P&O versus Cunard

[davecttr]

No, not snobby, very down to earth but they have seen a deterioration in cruise standards for the many years they have sailed with P&O - but maybe that's just a reflection on society.

 

Yes, P&O are happy to take the £££ and probably couldnt care where it comes from.......until they start losing their loyal high spending customers and find their ships full with the bargain bucket brigade!

 

I think in the "good old days" cruising wasnt very main stream and wasnt really seen as an option by many but then Thomson and Airtours both launched cruise programmes and gave people who may not have cruised a way into cruising and those people have been moving from line to line bringing some undesirable elements with them.

 

Its the same in the USA, in the old days youths on spring break didnt really cruise and if they did they went with Carnival. We were on Princess in March and it was full of spring breakers - how times have changed!

It must be a wind up :rolleyes:

[davecttr]

I used to follow the Cunard threads a few years ago and people were very worried there that standards were slipping as the transatlantics got cheaper.

Unfortunately, cheaper prices enabled the tattooed, tabloid reading crowds to sail!

It quite upset the regulars to see coloured bow ties; cream dinner jackets, sometimes worn with black shirts :eek: and women in wedding guest outfits purporting to be evening wear!

It's a sad world for some folk.

 

Sorry, I forgot to mention the ready made bow ties!

 

That must be the P&O crowd then because the majority of them read the daily wail and that is a tabloid. how do i know? check out the newspaper sales on return to southampton. A huge pile of wails, smaller pile of telegraphs, still smaller pile of that comic that goes on about lady di all the time (express), a few times and guardians and even less mails and suns. ;)

 

I have read that bit of snobbery before. I wear a ready made bow tie for medical reasons :mad:

[davecttr]

We have cruised with both.

This is just my opinion ( before I get shot down!!!)

 

In my opinion Cunard wins hands down.

The food was better - wider choice - more international dishes

The cabins and bedding are better - I spilt coffee on the sheet on Oceana ( in a suite!) and the bed was remade with the dirty wet sheet!

The entertainment is probably slightly better on P&O.

The Oceana buffet restaurant was like a motorway canteen with people pushing and shoving as if it was the last meal they would ever eat.

..never again!

 

did you complain?

 

the Plaza buffet on Oceana is quiet and relaxed, especially in the evenings. As with all buffets the secret is to avoid the busy times.

[richleeds]

That must be the P&O crowd then because the majority of them read the daily wail and that is a tabloid. how do i know? check out the newspaper sales on return to southampton. A huge pile of wails, smaller pile of telegraphs, still smaller pile of that comic that goes on about lady di all the time (express), a few times and guardians and even less mails and suns. ;)

 

I have read that bit of snobbery before. I wear a ready made bow tie for medical reasons :mad:

 

The Daily Mail is also the most read paper in First and Club World on British Airways.

[davecttr]

The Daily Mail is also the most read paper in First and Club World on British Airways.

Makes you worry about those passengers if all they can read is a comic. they should be reading broadsheets ;)

 

Oops, must go on holiday, bye :D

[NauticalMiss]

We are recent converts to P&O having previously sailed Cunard and Celebrity. Loved Cunard each time, did not like Celebrity (only once). However the only line we have FUN on is P&O - the best ever was on Arcadia in March. The entertainment team and the crew really went the extra mile. It's people who make the difference to your holiday experience.

 

One thing I would say is that we were surprised at the amount of beer-bellies and tattoos on show on Azura last November, but they're easy to avoid. What we found to be worse was the number of fellow diners who try too hard to be 'posh'. They'd boast and brag, and talk about the golf club, and the car, blah blah blah...... They were far more annoying and were harder to avoid. At one point, a lady was going on about her son so much - saying that he was "something really big in Vancouver, I fought hard not to reply with "Does that mean he's a fat Canadian?" (no offence to any Canadian posters) Grr.

[Host Sharon]

We are recent converts to P&O having previously sailed Cunard and Celebrity. Loved Cunard each time, did not like Celebrity (only once). However the only line we have FUN on is P&O - the best ever was on Arcadia in March. The entertainment team and the crew really went the extra mile. It's people who make the difference to your holiday experience.

 

One thing I would say is that we were surprised at the amount of beer-bellies and tattoos on show on Azura last November, but they're easy to avoid. What we found to be worse was the number of fellow diners who try too hard to be 'posh'. They'd boast and brag, and talk about the golf club, and the car, blah blah blah...... They were far more annoying and were harder to avoid. At one point, a lady was going on about her son so much - saying that he was "something really big in Vancouver, I fought hard not to reply with "Does that mean he's a fat Canadian?" (no offence to any Canadian posters) Grr.

 

 

Glad I am not the only one to find that out! Cunard is OK, but I found the food much worse on QM2 last December and bear in mind now that the Exec. Chefs cross both lines now and the same suppliers are used for both lines. I think those that keep on about the Butlins at Sea experience chose the wrong ship and that is the problem with P&O. They try and cater for everyone by having different styles on the different ships. Oriana and Adonia are worlds away from Ventura, in my experience anyway.

