Spikey M

I booked my own seats on Virgin flying back from Dubai. Didn't have to pay anything at all. Just chose them.

 

You pay more to fly Virgin, so you still pay, it's just a hidden cost.

Hi all, I am currently sitting in my hotel at Gatwick but we are having a bit of trouble deciding when to get up. P&O have advised us that we need to check in 4 hours before on one piece of paper work, and 3 hours before on another. The flight is long hall to the Caribbean if that makes any difference.

 

Does anyone know if it's 3 or 4 hours?

I'd take BA and the most spectacular case of vomiting virus over having to deal with TC again. Awful.

Are the same Ales (or similar) available on Azura? I don’t mind lager, but much prefer an Ale.

Hi Whirlwind, we are on the same cruise and we are also on our honeymoon! We have booked swimming with turtles (barbados), submarine trip (barbados) sting ray experience (maybe Grand Turk) river tubing (not sure where) and the best of Tortola.

 

Not bothering with trips on St Maartens as will be going to the beach by the airport (google it if you haven't seen!) Or on Antigua as lots to do.

 

We have never been to any of the islands or on a cruise either though so no idea how good they will be. There will be information about each of the trips on the ports of call section on here.

 

Ashley & Emma-Jane

Is that Eastern Carribean $ or US $?

And if you are in the Midlands or upwards in the UK it's often quicker to get to Barcelona or Venice etc than travel down to Southampton to pick up your cruise.

I live about 15 minutes from London Southend Airport. It is actually easier for me to fly out to Malaga, Barcelona etc than get to Southampton by train or sort parking. Fly cruises are for us, I think. Although we need a cheaper one next year due to moving house (hopefully) and starting a family (again hopefully) which may force our hand.

We will have a think about it. Thanks all!

We are staying at a hotel the night before we fly, so I will ask and let you all know how we get on.

I haven't been on either yet, but I'm sure I remember reading that Ventura is better geared for colder climes as it has a pool with a retractable roof, whilst Azura has the sea screen. They are sister ships though, so will be pretty similar I'd imagine.

Thomson Dreamliner. Not sure if TC have similar, mind.

Is the Bay of Biscay always rough? I know it's famous for having particularly rough seas, but is that just during storms?

 

We were looking at a Western Med cruise next year, but don't much fancy getting bounced around for a couple of days!

When do you go? We fly out in November and would very much like to put bags in the night before. I'm hoping P&O advised us incorrectly (which does seem to be a running theme), so if you return before November 15th could you let us know either way?

They are not greyed out because they are leg room seats. In fact, not all of them are. Row 12 are standard seats. You can book leg room seats the same as any other seats, they just charge you extra. The greyed out block is not able to be selected at all.

We called and asked if this was available when we booked - it isn't.

My wife tells me that she was once given one of these for a flight shortly after a back operation. So I think the health concern situation is most likely what row 11 is for with row 12 being for people flying with those with health concerns.

The first few days were cold and rainy and passengers moaned that it was not the cruise they had paid for! People were caught out having only packed light clothing so the onboard shops did a roaring trade in fleeces and jumpers!

 

Haha! "Dear P&O, we were aghast to find that your cruises from Britain include British weather! How dare you?"

 

I read an article where people on a cruise to Alaska packed only summer clothes and complained. As if the cruise line should change the weather somehow...

I got my tux from Next for £99. it's not Savile Row but it looks the part. If renting is £70 I'm sure buying a suit works out far better value.

Have flown Thomson charter to Barbados last 2 years and alcohol is only free in Premium seats

Not from November they're not.

 

On standard Thomson, at least. Nobody seems to know about P&O charters as from November.

I can't believe that people think that free drinks on a flight is much of a bonus. For heavens sake, its not as if you can drink much on a 9 hour flight!

 

 

 

Mmmmm. On second thoughts, maybe its not a bad idea :D

It's not a huge bonus, but it's a nice one. If only because it means we don't have to ensure we have cash for the flight both ways and don't have to ration ourselves to however much cash we have handy.

 

I find paying by card annoying on planes.

More over - drinks are not cheap on planes at £3-4 for a can of beer the side of your average coke can. I'll pay it... but I'd rather Thomson/P&O did ;)

The flight will be the start of our honeymoon so we will certainly be having a few drinks. We are both perfectly capable of knpwing when we have had enough, however. In fact - I have always had a drink or four on the out bound flight and never been drunk. Nor have I ever felt bad when getting off of the plane.

 

Thanks all for the answers - it seems that we will have to wait and see essentially. We will assume we have to pay and hope for a nice surprise!

Hi all,

 

We keep hearing rumours that drinks will be free on p&o charter flights from November. Is this true? Anybody have any sources confirming this?

 

We have called p&o to ask but - they have misadvised us previously, and many on the P&O facebook page are insisting that drinks will be free.

An e-mail is sent to you when available. Book seats via the cruise personaliser and use your cursor to scroll left/right/up/down to select available seats (green persons/s), but be aware you will be charged

 

We didn't get an email telling us when we could book, so I wouldn't bank in it.

 

We fly out 15th November for our cruise and booked our seats Saturday 13th September, exactly 9 weeks before.

 

So yours should be out in a week or 2.

I have never been asked what we paid, neither have I ever thought of asking. It's of no interest to me what others paid.

 

If someone were to ask me, I'd answer something to the effect of 'I don’t remember. Money isn't really an issue for us."

 

A downright lie, but it should kill the conversation dead. With the added bonus of annoying the tactless fool.

I don’t really understand how you can feel duped. Prices dropping before departure is not unique to cruising. It happens with holidays of all types.

 

it's not even unique to holidays. I'd bet everything I own that the jumper I bought today will be half the price in April.