Pacific Explorer Dining options on Embarkation

[anjo]

Good afternoon, 

Anyone able to confirm if on Embarkation day one of the Traditional Dining Rooms is available for lunch?

Thanks,

Anjo.

[MicCanberra]

I cannot confirm definitely for Explorer, but P&O had always had the MDR available on embarkation day. Note it usually closed at around 1.30-2pm

[Mycruiseobsession]

On the last 2 I went on last month the MDR was never open on port days for lunch including Embarkation day. Both those times departure  was from Cairns.

One International - to PNG

One Domestic - One way to Brisbane 

 

The pig pen oops I mean the pantry was open until 3pm

 

P&O's included dining hours appear to be the most restricted of all the brands.

[SinbadThePorter]

2 hours ago, anjo said:

Good afternoon, 

Anyone able to confirm if on Embarkation day one of the Traditional Dining Rooms is available for lunch?

Thanks,

Anjo.

 

Not on Explorer last month.

[arxcards]

That is a shame if the MDR is no longer open for boarding lunch on P&O. On our previous Explorer cruises Waterfront was open till 1:30, but haven't been on P&O recently. 

 

Another piece of Carnivalisation?

[ceeceeDee]

Mmmm ..... I'm sure I read somewhere that the Waterfront on Encounter is open on embarkation day for lunch. Unfortunately I can't find/remember where I read it. We'll find out in December when we cruise out of Brisbane. Definitely won't be braving the trough... er ..... Pantry. I'd rather buy a snack at the cafe or just settle for a substantial breakfast and hold out until dinner.

[Aus Traveller]

The dining room was open for lunch on embarkation day on our Pacific Encounter cruise last month.

[Mycruiseobsession]

13 hours ago, arxcards said:

Another piece of Carnivalisation

I think P&O Au have just had to make as many budget cuts as they could to stay afloat.

 

I saw a lot of cuts post covid and I noticed even more between a cruise we took in  Aug 2023 vs May 2024

 

The hours MDR's and The Pantry are shorter.

 

There appears to be less staff on board overall even though the recent cruises were fully booked.

 

Even things like the drink mixers for cocktails e.g. Strawberry Daiquiris, have changed in quality, so much so that they were now pale pink and sour 😝

 

And the chocolates on the pillows are long gone, myth status actually.

 

 

Old Colour Strawberry

 

New Colour 

 

I completely  understand  why they're making cuts, everyone is affected by the increase in the costs of living etc and P&O Au fares haven't  really gone up too much.

 

Just my opinion. 

Edited June 14 by Mycruiseobsession

[Aus Traveller]

37 minutes ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

I think P&O Au have just had to make as many budget cuts as they could to stay afloat.

 

I saw a lot of cuts post covid and I noticed even more between a cruise we took in  Aug 2023 vs May 2024

 

The hours MDR's and The Pantry are shorter.

 

There appears to be less staff on board overall even though the recent cruises were fully booked.

 

Even things like the drink mixers for cocktails e.g. Strawberry Daiquiris, have changed in quality, so much so that they were now pale pink and sour 😝

 

And the chocolates on the pillows are long gone, myth status actually.

 

 

Old Colour Strawberry

 

New Colour 

 

I completely  understand  why they're making cuts, everyone is affected by the increase in the costs of living etc and P&O Au fares haven't  really gone up too much.

 

Just my opinion. 

I haven't noticed that the hours in either the MDR or the Pantry are shorter. For example, even in 2012, P&O's buffet was only open at specific times (not all day like Princess) and I think they are the same now. Hours in the MDR are the same - unless the Pacific Explorer is no longer offering lunch on embarkation day. Otherwise the hours seem to be the same.

 

Choccies on the pillow - I can't recall when P&O ended this (if they ever had them) but I know that Princess ended them with the COVID pause.

[Mycruiseobsession]

32 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Hours in the MDR are the same - unless the Pacific Explorer is no longer offering lunch on embarkation day.

Yes OP asked about Explorer and my 2 most recent cruises were literally a couple of weeks ago on Pacific Explorer. 

 

MDR was not open for lunch on Embarkation day however  the Pantry  had extended hours.

Same with all Port days.

P&O Goodtimes Tuesday 28th May 2024 Port day Rabaul

[Ondine]

On my last P&O (Explorer- 13 nights end of January) we were given chocolates 4 times.  They were Australian ones made somewhere in NSW.  We were very surprised.  Sorry don't remember the brand.

