Not At All Live From Our (Probably) Penultimate P&O Cruise

[grapau27]

4 hours ago, TigerB said:

Whetting your appetite, Graham?

Yes.

 

[grapau27]

4 hours ago, zap99 said:

We did the Arvia med cruise in May. The food was probably the best we have had on P&O.

We did Arvia in June.

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Yes.

 

Next cruise is on Iona and Arvia is booked too.

 

[Josy1953]

Our next cruise is on Aurora but I am tempted to cancel because every time I think about it I end up in tears.  It is the cruise that we transferred last year because my niece passed away so we couldn't go because we didn't want to miss her and her dad's funerals after he passed away a week later.  The memories of that time are still hard and I  feel like I want to be home for my sister and her son-in-law and grandchildren.

The only other cruise we have booked is on Sky Princess next March.

[zap99]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Next cruise is on Iona and Arvia is booked too.

 

Our next Cruise is on one of the old ,smaller ships. Britannia. 😁

[Cathygh]

We have 2 cruises booked next year but not on P&O. We were looking to go on Ventura in November or December but for lots of reasons we delayed booking. Then suddenly prices went up after final  payment dates so we haven't  committed to anything yet. 

[Waju]

You are a brilliant reviewer! 

[janny444]

8 minutes ago, Waju said:

You are a brilliant reviewer! 

Read the first " chapter"...thoroughly enjoyed...love the humour especially The Barbie Scenario 😀 ...looking forward to chapter 2

[Ilovemygarden]

On 10/11/2024 at 10:45 AM, zap99 said:

We did the Arvia med cruise in May. The food was probably the best we have had on P&O.

I think we were on the same cruise zap - I too was very impressed with the food.  I liked having such a good choice with the Olive Grove, Keel and Cow and 6th Street Diner.  Even the main dining room was great on the few occasions I went there and I am quite picky!  

[janny444]

4 hours ago, janny444 said:

Read the first " chapter"...thoroughly enjoyed...love the humour especially The Barbie Scenario 😀 ...looking forward to chapter 2

Initially I did wonder why there was such a long white gap before your final comment....then the penny dropped...sometimes it takes a while 😀

[zap99]

22 minutes ago, Ilovemygarden said:

I think we were on the same cruise zap - I too was very impressed with the food.  I liked having such a good choice with the Olive Grove, Keel and Cow and 6th Street Diner.  Even the main dining room was great on the few occasions I went there and I am quite picky!  

We were on Anthem recently. The quality was pretty similar to Arvia, although Anthem had a bit more choice. Very happy with both, but it appears I wear rose tinted spectacles.🤣

[Ilovemygarden]

2 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We were on Anthem recently. The quality was pretty similar to Arvia, although Anthem had a bit more choice. Very happy with both, but it appears I wear rose tinted spectacles.🤣

I don’t - it was definitely the best P and O food I’ve had. 😀

[lancashire_cruisers]

As always I’m loving your review Tiger! 

[Ilovemygarden]

26 minutes ago, lancashire_cruisers said:

As always I’m loving your review Tiger! 

Me too! 

[Harry Peterson]

Thanks - excellent review, with equally excellent humour!

 

Not the result of supporting Hull City is it?  

[July morning]

Thanks for a terrific review, shall look forward to the next episode 😉

[TigerB]

27 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Thanks - excellent review, with equally excellent humour!

 

Not the result of supporting Hull City is it?  

 

Oh yes, Harry; after many years of following the Tigers, I really need to look for humour elsewhere in my life!😂

 

UTT

[kalos]

I'm looking forward to your review of Barbie the movie 🙃

 

Note to self if Mrs ever says "Fancy a bit of Barbie"? 🤣

 

Never mind the next one could be "Barbie in the Nutcracker" (2001) 😉

[Selbourne]

As always, a superb review - both balanced and entertaining. I look forward to the remaining instalment's.
 

Sadly we have no further P&O cruises booked at present (just one with Cunard) and booking several years out just isn’t practical given my wife’s condition so, like you, our cruising opportunities (following the recent policy changes) are now much diminished. We will certainly try but don’t hold out much hope 🤞

[TigerB]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

As always, a superb review - both balanced and entertaining. I look forward to the remaining instalment's.
 

Sadly we have no further P&O cruises booked at present (just one with Cunard) and booking several years out just isn’t practical given my wife’s condition so, like you, our cruising opportunities (following the recent policy changes) are now much diminished. We will certainly try but don’t hold out much hope 🤞

 

Thank you, young man.  The next installment will be uploaded tonight, so you can read that when you have your muesli and crumpets in the morning.

 

We've just got one on Aurora, next autumn. After that we'll probably do one per year with a different, and likely more expensive, cruise line. The rest of the year we'll probably fill out with motorhome trips.

[Selbourne]

43 minutes ago, TigerB said:

The rest of the year we'll probably fill out with motorhome trips

After your Barbie story, I’m reminded of the line “Don’t come a knockin’ when the Motorhome’s rockin’” 😂 

[TigerB]

Funny you should say that, Selbourne. I'm getting this for our motorhome...

 

 

But it's unlikely to serve its true purpose, what with the current drought!😯

 

 

[TigerB]

 

Second instalment incoming...

[TigerB]

Thursday 19th September 

 

Another sea day 

 

After a late breakfast (08:15) we went up one deck and took a walk/bool along the prom deck. It was overcast but was supposed to clear up later. We were heading towards the Strait of Gibraltar, expecting to pass through the narrowest part of it at about 14:00.

 

Our lass and I had pre-booked Green & Co. for 12:30.

