P&O Cruiser does a Saga Cruise

[FatBoy20]

13 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 

I imagine a quiet table by kitchen won't be many others first choice so good luck

The Tables for 2 in question re by the Waiter Stations & not the Kitchen!.

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, FatBoy20 said:

The Tables for 2 in question re by the Waiter Stations & not the Kitchen!.

I was just quoting OP's words

[Cynthia Darch]

Well, I have just read through all the comments relating cruising with Saga and very happy with the majority of answers, My husband and I have been cruising solely with P&O for nearly 30 years and are Ligurian tier but have made the decision to move across to Saga after hearing so many wonderful reports from their passengers since we became interested earlier this year.

We haven't given up on P&O but from now on it will be Aurora and possibly Arcadia while they are still around. I think the ships such as Iona are super in lots of respects but I hate to say it but the clientele have change so much now that they are offering cruises so cheaply in order to fill their ships, apart from Aurora.

So we are off on Monday for our first Saga cruise and have booked another 6 which will fit in with our pre booked P&O Aurora cruises for 24/25.

It is disappointing that P&O have dropped so far down the pecking order from where they used to be so like many other former fans, we are off. 

[Cruisemeister2002]

On 8/24/2023 at 10:57 PM, Windsurfboy said:

Taking everything into account adding it all up , P&O is still cheaper than Saga. But if you are willing to pay for quality go Saga.

 

The problems getting into speciality restaurants,  may be the finsl straw for a high quality P&O experience. 

Went on a P&O cruise in March through to early April. 35 nights. Had no problem booking speciality restaurants. But in many cases glad I did as I thought the food in the MDR was pretty ordinary. Sindu which we frequented (That's posh isn't it ?) on three separate occasions was superb.  I do feel though that you shouldn't have to be forced to go to speciality dining to get a decent meal. Breakfasts were so, so, toast was shown to the toaster, eggs benedict were never the same two days running and one day my Wife didn't even get her's, jam and marmalade after a while ceased to be in small jars. I suppose, to me, soup at dinner was the best course. Steaks were ropey, food occasionally cold, brocolli with everything except dessert (that was surprising) and it gradually got yellower or browner. Desserts that were Pina Colada or rum infused I would suggest never saw a bottle of either. The Captains cocktail party was a find a waiter and as usual the wine was only fit for cleaning a sink. I really don't know why they continue to bother with these events if they can't be bothered to dish up something decent.

[besberry]

I've had two cruises on Saga and a lot more on P&O.  I liked both Discovery and Adventure.  The food, service, cabin, evening turndown, included drinks, crew, included transfers were all great.  BUT, I found the sea days quite tedious.  I don't mind classical music, but preferably not every day, although I accept that the Britannia Lounge was busy each time.  I had two good(ish) cruises, but I'm not sure I'll do another one on Saga.

[lincslady]

I hope the band still have a jazz pre- lunchtime session at least once on board.  Always lots of people loving those.  But yes, quite a lot of very well played light classical music, in the afternoon.

 

The tables for two can be a problem; we have done quite a few, same table every evening.  Although we were not especially sociable, had some really lovely couples to make friends with,  and others who were fine to have the odd chat with.  Never embarrassing or awkward, as far as I remember.  And the waiters never tried to make you coincide with courses, as they did on Cunard, so some waited until others arrived. Very annoying, and really meant that ideally you had to agree a time to go in.

[Selbourne]

@Dermotsgirl Thank you so much for taking the time to post your review and, in particular, your comparisons with P&O. I’ve only just had time to go through it all properly now that I have finished all the washing, drying, ironing etc from our week on Iona (and I haven’t even begun to tackle the garden yet) 😂 

 

As you know, we are keen to try Saga but my hesitance is the very high prices, as it’s more than double what we are paying with P&O and some of the included items with Saga wouldn’t be that beneficial to us. However, I know that you usually get what you pay for.

