Do P&O Take Their Passenger Loyalty For Granted?

[terrierjohn]

Forgive me if I am mistaken but dont P&O send their 2 largest cruise ships to the Caribbean for 4+ months of the year.

They also send the smallest ship to the Caribbean in winter, as well as at least 2 on 70-100 day world or exotic cruises, and send one to do fly cruises in the med in summer, and will be sending one to the Gulf in winter for fly cruises.

So they never have all their ships available for Southampton round trip cruises.

[daiB]

They also send the smallest ship to the Caribbean in winter, as well as at least 2 on 70-100 day world or exotic cruises, and send one to do fly cruises in the med in summer, and will be sending one to the Gulf in winter for fly cruises.

 

So they never have all their ships available for Southampton round trip cruises.

 

 

Come on John get it right.

 

September to Christmas, well after Oceana come back from the Med they have all the ships out of Southampton.

 

You are moving away from my reply to Dave.

 

 

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[Cahpek]

I would have to say that in our opinion P&O take loyalty for granted. We sail P&O for the itinerary but if RCL has a similar one we will choose them first every time. P&O would see a decline is passenger numbers if RCL decide to bring a ship back to the U.K for year round sailing.

 

Gone are the days we looked forward to fine dining and wonderful buffets on P&O, it's now all about the ports for us. The OBC does tend to be higher on P&O but compared to the perks we get on other lines there's no comparison.

 

Re cost cutting. Without seeing P&O figures we will never have a definitive answer, all I can base my assumption of cost cutting on is the quality and variety of food available. If I look back at menus and pics from our early P&O forays and compare then to our last cruise on Ventura.....it's like chalk and cheese.

 

Since you mentioned the quality and variety of the food on the Ventura , when we went on our cruise in Feb. on the Ventura, it was much poorer than when we took the Aurora about two years ago. Granted generally, we thought food on P&O in the MDR and buffet, was seldom really first class, but at least, the food on the Aurora, was better and was quite decent. The buffet on our recent cruise on the Ventura was probably the worst buffet we have ever had out of 10 cruises we have taken . It was not just one or two items but a series of them almost throughout the entire 2-weeks cruise. Was it due to cost-cutting? Who knows? Maybe if P&O could spend less on their marketing using celebrities to star in their TV ads (ok, one celebrity!), and spend a bit more on the quality of their food, perhaps, they could at least maintain the standard.

 

Do P&O take their passengers for granted? Who knows. We just felt that if they gave passengers like us such mediocre quality of catering, and expect to get away from it, then, perhaps, they do take passengers for granted.

Edited April 8, 2017 by Cahpek

[Florry]

Since you mentioned the quality and variety of the food on the Ventura , when we went on our cruise in Feb. on the Ventura, it was much poorer than when we took the Aurora about two years ago. Granted generally, we thought food on P&O in the MDR and buffet, was seldom really first class, but at least, the food on the Aurora, was better and was quite decent. The buffet on our recent cruise on the Ventura was probably the worst buffet we have ever had out of 10 cruises we have taken . It was not just one or two items but a series of them almost throughout the entire 2-weeks cruise. Was it due to cost-cutting? Who knows? Maybe if P&O could spend less on their marketing using celebrities to star in their TV ads (ok, one celebrity!), and spend a bit more on the quality of their food, perhaps, they could at least maintain the standard.

 

Do P&O take their passengers for granted? Who knows. We just felt that if they gave passengers like us such mediocre quality of catering, and expect to get away from it, then, perhaps, they do take passengers for granted.

 

 

There is a strong theme about deterioration of the buffet on a number of threads ☹️

 

 

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[majortom10]

Come on John get it right.

 

September to Christmas, well after Oceana come back from the Med they have all the ships out of Southampton.

 

You are moving away from my reply to Dave.

 

 

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Forgive me but doesnt Azura leave Southampton on 20th October 2017 to the Caribbean and not return until 23rd March 2018 and Britannia leaves Southampton 27th October 2017 and doesnt return to Southampton until 30th March 2018 and finally Adonia leaves on 14th October 2017 and doesnt return until 30th March 2018 so your statement that they have all ships out of Southampton from September to Christmas is incorrect.

[simonpjd]

100 pounds a day will usually get you a balcony in the larger ships. Same price gets a good outside in the smaller vessels with fewer balconies. I reckon that is great value for what you get. Drinks on P&O are pub prices, much much cheaper than any dollar based company. And the Britishness environment suits us. Lots of quizzes, we have still always won at least one quiz on every trip.

If you think 100 quid a day is too expensive then try booking a hotel room in London, no change from 250 for anything half decent.

So let's have less slagging off P&O please. It is a good product.

