Breakfast in the Epicurean

[Harry Peterson]

2 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

However part of that spending more money means they want to see those who have not spent it being deprived of the same things. Whether it is the label on the clothing not appearing on cheaper lines, or those in ‘cattle class’ not being able to disembark an aircraft before them, or others being denied access to a restaurant….

You make a very good point there!  People pay high prices for exclusivity - the literal meaning of which involves other people being excluded from what you've just acquired.  If the exclusivity goes, so does the ability to charge a high price for it.  BMW and Mercedes used to be exclusive before PCP contracts came along - we drive Skodas!!!

[Harry Peterson]

14 minutes ago, ParisHilton said:

 

My concern, if I were seated next to the captain , would be WHO'S DRIVING THE BOAT 🙂

AI...........

[bobstheboy]

14 minutes ago, ParisHilton said:

 

My concern, if I were seated next to the captain , would be WHO'S DRIVING THE BOAT 🙂

Nobody. They will be shackled the SHIPS side.

[Denarius]

49 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

You make a very good point there!  People pay high prices for exclusivity - the literal meaning of which involves other people being excluded from what you've just acquired.  If the exclusivity goes, so does the ability to charge a high price for it.  BMW and Mercedes used to be exclusive before PCP contracts came along - we drive Skodas!!!

Whilst I accept that there are some people who pay higher prices purely to be seen to have something beyond the reach of the majority, most do so in the expectation of higher quality. In the particular case of cruising, people pay more to sail with upmarket lines like Saga and Viking rather than mid market lines like P&O in the belief that (for them personally) the higher standards of food, service etc are worth the extra cost.

 

[crompton21]

1 hour ago, daiB said:

When we use a suite if we want food we will pre order. If we dont then we have to expect a wait. That would be on any ship not just bthe big 2.

 

Yes, I understand that option, the point I was trying to make was that the size/layout of the ship and presumably the number of butlers available didn't make for a particularly good experience.  I thought it was a valid point when discussing Arvia/Iona suite benefits in general.  As I said, I have not seen others posting similar thoughts so maybe we were unlucky.  

We have been fortunate enough to have had suites on all the current ships, and some of the old ones.  Our experience on Iona was significantly different to any of the others.  I would sail on Iona again, but wouldn't book a suite.

[zap99]

7 minutes ago, Denarius said:

Whilst I accept that there are some people who pay higher prices purely to be seen to have something beyond the reach of the majority, most do so in the expectation of higher quality. In the particular case of cruising, people pay more to sail with upmarket lines like Saga and Viking rather than mid market lines like P&O in the belief that (for them personally) the higher standards of food, service etc are worth the extra cost.

 

Some folk don't cruise with Saga as they aren't old enough.🥳🤣

[majortom10]

3 hours ago, david63 said:

No it isn't - it is "breakfast each day in an exclusive restaurant" (https://www.pocruises.com/accommodation/suites) and "Suite guests can enjoy breakfast in a restaurant reserved exclusively for them" (https://www.pocruises.com/blog/suite-life) which in my book means that non suite passengers do not use it.

 

 

 

Just proves what P&O say and actually do is different when there is a chance of making a few extra ££££££s

[Son of Bare]

We steamed on Iona with some friends who were in a suite. It was a 14 night cruise and about halfway through in my mate said that their butler had fallen off a ladder which meant the other remaining butler who serviced the rear suites was having to cover them all.

I don't know if that was because there was not any other 'butler' trained staff aboard or if PO just decided those that paid most should be deprived.

Being just a pleb myself, we travel in balconies

[zap99]

23 minutes ago, Son of Bare said:

We steamed on Iona with some friends who were in a suite. It was a 14 night cruise and about halfway through in my mate said that their butler had fallen off a ladder which meant the other remaining butler who serviced the rear suites was having to cover them all.

I don't know if that was because there was not any other 'butler' trained staff aboard or if PO just decided those that paid most should be deprived.

Being just a pleb myself, we travel in balconies

We never let things reach the point where we are Steaming. 🤬

[happy v]

Small question. If you were having breakfast in Epicurean. How would you know who had a suite and who had paid?

[Guest ccpm]

3 hours ago, daiB said:

Keel and cow breakfast was excellent.

