New to P & O

[Racdan]

We are going on the Venetian Magic cruise on Arcadia in August and after reading some of the latest reviews we are begining to wonder if we have done the right thing, there seems to be some criticism about standards dropping regarding food and entertainment. We have cruised twice before with Celebrity and had a wonderful cruise each time, so we are a bit apprehensive regarding the comments about P & O cuting corners re the drinks and food. We thought we would try P & O as it means we do not have the hassle of airports and we can start our holiday straight away.

Wouldlove to hear of anyones recent experience.

 

Racdan

[humpy]

hi racdan. we have been on 5 p&o cruises so far and have 3 p&o cruises to go between oct 08 and july 09,we have not got any real complaints about p&o they have always given us everything we have asked for.The fact that you can go from southampton makes for an easy start to the cruise.The staff have always been very pleasent and helpfull,ok the food sometimes in the self service buffet venues wasnt brilliant but thats all.If there was any critisism about any cruise its the moaning of some people about the smallest of things.We were on the maiden voyage of ventura and most of the complaints were from old old age pensioners that the ship wasnt built for the likes of us.So all i say is go with an open mind and ignor every bad coment and enjoy your holiday,it cost enough!!!! happy sailing,humpy.

[Gerrym]

I am not much use to you as our 2 favourite cruise lines are Celebrity and P&O.

 

Celebrity could be considered more luxurious by some (me!) and does not cut corners.

 

P&O have the better food and staff.

 

All my opinion of course.

[southwinds]

Its a case of different boats for different folks, you really have to try P&O to see if it suits you...

[Cabinboy1943]

Hi Racdan

 

We have recently returned from our 7th cruise with P&O. There have been some changes over that time but nothing major. We have always found the staff helpful and friendly and some entertainment good, some not so good. But there again nothing is perfect. The odd thing is you can listen to people complaining about one thing or the other, and then they end up by saying they have already booked for their next cruise. I have never worked that one out. I will say one thing though, if I hear again the phrase "It was not like this on Canberra" I will be tempted to suggest keel hauling be brought back. :mad::mad:

I am sure you will have a great cruise. Happy Sailing.

 

Regards

cabinboy

[daiB]

We are going on the Venetian Magic cruise on Arcadia in August and after reading some of the latest reviews we are begining to wonder if we have done the right thing, there seems to be some criticism about standards dropping regarding food and entertainment. We have cruised twice before with Celebrity and had a wonderful cruise each time, so we are a bit apprehensive regarding the comments about P & O cuting corners re the drinks and food. We thought we would try P & O as it means we do not have the hassle of airports and we can start our holiday straight away.

Wouldlove to hear of anyones recent experience.

 

Racdan

 

 

 

Do not worry about some of the things you read, we have been on 10 P&O cruises over 7 years and have found the food to be of a good reliable standard.

 

However there are people who like different things and if they feel they have had a bad meal then their perception of the food on offer is tainted.

 

If you read the posts of all the cruise lines you will find on CC, you will find some cruisers complain about aspects of their cruise lines.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

[Gerrym]

If you read the posts of all the cruise lines you will find on CC, you will find some cruisers complain about aspects of their cruise lines.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

 

 

Dai, sorry mate, but is that not an objective of a review?

 

Complain about the negative.

 

Praise the positive.

 

Just a thought!

 

:)

[daiB]

Dai, sorry mate, but is that not an objective of a review?

 

Complain about the negative.

 

Praise the positive.

 

Just a thought!

 

:)

 

Possibly in the purest sense but what we get are generalised reports and people who have had a great time wanting to share that with other people.

My point is that the OP was concerned about P&O in general because of a few negative reviews. Now all I saying is that you get negative reviews about all cruise lines.

 

The objective of most reviews is to share the fantastic time they have had on their cruise whichever cruise line they are with.

 

The OP also asked for recent experience well we have had 2 cruises in the past 10 months, and his post clearly was looking for positive feedback counter some of the negative reports he has had.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

[Gerrym]

I see, yep, agree with that!

 

G

[ps646566]

P&O have been penny-pinching for years - ever since the days of Lord Sterling priming the company up for sale. But not on food in my experience. I have seldom if ever had a really bad meal on P&O, and the vast majority of dining experiences range between good and excellent. The same goes for service.

 

They penny-pinch on little things peripheral that they think they can get away with.

 

But the main way that they try to increase their revenue stream is by introducing things they can sell us and pushing them hard :- spa treatments, fitness instruction, alternative dining, art sales, etc etc.

 

If your cruise experience depends heavily on such things then it will cost you dear. But if like us you mostly steer clear of them then P&O still represents good holiday value for money.

[wanchad]

Sometimes the entertainment leaves alot to be desired.But then again that is down to individual opinions i suppose.But you will find the overall experience of a P&O cruise is fantastic.

