Do P&O Take Their Passenger Loyalty For Granted?

[King Amo]

You could be right. However, those issues you mentioned that affected food standard would be similar with other cruise lines too, wouldn't they? However, if you look at other threads and posts on Cruise Critic, it appears that P&O has more than its fair share of complaints about food standards but these complaints were fewer with other cruise ship companies.

 

Even Princess Cruises, which is really a "sister" company to P&O, in our view, their quality and consistency of their cuisine is much better. And their buffet offerings also seem to be way better than P&O in its execution and quality.

 

You would think Princess would face the same challenges as P&O, wouldn't you? And their fares are not that different (some may disagree on this score!). If we are correct, both P&O and Princess have "Grand Class" ships. And then ,the Britannia is the same class ship as the Royal Princess and Regal Princess. Yet they seem to manage the food quality and consistency issue better. Why is it?

 

I've only sailed more than once on P&O, Cunard and Celebrity, so can't say across the board, but can certainly say that those three lines suffer from the same issue. Cunard is significantly more marked in its decline than P&O in my opinion, probably because they were starting from a much higher place with the QE2, which in the late nineties was supreme and unlike anything you see these days. Celebrity have always focussed towards American tastes of significant meat portion with accompaniments mostly as garnish, so that was always much easier to produce and serve, but they have dropped the more intricate dishes now and have far less variety than before.

[Cahpek]

I've only sailed more than once on P&O, Cunard and Celebrity, so can't say across the board, but can certainly say that those three lines suffer from the same issue. Cunard is significantly more marked in its decline than P&O in my opinion, probably because they were starting from a much higher place with the QE2, which in the late nineties was supreme and unlike anything you see these days. Celebrity have always focussed towards American tastes of significant meat portion with accompaniments mostly as garnish, so that was always much easier to produce and serve, but they have dropped the more intricate dishes now and have far less variety than before.

 

P&O have a lot of good points about it (as seen in another thread). It's such a pity the cuisine standard has not match up to their other high standards (OK, some may not agree, but quite a number of posters here have mentioned about its food being somewhat "lacking"). If P&O could address its food quality issue (maybe they could learn from "sister" Princess?) , P&O could be one of the best cruise companies anywhere.

[grapau27]

P&O have a lot of good points about it (as seen in another thread). It's such a pity the cuisine standard has not match up to their other high standards (OK, some may not agree, but quite a number of posters here have mentioned about its food being somewhat "lacking"). If P&O could address its food quality issue (maybe they could learn from "sister" Princess?) , P&O could be one of the best cruise companies anywhere.

TBH it is only the lack of a really good lunchtime buffet because the dining room and speciality restaurants are good as is the rest of the ships.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[Cahpek]

TBH it is only the lack of a really good lunchtime buffet because the dining room and speciality restaurants are good as is the rest of the ships.

 

43 cruises and counting.

 

With respect, it's not just the lunchtime buffet. The dinner buffet needs improving too. As for the MDR, it's much better than the buffet, but even there, the standard could be quite inconsistent - you could get very good dishes and then very poor ones as if they were prepared in a different kitchen. As someone mentioned, sometimes, dishes mentioned in the menu did not come out as described. That could do with a bit of attention too. Food issue aside, then, P&O has done very well. Hope senior management will work just that little bit harder to make this a great cruise line with improving food standards and quality control. We are sure they can do it, whether they will, that is up to them.

 

Back to this original question whether P&O takes passengers for granted, we really do not know. On the one hand, you could argue to do (especially when certain things irritate you), and then when you look at it from a wider angle, perhaps, they don't. For us, the jury is still out.

[davecttr]

Remember that a lot of P&O passengers are comfortable with 'meat and two veg', that is what they eat at home so that is what they want on holiday.. I remember a passenger commenting (not on P&O but it could be) 'I don't like any of this foreign muck' British cuisine could be considered bland tasteless mush.

[Josy1953]

Remember that a lot of P&O passengers are comfortable with 'meat and two veg', that is what they eat at home so that is what they want on holiday.. I remember a passenger commenting (not on P&O but it could be) 'I don't like any of this foreign muck' British cuisine could be considered bland tasteless mush.

I think that you are absolutely right. We do not sail with P&O for the food. We would go with other lines if they had more choice from Southampton. When we have been with Celebrity or Princess we have found that the variety and standard of food to suit us better.

 

On P&O reminds me of going to Spain 40 years ago when people would not try Spanish food and went to Spain to eat "English" food.

 

I have worked all over the world often in areas where if I had not eaten the local cuisine I would have eaten nothing so I will try anything and can only say that people who stick to the "meat & 2 veg" don't know what they are missing but if that is what they want so be it who am I to criticise their choices.

[Selbourne]

Remember that a lot of P&O passengers are comfortable with 'meat and two veg', that is what they eat at home so that is what they want on holiday.. I remember a passenger commenting (not on P&O but it could be) 'I don't like any of this foreign muck' British cuisine could be considered bland tasteless mush.

 

Ironically, I like P&O because of the wide food choices! There are always a wide variety of dishes on offer in the main dining rooms (including a different curry every day at lunch, wide choice of fish dishes - not just the usual things we buy at home etc) and whether you have 'conventional British' tastes or are more adventurous, there is always something for you. And for foodies like me there are some great Select Dining venues, especially on Britannia, such as the superb Epicurean fine dining restaurant, the Asian fusion dishes at Sindhu and hearty feasts at the Beach House. The only negative for me, food wise, is the buffet, but that's more to do with it being a bun fight and the poor hygiene standards of some fellow passengers - hence why I avoid it like the plague.

