pisces14

Dont want to hijack or derail a very valid thread but I’m sure this has been said before:

Most of the very rude, ignorant behavior I’ve seen on cruises tends to be from those 65+ :confused:

I've never found that myself but it's often said on forums. I've always presumed it to be posted by people with children. Unfortunately today's children unlike years ago are no longer expected to be seen and not heard.

I forecast this would happen when lots of people were massively taking advantage of P&O goodwill for bringing alcohol on board and now it has spoiled it for everyone.

I agree we have experienced excursions to vineyards on our cruises and like to buy a few bottles to enjoy on the ship. We've been on cruises however, where the sole purpose of some people has been to get off the ship to buy alcohol so I can see why P&O have brought out this new rule

Well, I think it is a great mistake by P&O. The removal of the perks that make it so special will imho force passengers to book with other cruise lines instead. Why bother with P&O when you can sail on Celebrity or other lines that don’t have worn out, dingy ships and poor food choice.

 

 

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Unfortunately they don't do cruises from the UK with destinations that interest me.

When we went to St Kitts we booked an island tour with Pereira Tours which was very good.

 

I had also researched the train and discovered it gives all their allocation to cruise ships. However, after speaking to our fellow dining companions we were glad we did the tour as I believe you don't see much of the island on the train, just lots of sugar cane fields.

 

 

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You're right we did this excursion a few years ago. I found it disappointing as you don't get to see much of the island at all. It wasn't helped by the fact that it rained the entire time and we had to have the plastic blinds pulled down. If the weather had been better it might have been a pleasant ride but very little to see.

On our first World cruise which included India, Japan, China, Vietnam we didn't take any currency with us but changed money on board. When we did South America and Australasia we took only US dollars and again changed money on board if we needed too. I was a little nervous when I used my debit card for purchases in Dubai especially in the Souk but it was fine.

Yes, but the secret is to get there early enough to be first in the queue then there's no problem. ;p:D

I'm never first in the queue on a ship for anything. I'm always scared of being crushed by the mob behind me always wanting to get there first.;)

To a true chocoholic the site of a couple of chocolate fountains and other chocolate goodies can be irresistible and worth the queue.:D:D

 

The Dawn French Vicar of Dibley chocolate fountain sketch springs to mind !! :D

I love chocolate but I'm never hungry enough to join a huge queue not even for chocolate.:halo:

I can, however, confirm that the Glass House on Aurora is superb and a lovely way to while away a few hours. In fact, we are in there now as I type this reply. Try the Peller Ice Cuvée if you fancy a change from the usual fizz options.

Absolutely agree I'd rather go to the Glass House and have one of the wine flights than afternoon tea. In fact because we have dinner at 6.30 we've never had afternoon tea.

I agree with everyone else. We book on the first day. We book directly with P&O and have always got the cabin we wanted. Except for one occasion. I won't go into the reasons why it happened but I cancelled the cruise and got a refund of my deposit. Later in the year the suite I wanted became available and I booked it but it was more than £2000 the original price.

Celebrity give out points in this way with more for the better cabins., that's how we got to Elite quite quickly with them. While it is fair enough based on the extra spend and worked for us it does not take account of the fact that your balcony or suite passenger may spend a whole lot less while on board on a P&O ship where alcohol is allowed. Who wants to have a drink in an inside cabin, more likely to be in the bars so have a higher bill. People in lower grade cabins may potentially spend as much or potentially more on other areas of the ship as well.

 

Also raises complications around select v saver. If they were for example to only offer points on select fares while it would encourage people to book them (if the loyalty club offer is actually of any value to them) it might lose them some needed flexibility if fewer people book guarantees. Perversley they may even have to offer saver fares at an even lower rate to make them attractive if they are a " no loyalty points" option.

I take your point that some people on an inside could possibly spend more on a ship than someone in a suite. On our last cruise we paid £11000 more for our suite than a balcony would have cost. So while there may have been some in inside cabins prepared to spend £11000+ on the ship, I think they would be in the minority. Regarding people drinking in their cabins, on the world cruises we've done I've seen plenty of people buying alcohol at each port specifically to drink in their cabins, even those in insides.

