Thoughts of a Former P&O Customer

[Cheshire Cruiser]

I have been a browser on this forum for many years and find it interesting, informative and sometimes amusing but have never previously had any real urge to post.

I took my first Cruise with P&O in 1991, it was our honeymoon and I had married into a cruising family. In June of this year as we disembarked from Aurora I said ‘farewell P&O, thanks for the memories but we won’t be back’. Yes, after 30 cruises, 403 nights on board 8 different P&O ships – and around 40 cruises and 500 plus nights for both my wife and her sister - we know it is time for a change. Becoming increasingly disappointed with the P&O offering we had, over a period of 50 weeks between May 24 and May 25 sampled and enjoyed short cruises on three other lines. To be honest we had considered cancelling the June 2025 Aurora Cruise but it had been booked for over two years, was visiting four ports we had not been to before (taking my total to 102 different ports), and we did not want to lose the deposit, plus we thought surely it cannot get any worse – but inevitably it had! I compiled a list of 'things you no longer get on a P&O Cruise', I expected to find about 20 but as it progressed I found I had listed 38 itmes no longer provided.

Inspired by the feedback on the recent Ventura October 2025 post (and earlier posts) I thought I should share my thoughts on, to quote ‘David63’, ‘the current thinking within P&O to alienate the ‘older’ passenger’.

I suspect in many ways we may be typical of the apparently significant number of passengers who are leaving or considering leaving P&O.

We typically booked in the early booking period (often two and more years ahead) meaning we benefit from a lower fare than those who book closer to sailing date. The newer cruiser is less likely to book early so pays a higher fare = £££ for P&O. They are perhaps also more likely to take the drinks package which for us would typically more than double our on board spend = £££ for P&O.

We have been in Caribbean tier for a number of years and have enjoyed the benefits of 10% off on board spending, and the Peninsular Club events on each cruise where we enjoy drinks which do not appear on our bill. In June I’d guess over the three events we each enjoyed nine or ten drinks plus of course the in cabin Champagne and sailaway voucher, the newer cruiser gets none of these = savings of £££ for P&O.

Worth noting the embarkation lunch in June was a very poor buffet whilst in recent times these ‘special’ Caribbean meals have been far from outstanding and on Ventura in 2024 the Loyalty Team did not even show face at that event, no ‘welcome’, no ‘thank you for your loyalty’. In short we are not important to them. The one thing we have picked up talking to fellow passengers at these events is the number who are now looking elsewhere and received several recommendations for Cunard whilst two couples at home both recommended Fred Olsen.

Both myself and my sister in law are Carnival shareholders meaning both cabins benefit from Shareholder on board credit meaning we spend less of our own money on board whilst the newer cruiser, you’ve guessed it, = £££ for P&O.

So, my take on ‘the current thinking within P&O’ is with the established and typically older cruiser going elsewhere P&O see potential to increase income and reduce their hospitality costs '= £££ for P&O'. They do of course have to sell the vacated spaces but I don’t expect a call from P&O asking why we are not cruising with them (not that they will have even noticed a lack of advance bookings from ourselves and others).

I have a former colleague who cruises three or four times a year, sometimes with P&O ‘because it is cheap’ and sometimes with Cunard for a better experience! And to illustrate the cheap element, on a per person per night basis our cruise fares on Iona in December 2023 and Ventura in September 2024, both in Balcony cabins, were two of the three cheapest across our 34 years with P&O, cheaper even than an inside with bunks in 1991! Cruising with P&O used to be special but these days are now far behind us and they have becomea mass market bargain basement operator.

And finally, having sampled Princess, Cunard and Fred Olsen in our 2024/25 ‘market research’, we have bookings in 2026 with Cunard and Fred Olsen (both booked before we took our June cruise on Aurora) and for 2027 another with Fred Olsen whilst Princess are firmly on the list of possibles for future.

[Onelife]

Hi Cheshire Cruiser, whilst you no longer cruise with P&O may I suggest that you forward your excellent, thought-provoking appraisal to Paul Ludlow (President P&O Cruises) if not for yourself but for those like me who have a future cruise booked with them.
Your post will surely cut deep as to where P&O are taking their brand.

