Returning to P&O

[JeanieC,Aston]

1 hour ago, Red Ray said:

Exactly. Quintessentially British food (except the calamari obviously) being offered by a British ship - but some people on here choose to sneer at that.

Sneer..???????

Who.
 

Edited September 19, 2023 by JeanieC,Aston

[sandancer]

1 hour ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

But another poster only posted 1 hour ago to say they did a TA on Avia and only dined in the MDR x3 times and the food was average.

So yes it is subjective.

Nobody is talking about the speciality restaurants.

Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. The reason we only dined 3 times in the MDR was not because the food was average but because we were enjoying the variety of the other restaurants. Food might have been great on the nights we didn’t dine there. While we are not paying Cunard or Celebrity prices, we are not expecting their food quality. 

[Red Ray]

26 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Sneer..???????

Who.
 

🤔

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

.....An always available prawn cocktail would be OK.🤣

Eeee bygum them wor days

[Fionboard]

4 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I went to grammar school during the late 50s, and whilst they were in no way gourmet meals, I remember them as being tasty and nutritious, and fairly comparable with the average cafe meal of the time.

My school dinners were tasty too. Ate everything except the watery, woody swede! 

[mrsgoggins]

11 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

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.

I could have written this myself, almost word for word, but especially about the buffet (non) comparison.

 

We sailed Eclipse in January, Iona in March and Silhouette in August. I do have other P&O cruises in the pipeline (Ventura, which we like) but doubt I would book Iona again, although we had excellent meals In Epicurean. Just not for us and not even good value for what we paid.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by mrsgoggins

[daiB]

12 hours ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

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.

Exactly where does it say that food in the MDR is fine dining. If you think any mass catering can be fine dining you are in cloud cuckoo land. 

[zap99]

39 minutes ago, daiB said:

Exactly where does it say that food in the MDR is fine dining. If you think any mass catering can be fine dining you are in cloud cuckoo land. 

We eat out around 3 times a week. Rarely do we sit down and have a three course meal with waiters bringing wine and coffee. MDR food and service is fine occasionally, but sometimes we want to go into a restaurant for a quick couple of courses and move on. Go in about 7.00 ,eat, on to listen to some music and a drink. Into the 10.30 show. Silent disco for a nightcap. MDR fits nicely.

[Interestedcruisefan]

19 hours 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

 

 

Numbers cruising at an all time high

 

Average age of cruisers reducing each year (now age 49)

 

Ships will be full between now and Xmas

 

P and O are getting far more right than they are getting wrong clearly

 

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

On Iona and Arvia the food choice is wider than ever on P and O.

 

So many restaurants to choose from

 

And the price of P and O means that even if you dined and paid extra in a speciality restaurant every night of your cruise you would still be getting much better value than Celebrity

 

The extra costs to dine speciality themselves are great value we find

 

(Rib of beef served in any MDR on any cruise ship although it is no doubt absolutely delicious would not be considered fine dining outside of cruise ships. It's still very much a mass catering option)

 

So it's all comparitive

 

I still vividly remember a rib of beef dinner I had on my first ever cruise (an RCL cruise). That's how great it tasted. I've always ordered it since whenever it's been on the menu on any cruise I've been on.

 

[JeanieC,Aston]

9 hours ago, daiB said:

Exactly where does it say that food in the MDR is fine dining. If you think any mass catering can be fine dining you are in cloud cuckoo land. 

Hi

I was just taking the lead from P&O’s own publicity….

 

“Discover P&O Cruises' fabulous onboard restaurants to suit every mood. Fine dining, room service, kids' menus & more”
 

So is P&O in cloud cuckoo land?

[JeanieC,Aston]

3 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

And the price of P and O means that even if you dined and paid extra in a speciality restaurant every night of your cruise you would still be getting much better value than Celebrity

Hi

Don’t really want to get into comparing,but since you do I will give a example..Just looked.

Fiords next June for 7 nights.

P&O Iona===OV…..£980 pp

Celebrity Apex,,OV,,,£1050.

Not much difference eh!

 
If anyone thinks Iona is in the same class as Apex they have never cruised Apex.

For another £500 I can have WiFi that works and a drink choice that would put P&O to shame,often free pour.

