Selbourne

Yes it’s the queue management I was referring to. I’ve read reviews where the two queues weren’t clearly defined, or customers were getting in the wrong queue, so those responding to their alert that their table was ready weren’t just walking in as intended. Maybe that’s fixed now?

My comments mostly relate to Arvia, which is still experiencing problems with the MDR due to the lack of space (the two additional small MDRs that are on Iona being used for speciality restaurants). Good to hear that Iona is working OK though, albeit out of season. Hopefully it will still work OK in August!

That’s good to hear. Can I ask, is Olive Grove open for lunch as well as dinner? The P&O website says that it is, but I’ve only ever heard people talk about it as a dinner venue. Also, is everything free of charge in there? Thanks.

Interesting, although never having been on Princess I don’t understand the medallion concept. The ‘app’ being optional seems to be causing other issues though. Some reports suggest that those who have used it aren’t just walking in freely when called (as they should), as the app users and walk ups are merging. At the very least, dealing with walk ups slows the seating of those who are in a virtual queue. I will end where I started, that I think that this needs unravelling. The hybrid system on Arvia (or, as others have described it, trying to be all things to all people) is overly complicated both for customers and staff. IMO P&O need to either have confidence in the app and make that the only option, or ditch it and revert to Freedom Dining as it was. As a number of passengers struggle with (or refuse to use) IT, I would have thought that the latter was the better option.

Human nature being as it is, it’s no surprise that people are finding creative workarounds but as I suspected, and as you have highlighted, this is adding to the problems with the MDR. Leaving aside the over reaction to Covid, I made the point some time ago that P&O seem to be trying to solve a problem that never existed in the first place and, in doing so, have created a host of new problems. Time for a re-think?

I absolutely get the logic of this cunning plan and would be very tempted to do the same myself (now you’ve put the thought in my head), but I can’t help but feel that this must cause issues somewhere along the line for P&O, if not for the customers.

Initially stopped “because of covid” and now stopped because there aren’t enough staff 😂 Only kidding. I’ve no idea, but suspect that the latter may indeed be a reality! We would never let on if it was our birthday, but always found it amusing, mostly the three quick claps after each “Happy Birthday to you 👏 👏 👏 “

With all due respect, P&O need to put a stop to people being able to do this. No wonder there is chaos if this is happening. @molecrochip thoughts?

Thanks for clarifying. Am I correct in thinking that on the 7 night cruises on Iona & Arvia there will only be one formal night? If so, I can imagine that everyone will want to try it, which adds to the pressure. Maybe if there were two formal nights (as there used to be on 7 night cruises) there would be less pressure, as some people may decide to attend one and skip the other for a speciality restaurant? We might have assumed that the new breed of cruiser that P&O is targeting might not have been keen on formal nights, but this doesn’t appear to be the case!

No, but we are often back in the cabin earlier than most and I can’t imagine that everyone leaves the venue at 10pm sharp! We never wish to be above a public venue or source of noise, especially an outdoor one. We have had aft cabins on Ventura, Arcadia and Britannia, but we also don’t like the fact that the aft cabins on Iona and Arvia are set back from the rear of the ship. Not for us I’m afraid, but I appreciate that what is a major negative for us may well be a positive for others.

Am I correct in thinking that this is an issue that is unique to Arvia, due to it only having the two larger MDRs and not the additional two smaller MDRs that Iona has? When we are on Iona in August we intend to use the MDR for formal night(s) and will probably use the speciality restaurants for the rest. Unlike most Brits, I don’t do queues and an experience such as that described above would drive me nuts. I know that the Chefs Table is a way of establishing a set time, but we can’t see the point of dressing formally to dine in a cafeteria, even if there are tablecloths!

Interesting. The fear of something like this was one of the several reasons that we decided against an aft cabin on Iona!

Yes I looked at that cruise when you both mentioned it, and again yesterday. Sadly the ‘fluid pricing’ that we see so much with P&O must have kicked in, as it’s now very expensive, even after allowing for the Princess Plus package, certainly compared to P&O Baltic cruises.

