The Perfect Ship - Vote For Your Favourites

[sammy sun 1084]

As an avid football fan, I eat, sleep and breathe my beloved Arsenal. I read the Times today and noticed that the paper is running a feature to build the perfect anatomy of the ultimate English footballer. Readers are being asked to vote in a six part series to build the best England player from the attributes of the finest footballers that have represented the country. Categories include right foot, left foot, dribbling, heading, vision and athleticism. Considering the state of the national team at the moment and the dire press it currently receives, I think most people would agree they are feeling quite detached from what used to be such a special occasion, when England played. This poll comes at the perfect time to remind us that we have actually produced some incredible players and the history hasn't always been terrible.

 

Many people on this forum seem to feel a similar way about cruising at the moment, particularly towards Britain's number one cruise line, P&O Cruises. So here's my intention, I suggest we vote for our favourite attributes of the P&O fleet, focusing on all ships old and new to build our perfect cruise ship. I think categories should include Main Dining Room, Speciality Restaurant, Accommodation, Theatre, Atrium and Open Deck but I invite fellow forum members to propose other categories too.

 

Let's start with the Main Dining Room and see where we go from there:

 

My vote for Main Dining Room would be the Medina Restaurant on Aurora. I believe it is now used as the Freedom Dining restaurant on Aurora but the last time I sailed on her Freedom did not exist. It was a close call for me between this restaurant and the Oriental Dining Room on Oriana. The Oriental was the first dining room I experienced on a cruise ship and holds a lot of great memories for me. I was hooked from the outset and that cruise has led to many more over the years. I loved the Oriental decor and even the vibration at the aft of Oriana had it's charm. That said Aurora steals the show for me. I've sailed on Aurora twice, both times in the Medina Restaurant and loved it. I think the decor is spot on and the central grand staircase entrance is a great touch. It adds that little bit of difference to other dining rooms in the fleet so that would get my vote, how about you?

 

 

 

[Furby 441]

chic on anthem of the seas, beautiful and the best one for food out of her 4

[sammy sun 1084]

What would be your vote for P&O Furby?

[Furby 441]

What would be your vote for P&O Furby?

 

Oh sorry, I didnt read that properly did I! I feel bad that I cannot actually remember the differences between P&O main dining rooms. I would also have to say the Medina on Aurora as shes the only one I have a specific memory of, being in my teens and a little late for dinner on formal night and having to come down those central stairs on my own with what felt like the whole retauarnt looking at me (they wernt lol)

[Land Ahoy 797]

Hi  Asking me to name a "favourite" P&O venue dining  is akin to asking me who was the best Adolf Hitler or Genghis Khan.  The line does not warrant such a accolade it's deteriorated so much in the last few years that I haven't sailed with them for many years.  It would be much better to ask which is your favourite dining area on a cruise line which is capable of cooking decent food! 

[sammy sun 1084]

That is point entirely though Land Ahoy. We all have differing opinions on the current state of the cruise line and the industry as a whole with many like yourself feeling detached from P&O completely. My post was to acknowledge the good things that we do/did like about P&O either past or present day. You said that you haven't sailed with them for many years so clearly you did at one point in time and during that period, you must have enjoyed some of the features of the ships on which you sailed. That was my question, what would your vote be for certain aspects of a ship starting with the main dining room? It doesn't have to be a modern day ship, date it to whenever you like. 

 

Let's not turn this thread into a hammering of P&O, it was just a question to see if I could get a positive debate going that's all.

[Land Ahoy 797]

Hi  Sunny Sam

  My last cruise with P&O was in 2010 on Artemis.  The dining would be fine for those who love Gregg's, I couldn't believe how many time pies appeared on the menu.  The last time I really enjoyed the food was in 2001 on Victoria.  The restaurant had no gimmicks just tables and waiter stations, and if I remember correctly it had little natural light, but the food was well prepared using quality ingredients.  The food was presented by silver service but they had sufficient waiters to undertake this operation without delay.

[sammy sun 1084]

Sounds good Land Ahoy. I didn't sail on Victoria myself but I did hear many positive stories from those who had. The same applies to Artemis for me. Thanks for sharing that about Victoria. Whilst we may disagree on many aspects to do with P&O, most of us have at least one positive memory of the cruise line.