Thank you for that. My next Iona cruise is in 3 weeks. I have checked with P&O I can book any speciality venues for as many bookings as i can obtain, They were amazed I asked. They have also confirmed that I can buy breakfast in the Epicurean on Iona although the price has risen. 

 

So on reflection my guilt ridden thoughts are all because of posts on this forum.  Interesting.

[Guest ccpm]

27 minutes ago, happy v said:

Small question. If you were having breakfast in Epicurean. How would you know who had a suite and who had paid?

You would not. Plus no-one has mentioned suite guests who have their relatives join them. Not sure on what basis could not care less but some interesting viewed incidents. 

[Harry Peterson]

31 minutes ago, happy v said:

Small question. If you were having breakfast in Epicurean. How would you know who had a suite and who had paid?

Very easy really: the suite passengers are the ones with the pained, angered looks, and the others have the happy, smiley faces of satisfaction. 😇

[Selbourne]

15 minutes ago, ccpm said:

They have also confirmed that I can buy breakfast in the Epicurean on Iona although the price has risen.

Did they say what the price is and can you just turn up or do you have to pre-book?

[Guest ccpm]

16 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Did they say what the price is and can you just turn up or do you have to pre-book?

Selbourne they didn't but my friend is a F&B manager on Arvia he says to his knowledge it has risen on Arvia but not Iona. 

 

I can only give you my personal experience from 3 cruises in December 2022 cruises ending the cruise before the Xmas cruise then January 2023 the cruise starting I think around 11.1.23 on Iona. I wanted to eat in Epicurean for breakfast every day. It did not occur to me that I had previously been invited to breakfast there on 4 ships. Once i knew there was a paid option I just took it on board that was fine.  I asked the first night the maitre d said yes it was an option. I then said I would come each day did I need to book? No. 

 

Now those 5 cruises totalled 55 days and the waiters told me I was the only one who had asked re the paid breakfast. Every day the restaurant was only a quarter full at breakfast, there were people in suites who had their families in other grades of cabins joining them, did they pay i on't know but don't think so. One particular family drove wait staff wild as they turned up at well past closing time. Time after time the manager offered me the ability to come without the charge but me being me i had appreciated the very nice offer to come when paid was not available now it was nope that did not sit well with me and pay I did.

 

I saw your previous post and i appreciate you, like me appreciate a quiet dining experience. Who can say. My last 55 days on board Epicurean was a quiet oasis.On those cruises i never saw the place full morning or night. It would appear Arvia is different I don't know i have not as yet travelled on her. All I can say is I would recommend booking when it opens 14 days before sailing. I do and despite now i feel guilty I am still going to do it. It is where i want to dine, its cheaper and after a lot of thought everyone else can do the same so it is an even playing field.

 

Probably rambled on a bit but you get the gist

 

 

[Selbourne]

16 minutes ago, ccpm said:

Selbourne they didn't but my friend is a F&B manager on Arvia he says to his knowledge it has risen on Arvia but not Iona. 

 

I can only give you my personal experience from 3 cruises in December 2022 cruises ending the cruise before the Xmas cruise then January 2023 the cruise starting I think around 11.1.23 on Iona. I wanted to eat in Epicurean for breakfast every day. It did not occur to me that I had previously been invited to breakfast there on 4 ships. Once i knew there was a paid option I just took it on board that was fine.  I asked the first night the maitre d said yes it was an option. I then said I would come each day did I need to book? No. 

 

Now those 5 cruises totalled 55 days and the waiters told me I was the only one who had asked re the paid breakfast. Every day the restaurant was only a quarter full at breakfast, there were people in suites who had their families in other grades of cabins joining them, did they pay i on't know but don't think so. One particular family drove wait staff wild as they turned up at well past closing time. Time after time the manager offered me the ability to come without the charge but me being me i had appreciated the very nice offer to come when paid was not available now it was nope that did not sit well with me and pay I did.

 

I saw your previous post and i appreciate you, like me appreciate a quiet dining experience. Who can say. My last 55 days on board Epicurean was a quiet oasis.On those cruises i never saw the place full morning or night. It would appear Arvia is different I don't know i have not as yet travelled on her. All I can say is I would recommend booking when it opens 14 days before sailing. I do and despite now i feel guilty I am still going to do it. It is where i want to dine, its cheaper and after a lot of thought everyone else can do the same so it is an even playing field.