[tom_uk]

I've cruised twice with Celebrity (Galaxy, in the Med), and we've got a Med cruise booked on Solstice for 2009; and we've just come back from a mini-cruise on Oriana, with another P&O cruise to follow on Ventura later this year.

 

My take, after Galaxy & Oriana? Well ,I think that Oriana is a better ship than Galaxy, but that might not be relevant in the case of the OP! We felt that service came with more of a smile on Celebrity; that said, service on Oriana was never bad, just not quite as 'chatty' as on Galaxy. Despite the claims of penny-pinching on P&O, we found them generous in certain areas: no 15% gratuity add-on for bar bills, and no charge for the shuttle bus at Zeebrugge, whereas Celebrity charged for the shuttle bus at Livorno, and at Mykonos (from Tourlas harbour to Mykonos town - all of 2 kilometers!)

 

We found the food on Oriana to be fine. It's definitely more to british tastes - british cuts of meat, curries, kippers for breakfast, and indeed the 'full english' breakfast of you want it. But still very good.

 

Both companies have excellent products; they're just a bit different from each other.

[daiB]

I've cruised twice with Celebrity (Galaxy, in the Med), and we've got a Med cruise booked on Solstice for 2009; and we've just come back from a mini-cruise on Oriana, with another P&O cruise to follow on Ventura later this year.

 

My take, after Galaxy & Oriana? Well ,I think that Oriana is a better ship than Galaxy, but that might not be relevant in the case of the OP! We felt that service came with more of a smile on Celebrity; that said, service on Oriana was never bad, just not quite as 'chatty' as on Galaxy. Despite the claims of penny-pinching on P&O, we found them generous in certain areas: no 15% gratuity add-on for bar bills, and no charge for the shuttle bus at Zeebrugge, whereas Celebrity charged for the shuttle bus at Livorno, and at Mykonos (from Tourlas harbour to Mykonos town - all of 2 kilometers!)

 

We found the food on Oriana to be fine. It's definitely more to british tastes - british cuts of meat, curries, kippers for breakfast, and indeed the 'full english' breakfast of you want it. But still very good.

 

Both companies have excellent products; they're just a bit different from each other.

 

Hi Tom,

 

I have been following your blog and I have been enjoying your cruise with you.

 

I think you have hit the nail on the head, cruise lines are different and different people find good and bad in each of them. There are no bad cruise lines, they cannot afford to be!!

 

I have no doubt at all that we would enjoy Celebrity or Princess or Holland America because we like cruising.

 

At some point in time I would imagine that we will try these other brands but at the moment there are so many P&O cruises we want to try, that we do not have the time.

 

I hope you enjoy Ventura as much

 

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

:cool:

 

 

Dai

[Norfolk Brit]

We are going on the Venetian Magic cruise on Arcadia in August and after reading some of the latest reviews we are begining to wonder if we have done the right thing, there seems to be some criticism about standards dropping regarding food and entertainment. We have cruised twice before with Celebrity and had a wonderful cruise each time, so we are a bit apprehensive regarding the comments about P & O cuting corners re the drinks and food. We thought we would try P & O as it means we do not have the hassle of airports and we can start our holiday straight away.

Wouldlove to hear of anyones recent experience.

 

Racdan

 

We came back from our first P&O cruise on Arcadia yesterday; we've done only two previous cruises, on QM2 and QE2. I would describe our experience as mixed: staff excellent (on the whole probably better than Cunard, particularly in the bars), food in the main restaurant rather dismal - everything understandably geared up to British tastes, complete with Bisto gravy (or whatever brand they use) on everything. The regulars we spoke with said they were "used to it" (we did not preface our questions with any negative remarks). The newcomers to P&O universally thought it rather grim. We ate in Rhodes on four of our fourteen nights, and would have eaten there more often had it not been booked up during the time that Mr Rhodes was onboard.

 

The buffet did excellent salads at lunchtime (we didn't think our tolerance levels could cope with the main restaurant more than once a day), but desserts were of the 'take it out of the freezer and thaw it' school of cookery. And they appear to have got a bit of a synthetic cream glut, which even appeared with the scones at afternoon tea in both eating areas.

 

I'm sorry I can't be more positive about the food. Can't help with the entertainment as we are not fans, but mixed responses from others, although there was a superb classical pianist in the Crow's Nest. However, we did have a wonderful time, particularly with our tablemates, all newcomers to P&O and interested in food, we had more fun analysing the origins of the meals than we would have done had they been perfect. Oh, I almost forgot, on the first night we were served Bird's Eye (or Tesco Value, or whatever) croquet potatoes, resplendent in bright orange breadcrumbs. Took me back a few years to my children, when aged about two, who thought them the height of culinary excellence. And, rather sadly, my lobster appeared to have passed away in infancy...

