Remodelling the christmas experience

[davecttr]

Having just completed my first xmas cruise aboard Oceana i think P&O need to seriously remodel their xmas offerings.

 

Why? Well it did not really feel like xmas as almost everything was either different, or happened at the wrong time compared with what happens at home. I asked lots of people as well and they all agreed with me.

 

Santa arrived late afternoon on xmas eve. Mmm, don't think so. It should be xmas morning.

 

some xmas music around the ship, but not until boxing day in at least one case.

 

Complete shambles for xmas dinner. Let me put it this way, how many people have xmas dinner at 8.45 in the evening in a black tie setting? ridiculous IMO, xmas dinner is either lunch time or afternoon and most definitely NOT formal. Lots of passengers did not like it either as early sitting at 6.45 was vastly over subscribed and the 8.45 sitting had zero atmosphere and a lot of empty tables and empty chairs at tables. We had 4 empty seats at our table and an empty table next door. You got a paper hat and a cracker, fine but no jollyness or atmosphere.

 

This is what they need to do:

 

Have the black tie evening on xmas eve.

 

Have the xmas party with Santa and presents on xmas morning.

 

Offer xmas lunch in 2 sittings, 12 noon and 2.30

 

Offer an extended afternoon tea with an xmas theme, all those little things we like stuffing ouselves with.

 

don't bother with evening meals, let the crew relax then.

[indiana123]

I think I have to go along with that. There is nothing I disagree with.

Edited January 4, 2015 by indiana123

[Mysticalmother]

That sounds like a really good solution, particularly to let the hard working dining room wait staff have a break.

If they then put on a good set of evening entertainment that would surely keep most passengers happy. Especially if they added some nibbles in the bars for those suffering hunger pangs....:D:D

Out of interest, what do they do about lunch on Christmas day at the moment?

[PJ's]

That sounds a great idea - wish P&O would agree.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[bluegirluk]

Good idea

[Sunshine Boy]

Although we enjoy the relaxed experience I would go along in general with the thoughts of the op although I have no problem with the formal bit

 

P and O should really look at updating/changing/adding to what is a special time for all

 

 

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[molecrochip]

I have to completely disagree. Xmas on Ventura last year was fab. The formal night on Xmas day was one of the highlights - so was awaiting Santa's arrival up on deck at 8pm the night before. With Carol concerts and nativity plays there is enough to do on Xmas day... Not to forget sunning yourself. The buffet served Xmas lunch all day in an informal setting. 8.45 was the dining sitting if choice for Xmas and New Year's Eve. I heard not one complaint.

 

I suggest that for everyone you can find who wants it changed, I could find someone who finds it spot on. That is human nature.

 

As for Christmas songs not until Boxing Day, that is off!

 

As for Staff on Xmas day night, as professional as ever but with an added fun factor. A lot more chatty and outgoing.

 

 

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[Thejuggler]

For cruises in colder climates Xmas dinner at lunchtime makes a lot of sense. We were away in a hotel again this year. Santa arrived at 10am, drinks in the bar for parents while Santa gave presents to children, lunch was at 1pm.

 

For larger groups they set up Captains tables in one of the function rooms and every large family had their own table with a joint of turkey and beef, so the lunch was just like home, without prep or washing up!

 

Evening offer was a buffet.

[indiana123]

That may be for Ventura but when I was on Oriana just a couple of years ago although it was a lovely cruise we did feel that the festive season had somewhat passed us by.

[pudd]

After going away for the first time at Christmas we were very happy with our trip on Arcadia last month. Did not mind the late dinner or the dressing up. It was a joy to be away from home. Santa arrived the previous afternoon and was mobbed on the deck by grown ups ! Christmas music was playing on all days and felt verity festive. We opened our presents in bed without having to worry about peeling potatoes. We enjoyed our dinner with our table mates. They were even serving sausages on sticks and other nibbles in the bars after dinner although we were too full to sample any.

[molecrochip]

I suggest that whether Christmas passes you by on board or not really shows the effect that a good entertainment team has compared to an ok team. I could see how a lunchtime main meal might work better on a colder cruise.

