CHEESE IN THE MDR

[wowzz]

21 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I was replying to the lack of continental cheese, not stating a preference.

I can't see any particular reason (apart from cost of course!), why continental hard cheeses  (eg Manchego, Aged Gouda, Leerdammer etc) should not be added to the cheese selection. 

To a certain degree, I do understand why P&O might limit the offering of less popular soft cheeses, regardless of providence. Trying to maintain correct stock levels during longer cruises, plus the need for different temperature fridges so to decrease or increase the maturing process for individual cheeses, is a difficult enough process on land (I used to work for an importer of continental cheeses for the UK retail market, so have some background), let alone at sea.

I'm not saying it couldn't be done, especially on short cruises, but I assume P&O are of the opinion that the costs and effort involved in stocking a good selection of soft cheeses, apart from the bog standard (and not very good) brie, are not worth it.

[Host Sharon]

On Spirit of Discovery I found they don't come round after dinner with a cheese board, they come with a cheese trolley - over a dozen selections each night and 100 different cheeses on board.

[terrierjohn]

5 minutes ago, Host Sharon said:

On Spirit of Discovery I found they don't come round after dinner with a cheese board, they come with a cheese trolley - over a dozen selections each night and 100 different cheeses on board.

But at their prices I would expect nothing less, for want of a a better pun, that really is like comparing chalk and cheese!

[Lottie A]

Had the cheese plate on Aurora last night. It was really boring and nowhere near as good a selection as on Fred Olsen. No grapes or pickle and only two cream crackers offered! Could do better P&O!

[brian1]

And the so called "inferior" line Marella has one of the best selections.Comparible to Cunard even.

[Harry Peterson]

Doesn't this thread rather highlight the mismatch between old-style expectations of what P&O used to be, and used to offer, as against the new-style Carnival version which has an entirely different target market?

 

P&O is now the budget brand (with, to be fair, prices that match) and if people want more than that they need to move either to a better Carnival brand (Cunard perhaps?) or to another brand altogether where they haven't pushed things relentlessly downmarket to appeal to customers who aren't looking for what P&O used to offer.

 

Saga is the obvious choice - infinitely better than P&O in every respect, but probably twice the price.  P&O does need to watch it, though, because Marella and the like are starting to offer a better all-round experience at much the same price it seems.

[majortom10]

It amazes me when people keep on about P&O being the "budget" brand and blame Carnival for everything having cruised on Britannia in May the cheeseboard was bought to the table when asked and there was a varied choice of cheeses/biscuits for you to pick at your choice. Just returned from QM2 and ate in the Britannia restaurant and if you asked for cheese it was a "plated" selection at Cunard's choice with a small amount of fruit and then they bought biscuits for you to choose from. So in effect the cheeseboard after dinner was far poorer on Cunard than it is on P&O.

[Harry Peterson]

Disappointing news about Cunard then, though I suppose the Grill restaurants will be better. At a price.

 

P&O is the budget brand. That's an inescapable fact. But maybe Cunard's little better, in which case it's plainly a Carnival issue.

 

All these cruises are marketed as luxury, which is very plainly not the case (though that depends on your own particular view of luxury). The P&O cheeseboard selection though is more consistent with a pub than a decent restaurant. 

[CarlaMarie]

I personally wouldn't call P&O a budget cruise line. Yes there are other lines that offer a more luxurious product and P&O have made alot of cut backs but so have many other lines. 

 

People will always find fault no matter which line or ship they are on and comparisons will always be made. 

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

because Marella and the like are starting to offer a better all-round experience at much the same price it seems.

It is difficult to directly compare prices between P&O and Marella,  given that most Marella cruises are now AI, but whenever I have costed out a Marella cruise,  the price has always been considerably more than I would have expected to pay with P&O. 

I wonder if Marella are able to charge premium prices because they are attracting new cruisers, who feel comfortable buying a cruise in the same way that they would buy a package holiday, and are not aware that they are paying, imho, over the odds for the cruise. 

[Vampiress88]

I would say that p&o are budget. If they weren’t we wouldn’t be going on them. 
 

I had some cheese on the cruise in May. It was Hard cheese yellowish orange Tasted nice. No idea what it was tho. 
 

im not big on cheese. Do like Wensleydale with cranberry at Christmas tho. Has to be on digestive biscuit type ones. 

[terrierjohn]

23 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

I would say that p&o are budget. If they weren’t we wouldn’t be going on them. 
 

I had some cheese on the cruise in May. It was Hard cheese yellowish orange Tasted nice. No idea what it was tho. 
 

im not big on cheese. Do like Wensleydale with cranberry at Christmas tho. Has to be on digestive biscuit type ones. 

TBH P&O might be budget priced, but they are far from being a budget operation. They operate a fleet of fairly new ships, in fact their oldest is somewhat younger than Marella's newest, and I am quite surprised that their prices still remain very competitive even with CMV and FO. 

[Vampiress88]

3 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

TBH P&O might be budget priced, but they are far from being a budget operation. They operate a fleet of fairly new ships, in fact their oldest is somewhat younger than Marella's newest, and I am quite surprised that their prices still remain very competitive even with CMV and FO. 

