What can P&O do better going forward ?

[Ardennais]

We were on Aurora late 2017 and there was a rattle around the balcony window frame. My husband folded some paper and stuck it and the rattle disappeared. We told the cabin steward about it as we were leaving. Fast forward summer 2018 and we had booked the same cabin as the location was brilliant. Guess what - the folded paper was still there! 

[majortom10]

On our very first cruise with P&O in 2020 we were on 1 of 4 Aurora's Maiden voyages, only P&O could have 4 Maiden cruises 😄, first thing we did when we got to the cabin was to use the toilet and when flushed it flooded the whole bathroom area. Our next visit was to reception  to report the problem and was not a great start to the cruise.

[batholiver]

Personally, I'd like to see an end to all the 'extras' that get charged these days and go back to the time when pretty much everything was included.

 

Prices would rise a bit, but Saga seem to have no shortage of customers, and it's one of the main reasons why people choose it.

[funinhounslow]

4 hours ago, batholiver said:

Personally, I'd like to see an end to all the 'extras' that get charged these days and go back to the time when pretty much everything was included.

 

Prices would rise a bit, but Saga seem to have no shortage of customers, and it's one of the main reasons why people choose it.

I think prices would rise a lot - Saga is significantly more expensive than P&O and it is likely their “all inclusive” approach puts off as many as it attracts. 
 

I don’t drink so I’d be paying for alcohol that I won’t consume. Others may not need the “free” transfer or want to do excursions. 
 

I like P&O’s approach of keeping the “headline” price competitive. That way we can choose how much our holiday costs and what “extras” we purchase - whether that’s a meal at the Epicurean or an organised trip..,

[burnoutbabe]

I thik I'd like a nicer buffet. having done Celebrity on the last cruise, the buffet tgere was far more my sort of thing, with mexica stations and tacos and pizza. I loved it. More like a good food court at a shopping centre.

 

P&O is more "fairly decent work canteen". The themeing is too much, One night i felt sea sick so didn't want MDR so we went to buffet, it was fish night. NOTHING but fish. Even the salad had mostly fish in it. Soup was fish. I mean i like a theme but also, put some normal food out for people who don't want that theme.

[wowzz]

14 minutes ago, funinhounslow said:

I think prices would rise a lot - Saga is significantly more expensive than P&O and it is likely their “all inclusive” approach puts off as many as it attracts. 
 

The all inclusive aspect is, I suspect, of little relevance to most Saga passengers. The real appeal is in sailing in a smaller ship with only 999 passengers.

[funinhounslow]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

The all inclusive aspect is, I suspect, of little relevance to most Saga passengers. The real appeal is in sailing in a smaller ship with only 999 passengers.

Isn’t that all of them these days…?!

[Son of Anarchy]

41 minutes ago, burnoutbabe said:

I thik I'd like a nicer buffet. having done Celebrity on the last cruise, the buffet tgere was far more my sort of thing, with mexica stations and tacos and pizza. I loved it. More like a good food court at a shopping centre.

 

P&O is more "fairly decent work canteen". The themeing is too much, One night i felt sea sick so didn't want MDR so we went to buffet, it was fish night. NOTHING but fish. Even the salad had mostly fish in it. Soup was fish. I mean i like a theme but also, put some normal food out for people who don't want that theme.

The Ole Lady doesn't eat fish so we don't do the buffet on the seafood theme nights ☹️.  However I have been known to go there on my own for a couple of tasters prior to going to the MDR 😀 

[burnoutbabe]

Luckily i am NOT a veggietarian, so i had something like fish gougons (ie very similar to chicken nuggets) and then some potatoes/peas.

 

would have been more sensible to attend MDR and get plain grilled chicken.

 

I suppose the issue is there is no where at times for simple food if feeling a bit rough (could have done room service i suppose) which i did on first cruise , going via north sea to Baltics.

[terrierjohn]

6 minutes ago, burnoutbabe said:

Luckily i am NOT a veggietarian, so i had something like fish gougons (ie very similar to chicken nuggets) and then some potatoes/peas.

 

would have been more sensible to attend MDR and get plain grilled chicken.

 

I suppose the issue is there is no where at times for simple food if feeling a bit rough (could have done room service i suppose) which i did on first cruise , going via north sea to Baltics.

I am surprised that everything was fish, normally on theme nights there is a standard type roast dinner option, as well other non theme options.

[wowzz]

10 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I am surprised that everything was fish, normally on theme nights there is a standard type roast dinner option, as well other non theme options.

That was my thought as well. I've never been to a theme night were 100% of the dishes were "themed".  

[burnoutbabe]

I think there was a big roast pork option, but that was it. (roast chicken i could have had, but i am not a huge red meat fan)

[Windsurfboy]

7 hours ago, funinhounslow said:

I think prices would rise a lot - Saga is significantly more expensive than P&O and it is likely their “all inclusive” approach puts off as many as it attracts. 
 

I don’t drink so I’d be paying for alcohol that I won’t consume. Others may not need the “free” transfer or want to do excursions. 
 

I like P&O’s approach of keeping the “headline” price competitive. That way we can choose how much our holiday costs and what “extras” we purchase - whether that’s a meal at the Epicurean or an organised trip..,

 

I don't think it is the all inclusive is the major reason for Saga being dearer. Firstly only slightly smaller ships 60000tons vs say Arcadia 80000 tons, but with nearly half the number of passengers 1000, vs 1850. A 25% better staff to  passenger ratio are the biggest cost difference. I'm sure all inclusive  and included speciality restaurants also add to cost. The other factor is general quality which is hard to measure and cost.

