Sindu Beware

[posford]

Don’t know if you good people know that Atul Kutchur has no dealings with Sindu anymore. Just back from Azura. Sindu was same good service, same occasion but the food quality has gone down considerably. Staff admitted that the ingredients have been changed as has the standards and quality.  We have eaten there dozens of times but alas never again. More cost cutting I’m afraid.

[majortom10]

He hasnt been involved since last year when he opened his mouth in an anti-muslim tweet on Twitter last year and was also sacked from his association with Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai and the Michelin starred Benares restaurant in London. Nothing at all to do with cost cutting. Dont let the facts get in the way of a good moan about P&O and the usual cost cutting excuse.

Edited April 20, 2019 by majortom10

[CarlaMarie]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

He hasnt been involved since last year when he opened his mouth in an anti-muslim tweet on Twitter last year and was also sacked from his association with Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai and the Michelin starred Benares restaurant in London. Nothing at all to do with cost cutting. Dont let the facts get in the way of a good moan about P&O and the usual cost cutting excuse.

 

Yes you are correct. I think alot of people are only finding out about this now when in fact he was sacked early last year. Tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India and Pakistan are well documented. Following an episode of Quantico which depicted Hindus in a bad light Atul Kochhar tweeted about the show (the show caused quite alot of controversy in India) and made anti-Islamic remarks in the process. He was then sacked by multiple establishments.

[thornegirl]

We were on Aurora in February this year and had a meal in Sindhu which was really awful. Very poorly presented and no taste whatsoever.  The service was as usual impeccable, the only saving grace.  

 

We complained to the manager who then suggested we come in again on another night and he would only charge us for one person.  This we declined as we really didn't want a second night with poor food.  The manager then agreed to pay for a meal in the beach house for us, which we accepted.

 

We have been in Sindhu on every cruise we have been on 10+, and on different ships, but never again.  The menus have changed and the recipes and  ingredients are different, the subtle spices are definitely not there.  So why are customers still being charged a supplement of at least £17.50 per person for what was a celebrity chef experience.

[jeanlyon]

Last time we were on Oriana, 2 couples on our MDR table when and said it was very slow service and they didn't enjoy it.

[majortom10]

We have always had an excellent meals and service in Sindhu on both Britannia and Azura but that was when it was under the influence of Atul Kochhar. No doubt things might have changed now that he is not influential in the meals and menu's.

[daiB]

The meal we had on Ventura last month was excellent. My only concern was that there was too much for me. Small breakfast and no lunch and still could not finish it. 

 

They did seem full on a number of nights.

[Ian T]

We tried Sindhu on Ventura last summer for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed the food and experience, their was some interesting choices on the menu too.

[Eglesbrech]

We have been at Sindhu before and after the change, as recently as two weeks ago and the food and service were both excellent. I can’t say that I noticed any adverse changes and the next time we are on P&O we will be booking again.

[vwgolf]

We ate at the Sindhu on Ventura a couple of weeks back. The food and service was first class.

[besberry]

We ate in Sindhu on Oriana last June and it was really sub-par.  If it had been my first experience, I probably wouldn't have bothered again.  Let's hope it was just a one off.

[NoFlyGuy]

Rather agree with majortom10. Eaten before and since and quality and service has always been great.

Of course anyone can be unlucky on a certain ship on a certain day. 

Won't stop us booking again from time to time but we too find it impossible to eat all the courses.

[booksurfer]

I didn't rate Sindhu at all when I ate there on Azura in 2017 and I was really looking forward to tasting some Atul Kochar inspired food, I was very disappointed at both the food quality and service. I sent the naan breads back twice after asking if they were warm, I was told yes, I put my hand over them and they were stone cold and got glared at by the server because I was being difficult. Sorry, but for the cover charge price, I expect both better quality and service.

 

Food was average at best, nothing special at all and I've been eating Indian food at various restaurants in London for about 50 years, I know good Indian food. Surprisingly the people I dined with were even more scathing about the food quality than I was!

 

Give it a miss.