 

Your review was fascinating and I have gone through it all with my wife. There are three things that you have highlighted that give us pause for thought;

 

Chauffeur transfer - We would have to have a shared car due to distance. My wife wouldn’t be able to step up into a mini van type vehicle, so an estate car or SUV would be better. However, as we would have luggage and a wheelchair, I’m not sure how that would work if we were sharing. If the only solution is us having to drive ourselves then neither Tilbury or Dover are as attractive to us as Southampton. Portsmouth would be fine, but someone mentioned the need to use a bus within the port which, again, would not work for my wife. 
 

Tables for 2 - We have to have a table for 2 and, like you, dislike those that are ‘pretend’ tables for two with just inches between them. The Saga setup sounds worse than P&O, which is not what I’d expect given the price premium. 
 

Early shows - We tend to dine late and, if it appeals, go to the 10.30pm show on P&O. None of the other forms of cruise ship entertainment appeal. If the shows are an hour or so earlier on Saga then we would either have to dine earlier than we’d like, or miss the show. Also, even if we went to the show, we wouldn’t have anything left to do afterwards (although I’m sure that the included drinks help). 
 

We definitely need to consider all the above carefully before committing. Thanks again. 

[Gettingwarmer]

5 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Tables for 2 - We have to have a table for 2 and, like you, dislike those that are ‘pretend’ tables for two with just inches between them. The Saga setup sounds worse than P&O, which is not what I’d expect given the price premium.

I was surprised at this as well. 

[Megabear2]

4 hours ago, Selbourne said:

@Dermotsgirl Thank you so much for taking the time to post your review and, in particular, your comparisons with P&O. I’ve only just had time to go through it all properly now that I have finished all the washing, drying, ironing etc from our week on Iona (and I haven’t even begun to tackle the garden yet) 😂 

 

As you know, we are keen to try Saga but my hesitance is the very high prices, as it’s more than double what we are paying with P&O and some of the included items with Saga wouldn’t be that beneficial to us. However, I know that you usually get what you pay for.

 

Your review was fascinating and I have gone through it all with my wife. There are three things that you have highlighted that give us pause for thought;

 

Chauffeur transfer - We would have to have a shared car due to distance. My wife wouldn’t be able to step up into a mini van type vehicle, so an estate car or SUV would be better. However, as we would have luggage and a wheelchair, I’m not sure how that would work if we were sharing. If the only solution is us having to drive ourselves then neither Tilbury or Dover are as attractive to us as Southampton. Portsmouth would be fine, but someone mentioned the need to use a bus within the port which, again, would not work for my wife. 
 

Tables for 2 - We have to have a table for 2 and, like you, dislike those that are ‘pretend’ tables for two with just inches between them. The Saga setup sounds worse than P&O, which is not what I’d expect given the price premium. 
 

Early shows - We tend to dine late and, if it appeals, go to the 10.30pm show on P&O. None of the other forms of cruise ship entertainment appeal. If the shows are an hour or so earlier on Saga then we would either have to dine earlier than we’d like, or miss the show. Also, even if we went to the show, we wouldn’t have anything left to do afterwards (although I’m sure that the included drinks help). 
 

We definitely need to consider all the above carefully before committing. Thanks again. 

Over on Cunard board I've asked a few questions on the Club dining,  I've been surprised to be told there can be as little as 10 inches between tables in the Grills.  Seems money paid doesn't necessarily equate to better gaps.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Megabear2

[Selbourne]

14 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Over on Cunard board I've asked a few questions on the Club dining,  I've been surprised to be told there can be as little as 10 inches between tables in the Grills.  Seems money paid doesn't necessarily equate to better gaps.

The vast majority of tables seemed as close as that when we were in Princess Grill, hence why we jumped at the table that nobody else wanted, but was very much on its own and suited us perfectly 😂 

 

Have many reported that they wanted a table for 2 but were allocated a shared table and unable to change it?

[Megabear2]

6 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

The vast majority of tables seemed as close as that when we were in Princess Grill, hence why we jumped at the table that nobody else wanted, but was very much on its own and suited us perfectly 😂 

 

Have many reported that they wanted a table for 2 but were allocated a shared table and unable to change it?

No. Overwhelmingly they think we will get tables for 2, especially as we both have special requirements.