We love Baltic cruises and whilst St Petersburg was the highlight for us, having been a few times we would still enjoy a cruise that doesn't go there. However, like you, I have been disappointed that the two day stop in St Petersburg has been replaced with a 2 day stop in places like Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm (none of which really warrant a 2 day stop), rather than adding in an additional port of call.

That’s correct. If you look at the deck plan (see link) any cabin with a hash symbol (#) has a steel fronted balcony, which obstructs the view. There is often confusion regarding Aurora about balconies on A and C deck, as these are cut out of the hull, so the corners of the balcony are curved and marginally enclosed. However, the area under the hand rail is glass, so views are unaffected by this. https://www.pocruises.com/content/dam/po/pdfs/ships/2020-Aurora-deck-plans.pdf

Still interesting and relevant IMHO and I’m not at all surprised with the results.

That would appeal to me too. P&O itineraries can be tediously repetitive, so any that go to somewhere different get my vote. Places like that are of course very different in terms of culture and standards than we are used to, but that’s half the attraction for me, otherwise we just live in a sanitised bubble.

You’re welcome. We are a (mostly) friendly bunch on here 😂. Feel free to ask any other questions. The search function on this site isn’t the best.

You might have also come across the original Chefs Table on P&O, which existed prior to Covid. This was very different to a gala night in the buffet! It was around £75 a head, restricted to around 12 guests and was held in a private dining room (such as the wine room adjacent to the Glass House on Aurora - not usually open to the public). It was an absolutely superb multi-course fine dining experience, with paired wines and lots of other nice touches, hosted by the Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Manager. We did it twice and it was the best thing we’ve ever done on a P&O ship. I think we might give it’s name sake a miss 😂

First of all, I think that a Fjords cruise is the best first cruise. It’s short (7 days) but the best scenery on an ex-U.K. short cruise. P&O cruises, especially on Iona out of the school holidays, are as cheap as you will get a cruise, so it’s low risk if you don’t like it (although I can guarantee you will). To take your questions in turn; 1) Weather is always pot luck. We have been to the fjords several times and had scorching weather on several occasions! Out of your dates, I’d go late June first choice as you get the longer daylight hours for transit in and out of the fjords early morning / late evening. 2) Balcony cabins are a must IMHO. We would rather not cruise than not have one, especially in scenic places like the fjords. No fighting for viewing spaces in bars or decks. Just soak in the constantly changing views from your cabin or balcony. As for location, always make sure that there are other cabins above and below you, not public areas (decks or inside bars, restaurants, lounges etc). If you are above a source of amplified noise (theatre or show lounge) make sure that there are at least two other decks of cabins between yours and the source of noise. 3) On Iona, if booking a balcony cabin I’d definitely opt for NO upgrades. You could end up being ‘upgraded’ to one of the dreadful Conservatory Mini Suites that are on the Promenade deck, where your balcony is overlooked by guests walking past, people can sit or stand right outside, and your views are blighted by being set right back from the edge of the ship. 4) The three best fjords are Flaam, Geiranger and Olden. Never book a fjord cruise that doesn’t do at least two of these (very few do all 3 in the same cruise). Iona stops short of Geiranger at Hellesylt (probably spelt that incorrectly) but the ship does a bit of the transit towards Geiranger before leaving (at least it does now - no guarantee that will always be the case). Other locations on Fjord cruises are coastal towns and cities, not scenic fjords. 5) Iona is 100% Freedom Dining. This means that you can always opt to dine on a table for 2. No need to ever share. 6) Embarkation is by deck. After the priority boarders (suites and high loyalty tiers) general embarkation usually begins about 1pm and you will be allocated a time somewhere between then and around 3.30pm. If you find that you arrive early, you might be lucky and be boarded earlier. 7) As far as I know, yes. One word of warning. You will get hooked. Your first cruise is always your best. Enjoy!

Don’t worry. It was to tongue in cheek! Like everyone else, I am really enjoying your live blog. Many thanks for doing it 👍

Very nice! I can cope better with photos that are the right way up 😉 😂

Hmmm. Not good. Whilst it was half term, there won’t have been as many passengers as August, so I hope that they get their act together by then!

How busy do you think it would feel with 30% more passengers, which is what we will have in August?

Was Epicurean up to pre Covid standard John?