Food in the MDR on Aurora

[Red Ray]

My only gripe with the food is too many vegetarian/vegan/gluten free options. I noticed in the buffet on Arcadia that the amount of food wasted at the vegetarian station was criminal. In the MDR on a mains menu of 6 dishes there is no way there should be more than 2 veggie/vegan options.

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, Red Ray said:

My only gripe with the food is too many vegetarian/vegan/gluten free options. I noticed in the buffet on Arcadia that the amount of food wasted at the vegetarian station was criminal. In the MDR on a mains menu of 6 dishes there is no way there should be more than 2 veggie/vegan options.

I think vegetarians and vegans would disagree! I’m neither, but I know a lot of younger people who are, and their view is that those options can be chosen by everyone, including meat and fish eaters, while meat and fish options can’t.

 

From P&O’s standpoint, veggie options are usually cheaper, the new target market includes a large and growing number of veggies, so it’s win/win. 
 

Those bad old days of one veggie option, usually a salad or risotto, are long gone onshore, and cruises are simply following the trend.

[Waju]

3 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

I think vegetarians and vegans would disagree! I’m neither, but I know a lot of younger people who are, and their view is that those options can be chosen by everyone, including meat and fish eaters, while meat and fish options can’t.

 

From P&O’s standpoint, veggie options are usually cheaper, the new target market includes a large and growing number of veggies, so it’s win/win. 
 

Those bad old days of one veggie option, usually a salad or risotto, are long gone onshore, and cruises are simply following the trend.

I'm not veggie or vegan but really did enjoy some of those meals!

[galeforce9]

Don’t they have a special menu for vegans/vegetarians anyway, like they used to? 

[Harry Peterson]

1 minute ago, Waju said:

I'm not veggie or vegan but really did enjoy some of those meals!

I think that’s the point, really. Decent veggie options can be enjoyed by everyone. Non-veggie options can’t.

 

And a choice between only two options isn’t much of a choice, is it?

[Red Ray]

26 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

I think vegetarians and vegans would disagree! I’m neither, but I know a lot of younger people who are, and their view is that those options can be chosen by everyone, including meat and fish eaters, while meat and fish options can’t.

 

From P&O’s standpoint, veggie options are usually cheaper, the new target market includes a large and growing number of veggies, so it’s win/win. 
 

Those bad old days of one veggie option, usually a salad or risotto, are long gone onshore, and cruises are simply following the trend.

How do you know if somebody is a vegan?

Don't worry, they will soon tell you.

[Gettingwarmer]

21 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Decent veggie options can be enjoyed by everyone. Non-veggie options can’t.

I agree with and I often eat vegetarian options. I think the trouble is too many are vegan (especially desserts) which can often lack taste. A main meat and vegetarian menu with a separate vegan menu would be better. 

[kalos]

32 minutes ago, Red Ray said:

How do you know if somebody is a vegan?

Don't worry, they will soon tell you.

 

If you get chance try vegan mayo  , tastes great on a chicken sandwich .😉

[GOQ]

On 5/20/2023 at 8:57 AM, Fionboard said:

Been on Aurora twice this year. Food and service excellent. Currently on Arcadia and food and service not as good. Enjoying it though. 

Oh that's good news. I didn't find any problems with Arcadia but have booked 2 future cruises on Aurora influenced no doubt by the comments on the P&O CC forum and a friend of mine who has a few Aurora cruises to her experience who assures me I will love it.

  

[zap99]

6 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

If you get chance try vegan mayo  , tastes great on a chicken sandwich .😉

We have popped into Costa for lunch. We had a bean and a voucher. Not many sandwiches for vegans, but as I'm not one I don't need to bother. Not much chicken in my coronation chicken sandwich either.

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

I think vegetarians and vegans would disagree! I’m neither, but I know a lot of younger people who are, and their view is that those options can be chosen by everyone, including meat and fish eaters, while meat and fish options can’t.

 

From P&O’s standpoint, veggie options are usually cheaper, the new target market includes a large and growing number of veggies, so it’s win/win. 
 

Those bad old days of one veggie option, usually a salad or risotto, are long gone onshore, and cruises are simply following the trend.

I do agree with you but this is another of those little things that is difficult for P&O to balance as they continue to try and be all things to all pax. Whilst fully accepting that older people too can be vegetarian or vegan, I would hazard a guess that the percentage of non-meat eaters on Aurora and Arcadia is very small but of course, P&O adopts a fleet-wide menu. It would be interesting to compare P&O's menus with Cunard and Princess for ex-uk itineraries. The past practice of offering a separate veggie/vegan menu was surely better for all...?

[kalos]

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

I think vegetarians and vegans would disagree! I’m neither, but I know a lot of younger people who are, and their view is that those options can be chosen by everyone, including meat and fish eaters, while meat and fish options can’t.

 

From P&O’s standpoint, veggie options are usually cheaper, the new target market includes a large and growing number of veggies, so it’s win/win. 
 

Those bad old days of one veggie option, usually a salad or risotto, are long gone onshore, and cruises are simply following the trend.

 

The hotel in Funchal we were at a few weeks ago catered for a lot of tastes and diets .

On the bottom of the menu it read ...

 

(G) We are the first hotel in Portugal to launch a menu in which insects are the main source of protein.
The consumption of this protein is a sustainable and nutritious alternative to meat.

 

No we didn't  !  

 

 

 

[Harry Peterson]

7 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

The hotel in Funchal we were at a few weeks ago catered for a lot of tastes and diets .

On the bottom of the menu it read ...