Upon entering, we both remarked, as we had done previously, that it is a shame that it is so underused.

 

The menu...

 

 

We shared these starters...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our lass had this as a main course...

 

 

I had this...

 

We were both fairly full after that. Who says grass doesn't fill you up?

 

After benefitting from the 20% food discount for pre-booking, and deducting the £20 upfront payment, the sum to be deducted from our OBC was a whopping 80p.

 

Afterwards, we retired back to our cabin for a brew. I later went on to deck 8 to take photos as we passed through the Strait of Gibraltar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TigerB]

Thursday 19th September (cont’d/...) 

 

 

We were all supposed to be dining in Sindhu tonight, but my BiL didn't fancy it.  Luckily, they had made a reservation for two in Zenith as a back-up. When they knocked to say they were going down I joked to my sister, "Make sure you take food photos; my readers expect it".  I really didn't expect her to, but the next day, when we had mobile data, she sent me them. So here you go, you lucky folk...

 

The menu 

 

 

 

Starters:

 

Sister...

 

 

BiL...

 

 

Mains:

 

Sister...

 

 

BiL...

 

 

Desserts:

 

Sister...

 

 

BiL...

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, in Sindhu...

 

Our reservation was for 19:15, and as we were shown to our table, the restaurant looked to be the most full we had seen it. Having said there were only the two of us dining, we were asked if we wanted to cancel the reservation for the other two. To do so would probably incur a penalty for cancelling so late. "No thanks, we'll use the whole allowance”, I said, knowing that would certainly spend over £40. I also knew that, by retaining the full allowance, we would benefit from the additional Peninsular discount on it. 'Up there for thinking, down there for dancing!'

 

We were seated on a two-seater not far from the kitchen; we had been on the same table several times previously, on both Arvia and Iona.

Our waiter was Narendra; he was assisted by Jonrich

 

The full menu...

 

 

A scan of the menu revealed that, in line with most other speciality restaurants, there had been price increases across the full menu, but a new feature for us since our last cruise in February was the 'three courses for £22’ deal.

I seem to recall someone posting on here about the deal covering the cheaper priced dishes but, if you wanted to add one of the premium dishes, a supplement would apply that was in line with the supplement on the menu for that particular dish.

When I asked about that, Narendra said that was not so; he qualified that, for £22 we could choose any starter, any main, and any dessert.

I asked if the deal also attracted the 20% discount for pre-booking. He said it did.

So, taking advantage of the meal deal was a given for us. It was reminiscent of eating on Britannia a few years ago, when you paid £18 (I think) for three courses. In fact, with benefitting from the extra 20% discount, this would be even cheaper than that.

 

 

Our mini poppadums and chutneys...

 

 

Starters:

 

Our lass:

 

 

Me...

 

 

Mains:

 

Our lass...

She's not keen on duck, so had an extra piece of beef instead of that.

 

 

Me... 

 

 

The table...

 

 

Desserts:

 

Our lass...

 

Me...

 

Service was slower than we have previously experienced, but I put that down to it being busier than we have experienced before.  So, we didn't leave until almost the two hour mark. 

 

 

Afterwards, we met the other two in Crow's Nest for drinks.

 

By about 22:15 our lass was past it, so I took her to bed with a view to meeting the other two at the Limelight Club for some late night comedy.

 

Back in the cabin I had a look at our spending and it looked like we had been overcharged at Sindhu.

Food: 2 meal deals @ £22 = £44

Drinks: Cider at £5.85, Punk IPA at £5.95 = £11.80

Food after 20% discount = £35.20

Food + drinks = £47

£40 pre-paid, thus final bill = £7

 

We were charged £15

 

Just before I met my sister and BiL, I popped to reception to get a transaction of the charges. It appeared the £40 pre-payment had been deducted before the 20% discount was applied, which is not correct.  I attended the Sindhu podium and spoke with the Head Waiter.  He, and our waiter, who had turned up, said that is what they do. I said we had pre-booked for both Sindhu and Green & Co. on two previous Arvia cruises, and for Sindhu on Iona on three previous cruises, and on every occasion the 20% discount had been applied before the method of payment was taken into account. Narendra said that this was his second contract in Sindhu, and he had always taken the pre-payment off before the discount was applied. I said again that has never been our experience. The Head Waiter then went onto the computer, saying that he would look up the correct procedure.  While he was doing that, I tried to explain to him that the pre-payment is no different to using OBC, and should be treated as the same for a meal, taken off at the end. He extended his right arm towards me, with his open palm facing me; I took that to mean that he wanted me to be quiet, i.e. ‘talk to the hand’.  I was taken aback by that gesture, and thought it was a bit rude, but I did not say anything at the time. He then said that the correct procedure was that the pre-payment is deducted before any discount is applied. I asked if that was a new thing; he said he did not know but that is how it is done. I said that in Green and Co. earlier in the day the 20% discount was applied before the pre-payment was deducted, adding that is how it should be. He said that they were doing it wrong.  I said, "Well, if that's how it is done now then fine". I left, feeling dissatisfied with what I had been told and a little unnerved by the dismissive attitude of the Head Waiter and the waiter, particularly with the hand gesture from the former.

 

 

I then met my sister and BiL in the Limelight Club for the late night comedy slot from Jo Little. It was packed, with standing room only; they had been there for at least fifteen minutes, and there wasn't a seat to be had.

I hadn't seen any of her previous clean shows, and I have to say, with this being an adult only show, she didn't use this as an excuse to pepper the show with loads of profane language. She was just really quite funny.