 

 

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[GlasgowGuy]

The buffet on our recent cruise on the Ventura was probably the worst buffet we have ever had out of 10 cruises we have taken . It was not just one or two items but a series of them almost throughout the entire 2-weeks cruise.

 

I wholeheartedly agree. It was by far the worst we've experienced. I had a meeting with the F&B manager but all I received was spin. It can only improve, there's very little room left for the quality to decline any further.

[peteukmcr]

100 pounds a day will usually get you a balcony in the larger ships. Same price gets a good outside in the smaller vessels with fewer balconies. I reckon that is great value for what you get. Drinks on P&O are pub prices, much much cheaper than any dollar based company. And the Britishness environment suits us. Lots of quizzes, we have still always won at least one quiz on every trip.

If you think 100 quid a day is too expensive then try booking a hotel room in London, no change from 250 for anything half decent.

So let's have less slagging off P&O please. It is a good product.

 

 

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Might be pub prices but are also uk pub measurements which are approximately half the volume of the measures provided by US ships for which I have provided comparisons in the past and P&O don't come out any better.

 

So I'm not slagging off P&O but providing a balanced view which is less than you appear to be able to do. But then again you want us who favour other lines not to sail P&O do you?

[Cahpek]

I wholeheartedly agree. It was by far the worst we've experienced. I had a meeting with the F&B manager but all I received was spin. It can only improve, there's very little room left for the quality to decline any further.

 

Apparently, it was not just the food of the buffet on the Ventura that was so mediocre in standard.

If you read other threads here on Cruisecritic, others have complained about the Arcadia and Azura too, and all within a relatively short period of time. And like yourself, I also complained about the food to the F&B manager, but to no effect. Don't really know why they need that manager there when he did not seem to address the issues raised by paying passengers? Was he there just for show? Seemed like P&O was justing wasting money by employing someone senior like that.

 

Whilst on the Ventura in Feb., in the MDR, we met a nice lady who often took her elderly father for cruises, and she had been with P&O seven times. I asked her what was her impression of the food on P&O ships. She mentioned something about "It has gone downhill". Was she right? Having said that, food apart, I have to say the service of the steward and waiters was generally good.

 

When we discuss things like this, as with other cruise lines, there are P&O "cheer leaders" who would not like us to mention them. All they want is for us to say "glowing" things about their favorite company. For me, if I say anything, I try to check the information to make sure it is right before saying it. Not always perfect, but it's good to try to be fair and honest. Being biased does not help anyone.

 

I just hope that senior management from P&O would read these issues raised, and if they do, they see our comments as being constructive rather than "knocking" the company. If they address these issues, and improve, the company have the potential to be a very good cruise line. But if they don't, they will have no one to blame but themselves if more future passengers move on to other better cruise lines offering better cuisine. The ball is in their court!

 

We have already booked another 14 day cruise for June this year, and it is NOT with P&O. We are not too keen on cruise companies that take passengers for granted.

Edited April 9, 2017 by Cahpek

[bee-ess]

100 pounds a day will usually get you a balcony in the larger ships.

 

I don't think that is true for Select Fare - more like 2k+ for a 2 week cruise minimum for a balcony

[davecttr]

£100 a night! No way if you cruise solo. I budget at least £150 per night and that is increasing. A 7 nighter on Azura this July is £1442 including my past customer discount, over £200 per night for an outside cabin. Oceana in December will cost me £2546, for a 12 nighter, again over £200.

[simonpjd]

Solo cruising is more expensive. You cannot compare it.

As for drinks. I have said this before but...

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon on P&O 30 quid.

Cunard, same owners, 60 USD + 15%.

Can anyone supply Celebrity or RCI equivalent. But P&O half the Cunard price.

 

 

Now I am not saying P&O are perfect. Far from it. But it is a good product at a fair price. No way can it be called expensive. Personally I would rather pay a bit more for a better product but the step up to , say Oceania, is quite a lot. But you should give it a go if you can. A very different experience. Having said that we are with Noble Caledonia next and that is amazing.

Happy cruising everyone.

 

 

 

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[grapau27]

Might be pub prices but are also uk pub measurements which are approximately half the volume of the measures provided by US ships for which I have provided comparisons in the past and P&O don't come out any better.

 

So I'm not slagging off P&O but providing a balanced view which is less than you appear to be able to do. But then again you want us who favour other lines not to sail P&O do you?

The beer choice,Old speckled hen for me is great.

If P&O improved their lunchtime buffet the ships otherwise for us Brits are excellent.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[grapau27]

Apparently, it was not just the food of the buffet on the Ventura that was so mediocre in standard.

If you read other threads here on Cruisecritic, others have complained about the Arcadia and Azura too, and all within a relatively short period of time. And like yourself, I also complained about the food to the F&B manager, but to no effect. Don't really know why they need that manager there when he did not seem to address the issues raised by paying passengers? Was he there just for show? Seemed like P&O was justing wasting money by employing someone senior like that.

