AFTERNOON TEA

[Tablelamp]

I,ve just heard of yet another cut back.  Afternoon tea no longer served in the main dining room on Ventura.  Can this be true?

[Harry Peterson]

6 minutes ago, Tablelamp said:

I,ve just heard of yet another cut back.  Afternoon tea no longer served in the main dining room on Ventura.  Can this be true?

I do hope not. Where did that information come from?

[Tablelamp]

It was on this site.  I found it by typing in to Google.  P&O Ventura reviews 2022.

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, Tablelamp said:

I,ve just heard of yet another cut back.  Afternoon tea no longer served in the main dining room on Ventura.  Can this be true?

I’ve certainly read elsewhere on this forum that afternoon tea was only available in the buffet or Epicurean (at extra cost), but I wasn’t clear if that was a ‘one-off’ specific to just one cruise or ship. As with many things, only time will tell whether the reductions in service are temporary, due to the present staff shortages, or permanent. Whilst it would be a shame if it goes, I have to say that we have always found afternoon tea in the MDR to be distinctly underwhelming!

[d@711]

We were on Ventura the first week in October. No afternoon tea in the MDR. The ship seemed very understaffed, seemed to be a shortage of waiters in the bars. Dinner service (late sitting ) was excellent but breakfast in the MDR was a shambles, long queues, long wait for food. A totally different experience to Iona in March.

[Ardennais]

5 hours ago, Tablelamp said:

I,ve just heard of yet another cut back.  Afternoon tea no longer served in the main dining room on Ventura.  Can this be true?

I hope not! The afternoon tea isn’t amazing, but our arrival back on a ship would often coincide with afternoon tea in the MDR and it was nice just to sit down and having someone serve us, rather than traipsing all the way to the buffet. 

[Harry Peterson]

10 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

I hope not! The afternoon tea isn’t amazing, but our arrival back on a ship would often coincide with afternoon tea in the MDR and it was nice just to sit down and having someone serve us, rather than traipsing all the way to the buffet. 

Exactly the way we feel about it. Adequate, rather than otherwise, but perfect in the gap between breakfast and dinner if you’ve been ashore and not had time for lunch. 

[Tablelamp]

As a VERY seasoned cruiser, I used to love cruising, but have not been since the beginning of Covid.  £9,000.00 balance due for a 35 night cruise at the beginning of March, (payment due at the beginning of December).  So many cutbacks, I am considering whether I go or not.   Trouble is, I don’t want to fly anymore.

[FatBoy20]

Believe me the product you thought you had paid for will bear no resemblance to what you get!.

[Snow Hill]

2 hours ago, Ardennais said:

I hope not! The afternoon tea isn’t amazing, but our arrival back on a ship would often coincide with afternoon tea in the MDR and it was nice just to sit down and having someone serve us, rather than traipsing all the way to the buffet. 

I think we have been once to MDR for afternoon tea, but if we are ashore tend to eat there so no need for afternoon tea when we return to the ship.

[Denarius]

Returned from Azura last Thursday. Can confirm that afternoon tea was not available in either the restaurant or the buffet, where lunch was served until 5pm!

[Denarius]

4 hours ago, FatBoy20 said:

Believe me the product you thought you had paid for will bear no resemblance to what you get!.

Very true.

I have just returned from a cruise on Azura, my first P&O cruise since pre pandemic which was also on Azura. Was amazed by the cutbacks, inter alia

 

No afternoon tea

Greatly reduced menu and wine list in the MDR

No theme nights in the buffet

No evening turndown service

no toiletries in cabin

No deck buffets on sea days

No deck parties

No speciality buffets -Neptune's, chocaholics etc

No in cabin port information. No port lecturer

No photographers (a blessing!)

Reduced number of entertainers - just one band (Pulse, excellent), a singer/guitarist Maddison (also excellent), a female solo singer and a coctail pianist. Plus of course the Headliners and a couple of cabaret artist. Increased use of recorded music in Manhatten etc

 

In addition to which:

the Glass house was mainly marketed as a restaurant, with all entrances apart from one roped off and a reception desk - "wait to be seated" - on the remaining one and closing at 10pm.

