Possibly the Best Indian Cuisine at Sea - Sindhu on P&O Cruises

All Images: Cruise Lowdown February 2023

All cruise lines have their signature restaurants - whether called select or speciality dining. On P&O Cruises one of the most popular restaurants available ‘for a little extra’ is Sindhu. In this post I answer your most frequently asked questions about Sindhu, show recent images, menus and review our own experience of the restaurant on Britannia.

(Scroll down for our personal review).

What is Sindhu?

Sindhu is an extremely popular speciality restaurant offering elevated Indian cuisine on P&O Cruises ships.

What Type of Food is Served in Sindhu?

Sindhu is best described as an á la carte contemporary fine dining Indian restaurant with a British twist. There is a range of mildly-spiced authentic regional food on offer, including vegetarian options. There aren’t any very hot spicy dishes on the menu (in my opinion), but all have a depth and layers of fragrant spiced deliciousness.

How Much does it Cost to Eat at Sindhu?

Originally Sindhu attracted a flat cover charge for three courses (about £20); however now items are priced individually which means you can select as many dishes as you want.

Starters begin at £5.00, Mains from £9.00 and Desserts from £4.00.

As a guide, our meal for two in Sindhu on Britannia in February 2023 came to £40.00 without drinks.

Scroll down for menus.

Which P&O Ships have a Sindhu Restaurant?

You will find Sindhu on each ship in the P&O fleet. There is a Sindhu on Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Ventura, Azura and Arcadia.

When is Sindhu Open?

Sindhu is usually open every day for dinner from 6:30 pm, even on black tie nights Check once onboard, as there used to be a *Tiffin-style lunch on embarkation and sea days

*Tiffin is used to decide a lighter meal such as a light lunch/tea.

How Do You Book Sindhu?

You can book Sindhu on the ‘My P&O’ app or Cruise Personaliser around 3 months in advance of your cruise. Alternatively, once onboard use the P&O App to reserve date and time or go direct to the restaurant to book. Sindhu is extremely popular so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. That said, be persistent as out booking materialised towards the very end of our cruise.

Are There Vegetarian Options Available in Sindhu?

You will find at least one vegetarian starter, a vegetarian main course and a choice of desserts. Do ask your server who will confirm which dishes are vegetarian.

On our menu the veggie options were:

Starter: Chana Pakodi Chaat (£5.00) (Black chickpea dumplings, Chickpea Salad and Masala Houmous.

Main Course: Dum Ki Seviyan Khumb Gucchi Biriyani (£8.00) (Vermicelli and Rice, morels, Seasonal Mushrooms baked in a sealed pot). There is also a vegetarian version of the Sindhu Signature Plate - ask your server.

All deserts were suitable for vegetarians.

Our Personal Review of Sindhu on P&O Britannia

On recommendation, we decided we would really like to dine in Sindhu on our next P&O Cruise..

We only booked our recent Britannia cruise four days prior to embarkation, by which time sadly Sindhu was unavailable to book. Once onboard, we kept checking the App on a daily basis until we were fortunate to find a cancellation during our second week. The booking was for the final black tie night, which we would normally enjoy in the main dining room. However we were desperate to experience the restaurant and so turned up all suited and booted for our special meal.

I love Indian food (albeit usually quite hot dishes) so I was really looking forward to the experience, and I wasn’t to be disappointed.

From the moment you discover the discreet yet opulent Sindhu Bar where you can indulge in a pre/post dinner drink, it is obvious that Sindhu is going to be special. With dark wood and jewel-coloured accents, you are transported to the far east to begin your Indian culinary journey.

The dark wood continues within the restaurant itself, complemented by bright embellished cushions, brass accents and mood lighting, whilst the servers are adorned in embroidered silk waistcoats or dresses. The aromas that greet you set your senses alight in anticipation of the delights that await you.

Once seated in our private booth, our order was taken and a selection of dips (mango chutney, raita) was brought to the table with some mini papadams.

We both chose Tandoori Ratan to start - a delicious trio of Basil King Prawns, Chicken Tikka and a Smoked Lamb Skewer served with a refreshing mint chutney (£7.50) which were delightful.

This was followed by our main courses of Murgh Irani Korma, a Cardamom-infused Chicken Korma with Cashew Nuts, Raisin Pilau (£9.00) For John, and the Sindhu Signature Plate for me consisting of a selection of aromatic curries - a Coconut Prawn Masala, Chicken Tariwala Curry, Lamb Bhuna (£11.50). This came with a rice accompaniment plus a complimentary Dhal, vegetable curry and a selection of Indian breads. Whilst extremely delicious, the dishes were very mild, with the exception of the Prawn Masala which carried a bit of a punch. Controversially, I am team share when it comes to Indian food (I know for many this is a huge red flag), and fortunately John is also happy to share.

Every dish was fabulously tasty and filling, and we really didn’t have room for dessert. However in the name of research, knowing that I owed it to you, my reader, I took a hit for the team and ordered the Chocolate and Chilli Tart served with LIme-Infused creme Fraiche (£4.50).

The cold chocolate tart consisted of a rich chocolate ganache encased in shortcrust pastry case served with a refreshing zingy Creme fraiche, which was welcomed as the pleasantly spicy chilli undertone hit the palate.

We really enjoyed our meal and even though we have large appetites, (or in other words are incredibly greedy), we found the portions to be perfect. Whilst the serving dishes look small, they are quite deep and so the portions are very generous. It would have been nice to have more of the lovely Indian bread (although I am sure we could have asked for the basket to be replenished), and for there to be a more hot and spicy option on the menu Also we weren’t offered coffee, but I understand that this can be requested.

I would recommend booking Sidhu for your next P&O Cruise, and to do so as far in advance as possible.

Sindhu Menus

Click link above for sample menus which are rotated weekly. Below is the menu (with prices) which we were able to choose from on the second week of our cruise.