Stokie33

We are only just over an hour from the port so alway aim to leave just after 8 when hopefully most of the rush hour traffic as gone, always arrive at the port just after 10 and never had any issues getting on board xx

I think we’ve got on just after 10.30 with priority boarding, people were still getting off as we got on, this was September last year. I always aim to park just after 10.00, and we checked in straight away, didn’t even have time to use the facilities and we were allowed to get on the ship xx

Sorry meant Ventura not Iona in 2019

We did one of the 7 night seacations on Iona but our cabin got down graded even though we booked on launch day and after getting told “well you’re on a lovely ship what are you complaining about” we’ve steered clear of P&o for 3 years but after seeing all of the videos decided to try again, we’ve been on other cruise lines in the meantime but like I said above running out of ports to visit. We definitely need to take that leap of faith and do the 35 nighter as it’s something we’ve talked about for a few years and the only way we will get to see the caribbean. We went on Iona in 2019 and whilst it’s a lovely ship we do prefer the newer ones.

Thanks for all of the replies, we’re on Iona in June and do find the newer ships more appealing, Will be having more conversations in the next few days 😂

We’ve done quite a few cruises ranging from 2 - 14 nights but saw this one and the price is quite reasonable plus my husband is adamant he will never ever fly again after a bad flight over 15 years ago. We’ve got to the point where cruises from Southampton have lost there shine as been to most of the destinations a few times so looking for a new adventure plus it’s his 50th birthday in Sept 2025 so want to do something special. We did 3 seacations so a 3,4 and 7 night at sea so not phased by the sea days as you can always find something to do. We’re a bit phased by the thought of 35 nights on a cruise ship, can anyone who’s done a cruise longer than 2 weeks please give us some insight and the positives and negatives, I know everyone’s thoughts are individual, but looking for something totally different and wondering if this is it. Thanks for any help in making the decision, my leaves already sorted and my hubby’s already started deciding what he’s taking after telling me last month he’s done with cruises 😂

Know I’ve seen the answer but can’t find it, I’ve purchased the aurea spa pass but can’t see how I cancel it, any help appreciated and when do I have to cancel it by

I’ve always found that people on cruises tend to talk to each and let others know of any issues, plus you could see the queues waiting for the port shuttle which were horrendous, from the ship. We’ve been to Zeebrugge loads and never seen queues like this, I know it was an unscheduled stop but the change was made Monday for us to be in port Friday.

Our cruise last month on Virtuosa had this port added to bad weather in Cork, the shuttle bus provided only took you to the port gates with big queues for both the tram and the independent bus trip, we didn’t bother to get off so not sure about prices

We disembarked on the Roth Sept with no issues, but will be even better for you being in yacht club. When we got off at 9am people were already queuing to get on, look at the blogs on YouTube to familiarise yourself with the ship and how things work, someone on our 4 night cruise got to the terminal at 9.50 and was in yacht club at 10.10. You won’t have any issues getting off as the butler’s were escorting everyone off

Roll on Storm Agnes, I’ll be the one going up and down in the outside lifts if it’s really rough. we didn’t make it to Portland last year on this cruise due to bad weather which wasn’t really rough, expecting a cruise to nowhere anything else is a bonus🤣🤣

Looks like we are in for a rough few nights as got a text cancelling Cork but we can go to Portland with even higher winds, preparing myself for 2 sea days with a trip to Zeebrugge, Hope everyone got the text as all it said was more information will be available tomorrow at the port

The bank will be totally confused as going to Cobh, Southern Ireland and Portland, England from Southampton, luckily the bank I’m with are pretty good and will contact you on the app to make sure it’s you

Just received this for my cruise on Virtuosa leaving the 26th so even more confused All onboard purchases can be made with the personal cruise card. Upon embarking the ship guests are required to activate the cruise card for onboard purchases by making a cash deposit or self-registering a credit/debit/prepaid card at one of the Cruise Card Activation Points. The ship will be sailing in international waters and the payment will be processed in Switzerland therefore there might be charges applied by your Bank. It is also recommended to verify that your card is enabled to be used in Switzerland and all the countries visited during the cruise.

Usually it depends on where the ship is homeported, last sept Virtuosa was £ but know it went to euro when she went to Europe. It totally depends where the home port is when you sail

If the price is a promotional one, the sometimes says in the terms and conditions that you can’t add voyagers club or nhs(in the uk), so I always check which price is best,

We are on the cruise before you, using the code off here ABP want £96.40 per week for parking at horizon terminal, we’ve parked there before with no issues

Hi Selbourne I’ve really enjoyed reading the your thread and the other recent ones on Iona, so much so that after doing the seacation and saying never again I’ve been reminded of the good points this ship as to offer and have booked to go on her in June next year, my hubby is especially looking forward to the Olive grove and the Quays. Its awful to hear of the issues with the lifts you are having but like you’ve said you’ve still enjoyed the ship and hopefully made some lovely family memories travelling with your 2 daughters and partners. Having sailed on nearly all of the P&O ships but not with this captain before it would be interesting to know who’s decision it is on the announcements made on embarkation day whether it’s corporate or captain?

I’m not out to upset anyone but noticed when we were on Sky Princess in both April and June the passenger demographic as changed from pre covid and now people are more about themselves and don’t think of others. We held doors open for quite a few wheelchairs and scooters, who all seem surprised that we helped them, as we were brought up to be respectful, we even got stuck in a lift one day as people had piled in after us and refused to move to let us out, we only got out after the person nearest to the buttons said we weren’t going anywhere until they let us off, so I think it’s just disrespect in general and people not bothering to think about how there actions affect others. Cruising MSC next month, then back on Iona next year can’t wait.

It’s amazing how many glitches the different cruise companies have

Just checked the app for our booking on Virtuosa and that is worded like the top one above two speciality dining experiences, wondering if the bottom one is how they word it when home ported from Europe, it definitely looks like the same experience

Are you boarding in Southampton, we sail 15/12 and for some reason everything as been doubled on the planner, I thought it was probably a computer glitch as there are 2 people in the cabin but could be wrong. our sailing on Virtuosa in September doesn’t have the doubles on the planner

Not sure where you are from but I’ve regularly made Skype calls whilst on Sky Princess in the fjords, expected to have a problem but never did and the callls never dropped out

I took some pods in a little plastic container so they didn’t split but also have the dr Beckmann magic leaves just for cruises as you can also use them for hand washing sorry but I can’t remember what was in the machine

Our first cruise on independence of the seas called here and we didn’t have the drinks package, my dad who used in spend the winters the other side of the mountains from Cartagena told us to go to Nam Nams, San Miguel was €1 luckily it was a straight route back to the ship, and managed not to go into the underground car park which was where I was used to him parking the car, Cartagena is lovely and caters for all taste’s, nice restaurants, historic areas and shopping