Update from Paul Ludlow

[Host Sharon]

On 7/12/2022 at 2:18 PM, davecttr said:

When I was on Iona recently the staff in the Glass house confirmed that the wine list was been updated, they did not look happy about it. I took this to mean the number of wines will be reduced. Paul Ludlow mentioned new menus in the restaurants, maybe less choice and cheaper ingredients.

Having been faced with the new menus on Aurora in April, I was not impressed. Basically I had to eat fish or veggie every day. There was no chicken at all, no venison or pheasant - just beef, lamb and pork, none of which I eat.

[Peggy and Mossey]

On 7/12/2022 at 3:03 PM, gsmt47471015 said:

Just wondering how many of these changes are been made from another country, possibly America?

 

all of the changes being made to the P&O "brand" are coming from the HQ in America.

P&O are just a tiny blip in the world of carnival.

 

[Son of Anarchy]

11 hours ago, Host Sharon said:

Having been faced with the new menus on Aurora in April, I was not impressed. Basically I had to eat fish or veggie every day. There was no chicken at all, no venison or pheasant - just beef, lamb and pork, none of which I eat.

Not good news for The Ole Lady.  She doesn't eat fish or seafood, loves game meat, and chicken is her "go to" food. 

 

Did they do mac'n'cheese? She loves that.

[Host Sharon]

1 hour ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Not good news for The Ole Lady.  She doesn't eat fish or seafood, loves game meat, and chicken is her "go to" food. 

 

Did they do mac'n'cheese? She loves that.

Better bring your own 🙂 I did wonder if the lack of chicken was due to the bird flu outbreak, but then was plenty available on Saga a month later.  Perhaps P&O watched the Below Deck episode where the charter guests baulked at chicken saying it was 'poor people's food' lol

[Britboys]

8 hours ago, Peggy and Mossey said:

 

all of the changes being made to the P&O "brand" are coming from the HQ in America.

P&O are just a tiny blip in the world of carnival.

 

Well you certainly know how to endear yourself to P&O regulars and loyalists...🤔🙄

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

Well you certainly know how to endear yourself to P&O regulars and loyalists...🤔🙄

I imagine Carnival were happy with the dollar income they received when the pound was much stronger than the dollar. Now things are different their income stream diminished and maybe they, or their accountants have never forgiven us so they gouge every cent they can out of P&O. After all the British don't complain 😉

[molecrochip]

3 hours ago, davecttr said:

I imagine Carnival were happy with the dollar income they received when the pound was much stronger than the dollar. Now things are different their income stream diminished and maybe they, or their accountants have never forgiven us so they gouge every cent they can out of P&O. After all the British don't complain 😉

 

13 hours ago, Peggy and Mossey said:

all of the changes being made to the P&O "brand" are coming from the HQ in America.

P&O are just a tiny blip in the world of carnival.

 

This is just wrong. The changes to the P&O brand are decided and led out of Southampton. That doesn't mean that Southampton aren't working to the same objective of 'maximising value for shareholders'. That is after all, the job of the Company.

[Gettingwarmer]

25 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

The changes to the P&O brand are decided and led out of Southampton

They seem to be making the wrong decisions then. For a start the menus seem very restricted. 

Edited July 14, 2022 by Gettingwarmer

[molecrochip]

Restricted supply, restricted galley and waitstaff = restricted menus.

 

Not ideal but will get better in the future.

[Gettingwarmer]

34 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Restricted supply, restricted galley and waitstaff = restricted menus.

 

Not ideal but will get better in the future.

That’s good to hear. 

[Britboys]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

 

 

This is just wrong. The changes to the P&O brand are decided and led out of Southampton. That doesn't mean that Southampton aren't working to the same objective of 'maximising value for shareholders'. That is after all, the job of the Company.

Whilst I don't doubt that the Carnival UK brands have autonomy from the USA, I am sure that the top-level management here will be looking to ensure approval from their bosses across the pond...

[molecrochip]

20 hours ago, Britboys said:

Whilst I don't doubt that the Carnival UK brands have autonomy from the USA, I am sure that the top-level management here will be looking to ensure approval from their bosses across the pond...

I think its well known that there is an agreed mission to refocus P&O towards the UK family market however that's not necessarily been the priority. When it is the priority, the Company is not arrogant enough to believe that old white American men know what the best 

 

Remember, the large capital spend is in the ships therefore agreed out of Miami. The cost of a ship to run is largely the same whichever brand it is. Its up to Southampton how they spend that money on P&O.

