Live from Britannia

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

Because we walked straight on, I actually didn’t get chance to book until we had been to the muster station and sat down at the priority lunch. To answer your question, whilst they didn’t come to our table (not that we needed them to) I did see someone walking around touting for bookings. 
 

I looked out of curiosity last night (Day 3) as to what was still available to book. Pretty much nothing left at peak times (7-8.30) but still some limited availability if you are prepared to eat early (6pm) or late (9pm). Oddly, remaining Epicurean tables are mostly for parties of 5 or 6. Virtually no tables for 2. 

 

Thanks

[zap99]

6 hours ago, Selbourne said:

DAY 3

 

I had a much better nights sleep, as a combination of no coffee after dinner, plus the accumulation of most of a bottle of Peller Ice Cuvée at lunchtime, a few glasses of something fizzy at the captains welcome, a large Shiraz with dinner and a double liquor whilst watching Pulse (and no, we aren’t on the drinks package 😂). 

 

The weather was glorious all day in Haugesund and I sat on the balcony watching the sail in. Breakfast in Peninsular was as straight forward as the previous day. Joined the virtual queue and we were called within minutes. I hadn’t realised that you are meant to go to the starboard restaurant entrance if you have booked and the port side if you haven’t. There are signs with arrows, but I’d stupidly misinterpreted them as meaning either side of the tensator barrier that they are perched on, not either side of the ship🙄

 

Breakfast itself was fine. A few very minor changes from the breakfasts of old. You don't get the little new pots of marmalade or jam on the table any more. You have to ask for it and you now get jam that is served in little open tubs. The fruit smoothies that we used to like seem to have been watered down and now have a bit of an odd texture, so aren’t as nice. 

 

I don’t like orange juice in restaurants as it’s invariably processed or isn’t freshly squeezed as they state, but a waitress approached us this morning and asked if we wanted a proper freshly squeezed orange juice at extra cost. There were two sizes and I went for the small at £2.25. I’m pleased to report that it was indeed proper freshly squeezed orange. Top tip - if you fancy this, order the small one. It’s actually a very large glass. 

 

We had a wander on the open decks overlooking Haugesund and then chilled on our balcony until lunch time. 

 

Back to Peninsular for lunch (we were called within a minute of joining the queue). As previously mentioned, I find the lunch menus to be unnecessarily confusing. Apart from the few items described as large plates, it’s impossible to tell whether some of the items are starters or mains. Anyway, what followed was in all honesty the nicest and most flavoursome meal I have had on the ship so far. Beef Braesola, Parma Ham and Gorgonzola as a starter (would have been a bit small if someone had ordered it as a main), lasagne main (with a really tasty sauce) and Caramel Apple Betty pud with ice cream rather than custard! Loved it all. Our friendly waiter asked if we liked the table (we did) and, if so, would we like it reserved for us every night. We said that was very kind of him, but as we are planning on eating at the speciality restaurants most nights we won’t be there enough to take up his kind offer. However, if Epicurean is no better next time we might look him up 😂 

 

Having chatted to some people who’d been ashore we decided to stay on the ship. Apparently, being a Sunday, everything was closed and the transport options were all quite expensive for somewhere we have been before and are returning to again in 6 weeks time (on a weekday). So more balcony time in lovely temperatures overlooking the town. 

 

Dinner was booked in Sindhu, but on the way I swung by the Glasshouse to say hi to DaiB, as we’d never met before. Just a very brief hello but hopefully we will meet again later in the cruise. We wanted to have pre dinner drinks in the Sindhu bar, as someone on the forum had mentioned that the East India Punch was very good. Bizarrely, even though it was on the drinks menu, we were told that they don’t do it there! I asked where else we might get it and just had a blank look. Oh well. 2 Cobra’s then. 

 

The ambiance of the Sindhu on Britannia is ten times better than the one on Aurora, as it’s a proper intimate restaurant rather than an open extension of the atrium coffee shop. My wife didn’t feel up to a starter as well as a main, but I ordered the Beef Pepper Fry. This was very dry compared to the better one that I’d had on Ventura some years back (which I still remember as being fantastic) but was tasty none the less. It arrived a bit too quick though, as they hadn’t long given us the mini popadoms and dips (although there wasn’t enough of them to dip - it was a tiny smear of each 😂). 

