Windsurfboy

A first class modern cruise terminal should offer direct access to ships , lifts and escalators to take you up to ship level and jetties to the ship that are level and dry. Cleary Prtsmouth fails these criteria. I fully accept your analysis why this was not possible using the current berths at Portsmouth without vastly more expense. However it is still therefore a major compromise. To be fair to Saga, one of the major advantage of Portsmouth as well as cost is availability which may be more important. I understand that Carnival and MSC contributed to cost of terminals at Southampton, they therefore get first dibs on slots. Given that Saga is one of the last to announce its schedule, it would get the leftover slots after all the other cruise lines which makes scheduling very difficult . I presume a long term contract with Portsmouth gives it priority availability. If the walk to ship was literally 400 yards , it should not take 10 minutes. The normal walking speed for a normally fit person is 3 miles an hour, up well until your 80s so 400 yards takes 4.5 minutes . 10 minutes is 1.35 miles an hour, extremely slow nearly half the speed of a 90 year old at 2.1mph., the average Saga passenger is not that slow. Although there will be a significant proportion who will need the bus , undoubtedly. As you say it may not be possible to make it safe and ideally covered, but don't dismiss it as to far. Less than most airports. On the other hand you have people sprinting onto a bus, with hand luggage in 5 minutes. At Portsmouth you will have to wait 10 minutes for the other people to check in and be ready, board the bus, speed will be controlled by the slowest. Gives every will have hand luggage for medicine, valuables, passports. Drive to ship, wait while everyone gets off. My estimate is it will add half an hour to process compared to direct access from terminal. Availability may be a pressing reason to move , but it's not as convenient as Southampton.

As a carnival shareholder, if that is true , that biggest seller is cheapest cabins, then Mr Ludlow doesn't deserve his bonus. There is something wrong with design or marketing of big ships if cabins that sell out first are dearest suites (smallest % only 1% of cabins) and very cheapest inside. Traditional cruisers who like balcony seem to on the main , but not all prefer the older ships. This makes it hard to decide on other things, e.g. balance of traditional MDR , vs diner , Quays etc , vs speciality restaurants

what I can't understand is why design a cruise terminal that doesn't have direct access to ships. No one would build a new airport without jetties to planes. They should have built terminal where ships berth. Or even if necessary dredged out by terminal to let ships berth alongside. Even if there are plenty of busses, loading a bus depends on slowest can take 15 minutes , similiary unloading. All for a 3 minute walk. Sorry minimum is a covered safe walkway, better with a travelator. Very bad planning and design. Roll on roll off ferries and cruise ships have very different requirements. They need seperate berths and port areas.. Looks like moving to Portsmouth a retrograde step.

I'm sure many Saga passengers are easily capable of walking 400yds if my experience of them pounding round deck and quite a few running/walking 10k is anything to go by. Many would prefer that to waiting for a bus to fill up , and everyone to slowly get on and off. All depends on weather and a safe route.

Lift etiquette. Thought you always let those with chairs and walking aids on first. However they are not the issue as not that many, it's the queue jumpers. Always thought you mentally keep a count and let those who were there first go first. You can spot the jumpers by their body language, my technique is to move quickly, get in front then stop, stand in front of them until those who have been waiting have got on. Don't say anything to them just say to others you were here first.

Agree, unfortunately if they restricted speciality restaurant bookings doubt if they would treat it as a significant change and allow you to cancel. The big difference between Saga and P&O is Saga restaurants are not extra cost. Historically the extra cost has controlled demand on P&O, it looks like this is no longer working. Saga by the way is not 100% strict with its only one booking per cabin , Butlers seem to be able to book more than one. Yet on P&O @megabear2 mentioned heard a couple in a Suite complaining that their butler could get them in anywhere at all. P&O will only do something if it looks as if they are loosing valuable business. The people more likely to abandon them are those paying select in dearer cabins and suites, who aren't used to the queues and for whom the price difference with other lines is smaller. The people P&O don't want to loose. The big question, do they ration and if so how. Logically they should restrict booking in advance to select fares, completely inline with historical , first choice of dining sitting for select.