[Dermotsgirl]

4 hours ago, Selbourne said:

@Dermotsgirl Thank you so much for taking the time to post your review and, in particular, your comparisons with P&O. I’ve only just had time to go through it all properly now that I have finished all the washing, drying, ironing etc from our week on Iona (and I haven’t even begun to tackle the garden yet) 😂 

 

As you know, we are keen to try Saga but my hesitance is the very high prices, as it’s more than double what we are paying with P&O and some of the included items with Saga wouldn’t be that beneficial to us. However, I know that you usually get what you pay for.

 

Your review was fascinating and I have gone through it all with my wife. There are three things that you have highlighted that give us pause for thought;

 

Chauffeur transfer - We would have to have a shared car due to distance. My wife wouldn’t be able to step up into a mini van type vehicle, so an estate car or SUV would be better. However, as we would have luggage and a wheelchair, I’m not sure how that would work if we were sharing. If the only solution is us having to drive ourselves then neither Tilbury or Dover are as attractive to us as Southampton. Portsmouth would be fine, but someone mentioned the need to use a bus within the port which, again, would not work for my wife. 
 

Tables for 2 - We have to have a table for 2 and, like you, dislike those that are ‘pretend’ tables for two with just inches between them. The Saga setup sounds worse than P&O, which is not what I’d expect given the price premium. 
 

Early shows - We tend to dine late and, if it appeals, go to the 10.30pm show on P&O. None of the other forms of cruise ship entertainment appeal. If the shows are an hour or so earlier on Saga then we would either have to dine earlier than we’d like, or miss the show. Also, even if we went to the show, we wouldn’t have anything left to do afterwards (although I’m sure that the included drinks help). 
 

We definitely need to consider all the above carefully before committing. Thanks again. 

I’m glad it has been of some assistance.

 

With regard to the transfer service, I think I’ve read that, if you live beyond the 75 mile limit, you can pay extra to have a car for your sole use, which may help in your situation. Both the cars we had for our transfer at the start and the end of the cruise were large comfortable estate cars. I would imagine that you could speak to Saga beforehand to make sure they send a suitable car.

 

The thing with the table for two was quite a big issue for us, as it was a factor at most meals. I’d never really felt like this before on a cruise. On P&O, at breakfast and lunch, we tended to go to the buffet, so we chose our own tables, then at dinner we ate at various venues, mostly getting tables that suited us - sometimes we got a less than optimum table in the MDR, but it didn’t feel like an issue, as it wasn’t happening all the time. I would say that The Supper Club was the only venue with what I would call decent spaced tables, 

 

We had already booked the same ship for May, so we are looking for ways to make it better for us. I phoned Saga this afternoon, and have asked for a fixed table for two for dinner in the MDR. I hope this will mean that we can get a table that we find acceptable, and then not have to ‘worry’ about it for the rest of the cruise. For breakfast and lunch, we’ve decided to eat early, probably in the buffet, so that we can bag ourselves the one of the better tables, or otherwise eat outside where we can choose our own table, without being ‘guided’ by the restaurant staff.  It’s not ideal, but it might make things less problematic for us.

 

I got the impression that most people eat earlier rather than later, so you might find some of the ‘better’ tables are available when you want to eat - but probably a bit of a gamble.

 

On P&O, we tend to eat early and go to the 8.30 show. The later show was one of the things I liked, as I often felt the 8.30 show ended too early, and then felt at a loose end.

 

I still haven’t really decided if the extra money paid was worth it for us. I probably wouldn’t book another Saga cruise right now, but as we’ve already got the cruise for next May booked, it gives us a second chance. There was a lot to like and I did enjoy many aspects of the cruise…….. but not 100% sold

[Selbourne]

16 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I’m glad it has been of some assistance.

 

With regard to the transfer service, I think I’ve read that, if you live beyond the 75 mile limit, you can pay extra to have a car for your sole use, which may help in your situation. Both the cars we had for our transfer at the start and the end of the cruise were large comfortable estate cars. I would imagine that you could speak to Saga beforehand to make sure they send a suitable car.

