A change of heart at P&O?

[pennib]

Had a letter this morning from Paul Ludlow about reinstating various things such as afternoon tea (but not on Arvia and Iona) and the peninsula cocktail parties. Are these things a sign of someone at P&O listening to concerns expressed on this and other sites?? Discuss.

[Waju]

1 minute ago, pennib said:

Had a letter this morning from Paul Ludlow about reinstating various things such as afternoon tea (but not on Arvia and Iona) and the peninsula cocktail parties. Are these things a sign of someone at P&O listening to concerns expressed on this and other sites?? Discuss.

I hope so!

[Cristaltips]

Hopefully they’ve taken the complaints about the food on board ( no pun intended!) and will improve the choice and quality of that 🤞🤞

[jh1809]

4 hours ago, pennib said:

Had a letter this morning from Paul Ludlow about reinstating various things such as afternoon tea (but not on Arvia and Iona) and the peninsula cocktail parties. Are these things a sign of someone at P&O listening to concerns expressed on this and other sites?? Discuss.

I had that letter too. I imagine that the reinstatement of the cocktail parties is probably part of the relaxation of Covid restrictions where they didn't want large groups of people mingling closely together. Nothing was said about a return of the Captain's cocktail party for all the passengers, though..

 

Regarding the afternoon teas, interestingly they were back on sea days during the second half of my Caribbean trip on Aurora during Nov/Dec. Maybe that was a trial run. It wasn't at all publicised on board, though, which meant that the one I went to was poorly attended. I just happened to be looking at the meal times shown in Horizon for the MDRs and happened to spot it. I wonder if the wider return is a sign that, after the disruption to crew levels and training caused by the Covid shut-down, P&O think that the crew situation regarding cooks and waiters is now good enough to reintroduce it.

 

One other thing they say is that you no longer have to use their My Holiday app to book things if you don't want to, but can do it the old-fashioned way. (I suspect that in practice that was always the case, but now it's official.)   

[weskiers]

Was there a date for the reinstatement? Maybe it's after the Civic relaxation on 1st March!

[weskiers]

That said COVID NOT CIVIC!!!!!

[cheshire]

Good to see alas too late for me.  Arvia and Iona seem to be the future. They’re not cruise ships they are simply floating resorts fir the all inclusive brigade. Very well appointed and many many good things but sadly  No character.  You’re a number.   
 

keep pushing ex butlins entertainers in club lounge but for me on a sea day afternoon tea was our thing.  We did to eat in Epicurean three times as celebration night food was a disgrace. 
 

nice ships shame about the behaviour of some onboard.

[jamiebarnzy]

Good Evening 

 

Would you mind sharing what was in the email?

 

thank you 

[Valfan]

2 hours ago, jh1809 said:

 

Regarding the afternoon teas, interestingly they were back on sea days during the second half of my Caribbean trip on Aurora during Nov/Dec. Maybe that was a trial run. It wasn't at all publicised on board, though, which meant that the one I went to was poorly attended. I just happened to be looking at the meal times shown in Horizon for the MDRs and happened to spot it.

 

Looking just now on P&O's website they say that afternoon tea is "once a week on a sea day ..in the main restaurant". So they are either bringing it back gradually at first, or it's yet another cutback and once a week is all we can expect!

[molecrochip]

16 minutes ago, Valfan said:

Looking just now on P&O's website they say that afternoon tea is "once a week on a sea day ..in the main restaurant". So they are either bringing it back gradually at first, or it's yet another cutback and once a week is all we can expect!

Afternoon tea not being available has been the result of a shortage of pastry chefs and stretching the available waiters to their limit. As these issues resolve, its possible to reintroduce.

 

Its being done slowly but I do expect it to improve. I believe we will see afternoon tea on Iona and Arvia sea days eventually by not for now.

[jh1809]

30 minutes ago, jamiebarnzy said:

Good Evening 

 

Would you mind sharing what was in the email?

 

thank you 

It wasn't an email but an old-fashioned letter, which makes sharing it a bit more difficult. But I think what was in it has already been adequately covered in this thread.

[Selbourne]

Worth noting that, as with afternoon tea, the loyalty tier cocktail parties won’t be appearing on Iona and Arvia.  

[jamiebarnzy]

8 hours ago, pennib said:

Had a letter this morning from Paul Ludlow about reinstating various things such as afternoon tea (but not on Arvia and Iona) and the peninsula cocktail parties. Are these things a sign of someone at P&O listening to concerns expressed on this and other sites?? Discuss.

 

15 minutes ago, jh1809 said:

It wasn't an email but an old-fashioned letter, which makes sharing it a bit more difficult. But I think what was in it has already been adequately covered in this thread.

Ok thank you will check the post for it when I get home. 

