Have I been a tad stupid?

[mondas42]

This may seem like a daft question but I've just been reading about Britannia for our upcoming cruise and I've just read that the evening meal is a five course meal? When we were on Ventura last year we only ever had three courses; starter,main and dessert. What are the other two? I assume one is coffee or tea, but the fifth? Is it the soup option cos I assumed that the soup was just one of the starters.

 

Sorry for been a little thick:(

[Bacardi..]

Soup & Cheese and biscuits after coffee I think

 

 

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[humpy]

Hi mondas42

We were on Ventura in March and the menu was as you say you had a choice of 2 soups and another type of starter so you could say have a starter and then the soup then the main course followed by a sweet then finally the coffee or tea and then to finish the after dinner mints

[ascot2012]

Hi, 5 courses are the norm I think, last year on Azura it was:-

1, starter

2, soup

3, main

4, desert

5, cheese & biscuits

tea/coffee

 

But most people had 1 or 2, followed by 3 and then either 4 or 5

a few table mates had more and a couple had all three.

[daiB]

I have 1,2,3. As I much prefer these to 4 or even 5. Anyway even with the 'smaller portions' some people have had by the time I have got to 3 I am full.

 

 

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[daiB]

Oh and you forgot the sweets with coffee. They had coffee creams one night and a couple of people said they were very nice and a plate arrived with twice as many as the first time. :)

 

 

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[humpy]

We had two main courses on a few occasions especially the beef Wellington [emoji3][emoji4]

[Florry]

On some cruises they don't mention the cheese and biscuits so unless you noticed it on the menu and asked, you may never have been served it. I suspect it's to save time on the service.

[Host Sharon]

On Gala nights you can add 2a Sorbet, but as it's always on the desert menu I sometimes have it when others are having their soup.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Host Sharon

[Thejuggler]

8 courses was the usual offering when we were on Ventura.

 

Starter

Soup

Sorbet

Main

Desert

Cheese and biscuits

Coffee and mints

Liquers

[john watson]

I think everybody means dessert.

 

Regards John

[besberry]

I think everybody means dessert.

 

Regards John

 

That's what I thought too, unless they thought the sweet course was a little sandy and gritty!

[Ranchi]

The fish course seems to have died a death. A shame because occasionally I would have soup, fish, main course etc.

Fish used to be clearly delineated on the menu as a separate course. More recently the fish appeared along with the main courses ( with a note that a smaller portion was available). The note disappeared but fish course was still available.

About 2 years ago we were on Oriana and were told fish course 'was not possible'.

I think it was available though when we were on Aurora last year ( but I may be wrong)

[jeanlyon]

I sometimes have two starters and nothing else. Usually enough for me if I don't like the fish main.

[john watson]

There is nothing to stop you ordering a fish main and another main, but in consideration of your fellow passengers surely one would drop a course elsewhere to try and keep the table in kilter.

 

Regards John

[Ranchi]

John,

Thank you, I realise that you could have multiple main courses if you wished ( I wouldn't). The point I was trying to make was that the fish course has all but disappeared in the traditional sense. I certainly wouldn't inconvenience table mates by trawling through the menu eating everything in sight :) but occasionally I fancied fish as an alternative to a soup or a starter.

 

Steve

[groovechick]

Hi Mondas42,

the dinner can be 3-6 courses as you choose, if you count coffee as a course.

 

Whereas menus on our previous Aurora and Azura cruises listed starters, soups, mains, desserts, cheese and coffee separately, on Britannia at Christmas starters and soups were all listed together under starters, and I think cheese came under desserts, rather than being a separate course.

I have seen it said somewhere that this has been done to make people (probably new cruisers) think that they can have a starter or soup as a starter, but not both, likewise the inclusion of cheese under desserts, thus speeding up service and cutting down the ship's food bill. Also the "Traditional favourites" (steak, grilled chicken, salmon) which used to be listed separately have now been subsumed into the main menu.

 

I don't mind the menu being condensed because I rarely have more than 3 courses, but if there is going to be less choice I do think they could improve the standard. Unfortunately yes, I'm one of the people who thinks the quality of the food has declined, but I'm not one of the P&O old guard, this is based on the experience of 3 P&O cruises in 4 years.

 

Anyone else remember the menus that used to have a savoury at the end as well as cheese, e.g. Welsh rarebit?

[Ranchi]

Hi Groovechick,

Yes, I remember the savoury. Welsh rarebit (as mentioned) Devils on horseback & Scotch woodcock (whatever that was). They disappeared probably mid 90s but did make a comeback if Sif Jeffrey/Lord Sterling was aboard. Coincidentaly the deck tennis nets also made a come back if he was on board.

 

The savouries often made a reappearance later in the evening at the midnight buffet.

 

Steve

[groovechick]

Aaah, I wondered when they'd bitten the dust Ranchi. Our first two cruises were in the early 1990s, then none for nearly 20 years.

I never availed myself, but DH did a time or two, and I've never yet eaten at a cruise midnight buffet. Once I've had dinner that's it for me, can't even manage the pillow choccy. :)

[GUT2407]

I sometimes have two starters and nothing else. Usually enough for me if I don't like the fish main.

 

Or even three or four. Or one as a main.

[daiB]

Hi Groovechick,

 

Yes, I remember the savoury. Welsh rarebit (as mentioned) Devils on horseback & Scotch woodcock (whatever that was). They disappeared probably mid 90s but did make a comeback if Sif Jeffrey/Lord Sterling was aboard. Coincidentaly the deck tennis nets also made a come back if he was on board.

 

 

 

The savouries often made a reappearance later in the evening at the midnight buffet.

 

 

 

Steve

 

 

They came back 5/6 years ago but did not last long.

 

 

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[Scorpio41]

I always change the soup course to a sorbet as I don't like soup. :)