 

Whilst on the Ventura in Feb., in the MDR, we met a nice lady who often took her elderly father for cruises, and she had been with P&O seven times. I asked her what was her impression of the food on P&O ships. She mentioned something about "It has gone downhill". Was she right? Having said that, food apart, I have to say the service of the steward and waiters was generally good.

 

When we discuss things like this, as with other cruise lines, there are P&O "cheer leaders" who would not like us to mention them. All they want is for us to say "glowing" things about their favorite company. For me, if I say anything, I try to check the information to make sure it is right before saying it. Not always perfect, but it's good to try to be fair and honest. Being biased does not help anyone.

 

I just hope that senior management from P&O would read these issues raised, and if they do, they see our comments as being constructive rather than "knocking" the company. If they address these issues, and improve, the company have the potential to be a very good cruise line. But if they don't, they will have no one to blame but themselves if more future passengers move on to other better cruise lines offering better cuisine. The ball is in their court!

 

We have already booked another 14 day cruise for June this year, and it is NOT with P&O. We are not too keen on cruise companies that take passengers for granted.

There is no doubt the food offering has gone down over the last 10 years and the crew seem under a lot more pressure now but if the right cruise to suit our holiday times we would definitely get on because everything except the buffet is fantastic value.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[simonpjd]

Just for interest how many of us would pay an extra 25% to get P&O back to where they perceive it was 15 years ago. Probably a bit more 'stuffy'. Better food. Or actually, despite any misgivings, are we basically happy with the product.

 

 

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[daiB]

Just for interest how many of us would pay an extra 25% to get P&O back to where they perceive it was 15 years ago. Probably a bit more 'stuffy'. Better food. Or actually, despite any misgivings, are we basically happy with the product.

 

 

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Have to be more than that. Closer to 40% in my opinion.

 

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[grapau27]

Just for interest how many of us would pay an extra 25% to get P&O back to where they perceive it was 15 years ago. Probably a bit more 'stuffy'. Better food. Or actually, despite any misgivings, are we basically happy with the product.

 

 

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Better food yes but everything else is fine.

 

43 cruises and counting.

[Cahpek]

Just for interest how many of us would pay an extra 25% to get P&O back to where they perceive it was 15 years ago. Probably a bit more 'stuffy'. Better food. Or actually, despite any misgivings, are we basically happy with the product.

 

 

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I think that would be a good thing to do. However, right now, it seems like P&O are only keeping the basic fares (and maybe the drinks prices) low(er), but if you add up all the extras (extra charge for items in room service menu, speciality restaurants, drinks, excursions, spa, etc, etc) , the total you would have spent is not that low. That would just be a fool's paradise thinking you have made a great saving. They seem to be taking a leaf from those low cost airlines (and now even some legacy airlines too), where they "unbundle" their product - sell at a relatively basic low fare, and then make more money by charging ancillary products and services. Nothing wrong with that.

 

On the subject of with this "unbundling" business model in offering basic fares low, you also attract lower grades of society, ie social grade D and E . Has anyone noticed that the passenger profile of P&O has gone down market somewhat lately? Still, nothing wrong with that, I suppose, as everyone should be welcome

 

I just wondered if P&O is secretly targeting the lower social market with lower fares, and thus providing cheaper foods with cooking that is not so refined? And as standards fall, your cruise may not be as luxury as you'd expect or experienced in the past. This is where I may have issue with. P&O ads seem still to portray themselves as a kind of "luxury" cruise but they seem to be chipping off the level of luxury so much some passengers are beginning to get dissatisfied.

 

P&O ought to come out clean and say they are a "low cost" cruise ship, and no more a luxury cruise company. Or they go the other way, raise their prices and raise/maintain their standard especially the standard of their catering. They cannot have the cake and eat it.

 

Please do not shoot me for bringing this up, this is just an observation. It is just for discussion and you could completely disagree with my observation. That's your prerogative!

Edited April 9, 2017 by Cahpek

[bee-ess]

I think that would be a good thing to do. However, right now, it seems like P&O are only keeping the basic fares (and maybe the drinks prices) low(er), but if you add up all the extras (extra charge for items in room service menu, speciality restaurants, drinks, excursions, spa, etc, etc) , the total you would have spent is not that low. That would just be a fool's paradise thinking you have made a great saving. They seem to be taking a leaf from those low cost airlines (and now even some legacy airlines too), where they "unbundle" their product - sell at a relatively basic low fare, and then make more money by charging ancillary products and services. Nothing wrong with that.