[soobs]

In MO food is better on Cunard or at least on a QM TA, e.g. smoked salmon is available every breakfast, most steaks are fillet not rump or sirloin as on P & O, but it all depends on what you want.

Yes P & O is more fun and more of a holiday, Cunard was about feeling special and we did feel special.

 

Don't get this issue about tattoos, I don't have any and don't really like them but my daughter's do and as they say David Beckham does too just because you have tattoos doesn't mean you are not a worthy member of society!! Nether does having a beer belly - oh to be perfect in the eye of who????

[richleeds]

Don't get this issue about tattoos, I don't have any and don't really like them but my daughter's do and as they say David Beckham does too just because you have tattoos doesn't mean you are not a worthy member of society!! Nether does having a beer belly - oh to be perfect in the eye of who????

 

I think it's the MAM and DAD tattoo'd on the knuckles that people don't like, and some of the husbands are just as bad.

[Presto2]

We've met people with tattoos who are a nightmare and have met people with tattoos who are lovely. Similarly, we have met people without tattoos - with an attitude - who we could quite easily have thrown overboard.

 

Don't judge a book ----

[Elviex]

Perhaps Heywood would like to provide some fashionista tips for us ladies as to what constitutes "formal" wear....:confused:I can see no guidelines saying wedding outfits don't count!! And what is he definition of wedding outfit"? All very amusing!!:D

[Denarius]

Why oh why are some P&O passengers obsessed with what other people are wearing? I could not give a hoot as long as acceptable standards of hygiene, presentation and modesty are observed.

[Elviex]

I quite agree Denarius but sadly some people do get upset! I love people watching and enjoy seeing what others are wearing,

[dgs1956]

I'm not sure if it is that people are obsessed with what others wear. I think they book a P&O cruise with certain expectations and with an understanding that there is a certain standard of dress and they can't understand why others either complain about the dress codes or fall short of the required standard.

By far the vast majority are entirely happy with the Dress Codes and those that complain keep on at it in an attempt to get the standard dumbed down. We who are happy with the standard are entitled to express our view that we prefer the way things are.

Personally I'm more than fed up hearing people moaning about formal dress and how P&O should change to suit what at the end of the day is a very small minority.

If people don't like it then they should select a cruise line that suits their needs better.

David

[heywood]

Perhaps Heywood would like to provide some fashionista tips for us ladies as to what constitutes "formal" wear....:confused:I can see no guidelines saying wedding outfits don't count!! And what is he definition of wedding outfit"? All very amusing!!:D

 

Oh, that was the folk on that board - it amused me also.;) I would say it is mainly a Cunard thing.

It was brought to mind by Midsomer Madness's statement "Just because a dress is long it doesn't make it formal.."

[west2000]

I'm not sure if it is that people are obsessed with what others wear. I think they book a P&O cruise with certain expectations and with an understanding that there is a certain standard of dress and they can't understand why others either complain about the dress codes or fall short of the required standard.

By far the vast majority are entirely happy with the Dress Codes and those that complain keep on at it in an attempt to get the standard dumbed down. We who are happy with the standard are entitled to express our view that we prefer the way things are.

Personally I'm more than fed up hearing people moaning about formal dress and how P&O should change to suit what at the end of the day is a very small minority.

If people don't like it then they should select a cruise line that suits their needs better.

David

Have to agree about complaining about dress codes as they are clearly stated in all brochures and online etc however with regard to falling short of the required standards, I do feel from many posts that these standards are not P&O standards but those of fellow passengers who feel it is their right to judge and comment about others. From experience passengers on Cunard are far more friendly and far less snobbish about all things. Maybe they have the wisdom to know that life is not a competition and don't feel they have anything to prove.

[Oliversgrandma]

We have cruised only twice, once with P&O (Adonia) and once with Cunard (QE). We really enjoyed both cruises. Differences were:

 

1. Passengers. P&O almost exclusively British. Cunard totally international (on the fly/Med cruise we were on). Not many tatoos to be seen on either ship!!

2. Dress. On Adonia everyone adhered to the dress code, very traditional. On QE, the formal evenings were WOW - lots of very glitzy people dressing up (lovely to see actually - especially the Japanese and Americans).

3. Food. Loved the food on Adonia, also on Cunard. The Cunard experience was perhaps more adventurous??

4. Drinks. More expensive on Cunard. Considerably so over two weeks. The P&O cocktails were great.

5. Afternoon tea. We really enjoyed this on Cunard - the white gloves, the music, the whole experience. Nothing comparable on P&O.

6. Overall, my other half preferred the P&O experience (more relaxed, less "keeping up with the Joneses") but I liked Cunard for the beautiful ship, artwork, better cabins.

 

We have a 28 night cruise booked on Adonia next January but would go with Cunard again at the drop of a hat if the itinerary/price appeals.