[oldbluefox]

A very interesting post CC. You are absolutely correct in what you say but I think this is a distinct policy shift by P&O which has developed over the past few years. Basically they have become the Ryanair product of the seas looking now to attract a different clientele.

[Meg 50]

I took my first Cruise with P&O in 1991, it was our honeymoon
.....
cheaper even than an inside with bunks in 1991!

I read your post to my husband, and sorry, but the above made us giggle! Sorry!

But seriously, yes, you are right. As you'll see from my post a few days ago - we are thinking to jump ship too. We have Arcadia booked for next year - having done her maiden season and another a couple of years later.

so we are now researching for 2027. Can't afford to book yet - just back from the Venice, Simplon Orient Express ( now that's a way to recall how P&O once was.....

I agree with Onelife - share it with P&O management - lots of them! though I suspect their strings are pulled by Carnival

[Ray B]

I agree with Onelife - share it with P&O management - lots of them! though I suspect their strings are pulled by Carnival
Meg.

I've said this for a long time that Carnival is the Puppeteer for P&O.
P&O were a quality cruise line in the day until Carnival got their hands on it.
I may have this wrong, but wasn't P&O on the brink of merging with Cunard and other lines to become one of the biggest cruise companies, forcing Carnival to swoop.
It may be thier way to to bring a cherished cruise line down to ,as Foxy has said, the Ryanair of cruising. Sad.

[CaroleF]

Definitely share it with the Management. I'd like to think that it might make them sit up and think but I'm fairly sure it will make no difference. What I don't understand is how they think they will fill the World Cruises, the long, 65 nights and over, that I've been on. Maybe they will just stop doing them. It's only older people generally who have the time and money to do those cruises. I'm sure they've thought about it and come up with a satisfactory answer for them, to ensure they don't lose money.

Carole

[david63]

What I don't understand is how they think they will fill the World Cruises, the long, 65 nights and over, that I've been on. Maybe they will just stop doing them.

Almost certainly they will stop - there is no way that you can fill a 5k passenger ship every year for a world cruise. It will also take away the need for extensive logistics to support a WC.

I'm sure they've thought about it and come up with a satisfactory answer for them, to ensure they don't lose money.

Are you?

[barney]

As Bob Dylan once sang, the times are a changing.

The customer that they are targeting is quite different.

There are lots of options for a traditional cruise.

Time to move on.

That’s life.

[Mervyn and Trish]

As a long time P&O cruiser I find it sad. We now only consider P&O when we're paying to take all the family, so yes the important thing then is cheap.

But if I was a Carnival Director I'd probably be making the same decisions. They have three brands operating out of the UK, P&O, Princess and Cunard. There's no point in all three chasing the same market so they've deliberately differentiated them.

Our future choices will be Saga, Cunard or possibly Princess. More expensive but you get what you pay for.

[Cheshire Cruiser]

Some interesting feedback but the one thing I won’t be doing is sharing my thoughts with P&O - although if anyone does want to plagiarise my efforts feel free to do so!

My own view is the decline coincided with the elevation of Paul Ludlow which I think was in 2018 and we started to notice things were not there in 2019 with a few more going missing each in subsequent year. Interestingly I have a relative who used to be an officer with P&O and although he still cruises regularly, he has not cruised with P&O since 2018 and he does not rate Mr Ludlow! Maybe he saw the writing on the wall with the appointment . Recently we met socially with one of the guest artistes who readily admits to being 'not keen on P&O' but, ‘work is work’, a view made all the more understandable when she does seem to spend much of her time on cruise lines towards the premium end of the market.