I wonder if they could make a safe designated walk way , and the shuttle bus optional on nice days. Is bus stop under cover, presume still get wet walking from bus up gangway to ship. Not optimal, a bit third world.

Select fares are not cheap, they used to have benefit of first choice of dining all you get now is the cabin you want. Perhaps select should have some dining priority in booking fixed table in MDR, and also a couple of days start on booking speciality restaurants. Of course people will say it's not fair.

So the solution entails Guaranteed booking of MDR or other included restaurants Better food in MDR and included restaurants. This would entail perhaps more staff, more tables and better ingredients. All in all higher prices. But P&O need to keep prices low to entice people on biggest ships , a dilemma. Too much uncertainty, looks like after next and last P&O , back to Saga

Yep that's the way of the world, some people go on cruises, some can't afford any sort of holidays. Prior to the app, you booked on board, Suites , Liguirian, Baltic got first dibs, so it's never been equall. Perhaps if P&O rationed booking they might take a pragmatic commercial approach, giving priority to highest paying and loyalist passengers as it used to be. Restricting pre booking to select fares, to encourage people to pay more. Be carefull what you wish for.

Discovery first ship to use new portsmouth terminal what was it like?

Yes did look at Saga offers on website thst was my comparison

All I can say is our last cruise had a lot of availability similiar numbers to yours, however when we boarded, it was still nowhere near full. I see you guarantee price is back to orginal 35% off.

I asked that question on a specific thread about Arvia , unfortunately no one , not even @molecrochip had any numbers for how many covers in MDR and other included restaurants (excluding buffet).

Staying up and booking at midnight is one of the best bits of advice on this board. It's sad and a bit unfair on those that don't know. However I'm not that altruistic to ruin my holiday by not booking what is a vital part of our enjoyment. Firstly we love food, secondly the experience with booking included restaurants on day seems a nightmare. Like the Norwegian taster menu, Do they do similiar on other cruises, e.g. Spanish taster in Mediterranean cruises.

Good food today , loved look of Thai curry and the blueberry souffle , did they taste as good as they looked. How easy is it to get into Quays fusion at lunch?

Thats the cruise I saw, Pity it's not my cruise , I looked at my November 7th cruise with same travel agent, unfortunately no discount vs Saga website even though plenty of availability. Booking at launch still looks best

I've always booked direct , but reading today's paper noticed travel agent , with low prices . I was curious, so checked. A standard cabin as only just over a hundred pounds cheaper than Saga guarantee, but a midships suite was over six hundred cheaper. It seems travel agents do have last minute bargains. Will this trigger price promise

Good point

Using ABTA arbitration is a waste they are a trade body. However the code is useful firstly to make your point. Once the discusion with P&O is exhausted . It can be used with bank , try asking for charge back first they are more ready to accept this route rather than section 75 as they dont have to pay. Or finally small claims court.

I agree , but it will hold you in good stead if you use section 75 or go to small claims , rather than use ABTA .

Àlthough the one case mentioned earlier, Iceland and fjords , loosing Iceland, would clearly have, been a significant change under ABTA wording. I think many tour companies hope rightly that people font read codes of practice.

Two questions The first I think it's been made clear. A significant change is measured against the orginal intinerary. So 5 insignificant changes could end up being significant The second, is there any timescale in which the company must act. For example it was immediately clear that our cruise to black sea would be changed from the day the war started. However Saga waited till late May well after final payment to admit it couldn't go ahead and major change needed. Delaying refund. So in this case if Panama canal is shut to big ships, can they wait till last minute hoping for rain or are they obliged to make a decision .

To our American friends, if a flight is flying out of Europe, EU , then European rules apply even to US airlines. If they cancel they are legally obliged to find you another flight same day, even if they have to book it with an other airline

But does it include leg irons?