Which cruise line?

[RJK35]

Been fortunate enough to have had several cruise holidays but we are concerned about the quality of food service which seems to be getting worse (certainly with P.and O.)
Blogs seem to suggest that others have noticed this with many other cruise lines.
We tried Royal Caribbean last year and were quite impressed.
I would be grateful for any suggestions, (our preferred area Caribbean).
Thanks in anticipation.

[mart broad]

Hi

Whats your budget and is it adults only or with children?

Cruise and have cruised a lot- thoughts

PO gone downhill, Princess still good for families as is Royal Carib, Celebrity as before but a bit more up market, Holland America normally anybody under 50 is in the "kids" club and plenty of Americans on the Carib cruises.

Adults only I love Oceania no dressing up (well not outside of the cabin) first class food and very relaxed.

Money to waste Silverseas & Regent but a lot of very wealthy (posy)people.

Best bet IMO either Royal Carib or Celebrity.

We are doing a Celebrity at the end of the Month

[RJK35]

Thanks Mart. Valuable info. We are OAPs, no kids...they go on their own..
Like your recommendations

[GraniteQuarry]

A business colleague of mine is a big cruiser, he once told me Cunard is the top dog.

[mart broad]

A business colleague of mine is a big cruiser, he once told me Cunard is the top dog.

Still running the class system on dining and facilities plus they love "black tie" which in the Carib is just posy.

[RJK35]

A business colleague of mine is a big cruiser, he once told me Cunard is the top dog.

We have looked at Cunard, but do not like the idea of dining facilities based on cabin grade. Thanks for your input,

[Hark1812]

Thomsons, NCL and royal Caribbean are all good in my experience

[AM94]

We have looked at Cunard, but do not like the idea of dining facilities based on cabin grade. Thanks for your input,

Imho, it seems worse than it is.

All the cruise lines do it (for instance, if you've been on Aurora, the Medina is not as nice a venue as the aft dining (can't recall the name) and when we were on Cunard, we were mid table and the food was many many times better than P&O.

I would not discount Cunard.

I haven't been on Silversea but understand from older friends that they are excellent.

Personally I found Princess to be on a par, if not slightly worse, than P&O, which makes sense given the relationship between the two companies.

[AM94]

PS - my parents just did a trip with Cunard and booked via their web site - the discount was 50% off due to a relatively late booking. Whilst they couldn't specify the exact cabin, they were able to choose a grade and the savings were significant. Up until this point they had always used PO but the most recent trip has changed that and Cunard is now a firm favourite. If you are able to pick and choose when you can leave (retired as they are), it would seem a brilliant way to do it.

When I did the Caribbean with PO, there were retired people waiting quayside. In talking with a few of them, they were local, retired and would come down to see if there was any left over cabins. The line lets them go for £200 per person for a three week cruise - I assume because they think they will gain something in booze spend, etc. Having paid A LOT more, it certainly made me more than a little jealous, although I wouldn't want to do a week in an inside cabin, let alone three!

[P9CLY]

The Wife and I have had about 15 cruises,done the Caribbean/Canaries and more recently the Med.
4 years ago a group of 10 inc us decided on a Med cruise with Thomson,none of the other 8 had ever cruised and were on a budget so they chose Thomson,personally I wasn't up for it at all when looking at their older ships having cruised on the bigger ships and enjoying the huge ships.
We have not cruised with any other cruise company since.

1:-Older ship,yes but goes to same ports as super/mega ships
2:-Same nationality staff and as friendly as any other ship we've been on.
3:-No complaints from me re the food and I like my food.
4:- All inclusive offered where many don't,and depending when you book,it can be free,We've had free to negotiating 2 for 1 or we won't book;).
5:-Shows and entertainment,ok not as extravagant as on the big ships,but if that's what your after then you will need the big ships,but again for me certainly enough to occupy your evening.

Try it I guarantee you'll return to them,we did and I was very very much against cruising with them.

[RJK35]

Thank you all for your constructive comments. Appreciate the feedback on Thomson, and the update on Cunard. Very interesting about the quayside waiting. I am quite sure that at least P and O sell off cabins at minimum price at the last moment.

[mac83]

we were on Carnival couple of years ago and I was happy with the service and their offer.

[the big fella]

Not long come off a p.o caribean cruise (ventura) , we thought the food was fine ,although as it was our first time cruising i wouldn't really have any other to compare it too .

