jaydee6969

16 minutes ago, nomadgirluk said:

Am I right in thinking that the White Compamy hand wash has now been removed and replaced with individual bars of soap? I believe the shower cream and shampoo provided remain the same.

Just back from Azura, and on there still bottles of White Company hand wash.

21 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Is the price quoted per person per night, or per person per cruise ?. £70 for an upgrade to an SD balcony doesn't seen too bad if it's pp per cruise.

You could end up with the stern SD cabin over Havana/Manhattan, would not be worth the risk for us.

Back from another cruise, and a bit more info for you.

Lanzarote still dropping at the same point, other info still applies.  Another ship berthed elsewhere also dropped at the same point.

Funchal, Madeira still the same.

Valencia, berthed a long way from the city centre.  We were on the second shuttle early in the morning and due to distance and shear number of red traffic lights took 45 minutes, and I believe it never really improved on that as the city got busier.  Journey back was quicker, more direct route and lots of green lights about 25 minutes.  About 20 minutes between, but seemed to go when full or next shuttle arrived. £4 adult/£2 child each way for non select passengers. 

P&O were slightly naughty on this port as they stated over loudspeaker around the ship that the only way to leave the port due to being a working port was with the P&O shuttle.  Turns out if you walk past the row of P&O buses, there is a free port shuttle bus (yellow) that took you to a point outside the port.  No idea where it dropped though, as we were select anyway and took the main shuttle.  Worth enquiring if anyone is thinking of this.

Palma, Majorca.  Again, a long way out of the centre.  Shuttle about every 20 minutes, and took about 15 minutes due to reduced speed limit due to roadworks.  A bit pricier too, £5 adult/£3 child each way for non select passengers. 

I have added a blue balloon and a yellow highlight of where Azura berthed and the coach drop off was for Valencia and Palma.

19 minutes ago, Mollag said:

They seemed to have restocked a lot of things in Malta but after a few days of decent meals in the MDR it was back to cold meals last night, they seem to have had a soot problem down aft as well also the decks are lifting in places it doesn’t look like there’s a great deal of maintenance going on we won’t be rushing back on her that’s for sure on the plus side the crew are fantastic can’t do enough for us

We just left Azura in Malta.  We had a great cruise, and can't wait to get back onboard her in June.

On 3/21/2023 at 10:16 AM, carlanthony24 said:

 

To carry on from our Lanzarote port day gangways were taken up just after 5:15pm and Neil Turnball was pleased to say that everyone had made it back onboard and won’t have to burn extra fuel. He also said if all goes to plan he will be handing over to the new captain in Madeira. 

 

Celebration night onboard dress code applies from 6pm and is enforced in all main dining rooms, Blue Bar, Planet Bar, and the Epicurean. Other venues such has the buffet, Glasshouse, Theatre etc evening casual dress code is the minimum that is expected and from what we saw most were dressed in formal attire.

 

From 10am crew are in a full crew drill and it sounds like Neil Turnball relieve has turned up.

 

We noticed a change on the 'Celebration' night.  We did not receive the small cards for a free glass of fizz to be handed in at any bar.  But Captain Turnball did make captains gala speech in the atrium at 6 and 8, with waiters walking around handing out free glasses of bubbly.  As I have never attended one of these before, I assume this is how things were done pre-c?

Captain Luko Vojvoda was already onboard and all the handover formalities were done, and was presented by Captain Turnball along with senior officers.  He also quipped that Madeira was the only port on the cruise he was guaranteeing we would get into and most definitely on time as he had a taxi booked to the airport.

I was one of those not dressed up for formal night, but happily dressed smart casual and enjoyed the rest of the ship and ate in the Beach House that night.

6 hours ago, carlanthony24 said:

We were lucky our flight took us straight over Paris still landed about a hour late but it happens. Enjoy the next cruise we do the 16nights repositioning in October. Glad to see you got a pic of the navy ship never thought to go to the front for it.

We were up in front of the gym, a good chat with some pax up there with the same idea albeit not with a point and click like myself.  I am not allowed to touch the wife's DSLR gear!!!

On 3/23/2023 at 9:22 AM, carlanthony24 said:

Symphony Of The Seas has also joined us unless she is waiting for dry dock. 

And Symphony was waiting for the dry dock to become available.

On 3/23/2023 at 9:14 AM, carlanthony24 said:

Clocks advanced 1hr at 2am after leaving Madeira we are now 1hr ahead of the uk GMT+1

 

Sea state became moderate throughout the night and into the next day highs of 20 degrees with a breeze. 

 

Glass House for dinner with a colleague I use to work with. Popcorn chicken, chicken pate for starters. Mains included Haddock & chips, 8oz steak, pork & bubble squeak and pulled beef sliders. Plenty to eat compared to last time portions were bigger.