[*Dancing Queen* 394]

I sailed on Victoria in the early 90's before it was renamed when it was called Sea Princess, I don't actually remember much about the ship other than it was our first P&O cruise and it ticked all the boxes so much so that for the next 17/18 years we cruised almost exclusively with P&O .. funnily enough my last cruise with P&O was in 2010 just like Land Ahoy and the reason because imo the standards had dropped so much they were no longer the great cruise line they once were, this is of course only my opinion and what other people think is entirely up to them but all I will say is 'there is better out there' 

 

Of course that is not what this thread is about and even though it would take a lot to entice me back to P&O I would never knock the things that I do think they have got right .. the Medina restaurant on Aurora, I love the restaurant on Arcadia which is on two levels although sadly that is the only good thing I could say about Arcadia .. not the ship for me !! the Cricketers on Oriana and of course the Crows Nest .. my preference again being on Oriana, Andersons I also love for both pre and after dinner drinks.

[Tally 392]

My favourite ship is the Aurora and I’ve been in both restaurants. I was pleased they made the Medina freedom dining because I prefer club dining and I like the Alexandria best. Although, I think that’s because on our cruise in 2013 we were in the Medina and the air-conditioning didn’t seem to be functioning properly and in some hot countries we were absolutely stifled.

[Boushki 15]

THE GLASS HOUSE, VENTURA

 

It was beautiful food in a lovely setting.  You could almost forget you were on a ship.

[farmersgirl 2]

Things we like about p and o are the matey games like deck quoits and shuffle boards,carpet bowls teams ideal for meeting up with people especially if you were on your own. My partner likes whist as USA ships can play bridge differently and be a bit too keen. The jokes in the theatre we understand too. Lectures off season can be good whereas USA ships we don't find quite as interesting. I did think the food in the mdrhad improved a few weeks ago when we did a three day zeebrugge Guernsey cruise on the Azura however as there were hen do sand the like the passengers on the deck party were very interesting but when we went downto eat at night we wereluckywith our fellow diners as the other lot were probably in the buffet! Pand o are always very organised in ports with excellent info.

[DavidH 596]

Hi sammy sun,

I'm with you re the Medina on Aurora.

However, we were last on board in January/February 2016 and the lovely staircase was not being used. I understood that this is because it does not lend itself to the desk control point needed for Freedom Dining. My wife, in particular, was disappointed that she could no longer sweep down the stairs in her finery!!

David H

[Nick 30]

I vote for East on Ventura - lovely food and great service

[Gill57 15]

Best ship = Aurora.

Best eating place = Medina (by the window) on Aurora OR Epicurean on Azura especially if eating outside.

Best room = used to be the Curzon room on Oriana before it became Ocean Grill.

[Oldworldtraveller 2225]

My best ship: Azamara Journey

[BobTroll 43]

My vote would have gone to Artemis - a former Royal Princess - if P&O had maintained her to Princess Cruises' standards.  A similar comment applies to Adonia (another former Royal Princess).  Sadly, P&O seemed happy to accept "cast-offs" from Princess Cruises, to serve the less demanding British market.  Then, they spent as little as possible to keep them afloat.

 

We have not sailed on Aurora since 2003.  The ship was OK, but poor hygiene allowed a norovirus outbreak to escalate out of control.  We didn't like Arcadia - a soulless vessel, which was ordered by Holland America, but re-allocated to and rejected by Cunard, before she entered service with P&O.  I suppose Ventura and Azura are just about acceptable, although we are not keen on massive ships.

 

P&O have made a policy decision to discontinue small ship cruising.  With direct charter flights to Barbados, P&O still provide the best way to cruise the Caribbean, even though that usually involves a choice between Azura or Ventura.  Otherwise, we have not chosen P&O since 2014, because they no longer provide the type of experience we enjoy.

 

Having sailed on Regal Princess (which we hated), there is no way we would even contemplate a cruise on Britannia (a very similar design to Royal and Regal Princess) or on the new 180,000 tonne ship, which is due to enter service in 2020.  Consequently, it would be dishonest for me to nominate any ship in P&O's current fleet as a favourite.

[Davybe 529]

Favorite is Celebrities Eclipse ,just come off our 7th cruise on her,we have eaten in Blu reserved for Aqua class and the MDR both of which a very good , Tuscan Grill would be my Favorite  on the ship.

Best food I ever has was on Arcadia in the Rhodes restaurant never did understand why the changed it....Davybe