It seems reasonable to assume Ludlow was given the remit to increase revenue and reduce cost although one could debate whether he has recognised the connection between reducing costs and reduced customer satisfaction, and savings from so many of the often penny pinching nearly forty items I can identify must be totally disproportionate to the angst they are causing. I have no intention of wasting my time writing to him for several reasons: (1) If he has not actually identified my described method of increasing revenue whilst reducing costs by replacing traditional cruiser in the higher loyalty tiers with new cruisers he would no doubt quickly embrace it; (2) Any such letter would no doubt land on the desk of a more junior member of staff who may not give it the attention it might arguably deserve as evidenced by; (3) After our 2024 Cruise on Ventura I wrote to P&O raising a number of points - not all of which were negatives. When I received the response it was obvious my letter had not been properly read and I wrote back to clarify the areas is which the respondent had clearly got it very wrong. Some of these are listed below (apologies for going on a bit) but one key point is I did not receive any response to that further feedback. So much for Customer Service!
3a – we complained that some waiters are no longer properly trained, serving across people and clearing plates whist others are still eating. Response, ‘our waiters are not silver service trained’ So what, that is irrelevant, this is basic waiting etiquette and nothing to do with silver service.
3 b - we complained the Loyalty team had not attended the Caribbean lunch whilst also noting it was unfortunate the Peninsular party was cancelled meaning we had no visibility of that team. Treating us like cruising novices it was explained the Loyalty team could be found at their desk, (yes, obviously we know that but had no reason to go there), and that it was unfortunate the Caribbean lunch had been cancelled (!) but the Loyalty team would always attend. I corrected this explaining again it had taken place but they did not attend.
3c - I highlighted an apparent scam in the Epicurean where staff endeavoured to make passengers buy more expensive bottles of wine. First lie ‘Sorry, sir that wine is not available’, second lie ‘ there is none on the ship’, I said we have had it several times in the MDR, he went away and came back, third lie, ‘this is the last bottle on the ship’. Strange then we were able to get it on subsequent nights in the MDR together with confirmation supplies on the ship were plentiful and we heard the same lie trotted out on a subsequent visit on which ocasion we took along a bottle of ‘Welcome On Board' Champagne thus depriving the scammers of any sale at all. Carnival House would not have this as a scam, ‘it is not reasonable to expect waiters to have to fetch wine from another restaurant’, in my response I agreed but said I would expect each restaurant to manage their own wine stocks rather than deliberately not ordering it, and I said it should be investigated.
3d – I complained about the increasingly widespread practice of being asked for your dessert order together with starter and main course (more basic waiting etiquette down the pan and we always refused which was not a problem). Response ‘this is standard across the fleet’. Really, why then, when we complained to the restaurant manager on board did he say ‘this is not right, they should not be doing this, I will speak to them’, just as the restaurant manager had said on Arcadia the previous year when the same practice was being attempted.
As noted above, I did not receive a reply to my follow up correcting the errors in their response.
Another ‘saving’ we encountered was the rationing of butter, rather than place a dish on the table an individual kn*b is placed on your plate ‘to save waste’. Cost saving is obviously more important than customer satisfaction - and it increases the workload on the waiters too! We rebelled against this on Aurora and educated the waiters that we wanted - and got - the dish on the table.

Photographers. Returning to P&O post covid we were disappointed no photographers were on board on Aurora in 2022 and Arcadia in 2023 as we have a shelf full of albums from every previous cruise with photos bought on board. We were pleased to find them on board on Iona later in 2023 and Ventura in 2024 even if the results were often unimaginative and prices had rocketed meaning we did not buy very many and had no need to buy an album. Fast forward to Aurora in 2025 and it seemed the invisibility cloak used by the Loyalty Team on Ventura had passed to photography team. Yes, they frequently advertised their portrait and casual sessions but did see them around the ship? No. Our first and only encounter with a photographer came at the Lisbon sailaway on day 16! And they left that within 10 or 15 minutes! Where had they been hiding, no embarkation photos, no gangway photos ‘we are not allowed on the quayside’, to us these should be best sellers are always in our collection. He claimed they had been in the restaurants, maybe, but we never saw them. Their sales must have been minimal and certainly a nil from us.

Many cruisers whether longstanding or more recent may be blind to the ongoing downgrading of their cruise experience whilst other may be noticing but happy to accept it or reluctant to change and it is not for me I to question their views. Stereotypically we don’t like change but change has been forced on us all by P&O so for anyone perhaps a bit nervous about changing I’d say go for it, hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised. Fred Olsen, on the face of it more expensive but once on board costs are very reasonable and lower even than on P&O (and sterling as the currency) have lots of short itineraries – our sampler was five nights from Newcastle and we now have two booked from Liverpool, just an hour from home. Cunard too have a good number of shorts to sample (we did four nights) although we were perhaps lucky to find a five night trip on Princess as most of theirs are 7 nights and upwards. Admittedly with both of the latter they do, in the American style, sting you with both gratuities and service charges (dictionary meaning of gratuity = a tip or reward for service!), and in dollars to boot but don’t let that put you off at least having a look. 'OIther lines are available'. Ambassador although developing a following are for us tainted by the association with CMV who gave us our worst ever cruise experience, even P&O standards have not dropped as low as we experienced on that one-off but we still laugh about incidents on that trip – and in passing I should note our second worst cruise was on Azura in 2014, another story for another time but suffice to say we transferred our booking on Azura for the following year to the lovely Oriana (which remains my favourite ship).