The select v saver fare will no doubt be more of a complicated issue to sort out. It would seem unfair for both to have the same number of points. Perhaps there should be a different number of points given for select and saver fares too.

I await any changes with interest.

Yes me too.

 

I suspect we will see changes when they finally announce the update to the loyalty - my money is on more points for booking a suite and possibly other changes.

 

 

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I filled out an online survey about the loyalty club again about 2 years ago. One of the questions was whether we agreed more points should be given for booking a suite, with less points for a mini-suit, then less again for a balcony etc. I agreed but if they do that the points should definitely be for the cabin booked and not for the cabin to which someone is upgraded.

We did have ice carving on the Aurora world cruise in 2015. I don't take much notice of these events but I remember that one. I've never attended the chocoholics, I tried once but there was such a queue I decided not to bother.

For us the extra space is worth it for two people - everyone is different. I agree P&O's perks for booking a suite are far less than some other lines but even so we still like having a suite and the extras, including the services of the butler, so it's worth it for us. Not that long ago we did get an email from P&O asking what extras we would like to see given when booking a suite so at least they appear to be thinking about it!

We were asked by the management of P&O, more than 2 years ago what extras we thought suite passengers would like. Apart from now having priority embarkation on tenders from the shore to the ship and somwhere on the medium sized ships for suite passengers only to have breakfast, there has been little change.

Magnums is outside Le Club, Le Club was quite busy when we went on her in August.

 

If you look at the 2019 deck plans its still Café Jardin.

 

Not sure you could make the buffet a night club as the tables are screwed down.

Yes I know where Magnums is and how small it is. Perhaps we were given wrong information but we were told because Magnums is so small they were going to turn Le Club into Magnums instead. I'm surprised the Cafe Jardin is going to remain it was the one thing I liked about the Oceana.

I've always booked directly with P&O and have always got whatever I wanted. I have no idea if I'm paying more than I would through a travel agent but I book the select price and as I say have always got the exact cabins I wanted.

I think that P&O need to look at what other cruise lines offer suite passengers. We did suggest this during our exchange of emails.

 

Val

We also suggested that to the management at P&O. Unfortunately they don't seem interested in giving suite passengers value for money. Like you we book a suite for the extra space. My expectations of anything more have long gone. We are trying a different company next and have only one cruise booked with P&O which as I said earlier is for the itinerary.

We’ve received a postal version of that today. I wondered if we were being targeted because we have had a number of previous cruises in suites but of the 7 future P&O cruises we have booked, only one is in a suite. It’s fair to say that the main reason for the change is because we now really need an accessible cabin, but it’s also true to say that the P&O upgrade policy has gone against them in our case. I was getting fed up paying top dollar for a suite and then hearing countless stories of people getting free or very low cost upgrades to a suite. Rightly or wrongly, it left me feeling that I was subsidising other people’s cruises. We like the extra space of a suite but find the whole butler thing to be hugely overrated. We also liked having breakfast in the tranquility of the Epicurean Restaurant, but we have noticed that more and more people with babies and young children are now staying in suites and, on occasion, the breakfast experience was a bit like a crèche.

I don't know why I received this email as we've only ever booked a suite and our next cruise is in the Aurora penthouse. I know how you feel though. When we were on the world cruise in 2015 our butler told us that most of the suite passengers on the other side of the ship to us had been upgraded. Like you I felt as if we were subsidising their world cruise. I think it's a slap in the face for those of us who've paid the full price for a suite. After that cruise I made my feelings quite plain to David Noyes. I dislike the upgrade system intensely.The only reason I've booked with P&O again is for the itinerary.

I’ve had an email tonight from P&O entitled ‘Discover the suite life’. It really gave me a good laugh. They quoted people who were enthusiastic about suites and how special it made them feel. REALLY sorry not on P&O. 'Priority check in' Well perhaps as long as there aren’t hundreds of Ligurians wanting to board at the same time then you can expect to get mowed down in the rush. Butler service ‘imagine not having to unpack your suitcase’ I’ve never had a butler offer to do that, not that I’d want it. Aurora penthouse ‘generous balcony and superior bathroom’ I’m afraid not very small balcony and not a superior bathroom, perhaps compared to a balcony cabin but otherwise no.‘Little luxuries’ Champagne etc. ok we do get those. Personally I book a suite for the extra room not because I think P&O have a clue about how to treat suite passengers.