 

This was a funny trip.  In order for the stewards to get toilet paper they had to use up what they had in storage.  It was not unusual to find 4 rolls in your bathroom one day and the next none.  Thought I was going mad. I queried my steward and he explained it was their way of hiding what they had in order to get more.

Edited June 14 by Ondine
Added more

[Aus Traveller]

11 minutes ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

Yes OP asked about Explorer and my 2 most recent cruises were literally a couple of weeks ago on Pacific Explorer. 

 

MDR was not open for lunch on Embarkation day however  the Pantry  had extended hours.

Same with all Port days.

P&O Goodtimes Tuesday 28th May 2024 Port day Rabaul

In my post, I had the comment "unless the Pacific Explorer is no longer offering lunch on embarkation day. Otherwise the hours seem to be the same." What other changes have there been?

 

It has been many years since lunch in the MDR was available on port days.

[Mycruiseobsession]

18 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

31 minutes ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

In my post, I had the comment "unless the Pacific Explorer is no longer offering lunch on embarkation day. Otherwise the hours seem to be the same." What other changes have there been?

 

 

I am not sure what you're asking?

 

I have already confirmed twice that the MDR was not open on the Explorer on Embarkation days (I did back to back cruises)

 

And @SinbadThePorter stated the same.

 

Not here to debate. 

Just stated my most recent observations. You don't  have to agree with them.

 

Have a great rest of the day.

 

Cheers!

[Aus Traveller]

1 minute ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

 

I am not sure what you're asking?

 

I have already confirmed twice that the MDR was not open on the Explorer on Embarkation days (I did back to back cruises)

 

And @SinbadThePorter stated the same.

 

Not here to debate. 

Just stated my most recent observations. You don't  have to agree with them.

 

Have a great rest of the day.

 

Cheers!

My question relates to the following comment -

'I think P&O Au have just had to make as many budget cuts as they could to stay afloat.

 

I saw a lot of cuts post covid and I noticed even more between a cruise we took in  Aug 2023 vs May 2024

 

The hours MDR's and The Pantry are shorter.'

 

I was simply asking what hours of the MDRs and The Pantry are shorter.

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I haven't noticed that the hours in either the MDR or the Pantry are shorter. For example, even in 2012, P&O's buffet was only open at specific times (not all day like Princess) and I think they are the same now. Hours in the MDR are the same - unless the Pacific Explorer is no longer offering lunch on embarkation day. Otherwise the hours seem to be the same.

 

Choccies on the pillow - I can't recall when P&O ended this (if they ever had them) but I know that Princess ended them with the COVID pause.

We used to get Hillier's chocolates on P&O. I am pretty sure we had them right up till covid, as we had an Aussie Day cruise on Explorer in Jan 2020. Our only P&O cruise since covid was the first one back, and there were no chocs for that one.

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

We used to get Hillier's chocolates on P&O. I am pretty sure we had them right up till covid, as we had an Aussie Day cruise on Explorer in Jan 2020. Our only P&O cruise since covid was the first one back, and there were no chocs for that one.

Now you mention the Hilliers' chocolates, I do remember them. I didn't like them very much. I haven't seen them since the re-start after COVID.

[Jean C]

18 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Choccies on the pillow - I can't recall when P&O ended this (if they ever had them) but I know that Princess ended them with the COVID pause.

😭 

[ceeceeDee]

20 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I haven't noticed that the hours in either the MDR or the Pantry are shorter. For example, even in 2012, P&O's buffet was only open at specific times (not all day like Princess) and I think they are the same now. Hours in the MDR are the same - unless the Pacific Explorer is no longer offering lunch on embarkation day. Otherwise the hours seem to be the same.

 

Choccies on the pillow - I can't recall when P&O ended this (if they ever had them) but I know that Princess ended them with the COVID pause.

I have a VERY vague recollection of choccies on the pillow on Pacific Dawn in 2016, but don't recall receiving them since.

[Sparky74]

14 minutes ago, ceeceeDee said:

I have a VERY vague recollection of choccies on the pillow on Pacific Dawn in 2016, but don't recall receiving them since.

