Returning to P&O

[killaypirate]

Not cruised with P&O since July 2019. How does it compare now to then. Recent cruises with Celebrity & Azamara. Both becoming poor value for money and in Celebrity's case poor menu choice & quality of food.

[zap99]

33 minutes ago, killaypirate said:

Not cruised with P&O since July 2019. How does it compare now to then. Recent cruises with Celebrity & Azamara. Both becoming poor value for money and in Celebrity's case poor menu choice & quality of food.

The choices in the MDR are less, but you won't go hungry.

[daiB]

49 minutes ago, zap99 said:

The choices in the MDR are less, but you won't go hungry.

Not that much less if at all. We have looked back to menus over the past 15 years. 

Iona is excellent BTW.

[FatBoy20]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

The choices in the MDR are less, but you won't go hungry.

Quality of Food has dropped.

[zap99]

27 minutes ago, daiB said:

Not that much less if at all. We have looked back to menus over the past 15 years. 

Iona is excellent BTW.

We enjoy them all.

[zap99]

19 minutes ago, FatBoy20 said:

Quality of Food has dropped.

We haven't noticed that, but take your word for it.

[terrierjohn]

32 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We haven't noticed that, but take your word for it.

We have enjoyed our 3 post covid cruises on P&O, but both the choice and quality of the MDR food has declined, and when you couple that with the uncertainty about whether you can gain access to the restaurants at a time of your choosing, which was much easier pre covid, then I feel that this is a major issue that P&O needs to fix, but it will be expensive.

[majortom10]

One major difference we have noticed is where in the past at breakfast they did a dish of the day in MDR which changed daily sadly it is no more. Or at least it wasn't on Arvia last week, wife was very disappointed because she used to enjoy corned beef hash with a poached egg.

[daiB]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

We have enjoyed our 3 post covid cruises on P&O, but both the choice and quality of the MDR food has declined, and when you couple that with the uncertainty about whether you can gain access to the restaurants at a time of your choosing, which was much easier pre covid, then I feel that this is a major issue that P&O needs to fix, but it will be expensive.

Sorry don’t agree at all we have been on Ventura, Aurora, Iona and Britannia and the food has been good. Because people had said that there wasn’t not so much choice we have looked a menus from previous cruises and its just not true. Outside of MDR we have found that what is available on Iona in terms of quality and choice is certainly a level above.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, daiB said:

Sorry don’t agree at all we have been on Ventura, Aurora, Iona and Britannia and the food has been good. Because people had said that there wasn’t not so much choice we have looked a menus from previous cruises and its just not true. Outside of MDR we have found that what is available on Iona in terms of quality and choice is certainly a level above.

There may be the same number on the menu, but the choice is much reduced, and of course the always available are now part of the menu whereas previously they were shown separately in small print. There are now 3 veggie or vegan options included on the main menu, rather than only one previously.

Salmon is no longer always available, probably because the price has risen by over 30%, similarly prawn cocktail no longer figures regularly.

The deserts are now rather samey  and the delicious Ice cream sundaes no longer figure on the menus.

I am sure some people will be quite happy with the choice, but we find that more frequently there is nothing that really excites us.

Edited September 18, 2023 by terrierjohn

[daiB]

14 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

There may be the same number on the menu, but the choice is much reduced, and of course the always available are now part of the menu whereas previously they were shown separately in small print. There are now 3 veggie or vegan options included on the main menu, rather than only one previously.

Salmon is no longer always available, probably because the price has risen by over 30%, similarly prawn cocktail no longer figures regularly.

The deserts are now rather samey  and the delicious Ice cream sundaes no longer figure on the menus.

I am sure some people will be quite happy with the choice, but we find that more frequently there is nothing that really excites us.

I work on the principal that i fall back on the steak if nothing takes my fancy. I have only had one steak in 3 cruises. The always available items are the least desirable in my mind. I don’t tend to eat deserts. As I am too full and I keep away from carbs.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, daiB said:

I work on the principal that i fall back on the steak if nothing takes my fancy. I have only had one steak in 3 cruises. The always available items are the least desirable in my mind. I don’t tend to eat deserts. As I am too full and I keep away from carbs.

Trouble is the steak is a very measly 5ozs.

[yorkshirephil]

7 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Trouble is the steak is a very measly 5ozs.

Have two

[JeanieC,Aston]

The difference I can only describe as …..

P&O is school dinners level.

Celebrity is restaurant level.

 

I do agree on Celebrity losing value but that for me is due to price increases.

 

[Angel57]

4 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

The difference I can only describe as …..

P&O is school dinners level.

Celebrity is restaurant level.

