How does Cunard compare with P&O, both being Carnival-owned?

[Tommart]

I hear a lot of criticism of P&O these days, though my previous experiences with them many years ago were excellent - but it wasn't owned by the dreadful Carnival then, and it had certain 'standards'.

 

Cunard, some say, provides a better cruising experience.  Others say it's just a rebranded P&O with higher prices.

 

I'd genuinely appreciate some feedback from cruisers with recent experience of both.

[Host Hattie]

I've only sailed with P&O once but a few things I can think of -
Cunard - more international, on board prices higher and in USD, room service mostly still included, hot food items on room service breakfast menu, Hotel & Dining charge still in place, more formal, jacket required and most venues included in the evening dress code, better perks for those in Suites, internet included as a loyalty perk. Eggs Benedict available for MDR breakfast every day, not once a week.
Subjective but from our one experience, we found the food in the MDR poor, we had a higher total onboard spend on P&O despite cheaper drinks prices because we spent money on food.

Better entertainment on P&O but that wasn't enough to give them another try.

Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk

[princeton123211]

You also have to take into account that there are P&O diehards from the Canberra days, when it was a very different experience, that are lamenting the transition from the older company to the one Carnival has been pushing towards bigger ships. Oriana was supposed to be a half way ship to transition the old school P&Oers to a more modern fleet once Canberra was retired in 97. 

 

Cunard has the same group of people that make a stink about the "old days" vs the new and those who were QE2/Vistafjord/Caronia diehards that will never sail on Elizabeth/Victoria but still begrudgingly sneak aboard QM2 every now and then. 

[Mickb]

Not sure why Carnival is ‘dreadful’. If it weren’t for their capital and intervention neither P&O nor Cunard would exist today.  There wouldn’t be a Queen Mary2 which is, to my mind, a masterpiece.

The demographics of cruising are changing - as is virtually everything else in life today. Cruise lines are seeking a younger passenger as the old diehards ( I count myself as one having completed 18 cruises) are dying off.

Generally I have found that in cruising - you get what you pay for. If a £250 2 night party cruise on P&O is your ideal then you will have a very different experience to the Grills on the QM2.

Personally I have found that Cunard suits us best. 

[Lanky Lad]

I have sailed on P&O once, and enjoyed it.  The main differences I noticed were the choice of food in the MDR was not has wide as on Cunard, fruit juice is only available in the buffet at breakfast and some of the cruise staff seemed less professional on P&O (that could just been on that trip).

[PORT ROYAL]

8 hours ago, Tom Marton said:

I hear a lot of criticism of P&O these days, though my previous experiences with them many years ago were excellent - but it wasn't owned by the dreadful Carnival then, and it had certain 'standards'.

 

Cunard, some say, provides a better cruising experience.  Others say it's just a rebranded P&O with higher prices.

 

I'd genuinely appreciate some feedback from cruisers with recent experience of both.

 

Forget biased opinions.  Go with facts.  

We have only taken one P&O trip on the Azura out of over 100 cruises across various Cruise Lines. 

[showingdiva]

Two very different cruise lines owned by the same parent company.   I'm relatively new to Cunard compared to P&O.   I also work as a guide on board cruise ships in my home port, so am more than familiar with several other of the Carnival brands  - I was working on board a Costa ship two days ago (and several other cruise lines).   P&O is very much British market orientated, and everything about the ships across their fleet are geared towards their predominant British market.   As has been mentioned in this thread, and frequently on the P&O board on this forum, there have been some changes over the last few years - not all of which have been met with approval from their loyal customers.  But then, the same could be said about a lot of things worldwide.

 

Drinks are cheaper on P&O ships, more in keeping with prices found in any town / city pubs in the UK.  Entertainment is catered to what most Brits can identify with.  Dress codes are adhered to.   Of course, there is no equivalent of Grills class.   Extras such as shopping and spa treatments are far cheaper on P&O, even after the Dollar : Sterling conversion is taken into consideration.

