emam

When you come in off the A1, don't turn into the car park, drive down the side of the service station and stop just behind it. It's next to the petrol garage. There's a ramp into the services if you want to use the facilities or buy a drink. Your driver will probably know where to go.

It's always had that on our paperwork. I would stick to it.

We bought the smaller cases as I was worried we wouldn't be allowed on the coach with bigger ones. When we got to the coach park, lots of people had much larger cases than ours. The driver certainty gets a work out loading all the cases. You are the first pickup, the driver starts at Washington. Make sure you go to the coach park at the back. Our taxi dropped us off in the car park, then saw the correct place as he was leaving. The drivers have all been lovely on the ones we have been on.

What I was thinking, is that for the price of what Warner's is you get a lot more on a cruise. I must have looked at the cruise too much as the price has increased slightly. However I did see that it's over the weekend that our annual exhibition is on, so a no go. That Potters Resort's looks interesting, maybe @Dermotsgirl will let us know how her holiday goes.

I have been looking around for a 3 night break not too far away. We went to Nidd Hall in Yorkshire just after Covid and they now send news out about holidays which I usually just delete. So I went to see what they have to offer. A special offer for a three night break is £379 pp which includes a discount of £37.50. Bbem, entertainment, no travel P&O sent an offer out for a 12 night Spain and Portugal cruise. Picking select changes the price but for an inside cabin plus coach plus obs, it's coming up as £849 pp. All day food, entertainment, travel and spending money.

P&O and Cunard are rolling out wi-fi with Elon Musk Starlink on all ships by the end of the year. Reported I Liverpool Echo

Some people are staying in the Belle Vue at Alcudia. They report it as a horrible hotel with horrible food. They have been given £15 pp, per meal and two bottles of water.

Maybe the theatre and forum will not be for them. Try the aquarium.

Cartagena is a lovely place and very clean. Apart from the amphitheatre there is a roman forum which was still being excavated the last time we were there. You can buy one ticket which will give you admittance to 3 places, the theatre, I think it was the forum and the castle. If I remember rightly there is a McDonalds right in front of where you walk off the ship. Then you have a square and just over the road is the main area. There are lots of shops from Brand names to local shops. One of them being what I call the cow shop, which has a large cow standing at the door. This sells all sorts of things and can be good for gifts. It sells books and colouring pens, note books, to bags, hats, towels and lots more. There is one the same in Barcelona. There is a little shop which seems to be very popular which sells scarfs, bags and trinkets, this is not very far up from the theatre (thought you come out of there via a different door in the back street). I would like to go and visit the naval museum which was on my to do the last time we went but we never made it. 1, (hopefully) is walking off the ship and McD would be just to the left of the photo. 2, Sign for the roman forum 3, Inside the forum, 4, Main street. 5, A rich persons yacht (you should see the boat inside it), which I think docked near to naval museum.

The only Celebrity ship we have been on is the Eclipse. We had an inside cabin which had a sofa, great to use as a dumping ground. The bathroom had plenty of space with a large shower and plenty cupboards/storage. It took a few steps to get to the toilet, unlike on the P&O ships. It was the noisiest cabin we have been in. The buffet was fabulous with loads of food from different countries. They had what they called minute steaks which to me was a full size steak. American, Italian, Chinese, British, Caviar, whole hams, make your own sandwich are just some of what I remember. Free ice cream and juice. P&O don't come anywhere near this in their buffets. I didn't think the mdr food was anything special. As it was a Baltic cruise I was often sat alone on the deck, wrapped in towels to keep warm. In fact people didn't seem to come out apart from meals and at night. I don't know how this would compare to a warm weather cruise. The casino was a lot bigger and busier. The toilets often had attendants in them who would open the door when you leave. On the downside for Celebrity is the initial cost, daily gratuities to pay, dearer drinks plus extra tax on them. No kettle in room though we did ask for one. The passengers are more diverse on Celebrity, whether that is good or bad is your choice. Any announcements are made multiple times in different languages. I haven't been on Iona or Ariva so can't compare those ships. I would say Celebrity are a class above P&O, but you pay more for it. Having said that we have had great cruises on P&O. Crew are all lovely but not ott. Writing this Celebrity has a lot going for them. However it is only now and years later that I can appreciate that. At the time we could only see the good points of P&O and enjoyed those holidays more.

I wouldn't mind a weekend in Liverpool, so it might be worth thinking about.

Let us know on here how it was when you get back. Even though I would love the convenience of a Newcastle or maybe even Liverpool departure, I wouldn't book just for that reason.

We don't live far from them but I believe that they fly down, which is no good for us. I don't know what you thought of it but we weren't so keen on the itinerary last October. Our previous cruises we have been to some lovely places. It didn't spoil the cruise, but did make a difference, especially with it being our only holiday.

Hmm after those replies I will have to think about things a bit more. The biggest advantage is the departure point. Hubby really likes the promenade deck and being able to go to the front of the ship on Ventura. Our last cruises were on Britannia as Ventura wasn't going to places we were looking at. Apart from one Celebrity cruise the rest of our (not many) cruises have been P&O. We aren't in a position to book due to hospital appointments, but it gives us time to think about things.

My only reason for looking is a 30 minute journey to Tyneside as against a 9 hour one to Southampton. I don't drink so we don't usually buy the drinks package. I don't think it will be for us, the extra price, gratuities on top, fixed dining and the smaller ship, meaning more movement especially going North. Thank you everyone for your replies.

I was going through some old papers to get rid of when I looked at a P&O leaflet and saw a cruise which looked interesting. So I have just gone onto the big cruise website but thought that I would look to see what is available from Tyneside. So far it's mainly Fred's Balmoral with an odd Ambassador coming up. What is the difference between Fred/Balmoral and P&O, The price is coming up around £150 pppn for an inside cabin, a 9 night cruise is more than we paid for 2 weeks on P&O. Also i'm wondering how the smaller ships compare for those of us who aren't good travellers.

That wasn't what I was expecting to read. Our condolences to you and your family at this terrible time.

I thought it was something like that, I quite liked it. Thanks.

I believe the school holidays in Scotland are in June, I don't know when Wales start theirs. If you happen to get an ice cream from the lido deck anytime will you see what make it is please. No hurry for reply i can wait until you get back. Hope you have a lovely time.

Put the items you would normally put in the drawer into packing cubes. Then just place the cube on the shelf. You don't need to spend a fortune on cubes any zip bag will do, something like a cheap shoe bag, or small storage bag. I got a set with lots of different shapes and sizes from Lidl for I think it was £8. Some have a picture of something electrical on them, but it's your choice what you put in them. I read a hint, I think from a crew member, to use magnetic hooks on the shower curtain to keep it from moving. That's probably the only thing I would use them for, couldn't stand them all over the walls with bits of paper hanging off them.

Wow, that's some fire. Lovely photos. We wanted to go on Ventura on our last cruise but she was in the wrong place.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/travel-tourism/new-eu-travel-permit-you-27192777

Not from what I read, but they don't have to pay. Questions include education, medical conditions, criminal records among others.

So how will the new ETIAS that are starting in 2024 work with cruising. Will you have to hand them over to P&O onboard the ship for them to be checked. I wouldn't think that would be so as you probably won't get them back. I'm assuming it's something you will keep with you passport. I suppose that P&O will create another page on the online check-in. Knowing how good with IT P&O are it will be a doddle. 🤣

As you will know it's part of their move to sustainability that was announced way back in 2018. Way before things went pear shape in the world. Scroll down to their 2018 update. https://www.pocruises.com/sustainability Any move to improve the world we live in has got to be applauded.