 

Entertainment for the evening was Headliners Theatre Company with Centre stage. 

 

Today we are in Cadiz arrival of 7am all on board for 7:30pm departing 8pm. No shuttle bus in operation since it’s only a short walk into the centre. We have been to Cadiz a lot but took a walk into town and went for a drink at one of bars. 
 

Weather in Cadiz sunny and no cloud 16 degrees highs of 20 feels way hotter than that.

 

An announcement was made yesterday evening by the Captain through the whole ship including cabins to announce that during our call they need to test the white life crafts a requirement by law. From 11:30am till roughly 1pm the ship will then leave the berth and turn to face the opposite direction during this time no one can leave or enter the ship. We have elected to stay on till we get back to port. 
 

Royal Caribbean ship and Costa ship in dry dock and not every day you see a submarine docked.

That Costa ship was in for conversion to Carnival branding.

  https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/03/costa-venezia-arrives-at-navantia-ahead-of-carnival-conversion/

1 hour ago, carlanthony24 said:

Nothing to do with P&O but Malta Airport security was quick and painless but passport control was chaos with them sending everyone to gates at the same times and well Manchester passport control was easier this time and luggage already on the conveyor belt and managed to collect luggage with no problems. 
 
We did have a small problem exiting Multi Storey West car park they wanted an extra £50 since I overstayed even though I was told I wouldn’t have any problems since my two bookings would show up has linked. Women on the buzzer explained I had not booked even though I had the confirmation. She looked up my reg and did find both bookings so waived the cost. 

Just had a quick read of your thread.  We thoroughly enjoyed this cruise.  It was our first fly cruise, so we were a bit apprehensive, but all turned out well.

And I blame the French for everything!  Our plane out was late and then a knock on our flight, especially as no room for all the carry cases and divert around French air space.  All in about 75 minutes late landing, with the knock on of hitting rush hour.

We will look at doing that cruise again in the future, but I doubt we would get such great weather again.  We found it very relaxing, and was so nice to be away from the rain and cold for a while.

Plus we are back onboard Azur end of June, hopefully we can get a look at Valletta on embarkation day as we have an early flight.

Looks like we took a lot of the same photographs, I'll just add one from Valencia of the carrier that was berthed near us.

9 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

I don't  know about P&O but I have had a birthday on Princess since  they restarted cruising and the waiters didn't sing but I was given a small cake at dinner on the evening of my birthday even though neither my husband or I told them that it was my birthday, they also displayed an announcement on the interactive screens by the lifts.

 

 

Similar experience on Enchanted last year.  Whilst booking, they asked if we were celebrating anything whilst onboard and mentioned it would be our wedding anniversary and thought nothing more of it.  As you say throughout the day, whenever you were near the large screen up popped an animated announcement.  And in the evening in the Club Class restaurant section after we had ordered dessert and were eating it, suddenly the Maitre d' and all the waiting staff arrived at our table presented us with a cake and all started singing.  Wonderful moment.

Such a refreshing thread.  Looks like you are having a smashing time.  Enjoy the remainder.

27 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

I was really making the point of there being no need to fill in the online Health Declaration. 

It was stopped in December as I recall.  We didn't need to fill one out for our trip on N301.

This is only for a few cruises as far as I know.  The majority are no testing.

5 minutes ago, zap99 said:

On Britannia in October we avoided 3 out of the 4 formal nights. On Azura now and got roped into both. Again in April, but will try and avoid them. 

We have 3 on the 13 night transfer cruise from Tenerife to Malta in March.  1st formal night Beach House, 2nd formal night Sindhu.  May just have a large lunch on the 3rd formal night, and graze in the buffet later in the evening.

6 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

I have know over the years fellow passengers taking staff to task over not enforcing formal wear in areas where P&O have deemed it necessary to wear such attire. Which is the correct thing they should do. If you have rules why be afraid to enforce them. If you don't wish to dress up you have two options. Find an area where you are allowed to dress as you wish, or go on a cruise line that doesn't have those type of evenings or don't take that type of holiday at all. There are many types and choices of holiday. Camping, Glamping, Hotel, Coach, Package etc, etc. Surely one could find a holiday that suits rather than going on one and then moaning about the sea being rough, foreign staff, missing a port and the comedian not being funny. 

I think you have missed the point of this thread.  The question is what dining areas aside from the buffet are available if you do not want to dress up.  Most interesting to myself as we are flying out to Azura twice in the coming months and I have no intention of taking my DJ.

You also seem to be suggesting that if you don't like dressing up, then P&O is not the cruise line to sail with.

And if you had heard one of the 'comedians' on Iona, you would also complain!

