P & O upgrades

[jota]

Hi, I haven’t cruised with P&O before but have booked a 3 day out of Bris next month and I’m trying to get the pre cruise planning. We can’t purchase alcohol packages due to 3 day cruise rules and we would like to eat at Luke’s restaurant one night . I also want to avoid the buffet altogether. What are breakfast options if you don’t want to enter the buffet?  Room service? MDR? At cost? 
I’m considering spending $500 for 2 of us to have dinner at Luke’s, 3 room service breakfasts and canapés , which is a lot considering we could both eat in Luke’s with wine for around $200 . Another option would be to try to bid for an upgrade to a suite from our guaranteed mini suite . Do all suites include alcohol packages or room service . Finding it difficult to navigate this info so any advice would be great. Im not trying to spend more, more save money but will be drinking and eating at Luke’s and do enjoy room service breakfast.

Thanks for any suggestions 

 

[guy01]

We had breakfast in the MDR and it was open on disembarkation day. It’s included in your cruise fare.  Personally I didn’t rate Salt having been to one of his restaurants on land I found it pretty ordinary and not worth the additional cost.

[jota]

Thanks, I heard it was worth it from a friend. Let’s see what others think , I was basing it on my experience at previous Princess specialty restaurants , which I found to be silver service experiences. 

[arxcards]

Luke Mangan Salt Grill is one of the best meals you will have at sea. From someone who has dined there more than a dozen times on 5 of P&O's ships, it is excellent and worth the price. Personally, I find it a close race between Princess Crown Grill and P&O Luke Mangan. Luke's has nicer desserts, Crown Grill has better starters.

 

Suites have enhanced room service for breakfast, and nibbles throughout the day. They don't do MDR menu room service like they do on other lines.

Suites do not have alcoholic drink packages, the same as for other cabins the cruise needs to be 7 nights or longer to have grog packages.

Breakfast options are dining room, buffet, or continental room service. Dining room is included, unless you want eggy benny & that is $10. There is a charge for non-suite room service breakfast, and it is a limited menu.

 

On a 3 night cruise, Luke's Bar & Grill will book out quickly. I would recommend that the first thing you do after boarding is to make your reservation.

[mum and son]

If you're concerned about breakfast then I would upgrade to an M1 or MA category mini-suite as they include access to the Byron Beach Club, which includes breakfast at Angelos (only for those in those rooms). It is lovely, and I would think a better way of spending your allocated balcony breakfast money. There are a number of other perks as well, like coffee machine in your cabin, but the access to the Beach Club is the best. 

 

I think Luke's is fantastic. Excellent quality and value for money compared to restaurants on land. We usually order a lot of different dishes and share the food, so I can taste as many things as possible. It's more than enough food to try a selection of the smaller plates than necessarily going with an entree and main per person. Lots of yummy options!

 

 

[ceeceeDee]

Definitely an M1 mini suite if one is available. (With the MA mini suite, I think you pay an extra surcharge on the base price to gain Byron access? I could be wrong. However MA definitely has access one way or another). Perks with a Byron mini suite give you access to Angelo's for breakfast (restricted to Byron mini suites and full suites), the breakfast menu is really good and the service is great (also not crowded) and there is no surcharge for things like eggs benny. Luke's Bar and Grill is worth every cent. Amazing meals. From memory I paid $58 for three courses (8 months ago) and hubby had two for around $48. Drinks were not included in that price but we had a drinks package. You also get a bottomless fruit basket and nightly canapes with a Byron room (not sure that applies to a 3 day cruise, ours was 7 days). BTW the coffee pods for the Nespresso machine are really good quality. We're not exactly the last of the big time spenders, but I would have an uphill battle getting hubby on a P&O cruise in a category below Byron mini suite. The beach club itself is great and the views are spectacular.

[mum and son]

5 hours ago, ceeceeDee said:

Definitely an M1 mini suite if one is available. (With the MA mini suite, I think you pay an extra surcharge on the base price to gain Byron access? I could be wrong. However MA definitely has access one way or another). 

The MA minis now have every perk the M1 minis have, except some soft furnishings in the cabin. Lower category minis (from MB - MF) sometimes get offered access to the Beach Club while onboard for $30pp/pd but do not receive any of the other perks.

 

The MA category minis are actually my preferred category as they are mid-ship whereas the M1s are forward.

[ceeceeDee]

3 hours ago, mum and son said:

The MA minis now have every perk the M1 minis have, except some soft furnishings in the cabin. Lower category minis (from MB - MF) sometimes get offered access to the Beach Club while onboard for $30pp/pd but do not receive any of the other perks.

 

The MA category minis are actually my preferred category as they are mid-ship whereas the M1s are forward.

Thanks so much for the information on MA mini suites and Byron access. I was wondering if MAs got all the perks of an M1 given that the overall cost is cheaper for an MA in our experience. I was fairly certain that the MAs wouldn't have received the soft furnishings make over. The location of the M1s doesn't worry me. We're quite happy with the forward position, tends to be a bit quieter (less foot traffic) and we haven't found that there is more motion (though there probably is) compared to the mid ship position of the MAs. Appreciate your feed back

[jota]

I had a look at a ship tour yesterday and the layout seems the same as the Diamond Princess and I love that ship. First time in a mini suite , looking forward to it .

Thanks for your advice . I’ll try and book Salt when I get on.

[ceeceeDee]

13 hours ago, jota said:

I had a look at a ship tour yesterday and the layout seems the same as the Diamond Princess and I love that ship. First time in a mini suite , looking forward to it .

Thanks for your advice . I’ll try and book Salt when I get on.

I think you'll be very happy with it. As hubby is fond of saying 'once you've tried a Byron mini, there's no going back' to which I reply 'Keep working, dear'🤣

[jota]

When our room was allocated it was an MA so we get to experience the BBC perks , can’t wait 

[mum and son]

1 hour ago, jota said:

When our room was allocated it was an MA so we get to experience the BBC perks , can’t wait 

I love it when that happens. Congratulations!

[ceeceeDee]

13 hours ago, jota said:

When our room was allocated it was an MA so we get to experience the BBC perks , can’t wait 

Please come back after your cruise and let us know what you thought of the MA mini suite (a couple of photos of the cabin would be appreciated if you can manage it!). I hope you thoroughly enjoy your cruise.