 

 

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[daiB]

Having just completed my first xmas cruise aboard Oceana i think P&O need to seriously remodel their xmas offerings.

 

Why? Well it did not really feel like xmas as almost everything was either different, or happened at the wrong time compared with what happens at home. I asked lots of people as well and they all agreed with me.

 

Santa arrived late afternoon on xmas eve. Mmm, don't think so. It should be xmas morning.

 

some xmas music around the ship, but not until boxing day in at least one case.

 

Complete shambles for xmas dinner. Let me put it this way, how many people have xmas dinner at 8.45 in the evening in a black tie setting? ridiculous IMO, xmas dinner is either lunch time or afternoon and most definitely NOT formal. Lots of passengers did not like it either as early sitting at 6.45 was vastly over subscribed and the 8.45 sitting had zero atmosphere and a lot of empty tables and empty chairs at tables. We had 4 empty seats at our table and an empty table next door. You got a paper hat and a cracker, fine but no jollyness or atmosphere.

 

This is what they need to do:

 

Have the black tie evening on xmas eve.

 

Have the xmas party with Santa and presents on xmas morning.

 

Offer xmas lunch in 2 sittings, 12 noon and 2.30

 

Offer an extended afternoon tea with an xmas theme, all those little things we like stuffing ouselves with.

 

don't bother with evening meals, let the crew relax then.

 

 

Well Dave if you had asked I would have told you, that's the way is is and has been for some time. So as these cruises tend to be those booked early I think P&O consider that it's about right.

 

We have done two cruises at Christmas and I know that they have had much more of a Christmas feel than the 2/3 we have done in hotels and the ones we have had at home.

 

We will be going again.

 

 

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[kruzseeka]

From your description of the Christmas programme you experienced on Oriana dave, I would prefer your alternative model although it seems people's experiences do vary and of course the itinerary could make a difference.

[Presto2]

Would much prefer your order of events - love the bit about giving staff some time off. I recognise that many posters have been on Christmas cruises in the past and loved them - to me this is not about complaining, just a fresh pair of eyes to make it better.

 

:)

[richleeds]

We have cruised and stayed in hotels over the 25th of December and the experience varies.

 

You have to ask are P&O selling/offering a Christmas themed speciality cruise or just another cruise that happens to sail over 25th December?

 

If its the latter then I think the expectations of it fitting in with what you feel would be an appropriate festive experience and what is actually delivered could be miles apart.

 

In the grand scheme of things its just another 2 dinner service on another night on another cruise for the staff, albeit with a different menu, so suggesting that staff are given the night off to relax would probably cause more problems than it would solve - cruise ships and change dont work well.

[davecttr]

I suggest that whether Christmas passes you by on board or not really shows the effect that a good entertainment team has compared to an ok team. I could see how a lunchtime main meal might work better on a colder cruise.

 

 

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The problem on Oceana is the entertainment team appeared very stretched. Apparently one position has been axed and they were carrying a vacancy so three people were running around trying to keep up.

[davecttr]

Well Dave if you had asked I would have told you, that's the way is is and has been for some time. So as these cruises tend to be those booked early I think P&O consider that it's about right.

 

We have done two cruises at Christmas and I know that they have had much more of a Christmas feel than the 2/3 we have done in hotels and the ones we have had at home.

 

We will be going again.

 

 

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My thought is that there were a lot of dissapointed passengers who did not get early sitting plus a lot of passengers who had not experienced a p&o Xmas before.

 

In my case I did not go on the cruise for a traditional Xmas experience, l went to avoid sitting at home.

 

Next year I will be in the queue for early sitting before booking opens.

[Presto2]

 

so suggesting that staff are given the night off to relax would probably cause more problems than it would solve - cruise ships and change dont work well.[/QUOTE]

 

Come on this is the time of goodwill and miracles ;)

[richleeds]

 

so suggesting that staff are given the night off to relax would probably cause more problems than it would solve - cruise ships and change dont work well.[/QUOTE]

 

Come on this is the time of goodwill and miracles ;)

 

Yeah and grumpy P&O passengers the next morning at reception wanting to know why last nights service was understaffed!