I did like the idea they would allow you take your own drink on board which suited me perfectly ,i beleive a lot of other liners won't allow it ,and a friend assures the food on ncl cruises is much better.

[P9CLY]

They're all different and yet all the same.

We've cruised with several companies and in all honesty I have been perfectly happy with ALL of them,but they were different, not the same.

If their different then you have comparison as with anything,doesn't mean one is worse it's just not the same.

2 things that are different can't really be compared,they will be different and offer different things for a reason,usually for the £'s you pay.

The one thing I have had said to me many many times re cruising is :- '' I wouldn't like to be tied to one place''.

I reply :-''Your NOT on a ship, it moves, the scenery changes daily...You ARE in a hotel, it stays in the same place for the duration of your stay''.

[Zimmer]

I have only been on one cruise and that last year on a Med cruise with Royal Caribbean.
No complaints whatsoever.

[kultschar]

As I've got young kids I went for a cruise around the Caribbean with Carnival (think Butlins lol)

Must admit I really enjoyed it (especially after 10 days of bloody Disney World) and although it was at the cheaper end of the scale etc i found the food great, service superb and the ship was 4 months old hence brand spanking new at the time. Often thought of going for a classier cruise line however I had such a fantastic time I thought sod it and just paid £1300 for a 8 day cruise around the Caribbean for myself, misses and our two young kids. £163 a night for 4 of us with unlimited grub visiting great locations for a price of a mediocre London hotel (per night).

Some fantastic cruises out there and damn cheap, will do a classier one when the kids can stay at home lol

[dandanthewatchman]

If you can afford it.... Crystal.

Different class to the rest. Only problem is once you've done Crystal you won't want to ever go on another cruise line

[RJK35]

Again many thanks to you all. I haven't heard of Crystal before but will research, and endorse the comments about novovirus.

[RJK35]

One without an Italian Captain and endemic vomiting virus.

"Sic in transit" perhaps!!!

[mart broad]

If you can afford it.... Crystal.

Different class to the rest. Only problem is once you've done Crystal you won't want to ever go on another cruise line

+1

Probably as with Silverseas, Regent a little OTT for a straight forward Carib cruise like I said previously a good quality mid range company should do the trick.


www.cruisecritic.co.uk

Worth a look

[Jamessh]

I worked on the QE2 for a couple of years as a waiter, and the food and service are very high caliber. But you are right depending on what grade of cabin you buy determines what 'size' of restaurant you dine in and whether you have an allocated time. So the more you spend on the cabin the smaller the restaurant you eat in with no double sitting. I do believe that Cunard have smaller ships with less of a tiered cabin policy which might work for you.

Enjoy the Sun and the Sea and the ......

Cheers

[BillyCasper]

This is my choice

http://www.freightertravel.co.nz

[P9CLY]

Again many thanks to you all. I haven't heard of Crystal before but will research, and endorse the comments about novovirus.

The virus is very common on land and only causes problems and spreads rapidly on ships simply because of the confinement of it,and people totally ignoring the "wash your hands" notices!.

Only to then complain they have a stomach complaint!.

[jcherskine]

Have been on a few cruises with Royal Caribbean.

No complaints.

Food, service etc. all excellent.

[waynertron]

We've been with P&O, Royal Caribbean and Fred Olsen.
By far the best in our opinion for service and food (quality and choice) was Fred Olsen.
P&O were miserable and the food was below average and RC were okay, nothing special.

Fred Olsen boats are smaller and looking a bit tired (I think they're refitting some?) but we would go back with them if we went again.

[RogDen]

we are going to the Med on Royal Caribbean later in the year, a friend of ours has been with them on different trips for the last 4 years and is going Celebrity this year.

[RJK35]

This is my choice

http://www.freightertravel.co.nz

Thanks for the thought. We did consider that option several years ago, but the factor that put us off was the usual length of transit between ports. One factor that did not get considered was ending up in a large container berthing area, because so many large passenger vessels seem to do that anyway.

[RJK35]

We've been with P&O, Royal Caribbean and Fred Olsen.
By far the best in our opinion for service and food (quality and choice) was Fred Olsen.
P&O were miserable and the food was below average and RC were okay, nothing special.

Fred Olsen boats are smaller and looking a bit tired (I think they're refitting some?) but we would go back with them if we went again.

We have heard that Fred Olsen is good from other inputs on here. Never tried them, but now looking. Thanks.