Virgin first class catering on 23.12

[Bishopstone]

Potentially, I need to make a long return trip from Euston on Monday 23rd: out to Blackpool via Preston, returning from Manchester in the early evening.

Does anyone know if Virgin will offer the usual weekday First Class complimentary catering on 23.12, or will there be a restricted Christmas period offer? I imagine there won't be many business travellers on Monday.

I've tweeted Virgin, but no response. They appear to be dealing with a number of issues across the network today.

Thanks in advance.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Their website states that the reduced Christmas food offer starts the day after, on Christmas Eve, so you should be ok.

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/christmas/

 

[Bishopstone]

Thanks Voyagerdude - I hadn't spotted that page.

 

[bengolding]

Normal service on Mon. Lets hope they stock up to meet demand - I had to purchase a First Anytime return for travel earlier as both Virgin services I aim to get had no availability for seat reservations so that's almost 200 passengers to feed. I'll have to arrive in plenty of time as I suspect boarding controls to be in place at Euston, especially on the xx30 I plan to get.

Interestingly, an FC host earlier advised the normal breakfast is available on the 24th, with only the delightful snack boxes thereafter.

 

[Philip Elliott]

After breakfast on the 24th it will be the full 'light bites' option for the remainder of the day.

 

[bengolding]

After breakfast on the 24th it will be the full 'light bites' option for the remainder of the day.

Ah ok, I was misinformed earlier then. Does breakfast resume on 2 Jan?

 

[Goatboy]

Whilst we are on the subject do we know what FGW's First Class catering is like over the same period?

 

[Philip Elliott]

Ah ok, I was misinformed earlier then. Does breakfast resume on 2 Jan?

Full breakfast will return on 2nd January yes but the 'light breakfast' a.k.a bacon rolls will be available on weekdays during the Christmas period.

 

[BantamMenace]

I travel first class with TPE on Saturday from Leeds to ManPic and on to Stafford with XC and return first class on Monday. Anyone know what I'm to expect catering wise?

 

[TEW]

Whilst we are on the subject do we know what FGW's First Class catering is like over the same period?

Normally it will be a case of collecting complimentaries from the buffet with no at-seat service. Weekend First is available every day from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day.

 

[Goatboy]

That'll teach me for paying more than the standard class + weekend first price for a First Class ticket. Why don't FGW ever publicise that sort of thing?

 

[TEW]

It is pretty well publicised. It's in all the Christmas documentation they've produced, which is available at all stations. It's as well publicised as Weekend First generally I'd say.

 

[Goatboy]

I don't buy tickets from the station, I buy them from the FGW website.

There is no mention of Weekend First availability midweek or the reduction of First Class service either on the Christmas Service information page, here:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/contents/travel-during-christmas

Nor is there any mention of it here, on the page dedicated to First Class:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Your-journey/On-board/First-class

I read both of these pages prior to purchasing midweek First Class tickets for more than the cost of a standard class ticket plus a weekend First upgrade. It is therefore dissapointing to note that I won't be getting the advertised service and that I've actually paid more than I needed to for the ticket.

Annoying, but I'll get over it. I'm not really that bothered as I suspect it will be very, very busy and therefore I value the seat reservation I've got whereas Weekend First is first come first serve, but even so,i t's a bit of a poor show.

Virgin Trains have clearly communicated the First Class service provision over the Christmas period and the availability of an extended weekend first offer using the VT website. Why FGW can't do the same if they intend to operate much the same policy is unclear?

 

[Jonfun]

I travel first class with TPE on Saturday from Leeds to ManPic and on to Stafford with XC and return first class on Monday. Anyone know what I'm to expect catering wise?

I can't say for TPE, but on XC you'll get the weekend offer of complimentary drinks and light snacks (eg Crisps, biscuits etc) from your Retail Service Manager on the way out, and on the Monday you'll most likely (not all trains have them, but most during the week do) have a dedicated First Class Host who'll be able to offer you the complimentary menu (sandwiches or panini), or take payment for any of the paid-for hot food options (There's normally curry, chilli, bacon baguettes etc, although it'll depend on what's been sent to the train) alongside drinks and snacks en route.

If you're even luckier, you might be served by me... You'd be surprised at the number of my customers who I notice in passing are logged into this site on their iPads and laptops

 

[TEW]

I don't buy tickets from the station, I buy them from the FGW website.

There is no mention of Weekend First availability midweek or the reduction of First Class service either on the Christmas Service information page, here:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/contents/travel-during-christmas

Nor is there any mention of it here, on the page dedicated to First Class:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Your-journey/On-board/First-class

The Christmas page is literally just timetable information and not any service information. If you click through to all the timetables it has service information including details of the extended Weekend First offer. In the past there haven't been any separate timetables produced for the Christmas period, so there has been a definite improvement in communication. The First Class page could probably mention Weekend First being available over Christmas since it is an offer which is repeated every year.