I don’t remember chocolates but we started cruising in 2010 and stayed loyal to Royal for a number of years. I remember towel animals every night, spectacular carved fruit displays in the buffet, and ice carving demonstrations every cruise. 
Times change and I must admit that I join in with the moaning about cutbacks but in reality it’s either that or prices will increase even more. We are fortunate that (at the moment) we have a variety of cruise lines to choose from which offer different inclusions and different price points. 
DW & I celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary in November and have a week's leave up our sleeve. I’ve suggested a couple of different cruises as options but she wants to do something different for this special occasion. I’ve priced a few alternatives and I’m still convinced that cruising offers great value for money in spite of rising fares and diminishing inclusions. 
At the risk of going back "on topic" 🤣 we board the Pacific Encounter In three weeks. I wonder if the Waterfront will be open for lunch on barking day. 🤔

[ceeceeDee]

6 minutes ago, Sparky74 said:

I don’t remember chocolates but we started cruising in 2010 and stayed loyal to Royal for a number of years. I remember towel animals every night, spectacular carved fruit displays in the buffet, and ice carving demonstrations every cruise. 
Times change and I must admit that I join in with the moaning about cutbacks but in reality it’s either that or prices will increase even more. We are fortunate that (at the moment) we have a variety of cruise lines to choose from which offer different inclusions and different price points. 
DW & I celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary in November and have a week's leave up our sleeve. I’ve suggested a couple of different cruises as options but she wants to do something different for this special occasion. I’ve priced a few alternatives and I’m still convinced that cruising offers great value for money in spite of rising fares and diminishing inclusions. 
At the risk of going back "on topic" 🤣 we board the Pacific Encounter In three weeks. I wonder if the Waterfront will be open for lunch on barking day. 🤔

Would be very interested to hear your impressions of your cruise when you get back, Sparky. We haven't been on Encounter for over 12 months, though we are booked on her in December. Particularly of interest will be IS the Waterfront open for lunch on barking day?!! We want to avoid the Pantry at all costs (including going hungry 🤣).

 

Happy Anniversary, BTW.

Edited June 14 by ceeceeDee

[Jean C]

40 minutes ago, ceeceeDee said:

Would be very interested to hear your impressions of your cruise when you get back, Sparky. We haven't been on Encounter for over 12 months, though we are booked on her in December. Particularly of interest will be IS the Waterfront open for lunch on barking day?!! We want to avoid the Pantry at all costs (including going hungry 🤣).

 

Happy Anniversary, BTW.

"barking day" - don't ya just love involuntary auto correct!

[Jean C]

22 hours ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

I think P&O Au have just had to make as many budget cuts as they could to stay afloat.

 

I saw a lot of cuts post covid and I noticed even more between a cruise we took in  Aug 2023 vs May 2024

 

The hours MDR's and The Pantry are shorter.

 

There appears to be less staff on board overall even though the recent cruises were fully booked.

 

Even things like the drink mixers for cocktails e.g. Strawberry Daiquiris, have changed in quality, so much so that they were now pale pink and sour 😝

 

And the chocolates on the pillows are long gone, myth status actually.

 

 

Old Colour Strawberry

 

New Colour 

 

I completely  understand  why they're making cuts, everyone is affected by the increase in the costs of living etc and P&O Au fares haven't  really gone up too much.

 

Just my opinion. 

It looks positively anemic 🙁

[Sparky74]

41 minutes ago, Jean C said:

"barking day" - don't ya just love involuntary auto correct!

Sorry, that’s an intentional malapropism. 🤷‍♂️

I start the cruise with barking day and finish with disembowelling day. I make sure we complete our mustard drill and if I have any problems I go and talk to them at guess-who services. 
DW reckons I’m not right in the head. 🤪

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, Jean C said:

"barking day" - don't ya just love involuntary auto correct!

Even if it was, it is a word that truly reflects the occasion.

Barking mad to be in the queues,

Passengers not understanding how things flow are barking at check-in staff,

All the bark marks in your new suitcase when it finally makes it to your cabin,

All those 100% declared healthy passengers with a barking cough,

And then there are many woofing it down at the trough.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

Sorry, that’s an intentional malapropism. 🤷‍♂️

I start the cruise with barking day and finish with disembowelling day. I make sure we complete our mustard drill and if I have any problems I go and talk to them at guess-who services. 
DW reckons I’m not right in the head. 🤪

Don't forget Stewart who cleans your room