Welcome lunch for suite guests

[Fozzie100]

Sorry to resurrect this..  just boarded Azura in Tenerife and asked where the Welcome lunch was held for Suite Guests.  The reply was there isn’t one…. Is this correct does anyone know.  I asked 3 separate crew members including guest services.  BTW no separate check in either (not a problem as no queue and straight on board).  What does bother me is the welcome lunch is one of the ‘Suite’ perks we enjoy.  Seems that apart from space the Perks are getting fewer and fewer.

 

 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Fozzie100

[Selbourne]

12 minutes ago, Fozzie100 said:

Sorry to resurrect this..  just boarded Azura in Tenerife and asked where the Welcome lunch was held for Suite Guests.  The reply was there isn’t one…. Is this correct does anyone know.  I asked 3 separate crew members including guest services.  BTW no separate check in either (not a problem as no queue and straight on board).  What does bother me is the welcome lunch is one of the ‘Suite’ perks we enjoy.  Seems that apart from space the Perks are getting fewer and fewer.

 

 

Unless these lunches have succumbed to the cutbacks, it’s the same lunch as provided to higher loyalty tier guests. It could be that the crew were confused about that? They are usually held in one of the main dining rooms. Might be worth having a wander to them and see if there are guests in there. TBH, even though we are eligible due to loyalty tier, we rarely bother with them as the drinks are poor quality and the food isn’t up to much. We tend to lunch in the Glasshouse instead, but that might not be an option at present. 
 

EDIT - Just read back over the thread and now remember that the lunch has been improved from a 3rd rate buffet to a restaurant meal, so definitely worth checking out if it’s available. 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Selbourne

[Fozzie100]

We ended up in the glasshouse too.  Point is should not have to chase it should be clearly offered.  If not an alternative.  

[Selbourne]

9 minutes ago, Fozzie100 said:

We ended up in the glasshouse too.  Point is should not have to chase it should be clearly offered.  If not an alternative.  

Yes, I agree. Enjoy your lunch and your cruise. I can recommend Peller Ice Cuvée in the Glass house. We always have a bottle to kick the holiday off 🍾 

[July morning]

I didn't have a suite but do have higher tier loyalty rewards and we had a lovely lunch in one of the restaurants with drinks. My daughter was travelling with me and she got included (we shared a cabin)  we enjoyed it a nice start to our cruise on Britannia at the end of Oct

[happy v]

On Brittania in October the lunch was served in one of the restaurants 

[jeanlyon]

On 7/10/2021 at 9:01 PM, Camberley said:

Now that’s a lovely menu. A great way to start the cruise. I rather fancy a vegetable poke: well, once the restraining order on that aubergine has been lifted. 
 

But a very enticing selection. I’m getting even more excited for ours on the 25th.

I can honestly say there is nothing on that menu that appeals to me at all.  😞

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Unless these lunches have succumbed to the cutbacks, it’s the same lunch as provided to higher loyalty tier guests. It could be that the crew were confused about that? They are usually held in one of the main dining rooms. Might be worth having a wander to them and see if there are guests in there. TBH, even though we are eligible due to loyalty tier, we rarely bother with them as the drinks are poor quality and the food isn’t up to much. We tend to lunch in the Glasshouse instead, but that might not be an option at present. 
 

EDIT - Just read back over the thread and now remember that the lunch has been improved from a 3rd rate buffet to a restaurant meal, so definitely worth checking out if it’s available. 

Whilst we had a very pleasant waiter served meal on Britannia in June, on Iona in October it was back to a buffet lunch.

[Fionboard]

Buffet on Iona at end of November too. 

[Camberley]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

I can honestly say there is nothing on that menu that appeals to me at all.  😞

Each to their own

[Selbourne]

30 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Whilst we had a very pleasant waiter served meal on Britannia in June, on Iona in October it was back to a buffet lunch.

That’s a shame. Our next P&O cruise is on Iona. We usually skip the poor buffet lunch with complimentary anti-freeze, but would have happily given the MDR version a go as it looks much nicer, especially as the menu says that there is “refreshing beer” on offer. I much prefer those to “un refreshing beer” 😂 

[sueandphil]

5 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Yes, I agree. Enjoy your lunch and your cruise. I can recommend Peller Ice Cuvée in the Glass house. We always have a bottle to kick the holiday off 🍾 

Definitely,  Prospective DIL has purchased a bottle for our Christmas day lunch after we recommended it to her on their first cruise

[Windsurfboy]

One question is there representatives from speciality restaurants at Suite lunch so you can book there , or is it best to make a quick trip to Epicurean then others?

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, Selbourne said:

That’s a shame. Our next P&O cruise is on Iona. We usually skip the poor buffet lunch with complimentary anti-freeze, but would have happily given the MDR version a go as it looks much nicer, especially as the menu says that there is “refreshing beer” on offer. I much prefer those to “un refreshing beer” 😂 

Clearly I must be a philistine when it comes to wine, because I was reasonably happy with the fizzy plonk and the red was perfectly palatable.

[Selbourne]

54 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Clearly I must be a philistine when it comes to wine, because I was reasonably happy with the fizzy plonk and the red was perfectly palatable.

