Sanjam cruisers

Hi StarryUK

The mattress is a Sealy P&O Cunarder Elevation.

We had exactly the same experience on Azura in 2012, on our return I contacted Sealy and bought a new bed base and mattress to match at that time the price was £600.00 and it was delivered to our home address .

My contact at Sealy was Clair McLachlan her e- mail was McLachlan@sealy.co.uk.

This lady was extremely helpful and very pleasant.

Hope this info is of use, my bed is still as cofortable as the day it was delivered.

Thanks Pat enjoy your visit, I will look forward to your report.

Hi Pat

Would be most interested in hearing your opinion of the Balcony sizes of various cabins if you get the chance. Do enjoy your visit. We are off on Ventura a week on Friday. Hope you and Scott are well.

Jim.

On our visit to San Francisco last year we used "Super Shuttle", they provided an excellent and efficient service, there were six of us travelling with luggage.

Will use them on our next visit to the USA.

No one is forced by P&O to attend the GBS, no one is forced by P&O to buy overpriced cocktails( Which are not overpriced in relation to my local clubs), it lasts for 40 minutes to 1 hour out of a 14 night cruise. Going by my own attendance over 16 P&O cruises and videos of cruisesI have not been on it is an event enjoyed by a large number of passengers. But hey we will get P&O to stop it as a few killjoys don't like it. Well I do not like classical music, jazz, tribute acts, magicians but I do not ask P&O or other cruise lines to stop them just because I do not like them I just don't go to see them.

We have cruised with P&O in the CaribbeN since 2005 and on every cruise the ship has docked about 7.00am and departs about 6.00pm. We have noticed this year no times are stated. No great problem.

Hi Carolynne 15

There is a small cruise terminal with a couple of bars where you can have a drink and people watch. The town itself is not the nicest I've been to.

Hi Tarquin.

I have no hesitation in recommending ACP (Alternative Cruise Parking) over at Marchwood. They have secure parking on a hardstanding, very helpful and friendly staff, and competitive prices.

Have a great cruise.

Hi Mr Piano

I fully agree with Marmadukes remarks about the beach the water taxi takes you to, it is terrible on our only visit there both my wife and I were very badly bitten by sandflys. If you do decide to visit that beach use the company who have the Black Pirate logo on their boats they operate a constant shuttle back and forward to the port, the other company take a break for about thee hours over lunch time. If like us you arrive with them when the beach is busy and you can't get a space you are stuck untill they come back as you cannot use the other companies boat. We actually witnessed a punch-up between passengers because of this.

Hi Steff

You would all appear to have had a great and eventful cruise and I have enjoyed reading about your adventures. I am very pleased that you enjoyed your visit to Scotland and managed to visit your chosen sites, as we say to visitors here

" Haste Ye Back".

Happy cruising to you all.

To emedia43

Regarding this article the person named Tom Winsor is not a Police Officer of any kind. He is a politician and is head of an organisation called Her Majesty's Inspectorate Of Constabulary.This is a Goverment body which overseas how the Police Forces of England and Wales are run. The organisation used to be headed by a former Chief Constable( a Police Officer), but the present UK Goverment have become very Anti-Police for various reasons and decided to appoint one of their own lackeys to this very important position. This man knows nothing about the Police or Policing. Anything he says with regard to policing should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Hi Homeless bear

Nice to read a review not filled with petty complaints, so glad you enjoyed your cruise. Makes me look forward to our cruise on Ventura at the end of February.

Have been on a number of P&O cruises and while they are not perfect we have thoroughly enjoyed every one of them.

Happy cruising to you and I hope you both return to full health as soon as possable.

Hi daniel39

The Taster Dinner is four courses with accompanying wine, the head waiter explains about the food the wine expert then explains why the wine was chosen to go with that course, My wife and I do not like sweet desert wine and they were happy to change our wine for that course. If you like sparkling wine I would suggest you try "Peller" Ice wine it is my opinion excellent. the Glasshouse also does a nice Tapas menu during daytime and evening apart from their normal meal menu.

Part of the buffet restaurant is turned into a waiter service diner at night, I believe they now have a £5.00 cover charge and a smaller supplementary charge on some of the menu choices, it is non book able and very popular if they do not have a table available right away they will give you a pager and you can go up to the Metropalis/Planet bar or the terrace pool bar for a pre dinner drink until table ready.

Have a great cruise.

Hi Kruzeseeka.

When you are on Azura if she docks at the other side of the harbour from point Serraphine, that is next to the dockside cargo sheds you can get across to point Serraphine by water taxi which is situated where you get off the ship walk along the dockside towards the town centre and you will see the sign, it takes you across the harbour and when you get off the water taxi the Kareoke bar is right in front of you believe me you can't miss it. It is normally at its best when a P&O ship is docked at point Serraphine. If you do not want to take the water taxi it is about a twenty minute walk and the shopping centre at point Serraphine is outwith the cruise ship security area so you can get access. Try not to work your way through the Cocktail menu it can have dire consaquences.