Brodies was dominated many evenings by football on TV

Ballroom dancing to recorded music every evening in the atrium, no  live band.

 

Very much no frills cruising.

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Denarius

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, Denarius said:

Very true.

I have just returned from a cruise on Azura, my first P&O cruise since pre pandemic which was also on Azura. Was amazed by the cutbacks, inter alia

 

No afternoon tea

Greatly reduced menu and wine list in the MDR

No theme nights in the buffet

No evening turndown service

no toiletries in cabin

No deck buffets on sea days

No deck parties

No speciality buffets -Neptune's, chocaholics etc

No in cabin port information. No port lecturer

No photographers (a blessing!)

Reduced number of entertainers - just one band (Pulse, excellent), a singer/guitarist Maddison (also excellent), a female solo singer and a coctail pianist. Plus of course the Headliners and a couple of cabaret artist. Increased use of recorded music in Manhatten etc

 

In addition to which:

the Glass house was mainly marketed as a restaurant, with all entrances apart from one roped off and a reception desk - "wait to be seated" - on the remaining one and closing at 10pm.

Brodies was dominated many evenings by football on TV

Ballroom dancing to recorded music every evening in the atrium, no  live band.

 

Very much no frills cruising.

 

 

So essentially, this isn't Butlins any more?  It's Cruising Ryanair-style?

[Selbourne]

13 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

 

So essentially, this isn't Butlins any more?  It's Cruising Ryanair-style?

It very much sounds that way. We have previously been told that all of this is temporary and down to reduced staffing levels, but I can’t help but wonder if the bean counters at P&O might come to the conclusion that if they can get away with all of this and the customers still keep booking, it may become the ‘new normal’ (to use a phrase that I hate)!
 

Having worked with countless Finance Directors, there is no doubting that someone will be asking “if we can get away with operating at these low staffing levels, why can’t we do so permanently”.

[Sawdan]

Yes I can confirm that on Iona last time out no ANT in MDR.

   Unfortunately the list of cut backs above is not exhaustive.

    It's difficult for the cruise lines at the moment but hopefully things can return to more near normal standards in the not too distant future!!!

   Anyone who hasn't cruised since before Covid please brace yourself as things are a bit different to what they were.

   

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, Denarius said:

Very true.

I have just returned from a cruise on Azura, my first P&O cruise since pre pandemic which was also on Azura. Was amazed by the cutbacks, inter alia

 

No afternoon tea

Greatly reduced menu and wine list in the MDR

No theme nights in the buffet

No evening turndown service

no toiletries in cabin

No deck buffets on sea days

No deck parties

No speciality buffets -Neptune's, chocaholics etc

No in cabin port information. No port lecturer

No photographers (a blessing!)

Reduced number of entertainers - just one band (Pulse, excellent), a singer/guitarist Maddison (also excellent), a female solo singer and a coctail pianist. Plus of course the Headliners and a couple of cabaret artist. Increased use of recorded music in Manhatten etc

 

In addition to which:

the Glass house was mainly marketed as a restaurant, with all entrances apart from one roped off and a reception desk - "wait to be seated" - on the remaining one and closing at 10pm.

Brodies was dominated many evenings by football on TV

Ballroom dancing to recorded music every evening in the atrium, no  live band.

 

Very much no frills cruising.

 

 

I think I might know the answer to this, but how about the lectures?  Used to enjoy those, but they were cut back even pre-Covid.  Were there any/many?

[Sawdan]

There was 5 over 2 weeks on Iona mostly enjoyable and interesting.

[stoogesmom]

Ugh.  I am looking to book the 2023 World Cruise on Arcadia.  I've never cruised P & O before and was considering it rather than Cunard.  All of this news of cutbacks is seriously  making me second guess!

 

[Dermotsgirl]

4 hours ago, Denarius said:

Very true.

I have just returned from a cruise on Azura, my first P&O cruise since pre pandemic which was also on Azura. Was amazed by the cutbacks, inter alia

 

No afternoon tea

Greatly reduced menu and wine list in the MDR

No theme nights in the buffet

No evening turndown service

no toiletries in cabin

No deck buffets on sea days

No deck parties

No speciality buffets -Neptune's, chocaholics etc

No in cabin port information. No port lecturer

No photographers (a blessing!)

