P&O Cruises Daytime Buffet Menu: Breakfast, Lunch & Afternoon Tea
The buffet is one of the easiest places to grab a casual meal during a P&O Cruises holiday, with food available throughout much of the day. The daytime buffet menu shown here provides a useful look at the variety passengers may find, covering breakfast specials, a substantial lunch selection, afternoon tea and a separate children’s tea.
The photographed menu includes traditional British dishes alongside international options, vegetarian and vegan choices, salads, desserts and gluten-free selections. P&O Cruises confirms that its buffet restaurants are included dining venues, although the exact venue name and menu can vary by ship.
For more P&O Cruises dining information, CruisePrism readers can also explore our P&O Cruises menus, P&O Cruises drinks menu and prices, and P&O Cruises onboard guides.
P&O Cruises Buffet Dining
P&O Cruises operates buffet restaurants across its fleet, although the restaurant itself is not named the same thing on every ship. Horizon Buffet is used aboard several P&O ships, while Ventura, for example, has the Waterside Buffet.
Because the photograph itself does not identify the ship or buffet venue, this guide does not attribute the menu to a specific P&O Cruises ship.
The menu does, however, provide a particularly useful snapshot of how the buffet changes throughout the day, with separate sections for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and children’s tea.
INSERT PHOTO 1 – P&O Cruises daytime buffet menu with breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and children’s tea selections
Breakfast Specials
The photographed menu begins with a small selection of breakfast specials.
Options shown include:
- Spanish Scrambled Eggs with chorizo, peppers, onion and potato
- Kippers
- Mushroom Omelette
- Bubble and Squeak
These specials supplement the wider breakfast selection available in the buffet rather than representing an entire P&O Cruises breakfast menu.
P&O Cruises Buffet Lunch Menu
Lunch occupies the largest portion of the photographed daytime menu and is divided into several sections.
The selection mixes familiar British comfort food with curries, Mediterranean dishes, salads and lighter choices.
Carvery
The lunchtime carvery features roast gammon accompanied by:
- Wholegrain mashed potato
- Maple roasted parsnips
- Steamed carrots
- Parsley sauce
- English mustard
The carvery gives passengers a traditional roast-style option without requiring a meal in one of the ship’s main dining rooms.
Hot Lunch Selection
The hot buffet offers one of the widest ranges on the menu.
Selections shown include:
- Steak and Kidney Pie
- Steamed Broccoli
- Sautéed Potatoes
- Chicken and Chorizo Stew
- Tomatoes and Black Olives
- Garlic Green Beans and Patatas Bravas
- Fried Plaice Meunière with Caper Brown Butter
- Dauphinoise Potatoes
- Cheddar Cheese and Onion Tart
- Mushroom, Chestnut and Cranberry Tart
- Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
- Chicken Korma with rice, naan bread, mango chutney, lime pickle and poppadoms
- Quiche Lorraine
There is a noticeable mix of cuisines here. Passengers could choose something traditionally British such as steak and kidney pie or fried plaice, or go for dishes such as chicken korma and patatas bravas.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free designations are also shown alongside applicable dishes.
Soup, Bread and Sides
The soup of the day shown on this particular menu is Cream of Vegetable Soup with Pesto Croutons.
Other buffet accompaniments include:
- Selection of homemade breads
- French fries
- Tomato ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Brown sauce
- Malt vinegar
The menu identifies the homemade breads as vegetarian and the French fries as both vegan and gluten-free.
Cold Buffet Selection
Passengers looking for something lighter can choose from the cold section.
The photographed menu lists:
- Roast Chicken Club Baguette
- Egg Mayonnaise and Spring Onion Baguette
- Cold meats
- Seafood
- Smoked fish
- Pickles
- Chutneys
Salad Specials
The salad section offers several composed salads rather than simply a basic make-your-own salad bar.
Selections include:
- Mango Chilli Chicken Salad
- Maple-Roasted Sweet Potato and Sweetcorn Salad
- Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower with Couscous and Pomegranate Salad
- Vegetarian Niçoise
- Coleslaw
Dressings and accompaniments include balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Caesar dressing and classic vinaigrette.
The sweet potato and sweetcorn salad is marked vegetarian, while the Moroccan spiced cauliflower dish is marked vegan.
Dietary Options at the Buffet
The menu contains a dedicated Dietary Delights section describing gluten-free and lactose-free options selected for passengers with specific dietary needs.
Individual dishes elsewhere on the menu are also marked using dietary symbols, including:
- V – Vegetarian
- VE – Vegan
- GF – Gluten Free
P&O Cruises advises passengers with food allergies, intolerances or specific dietary requirements to speak with the onboard team rather than relying solely on menu markings.
P&O Cruises Buffet Desserts
There is a surprisingly broad dessert selection on this particular daytime buffet menu.