I haven’t got a problem with it being budget. It’s allowed me to go on holiday twice this year and next (And probably in 2021 if I convince hubby) so I’m happy. 
 

The only problem I have is with the liver and just would like different menu in the mdr but that’s just me. I did see a Marco Pierre White menu at a hotel my hubby went to for business and that menu looks awesome. Wish that was on the ship. 
 

ive had a few niggles with p&o but least they have tried to fix the issues. 
we’ve paid between £142-£200 per night for 2 adults and two kids. So it’s all good. 
 

unfortunately I do think I will have to try other ships eventually but I worry that they won’t be comparable compared to the price. If I am going to pay double the p&o price then I will expect double in terms of entertainment and food etc on the other lines. 
 

I really wanna do a Disney cruise but it was £2400ish for 4nights in mid May this year. I’ve only paid £2900 for 14 night easter holidays. 
they says you get what you pay for and it’s the magic etc but I can’t justify £600per night. It’s more than 3x p&o. And in fact three weeks in Florida at Disney world costs less per day than the cruise. 
 

but I do think p&o is budget. It must be at those prices. I cannot find another line at the moment with better prices than p&o. 
I have a soft spot for p&o. It got me to like cruising when I thought it was old fashioned before. 
feel as though I should try most of their ships now. 

 

[Vampiress88]

 

all hands on deck cheese board Disney dream. 
 

this cheese board any better than P&O for the price? 

[AndyMichelle]

6 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Disappointing news about Cunard then, though I suppose the Grill restaurants will be better. At a price.

 

P&O is the budget brand. That's an inescapable fact. But maybe Cunard's little better, in which case it's plainly a Carnival issue.

 

All these cruises are marketed as luxury, which is very plainly not the case (though that depends on your own particular view of luxury). The P&O cheeseboard selection though is more consistent with a pub than a decent restaurant. 

I sort of agree Harry, but it does feel like a little bit of luxury for us. 

Of course there are more luxurious brands, but in our day to day life we don't get to dress up nice every night, get waited on superbly, have a good choice of food and entertainment and drink cocktails to the early hours, 3-4 times a year. 

Maybe for you P&O is budget, but for many of us it serves a very good purpose very well. 

Andy 

 

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, Vampiress88 said:

 

all hands on deck cheese board Disney dream. 
 

this cheese board any better than P&O for the price? 

Dear God  - that is dire. And how can a Babybel be called cheese? It is the spawn of the devil!

[brian1]

Disney is American so by default the cheese will be dire,lol.I can see a blue and a brie though.

[zoe sproodle]

I found the cheese selection on CMVs Astoria very good but the biscuits left a bit to be desired. 

I always ask for the Stilton on P and O and have never had any problems getting plenty of it.

[Sammi dee]

On 24 November 2019 at 10:31 AM, Mysticalmother said:

We have just come off Aurora...and asked for Stilton every night... not a problem at all. (Freedom dining) But interestingly it was never offered, and we helped some first time cruisers with that!

My biggest issue is that it is usually served far too cold...

We were given Stilton every night with no proplems and yes we were freedom dining but you always have to ask for it why? 

[wowzz]

12 hours ago, Sammi dee said:

We were given Stilton every night with no proplems and yes we were freedom dining but you always have to ask for it why? 

I presume because it is the most expensive of the cheeses on offer.

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

Eek, reading this makes me realise I've led such a sheltered cheese life.

[AndyMichelle]

5 minutes ago, BillieJeanKaraokeKing said:

Eek, reading this makes me realise I've led such a sheltered cheese life.

Yep, me too. 

As I have 'matured', so have my cheeses, just starting to explore a bit more but still struggling with the 'mouldy' cheeses!! 

Andy 

[SteveH2508]

On 11/26/2019 at 6:27 PM, Vampiress88 said:

I would say that p&o are budget. If they weren’t we wouldn’t be going on them. 
 

I had some cheese on the cruise in May. It was Hard cheese yellowish orange Tasted nice. No idea what it was tho. 
 

im not big on cheese. Do like Wensleydale with cranberry at Christmas tho. Has to be on digestive biscuit type ones. 

Could have been Red Leicester or Double Gloucester?

 

Wensleydale with fruit cake and whisky is rather nice (which I believe is a Yorkshire thing).

[terrierjohn]

39 minutes ago, SteveH2508 said:

Could have been Red Leicester or Double Gloucester?

 

Wensleydale with fruit cake and whisky is rather nice (which I believe is a Yorkshire thing).

No that's too weird even for a Yorkshireman, but I do like Wensleydale and cranberry.

[brillo]

On ‎11‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 9:59 AM, Lottie A said:

Had the cheese plate on Aurora last night. It was really boring and nowhere near as good a selection as on Fred Olsen. No grapes or pickle and only two cream crackers offered! Could do better P&O!

You are always offered a choice of crackers and can have as many as you wont. What cheese people eat tends to be a matter of choice and personnel taste I have not had a problem with that which has been on offer on most of the cruises I have been on.