Reduced number of entertainers - just one band (Pulse, excellent), a singer/guitarist Maddison (also excellent), a female solo singer and a coctail pianist. Plus of course the Headliners and a couple of cabaret artist. Increased use of recorded music in Manhatten etc

 

In addition to which:

the Glass house was mainly marketed as a restaurant, with all entrances apart from one roped off and a reception desk - "wait to be seated" - on the remaining one and closing at 10pm.

Brodies was dominated many evenings by football on TV

Ballroom dancing to recorded music every evening in the atrium, no  live band.

 

Very much no frills cruising.

 

One of the joys of the Glass House, was just turning up and sitting down, and being able to have just a drink, small plates or a larger meal at more or less any time

 

Also, another thought occurred to me. If they’ve roped off the entrances, does it make it awkward for people wanting to walk through to to forward staircase and the theatre? 

[davecttr]

So that's the end of the Glass House as it was originally, a relaxed informal bar that served food. I don't think i will be cruising on Azura or Ventura again as the Glass House was my favourite venue and the rest of the ships are underwhelming

[Selbourne]

8 hours ago, stoogesmom said:

Ugh.  I am looking to book the 2023 World Cruise on Arcadia.  I've never cruised P & O before and was considering it rather than Cunard.  All of this news of cutbacks is seriously  making me second guess!

 

Whilst a World Cruise doesn’t remotely appeal to us, if we were to ever consider one we wouldn’t entertain doing it on a ship that we weren’t familiar with. Too much of a risk, regardless of which cruise line it is. For example, we have cruised on all the P&O ships, most multiple times, and we liked all the ships bar one, which just happened to be Arcadia. The suite was fine (if a bit dated) but there were several things that we really disliked about the rest of the ship. We wouldn’t have wanted to discover this having committed to the huge financial outlay of a World Cruise. Personally, if considering a very long cruise on any ship that I wasn’t familiar with, I would try a short cruise on it before taking the plunge. 

[FatBoy20]

12 hours ago, Sawdan said:

Yes I can confirm that on Iona last time out no ANT in MDR.

   Unfortunately the list of cut backs above is not exhaustive.

    It's difficult for the cruise lines at the moment but hopefully things can return to more near normal standards in the not too distant future!!!

   Anyone who hasn't cruised since before Covid please brace yourself as things are a bit different to what they were.

   

I think the statement should read "a lot different to what they were". Harry Peterson talks about Butlins/Ryanair I would add McDonalds at Sea to the list! P&O have had over a year to sort out the issues of Staff/Supplies etc, the cuts are here to stay.

[Snow Hill]

7 minutes ago, FatBoy20 said:

I think the statement should read "a lot different to what they were". Harry Peterson talks about Butlins/Ryanair I would add McDonalds at Sea to the list! P&O have had over a year to sort out the issues of Staff/Supplies etc, the cuts are here to stay.

My niece runs a hospitality business the supply and staffing issues are still at the top of concerns list for her, she closed one outlet when the lease was up as she was unable to get the staff, plus the chefs have had to adjust menus to cope with shortages in various ingredients. These supply chain issues will also still affect P&O as majority of their sailings are out of the U.K.

[TigerB]

There was no afternoon tea in the MDR on Britannia either. Your choice was the paid for service in Epicurean or the one in Horizon; the latter was dire!

[janny444]

Cutback of Afternoon tea in the MDR wouldn't on its own be a deal breaker but when added to other " minor" cutbacks that all added to a more enjoyable experience which lifted it above 4 star hotels then it does become one.

I would think that P&O realise that they can get away with the cutbacks as their target market is directed at younger .....maybe new to cruising ....passengers that haven't experienced any of the cutbacks so don't miss what they have never had and are perfectly happy to accept what they now offer.

For us it has gone beyond what we expect so cruising is no longer for us but heh ho we are in the older passenger bracket not the up and coming passenger bracket.

Fortunately we have found alternative holidays which  for us are more enjoyable .