The Limelight Club on P&O Cruises is your classic ‘dinner and a show.’ This venue was first featured on Britannia and it’s popularity has meant it’s being introduced on other P&O cruise ships.
The Limelight Club is open most evenings for guests but booking is essential.
You should definitely approach this as an evening out on your cruise. A three-course meal is served before you settle down to be entertained by a familiar act you may have seen on stage and screen.
In this post I share the Limelight Club’s four sample menus with photos and a review of our experiences on Britannia.
Which P&O Ships have The Limelight Club?
- Britannia: Deck 5
- Iona: Deck 6
- Arvia: Deck 6
First Impressions
On arrival to The Limelight Club you are shown to your allocated table. We were fortunate on both visits to have a table near the stage. There was a buzz of anticipation as passengers filled the venue.
Staff were friendly, took drinks orders and delivered the appetisers to tables.
The venue is designed to create an intimate feel. The decor contemporary with soft lighting throughout the evening.
Take a look inside The Limelight Club during my ship tour of Britannia.
The Limelight Club Menus
The Limelight Club has a rotation of four menus so if you choose to book more than once during a cruise, you will be get the chance to try different menus. For example, we booked to watch two different acts in the Limelight Club on our cruise and experienced Menu Three and Menu Four.
The venue’s theme is reflected in the menu courses: The Rehearsal (appetiser), The Open Act (starter), the Headliner (main course) and the Grand Finale (dessert).
The choice for each course is select (limited). The appetiser and dessert is a single option, there are two choices of starter and four main course items.
Menu 1
| The Rehearsal | Houmous, Grissini Sticks and Spiced Nuts |
| Opening Act | Kind Scallops and Pea Fritters Red Peppers, Goat’s Curd and Black Olive Cannelloni (v) |
| The Headliner | Sesame Crusted Asian Sea Bass Poulet de Bresse with a Lentil, Cep and Red Wine Cassoulet Fillet of beef with an Oxtail and Garlic Hash Asparagus and Wild Mushroom Florentine Strudel (v) |
| Grand Finale | Vanilla Cheesecake, Champagne Strawberries, Passionfruit and Mint Jelly |
Menu 2
| The Rehearsal | Babah Ghanoush, Pesto Marinated Black Olives |
| Opening Act | Sesame Crusted Chicken Buffalo Mozarella and Basil Ravioli (v) |
| The Headliner | Sea Bream Fillet with Tiger Prawns and Squid in Rich Tomato Sauce Cannon of Lamb with a Shepherd’s Pie Fritter Juniper Spiced Venison Loin Grilled Panisse and Roasted Onion Lyonnaise with Root Vegetable Gratin (v) |
| Grand Finale | Chocolate Cremeux, Piedmont Hazelnut Sponge, Forest Berry Mousse |
Menu 3
| The Rehearsal | Peruvian Corn, Tomato Salsa and Grissini Sticks |
| Opening Act | Highland Smoked Salmon, Chalk Stream Trout and Peppered Mackerel Beetroot Mousse with a Toasted Pine Nut and Pumpkin Seed Crumble (v) |
| The Headliner | Lemon Sole Fillets with Leek and Morecambe Bay Brown Shrimp Pork Tenderloin and Smoked Pork Belly Pepper Crusted Beef Tournedos Charred Halloumi, Snow Peas and a Garden Pea and Mint Tiroptia (v) |
| Grand Finale | Braeburn Apple Tart, Aerated Walnut Sponge, Pear Mousseline |
Menu 4
| The Rehearsal | Grilled Halloumi, Romesco Dip and Grissini Sticks |
| Opening Act | Duck Liver Parfait with Maraschino Glaze Asparagus and Soft Poached Egg (v) |
| The Headliner | Loch Duart Salmon Fillet in Puff Pastry Roasted Guinea Breast and Confit Leg with Savoy Cabbage Rack of Salt Marsh Lamb and Braised Shoulder Purple Potato Gnocchi with Charred Butternut Squash (v) |
| Grand Finale | Poached Peach and Rose Scented Meringue |
Drinks
If you have purchased a drinks package, you can use it in the Limelight Club. Alternatively, you can order from the drinks menu. To get an idea of drinks prices on P&O Cruises, I’d recommend taking a look at my drinks guide with menus and prices.
Pre-Order Service
You can pre-order wine and champagne for your evening in the Limelight Club by collecting a paper slip from the venue during the day.
The order should be returned to either The Limelight Club or the Blue Bar before 5.00pm on the day.
If you have purchased the wine package, you can choose a bottle of wine to accompany your meal in the Limelight Club by speaking to a member of staff in advance.
How much is The Limelight Club on P&O Cruises?
The price of The Limelight Club differs depending on the caliber of the entertainment act and ranges from £25 to £35 on average.
Tribute acts are likely to be on the lower side of pricing, whereas those more famous performers are likely to command higher prices.
Which Acts Perform at The Limelight Club?
You can see which entertainment acts will be performing on your cruise via your My P&O Cruises account around 90 days before your cruise. The venue is filled from the front to the back so the earlier you book, the closer your table is likely to be to the stage.
You can sometimes book when you get onboard but if there is an act you definitely want to see, I’d recommend booking before your cruise.
To get an idea of which acts may be performing, I’d recommend taking a look at this Cruise Critic topic, which also mentions which performances have most enjoyed in the past.
We enjoyed watching 4 Poofs and A Piano and Eric and Ern but other performers in The Limelight Club include:
- Claire Sweeney
- Gareth Gates
- Toyah Wilcox
- Simon from Blue
- Sonia
- Ray Quinn
- Ben Richards
- John Partridge
- Jaki Graham
- La Voix
- Jake Quickenden
- Chesney Hawkes
- Brian McFadden and Keith Duffy
- Judy and Liza Tribute
- Christina Bianco
- Richard Hadfield from Collabro
Final Thoughts on The Limelight Club
The Limelight Club is a welcome addition to the entertainment available on P&O Cruises. It may feel like a risk to try a different style of specialty restaurant and pay a cover charge but if you enjoy live entertainment, it’s definitely worth it.
I was initially drawn to the acts performing on our cruise and therefore booked to see them especially.
The biggest disappointment was my choice of dishes. There just seemed to be some weird textures going on, and unfortunately, I can never eat beetroot again! I feel the dishes were great on paper but in reality, not to my personal taste.
The best part of the two menus we tried was the dessert, beautifully presented and not too heavy at the end of the meal.
The service we experienced was tentative and I cannot fault the staff.
Overall, this is a little gem of a venue. With a capacity of around 100 covers, it does feel like an intimate evening show. The performers are happy to hover after the show to meet passengers and have photos taken.
My advice would be to take a look at which performers are on your cruise and choose from the menu wisely!
Laura is a UK cruise blogger based in Cornwall, UK. She founded Cruise Lifestyle in 2016 to share useful advice about cruising, destinations and food.
Last port visited: Bridgetown, Barbados
Next port of call: unknown, but she can’t wait for cruising to resume safely!
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My mum loved seeing Gareth Gates on Britannia a few years ago and will be booking again for an evening in September on Iona. Great little addition for a little extra
Author
It’s a fun night, I’d definitely book again in the future.