Food and dining on P&O ships

[oceanlad]

 

 

Sure, but there are people here implying or outrightly stating vegans / vegetarians shouldn't even be catered for and then discussions about what they believe to be the negatives of veganism. The mention of veganism seems to provoke this in some people wherever it is mentioned and it does become tiresome so I couldn't resist a little nibble back, but no harm intended! 

 

There may be an element of cost-cutting - I can tell you now I ate a main that I could have cobbled together for under £1.00 at one point. Places often just combine the vegan and vegetarian option as one though, so the cost-cutting may be falling harder on the vegetarians than the omnivores, meal-wise.

 

I'm new to the forum so expect it will have been covered elsewhere already but I would also hazard a guess that much of the menu change will be geared towards appealing to the next generation of cruise ship travellers. I have seen vegan influencers doing paid promotions for P&O so there is definitely a push towards younger markets with more interest in it. There are much higher percentages of vegans, vegetarians and pescetarians among millennial and gen z than their is of the traditional cruise audience.

 

Many of the studies for figures being quoted about population percentage also indicate more plan to turn towards these diets, whereas unfortunately the immediate economic prospects for the country may also necessitate this for many. 

 

So yes, cost-cutting but also future-proofing and market reality in my opinion.

 

[Megabear2]

4 minutes ago, oceanlad said:

 

 

Sure, but there are people here implying or outrightly stating vegans / vegetarians shouldn't even be catered for and then discussions about what they believe to be the negatives of veganism. The mention of veganism seems to provoke this in some people wherever it is mentioned and it does become tiresome so I couldn't resist a little nibble back, but no harm intended! 

 

There may be an element of cost-cutting - I can tell you now I ate a main that I could have cobbled together for under £1.00 at one point. Places often just combine the vegan and vegetarian option as one though, so the cost-cutting may be falling harder on the vegetarians than the omnivores, meal-wise.

 

I'm new to the forum so expect it will have been covered elsewhere already but I would also hazard a guess that much of the menu change will be geared towards appealing to the next generation of cruise ship travellers. I have seen vegan influencers doing paid promotions for P&O so there is definitely a push towards younger markets with more interest in it. There are much higher percentages of vegans, vegetarians and pescetarians among millennial and gen z than their is of the traditional cruise audience.

 

Many of the studies for figures being quoted about population percentage also indicate more plan to turn towards these diets, whereas unfortunately the immediate economic prospects for the country may also necessitate this for many. 

 

So yes, cost-cutting but also future-proofing and market reality in my opinion.

 

That was probably the thinking originally, however it hasn't materialised as they expected.  Arvia has "lost" an MDR to a paid for food based restaurant but it is very rarely full from my experience.  The food is good but far more expensive than the other paid restaurants - my meal there was almost double the Epicurean one.  Many consider it to be living on borrowed time as a bit of a white element.

 

Unfortunately the negatives of vegetarianism have been long known.  I'm 68 years old and from the age of 11 to 23 I would not eat anything other than a veg based diet following a very major illness and a year in hospital.  At the age of 21 my doctors were pushing me to add some meat/fish to my diet for health reasons - I was developing major vitamin and other deficiencies that supplements were not helping.   After I married at 23 I wanted to take part in sports alongside my new husband and had little choice but to eat fish and other meats in small quantities. 

 

I note you are a new poster.  A lot of the negative comments you mentioned implying vegans shouldn't be catered for are actually very tongue in cheek. Put simply this menu cutting since the restart is emotive!

[cruising.mark.uk]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

 Many consider it to be living on borrowed time as a bit of a white element.

 

Is this the vegetarian equivalent of a white elephant? 🤣

[Megabear2]

1 minute ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

Is this the vegetarian equivalent of a white elephant? 🤣

I hope he wasn't got white ears!

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, oceanlad said:

 

 

Sure, but there are people here implying or outrightly stating vegans / vegetarians shouldn't even be catered for and then discussions about what they believe to be the negatives of veganism. The mention of veganism seems to provoke this in some people wherever it is mentioned and it does become tiresome so I couldn't resist a little nibble back, but no harm intended! 

 

There may be an element of cost-cutting - I can tell you now I ate a main that I could have cobbled together for under £1.00 at one point. Places often just combine the vegan and vegetarian option as one though, so the cost-cutting may be falling harder on the vegetarians than the omnivores, meal-wise.

