sweep2907

Just got off Iona and they were confiscating bottles from luggage and had to go collect on last night. It is certainly being enforced for those thinking nothing would change. What is the point in smuggling a bottle on board to save £3-4? The mindset of some beggars belief.

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

So would I, but I can’t see it happening. The adult only ships are mostly filled with retirees on presumably very good pensions. Sadly, that market is diminishing as the vast majority of those entering the world of retirement going forward won’t have anywhere near the same level of pension income, and those that do will have different expectations and want a more upmarket experience than P&O offers. Plus, of course, there’s the economies of scale issue that massively favours the big ships. The market direction that P&O is going in is the polar opposite of upmarket small ships. Having spent 65 nights on Aurora recently she’s looking and feeling a little unloved, which probably tells us all we need to know about the direction of travel. 

I get your point Selbourne but not diminishing as much as you think. We now have the huge market of those inheriting parents properties which made lots of money in 80s and 90s booms. I am public sector pension and maybe around 10 years left, although it was not as good as those before me, it is not that much worse and will see me comfortably cruising several times a year. I presume Ventura and Azura will probably become adult ships only once Aurora and Arcadia are retired.  I do agree on different expectations though as I was P&O through and through until I tried other lines and then I am hooked on them now as once you compare to P&O, in most cases there is only one winner. That being said I still love P&O for a lot of reasons and will continue to use them as suits.

Interesting reading as I've only sailed on Edge class ships so far. Since trying celebrity, I've certainly cut right back on my P&O cruises as they don't really compare and unfair to compare chalk with cheese. Always worth looking for bargains as bagged 12 nighter on Apex for £500pp after they'd cancelled previous offering and changed dry dock dates. Food, entertainment, drinks all far better than P&O but as I said it isn't a good comparison. Love to do Japan cruise like you did at some point.

Yes 0600 isn't too long to wait for Al Bachio, I grabbed a early morning coffee at 6am before watching sail in to Kotor.

13 hours ago, Bazrat said:

Your reply to my post is baffling but those who liked your comment obviously didn’t read my post, at no point did I question anyone’s choice to sail with whoever they chose to it’s your money to do with what you wish, so please reread my post.

I think you probably need to reread your own post. You say in your first sentence you find it amusing people who moan about P&O and still sail with P&O? You sound like the sort of person who would sit there arguing with themselves. I'm going to leave it there now as life too short.

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

I always find it amusing how people moan about p&o and still sail with them, but p&o must be doing something right for the amount of people still sailing with them, but each to there own.

Why is it amusing? We all have choice to go wherever we want, when we want. Do people only ever shop in one supermarket? Only ever get petrol from one station? It is called choice and it is great we all have so much choice. It is 2024 and gone are the days of remaining loyal to one cruise company. I will continue to pick the ship and itinerary and company that suits me for where I want to explore and sometimes it will still be P&O.

1 hour ago, daiB said:

I don't care where they go. I think the ship is the destination although we do get off at every port, weather permitting. I think that is why i like the two big ones where there is plenty to do on board. I also have to say the daft expression "Same old, same old" really grates. Exactly where are p&O going to magic up these new ports.

You clearly live a sheltered life within P&O, just take a look at other companies and their variety in itineraries. It just takes a little imagination. P&O cruisers are forced to look elsewhere after a while due to the same old itineraries. Some say the boat is the destination in which case I'd be unlikely to cruise on P&O who lack the imagination of new boats that other brands have. I love visiting new ports and varied itineraries personally. It is very much each to their own but many people understandably will feel its same old, which may be daft to you but it is fact.

On 4/3/2024 at 10:56 AM, zap99 said:

I don't normally see many hungry folk.

That made me chuckle, yes never seen someone die of starvation on a cruise before. The worst that happens is that people struggle to eat on the hour every hour.

Cannot think there will be anything drastically different in terms of itineraries or newish ports to visit. Same old Azura in Med, Iona to Fjords, Arvia and Britannia doing round trips from Southampton for 2 weeks etc. The only ones that ever interest me are Aurora or Arcadia who do longer trips than 2 weeks and often include nice different ports such as Sorrento. I will prepare to be amazed.

I totally understand increase in prices but issue is they aren't selling many caribbean holidays 2025 and beyond at this moment in time due to uncertainty over who will operate the flights.

