (or his staff) rather than P&O.

 

They could change two or three times before we sail next September

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

[oceana20]

Good afternoon Tring, many thanks for answering my question. We will be on Oceana for 21 nights end of June to mid July and never dine in the MDR. We divide our evenings between Cafe Jardin & Horizon Grill (except for the Indian Theme Nights in the Plaza). Looks like we will be dining Horizon most nights then, I am a little sad about this because I love CJ, its a good job I have Carnival shares as I will need the extra OBS to cover my costs. Once again very many thanks x

[Denarius]

It looks like things have gone a full circle. Cafe Jardin was never designed as a select dining venue. It was designed as a casual venue, and used to serve pizza and pasta in the evening as an alternative to the MDR. Then it became a select dining venue, additional charge and all, a role for which it was totally unsuited. Now it is once again serving pizza and pasta. Question is, is it once again at no extra charge (as it was before) like the Beach House Diner on Ventura? I think that I can guess the answer!

[tartanexile81]

Cafe Jardin is my least favourite dining venue on any ship. I really don't like the fact that it is completely open so lacks atmosphere - imo. On our cruise in January, it never seemed busy particularly in the evenings. However even at lunchtimes it was always easy to get a table whereas on previous cruises we've often had to wait in Winners for up to 45 minutes for a table to become available. I really think that Oceana would benefit from a decent select dining venue. on the same lines as Sindu or XVII

[oceana20]

Thank you tertanexile81, did you happen to look at the evening menu at all on your Jan cruise? I really hope that it is more than just pizza and pasta, have had some really lovely meals in there in the past, but have not been on Oceana for the last 2 yrs.

[davecttr]

According to the new brochure it offers a Pizzaria menu plus a selection of fish/meat dishes etc etc. this may be because of the lack of a pizza bar on the ship.

 

as for having a genuine fine dining venue on Oceana, there just isn't anywhere to put it!

 

another confirmation that, at least in summer, Oceana is P&O's most informal ship. Ocean Village anyone?

[oceana20]

Thank you for your reply davecttr,

I will have to hope that the 'selection of fish/meat dishes etc etc' is a better option than just pizza. Which cruise are you on in July, also I see you are on Arcadia soon, would love to cruise on her as the perfect size ship for me, have you cruised on her before and if so what are the options for select dining on the smaller ships?

[davecttr]

Thank you for your reply davecttr,

I will have to hope that the 'selection of fish/meat dishes etc etc' is a better option than just pizza. Which cruise are you on in July, also I see you are on Arcadia soon, would love to cruise on her as the perfect size ship for me, have you cruised on her before and if so what are the options for select dining on the smaller ships?

 

according to the brochure and our world magazine you can expect stuff like

 

Sicilian style halibut

Salmon saltiombocca

Classic meatballs

Rustic sharing boards

Trio of mini desserts.

 

more glasshouse than fine dining IMO

 

My first cruise on Arcadia

Oceana in July to western med. Thousands if kids hence the low single supplement. not a problem as they can't go in the casino:)

[oceana20]

Thousands if kids hence the low single supplement. not a problem as they can't go in the casino.

This made me laugh.

Thank you for the CJ menu info, hope you have a fab cruise.

[Denarius]

According to the new brochure it offers a Pizzaria menu plus a selection of fish/meat dishes etc etc. this may be because of the lack of a pizza bar on the ship.

 

as for having a genuine fine dining venue on Oceana, there just isn't anywhere to put it!

 

another confirmation that, at least in summer, Oceana is P&O's most informal ship. Ocean Village anyone?

Yes please if that means no "monkey suits" ;-)

[davecttr]

Yes please if that means no "monkey suits" ;-)

No, still listed as formal on formal night according to the P&O site. I can't see that lasting though. nothing better than seeing someone in a tux eating a pizza :D

 

i can also see Ventura cover charge restaurants becomimg less formal for the med next year. they will probably sneak this change in next winter.

[tring]

Quote:-

 

according to the brochure and our world magazine you can expect stuff like

 

Sicilian style halibut

Salmon saltiombocca

Classic meatballs

Rustic sharing boards

Trio of mini desserts.

 

-----------------

 

That sounds like the menu when we were onboard Oceana about six weeks ago.

 

The halibut was on one menu and the Salmon on the other, as I had said. The meatballs would have come with pasta and I would term that a pasta dish. Sharing boards are a typical italian menu starter and the desserts obviously a dessert. There were starters and desserts like this, (as you would get in somewhere like 'Bella Italia' or similar), but the main courses were as I said, so it does not look as though there is a change indicated there - but the brochure would have been written some time ago. It could still change, but it sounded as though they take a while developing menus.

[oceana20]

Thank you Tring,

I sent a message to P&O customer services regarding the menu's offered in Cafe Jardin and interestingly they gave me the nicest menu I could have asked for, HOWEVER, at the top of the menu it said 2008, 5yrs out of date! Its a good job that there are people like yourself that are willing to answer customer queries, x