 

I'm new to the forum so expect it will have been covered elsewhere already but I would also hazard a guess that much of the menu change will be geared towards appealing to the next generation of cruise ship travellers. I have seen vegan influencers doing paid promotions for P&O so there is definitely a push towards younger markets with more interest in it. There are much higher percentages of vegans, vegetarians and pescetarians among millennial and gen z than their is of the traditional cruise audience.

 

Many of the studies for figures being quoted about population percentage also indicate more plan to turn towards these diets, whereas unfortunately the immediate economic prospects for the country may also necessitate this for many. 

 

So yes, cost-cutting but also future-proofing and market reality in my opinion.

 

I do note that the questionnaires we are urged to do on line do not have any parts where the quality taste or choice of the food provided on the ship is highlighted. Which IMO seems to indicate that P&O don't want to have discussions  about this topic whether its veggie, vegan or bog standard omnivorian.

[Eddie99]

5 hours ago, arkac said:

We are a couple with a 9 month old baby on the Iona from 20 April to the Fjords and just wanted to ask are we ok to book the specialty restaurants for 2 people? Or does the booking need to be for 3? Thanks

Hello

Welcome to the forum

Your question is in danger of getting lost amongst the omnivore v restricted diet debate, so I’ve brought it back to the top

I can’t think of any reason why you shouldn’t be able to book for 2

Have you tried it?  Bookings should be open now, I think 

[Red Ray]

On 4/9/2024 at 5:32 PM, oceanlad said:

I have seen vegan influencers

My God now there are 2 words to strike terror into the heart. Bad enough individually, but together...😡

[Gettingwarmer]

New dining on Princess ships including seperate MDR for walk ins.

 

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/04/princess-cruises-rolls-out-fleetwide-dining-changes/

 

[Selbourne]

54 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

New dining on Princess ships including seperate MDR for walk ins.

 

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/04/princess-cruises-rolls-out-fleetwide-dining-changes/

 

What a sensible idea. Far better than the crazy situation that P&O have got themselves in by having fixed dining, reservations, pagers and walk ins all operating in the same dining room, because they are too bloody minded to acknowledge that the original Freedom Dining system that they had before worked far better 🤔😂

[FangedRose]

21 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

What a sensible idea. Far better than the crazy situation that P&O have got themselves in by having fixed dining, reservations, pagers and walk ins all operating in the same dining room, because they are too bloody minded to acknowledge that the original Freedom Dining system that they had before worked far better 🤔😂

P&O have separate dining rooms for fixed and freedom diners. I've been on all their ships (except Iona and Arvia) and fixed and freedom diners have never shared dining rooms.

[Selbourne]

3 minutes ago, FangedRose said:

P&O have separate dining rooms for fixed and freedom diners. I've been on all their ships (except Iona and Arvia) and fixed and freedom diners have never shared dining rooms.

I’m fully aware of that, but I was referring to the mess that P&O have now made to Freedom Dining. What was a simple system of first come, first served (that we loved and always worked well for us) has now morphed in to a mix of fixed dining (on some ships, people can reserve tables at early times in the Freedom Dining restaurants), bookings made via the app that isn’t an app, pagers and walk-ins. Having tried the new system and experiencing the chaos that can ensue, like many others, we have ditched it and reverted to fixed (Club) dining which, having enjoyed proper Freedom Dining for many years previously, I never thought we would do. 

[FangedRose]

36 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Far better than the crazy situation that P&O have got themselves in by having fixed dining, reservations, pagers and walk ins all operating in the same dining room, b

I agree with your statement as regard freedom dining. However, you clearly state that freedom and fixed dining operate from the same mdr. I was merely trying to clarify for other readers.

[Selbourne]

6 minutes ago, FangedRose said:

I agree with your statement as regard freedom dining. However, you clearly state that freedom and fixed dining operate from the same mdr. I was merely trying to clarify for other readers.

Yes I did say that, because it’s true. By allowing bookings within Freedom Dining restaurants, you have Freedom and Fixed operating in the same MDR. 

[FangedRose]

1 minute ago, Selbourne said:

Yes I did say that, because it’s true. By allowing bookings within Freedom Dining restaurants, you have Freedom and Fixed operating in the same MDR. 

Booking a time in a restaurant (at a time you choose and allows you to vary it evening by evening) is not the same as fixed time dining where the the cruise line chooses your time (giving you a choice of two) and the same table and table companions every night. 