9 minutes ago, wowzz said:

It is compulsory in certain venues. However,  P&O do not always enforce the rules.

That was not the issue.  It is the implication that you 'must' dress up for formal nights.

I also dress up for formal nights, but not all of them.  It is a free choice with P&O, not compulsory.

We experienced the snobbery first hand on our recent Iona cruise.  The four of us had been enjoying drinks in the Crows next for a few hours, when we noticed stares, pointing and muttering from an adjoining table about our clothing and footwear.  Unbeknown to us it was after 6pm on a formal night.  They even commented to the waiter, whom, credit to the man, stood between our tables so all could hear, that we had been in the bar for some time and we would leave when we are ready.  If we wanted to order more drinks we were welcome to stay.  A few words were exchanged with the table concerned, and we left to get changed for dinner in the MDR, and yes we were all in formal attire.

It does amaze me how many people seem to think that it is a condition of sailing that you must dress up for the formal nights.  It is an option for those that wish to enjoy it, not compulsory. 

22 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Are you going to America and the Caribbean by any chance ? 

Not likely, Azura sails the Canaries and Mediterranean.

26 minutes ago, Bagpuss said:

Thank you very much🙂. Do you know how much the shuttles costs, should we choose to jump on one in Madeira for example?

Hi, the below was from the Horizon paper that P&O leave outside your cabin door every evening for Madeira.  This was from our Canaries cruise on Iona last November.  The charge is the same at all ports with a shuttle.

Also have a look at this thread, as there is a link to a map with other ports.

15 hours ago, Presto2 said:

 

 

Hubby has been to Barbados -- I love Death in Paradise, but have never been before ------- and love RUM!

 

Death In Paradise is filmed on the Guadeloupe islands.  When we eventually cruise the Caribbean we will try and select  a cruise that stops there.  Not many do.

28 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Just asking, what are the current rules for cruising from Southampton to Europe. When I flew to Spain last autumn my passport was stamped at the airport. Do they stamp your passport at the first disembarkation port, in this case Hamburg.

No one has asked to see my passport yet on our recent cruise out of Southampton, in an overseas port.  That was Canaries last November and Hamburg in January.

As you say, was checked and stamped in and out of Malaga last September when we flew out for our annual golf holiday.

4 minutes ago, margsbolton said:

If booking a Drink package on embarkation day using OBC does Loyalty discount not apply ??

Not until you have used up all you OBC.  Any balance after taking your OBC off, will then attract your discount rate.

Well (the hiatus didn't last long), we had always taken enough clothes to last out cruises and had never set foot in the laundry rooms.  But, on our trip last November with family, my F-I-L said to me, the laundrettes good, just popping back to move the clothes to the tumble drier.

I accompanied him back down the corridor and happen to say we didn't bring any pods, so we can't do any.  Reply was neither did we, we went to reception and they gave us mini boxes of washing powder.

So off I trot and sure enough, upon request a box was handed to me.  No card or payment requested.

I assumed this was the norm, but reading this thread either we were lucky or I've just blown a little know perk.

Interested in this thread as we are off on two Azura cruises this year as well as all the family again on Arcadia later this year.  Just in case, I think my wife will now pack a few of these washing leaves for these trips.

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

Interesting to read there are some who blame p&o for the flight debacle, I would have thought that before they issued the cruises for sale that would have contacted TUI with the estimated passengers they would need to fly back as well as fly out for the next cruise, if my interpretation of how the system works I stand corrected.

Amazing comments on this thread and the site in general lately.  To think that this cruise in question was probably assembled/planned some 18 months plus ago, and sold around that time too.  How would the airline even know what their fleet composition would be at that stage?  

It's not just P&O.  We had flights booked with BA from Southampton to Malaga for our annual lads golf week, booked as soon as they became available.  Over Christmas, email from BA to say the flight has been cancelled for operational reasons.  We just sucked it up, and booked for the following morning departure instead.

The last few years has reinforced something, it's that life is too short to get wound up about these sorts of things, especially if you are unaffected by the particular incident.

I feel sorry for your cruise being cancelled, and hope you find a suitable alternative. 

Time for another break from these pages for a while I believe.

4 minutes ago, davecttr said:

No because it becomes the Captains Table. Irritating for those who used the Beach House on formal nights to avoid the dressing up. It also may make the MDR's capacity problems easier.

But reduces the buffet capacity, causing issues there too.

Are you sure about Beach House?  On our last cruise on Iona, the Captains table took a huge chunk of the port side buffet but the Beach House was on the starboard side.  When we tried to access the buffet from the Sky Dome on formal night, we were not allowed through the Beach House section but had to walk through the Chef's table section, much to the dismay of all the black tie guests.