Loyalty Lunch

[AndyMichelle]

5 hours ago, Balaena said:

What a very strange attitude. One of the benefits of cruising is connecting with the very people that run the ship. If this is the way you think why travel on a ship, probably best to go to a hotel somewhere .. Oh! I get it, you think you are in a hotel and like to be treated like a 'nobody'. Me, I enjoy the interaction between ourselves and the officers which enhances the experience considerably and has forged many friendships spanning the years.

Bal

What a load of nonsense. 

It was obviously a very old joke that I stole from Onslow in keeping up appearances. 

Our biggest enjoyment of cruising is building relationships with the crew. 

I'm sorry my sense of humour bypassed you. 

Andy 

[silkworms]

I think it was very obvious you were joking Andy, it made me smile.

 

Back to the topic, have attended three peninsular lunches within the past few

months and enjoyed all of them.  Senior officers on our table have ranged from

the Captain, Ashley,Cook, down to the Hotel Manager a lady called Gemma.

 

 I asked Gemma a query I had with a future cruise and she did not know the

answer but promised to get back to me.  She did not get back to me before the

cruise ended but lo and behold, just last week, she rang me at home from the

ship and apologised for the delay in contacting me. She answered my query 

perfectly and I am pretty impressed with her customer service.

 

So we will continue to attend these Baltic lunches and hope they are not

curtailed.

 

Silkworms.

[wowzz]

6 hours ago, Balaena said:

Oh! you are soooo funny .. ummmm shall we put it to a vote

I think I have more votes than you. 

You obviously did not get the "Keeping Up Appearances " reference.

[AndyMichelle]

8 hours ago, wowzz said:

I think I have more votes than you. 

You obviously did not get the "Keeping Up Appearances " reference.

You get my vote Wowzz. 

Andy 

[Balaena]

11 hours ago, wowzz said:

I think I have more votes than you. 

You obviously did not get the "Keeping Up Appearances " reference.

What was that .. ah, maybe from black and white tv days

[grapau27]

On 12/11/2019 at 7:00 PM, AndyMichelle said:

Maybe we don't want to dine with the officers... 

You pay all that money for a cruise and are expected to eat with the staff!! 😊

Andy 

We were talking to a couple on Oriana 10 years ago.

An officer asked would they like to join the captain for dinner.

The officer then proceeded to ask them if the captain can share their wine at dinner??.

They made their excuses and declined.

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

You get my vote Wowzz. 

Andy 

+1.

[grapau27]

16 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

What a load of nonsense. 

It was obviously a very old joke that I stole from Onslow in keeping up appearances. 

Our biggest enjoyment of cruising is building relationships with the crew. 

I'm sorry my sense of humour bypassed you. 

Andy 

Around 15 years ago on Arcadia B.I.L and I were in the bar while the rest of the family were in the theatre watching a show.

We had a drink and good chat with the captain at the bar.

[wowzz]

50 minutes ago, Balaena said:

What was that .. ah, maybe from black and white tv days

You've obviously never been to a candle light dinner, Chez Bucket!

 

 

[Eglesbrech]

12 minutes ago, wowzz said:

You've obviously never been to a candle light dinner, Chez Bucket!

 

 

Or enjoyed a riparian picnic with the Lady of the house, (this is she). 😀

Edited December 14, 2019 by Eglesbrech
Typo

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Or enjoyed a riparian picnic with the Lady is the house, (this is she). 😀

I have a feeling this may all be going over Balaena's head!

Next thing you know, she'll say she's never heard of "Ever Decreasing Circles!"

[Eglesbrech]

Just now, wowzz said:

I have a feeling this may all be going over Balaena's head!

Next thing you know, she'll say she's never heard of "Ever Decreasing Circles!"

Or butterflies, man about the house and mind your language etc.

[jeanlyon]

1 hour ago, Balaena said:

What was that .. ah, maybe from black and white tv days

Black and white days???????    It was 1990 the first episode.  Still being shown on some channels and still funny.

[indiana123]

This has all made me smile and remember.    Thank you.  Who could forget the riparian entertainment or their weekend on their Son's friend's yacht which was a rust bucket.

