Help re Thomson V P & O

[Nellie100]

I have looked on the search but cannot find an answer to my specific question, I am looking at options for our pre |Xmas Caribbean cruise, cannot get Manchester flights with P & O so looking at Thomson I have checked out the search for most things just cannot find an answer to this one: I love the breakfast's in the main dining room how does this compare on Thomson?

thanks in advance

[davecttr]

Marella main dining rooms are open for waiter service breakfasts

[davecttr]

I am taking you seriously. Try asking on the Marella forum here on cruise critic. Also say which ship you are interested in. I do know they do daily specials for breakfast and omelettes etc etc. On my last cruise on discovery they had smoked salmon at breakfast in the mdr

[janny444]

Hi....I too still call them Thomson...can't be doing with all the name changing and I think the majority of people will know to which company you refer when you call them Thomson. When I book in the " Thomson" shop they don't make a comment when I refer to them as Thomson and not the name it goes under at the current time.

From memory you can have breakfast in MDR which had a similar menu as Pando or breakfast in the buffet.

[Britboys]

I was on Discovery 2 in January in the caribbean. The MDR is open for breakfast. If I recall rightly, Fruit, cereal, yogurt etc is all self-service, with hot food being served. Personally, I felt the quality of the food was very, very poor in comparison to P&O.

[Nellie100]

Thank you for your replies,

Britboys that's a bit worrying as I really enjoy my breakfast inthe MDR so that's a big of a negative for me but thank you

Janny444 thank you for yourcomments that people will have understood that I mistakenly called MarellaThomson again thank you for your comments

Davecttr, I stand corrected on the name and yes I was asking aserious question, I asked on the P & O forum as usually I receive goodhonest answers and was interested in the opinions of regular P&O passenger thathad travelled with both lines. Thank you for your reply although I do think itcould have been worded a little more politely.

Susan

[davecttr]

Thank you for your replies,

Britboys that's a bit worrying as I really enjoy my breakfast inthe MDR so that's a big of a negative for me but thank you

Janny444 thank you for yourcomments that people will have understood that I mistakenly called MarellaThomson again thank you for your comments

Davecttr, I stand corrected on the name and yes I was asking aserious question, I asked on the P & O forum as usually I receive goodhonest answers and was interested in the opinions of regular P&O passenger thathad travelled with both lines. Thank you for your reply although I do think itcould have been worded a little more politely.

Susan

Nellie, My post #3 to which you are referring was post #4 when I wrote it. It was the original post #3 since removed by the moderators? which was being sarcastic and I was responding to that.

 

Breakfasts in the main dining room on Marella are a mixture of self serve and waiter service. when seated you place your order and then you can help yourself to cereals, yogurts etc while the hot food is being prepared. hot drinks and toast are also provided by the waiters..

[Britboys]

I think I have come to the conclusion that Marella are the Marmite of cruise lines in that people either seem to love them or hate them. I can't stand Marmite and Marella are not for me either on the basis of the one cruise I have had with them in January. I did have a full review published on this site in February - but there is not a lot of positives in it I am afraid. There were however plenty of pax on the cruise that were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

[LondonTowner]

I think I have come to the conclusion that Marella are the Marmite of cruise lines in that people either seem to love them or hate them. I can't stand Marmite and Marella are not for me either on the basis of the one cruise I have had with them in January. I did have a full review published on this site in February - but there is not a lot of positives in it I am afraid. There were however plenty of pax on the cruise that were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

 

 

 

I think I have to agree with you, even though I haven’t been on a Marella cruise, but have done two with P and O. I joined a Marella Facebook group as we liked their Cuban Fusion itinerary.

 

However, although they claim to be AI there seem to be lots of extras you pay for. Their buffets seem to close early and there are no set tables with sittings in MDR, all freedom dining, which we don’t like.

 

They don’t have proper formal nights, which we enjoy, they call them Dress to Impress. However, seems a lot of people don’t bother.

 

Anyway, lots of things put us off. This year we have been with Cunard, which we really liked. Our next one is booked with Celebrity, so will see how that goes.