 

Mary

[soletread]

Sorry got to say pensioners moaning about the Ventura not being deisgned for them

 

Do these people not look at the brouchers or read the media hype P&O could not have made it clearer she was a planned family friendly ship.

 

Mind you lots of pensioners appear not to like the Arcadia either as she is too contemporary. Not I want Moaning Pensioners on the Arcadia anyway thank you very much

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

Sorry got to say pensioners moaning about the Ventura not being deisgned for them

 

Do these people not look at the brouchers or read the media hype P&O could not have made it clearer she was a planned family friendly ship.

 

Mind you lots of pensioners appear not to like the Arcadia either as she is too contemporary. Not I want Moaning Pensioners on the Arcadia anyway thank you very much

 

Well, I'm not a moaning pensioner. And I loathed Arcadia.

 

Cramped cabin with too much furniture (C193) and a very dreary bathroom. Ship too full of people - and having done the same itinerary on QE2 it isn't the two night factor coming out - and the food was quite appalling. Vegetables were clearly cooking for the entire previous cruise. Steak was poor meat badly cooked. And with a red plastic cowboy to show which was the rare one, and which the medium rare. Not that mine was rare at all - the redness was missing from the centre. I'd have said medium rare. Our table was at the rear and there was a constant drone from the pods, and vibration again.

 

It really wasn't a good experience. But the food was the real low. It was unspeakable. I think Norfolk Brit is too kind, but things may have improved since I was on.

[Norfolk Brit]

It really wasn't a good experience. But the food was the real low. It was unspeakable. I think Norfolk Brit is too kind, but things may have improved since I was on.

 

Fifty Dollar Bob, I was trying terribly hard to be tactful. Things can't have improved, as they could have been no worse in the past. It is a physical impossibility.

 

Mary

 

PS I believe the red plastic cowboy denoted 'well done'. I know this because they tried, unsuccessfully, to palm one off onto me.

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

PS I believe the red plastic cowboy denoted 'well done'. I know this because they tried, unsuccessfully, to palm one off onto me.

 

It should have denoted badly done.

 

It certainly wasn't well done - although I suppose it could have been a badly done well done steak.

 

I try not to think about it.

[Norfolk Brit]

Or badly sourced and badly done. It certainly died in vain.

 

Mary

[old git]

thankyou you people i'm going on it on the 5th july!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

thankyou you people i'm going on it on the 5th july!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well, you may be pleasantly surprised. Unlikely to be disappointed!!!

 

I do hope you have a good time - it is of course what you think that matters for your trip.

 

Not that I don't stand by my comments, but still wish you a good cruise.

[melisbest]

Im a pensioner and Ive been on the Arcadia and next week Im going on Ventura with all the families and of the 4 cruises we have been on we have not found one thing to complain about.With 3000 plus people on a cruise ship not everything is going to be perfect for everyone, Just go on board take advantage of all the facilities and enjoy your self.

[Norfolk Brit]

thankyou you people i'm going on it on the 5th july!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I also hope you have a wonderful time, but it is surely better to set off with realistic expectations. I found it helpful to read the various forums, work out the posters with whom I probably had most in common, and trust their judgement.

 

I also took the advice of two trusted regular posters on P&O formal dress, and it was absolutely correct. I left my beaded/sequined gowns at home, and am very glad that I did; the few ladies who were wearing very formal dresses were greatly in the minority, although nearly all the men wore dinner jackets, and this was on a Baltic cruise, which I assume would probably attract a rather more traditional passenger than, say, the Med. Most of the ladies were wearing what I would describe as summer wedding guest dresses. Many were in ordinary trousers with tops. This is an observation, and not a criticism.

 

Enjoy your cruise,:)

 

Mary

[Racdan]

Many thanks for all your replies, they seem to be very mixed, as many of you said different things for different people, I am going to go and enjoy myself, the itinary loooks great and I am sure everything will be fine. With reference to Norfold Brits comment about formal gowns, I have just bought a long black formal as the other cruises I have been there was quite a large proportion of ladies in formal gowns, I know I will enjoy getting glammed up as I don't have much opportunity these days. Once again thanks for your comments.

 

Racdan

[Racdan]

Many thanks for all your comments. they are very mixed, as many of you comment different things for different people so I'm going with an open mind and I'm sure I will enjoy myself, the itinary looks good and the weather should be wonderful. With reference to Norfolkbrits comment about formal gowns, I have just purchased a long black formal as the two pervious cruises, one of which was the Med, there were quite a few ladies in formal gowns, I'm going to enjoy getting glammed up as there is not much opportunity these days (I don't get out much!!!)

 

Racdan