[Grandad John]

Anyone seen the ‘new summer season’ dinner menus which Paul Ludlow alludes to in his video?

[jeanlyon]

Salad, Salad and Salad?  🤣

[Host Sharon]

14 hours ago, Grandad John said:

Anyone seen the ‘new summer season’ dinner menus which Paul Ludlow alludes to in his video?

Yes, I assume that is what I had on Aurora a month back. I was not impressed. The ‘always available’ options have gone, including the melon starter. Now there are two fish dishes plus salmon, steak and three veggie meals – two vegetarian and one vegan. I eat largely vegetarian at home but I missed chicken, which we only had one night. Sommeliers have also gone now and the wine list is smaller. It was OK for 12 nights but if I had been on longer I might have complained. Why no venison, pheasant or even rabbit?

[wowzz]

58 minutes ago, Host Sharon said:

Why no venison, pheasant or even rabbit?

Too expensive, too much wastage, too difficult to source (in sufficent volume) and insufficent demand. 

 

[jeanlyon]

21 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Too expensive, too much wastage, too difficult to source (in sufficent volume) and insufficent demand. 

 

True.  I dislike all those.

[Ardennais]

According to the email sent by P&O this morning, Iona has had a ‘spectacular maiden season’! 

[Snow Hill]

10 hours ago, Host Sharon said:

Yes, I assume that is what I had on Aurora a month back. I was not impressed. The ‘always available’ options have gone, including the melon starter. Now there are two fish dishes plus salmon, steak and three veggie meals – two vegetarian and one vegan. I eat largely vegetarian at home but I missed chicken, which we only had one night. Sommeliers have also gone now and the wine list is smaller. It was OK for 12 nights but if I had been on longer I might have complained. Why no venison, pheasant or even rabbit?

Pheasant is game and is shot, however this can only be between 1 October  and 1 February, plus you have to watch out for the shot when eating it as not always removed, I guess P&O wouldn’t want to receive claims for dental work from passengers. 
 

I like venison and have had it on a cruise at least once, but again getting enough for regular serving may be difficult.

As for rabbit not sure it’s that popular with the British tastes these days, reminds me of the joke when Bright Eyes was released in 1978 - 

 

“You have read the book, seen the film now try the stew” 

 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Snow Hill
Typo

[wowzz]

48 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

As for rabbit not sure it’s that popular with the British tastes these days

When I was 17, I worked on the "game" counter in the Colchester Sainsburys. (1968  or so)

All counter service,  pre -decimal currency, and I had to tot the bill up on the wrapping paper with a stubby pencil.

We sold quite a lot of rabbit back then, but even as a callow youth I thought there seemed to be a lot of bone compared to flesh. 

It was all frozen - we took out what we thought we could sell on a Saturday morning, and it defrosted during the day.  Any left over went back in the freez........ whoops - it was safely disposed of !

 

[Britboys]

We often had rabbit when I was young. Usually arrived whole and ready to skin, say no more...😂

[LondonLad60]

9 hours ago, Britboys said:

We often had rabbit when I was young. Usually arrived whole and ready to skin, say no more...😂

Back in the 1960's when money was tight my dad would occasionally bring home a rabbit that his workmate had shot. As wowzz says above, there was a lot of bone to flesh, but even worse was having to constantly spit out lead shot...

[Trevor Fountain]

9 minutes ago, LondonLad60 said:

Back in the 1960's when money was tight my dad would occasionally bring home a rabbit that his workmate had shot. As wowzz says above, there was a lot of bone to flesh, but even worse was having to constantly spit out lead shot...

I'll stick to spam. For those of you under the age of 40, I am not talking about junk email. 

[FangedRose]

On 7/17/2022 at 11:37 AM, Host Sharon said:

Yes, I assume that is what I had on Aurora a month back. I was not impressed. The ‘always available’ options have gone, including the melon starter. Now there are two fish dishes plus salmon, steak and three veggie meals – two vegetarian and one vegan. I eat largely vegetarian at home but I missed chicken, which we only had one night. Sommeliers have also gone now and the wine list is smaller. It was OK for 12 nights but if I had been on longer I might have complained. Why no venison, pheasant or even rabbit?

All those changes were in place on my last cruise three years ago.

[Host Sharon]

10 hours ago, FangedRose said:

All those changes were in place on my last cruise three years ago.

Well they weren't on Oceana in January 2020.