 

The thing with the table for two was quite a big issue for us, as it was a factor at most meals. I’d never really felt like this before on a cruise. On P&O, at breakfast and lunch, we tended to go to the buffet, so we chose our own tables, then at dinner we ate at various venues, mostly getting tables that suited us - sometimes we got a less than optimum table in the MDR, but it didn’t feel like an issue, as it wasn’t happening all the time. I would say that The Supper Club was the only venue with what I would call decent spaced tables, 

 

We had already booked the same ship for May, so we are looking for ways to make it better for us. I phoned Saga this afternoon, and have asked for a fixed table for two for dinner in the MDR. I hope this will mean that we can get a table that we find acceptable, and then not have to ‘worry’ about it for the rest of the cruise. For breakfast and lunch, we’ve decided to eat early, probably in the buffet, so that we can bag ourselves the one of the better tables, or otherwise eat outside where we can choose our own table, without being ‘guided’ by the restaurant staff.  It’s not ideal, but it might make things less problematic for us.

 

I got the impression that most people eat earlier rather than later, so you might find some of the ‘better’ tables are available when you want to eat - but probably a bit of a gamble.

 

On P&O, we tend to eat early and go to the 8.30 show. The later show was one of the things I liked, as I often felt the 8.30 show ended too early, and then felt at a loose end.

 

I still haven’t really decided if the extra money paid was worth it for us. I probably wouldn’t book another Saga cruise right now, but as we’ve already got the cruise for next May booked, it gives us a second chance. There was a lot to like and I did enjoy many aspects of the cruise…….. but not 100% sold

I asked about having a car for sole use and the price premium was horrendous. Can’t remember the cost now but it was several hundred pounds 😱

 

We never touch the buffet, so that wouldn’t work for us. We enjoyed our MDR meals on both Britannia and Iona recently and the tables for 2 were mostly well spaced. It hadn’t even occurred to me that the tables for 2 on Saga ships would be so poor. That would be an example of where I would be hugely disappointed if I had paid more than double the P&O price expecting a better experience and ending up with a worse one. 
 

You may well end up saving me a lot of money. I was very keen to try Saga but would have gone with sky high expectations which, by the sound of it, may fall short. Conversely, we went on our recent P&O cruises thinking that the deterioration post Covid that we had read so much about (particularly in the MDRs) would mean that our P&O days would be coming to an end. However,  we were pleasantly surprised that it was still a perfectly acceptable experience. The app doesn’t work well on Britannia and we had major problems with lifts on Iona (due to my wife’s wheelchair), but the overall product is still great value for money. 

[Dermotsgirl]

18 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I asked about having a car for sole use and the price premium was horrendous. Can’t remember the cost now but it was several hundred pounds 😱

 

We never touch the buffet, so that wouldn’t work for us. We enjoyed our MDR meals on both Britannia and Iona recently and the tables for 2 were mostly well spaced. It hadn’t even occurred to me that the tables for 2 on Saga ships would be so poor. That would be an example of where I would be hugely disappointed if I had paid more than double the P&O price expecting a better experience and ending up with a worse one. 
 

You may well end up saving me a lot of money. I was very keen to try Saga but would have gone with sky high expectations which, by the sound of it, may fall short. Conversely, we went on our recent P&O cruises thinking that the deterioration post Covid that we had read so much about (particularly in the MDRs) would mean that our P&O days would be coming to an end. However,  we were pleasantly surprised that it was still a perfectly acceptable experience. The app doesn’t work well on Britannia and we had major problems with lifts on Iona (due to my wife’s wheelchair), but the overall product is still great value for money. 

The price premium information is interesting for me. If we sailed from Portsmouth with Saga we’d be over the 75 mile limit, and I had wondered about upgrading to a car for our sole use. If it’s that expensive I wouldn’t bother!

 

We’ll get this Saga cruise done in May, then see how we feel. I’m not planing on booking any other cruises until then, and I’m beginning to think that we may end up staging a comeback to P&O. 

[Windsurfboy]

9 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

The price premium information is interesting for me. If we sailed from Portsmouth with Saga we’d be over the 75 mile limit, and I had wondered about upgrading to a car for our sole use. If it’s that expensive I wouldn’t bother!

 

We’ll get this Saga cruise done in May, then see how we feel. I’m not planing on booking any other cruises until then, and I’m beginning to think that we may end up staging a comeback to P&O. 

