Live from Britannia

[SeaJane]

27 minutes ago, smokey01 said:

We are on Britannia July 2024 so hope we also get a proper served meal. That said our past 5 P&O cruises have been Iona/Arvia and we both love the chicken tikka masala from the embarkation buffet but a sit down served meal will be even better. Getting a drink has been difficult I will admit though on Iona/Arvia! We are also currently booked on Arvia for April next year but after a bad cruise on Arvia last April (mainly horrendous dining room waits) I’m thinking of trying to change to Ventura and traditional dining. Not that it would sway the decision but what does Ventura do now for the Caribbean and above embarkation lunch, buffet or served meal?

On Ventura in May the embarkation lunch was a served meal in Cinnamon restaurant and there were very few attendees, but apparently there were a high number of new cruisers on board. The drink flowed freely, but sadly the food quality wasn’t good as mentioned in my previous feedback. 

[grapau27]

19 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

Well that’s lunch worked off in the gym, with a never ending stream of people walking through exploring the ship, realising it is a dead end other than the entry to the oddly placed cookery school kitchen (the design of some of P&O ships is distinctly odd) and then having to U turn. 
 

Now a G&T on the balcony before a late dinner and show as we have just cast off. 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

Edited July 7, 2023 by grapau27

[TigerB]

11 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

Well that’s lunch worked off in the gym, with a never ending stream of people walking through exploring the ship, realising it is a dead end other than the entry to the oddly placed cookery school kitchen (the design of some of P&O ships is distinctly odd) and then having to U turn. 
 

Now a G&T on the balcony before a late dinner and show as we have just cast off. 

 

Lunch? Gym?  Only one of those features in my cruise vocabulary!😉

G&T?  Yup! That certainly features 🤭

 

Have a great cruise🙂

[Peanut006]

Have a fantastic cruise and thank you for the information about the Bed Lever, I will look into that

 

Michelle

[grapau27]

23 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

How many of you were there? We only got 1 chocolate each and didn't get to choose like previously. 

Andy 

Just me and Pauline.

They brought a bowl with chocolates in.

I think the tips helped every night.

This was the first cruise that they didn't bring the chocolate tray to choose which chocolate's we wanted.

Edited July 7, 2023 by grapau27

[TigerB]

13 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

How many of you were there? We only got 1 chocolate each and didn't get to choose like previously. 

Andy 

 

Every time in Epicurean we've been able to choose, and more than one each too. I have stopped short of taking a little bag with me, to make up for not getting them anymore in the MDR.🤭

[9265359]

9 minutes ago, TigerB said:

 

Lunch? Gym?  Only one of those features in my cruise vocabulary!😉

I don’t think you are alone in that view!

[9265359]

A perfect sail away. 
 

 

[smokey01]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

We are on Ventura in October. If nobody responds I’ll let you know then. 

Thanks Selbourne, have a good cruise. Thanks SeaJane.

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, TigerB said:

 

I've read something in your initial report that was only 99.99% positive, so this is me pouncing.....

(Only joshing!)

 

 

I would be interested to know what cabin grade you are in, and the location. When we've been on Britannia previously, we've only been in the two HD accessible cabins on deck 14 aft. I have wondered if there is any difference internally with the HB or HA grades, or if it's just the location.

 

Tell me about the bed rail / grab bar would you please; i.e. type and hire cost, if any?  Our lass uses one at home, and on our last trip I mentioned about taking it with us. Hers is similar to this...

where most of it sits under the mattress. It would a bit cumbersome to carry with the luggage. I wasn't aware you could hire from Mobility At Sea.

 

 

I'm glad you got the speciality restaurants sorted early doors; it's a pity you weren't able to book on the cruise planner and save a few quid.

Hopefully, Epicurean will be better for you two than it was for Andy and Michelle.🤞

Which brings me on to a tasty subject, Operation Double Dessert in the Epicurean.  You only mentioned that you meant a sweet dessert and a cheese plate after I had posted about my successful mission on Iona last month, and in doing so, suffered the daggers stare from my good lady, and the later indigestion.  So, your penance young man is to, on one of your four visits, have two sweet desserts......photo evidence required!  If you feel really brave, you can do the triple, and get the cheese plate too!🤭  No pressure!