 

On the subject of with this "unbundling" business model in offering basic fares low, you also attract lower grades of society, ie social grade D and E . Has anyone noticed that the passenger profile of P&O has gone down market somewhat lately? Still, nothing wrong with that, I suppose, as everyone should be welcome

 

I just wondered if P&O is secretly targeting the lower social market with lower fares, and thus providing cheaper foods with cooking that is not so refined? And as standards fall, your cruise may not be as luxury as you'd expect or experienced in the past. This is where I may have issue with. P&O ads seem still to portray themselves as a kind of "luxury" cruise but they seem to be chipping off the level of luxury so much some passengers are beginning to get dissatisfied.

 

P&O ought to come out clean and say they are a "low cost" cruise ship, and no more a luxury cruise company. Or they go the other way, raise their prices and raise/maintain their standard especially the standard of their catering. They cannot have the cake and eat it.

 

Please do not shoot me for bringing this up, this is just an observation. It is just for discussion and you could completely disagree with my observation. That's your prerogative!

 

 

I think you have it about right. We had started to drift to Celebrity and Princess because we felt they were a better product and better value, especially with a drinks package. But the current economic situation re: exchange rates has bought us back to P&O because of the cheaper on board spend charged in Sterling. We have never really taken many ships excursions but felt that the P&O excursion prices in Sterling were excellent value in the Cariibean recently with 10% off booked pre-cruise, cheaper in fact then the external suppliers when their dollar rates were converted back. There are many things we like about the US lines where P&O fall a bit short (including loyalty perks) but we are sticking with P&O at present.

[Eglesbrech]

Just for interest how many of us would pay an extra 25% to get P&O back to where they perceive it was 15 years ago. Probably a bit more 'stuffy'. Better food. Or actually, despite any misgivings, are we basically happy with the product.

 

 

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I would pay more if the standards improved again. Unless P&O is running a charity they must be cost cutting in some way. The reason I think that is based on pricing:

 

We are booked for a cruise this December. I looked back my records and we booked the same cruise, to the same ports, on the same ship with the same cabin grade in December 2008 and is cost £20 more 9 years ago!

 

So, many years ago the same product was actually more expensive. Now I am no economist but I do know that everything else in life has got more expensive over that period of time.

 

To make up for (my perception) that the standard food onboard is not as good as it once was I tend to book the speciality restaurants for several nights onboard or go to the Glass House so I suppose in some ways I am electing to pay the difference for a better standard.

 

Perhaps that is now the business model, get onboard for a low cost and then pay for the upgrades you want?

[daiB]

I would pay more if the standards improved again. Unless P&O is running a charity they must be cost cutting in some way. The reason I think that is based on pricing:

 

 

 

We are booked for a cruise this December. I looked back my records and we booked the same cruise, to the same ports, on the same ship with the same cabin grade in December 2008 and is cost £20 more 9 years ago!

 

 

 

So, many years ago the same product was actually more expensive. Now I am no economist but I do know that everything else in life has got more expensive over that period of time.

 

 

 

To make up for (my perception) that the standard food onboard is not as good as it once was I tend to book the speciality restaurants for several nights onboard or go to the Glass House so I suppose in some ways I am electing to pay the difference for a better standard.

 

 

 

Perhaps that is now the business model, get onboard for a low cost and then pay for the upgrades you want?

 

 

Re your last Para. I have noticed this comes up on the Princess/RCI boards on here. As well as P&O.

BTW I take my first cruise on Aurora as a bench mark and on all our cruises we have only gone above the £'s pppn two or three times. The one we have booked for 2019 is way below that mark.

 

 

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[jeanlyon]

Last time on Oriana, I have to say the food had improved considerably on the last time a year ago. I think their drink prices are very reasonable. We usually drink the house red and white. Find it perfectly acceptable. We like the odd theme evening in the buffet, Indian or Chinese.

[Eglesbrech]

Re your last Para. I have noticed this comes up on the Princess/RCI boards on here. As well as P&O.

 

 

I can see why and in some ways it makes sense to offer choice. It also ties in with what airlines now do as well. Cheap price to fly and if you want the champagne and the hot meal that used to be included, you pay for it.

[Eglesbrech]

Taking this back to the OPs topic about loyalty yes it's interesting to compare what one cruise line does with another but they are all generous compared to other travel companies.

 

We travel regularly with one company on land based holidays and there is no recognition at all for repeat customers and no expectation that there should be. They provide a product and if you like it you buy it.

[peteukmcr]

On the subject of with this "unbundling" business model in offering basic fares low, you also attract lower grades of society, ie social grade D and E . Has anyone noticed that the passenger profile of P&O has gone down market somewhat lately? Still, nothing wrong with that, I suppose, as everyone should be welcome

 

I just wondered if P&O is secretly targeting the lower social market with lower fares, and thus providing cheaper foods with cooking that is not so refined?

Who do you consider is in 'social grade D & E'? Could you perhaps give an example of how the passenger profile of P&O has gone down market?