Desserts shown include:
- Steamed Clootie Dumpling and Custard
- Traditional Yorkshire Curd Tart
- Golden Syrup Sponge Cake
- Coffee Éclair
- Chinese Five Spice Chocolate Cake
- Raspberry Trifle
- Tropical Exotic Verrine with Coconut Crunch
- Fresh Fruit Salad
- Selection of Cookies
Several are marked vegetarian, while the Tropical Exotic Verrine and Fresh Fruit Salad are marked vegan and gluten-free.
A separate cheese section offers a selection of British and Continental cheeses with biscuits.
Afternoon Tea at the P&O Cruises Buffet
The menu transitions from lunch into Afternoon Tea, providing both savoury and sweet choices.
The savoury selection shown includes:
- Cajun Chicken and Guacamole Wholemeal Torpedo Roll
- Smoked Salmon Malted Torpedo Roll
- Brie and Red Onion Marmalade Corn Tortilla Wrap
- BLT with bacon, tomato, onion, lettuce and mayonnaise in a tortilla wrap
- Shredded Celeriac, Red Onion, Carrot and Coriander Brioche Roll
Sweet afternoon tea choices include:
- Plain or Fruit Scones with whipped cream and strawberry jam
- Fresh Fruit
- Selection of Pastries, Cakes and Cookies
This is the casual buffet version of afternoon tea. P&O Cruises also offers other afternoon tea experiences on selected ships and sailings, so passengers should check their daily program for the options available during their cruise.
P&O Cruises Children’s Tea
Families will also notice a dedicated Children’s Tea section at the bottom of the menu.
Rather than listing individual dishes, the photographed menu describes it as a daily selection of hot and cold favourites for younger guests.
P&O Cruises currently identifies Children’s Tea as an included early dining option served in the buffet on its family-friendly ships. The cruise line lists the service aboard Arvia, Azura, Britannia, Iona and Ventura.
This can be particularly convenient for families whose children prefer to eat earlier than the adults.
Is the P&O Cruises Buffet Included?
Yes. P&O Cruises includes its standard buffet restaurants in the cruise fare.
There is no separate cover charge simply to eat breakfast, lunch or the standard buffet selections shown here.
Other dining experiences aboard P&O Cruises can carry an additional charge, so the buffet should not be confused with the cruise line’s speciality restaurants.
Which P&O Cruises Ship Is This Menu From?
The photograph does not provide enough identifying information to reliably determine the exact ship.
That is worth making clear because P&O Cruises currently operates different buffet venues across its ships. Horizon Buffet appears aboard ships including Arvia, Britannia and Iona, while Ventura uses the Waterside Buffet. Other ships also have their own arrangements.
Rather than guessing, this menu is best treated as an example of a P&O Cruises daytime buffet menu.
The presence of Children’s Tea does narrow the relevant current ships. P&O Cruises lists its dedicated buffet Children’s Tea aboard Arvia, Azura, Britannia, Iona and Ventura.
P&O Cruises Daytime Buffet FAQ
What food is available at the P&O Cruises buffet during the day?
The photographed menu includes breakfast specials, a lunchtime carvery, hot dishes, soup, sandwiches and cold items, salads, desserts, afternoon tea and children’s tea.
Does P&O Cruises serve afternoon tea in the buffet?
Yes. P&O Cruises offers a casual afternoon tea in its buffet restaurants. The photographed menu includes sandwiches and wraps, scones, fruit, pastries, cakes and cookies.
Is there a children’s buffet on P&O Cruises?
P&O Cruises offers a dedicated Children’s Tea on its family-friendly ships. It is an early meal served in the buffet with food intended for younger passengers.
Are there vegetarian options at the P&O Cruises buffet?
Yes. The photographed menu identifies numerous vegetarian dishes, including Mushroom Omelette, Cheddar Cheese and Onion Tart, Vegetarian Niçoise and several desserts.
Are there vegan options?
Yes. Vegan items shown include Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables, Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower with Couscous and Pomegranate Salad and several afternoon tea and dessert selections.
Are gluten-free options available?
Yes. Several dishes on the menu are specifically marked gluten-free, and there is also a Dietary Delights section mentioning gluten-free and lactose-free choices.
Is the buffet free on P&O Cruises?
The standard buffet is included in the cruise fare.
Does the P&O Cruises buffet menu stay the same every day?
Passengers should not expect this exact selection every day or on every ship. Buffet dishes can change, and P&O Cruises advises passengers to check the information provided onboard for current dining options.
Final Thoughts on the P&O Cruises Daytime Buffet
This P&O Cruises daytime buffet menu is useful precisely because it shows much more than a single meal. From Spanish scrambled eggs and kippers at breakfast to roast gammon, steak and kidney pie, chicken korma and salads at lunch, the selection covers a broad range of tastes.
Later in the day, the buffet transitions into a casual afternoon tea with sandwiches, wraps, scones and sweets, while younger passengers have a dedicated Children’s Tea.
The exact dishes and buffet venue can vary by ship and sailing, but the photograph gives passengers a good example of the variety they may encounter when using P&O Cruises’ included buffet dining during the day.