 

For mains I had the signature plate. It was OK but, call me uncouth, I prefer the curries from the curry houses at home! My wife had the lobster biryani. She said that the lobster itself was very nice but the flavours weren’t as good as previous visits. We couldn’t remember when Atul Kucher parted company with P&O. You certainly don’t go hungry here, with loads of rice and Indian breads to accompany the mains, as well as a cabbage dish (which was OK) and a lentil Dahl, the look of which was enough to prevent me from trying it 😂 My wife did and said it lacked any flavour. For puds we both had Kulfi which we enjoyed. You get chocolate, mango and (my favourite) pistachio.

 

One thing that has been cut here is the scented jelly sweets and sweet seeds etc that they used to give you with the tea or coffee, and there are no other petit fours provided now. That reminds me. When we were in Epicurean (and as Andy had reported last week), the petit fours are now just the same two chocolate’s that they give you in the MDR. The tiered stand with the lovely quirky petit fours (diddy ice cream cone shaped chocs etc) have also succumbed to the accountants axe!

 

To end the day we went to the theatre for the Vinylettes first show ‘Stop! In the name of love’ for some toe tapping Motown. Weird that when we got back to the cabin at 11.30pm it was still light!

 

So, to conclude, whilst I am trying to give as balanced a review as I can, the positives continue to outweigh the minor negatives. We are enjoying the cruise and the ship. Service has been on the whole very good and whilst we are noticing that, in some areas, the food isn’t as good as it was, we haven’t had a ‘bad’ meal yet. I haven’t even asked for extra veg or larger portions 😂 I am coping fine with the using the App and, aside from the kids in the next cabin stomping around, we seem to have a lovely group of fellow passengers on board. Next stop Skjolden on Monday. 

Glad that, on the whole you are enjoying your cruise. As you will know I try and ignore the niggles ,but there are a few.

[P&O SUE]

Thanks again for your continuing reports Selbourne.

[smokey01]

2 hours ago, 9265359 said:

Also as a hint as regards the confusing lunch menu, they will do the sharing plate on the menu for one (or just order the full thing if you are peckish!). 

On my first Iona trip we often didn’t eat in the MDR at lunchtime as we both didn’t like the same sharing plate. The second time I did ask if it was possible to have a one person portion of a sharing plate and it was no problem. Equally if we do order a sharing plate it still comes as a portion for me on a plate and a portion for mum. So why they bother doing the sharing plate business is crazy and confusing to me.

[Selbourne]

43 minutes ago, smokey01 said:

On my first Iona trip we often didn’t eat in the MDR at lunchtime as we both didn’t like the same sharing plate. The second time I did ask if it was possible to have a one person portion of a sharing plate and it was no problem. Equally if we do order a sharing plate it still comes as a portion for me on a plate and a portion for mum. So why they bother doing the sharing plate business is crazy and confusing to me.

My wife asked for the sharing platter just for herself today but, unlike me, asked if it could be scaled down to a portion for 1 😂 

[9265359]

56 minutes ago, smokey01 said:

So why they bother doing the sharing plate business is crazy and confusing to me.

Trends, the same as moving away from a lunchtime ‘starter / main course / desert’ menu. Most people under 60 would laughat you if you asked if they would sit down to such a menu at lunchtime. 
 

And with the different customers P&O is now attracting comes changes that those customers want - and that includes sharing plates. 

[TigerB]

Nice to read your further report, Selbourne.

 

With you writing about the petit fours, I take it they still serve free tea and coffee in Sindhu on Britannia. On Arvia and Iona, it's from one of the Costa stations, so comes at a cost.

 

Those little cone petit fours were still in Epicurean when we were last on Sindhu.

 

When we were on Arvia in April they still had the jars of preserves and the butter rosettes. On Iona last month the preserves were brought in tiny dishes, as you say, and the butter was cut into sugar cube sized pieces. I thought it was perhaps just Iona then, but from what you describe, it is maybe a fleet wide change.

 

Enjoy the rest of your day🙂

[Selbourne]

7 minutes ago, TigerB said:

Nice to read your further report, Selbourne.

 

With you writing about the petit fours, I take it they still serve free tea and coffee in Sindhu on Britannia. On Arvia and Iona, it's from one of the Costa stations, so comes at a cost.

 

Those little cone petit fours were still in Epicurean when we were last on Sindhu.