[July morning]

We had afternoon tea on Britannia in October. You had to book it, many didn't and just turned up and were turned away as it was limited availability. Not quite the as it used to be but still nice sandwiches and cakes 😊

[davecttr]

13 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Worth noting that, as with afternoon tea, the loyalty tier cocktail parties won’t be appearing on Iona and Arvia.  

I can see why. The problem is several hundred people could turn up. They won't fit in the Crows Nest

[Cj hanlon]

4 hours ago, weskiers said:

That said COVID NOT CIVIC!!!!!

My friend you’ve been lied too. 

[jeanlyon]

Have to say, if I had afternoon tea, I wouldn't be having dinner.  Just don't need all this food.  We;ve also given up on the Captain's cocktail parties.    Would rather be in the Crows Nest.

[Selbourne]

50 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Have to say, if I had afternoon tea, I wouldn't be having dinner.  Just don't need all this food.  We;ve also given up on the Captain's cocktail parties.    Would rather be in the Crows Nest.

We don’t bother with afternoon tea either (nor do we rate it), but we know folk who do. We tend to explore the port on our own after breakfast and usually have a late lunch in the MDR or Glasshouse. However, for those who (like us) avoid the buffet like the plague, if you get back on the ship after MDR lunch has finished, it’s a relaxing (and free) way to have a bite to eat before a late dinner. 
 

We tend to go to the cocktail parties, primarily for a few free drinks and the odd nugget of info from the Captain. Perhaps the solution on Iona and Arvia (if space is an issue) is to restrict them to Caribbean tier and above rather than scrap them altogether?  

[Jennizor]

57 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Have to say, if I had afternoon tea, I wouldn't be having dinner.  Just don't need all this food.  We;ve also given up on the Captain's cocktail parties.    Would rather be in the Crows Nest.

I have to agree with you Jean. As we have got older (69&72), our appetites have lessened. In times gone by I would have enjoyed afternoon tea and then ate a full dinner but not now. We don’t use Epicurean either as there is just too much and I hate waste. Like you, we love the Crows Nest and are quite happy to be there away from the cocktail parties which can get very busy and noisy.

[snaefell]

We loved the Crows Nest last time we were on Britannia,trouble was we were in one of the Aft suites & that seemed a blooming long way after a 'hard night in the Crows Nest!😁

We too do not have the same appetites these days but love buffets so that we can try a variety of whatever we like the look of.

[FluffyFiFi]

I’m not too fussed about afternoon tea as that wasn’t that great with things coming out in strange order, such as cakes arriving before sandwiches and then tea cakes but no butter. 
 

I personally really like Iona and am looking forward to going on Arvia later this year.  It seems unfair that these two ships will not be hosting the cocktail parties for Caribbean and above guests. This is one of the perks of the loyalty program and I have always enjoyed them in the past - especially when they did the raffle for the champagne and it was also nice hearing and meeting those who had done the most nights onboard.

 

I hope they will start these again as these should be available on all ships across the fleet.

 

 

[majortom10]

17 minutes ago, FluffyFiFi said:

I’m not too fussed about afternoon tea as that wasn’t that great with things coming out in strange order, such as cakes arriving before sandwiches and then tea cakes but no butter. 
 

I personally really like Iona and am looking forward to going on Arvia later this year.  It seems unfair that these two ships will not be hosting the cocktail parties for Caribbean and above guests. This is one of the perks of the loyalty program and I have always enjoyed them in the past - especially when they did the raffle for the champagne and it was also nice hearing and meeting those who had done the most nights onboard.

 

I hope they will start these again as these should be available on all ships across the fleet.

 

 

I agree as loyalty to P&O should be the same for everyone and everyone should have the same in return as a member of Peninsular Club whatever ship they are on.

[Britboys]

My guess is that as the Cocktail Parties are for Mediterranean level and above, they are worried about possibly high numbers on the bigger ships and whether there is a big enough venue.

With the gradual return of some of these things, I just hope they will revisit the mdr menus and food quality generally.

Edited February 6, 2023 by Britboys

[Red Leicester]

I'm sure I've read on here somewhere uproar at lack of afternoon tea yet most here are saying meh, not fussed.  

 

I have never been invited to a Cocktail Party so guessing Mrs RL and me fall into the not quite important pile.  If I was invited I probably wouldn't go anyway.  I'm all for a bit of loyalty though so any perks are worth it.  Take it or leave it.

 

The one I really don't get but causes adverse reaction is evening turndown.  Removing that has caused uproar, not just on here but on other sites / media too.  I have commented before that I just don't get what evening turndown is / was.  Maybe I'm of an upbringing or generation that lost out on this.  I can live without a second invasion of my room and the chocolate.  It gives the already hard working crew some rest.  

 

The one thing I hope is turned round is the quality of the custard in the smash n grab.  Awful on Britannia last September.  I'd take that over evening turndown any day.

[davecttr]

Smash n Grab, like it 😁

Edited February 6, 2023 by davecttr