P&O Cruises Revamps Excel-Class Keel & Cow Steakhouse Menu

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P&O Cruises has introduced a significant menu refresh at its Keel & Cow steakhouse and gastropub on Excel-class ships Iona and Arvia, expanding steak options, updating comfort food favourites and adding more plant-based dishes as the line continues to refine its specialty dining portfolio.

Excel-Class Signature Steakhouse Gets a Fresh Focus

The Keel & Cow venue, positioned as a relaxed gastropub and steakhouse on P&O Cruises’ Excel-class ships, has become a focal point of the line’s latest culinary update. Publicly available information indicates that the restaurant, already popular for its dry-aged steaks and burgers, has undergone a notable menu makeover designed to broaden its appeal and highlight premium cuts of beef.

On board Iona and Arvia, Keel & Cow occupies a central spot in each ship’s dining line-up, sitting alongside concepts such as The Olive Grove and other specialty venues. The refreshed menu is being presented as part of an ongoing evolution of food offerings on the two newest ships in the fleet, with an emphasis on variety and more clearly defined steakhouse credentials.

The venue continues to operate on an à la carte basis rather than charging a fixed cover, but the expanded list of high-end cuts and add-ons positions Keel & Cow firmly in the category of a premium dining experience within the broader range of Excel-class options.

Expanded Steak Line-up and Premium Butcher’s Block

Sample menus for Keel & Cow show a strengthened focus on steak, with a butcher’s block that now highlights an array of grass-fed and grain-fed options. The selection includes fillet, rib eye and sirloin cuts, as well as larger sharing steaks such as T-bone and tomahawk, with details about provenance and ageing placed more prominently than in earlier versions of the menu.

Reports indicate that many steaks are now identified by breed and region, including Irish purebred and West Country or Scottish-origin beef, often dry-aged for extended periods. This aligns Keel & Cow more closely with land-based specialist steakhouses that foreground sourcing and maturation as key selling points.

The menu refresh also places greater emphasis on accompaniments, with chunky chips, beer-battered onion rings, portobello mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and roasted garlic forming a standard plate presentation. Guests are offered classic sauces such as Béarnaise, peppercorn and Diane, while a “surf and turf” upgrade with lobster tail positions the restaurant at the more indulgent end of P&O Cruises’ dining scale.

Comfort Classics, Burgers and New Plant-Based Choices

While steak remains the main attraction, the updated Keel & Cow menu retains and refines a range of British comfort dishes. Publicly available sample menus highlight slow-cooked beef and ale pie, seafood options such as cod and monkfish scampi, and desserts including sticky toffee pudding and baked cheesecake, keeping the venue accessible to guests who prefer familiar pub-style plates.

The restaurant’s signature burger offering, widely discussed in cruise-focused coverage, continues to feature prominently. The towering house burger is often cited as a standout item and is now framed within a more comprehensive burger and sandwich section that underscores Keel & Cow’s gastropub identity alongside its steakhouse ambitions.

At the same time, the makeover brings clearer attention to vegetarian and vegan selections. Dishes built around cauliflower, lentils and sweet potato, paired with spiced elements such as butternut squash bhaji and dal-style sides, reflect a broader move across the fleet to ensure specialty venues cater to a wider range of dietary preferences without compromising on flavour or presentation.

How Keel & Cow Fits Into P&O’s Evolving Dining Strategy

The timing of the Keel & Cow menu changes coincides with wider menu updates across several P&O Cruises restaurants, as seen in recent coverage of refreshed offerings at other specialty venues. For the Excel-class ships, the updates are part of a strategy to differentiate dining concepts more clearly and give guests stronger reasons to book additional-fee experiences beyond the main dining rooms and buffet.

Industry commentary suggests that passengers are increasingly selective about paying extra for specialty dining and expect clear value in either quality, portion size or a distinctive atmosphere. By enhancing steak provenance, enlarging the butcher’s block choice and refining comfort-food staples, Keel & Cow appears positioned as a mid-priced yet premium-feeling option rather than a formal fine-dining steakhouse.

The gastropub setting, casual dress code and pay-per-item model also help Keel & Cow stand apart from more traditional, multi-course venues. For many guests on Iona and Arvia, the updated menu may encourage multiple visits across a sailing, whether for a full steakhouse dinner or a single burger or dessert as an informal treat.

What Guests Can Expect on Upcoming Excel-Class Sailings

For travellers booked on Iona or Arvia in the coming months, the Keel & Cow menu makeover means a broader range of steak cuts, more clearly signposted vegetarian options and a sharper focus on familiar British favourites. The restaurant is typically open for dinner and, on selected itineraries, for additional meal periods, giving passengers flexibility in planning their onboard dining.

Booking policies and exact pricing can vary by sailing, but published guidance recommends reserving specialty venues in advance through the line’s digital platforms, particularly on peak-season cruises where demand for the most popular restaurants can be high. Keel & Cow’s à la carte format allows guests to control how much they spend, from sharing a large signature cut to opting for a single main course.

With P&O Cruises continuing to invest in food and beverage experiences on its newest ships, the refreshed Keel & Cow menu underscores how important dining has become to the overall Excel-class proposition. For many passengers, the upgraded steakhouse-style offerings and expanded comfort-food choices will be a central part of the onboard experience on future voyages.