 

When we were on Arvia in April they still had the jars of preserves and the butter rosettes. On Iona last month the preserves were brought in tiny dishes, as you say, and the butter was cut into sugar cube sized pieces. I thought it was perhaps just Iona then, but from what you describe, it is maybe a fleet wide change.

 

Enjoy the rest of your day🙂

They do serve free tea and coffee in Sindhu, but we had to ask for it as it wasn’t offered. They just asked if we wanted anything from the bar. Whilst the previous petit fours in Sindhu were a bit weird, to now offer nothing feels a bit like penny pinching, especially in an extra cost restaurant. 

[Eglesbrech]

10 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

They do serve free tea and coffee in Sindhu, but we had to ask for it as it wasn’t offered. They just asked if we wanted anything from the bar. Whilst the previous petit fours in Sindhu were a bit weird, to now offer nothing feels a bit like penny pinching, especially in an extra cost restaurant. 

Lots of little things have disappeared. Nothing that’s major on its own but it is noticeable.
 

Glad to see that you are enjoying most things so far.

[happy v]

38 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

They do serve free tea and coffee in Sindhu, but we had to ask for it as it wasn’t offered. They just asked if we wanted anything from the bar. Whilst the previous petit fours in Sindhu were a bit weird, to now offer nothing feels a bit like penny pinching, especially in an extra cost restaurant. 

On Iona you will be offered an array of chocolate, including the cone. Now there's something to look forward to 😀

[Selbourne]

6 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Lots of little things have disappeared. Nothing that’s major on its own but it is noticeable.
 

Glad to see that you are enjoying most things so far.

You have summed up our thoughts perfectly.
 

We discussed this exact subject over dinner last night. We genuinely haven’t been looking for things that have changed for the worse or have disappeared, but when you are so familiar with how things used to be you just can’t help but notice the changes. I’m not keeping count, but suspect that we have noticed at least 20 things so far. All pretty minor and, of course, those who are new to cruising wouldn’t have noticed any of them, but they do

add up. 
 

By way of balance. all of these small things will add up to millions of pounds worth of cost savings for P&O, based on their scale. If that was going into owners pockets that would be one thing, but they are going in to reducing prices, enabling P&O to offer the cheapest ex-UK cruises. Ok, some of us might prefer to pay a bit more and have many of these nice touches restored, but I suspect that we are in the minority. 

[TigerB]

41 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

They do serve free tea and coffee in Sindhu, but we had to ask for it as it wasn’t offered. They just asked if we wanted anything from the bar. Whilst the previous petit fours in Sindhu were a bit weird, to now offer nothing feels a bit like penny pinching, especially in an extra cost restaurant. 

 

👍

We were taken aback when we first ate in Sindhu on Arvia, back in January, and asked for coffee, only to be told, "It's from Costa so it'll cost ya guv"!

[TigerB]

4 minutes ago, happy v said:

On Iona you will be offered an array of chocolate, including the cone. Now there's something to look forward to 😀

 

But only if you pay for the Costa coffee? 

 

I'm not tight, and our lass would welcome me shelling out for a cappuccino for her, but I drink black coffee and prefer a filter coffee to an Americano; Costa don't serve the former.

[TigerB]

6 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

You have summed up our thoughts perfectly.
 

We discussed this exact subject over dinner last night. We genuinely haven’t been looking for things that have changed for the worse or have disappeared, but when you are so familiar with how things used to be you just can’t help but notice the changes. I’m not keeping count, but suspect that we have noticed at least 20 things so far. All pretty minor and, of course, those who are new to cruising wouldn’t have noticed any of them, but they do

add up. 
 

By way of balance. all of these small things will add up to millions of pounds worth of cost savings for P&O, based on their scale. If that was going into owners pockets that would be one thing, but they are going in to reducing prices, enabling P&O to offer the cheapest ex-UK cruises. Ok, some of us might prefer to pay a bit more and have many of these nice touches restored, but I suspect that we are in the minority. 

 

One of those things is smoked salmon at breakfast. I don't eat ham, so instead of Eggs Benedict I would always ask for Eggs Royale. On Arvia in January I was told that due to supply issues, they served it with a regular salmon fillet on the side. Six months later they are still doing it. It's nice enough, but I prefer the smoked salmon.

The cynical side of me would think it's not a supply issue at all, but another cut back.