Our neighbours were new to cruising post covid and thought P&O were great as they, like so many new cruisers, did not know how good it used to be. More recently however they have moved their custom to Cunard.

We have many happy memories over the years but in recent years they have been tainted by ‘what is missing this time’ and yes it is very sad. We have visited some great ports enjoyed some excellent entertainment and guest speakers and met some lovely people. A brief hello to Mervyn and Trish who I recall meeting in 2012 at a Forum meet on Azura on the Grand Event – which means that photo must be at least 13 years old! This was a cruise which promised so much but for us delivered so little other than the spectacular if rather damp departure from Southampton with the fireworks in the downpour and absolutely nothing else throughout the cruise to mark the event.

We will miss the priority check in and 10% off on board spend but nothing else. We have seen the light have moved on and clearly P&O are heading in a different direction – and have been for several years now and will not be changing course. I would suspect the majority although by no means all of those moving on may like us be in the base market of Aurora and Arcadia but these two ships only provide around 15% of total P&O ships capacity so even if as many say 5 to 10% of aficionados of these two ships are lost and say less than 5% of those on other ships – and granted these back of the fag packet figures are possibly wildly exaggerated although anecdotally more and more peopple do seem to be leaving – that is only a small percentage of the total P&O market which will be barely a ripple in the ocean even to the most scrutinising accountant as the ongoing aggressive marketing brings in new faces and the success of his alienating tactics won’t be causing Mr Ludlow to lose any sleep.

To end with a pleasing note, a spectacular own goal by P&O a couple of weeks before our final cruise in June 2025. We had multiple causes to complain whilst on Arcadia in 2023 and although we already had three further cruises booked with P&O that was the cruise which made us realise we should start looking elsewhere. A long story but the poor state of maintenance around the ship, including corrosion and rust on the balcony and buckets collecting drips in the corridors, was a major factor. Surprisingly we received a very fair and understanding response (stark contrast with 2024) and even more surprisingly were offered, and accepted, a substantial Future Cruise Credit to be used for a future booking - so a further booking beyond the three already booked – to be made in the next two years. The amount being around 15% of what we had paid for that cruise. As we prepared for June 2025 I looked out the paperwork just in case things might have improved (ha ha) and we might actually make a future booking on board, otherwise we were content to lose it. Two weeks before sailing our TA contacted us to say P&O had applied that FCC to this cruise and a refund for that amount (roughly 17.5% of the cost of this cruise) was on the way. Had someone forgotten it was for a ‘future booking’ as this cruise was already booked when we went on Arcadia’? I bet Mr Ludlow would be fizzing mad if only he knew!

‘Holiday like never before’ how very true, but they don’t realise how negative that slogan is for so many of us.

And well done to those of you who have had the patience to reach the end of this!

[CaroleF]

What a sad read, but true. I understand why you don't want to send this to P&O but it would do them good to be able to read it. I hope they would understand why so many of us are now looking elsewhere.

[Ray B]

Cheshire Cruiser, that was some post, but unfortunately I do recognise some of the problems. Certainly one which did irritate me after covid was the waiters in the MDR reaching across the table to place/remove plates. Serving and removing dishes from the same side to clear you and the neighbours dishes at the same time, it's not like we are in Weatherspoons, we are on a cruise ship and standards use to be top notch once . We have found in the more upmarket resturants we frequent that waiters take great pride in their delivery. F
Will I be back to cruise with P&O, possibly yes, but time, and money may dictate the future.
Your concern about Ambassador is valid after you experience with the previous cruise line, but having had a cruise with Ambassador and really enjoying what they offered we booked another cruise with them. I am hoping the next Ambassador cruise lives up to what we experienced and hope to report back to the forum.