We were on the Oceana in June and I was told by one of the officers in Cafe Jardin that it was P & Os intention at some stage to transform it into a Glass House.

 

Her did not know when but I assumed that if this was to happen, it would be done at its next refit.

 

Personally I think a better location for a Glass House on Oceana would be Le Club which is seriously underused most evenings. I know Le Club is a venue for a number of daytime activities but I am still of the opinion it would be a better option.

We were told on our cruise last year that Le Club was going to become Magnums. It wouldn't surprise me if they made the Cafe Jardin into a Glasshouse.

Well what can I say. The size is no doubt the overall size and the bathroom on the Oceana is probably larger but the living area is in my opinion smaller. I found the furniture uncomfortable. The sofa was small and the two armchairs were those with wood around and not real armchairs. If you and others think the suite enormous that's fine. I was disappointed but as I've said it's just my opinion.

And yet in size terms they are both about the same. I have an old brochure which gives the size of all cabins.

 

Perhaps it was the layout of the suites which you did not like or seemed to give less space.

 

 

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What you are forgetting is the size given is not just of the suite but includes the balcony, and the balcony on the Oceana is actually huge.

Pices 14 - we must have very different ideas of size. C749 is the suite on Oceana I was talking about. To us it is large, yes the aft suites on Azura/Ventura are small. We haven't been in the Aurora Penthouse suite and I can see from the 360 degree tour that it is very large. All I can say is that I would be very happy if the suites on Azura/Ventura were as big as C749. No way can that be described a a small suite - in my opinion of course!

I have no idea about the larger ships. I realise the Aurora Penthouse suites can't be compared to, they are my favourite. However comparing the midship suites on the Aurora and the Oriana to the Oceana suite, they are definitely larger than the Oceana suite we had. The furniture (sofa and two comfortable armchairs) alone would be too big for the Oceana suite. So I was disappointed with the size of our suite on the Oceana. Like you it's only my opinion. I'm sure for someone who doesn't usually book a suite, they will be delighted with it.

I don't know which suite you have on Oceana but our very favourites are the ones on C deck. The aft suites are fantastic, much larger than any other suite we've been on - apart from those on Adonia - and when you go from there to one on Azura/Ventura you really see the difference. You could probably fit the Azura/Ventura aft suite into the Oceana one at least twice if not nearly three times! Enjoy yourselves. We've always found the different Butlers on Oceana really great. There's only usually one Butler because there are only 6 suites.

As I've said we had C749 and were in that suite for 48days so plenty of time to asses the size. All I can say is the suites on the larger ships must be tiny.

The B deck suites and the C deck suites are bigger than the bigger ships and the balconies are huge. Perhaps the A deck stern suites on Azura/Ventura May be bigger and the two large forward suites on Aurora.

 

But we have found those on Oceana to be the biggest of the regular suites.

 

I agree the mini suites at the stern of Oceana are very good size but with smaller balconies.

 

 

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I have to disagree. We were on C deck and I found the suite to be smaller that the midship suites on the Oriana and the Aurora. We've been in the penthouse on the Aurora and that is definitely much larger. We haven't been on the larger ships so I can't compare to any of those.

What didn’t you like about the suite pisces14? We have had a suite twice on Britannia and on Aurora. Having had a ship’s visit on Oceana this Spring we booked a mini aft suite on Oceana for the Arabian Gulf. We have only cruised with P&O and I am guessing maybe you think the suites are small compared to other lines? The superior de luxe cabins on P&O’s larger ships size wise are “suites”on other ships. [emoji924][emoji4]

 

 

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That's it exactly I found the suite a bit small compared to the Aurora and even the Oriana. The only table is a small coffee table so unless the weather is good it's not easy to eat breakfast on a small coffee table. In my opinion you are probably getting better value for money with the mini-suite. I peeked in at our neighbours mini suite and in a way its more spacious because it's looked the same size as our suite and you don't have the divider between the bedroom area and the living area. I didn't particularly like the Oceana but if I were to book again I'd go for the mini suite and not the suite.