 

However I do like P&Os lower base cost, leaving it to you to buy what ever level of say wine you like. I would like it if all ships had a Epicurean plus another paid for special restaurants.  Low base price but opportunity to upgrade the luxury experience. 

[Rachand]

Answer the phone for a start.

 

or

 

perhaps get your on line ticket system to work! 
 

[Denarius]

On 7/5/2021 at 10:41 AM, wowzz said:

The all inclusive aspect is, I suspect, of little relevance to most Saga passengers. The real appeal is in sailing in a smaller ship with only 999 passengers.

And 109 single cabins.

[Denarius]

But to go back to the original question, I would personally like to see the reintroduction of those "little touches" which existed when I first sailed with P&O in the 1990s. Like ....

Canapes on the bars before dinner and at the captains reception, where they served real champagne.

A plate of assorted chocolates after dinner instead of uninspiring nibbles carefully counted out at one per diner.

Drinks in the bars and on deck served on single use paper coasters.

Flowers in the cabin.

Things which probably did not cost a great deal in the context of the cruise fare but which made it seem a more up market experience.

[Cathygh]

Having just done a seacation, I would really like P&O to keep the levels of service we experienced in the MDR. Attentive, efficient, nothing too much trouble. Obviously there was a good staff to passenger ratio but it was nice to see the waiters walking and not rushing to serve us, and to see them place food on the table, rather than the having the feeling food is being thrown at you because they have to rush off to serve another 6 tables in the next 30 seconds. It made it a more relaxing experience for us and the staff seemed happy and relaxed.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Denarius said:

But to go back to the original question, I would personally like to see the reintroduction of those "little touches" which existed when I first sailed with P&O in the 1990s. Like ....

Canapes on the bars before dinner and at the captains reception, where they served real champagne.

A plate of assorted chocolates after dinner instead of uninspiring nibbles carefully counted out at one per diner.

Drinks in the bars and on deck served on single use paper coasters.

Flowers in the cabin.

Things which probably did not cost a great deal in the context of the cruise fare but which made it seem a more up market experience.

Wouldnt we all but I wouldnt like be paying now what I paid for an inside cabin on Aurora in 2000. We would all like those little touches to return and the superb Neptune buffet in MDR and lunch and proper chocolate afternoon tea in MDR but not at those prices paid and think it would cost a lot more in increase in fares to go back to those days.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Wouldnt we all but I wouldnt like be paying now what I paid for an inside cabin on Aurora in 2000. We would all like those little touches to return and the superb Neptune buffet in MDR and lunch and proper chocolate afternoon tea in MDR but not at those prices paid and think it would cost a lot more in increase in fares to go back to those days.

Exactly- there is a cost to everything,  and similarly if Cathygh wants the same level of service on a 100% full ship, there is a price to be paid. 

It is entirely possible to find a cruise line that offers all those little extras, plus attentive service,  but unfortunately you will not be paying P&O prices! 

[yorkshirephil]

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

Exactly- there is a cost to everything,  and similarly if Cathygh wants the same level of service on a 100% full ship, there is a price to be paid. 

It is entirely possible to find a cruise line that offers all those little extras, plus attentive service,  but unfortunately you will not be paying P&O prices! 

One of the reasons a lot of us could ever afford cruising was that it became much cheaper as the cruise lines removed a lot of the little touches we like or used to like. If it were not for the likes of Sun cruises, Thompsons, CMV and P&O a lot of people likely still wouldn't. We go for quantity rather than quality and have been lucky to cruise places we would have never dreamed of 30 years ago. There are plenty of options out there that will meet most peoples priorities.

[Cathygh]

12 hours ago, majortom10 said:

 proper chocolate afternoon tea in MDR 

Ah I missed that one. Pre pandemic there was one in the buffet but it wasn't advertised so I only ever found it by accident. However the Eric Lanyard cakes in the cafe make up for it for me.

[silversurf]

They could fix their IT systems so they work.

This morning I was trying to do my online Tesco shopping. A message came up “error. We are aware of this problem.. Please try later”  Ten minutes later it was fixed.
AND - Answer their phones within ten minutes. We don’t have all day to sit listening to silly music.

 

[Host Sharon]

On 7/5/2021 at 10:41 AM, wowzz said:

The all inclusive aspect is, I suspect, of little relevance to most Saga passengers. The real appeal is in sailing in a smaller ship with only 999 passengers.

As a Saga and P&O passenger, another reason for the appeal of Saga is they have much more interesting and unusual itineraries. For frequent cruisers there are only so many times you can visit Lisbon, Cadiz, etc.

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, Cathygh said:

Ah I missed that one. Pre pandemic there was one in the buffet but it wasn't advertised so I only ever found it by accident. However the Eric Lanyard cakes in the cafe make up for it for me.

Yes but even before that they used to do a lavish chocolate buffet in the MDR and you helped yourself from many chocolate cakes, deserts and hand made chocolates but was stopped a few years ago and replaced with a chocolate themed afternoon tea in the buffet which is nowhere near as lavish and enjoyable as before.

[Angel57]

44 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Yes but even before that they used to do a lavish chocolate buffet in the MDR and you helped yourself from many chocolate cakes, deserts and hand made chocolates but was stopped a few years ago and replaced with a chocolate themed afternoon tea in the buffet which is nowhere near as lavish and enjoyable as before.

The lavish chocolate buffet in the MDR was beautiful and a real treat. However the greed of a few passengers carrying out plate loads of cakes never failed to amaze me…….