 

Probably rambled on a bit but you get the gist

 

 

Thanks for the info. We intend to dine in Epicurean on the first night on Iona, so I will ask then. We also hope to dine in Epicurean the first night on Britannia, but it sounds as though breakfast for non-suite guests isn’t an option on her. We know a senior F&B manager extremely well and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we might bump into him on one of our cruises (assuming that he still works for P&O). 

[smokey01]

6 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Acknowledged however given that your table is there and waiting for you, there is a reservation exclusively for you. No turn up and wait. The standard wording predates the trial and remains true on most ships.

We go on our first cruise in a suite next July on Britannia and then in a suite on Iona in October 2024. Are you saying we will have a physical table for breakfast that will stay the same throughout the cruise? If so is it pre assigned or is it the table you sit at for your breakfast that then becomes ‘your’ table?

[Selbourne]

25 minutes ago, smokey01 said:

We go on our first cruise in a suite next July on Britannia and then in a suite on Iona in October 2024. Are you saying we will have a physical table for breakfast that will stay the same throughout the cruise? If so is it pre assigned or is it the table you sit at for your breakfast that then becomes ‘your’ table?

No. That’s the system used by Cunard in Grills and Britannia Club (for breakfast, lunch and dinner). With P&O you have guaranteed access to Epicurean for Breakfast, but may have a different table each day. 

[Guest ccpm]

32 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Thanks for the info. We intend to dine in Epicurean on the first night on Iona, so I will ask then. We also hope to dine in Epicurean the first night on Britannia, but it sounds as though breakfast for non-suite guests isn’t an option on her. We know a senior F&B manager extremely well and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we might bump into him on one of our cruises (assuming that he still works for P&O). 

It may not be on Britannia but I have been invited on all 3 of my cruises on her albeit I do eat there every night. I am a bit backwards at coming forwards as my Dad would say but give it a go. I hear what folks say re numbers in Epicurean but have never seen it full ever and certainly not in the breakfast service.  

[molecrochip]

8 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

No. That’s the system used by Cunard in Grills and Britannia Club (for breakfast, lunch and dinner). With P&O you have guaranteed access to Epicurean for Breakfast, but may have a different table each day. 

My experience on Britannia, Iona and Arvia, is that it’s the same table - unless someone makes a mistake when seating someone.

 

My experience is on end to end cruises. E.g. I could understand Azura having to change for each week when passenger mix is different.

[david63]

1 hour ago, smokey01 said:

Are you saying we will have a physical table for breakfast that will stay the same throughout the cruise?

In my experience yes, most of the time depending on who beats you to it, but your table will be in the same area of the restaurant. Also in my experience you will be shown to your table each day.

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

My experience on Britannia, Iona and Arvia, is that it’s the same table - unless someone makes a mistake when seating someone.

 

My experience is on end to end cruises. E.g. I could understand Azura having to change for each week when passenger mix is different.

Ok. It’s obviously changed since we last had a cruise on Britannia. The 3 cruises when we had a suite on Britannia we weren’t given the same table every day. Obviously we had several tables multiple times, but tables weren’t reserved at breakfast. 

  

[molecrochip]

57 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Ok. It’s obviously changed since we last had a cruise on Britannia. The 3 cruises when we had a suite on Britannia we weren’t given the same table every day. Obviously we had several tables multiple times, but tables weren’t reserved at breakfast. 

  

Pre-Pandemic? I think it started post pandemic when certain tables were closed. It seems to have continued.

 

it’s like a mini Club restaurant!

[Selbourne]

19 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Pre-Pandemic? I think it started post pandemic when certain tables were closed. It seems to have continued.

 

it’s like a mini Club restaurant!

Yes all 3 were pre pandemic. Our first P&O post Covid cruise is in a few weeks time. Not sure how much we will recognise 😂 

[david63]

I suppose the next step will be that non higher level Peninsular members will be able to pay to go to the embarkation lunch.

 

(That's another idea that the bean counters have not come up with - yet!!)