[jh1809]

10 hours ago, booksurfer said:

I didn't rate Sindhu at all when I ate there on Azura in 2017 and I was really looking forward to tasting some Atul Kochar inspired food, I was very disappointed at both the food quality and service. I sent the naan breads back twice after asking if they were warm, I was told yes, I put my hand over them and they were stone cold and got glared at by the server because I was being difficult. Sorry, but for the cover charge price, I expect both better quality and service.

 

Food was average at best, nothing special at all and I've been eating Indian food at various restaurants in London for about 50 years, I know good Indian food. Surprisingly the people I dined with were even more scathing about the food quality than I was!

 

Give it a miss.

Your last sentence is very sweeping. I imagine that, as with all restaurants, a lot depends on the quality of the head chef and the restaurant manager. I've dined several times in Sindhu on Aurora and Arcadia over the last couple of years, and it's always been excellent. I suspect you were unlucky on Azura with the chef and manager. Hopefully by now they will either have got the chop or moved on.

[booksurfer]

2 hours ago, jh1809 said:

I suspect you were unlucky on Azura with the chef and manager. Hopefully by now they will either have got the chop or moved on.

 

Possibly. But that doesn't excuse the poor service. When I ask someone if something is hot (when from my own knowledge it isn't) and they respond with an assumption that it is hot, it annoys me—that's poor service! The response should have been to have replaced whatever wasn't satisfactory with something that was, with a smile.

 

I shan't be bothering with Sindhu in future my experience with them wasn't very good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Reanna]

Presently on Britannia and ate in Sindhu on Saturday.  The food bears no resemblance to the original concept and is more like your local Indian Restaurant.  Quantity over quality. Very disappointed as had taken granddaughters saying how lovely and special it would be.  Will not be patronising Sindhu on future cruises.

[CarlaMarie]

22 minutes ago, Reanna said:

Presently on Britannia and ate in Sindhu on Saturday.  The food bears no resemblance to the original concept and is more like your local Indian Restaurant.  Quantity over quality. Very disappointed as had taken granddaughters saying how lovely and special it would be.  Will not be patronising Sindhu on future cruises.

 

Has the menu changed alot Reanna?

[Onelung]

These reviews give me cause for concern. I've booked Sindhu on my upcoming Britannia cruise in July (first time P&O). It will be my 60th birthday and I was looking forward to a special evening, now I'm starting to worry 😞

 

[jake 26]

33 minutes ago, Onelung said:

These reviews give me cause for concern. I've booked Sindhu on my upcoming Britannia cruise in July (first time P&O). It will be my 60th birthday and I was looking forward to a special evening, now I'm starting to worry 😞

 

We were on Britannia recently and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, and we thought the menu range was superb, so we returned for a second meal.

Service, food and ambience  excellent.

Go and enjoy, one man's meat etc.

[NoFlyGuy]

It's like any other review for a product or service - likely to range from 1 to 5 stars if enough respondents.

We've had no problems but in the end you have to decide whether to risk a few quid and try it out for yourselves.

It's easy to be put off by a few bad reviews but you'll never know if you don't take the plunge.  

[posford]

I started this topic as we were just off Azura and wanted to warn people of the changes.  The facts are:-

The staff apologised for the drop in quality of the food.

They called the executive chef as so many people were complaining.

People were complaining at reception.

We we offered a full refund as they were embarrassed.

 

Now I don’t complain unnecessarily. I have done 35 cruises with P & O.

 

I scan these pages but very rarely get involved.

 

In my opinion the lunch curries in the MDR are far superior.

[galeforce9]

I experienced Sindhi in the very early days many times, then again in February.  There was no comparison.   

[beachmad123]

We were on Ventura in December we ate in Sindhu it was our third time.. Our experience was exactly as posford described  except no one else complained. You could not fault the ambiance or service but having been twice before the quality had definitely been dumbed down . We also had the same conclusion that the curry nights in the buffet would be perfectly good for us. However if you didn't have a comparison I'm sure you would like it 

[chigley]

We dined in Sindhu in the early days and didn't rate it at all.  We dined there both menus in February this year and it was excellent both times.  Our Epicurean visit was rubbish and we have always enjoyed that in the past. 

 

[vwgolf]

Very much horses for courses. We dine at Sindhu on every P&O cruise we make and the food & service is as good now as it was first time. Just go along and make up your own mind; everybody has a bad experience now and again.