 

I do agree on Celebrity losing value but that for me is due to price increases.

 

I wish my school lunches had been equal to the standard of P&O food on offer - shame no pink custard with a skin on the top in the MDR tho 🤣

Edited September 19, 2023 by Angel57

[sandancer]

17 hours ago, killaypirate said:

Not cruised with P&O since July 2019. How does it compare now to then. Recent cruises with Celebrity & Azamara. Both becoming poor value for money and in Celebrity's case poor menu choice & quality of food.

My daughter recently cruised on Apex and ate in Blu. She said the food was excellent. She’s not someone who rarely eats out or is easily impressed. Have to agree though that they are becoming expensive. After 25 cruises with them it’s time to move on, we are not intending to pay the same cost for one cruise as we would possibly pay for two P&O cruises.

[JeanieC,Aston]

1 minute ago, sandancer said:

My daughter recently cruised on Apex and ate in Blu. She said the food was excellent. She’s not someone who rarely eats out or is easily impressed. Have to agree though that they are becoming expensive. After 25 cruises with them it’s time to move on, we are not intending to pay the same cost for one cruise as we would possibly pay for two P&O cruises.

As an Elite on Celebrity that’s the one reason I will not book in the future.

I did Iona in Feb and Silhouette in May and food wise Celebrity won  hands down.

And don’t mention P&O buffets compared with Celebrity’s.

 

Alas I am looking to P&O for my next cruises but never again on Iona.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

The difference I can only describe as …..

P&O is school dinners level.

Celebrity is restaurant level.

 

I do agree on Celebrity losing value but that for me is due to price increases.

 

Having just returned from Arvia and also cruised on Iona in March there is no way you could describe meals in MDR as school dinners level. Of course unless you went to a very expensive private school and paid for the privilege.

Edited September 19, 2023 by majortom10

[zap99]

12 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

There may be the same number on the menu, but the choice is much reduced, and of course the always available are now part of the menu whereas previously they were shown separately in small print. There are now 3 veggie or vegan options included on the main menu, rather than only one previously.

Salmon is no longer always available, probably because the price has risen by over 30%, similarly prawn cocktail no longer figures regularly.

The deserts are now rather samey  and the delicious Ice cream sundaes no longer figure on the menus.

I am sure some people will be quite happy with the choice, but we find that more frequently there is nothing that really excites us.

I miss the prawn cocktails. They show up occasionally,  but don't compare well to the RC offerings.

[Megabear2]

This is interesting from the esteemed leader.  They are very confident.

 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-12532707/P-O-Cruises-weathers-storm-holidaymakers-splash-winter-getaways.html

 

 

[JeanieC,Aston]

I remember P&O food described as Spuds r Us,,,,now it’s ‘Green Beans r Us’.

I don’t see two slices of roast beef,a scoop of mashed potato and three green beans as fine dining.

Oh and don’t forget the bread and butter pudding or a bowl of cold rice pudding,,,,school dinners indeed.

 

If any of you supporters of P&O food ever sail on Celebrity try the Prime Rib of Beef,,,you will see where the school dinners on P&O comes from.

Edited September 19, 2023 by JeanieC,Aston

[JeanieC,Aston]

Just a couple of comments from posters only yesterday returning from a trip to the Baltics…..

“The MDR menu was also a bit of a let down. On paper it looked good , but in reality the food was bland and under seasoned. Oven roasted vegetables were usually just boiled and I never want to see another

string bean again.”
Or….

“We feel that compared to Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, the dinner buffet was miserable in comparison with very little choice and lacking healthy options or vegetables. When we cruised Celebrity, I came home 8lb heavier, with P&O wedidn’t put on any weight which is a sure way to tell that the food was lacking!”

Case rested….😏

[JeanieC,Aston]

Here’s a P&O menu,,,,Chef’s recommendations no less.

Apart from Calamari we had both Main and Dessert for our school dinners.

Edited September 19, 2023 by JeanieC,Aston

[Fionboard]

I cruised exclusively with Celebrity at the start and was Elite. However I stopped using them when single occupancy cost more than double!. They did not want solos. Stick to P&O now. Much cheaper and enables me to do multiple cruises per year. I always eat in MDR and find the food fine on the whole. 

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

This is interesting from the esteemed leader.  They are very confident.

 

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-12532707/P-O-Cruises-weathers-storm-holidaymakers-splash-winter-getaways.html

 

 

There is a lot of spin in there, looking at some of the offers sales cannot be that good. It is not hard to get a two week cruise with P&O now for the price we were paying 20-30 years ago. 

 

I like the emails where they are advertising their best selling cruises cheap, really.

Edited September 19, 2023 by yorkshirephil