Waju

Hi, we have a 3 night cruise coming up aboard MSC Virtuosa. Can anyone please tell me if there will be a gala evening? I have looked but can't find the answer anywhere! If there is would we be allowed in the MDR without it? We really don't want to lug suits and long dresses sown to Southampton if not strictly necessary. Thank you.

They might well love it but I thought it was awful, there was more rubbish in the sea than I've seen anywhere!

Oh dear I'm in trouble 😉 It just goes to show how much we all want different things out of our cruise. I was just trying to put across how I felt about our recent experiences. We have taken lots of local buses, trains and water taxis but I love a morning or afternoon on a lovely sandy beach and don't come across that many without having to travel - one of my favourites is a little beach in Corsica, right next to the ship and then wander round the corner for a beer and a spot of people watching. Our day in St Maartin was one of my best ever days on a holiday, we took a boat trip to Maho Beach and I bobbed about in the beautiful clear water for an hour and a half watching the planes go overhead. On our last holiday we went to Taranto in Italy and thought it was an awful, dirty place but I'm sure someone will come along and tell me they loved it!

I'd like 'thruthful' ports! Le Havre (for Paris) is one that I see regularly, Paris has got to be 3 to 4 hours away from Le Havre, so if you did a tour you certainly wouldn't get very long in Paris. We did the Caribbean just before covid and I was hopeful of stepping off the ship onto a beautiful beach but in reality that rarely happens. Usually the beaches are an expensive taxi ride away and when you add on sunbeds and parasols and maybe a bucket of been you've spent nearly £100. Earlier this year we went on Azura and did some Greek Islands, Dubrovnik and Malta and we honestly didn't see a single sandy beach! I have to say that some of the ports we've visited have been amazing but quite a few have been very disappointing with a trip (sorry Shore Experience) needed to get anywhere nice. Are these ports cheaper for the cruise companies to dock at or necessary because the ships are larger?

Yes we occasionally use a speciality restaurant but we don't really use the shops - shopping isn't my thing! We do have shareholder benefit and this gets used up first, we also still have to register a credit card. This method works for us, of course you don't have to use cash you can just budget for £40pppd on your card - I still think most wouldn't spend it all.

We were undecided about the drinks package many moons ago when it first came out and this is how we resolved it - we took with us £40 each per day in cash and deposited it with reception. We then drank whatever we liked without any restrictions - we have not yet had a cruise where we didn't bring a substantial amount of our 'drinks package' home. If we had paid for the package and not used up the £40 per day it would be lost. On a sea day it is not too difficult to use it up but on a port day we would only probably have a couple of glasses of wine in the evening. It works for us 🍷

How much 😲

For some reason I assumed Mondo87 was a man, but it doesn't matter if they are a man, woman or pink and green giraffe as long as they are in love x

There is a Costco not too far from us and diesel is apparently £1.50 something - there always seems to be a queue 'round the block'. If they can do it why can't the others? My point is - when the press stop talking about things as something more interesting comes along everything seems to calm down. Think back to the fuel shortages a few months ago, I'm convinced that wouldn't have happened had the press not hyped it up!

We passed a petrol station earlier and the diesel was £1.76/litre - although still way too expensive I have a theory that now the papers and tv channels are more interested in the price of gas and electricity the price of fuel at the pumps is dropping. Anyone else noticed this?

I've never heard of these vases but was interested enough to Google them.................they really are lovely!

Hahaha we did this in Australia 😕

I didn't try it on my last cruise but maybe housekeeping could arrange that for you if you rang them.

Hi, was this on the P&O site? I have just done a dummy booking on a saver fare and wasn't offered any OBC (or peninsular club discount as it happens). I usually book via a travel agent so am not used to operating the P&O site 😕

Thanks kalos, I've just read that too but Boots website says over 65. I'll pop in on Monday and see what they say.

I've just read the Boots information - I have to be 65 to get a free flu jab - I'm 100% sure I didn't pay last year. At 62 I don't pay for prescriptions so I'm very confused, but it doesn't take much 🤣

Am I doing something wrong? Boots want £16.99 for my flu jab 😲

This is a heartbreaking tale Megabear and one we all hope we never have to face - on land let alone at sea. You have handled it really well, especially on the Princess board, I'm pretty sure I would have gone to pieces. You needed a helping hand and were badly let down. My very best wishes to your Aunt and don't forget to look after your yourself too.

Another vote for Randox. Very easy to do - make sure your phone is up to date enough for the app (mine wasn't so we have to use husbands). Sorry I can't tell you if they are a 24 hour service but when we have done tests at 6 or 7am results are back within minutes. Check out their website.

Do you think there will be a minimum ratio of staff to customers they can sail with? I'm meaning in the same way a flight has to have a certain number of cabin crew.

We went on Iona about 6 weeks ago, we booked it just to try a 'big' ship as we are fans of little old Aurora. We had a great time, things are slightly different post covid, as they are everywhere - it's not just a P&O thing. My preference would still be the smaller adult only Aurora but would I go on Iona again? YES I would in a heartbeat, especially during term time when there won't be many kids around. Don't worry, enjoy your holiday and don't forget to come back and tell us how much you enjoyed it!

I see on the front page 'Dance Anthems with party band Pulse' - Is dancing allowed yet?

How rude!

We went about 3 years ago on Aurora and I don't remember there being any shuttles to anywhere. We docked very close to where there is a concorde and walked our little feet off!

I once woke up to use the bathroom in our cabin and turned the way I would have done at home - trouble is there was a metal wall in the way and I didn't half walk into it with a bang 🤕 The people in the next cabin must have had a right fright ☺️