Have a great cruise.

On Ventura/Azura you get your Ice Cream at the counter next to the Pizzarea, they have Mr Whippy(showing my age) style creamy or scoops of various flavours from the freezer all very nice and not expensive.

We do not normally use the Terrace Pool at the stern there may be Ice cream on offer there also to save a long walk to mid ships.

Having used the Glasshouse for dining on numerous cruises the only time you have to book is normally the "Taster Dinner" which is held twice on a fourteen night cruise and cost approx £30 per person, it is normally limited to approx 15 couples as the venue is small and in my opinion is good value for money.

Hi Pat

Happy New Year to you and Scott.

We are still looking for later this year so you never know.

Take it you enjoyed your recent cruise.

Do local ATMs not dispense currency local to the Island you are visiting thereby leaving you with money that cannot be used on other Islands, whereas the $US can be used on every Island other than the few which use theEuro.

Hi Commanche 2011

The ship normally sails from Barbados about 9pm but this can vary if any of the incoming flights from the UK are late. Do not change your currency on the ship the exchange rate is very poor, take $US with you and only take small denomination bills nothing bigger than $20s.

Do enjoy your cruise.

Happy New Year and We wish you all good health and prosperity for 2015.

Happy and enjoyable cruising to you all, and I look forward to reading your contributions to the forum in the coming year.

Hi Fraser301

We will also be on this Cruise, we were upgraded to a superior deluxe two years ago E725 which was on the starboard side aft. Very comfortable a bit more space as you have a small seating area. Canapés once each week are nothing to write home about, small bottle of bubbly and box of chocolates on arrival, towelling bathrobes and slippers, pair of binoculars(not great) and an atlas.

Do enjoy your cruise you never know we might bump into each other. Have a great cruise. Happy New Year to you.

With regard to your other questions we have always found the food onboard to me very acceptable, our own favorites for eating are the Glasshouse for daytime and evening tapas style meal, they also do a special tasting night once or twice a cruise this is limited to about 12 couples at £30pp and comprises. Four course meal with selected glasses of wine to accompany each course it is popular and books up quickly. Part of the buffet is turned into a waiter service restaurant at night, no booking but a £5.00 cover charge and a small supplement for some dishes, the lava rock cooked fillet steak and the seafood sizzler are rather good. The buffet has specialty nights IE: Indian, Italian, Caribbean, British etc.

Entertainment we have found to be of a good standard, the Headliner shows despite having seen them before are usually good, I don't like comedians so we normall give them a miss, there are usually some good tribute acts. Food and entertainment are a very personal thing, one mans meat etc.

Anything else you need info on just post and I will try to help.

Merry Christmas Scriv and to all who take part in this forum.

Happ cruising to you all in 2015.

Hi ellyg1824

P&O smoking policy is fully explained on their website, however briefly smoking is not allowed in staterooms or balconies and is only allowed on certain areas of the open decks (starboard/right hand side as you look towards the front/bow of the ship).

P&O are rather civilalised and allow you take alcohol including spirits onboard in reasonable quantaties but reserve the right to confiscate same( I would assume that this is where you are weighed down by drink or where you have been causing problems onboard through alcohol misuse). Alcohol taken onboard is for cabin use otherwise there is a corkage charge levied. You can also take alcohol aboard at ports of call.

I have never seen anyone abuse this privilege regarding alcohol on any of our P&O cruises and I for one appreciate it as I like an afternoon balcony G&T.

Have a great cruise.

Hi Mickey89

With all due respect I do not think the lights you seen at Dinner were those of Barbados which is approx 104 miles from St Lucia. You stated the ship was travelling at a snails pace I would suggest from personal experience of the same departure on Ventura at slow speed the lights you seen were situated on the southern end of St Lucia or on one of the Islands within the nearby St Vincent and The a Grenadines group.

Hi again Salacia

We fly from Glasgow to Barbados to join The P&O ship Ventura(same design as Caribbean Princess), for a fourteen night Cruise which takes in 9 ports,Barbados, St Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Tortola, St Martin, St Kitts, Curaçao, Bonaire.

The ship has an overnight in Barbados at the start/ end of the cruise as she embarks/disembarks over two days. P&O run a very slick fly/cruise system, you put your luggage in at the airport next time you see it is in your cabin, on arrival at Barbados Airport you leave the aircraft straight onto coaches which take you directly to the ship for check-in. Disembarkation at the end of cruise is again very smooth, we are allowed to stay on the ship and then disembarked about three hours before flight time onto coaches on the dockside and taken directly to the airport where P&O passengers have a streamlined passport control/security check which does not take long to pass through.

As to rum my own preference is for dark/black rum and in particular I enjoy "Pussers" Navy Rum (blue label)it is rather expensive to buy in the UK £25 ($39) for a 70cl 40% proof, the Red Label is £50 ($80) whereas in the Caribbean I get the blue label $12 and the red label $25. I buy one or two and keep for a special occasion. I enjoy most rums although I find the majority of the spiced varieties too sweet for my taste.