 

I'm not so keen on P&O's larger ships, but I have had many wonderful days on board Arcadia, and layout wise, as a Vista class ship - and originally designed as a Cunard ship - is a beautiful, understated, adult-only ship.  Most of her cabins, in particular her balcony ones, are the largest in the P&O fleet, and she has a wrap round promenade deck.   Aurora is also a lovely ship, and more traditional compared to her fleet mates.

 

My first trip on Queen Mary 2 absolutely blew me away.   She is an amazing, iconic ship, and I can't wait to be back on board her in a few months' time.   P&O's Arcadia will always have a large place in my heart.   But, it is difficult, and possibly unfair, to compare the two brands.  Carnival ownership is one of the few things they have in common.

Edited April 20, 2019 by showingdiva

[OCruisers]

4 minutes ago, showingdiva said:

 But, it is difficult, and possibly unfair, to compare the two brands.  Carnival ownership is one of the few things they have in common.

 

So true  .... all under the Carnival Corp umbrella -- Carnival Cruises, Costa, Cunard, HAL, P&O, Princess, etc. -- are operated as seperate brands and each is totally different.  

[Wiltonian]

10 hours ago, OCruisers said:

 

So true  .... all under the Carnival Corp umbrella -- Carnival Cruises, Costa, Cunard, HAL, P&O, Princess, etc. -- are operated as seperate brands and each is totally different.  

Except that both Cunard and P&O have recently launched inadequately-tested new web sites, which look very similar, and have all the same problems!

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, Wiltonian said:

Except that both Cunard and P&O have recently launched inadequately-tested new web sites, which look very similar, and have all the same problems!

That is only because Cunard's and P&O's IT team are the one and the same based in Southampton. Very much like a lot of office based staff in Southampton they work for both cruise lines and not individually.

[BiggDawg]

13 hours ago, OCruisers said:

 

So true  .... all under the Carnival Corp umbrella -- Carnival Cruises, Costa, Cunard, HAL, P&O, Princess, etc. -- are operated as seperate brands and each is totally different.  

 

2 hours ago, Wiltonian said:

Except that both Cunard and P&O have recently launched inadequately-tested new web sites, which look very similar, and have all the same problems!

 

 

All THAT implies is that they both use the same, poor, vendor for their websites.  And, while that is an unfortunate mistake, apparently, it does not mean that they are the same.

To link them together through their website quality is no more valid than suggesting all automobile companies are the same because they all used defective Takeda airbag systems.

[Wiltonian]

So they are not totally different, because they both have dodgy web-sites.

[luckymal]

On 4/19/2019 at 2:48 PM, Tom Marton said:

I hear a lot of criticism of P&O these days, though my previous experiences with them many years ago were excellent - but it wasn't owned by the dreadful Carnival then, and it had certain 'standards'.

 

Cunard, some say, provides a better cruising experience.  Others say it's just a rebranded P&O with higher prices.

 

I'd genuinely appreciate some feedback from cruisers with recent experience of both.

 

We did our first cruise on the wonderful Q.E. 2, then we did two P & O cruises but we could not fault  the food, cabin, staff and entertainment, but we both felt something was missing, and still to this day cannot say what it was. We have cruised also with Princess  and Royal Carib. But we always go with  Cunard now, we really enjoy the formal atmosphere that Cunard give.🍷🥃

[Cathygh]

I am about to sail on Cunard again, it's 5 years since my last. I have sailed a few times on P&O in between. It will be interesting to see if Cunard has changed in the mean time. I can tell you that P&O is very good value for money. However to maintain lower prices cuts are visible. The cabin stewards have more cabins to look after and waiters in the MDR have more tables so just rush around. This is a shame as we don't get to chat to them and find out about them and their families like we used to. I have sailed on Aurora, Azura, Britannia and Oceana and they all have a different feel to them but I like them all. Britannia is the biggest and I was worried it would be too big but apart from muster time when it seemed very crowded it was fine and I would sail on her again. Oceana's balcony cabins seemed smaller than other ships and doesn't have the same speciality restaurants as the others. P&O is not as formal as it used to be but most people still dress up for the formal nights. Food is fine, on ships with a Glasshouse there is an excellent selection of wine and Glasshouse serves tapas style food which is very good. From memory standards were higher on Cunard but then you pay more.  Hope that helps.