Im afraid that you must be John 😂 I found the red to be drinkable in a drought, but the white and fizz (which they laughingly described as Champagne when they served it to us) were…., well, I’d best not say!

[Fozzie100]

Please before I get a deluge of members saying I’m overreacting and should just enjoy the cruise……. It’s about what is advertised is not being delivered.  Butler confirmed no Welcome aboard for suite guests.  The welcome bottle of Champagne is actually a Portuguese Spumante!!!!!.  They are cutting costs to the detriment of the passengers that are paying good money to sail with P&O.  

[Selbourne]

2 minutes ago, Fozzie100 said:

Please before I get a deluge of members saying I’m overreacting and should just enjoy the cruise……. It’s about what is advertised is not being delivered.  Butler confirmed no Welcome aboard for suite guests.  The welcome bottle of Champagne is actually a Portuguese Spumante!!!!!.  They are cutting costs to the detriment of the passengers that are paying good money to sail with P&O.  

I agree with you. If it’s advertised, it should be provided. As the saying goes “You only get one chance to make a first impression” and , in this case, P&O have clearly failed. If these things have all succumbed to the relentless drive to cut costs, then the marketing material should be updated. Might be worth a quiet word with the Customer Services Manager on board. I suspect that they might throw a little on board credit your way to make up for your disappointment at the advertised benefits not being available. 

[galeforce9]

Doesn’t the boarding from Southampton make the difference here?  I note the most recent poster did not board in Southampton.   When flights arrive at different times the lunch cannot be easily organised to accommodate all guests.   It is not an individual lunch.   If you read back the text and include the bit before you have highlighted it says this, although not very clearly.  

Edited December 18, 2022 by galeforce9

[silkworms]

It is definitely only when you sail from Southampton and always

has been. It would be impossible to provide such perks when dealing

with flight times etc both in Barbados and Malta and Canaries.

 

Terri

[Selbourne]

2 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

Doesn’t the boarding from Southampton make the difference here?  I note the most recent poster did not board in Southampton.   When flights arrive at different times the lunch cannot be easily organised to accommodate all guests.   It is not an individual lunch.   If you read back the text and include the bit before you have highlighted it says this, although not very clearly.  

Good spot. Doesn’t excuse the cheap plonk though!

[Windsurfboy]

It's not just cheap, it's the cheapest plonk you can get, gob smacked its €2.50 online.

 

Clearly a big breach in the advertising standards authority code. Which says advertisements (a website is classed as an advert) must be truthful. 

 

Not a deal breaker,  but cause for complaint

[Son of Anarchy]

On 12/17/2022 at 5:42 PM, Selbourne said:

That’s a shame. Our next P&O cruise is on Iona. We usually skip the poor buffet lunch with complimentary anti-freeze, but would have happily given the MDR version a go as it looks much nicer, especially as the menu says that there is “refreshing beer” on offer. I much prefer those to “un refreshing beer” 😂 

Got back from Iona just over a week ago. Embarkation lunch for higher tiers and suites was buffet rather than waiter service.  Panko crumb tiger prawns fantastic.  And refreshing beer available as an alternative to wine.  I can confirm it was indeed refreshing!  Saw some passengers have spirits and mixers as well.  

[Selbourne]

40 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Got back from Iona just over a week ago. Embarkation lunch for higher tiers and suites was buffet rather than waiter service.  Panko crumb tiger prawns fantastic.  And refreshing beer available as an alternative to wine.  I can confirm it was indeed refreshing!  Saw some passengers have spirits and mixers as well.  

Thanks for the info. It’s a shame that it’s still a buffet, but as The Glasshouse has been struggling to provide meals this year, we might give it a go next summer.

 

Were all of the specialty (extra cost) dining venues open throughout your cruise? We tend to use them regularly (especially Epicurean) and were concerned to read reports a few months ago of them being casualties of the staff shortages. 

[Son of Anarchy]

9 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Thanks for the info. It’s a shame that it’s still a buffet, but as The Glasshouse has been struggling to provide meals this year, we might give it a go next summer.

 

Were all of the specialty (extra cost) dining venues open throughout your cruise? We tend to use them regularly (especially Epicurean) and were concerned to read reports a few months ago of them being casualties of the staff shortages. 

Not 100% sure about Keel & Cow, but all the others were open.  We used Beach House and Olive Grove twice each during our cruise. 

 

Did Chef's Table on the first formal night.  Lovely food, same as the MDR, but the service left a lot to be desired.  Didn't bother booking for the second week and had a great meal in the MDR with much better service.

[besberry]

12 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Thanks for the info. It’s a shame that it’s still a buffet, but as The Glasshouse has been struggling to provide meals this year, we might give it a go next summer.

 

Were all of the specialty (extra cost) dining venues open throughout your cruise? We tend to use them regularly (especially Epicurean) and were concerned to read reports a few months ago of them being casualties of the staff shortages. 

I'm on Arvia on Friday.  I'm expecting a Peninsular Club lunch on arrival (well after checking in to my muster station) and I'm also expecting the speciality restaurants to be open too.  I've pre-booked Epicurean and Sindhu.  I guess I'll find out in a couple of days.