[Interestedcruisefan]

49 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

I was just taking the lead from P&O’s own publicity….

 

“Discover P&O Cruises' fabulous onboard restaurants to suit every mood. Fine dining, room service, kids' menus & more”
 

So is P&O in cloud cuckoo land?

Isn't fine dining referring to Epicurean?

[majortom10]

18 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

Don’t really want to get into comparing,but since you do I will give a example..Just looked.

Fiords next June for 7 nights.

P&O Iona===OV…..£980 pp

Celebrity Apex,,OV,,,£1050.

Not much difference eh!

 
If anyone thinks Iona is in the same class as Apex they have never cruised Apex.

For another £500 I can have WiFi that works and a drink choice that would put P&O to shame,often free pour.

Does the price of Celebrity Apex include, as on P&O, gratuities or are these added daily. Also the price of drinks are much higher on Celebrity and no doubt they had an extra service charge which P&O don't. This can make a lot of difference in price and you are very cleverly not giving a level playing field comparison to rubbish your opinion of P&O.

[Interestedcruisefan]

23 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

Don’t really want to get into comparing,but since you do I will give a example..Just looked.

Fiords next June for 7 nights.

P&O Iona===OV…..£980 pp

Celebrity Apex,,OV,,,£1050.

Not much difference eh!

 
If anyone thinks Iona is in the same class as Apex they have never cruised Apex.

For another £500 I can have WiFi that works and a drink choice that would put P&O to shame,often free pour.

We paid 499 each for Iona Norwegian Fjords for 7 nights in May?

 

No gratuities to add?

 

Don't think it's the same as Celebrity but it offers me all I want from a cruise in  terms of facilities, entertainment and food and dining  options at a fraction of the choice

 

Drinks way cheaper and upgrades to Epicurean a very reasonable price for what you get. Could dine there every night if we wanted at the price they charge

 

And Celebrity doesn't have 710 Club?

 

Why would I want to pay more

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[terrierjohn]

10 hours ago, daiB said:

Exactly where does it say that food in the MDR is fine dining. If you think any mass catering can be fine dining you are in cloud cuckoo land. 

Celebrity Eclipse pre 2017 came very close to fine dining in their MDR, their rack of lamb was delicious. But that was probably because the lamb chops were huge and not the minuscule ones that P&O offer.

Furthermore at that time the cruise prices were very similar, and I have the spread sheet that confirms that.

 

[JeanieC,Aston]

1 minute ago, majortom10 said:

Does the price of Celebrity Apex include, as on P&O, gratuities or are these added daily. Also the price of drinks are much higher on Celebrity and no doubt they had an extra service charge which P&O don't. This can make a lot of difference in price and you are very cleverly not giving a level playing field comparison to rubbish your opinion of P&O.

Hi

Let’s get this straight,,I am not rubbishing P&O I have probably sailed P&O more than most on this forum.

Some supporters take any criticism of any one operation of P&O as criticism of all of P&O.

I sail P&O for the entertainment,,,John Smiths bitter (alas not available on most other lines) to enjoy formal nights,eating in Glass House,,,yes price points,Southampton embarkation,,,,,,,but the OP asked is P&O the same as in the last time he cruised in 2019 and mentioned food in relation to Celebrity.

 

My honest answer,as was others is that MDR choice and quality has sadly gone down,,,nothing more nothing less,no rubbishing,a simple answer to a simple question

 

If some posters can’t accept that,,that’s their problem not mine.

See you on Ventura (never again Iona) next spring and let’s hope the MDR food improves.

 

ps Grats are included on X if you take the AI option,,which I always do,,,,

 

[JeanieC,Aston]

17 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Isn't fine dining referring to Epicurean?

Is it,,I don’t know but P&O doesn’t tell you either giving the impression all its food is fine dining,,,,,that’s advertising for you.

[zap99]

21 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

We paid 499 each for Iona Norwegian Fjords for 7 nights in May?

 

No gratuities to add?

 

Don't think it's the same as Celebrity but it offers me all I want from a cruise in  terms of facilities, entertainment and food and dining  options at a fraction of the choice

 

Drinks way cheaper and upgrades to Epicurean a very reasonable price for what you get. Could dine there every night if we wanted at the price they charge

 

And Celebrity doesn't have 710 Club?