[gadabout60]

We are currently on Azura. In many ways this has been a great cruise- mostly down to ports, weather and company. Food however has not been great. Many we have spoken to agree, others are loving the food do I guess it is your expectations. At home we don't eat cheap meat and we do eat plenty of fresh veg. Thus I am disappointed at the main dining room and buffet experience.

We have eaten lots of meals in The Glass House on this cruise and also been to The Epicurean and The BeachHouse. We also try and have nice lunches on shore and thus we have been able to minimise the MDR offerings.

We are on second sitting but our part of the dining room often has a lot of empty seats. We are at a table of 8 but 2 have never been there. The rest of us have been absent on several nights. Last night was the last formal night and there were only 2 of us at the table. Eating with your table companions has always been one of the nicest elements of cruising for me and that has gone on this ship.

May I say though that the stewards have been lovely and eager to please.

Last night we had the baked Alaska - is my memory failing or did you used to get brandy with it and the head waiter lighting the brandy? Anyway that didn't happen and what we had was really arctic roll (with tinned strawberries)

I don't eat fish and my choices are therefore very restricted. One night I had a cobb salad to start and asked for the dressing on the side. They couldn't do that - it comes from the kitchen already smothered in the dressing.

If I see another green bean I will go mad! At home I love green beans but they have appeared here every single night we have been in the MDR and they are completely tasteless.

Our meals in the other restaurants have been excellent and I had a lovely steak in the Glass House.

I like going to the specialty restaurants - haven't tried Sindhu this time and it has seemed quite empty when passing it. However always going to the other restaurants does detract from the MDR experience and I am sad about that

I have visited the buffet twice- once for breakfast on the first day but don't enjoy rock hard toast (please p and o - make it fresh) and once for lunch but have not been tempted to return

[grapau27]

Remember that a lot of P&O passengers are comfortable with 'meat and two veg', that is what they eat at home so that is what they want on holiday.. I remember a passenger commenting (not on P&O but it could be) 'I don't like any of this foreign muck' British cuisine could be considered bland tasteless mush.

Thats true only on the lunchtime buffet they often dont have a joint to carve and for me i love meat so thats why i say the buffet lets the ships down.If they improve this they are fantastic for us Brits.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[Cahpek]

I think that you are absolutely right. We do not sail with P&O for the food. We would go with other lines if they had more choice from Southampton. When we have been with Celebrity or Princess we have found that the variety and standard of food to suit us better.

 

On P&O reminds me of going to Spain 40 years ago when people would not try Spanish food and went to Spain to eat "English" food.

 

I have worked all over the world often in areas where if I had not eaten the local cuisine I would have eaten nothing so I will try anything and can only say that people who stick to the "meat & 2 veg" don't know what they are missing but if that is what they want so be it who am I to criticise their choices.

 

Couple of points. We were just wondering if it is true to say that:

 

Although over 40-50 years or so, British taste in food has move forward and their palates have become more refined, but P&O still thinks we are "happy" with the food eaten by our great-great grandfathers 60-70 years ago:

 

Some people in the post had suggested if we did not like the buffet, don't go there. There are people like us who happen to prefer the buffet (sometimes to avoid the formal nights, sometimes not) does that mean we have to "put up" with it and shut up? That shouldn't be right because the buffet is part and parcel of the cruise experience, it's a package! The buffet lunch and dinner on our last P&O cruise in Feb. tasted like as if they were prepared by kitchen staff who were members of Dad's Army and not professional chefs - lots of food prepared that did not taste what they should be . Good British food could be good if cooked properly but in the buffet, so much of the food was not even "proper" British cooking (watery custard, fish and chips with so much batter you could hardly have any fish, meringue so hard it felt like it was made with concrete, etc)

 

It's this food issue that is holding P&O back to become a truly great cruise line. If they can just improve their catering to meet the tastes of people in the 2017, not 1967, that would solve most of the problem.

 

It's time P&O managers should wake up and smell the coffee. British tastes and palates have moved on. We have become more refined and discerning with what we eat. They should not expect us just to be happy with 1960's "English" food (and not a very good version of it) . If they do, yes, it is likely they take their passengers for granted.

Edited April 15, 2017 by Cahpek

[grapau27]

Couple of points. We were just wondering if it is true to say that:

 

Although over 40-50 years or so, British taste in food has move forward and their palates have become more refined, but P&O still thinks we are "happy" with the food eaten by our great-great grandfathers 60-70 years ago:

 

Some people in the post had suggested if we did not like the buffet, don't go there. There are people like us who happen to prefer the buffet (sometimes to avoid the formal nights, sometimes not) does that mean we have to "put up" with it and shut up? That shouldn't be right because the buffet is part and parcel of the cruise experience, it's a package! The buffet lunch and dinner on our last P&O cruise in Feb. tasted like as if they were prepared by kitchen staff who were members of Dad's Army and not professional chefs - lots of food prepared that did not taste what they should be . Good British food could be good if cooked properly but in the buffet, so much of the food was not even "proper" British cooking (watery custard, fish and chips with so much batter you could hardly have any fish, meringue so hard it felt like it was made with concrete, etc)

 

It's this food issue that is holding P&O back to become a truly great cruise line. If they can just improve their catering to meet the tastes of people in the 2017, not 1967, that would solve most of the problem.

 

It's time P&O managers should wake up and smell the coffee. British tastes and palates have moved on. We have become more refined and discerning with what we eat. They should not expect us just to be happy with 1960's "English" food (and not a very good version of it) . If they do, yes, it is likely they take their passengers for granted.

I love soup as a starter and P&O soup used to be really thick and tasty but now it seems to have been watered down and still nice but now i often have a different starter.

 

43 cruises and counting.