With the current impasse, these holidays will remain high prices and no takers. If I'm paying £2k I want to know who is flying me there as that price is 35% higher than any offering P&O have put out there before for the lower end of the market. Don't mind P&O upping prices but their product is nowhere near worth the pricing they are quoting.  

4 hours ago, david63 said:

I thought that I had read somewhere that there has been a change to the pricing policy and that now the price will never fall below the opening price

Yes Princess announced that. I know Ludlow said prices would increase but 35% is a hefty one for basic inside. It one to keep eye on as personally I like booking day one as long as I know the prices will only go up.

Just been looking at starting prices for Caribbean inside cabin and shocked to see they all around £1900pp now. Has this been a big increase in recent weeks as I am sure I saw £1400pp when itineraries came out. I wonder if the large increase could be due to having to pay more to source a better airline than Maleth? What I am being quoted for balcony now on Britannia is not far off what I paid for a suite on her pre covid.

On 3/29/2024 at 9:08 AM, Shimrod said:

Try the internet archive - here's a direct link to the Aurora 2008 world cruise itinerary on an archive version of the P&O website. You should be able to navigate through this to find what you need.

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20061201201549/http://www.pocruises.com/QuickFinder/Cruises-R801-2008-Itinerary.aspx

How would I go about searching other years of itineraries on P&O as this is really useful but only seemed to cover 2006-8 when I tried searching around in above link?

Tube passes from London certainly won't get you to Hampton Court as tube and train mainline services are totally different. As another person mentioned just tap same debit or credit card as you enter and exit tube stations. Hampton Court Station is in oyster card zone 6 so can also be tapped in and out. 

UK could have snow, ice, hail, heatwave or mixture of all of the above. So hard to predict but you'd need clothes for warm weather and much cooler, especially evenings.

This was first PUP email I've received in almost 2 years! 

Despite searching internet and forums I am struggling to find answers as most of it is airports to port rather than port to port. I am getting off Wonder of The Seas in Miami and need to get down to Fort Lauderdale to board Celebrity Xcel. Anyone able to give me the best advice? TIA

As a newbie to RC what is a good price for deluxe drinks package per person? Ie price seen in recent times that is as low as it gets. Celebrity is around $90pppd I've found at cheapest price.

50 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Yes, that was confirmed some time ago.  Paul Ludlow announced to the trade in the week that P&O will be announcing their additional partner shortly so clearly there will be another airline announcement shortly.

 

I booked a Britannia fly cruise this week and my flight is already confirmed as TUI - I took the last two premium seats and availability in cabins was also quite restricted.

Is that for later 2024 or 2025?

You can wander off once off coach before you go into cruise terminal and check in desk. 

Been massive increase over the winter. Pre cruise I booked Eden on Beyond in 2022 and 2023 for around £50pp but now it is around £75 which is 50% increase since we sailed in September. It is good but not worth £150 for two.

Great post and informative. Exactly why gratuities should never be removed.

7 hours ago, 1980 said:

We had the same experience last year when we were booked on B421 (now B421N). What frustrated us was P&O wilfully ignoring booking condition 40 that states passengers should be given the opportunity to accept the significant alteration (or have a refund etc). Still got ABTA and Trading Standards looking into that one for us.

Indeed! You know why, because they can bring out the new itinerary at 3x the price. Cancellations never work in passengers favour, if you want to cancel it will cost you..if they want to cancel it done on a whim with little in way of recompense. 

Not sure why people cast doubt over peoples claims of appalling behaviour. I've witnessed it 3 times, got involved once to help the victim and apologise I didn't film it for you.

Knowing someone who is Cruise Security Manager and not just one, they let me know exactly what goes on. Obviously P&O try and keep it quiet as doesn't give a great impression. Always dealt with swiftly, confine to cabin and handed over to police at next port and banned from cruise company for life.

7 hours ago, Glitterati said:

On the flip side, I’ve been on a few Celebrity cruises when drinks were included as standard and I did not witness the behaviour I’ve seen recently on P&O.

 

Maybe it’s a cultural things. British like to drink on holiday! The amount of people I’ve seen complaining on the Facebook groups about the limit of drinks they are allowed each day, as well as the 15 minute limit between orders. 
 

I can only speak what I have experienced across multiple lines recently. I’m not saying it’s the root cause. 

Think you've hit the nail on the head there. It's a British culture thing getting your moneys worth on a package. Hence why Spain, Greece and other countries have limited drinks daily to combat yobbish British behaviour.