 

Why would I want to pay more

 

We went to the Fjords on Silhouette last year. Very nice too, but about 50% more than P&O. We ate in the MDR mainly. The speciality restaurants worked out at £80pn fir the 2 of us. Comparing fairly doesn't seem to happen sometimes.

[majortom10]

11 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

Let’s get this straight,,I am not rubbishing P&O I have probably sailed P&O more than most on this forum.

Some supporters take any criticism of any one operation of P&O as criticism of all of P&O.

I sail P&O for the entertainment,,,John Smiths bitter (alas not available on most other lines) to enjoy formal nights,eating in Glass House,,,yes price points,Southampton embarkation,,,,,,,but the OP asked is P&O the same as in the last time he cruised in 2019 and mentioned food in relation to Celebrity.

 

My honest answer,as was others is that MDR choice and quality has sadly gone down,,,nothing more nothing less,no rubbishing,a simple answer to a simple question

 

If some posters can’t accept that,,that’s their problem not mine.

See you on Ventura (never again Iona) next spring and let’s hope the MDR food improves.

 

ps Grats are included on X if you take the AI option,,which I always do,,,,

 

I have sailed with P&O, Princess and Cunard since COVID and no doubt Celebrity are the same but they have all sadly the quality has gone down. I have over the 23 years of cruising with P&O been as critical as many so no lover of P&O at any cost but things have to be put into perspective. Returned last weekend from Arvia, not my favourite ship, but having had a balcony cabin with free parking and over £250pp OBC and good in MDR while not fine dining perfectly acceptable and superb good on Epicurean and Sindhu there can be no complaints overall.

[Interestedcruisefan]

13 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Is it,,I don’t know but P&O doesn’t tell you either giving the impression all its food is fine dining,,,,,that’s advertising for you.

Doesn't Celebrity have a "fine dining"  restaurant like Epicurean?

[majortom10]

7 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We went to the Fjords on Silhouette last year. Very nice too, but about 50% more than P&O. We ate in the MDR mainly. The speciality restaurants worked out at £80pn fir the 2 of us. Comparing fairly doesn't seem to happen sometimes.

We recently booked Epicurean pre cruise on Arvia and with 20% discount for booking in advance and then 10% for Peninsular Club tier worked out at £21-60pp which was excellent value which nobody can disagree with.

[JeanieC,Aston]

32 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

We paid 499 each for Iona Norwegian Fjords for 7 nights in May?

 

No gratuities to add?

 

Don't think it's the same as Celebrity but it offers me all I want from a cruise in  terms of facilities, entertainment and food and dining  options at a fraction of the choice

 

Drinks way cheaper and upgrades to Epicurean a very reasonable price for what you get. Could dine there every night if we wanted at the price they charge

 

And Celebrity doesn't have 710 Club?

 

Why would I want to pay more

 

At last I can agree with you,,,Iona isn’t the same as Celebrity,,,,doesn’t even come close.

There is an old saying,,,some people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Im not getting into comparisons,I sail both and enjoy both.

I suggest we stick to the OP question,,,,,,is P&O better or worse than in 2019?

I accept there is more choice on Iona,,,there has to be with 6000 passengers.

But from my experience on Iona in February the MDR was a shambles in choice,quality and service,,,,I did comment on this forum,….but is the same entertainment,food choice or facilities available on say Ventura or Aurora?

 

I don’t think it is as good as it was in 2019.

[zap99]

8 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We recently booked Epicurean pre cruise on Arvia and with 20% discount for booking in advance and then 10% for Peninsular Club tier worked out at £21-60pp which was excellent value which nobody can disagree with.

The Epicurian menu doesn't always suit us, but the experience, pre covid was excellent.  We haven't eaten there on the last few cruises, but gave the others a good bashing. We are on Arvia in April and will be eating everywhere, but probably Keel&Cow most. On Anthem we enjoyed the 3 we tried

[JeanieC,Aston]

13 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Doesn't Celebrity have a "fine dining"  restaurant like Epicurean?

Yes it does it’s called Murano’s.

A bit expensive but people say it’s the best dinner they have ever had,,,only done it once,a bit fussy for me.