[Jan Rosser]

Wow what a comprehensive “essay” listing P&O’s issues many of which I experienced on Ventura just over a week ago. I honestly agreed with all you said. The butter pat placed on the plate was a bit naff I thought but the butter portion at breakfast was a joke too and this and lukewarm food etc. resulted in my complaint to the head waiters. As for reaching across instead of picking up dishes from the correct side it’s just another chip away at the service we used to have - all a bit sad really but I don’t honestly think P&O give a toss.

[oldbluefox]

all a bit sad really but I don’t honestly think P&O give a toss.

I think you have hit the nail on the head. Summed up beautifully.

[Ray B]

Janis, Oh my, I had you up there as the lady of the forum. I was shocked when your choice of words was so Essex.
Quote, I don’t honestly think P&O give a toss.
Janis

[david63]

The manner in which P&O respond to "constructive criticism" has not changed. Yes you get a response but it is clearly apparent that whoever is responding has not read the letter but merely skimmed through it and trotted out the "company line". I have had similar responses over the years. My impression is that P&O feel that passengers who complain after their cruise are expecting some form of compensation so become defensive whereas in most cases it is an attempt to highlight areas that are failing.

As for Paul Ludlow I do have some sympathy (not a lot) in that he is at the behest of his lords and masters in Miami who obviously dictate the direction that they want P&O to go. Whether he has much wriggle room with implementing the changes is something that I doubt any of us would know.

[CaroleF]

Re restaurant service, on my recent Arcadia cruise I was in a suite so my sister-in-law and I were able to have breakfast up in Sindhu. The service there was just as I remember it years ago in the MDR. We had a slate with butter on it, we had individual jars of jams and marmalade. The service from the waiters was top class. So all this is still there, the waiters know how to serve properly, to wait until we had both finished before removing dishes etc. Apparently it's only available in the suite breakfast, not in the MDR. We looked forward to our breakfast each morning, the service was impeccable. Are the waiters in the MDR told this level of service is not necessary, surely it takes more time for the waiters to go round putting a dollop of butter on everyone's plate rather than having dishes of butter on the table. Does P&O really save that much money or is it just that they think top level service is not necessary in the MDR?

[Onelife]

Just to let you know I have sent Cheshire Cruisers (first Post) onto P&O (Without Attribution) because sitting on our arses moaning about how P&O have downgraded their service is like backing a horse without a jockey.

[david63]

On the basis that the waiters in Sindhu, and for that matter Epicurean, are more experienced and have moved up from the MDR then a lot of that is probably more to do with their initial training whereas in the MDR a lot of the waiters will be new recruits.

As for waiters leaning over to deliver/collect plates some of that is unavoidable due to the table layout in all of the restaurants

[Cheshire Cruiser]

Just to let you know I have sent Cheshire Cruisers (first Post) onto P&O (Without Attribution) because sitting on our arses moaning about how P&O have downgraded their service is like backing a horse without a jockey.

It will be interesting to learn what response if any you get.

[Cheshire Cruiser]

As for waiters leaning over to deliver/collect plates some of that is unavoidable due to the table layout in all of the restaurants

I appreciate it is sometimes unavoidable but what is really annoying is when there is no reason for it other than waiters either not properly trained or just being lazy. I had understood P&O had a training school in Mumbai where waiters learned the basics and I do wonder if this has now gone as a cost saving, and whilst there are now a significant number of waiters of other nationalities who would presumably bypass Mumbai, the sloppy service is by no means limited to these other nationalaties.

[Onelife]

Just to let you know I have sent Cheshire Cruisers (first Post) onto P&O (Without Attribution) because sitting on our arses moaning about how P&O have downgraded their service is like backing a horse without a jockey.

It will be interesting to learn what response if any you get.

I have this morning received the standard “we will respond within 5 days reply” …not expecting to get anything other than another standard reply but at least my 'bum' feels a lot softer for doing it

[Stephen]

My biggest gripe is when waiters start clearing plates before everyone has finished. I’ve pulled them up on this a coupe of times. Yes I know they are very busy and have allot of covers, but it’s still a restaurant not Jim’s caffe.

[Onelife]

Good Morning,



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[Cheshire Cruiser]

Very much a standard reply, no surprise there.
'Guest Relations Representative will now review your individual case and respond to you directly. While we endeavour to respond as soon as possible, this will depend on the level of investigation required'.
The eventual response will be interesting, maybe even amusing.