CarlaMarie

I do agree with you. I'm also not sure if a cruise line would actually allow that to happen?

I was just about to write the same. Due to the way she is built, she can be affected by high wind. She missed ports last year and has again this season.

Have a wonderful time and ignore those others!

These things do happen, and have been happening since before covid. I know everyone feels that we should take little notice of what is written online and that if our own cabin is clean then the rest of those on the ship are also, however until it happens to you then you appreciate that these things do actually happen. We had a cleanliness issue once on Arcadia - imagine walking into your cabin on embarkation day to find the previous occupants rubbish in the bins, wet swimming towels thrown over the sofa bed (which was also broken), the carpet had not been cleaned, the air vent above the bed was thick with dust hanging down from it, the bedding was stained, bathroom not clean and much more (including an empty welcome onboard folder, least of our worries!). We actually stepped back out to check we had the correct cabin 🤣. Unfortunately, our cabin issue was not handled well by anybody onboard and unexpectedly we were spoken to rudely by both reception and the hotel management side of things. It took the TA and P&O shoreside to get involved and get things sorted and we had long sailed by the time our cabin was even ready. Our situation was certainly a one off for us and wasn't recently, but it just shows that it can happen. There are fewer cabin stewards who have to service even more cabins, and I feel for them because they want to do a good job but with time constraints then things are bound to be missed.

Are you able to phone the oncologist or talk to your GP about travel advice for your upcoming cruise? They may be able to give you some guidance on what to do and help you come to the best decision for you.

That's exactly what we do. It is solely used for the onboard account, and then cleared upon returning home. Doing it this way ensures that your main account which you use day to day is not affected by any pending charges/holds.

The likelihood is this - Same number of MDRs, however 2 are offering different cuisines. P&O have underestimated the number of passengers who actually want traditional dining on Arvia, and secondly overestimated the number who are willing to pay extra for dining. If for example passengers cannot get into the MDR (for whatever reason), then they are likely to opt for the buffet which has no charge. At the end of the day, the MDR/buffet is included in your fare. Not everyone can or will pay extra for food.

But you said you did not dine in the MDR on Arvia, instead chose the buffet and speciality. So you cannot be comparing her buffet to the MDR which you did not experience, because for all we know that could have vastly improved on her also. That's what I am trying to say.

If you though haven't tried the MDR for some time, then a comparison cannot be formed and the reality isn't known by yourself.

You did suggest the MDR is buffet level food, in which case I said that they must be getting something wrong in the MDR if that is your perception. I am not being disrespectful. There should be a difference in offerings between a buffet and a set 3 course evening meal which is served to you in a formal dining room. Which in my experience there is and are not comparable. I do not attend the MDR expecting a buffet style selection, instead I expect a refined selection of choices. Likewise I wouldn't go to the buffet expecting for example dressed grilled asparagus with duck egg. So no I do not expect too much from anything. Furthermore, all dining on a cruise ship is for the masses. It is fine to use the buffet and we all have that choice. But it is not speciality dining and is not the same as the MDR. I am also certain that P&O would hope that their passengers do not feel the MDR food and buffet are the same (nor would their chefs) and appreciate that the MDR experience is about more than just the food.

P&O must be getting something wrong if the MDR is being perceived as offering "buffet level food". I cannot recall seeing so many offerings and options you describe in the buffet. Maybe Arvia has a vastly different buffet compared to the rest of the fleet and her MDRs lack in comparison, however i'm not sure even P&O would describe it as speciality dining.

We never did either. It wasn't until we read the advice on this forum regarding the account authorisations/holds following a P&O cruise that we have one. It is used for onboard account purposes only.

You can try Parking4Cruises. My parents have booked with them as like you they found CPS was fully booked for their cruise in May.

I hope everything went ok. MRI's are not the most pleasant of experiences so I understand your worries. I had one during lockdown which I thought I would be ok with as I'd had one before, but hadn't anticipated that I would have to keep my mask on which made it more uncomfortable! I'm pleased you had something to look forward to before and afterwards though!

I think in general class is not what it used to be. I would determine class by behaviour, and there has been a massive shift and trend in what people now deem acceptable. You do notice this more on for example a cruise ship because you are in a confined space and surrounded by alot of people.

Has this been a recent change or did they stop addressing letters by name a while ago?

Pre covid (and probably before freedom dining was introduced) there used to be two shows. One for those who had dined at 630pm, and then a later one for those who had dined at 830pm. It used to work ok, and you could just leave the dining room and head to the theatre without having to queue or feel you had to arrive early. This was until those who had dined at 630pm and had already seen the show decided to stay and see it for a second time. Those who were then coming from the 830pm sitting found that the theatre was fairly full already and couldn't find a seat.

That is understandable @Valfan, but I do hope you thoroughly enjoy your cruise once you are onboard. Arcadia is a lovely ship.

Have a wonderful time @Fionboard

Regarding the kids club, has this always been an issue across the P&O fleet and other cruise lines whereby there are not enough spaces for the number of children onboard?

I am mid thirties, and I have to say I really enjoyed and miss the P&O of old. The evenings spent in the MDR which I always thought looked elegant (with tablecloths!), the waiters who served you and whom you got to build a conversation with over the course of your cruise, the wine waiter who you also go to know. It was a personal touch and added to your whole cruise experience. That to me is what I associate cruising with and I must be very "old fashioned". Yes the speciliaty dining venues were introduced back then and could be used (they were never that busy though), but at the same time using the MDR was never an issue. I wouldn't have expected that to have changed so much.

If you are in a long queue for dinner, whether physical or virtual, then you are still in a queue and waiting. We know from reports that it is very hard to judge when to join the virtual queue for dinner at the best of times, so I can only imagine that on a very busy ship that is even harder and can be a worry which you never had to factor in before. I cannot see how this is an improvement. Passenger experience varies from cruise to cruise which must be kept in mind. The poster is on the ship, we are not, so they are right in sharing what they and others are experiencing. You only have to go back to Christmas to know that there clearly is some truth to the issues that passengers on Arvia are experiencing, especially when she is at capacity and filled with families during the holiday periods - which she was meant to be designed for.

In my experience, it isn't the older family members who follow the younger ones, it is the other way around. It certainly was in my case and many I know. The love of cruising is passed down through generations.

But you would know that is the style and what is provided upon booking, which is a big difference to the product that P&O advertise.

The main issue is that the product P&O sell to you can at times not be provided. Dining in the MDR should be available to all whether they choose it or not, as that is what you have paid for in your fare. If you choose to pay for a select dining venue then that is your choice. But for those who can't, or don't want to, then they should be able to access the MDR without any hassle and not find themselves in the buffet. There should be enough room in the MDR's, just like there used to be before (and let's not get started on reports of not enough outside deck space and sunbeds for Arvia...) If as you say those who are not happy can choose not to cruise, then how does that actually fix the problem? It is the responsibility of the cruise line to fix the issue.