 

(G) We are the first hotel in Portugal to launch a menu in which insects are the main source of protein.
The consumption of this protein is a sustainable and nutritious alternative to meat.

 

No we didn't  !  

 

 

 

Nor me. But at some point it’ll be seen as a luxury, when meat’s beyond the reach of all but the super rich!

[Scorpio41]

It wasn’t that the menu had three meat dishes and three vegan vegetarian dishes. It was two of the meat dishes were the same every night (steak or chicken) and only one that changed between a fish choice and another meat offering.

 

The complaint is there is little choice for meat eaters. It was better when there was meat / fish options, plus the choice of chicken, steak or salmon if nothing else took your fancy.

 

I don’t mind the vegetarian options but don’t offer me the same meal every night. I would like a choice too.

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

Nor me. But at some point it’ll be seen as a luxury, when meat’s beyond the reach of all but the super rich!

I wonder what the reaction was when the first person was dished up a lobster.?

[Harry Peterson]

20 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I wonder what the reaction was when the first person was dished up a lobster.?

“Waiter - my crab’s only got 2 legs!”

[jh1809]

6 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

I think vegetarians and vegans would disagree! I’m neither, but I know a lot of younger people who are, and their view is that those options can be chosen by everyone, including meat and fish eaters, while meat and fish options can’t.

 

From P&O’s standpoint, veggie options are usually cheaper, the new target market includes a large and growing number of veggies, so it’s win/win. 
 

Those bad old days of one veggie option, usually a salad or risotto, are long gone onshore, and cruises are simply following the trend.

But those younger people aren't likely to be cruising on Aurora, where in my experience getting on for 90% of the passengers must be over fifty. The percentage of vegans or vegetarians in that age bracket must be pretty small. If P&O have the same balance between meat/fish and vegetarian/vegan dishes on all their ships, rather than tailoring it to the sort of clientele that the different ships attract, then I think that is a mistake.

[Dermotsgirl]

I’m happy to eat vegetarian or vegan, but I’m an omnivore, so I like a decent choice of meat, poultry and fish dishes. From what I’ve seen, the menu does seem vegetarian weighted

[Megabear2]

7 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

From P&O’s standpoint, veggie options are usually cheaper, the new target market includes a large and growing number of veggies, so it’s win/win. 

Unfortunately they aren't using Green & Co on Arvia in substantial numbers.  I've eaten there several times evening and lunch and it's hardly got anyone in it apart from the sushi bar.  A great shame as the food is excellent from my experience.

[bbtablet]

7 hours ago, zap99 said:

 Not much chicken in my coronation chicken sandwich either.

I think you will find that at the moment the coronation chicken is mostly coronation.

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

Unfortunately they aren't using Green & Co on Arvia in substantial numbers.  I've eaten there several times evening and lunch and it's hardly got anyone in it apart from the sushi bar.  A great shame as the food is excellent from my experience.

Same experience in Green %& Co. They redeployed wait staff to other restaurants and the Chick Pea meringue later appeared in the buffet.

[Scorpio41]

11 hours ago, davecttr said:

Same experience in Green %& Co. They redeployed wait staff to other restaurants and the Chick Pea meringue later appeared in the buffet.

The Chick Pea Meringue also turned up on the Aurora. 😂

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, Scorpio41 said:

The Chick Pea Meringue also turned up on the Aurora. 😂

Perhaps P&O have a Chick Pea farm as well as a Green Bean one 

[Balconybird]

On 5/19/2023 at 1:57 PM, Scorpio41 said:

Very disappointed in the food on offer in the MDR. P&O catering for the cruising minority. 

Very repetitive, bland and tasteless. Too many vegan, vegetarian and GF options.

 

We found the choice very limited for us that enjoy fish and meat. My table companions also found themselves ordering the same dishes night after night. Cruisers we shared breakfast tables with passed comments too.
The deserts were lacking something, but I can’t quite say what. Maybe being all vegan options, gf made them more tasteless. Certainly less sugar.

 

What happened to the Stilton? Some nights the waiters managed to find some but not often. I would have Stilton every night instead of desert.

 

For those of you who love green beans, I am pleased to say the bean bushes are doing well and there is an abundance of possibly even a glut of them and they are harvested daily. 😁

 

This is my opinion and views, feel free to express your own findings. 🙃

 

I am looking forward to going on Aurora in 4 weeks time and pleased to hear GF options are clearly stated

 

I am coeliac and have had to follow a strict gluten free diet for 15 plus years - it really is very helpful to have menu items identified as gluten free as they are then deemed 'safe' for coeliacs to eat. I certainly do not agree that gluten free food is tasteless (apart from maybe some bread!). Coeliacs have to avoid wheat flour, oats, rye & barley - generally everything else is naturally gluten free. Therefore most people will have been eating gluten free food on many occasions without realising it. If for example a sauce accompanying a dish was made with wheat flour it would not be gluten free but if it were made with rice flour or maize flour (as a lot of sauces are these days) then it would be gluten free. Same meal with only a slight change to ingredients and same great taste; if it wasn't labelled GF I really don't think anyone would know the difference.

 

 

[Scorpio41]

7 minutes ago, Balconybird said:

 

I am looking forward to going on Aurora in 4 weeks time and pleased to hear GF options are clearly stated

 

 

 

 

Everything is well labelled on the evening menu. There is a separate part of the buffet where to food is all carefully labelled too. The restaurant manager was still bring the next nights menu to those who may need a few extra tweaks.

 

Have a lovely cruise.