[TOMOGP]

Have returned today from the Aurora Xmas cruise and found a distinct lack of festivity, the decorations were poor, Father Christmas did appear on top of the funnel but health & safety meant he had to climb down out of sight and then walk the deck to get to the Rivera pool, yes a midnight mass and carol service Christmas morning entertainment Christmas Eve was very poor just bog standard any day of the year stuff Christmas day afternoon was the only real Xmas fun.

Our dining (fixed) was 6.15 & 8.45 no problem with DJs etc and did make the day a bit special with the Menu but felt sorry for those on the Freedom dining who had to book either of those times for both Xmas day & New years Eve, most appeared to queue for 2 hours and heard of one who queued for three hours.

[jenny wren]

We were on Oriana for Christmas and New Year in 2013/14 and thought that P && O had got it just right.

 

Santa appeared out of the funnel at the end of our day in Dubrovnik on Christmas Eve, and we all sang carols out on deck whilst the bar staff served mulled wine. we had a special Christmas show by the Headliners which was excellent. Christmas morning the passenger choir put on a show of Christmas songs and we had an excellent formal night dinner with posh cardboard hats and crackers, and an excellent menu I understood that the meal could not be at lunchtime as that was when the crew had their Christmas meal.

 

It all felt very Christmassy and we didn't want it to be the same as we would have done at home, we paid for something different and that is what we got, and very enjoyable it was too !! nice presents from P & O as well.!!

WE also enjoyed the formal night on New Years Eve with the haggis being piped into the dining room by a passenger playing the bagpipes and one of the guest performers reciting Robbie Burns.

 

This Christmas we stayed at home and wished we had booked a cruise .....we are looking at next Christmas already!!! :)

[kruzseeka]

Our dining (fixed) was 6.15 & 8.45 no problem with DJs etc and did make the day a bit special with the Menu but felt sorry for those on the Freedom dining who had to book either of those times for both Xmas day & New years Eve, most appeared to queue for 2 hours and heard of one who queued for three hours.

 

The solution to that is what happens on another cruise line where all dining is open except on formal night. For this you are allocated a sitting - first sitting one week, second sitting the other. You can go to see the Maitre d' to arrange a swap at an appointed time but it's easy to exchange your sitting invitation with someone else in the queue thus avoiding having to queue - 2/3 hours is really not on. If you can't find anyone wanting your sitting, it's probably not worth waiting as there probably isn't any availability anyway. If that were done for Christmas Day and NYE at least you'd get your preferred sitting on one of the nights.

[daiB]

Much easier to scrap freedom dining, certainly on Aurora and Oriana. I do not think the cruisers who use those ships want it. Recently I have seen many comments about it not working as large numbers of people wanted first sitting resulting in long queues leading up to the opening time as a result the dining room is full for the next one and a half to two hours and the flexibility has gone.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

[HomelessBear]

We have just got back from the Ventura Xmas / new year cruise and on freedom dining. We queued for 3 hours to book our dining times for Xmas day and NY eve for the 6.15 sitting. Yes 3 long hours!

Some tempers were fraying from some passengers, and the staff were taking quite a bit of stick from some very angry folks in the queues. There was a queue for the 6.15 and another for 8.45 sitting.

 

 

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[davecttr]

We have just got back from the Ventura Xmas / new year cruise and on freedom dining. We queued for 3 hours to book our dining times for Xmas day and NY eve for the 6.15 sitting. Yes 3 long hours!

Some tempers were fraying from some passengers, and the staff were taking quite a bit of stick from some very angry folks in the queues. There was a queue for the 6.15 and another for 8.45 sitting.

 

 

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Same on oceana. I arrived at the queues 15 mins after they opened and the early sitting queue snaked around the dining room while the late sitting queue was very short.

 

I overheard a gentleman later saying their cruise was ruined because they could not get early sitting. I thought that was funny until I experienced late myself.

 

The evidence shows that p&o's Xmas dinner offerings do not match customers desires. Are you reading this p&o?