 

 

Anyway, have a really fantastic cruise. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Just responding to your cabin category  comment TigerB. All cabins of H category are identical, (except for the location of the bathroom, which can be on the left of the door or the right, and AFAIK there are no poles in any Britannia cabins.

[P&O SUE]

14 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

How many of you were there? We only got 1 chocolate each and didn't get to choose like previously. 

Andy 

We got to choose on Ventura and I was going to have 2 but he gave me 4 😂

[P&O SUE]

14 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Just me and Pauline.

They brought a bowl with chocolates in.

I think the tips helped every night.

This was the first cruise that they didn't bring the chocolate tray to choose which chocolate's we wanted.

Again on Ventura we had the tray to choose from and got 4 each! I put one in my handbag, found it when we got home and ate it then 😁

[grapau27]

16 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

Again on Ventura we had the tray to choose from and got 4 each! I put one in my handbag, found it when we got home and ate it then 😁

Britannia in June was the first time they didn't bring a chocolate tray around.

Usually in Epicurean our server's are happy to give me whatever chocolates we want.

[AndyMichelle]

16 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

Again on Ventura we had the tray to choose from and got 4 each! I put one in my handbag, found it when we got home and ate it then 😁

Michelle has just reminded me that the 2 chocolates we got in the Epicurean were exactly the same as we got in the mdr on formal night.... And we got the amuse buche that we didn't get in the Epicurean.. 

Andy 

[grapau27]

5 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Michelle has just reminded me that the 2 chocolates we got in the Epicurean were exactly the same as we got in the mdr on formal night.... And we got the amuse buche that we didn't get in the Epicurean.. 

Andy 

The Rib eye steak was a sharing option but sometimes they will give a smaller version for 1.

One night I asked for it because I like rib eye but Pauline only eats a little steak so she got the Giant Indonesian Tiger prawns.

They brought me 2 plates of steak.

 

 

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, grapau27 said:

The Rib eye steak was a sharing option but sometimes they will give a smaller version for 1.

One night I asked for it because I like rib eye but Pauline only eats a little steak so she got the Giant Indonesian Tiger prawns.

They brought me 2 plates of steak.

 

 

Wow, I got a skinny, fatty bit of drastically overcooked sirloin... 

Andy 

[grapau27]

50 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Wow, I got a skinny, fatty bit of drastically overcooked sirloin... 

Andy 

I deleted most of my photos but I had a different steak every night and this was 2 of them.

[AndyMichelle]

11 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

I deleted most of my photos but I had a different steak every night and this was 2 of them.

You obviously get deserved, special treatment Graham😊

Andy 

[Cathygh]

I hope you both have a great time

[grapau27]

29 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

You obviously get deserved, special treatment Graham😊

Andy 

Thank you Andy.

I think dining early helps plus I always leave a tip.

[Angel57]

Just now, grapau27 said:

Thank you Andy.

I think dining early helps plus I always leave a tip.

I agree with what you say Graham, but leaving a tip shouldn’t influence food quality or service given - but it looks like it does!

btw - your steak meals looked delicious!

[zap99]

24 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

I agree with what you say Graham, but leaving a tip shouldn’t influence food quality or service given - but it looks like it does!

btw - your steak meals looked delicious!

We tip at the end of a meal and as we normally only eat in Epicurian once on a two week cruise, it don't work for the next meal, which may be 6 months later. We took our free bottle of fizz to the MDR.  The kind Lady got some glasses for us and poured it. We gave her a good tip and we got very good service in the MDR from then on in. It does seem to influence them, but I agree ,it shouldn't.

[AndyMichelle]

38 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Thank you Andy.

I think dining early helps plus I always leave a tip.

We took money for tips for good service, unfortunately didn't get any so saved our money. 

Andy 

[zap99]

38 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

I agree with what you say Graham, but leaving a tip shouldn’t influence food quality or service given - but it looks like it does!

btw - your steak meals looked delicious!

Silly presentation in the Glass House.

Edited July 8, 2023 by zap99

[Angel57]

18 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Silly presentation in the Glass House.

Carbon copy of my meal in Aurora’s glasshouse a few weeks ago! And very nice it was too!