 

Depends on how far over the 75 miles you live. If you live 76 miles away you only pay for 1 mile , so very cheap a no brainer to up grade. If you live 250 miles away , you pay for 175 miles so can be expensive . 

[Windsurfboy]

10 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I asked about having a car for sole use and the price premium was horrendous. Can’t remember the cost now but it was several hundred pounds 😱

 

We never touch the buffet, so that wouldn’t work for us. We enjoyed our MDR meals on both Britannia and Iona recently and the tables for 2 were mostly well spaced. It hadn’t even occurred to me that the tables for 2 on Saga ships would be so poor. That would be an example of where I would be hugely disappointed if I had paid more than double the P&O price expecting a better experience and ending up with a worse one. 
 

You may well end up saving me a lot of money. I was very keen to try Saga but would have gone with sky high expectations which, by the sound of it, may fall short. Conversely, we went on our recent P&O cruises thinking that the deterioration post Covid that we had read so much about (particularly in the MDRs) would mean that our P&O days would be coming to an end. However,  we were pleasantly surprised that it was still a perfectly acceptable experience. The app doesn’t work well on Britannia and we had major problems with lifts on Iona (due to my wife’s wheelchair), but the overall product is still great value for money. 

 

Selbourne,  in general the Saga tables are better spaced than PG on QM2.

 

Saga are accommodating  ring them up explain your needs they will find and keep you a table  in a quiet slightly more spacious position. Like on PG there are some  seats in quiet positions.

 

Ps at breakfast or lunch half the MDR is empty, so they can find space easily. 

[Host Sharon]

On 8/25/2023 at 4:08 PM, Dermotsgirl said:

Part 4

 

It's all been plain sailing so far, but I'm afraid the next bit isn't so good.

 

Dining Arrangements.

 

By way of explanation, my husband and myself are confirmed introverts, and prefer to have a table for 2.  We don't seek out the company of others, and in fact, find constant conversations with others to be quite tiring.  So all we want is a table for two where we can observe what is going on and chat quietly to each other.

 

The dining options are as follows

 

The Dining Room (MDR), The Grill (buffet, but most evenings reverts to waiter service with same menu as the MDR), Khurkuri (Nepalese speciality restaurant) Amalfi (Italian speciality restaurant) The Supper Club (steakhouse speciality restaurant, with music as you dine, Limelight Club Lite)

 

On the first night you are allocated a time and a place for your dinner (we were given the Grill at 7.15pm)  but after that, you can dine 'at any time you want, and with whoever you want'.  Although it is freedom dining, it is possible to book a table in the MDR before you travel, for the duration of the cruise.  This is quite limited ( I think about 125 tables), and we didn't do this as we prefer freedom.

 

The problem with the tables for two is that they are VERY close together.  You know the banquette seating tables on P&O, about 18 inches apart? That's actually some of the tables that are furthest apart in the Saga MDR.  On our first visit to the MDR there wasn't a single table for two left.  It was the first formal night, and we'd been to the 'welcome aboard' reception. We left before the captain finished speaking to avoid the rush, but we fairly surprised to be told that there were already no tables left. I understand now that nearly all the tables for 2 are pre-reserved.  The offered a 'sharing table' which I wasn't in the mood for, and I asked if we could come back later. The lady on the podium said we could, but she couldn't give a time or reserve anything for us.  A P&O pager would have been very useful at this point!  So we decided to go off to the Grill instead.

 

We did try again a few times in the evening in the MDR, going along  when the restaurant opened at 6.15pm, and we did secure a table for two, but most times is was an inch away from the next table and was more like a 4 top.  We did have conversations with people on the next table, because it seemed rude not to (I'm quiet, not rude), but it wasn't always enjoyable, and wasn't how we wanted to have our dinner.  It made me not look forward to dinner.  However, on our last visit, we had a PROPER table for two - it was right next to the kitchen, but I would have loved that table for the whole cruise.