 

 

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[Nellie100]

thank you all and thank you for the explanation regarding the posts that had been removed i'm glad I didn't see as I don't attacking emails I find them upsetting and rather glad I don't have people like that in my life

Davecttr apologies for assuming you were directing it at me and thank you for your comments - I am not sure Thomson is for me I keep looking and love the paradise islands and tropical delights itinerary and am struggling to get Manchester flights for the November P & O cruises which is why I am still wondering about Thomson

[davecttr]

thank you all and thank you for the explanation regarding the posts that had been removed i'm glad I didn't see as I don't attacking emails I find them upsetting and rather glad I don't have people like that in my life

Davecttr apologies for assuming you were directing it at me and thank you for your comments - I am not sure Thomson is for me I keep looking and love the paradise islands and tropical delights itinerary and am struggling to get Manchester flights for the November P & O cruises which is why I am still wondering about Thomson

 

No problems Nellie, glad it is all cleared up, sorry to hear about your airport problem, is Gatwick just to far? I guess Manchester is the nearest

[davecttr]

I think I have to agree with you, even though I haven’t been on a Marella cruise, but have done two with P and O. I joined a Marella Facebook group as we liked their Cuban Fusion itinerary.

 

However, although they claim to be AI there seem to be lots of extras you pay for. Their buffets seem to close early and there are no set tables with sittings in MDR, all freedom dining, which we don’t like.

They don’t have proper formal nights, which we enjoy, they call them Dress to Impress. However, seems a lot of people don’t bother.

 

Anyway, lots of things put us off. This year we have been with Cunard, which we really liked. Our next one is booked with Celebrity, so will see how that goes.

 

 

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Not sure about all those extras. On my last Discovery cruise the only extras were excursions, purchases in the onboard shops and some premium coffees and drinks. When the buffet closes in the evening hot food and snacks are served elsewhere until 1am.

 

As you like formal nights and fixed sitting dining Marella will not tick your boxes

[LondonTowner]

Not sure about all those extras. On my last Discovery cruise the only extras were excursions, purchases in the onboard shops and some premium coffees and drinks. When the buffet closes in the evening hot food and snacks are served elsewhere until 1am.

 

 

 

As you like formal nights and fixed sitting dining Marella will not tick your boxes

 

 

 

I think my partner and I have decided it’s not for us and at the end of the day they are no cheaper than many other cruise lines. We have friends that love them, but horses for courses.

 

Will see what Celebrity have to offer on our next cruise.

 

 

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[Britboys]

I understand what you are saying about the price increases - and with P&O abolishing the £7 per night Service Charge, the price differentials will narrow further. I must say that I would only remotely consider them again for a really cheap deal on a really interesting itinerary. I did the week of Cuban Fusion that visited Havana for a day & a half, which was great but I was very happy to be getting off the ship at the end of the week!

[LondonTowner]

I understand what you are saying about the price increases - and with P&O abolishing the £7 per night Service Charge, the price differentials will narrow further. I must say that I would only remotely consider them again for a really cheap deal on a really interesting itinerary. I did the week of Cuban Fusion that visited Havana for a day & a half, which was great but I was very happy to be getting off the ship at the end of the week!

 

 

 

Yes, the Cuban Fusion was the one we were interested in too, but then my partner was ill and we had to put holidays on hold.

 

On the FB page of Discovery 2 people post pictures of ports of call, but hardly ever any pics of food or the interior of the ship. From what I’ve seen the food doesn’t look anything outstanding and the inside of the ship not very glitzy.

 

Like you, if we saw a very different itinerary then we would consider, but not really at the top of our list.

 

 

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[Nellie100]

thanks Davecttr yes getting to Gatwick is a pain, train to Euston not to bad it's getting to Gatwick from there then a nights accommodation as early flights would mean travel down night before Birmingham not to bad as it's a straight train journey and stations is at the airport but no Birmingham flights either they must have less Manchester fights than usual as we have not had a problem in recent years. I am hoping they put on an additional flight everything crossed