 

This confusion over dining times and bookings generates a lot of questions from newbies (and not so newbies) on over social media. I prefer knowing when and where I'm eating so I can conserve my energies for more important decisions about my evening.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

What a sensible idea. Far better than the crazy situation that P&O have got themselves in by having fixed dining, reservations, pagers and walk ins all operating in the same dining room, because they are too bloody minded to acknowledge that the original Freedom Dining system that they had before worked far better 🤔😂

Reading the Princess boards, there seem to be quite a high percentage of passengers who prefer TD, and who have not enjoyed the DMW version of dining.

Most Princess ships have 3 equal sized dining rooms which makes this switch possible. However with only one third of dining seats available for freedom dining, I guess there will still be complaints from many, including me.

[terrierjohn]

49 minutes ago, FangedRose said:

P&O have separate dining rooms for fixed and freedom diners. I've been on all their ships (except Iona and Arvia) and fixed and freedom diners have never shared dining rooms.

You have obviously never been on Iona or Arvia..

[Selbourne]

7 minutes ago, FangedRose said:

Booking a time in a restaurant (at a time you choose and allows you to vary it evening by evening) is not the same as fixed time dining where the the cruise line chooses your time (giving you a choice of two) and the same table and table companions every night. 

 

This confusion over dining times and bookings generates a lot of questions from newbies (and not so newbies) on over social media. I prefer knowing when and where I'm eating so I can conserve my energies for more important decisions about my evening.

Arvia is supposed to be 100% Freedom Dining, yet it is possible for people to book a table at a fixed time for the entire duration of their cruise, if they are prepared to dine early. On other P&O ships, in consultation with waiters or restaurant managers, it is now sometimes possible to arrange the same once on board (same table, same time, every night) again, in Freedom dining restaurants. Having the same table at the same time every night is, in my opinion (and I’m sure most others), fixed dining, yet this is happening in Freedom dining restaurants, resulting in issues for those who wish to use Freedom dining as originally intended. This is nothing to do with Club dining, which is fixed because it’s meant to be. I cannot explain it any clearer than that, so won’t engage any further. 

[FangedRose]

25 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

You have obviously never been on Iona or Arvia..

That's what I said.

[Fionboard]

1 hour ago, FangedRose said:

That's what I said.

So you cannot really understand what this discussion is about. Nothing to do with fixed  (Club) dining. 

[Gettingwarmer]

I think the Princess new system is good. Everyone will know which MDR restaurant is for what type of dining, Club, Reservation or Walk-In and there should be no milling around outside clogging the area. 

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Gettingwarmer said:

I think the Princess new system is good. Everyone will know which MDR restaurant is for what type of dining, Club, Reservation or Walk-In and there should be no milling around outside clogging the area. 

But it will considerably reduce the number of true anytime or freedom places, compared with the older system of having 2 MDRs for Anytime Dining and one for Traditional Dining.

[Gettingwarmer]

32 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But it will considerably reduce the number of true anytime or freedom places, compared with the older system of having 2 MDRs for Anytime Dining and one for Traditional Dining.

The two Anytime dining rooms have allowed reservations for some time which is our preference but sometimes are booked out and are restricted for walk ins. You @terrierjohn now have a single dining room for walk ins which is your preference and is an improvement for you. 

[terrierjohn]

10 hours ago, Gettingwarmer said:

The two Anytime dining rooms have allowed reservations for some time which is our preference but sometimes are booked out and are restricted for walk ins. You @terrierjohn now have a single dining room for walk ins which is your preference and is an improvement for you. 

Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with the change, but if everyone who used freedom dining pre covid wants to use it in future, then it will lead to long waits. I just have to hope that enough of them now prefer to pre book all their dining times, which would be an anathema to me.

[Gettingwarmer]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with the change, but if everyone who used freedom dining pre covid wants to use it in future, then it will lead to long waits. I just have to hope that enough of them now prefer to pre book all their dining times, which would be an anathema to me.

I am sure that Princess has got it right by giving everybody what they want. 

[Bin man]

Just re-read email inviting to book dinning .Scrolled down to last bit after getting to excited and seems to imply two weeks before for MDR freedom dinning so why do they send the email inviting you to book.log onto your personaliser and booking for mdr are open but won't let you finish your basket bookings so I guess it is two weeks .Bar humbug !