 

So, if the MDR doesn't work, then move to the buffet.......  but that was more of the same, to be honest

 

As I said earlier, the buffet reverts to a table service restaurant in the evening, with the same menu as the MDR. There were two special evening buffets during the cruise (Irish Night and British Night) but the other nights there was no access to a buffet.  I thought that was slightly problematic for me, as I like a buffet meal from time to time in the evening as a rest from eating full meals. Indeed, it did turn out to be a problem, as, at the end of the cruise when I started feeling ill, I would have done anything to sit out on the open deck in a quiet corner away from everyone, just pecking at a few bits that I fancied as my appetite had all but disappeared.

 

But I digress.  The tables in the buffet are also very close together, so you end up sitting right next to someone as if it was a table for 4. We found we were eating our dinners faster that we wanted to, just so that we could move on.

 

During the day, the seating was also a problem, as the waiters actually show you to your seat at a   table.  One of the key features of a buffet, for me, is choice, and that includes where I sit, so I was quite fed up that the choice had been taken away from me, even at breakfast and lunch.  In the end, we had to get assertive and say 'we'll sit here' when we saw a decent table, rather than go where the waiter wanted to put us.

 

Regarding speciality restaurants, these are booked on board.  As this was a shorter cruise, we  were only allowed to book one to start off with, and went on the waitlist for the other two.  We eventually got into all three, and really enjoyed all of our meals.  Although, the tables aren't very far apart in either  Khukuri or Amalfi, certainly not like Sindhu or Epicurian. The Supper Club was great though, with a proper table for two.

 

So that's dining arrangements.   I know that a lot of people would love to opportunities to mix with others, but it's not something we really seek out. I always felt that we could have our own space on P&O when we wanted it, but it seemed be an issue for us this Saga cruise, and unfortunately had some impact on the overall enjoyment of the cruise. 

 

 

Another alternative, when you were feeling ill, is that you can choose from the mdr menu and have it served in your cabin for no extra cost.

[Megabear2]

Welcome back Sharon. Good to see you.

[Host Sharon]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

Welcome back Sharon. Good to see you.

After 8 weeks in hospital and 4 in a nursing home, I’m not going to complain about any cruise food 😀

[Angel57]

2 minutes ago, Host Sharon said:

After 8 weeks in hospital and 4 in a nursing home, I’m not going to complain about any cruise food 😀

Great to see you back Sharon 👏

[bobstheboy]

Nice to see our Police Lady is back 😁

[kalos]

56 minutes ago, Host Sharon said:

After 8 weeks in hospital and 4 in a nursing home, I’m not going to complain about any cruise food 😀

 

At least you can get a decent nights kip in your own bed . I hated trying to sleep in Hozzie 🥴

[lincslady]

Eight weeks in hospital is a looong time; I had had enough after 9 days last time.  I was lucky enough to have a room to myself (don't know why), but even so being woken for blood pressure etc. every 4 hours did not help to have a decent night's sleep, and the previous time in a 4 bed area it was even worse, with 3 sadly demented ladies calling for staff a fair bit of the night.  So I bet you are at least enjoying  your own quiet comfortable bed, if nothing else.  I hope your recovery continues well.

[Dermotsgirl]

5 minutes ago, Holcha said:

I find your comment uncalled for..  We like both Saga and P&O and we found the tables for two on Saga much closer than on P&O.  Maybe it depends on where you are seated, but certainly in the MDR and grill they were very close last year.  Perhaps it also depends on how full the ship is with regards to Saga and which ship in the P&O fleet.

 

At times it was uncomfortable sitting so close to passengers who were rude or who were silent.  Whereas on Iona last year we met some lovely gracious people on tables for two close to us, but they were not as close as those on Saga.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Holcha, that's exactly how we found it.

 

As I said earlier on this thread, both my husband and myself are confirmed introverts, and we prefer not to have to carry on conversations with others. However, as the tables are often so close together, it seems rude not to talk, so I felt compelled to make conversation, even though I didn't really want to !

 

We did have a couple of nice conversations, but there were other people whose opening gambits indicated that I disagreed with their world view..... so I had to have a conversation I didn't want, and make it clear that I didn't agree with what they were saying.

 

And all the time I just wanted to be left alone with my husband! 

[Windsurfboy]

Iona  tables for 2 look just as close as Saga

 

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by Windsurfboy