LondonLad60

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

At 5Ft tall I get that ---- my mum used to say that if anyone picked on me  I was to say that "Good things come in small packages"  as well and that "The bigger they are the harder they fall " ! 😉

Unfortunately, as someone of short stature myself, I soon discovered that the smaller they (we) are, the further they (we)  bounce...

Bob

Just had a phone call from Saga to say that this cruise will no longer be visiting St Petersburg - no surprise there. Instead, the ship will be stopping at an additional Finnish port and an additional Swedish one - unfortunately I can't remember which ones. There will also be an overnight stop in Copenhagen. All this assumes of course that the current situation in Europe doesn't deteriorate to the extent where cancelling the cruise becomes inevitable. I was told that written confirmation of these details will follow in due course.

Bob

15 hours ago, pennib said:

Azura has had a refit and we were on the first cruise out of Barbados after it. Lots of new carpets, and furniture in the buffet. Not sure about the carpets in cabins whether they had been replaced but they were OK but TVs in cabins are very small and out of the ark.

I seem to recall the TV's on Oriana were also rather small. I assumed that was why the binoculars were provided in the cabin...

Bob

42 minutes ago, Wacktle said:

Ask for 3 or 4 large glasses? They may bring a bottle?

Good idea Wacktle - thanks for that. If we have room service one night I'll give that a go. 

Thanks LandC

Apologies if this has been answered previously elsewhere. Can you order a bottle of any of the inclusive (house) wines for your cabin from room service?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Bob

8 hours ago, wowzz said:

Most websites such as this one make their money  from advertising, and the greater the number of visits to the website, the higher the fee that can be charged.

It therefore seems perverse to deliberately disuade people from visiting the site. A bit like ITV cancelling Coronation Street because too many people were watching it.

I wish... (ducks and runs...)

I echo wowzz's sentiments above. I'm assuming the ship isn't sailing at full passenger capacity, so the figures mentioned by wowzz represent a significant percentage of passengers. Has Saga issued a statement of any kind?

Bob

51 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

Ditto - I’m on saga end of august.

Hi paulasea

Which cruise would that be?

Bob

Hi Linda

Thank you so much for the most comprehensive, informative and interesting cruise blog it has ever been my pleasure to read. It must have taken up a great deal of your time uploading all the photos along with the accompanying text. I especially appreciated the photos of the menus from each restaurant, along with photos of the dishes themselves. My wife and I are on Adventure in June (An Exhibition of the Baltic) and I'm looking forward to it more than ever having read your blog. Many thanks again for writing it.

Bob 

36 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I can't remember if you can buy a bottle of wine in the bar?

You could in the past. On Arcadia a Shiraz that we particularly enjoyed on previous cruises had been removed from the restaurant wine list but it was still available in the Piano Bar. We simply bought a bottle in the bar and took it into the restaurant. I can't see any reason why covid should change this.

Bob

1 hour ago, Purdey16 said:

I wouldn’t mind doing that but I think ours will be finished every night 😂

I'm reminded of one of Delia Smith's so-called 'top tips' - "Leftover wine can be frozen in ice cube trays and used in stocks and gravies". Leftover wine? Are you serious??

Bob

When I applied for an ESTA in advance of a USA/Canada cruise in 2018 I didn't include my middle name, which is on my passport. Going through immigration in New York the officer looked at my passport and ESTA and said, "Can you come with me please sir?" He led me to what I assume was his supervisors office. The supervisor studied my documents for all of about five or six seconds before stamping and initialling my passport. He handed me my documents, saying "Thank you sir - you are free to go. Welcome to the USA".

18 hours ago, Zombatar said:

Back in 2016 we went on Adonia and it was great. So great that we booked another cruise for the next year.

 

Rumours started to spread that P&O were going to sell her and I mentioned that on here. I was immediately slapped down being told not be ridiculous as P&O wouldn't take bookings on a ship they were going to sell. Needless to say they cancelled all the bookings with little or no apology.

 

Adonia now sails for Azamara. I wouldn't be the least surprised that Arcadia is to be sold and I hope that all those already booked are not as surprised and hurt as we were.

 

Peter

My wife and I lost two cruises when Adonia was sold. What really peed us off was that we had no communication from P&O regarding the sale whatsoever - we only found out second hand via social media. We received a full refund plus £100 pp per cruise compensation. Of course, the prices of cruises with similar itineraries on ships like Aurora and Oriana immediately rocketed, thus negating the £100 compensation.

