The cuisine is straightforward, no-nonsense British food, reasonably well presented well on nice Wedgwood china. But it tends to be rather bland and uninspiring. It is typical of mass banquet catering with standard fare comparable to that found in a family hotel in an English seaside town like Scarborough.
The ingredients of many meals are disguised by gravies and sauces, as in Indian curries – well liked, of course, by most British passengers. Bread, desserts and cakes are made well, and there is a wide variety. P&O Cruises always carries a decent selection of British, and some French, cheeses.
Most of the dining room staff are from India, and provide service with a warmth that many other nationals find hard to equal. Wine service is amateurish and the lack of knowledge is lamentable.
- Alternative Dining
Extra-cost restaurants with menus designed by some of Britain’s well-known television celebrity chefs, such as Gary Rhodes and Marco Pierre-White, have been introduced aboard the ships (exception: Artemis). They are a mix of trendy bistro-style venues, and restaurants with an Asia-Pacific theme.
- Casual Eateries
The self-serve buffets suffer from small, cramped facilities, and passengers complain of having to share them with the countless concession staff who take over tables and congregate in groups. In other words, the buffets are too small to accommodate the needs of most passengers today.
- The Coffee/Tea Factor: Regular Coffee: Weak, and poor. Score: 3 out of 10. 10. Good quality tea and coffee-making set-up is provided in all cabins. Self-serve beverage stations are provided at the buffets, but it’s often difficult to find proper teaspoons – often only wooden stirrers are available. Espresso/cappuccino coffees in the extra-charge venues are slightly better, but not as good as aboard the ships of Costa Cruises or MSC Cruises, for example.
Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2010
