Goosebear Mum

Yes, we love Aurora, but we’ll see what May delivers us… I think it’s time we moved to a different cruise line. Even on our last cruise pre covid (Dec 2018) I was noticing a deterioration in the restaurant and standards, and we were ending up in the buffet for dinner as it was higher quality. It sounds from reviews as though it’s become worse, but I’ll see for myself and make a decision after that. P&O are certainly moving towards the massive ships, stack people high on cheap cruises and charge for everything onboard. That doesn’t appeal to me, and encourages a cheap ‘booze/sunbed cruise’ mentality. Viking ships look wonderful and I have followed many ‘live’ reviews over the last few months. But flying at the moment deters us from Viking, and hence to the more limited range of cruises with Saga. Our May cruise in a deluxe balcony on Aurora has cost a lot of money, compared to more inclusive Saga/Viking, once the extras are factored in.

Yes, but it’s a minor issue for me, and I think after this episode, Viking may be far more careful about vetting evidence for so called service dogs

Please let us know what you think post Aurora. Like you we are on Aurora in May, as we deferred a cruise during covid. But reading about all the considerable post covid P&O cut backs and service deterioration, I have been researching future companies over the last few months, as I sadly believe this coming May, may be our final cruise with P&O. My preference from research is Viking, but like some others in this thread, the hassle of flying puts us off. We may book a Saga cruise for our next holiday (I am still working, so only tend to get about one cruise a year, till our new mortgage is again paid off) In 5 years, I’ll be booking a longer holiday for my 60th and I want to have found the ‘right alternative company/ies’ by then! Many thanks to everyone for their opinions on this thread, really appreciated reading them.

exactly, that’s why I didn’t accept the ‘offer’ of an upgrade from select fair deluxe balcony on Aurora to mini suite for a minimum of £2060 extra (16 nights) as I could have paid that as saver fare originally

Agree, I went to India (Kerala) for a few weeks, for work, many years ago, and loved everything about the place, the people, the overloaded senses, the crazy crazy roads, the sights, aromas, the beauty. It’s different, but amazing. You have to go accepting it’s different, and don’t expect western luxuries or standards at all times. Being in IT, I still work with many colleagues from India, such wonderful people.

P.s. most of my reply above was not to ‘Red Leicester’, only my first paragraph. I pressed send before I finished typing and couldn’t modify. The rest of my post is general, not to anyone specifically

you summed up my response perfectly. And I didn’t quote anyone individually. I doubt P&O would have any issue with a toddler drinking their own carton on favourite drink in a buffet (nor would I if I saw it) but if I saw adults/teenagers opening their own cans of cheaper drinks around the ship, sorry, that takes the ‘P…’. It would not be ‘morally right’ to drink your own drinks in a hotel bar, and I wouldn’t demand to ask the hotel for their regulations to tell me common sense’. Remember almost every public seating area is covered by a bar However, p&o’s help site is awful from where it used to be… try finding many of the useful previous tips/rules/etc, most are missing.

Remember, it was those who took advantage of the (previous) generous alcohol rules, who eventually ruined it for all…. as P&O responded by introducing an alcohol restriction for carry on, in light of those wheeling on boxes and cases of alcohol for booze cruises. please don’t ruin the carry on the soft drink generosity too…. It’s for drinking in the cabin/balcony

I will be on Aurora May. Deluxe balcony, select fare. But they wanted an extra £2060+ for a mini suite. If I was prepared to pay that, I’d have done so originally.

check on here https://www.portsofstockholm.com/vessel-calls/ I have searched and Britannia only appears once, and she is listed as calling at 167 map of berths us here https://www.portsofstockholm.com/siteassets/stockholm/kartor/map_of_cruise_berths_2022.pdf

Yes, it says solos have to pay double

I am shocked and horrified a ship photographer actually thought it appropriate to say this. 😞

I received this email last night, but financially I don’t think it’s worth it. It would be a minimum of £2060/cabin to go from deluxe balcony to mini suite, on Aurora. If it had been half that I may have considered it That amount is almost half what I’ve paid for a 16 day holiday on select (obc excluded) p.s. I’d have loved to have had a mini suite, but maybe better I don’t succumb… else I may never go back to a ‘balcony’!)

Very sad, but I’m not convinced the 2nd paragraph ought to be posted here yet, in case non involved relatives start to worry. How do we know all relatives have been informed? Could you modify?

I don’t care what colour, sexual orientation, religion, etc, etc, anyone is. But I don’t also wish to hear people go on and on about it either. E.g. They are welcome to meet up together (e.g.) those who meet in religious settings, etc, etc, but I don’t want them coming to my front door to try and ‘sell it to me’. Inclusion to me means acceptance (and equality) not having it rammed down my throat.

I can see it.

Hamburg, yes, into the centre, cannot remember where we were dropped, sorry, but I know we then walked easily everywhere. Zeebrugge, yes, into Blankenburg, to the train station Rotterdam, not been! shuttles are free if you’ve paid select fair, else there is a ‘small’ charge (not sure how much)

I have to admit we’ve always booked Aurora’s B deck deluxe balconies, and always had the bath (full length) with a shower over it. Wonderful 🙂 These used to be the only deluxe cabins… However… …Looking at the new deck plan (since the children’s area was removed), I think the only deluxe balconies, with ‘shower only’ are the new ones created on deck D. Maybe they added them to encourage people to pay select fair to ensure they got the full deluxe cabin experience!

This is also a good site I use for the different ‘twilights’ (and sunrise/sunset when I am on holiday) here’s a direct link for Warwick for the whole month, for an example https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/@2634725

Total media hyped issue to create unnecessary anger. Heating, etc costs means fewer greenhouse salad crops being produced in a Europe, but there is generally no shortage.

I really enjoyed your photos 🙂

Wow… and leaves this November. I am not sure I could live with the same 1000 others for 3 years!

It’s tapioca for most of us, slightly different to sago 🙂 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapioca_pudding I liked the one my mum made, but not at school!

Oh the dreaded Frogspawn puddings… 🤣 (and I grew up in Oxford) it really did look like frogspawn… yuck!

American OTT Tipping can be seen as ugly/offensive, but in most places it will just be taken advantage of, whilst ‘they’ throw their money abound… ‘more money than sense’ is a term often used…. Being seen to throw rich money around in some countries is ugly/charity. Research the countries and sensible rates (as this OP is doing) and be sensible