Bob

On 1/15/2022 at 10:39 AM, Lady Meer said:

Hi

 

We’re going on Spirit of Adventure this week. Are the plug sockets 2 or 3 pin and how many are there? 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Brenda

 

 

When I was on Discovery back in 2020 (seems so long go now...) there was a total of five three-pin UK sockets, with, as david05 said, a USB charging point and power socket by each bedside. I doubt that Adventure would be any different. That was in a standard balcony cabin - a suite may possibly have more. 

Bob

13 hours ago, Sir Cumference said:

I have been very loyal to P&O until now but, as a result of my last cruise am now seriously considering moving my loyally to another line - but which one?

 

My criteria is:

(a) Small - comparable to Aurora but no bigger than Azura/Ventura

(b) Sails from Southampton

(c) Uses sterling as on-board currency (via card) - not a deal breaker

(d) Offers Club (or set) dining

(e) Adult only - again, not a deal breaker

 

Please advise me:-)

 

Many thanks

Without wishing to pry, may I ask what happened on your last cruise that has prompted you to look elsewhere?

Bob

Definitely Saga.

12 hours ago, Britboys said:

A reduced choice and you don't even get tea or coffee delivered - you have to make your own in the cabin...

The bacon, sausage and tomato panini option has also been removed.

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

How does the on board entertainment compare 20 years ago to present day?

 

I remember Bernie Flint and Roy Walker on our 2015 cruise on Britannia providing some of the best entertainment I've ever seen on a cruise ship

 

All included in the price

My wife and I saw the now deceased Tom O'Connor back in 2015, on I think it was Adonia. He did two different shows and a Q&A session without swearing, without telling a blue joke, a sexist joke, or a racist joke, and he had everyone in stitches. A very funny man, sadly missed.

21 hours ago, Kenmure said:

I am now asking for extra vegetables with the meals in the evening in both the Grill and Dining Room. I usually end up with about a third of a plate of peas and sometimes broccoli. We do miss the self service evening buffet and hope it comes back soon.

I hope I'm wrong, but I think while covid is still very much in evidence I don't see self service in the buffet coming back any time soon.

Bob

Following on From Vivaldi's excellent info, the speciality coffees were included when my wife and I were on SoD last year, but of course things may be different in these covid restrictive days.

The ship was indeed very 'British' when we were on there, and as Saga cruises are for adults only, I would liken the general ambience to that on P&O's Arcadia or Aurora, although with a maximum passenger capacity of 999 you may find SoD to be a little quieter than the P&O ships, which certainly didn't bother my wife and I. However, and this is only my personal opinion, Saga provides a much better overall cruising experience than P&O. Of course your mileage may vary!

Maybe someone who has been on a recent Saga cruise will be able to help you out  regarding masks and other covid measures.

Hope this helps. If you do decide to take the plunge, please let us know how you get on.

On 10/13/2021 at 11:10 AM, maesteggirl said:

We received a  letter from SAGA last week relating to our Canaries Christmas cruise. From November 1st when you can go ashore independently new Covid vaccination proof is required. You must now download a digital certificate from the NHS app or website. This has a barcode which must be scanned for entry to some countries. The previous paper or card evidence will not be accepted. The new digital certificates only last 30 days so you must be careful when you download it. The letter goes on to say that if you have no access to a smartphone or tablet device then assistance is available at check-in.

Another change is that the Passenger Locator Form requirement can now be completed up tp 48 hours before embarkation for cruises of 19 days or less. For longer cruises it must resubmitted 48 hours before returning to the UK. Again if you do not have a smartphone or tablet help is available on board.

I may be wrong, but as I understand it, although the pass is only valid for 30 days, the 30 day period refreshes the every time you log into the NHS site -  see https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/get-digital-covid-pass/   under  'How long a digital NHS COVID Pass is valid for'

Bob

My wife and I were last in Barbados at the back end of 2019. There was WiFi in the terminal, but the terminal was very busy, and logging into it was difficult to say the least, so much so that we gave up trying. If we couldn't get onto it in the terminal, I wouldn't fancy your chances of getting onto it from the ship. However, things may have changed since then - there may not be so many passengers in the terminal and the WiFi may have been upgraded. I wish you luck!

Bob

15 hours ago, ann141 said:

We have just changed from this cruise to one of the new replacement cruises on Spirit of Adventure.Still going to the Canary Islands but an extra night in a slightly higher grade of cabin, all for £80 cheaper!!🙂

Sounds like you've had a result Ann. I hope you'll let the forum know what you think of Spirit of Adventure?

Bob

1 hour ago, Stokie33 said:

We’ve just escalated our complain through our TA to start with who have passed it on to P&O will be interesting to see what happens

Don't hold your breath...