 

Hyacinth and Basil Fawlty are still way up there with the best and well remembered 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2019 by indiana123

[grapau27]

8 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Black and white days???????    It was 1990 the first episode.  Still being shown on some channels and still funny.

Porridge is my favourite.

[Waju]

55 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Porridge is my favourite.

I prefer muesli 😉

[wowzz]

Balaena has gone very quiet! Hopefully she's catching up on all the TV programmes that she missed!

[Mysticalmother]

By the time we get to the stage of qualifying for a special lunch, they will have redesigned the loyalty programme, and we will no doubt have slipped down to the bottom again! Currently in Mediterranean tier...and seems a long way off !  

[jeanlyon]

MM - you can go to ours.  We don't like big lunches or booze at lunchtime.

[Vampiress88]

Oh dear

 

we do see to get some odd ones on here

 

i can understand the appeal for passengers to eat with crew. Not sure the crew would feel same as i could feel bit like a chore if passengers are complaining rather than having a good conversation. I will also assume money will be involved somewhere. Maybe they were paying them overtime etc as if the captains there the another shifts is sailing. Ie paying both shifts at same time.
 

I didn’t get the reference any was on about even tho I liked that show. And I’m 31! So 3 when came out but you could tell it was a joke. 
 

some people just look for excuse to take offence 

[terrierjohn]

26 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

Oh dear

 

we do see to get some odd ones on here

 

i can understand the appeal for passengers to eat with crew. Not sure the crew would feel same as i could feel bit like a chore if passengers are complaining rather than having a good conversation. I will also assume money will be involved somewhere. Maybe they were paying them overtime etc as if the captains there the another shifts is sailing. Ie paying both shifts at same time.
 

I didn’t get the reference any was on about even tho I liked that show. And I’m 31! So 3 when came out but you could tell it was a joke. 
 

some people just look for excuse to take offence 

I am not absolutely certain, but I imagine these tasks or chores form part of the work contract, and won't be subject to overtime, and of course they do get a very pleasant meal with wine and after dinner drinks, so not exactly too taxing for them.

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I am not absolutely certain, but I imagine these tasks or chores form part of the work contract, and won't be subject to overtime, and of course they do get a very pleasant meal with wine and after dinner drinks, so not exactly too taxing for them.

And of course,  the officers get to hear my 3 jokes,  so, win win!

[Port out]

On 12/11/2019 at 1:53 PM, Port out said:

Interesting change to the Loyalty Lunch. Normally the top tier have the Peninsular Lunch with Senior Officers hosting individual tables, however currently on Aurora they have discontinued the hosting aspect with a half hour pre lunch cocktail party at 11.30 where Senior Officers will apparently mingle with guests, then at noon, passengers then will make their way to the restaurant for the lunch without any officers present.

It actually worked very well. Not much mingling with the officers at the pre lunch cocktail party as most pax were sitting down ..Oh! it's the Aurora so we are all a bit older😁. This event took the place of the evening party where the most travelled was awarded the champagne. Actually a pax who joined at the start of November and debarks in May! The lunch went well with the Captain circulating around each table. The Caribbean Tier lunch will be tomorrow so the same format. Only 3 sea days on this 10 day cruise so can understand the changes.

 

[tartanexile81]

We always enjoy the loyalty lunch very much and being hosted by an officer makes it really interesting. Apart fro the fact the food is very good, I'm also very nosey.  I wouldn't say I gave them a grilling  , I do find it useful to get the lowdown on what's going on.  What makes it even better is when the officer enjoys a glass of wine so makes sure that the waiters top the glasses up regularly. Wader if this is being rolled our fleet wide? On our cruise in Feb, there are usually 6 loyalty lunches, but usually only 2 hosted by senior officers 

[LondonLad60]

The most interesting Peninsula Club lunch I have attended was on Ventura last year. The senior officer on our table was the chief security officer (or whatever his title is) and there was only one other couple on the table, so we all had the chance to chat to him. I asked him what he did before coming to P&O. He replied, "I was in the royal protection squad". I said, "And I guess that's all you're allowed to say". He just smiled and nodded. He did though give us an interesting insight into the processes and procedures involved when passengers don't behave as they should, and he has to get involved.