[AndyMichelle]

39 minutes ago, TigerB said:

 

One of those things is smoked salmon at breakfast. I don't eat ham, so instead of Eggs Benedict I would always ask for Eggs Royale. On Arvia in January I was told that due to supply issues, they served it with a regular salmon fillet on the side. Six months later they are still doing it. It's nice enough, but I prefer the smoked salmon.

The cynical side of me would think it's not a supply issue at all, but another cut back.

Smoked salmon was available at breakfast on Britannia. 

I don't eat it, but saw others having it whilst 'food perving' 😂

Andy 

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, Eglesbrech said:

Lots of little things have disappeared. Nothing that’s major on its own but it is noticeable.
 

Glad to see that you are enjoying most things so far.

Spot on. 

We were aware of a lot of the cutbacks prior to sailing, so tried to see it from a new cruisers perspective. 

Didn't work, spent half the holiday going 'oh, they haven't got.....'😂

Andy 

 

[9265359]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

We genuinely haven’t been looking for things that have changed for the worse or have disappeared, but when you are so familiar with how things used to be you just can’t help but notice the changes.

Like the disappearance of a proper afternoon tea, canapés in the Crows Nest, wine waiters in the MDR - heck I didn’t even get a map of the ship this time. 
 

Anyway, with a 6:30 all onboard just been watching a couple stroll back to the ship at 6:28 with not a care in the world with the dockside ship’s officer restraining themselves from telling them to get a move on. 

[Selbourne]

4 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

Like the disappearance of a proper afternoon tea, canapés in the Crows Nest, wine waiters in the MDR - heck I didn’t even get a map of the ship this time. 
 

Anyway, with a 6:30 all onboard just been watching a couple stroll back to the ship at 6:28 with not a care in the world with the dockside ship’s officer restraining themselves from telling them to get a move on. 

Damn. I love watching the latecomers and we are on that side too 😂 Must try harder tomorrow. 
 

You can still get the little ship maps / cruise card holders - on request from reception 🙄

[9265359]

6 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Damn. I love watching the latecomers and we are on that side too 😂 Must try harder tomorrow. 

 

So I guess you are currently watching the ‘three point turn’ as well!

[AndyMichelle]

20 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

 😂
 

You can still get the little ship maps / cruise card holders - on request from reception 🙄

Another thing you have to ask for... 

 

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

‘food perving'

Thanks Andy!  Brilliant!  One more for the ‘Boomers’ teach your grandchildren unsuitable phrases’ handbook……..😉

[TigerB]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

Smoked salmon was available at breakfast on Britannia. 

I don't eat it, but saw others having it whilst 'food perving' 😂

Andy 

 

Food perving ...love it!😄

 

It just must be an Arvia and Iona thing then; they probably don't think the clientele they are trying to attract on those ships deserve such luxury.🙄

[Winifred 22]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

You have summed up our thoughts perfectly.
 

We discussed this exact subject over dinner last night. We genuinely haven’t been looking for things that have changed for the worse or have disappeared, but when you are so familiar with how things used to be you just can’t help but notice the changes. I’m not keeping count, but suspect that we have noticed at least 20 things so far. All pretty minor and, of course, those who are new to cruising wouldn’t have noticed any of them, but they do

add up. 
 

By way of balance. all of these small things will add up to millions of pounds worth of cost savings for P&O, based on their scale. If that was going into owners pockets that would be one thing, but they are going in to reducing prices, enabling P&O to offer the cheapest ex-UK cruises. Ok, some of us might prefer to pay a bit more and have many of these nice touches restored, but I suspect that we are in the minority. 

It’s also going towards paying off  the massive debts that were incurred during the pause in operations. I personally like a better price enabling me to cruise more often. 

[TigerB]

36 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

 

So I guess you are currently watching the ‘three point turn’ as well!

 

On Iona last month, Capt Dunlop felt very pleased with himself for naming two manoeuvres when leaving port:

the Stavanger Shuffle and the Haugesund Hustle.

Edited July 10, 2023 by TigerB

[Selbourne]

24 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Another thing you have to ask for... 

 

Here’s yet another Andy. Saw our cabin steward doing nightly cabin service on the nearby suites (they still have them) and mentioned that we had one packet of biscuits on day 1, which I’d eaten, and never seen another since. “Ah Sir. You get one on the first day but then they are by request only” 🤣