Vampiress88

On Iona in December and we had 4 towel animals. They were great. Elephant. Monkey. Dog and a bunny. My kids were very impressed. But we’ve not seen any since our first cruise in 2012 other than these ones.

I am wanting to book a Christmas cruise whilst I’m on my next one as I think I will get on board credit if I do. can I pay the deposit in cash or add it to the balance for the cruise (you know where they charge you for drinks etc) or will they want it on a card? I just don’t wanna take £600 cash deposit if I can’t use it. I’m already carrying enough round to pay for everything plus the dollars for Caribbean

Not sure if you can see those pictures clearly. This was for December.

ok thanks ill plan accordingly

It’s not distance it’s time that concerns me. I have to be very careful as I can’t be somewhere that doesn’t have toilet facilities for a length of time. So if we are waiting sat on the bus for it to load 30mins, plus 15mins to get on to the ship when it arrives plus however long it is to drive 30mins by google maps. That’s then not a short journey for me unfortunately so long as I know then I can sort but I just assumed they would have facilities

So from getting off the plane to the ship- even with all the waiting how long was that please?

Were there toilets on the buses?

I need darkness to sleep too. It annoys me that hubbys phone display is on all night so I’ll not like these light either

thank you for all that. it was a good deal in school holidays. It’s the lack of room in bars I don’t like sounds of. I didn’t like Msc virtuosa as there was nothing like the club house where we could really sit but hey ho. I’m sure we will make the best of it

to be fair I fell out with the buffet on iona due to no trays so mdr is usually good for us. I really must stop looking at holidays now and put on my mortgage but I can’t seem to help but want to travel while the kids are young. im sure we will be fine on both of them. Even when we didn’t like msc as much as p&o none have ever been bad really. I’ve just looked that the roll call. So many Americans. Especially from Florida. Don’t quite get it, as I wouldn’t think we have great. im not sure what difference it will actually make it being a lot of Americans??? only issues we have ever had in the past was msc kids club was in English most of the time.

Sorry meant to say that both of these cruises are going from Southampton. So I would assume mostly British people on them. I don’t really do fly cruises

I have been on a few (6) P&O cruises. Azura, Britannia and Iona. I have booked royal Caribbean- anthem of the seas ship and also Princess - Caribbean princess ship. im just wondering how those two ships/atmosphere compare to p&o. we tried msc and didn’t quite like it same as we do p&o. I do know about the difference with gratuities. I also know I can get obc for princess as I have carnival shares. I have booked both basic balcony cabins 4 berth. But for example which has the best food, entertainment, kids club etc. all the itineraries are different so I don’t need to compare that.

Ok will try that. They never seem to allow comparisons and it usually gets shut down but

Anyone got any comparisons /opinions on p&o vs Royal Caribbean and also princess cruises. I have been on azura, Britannia and Iona. looking to compare to anthem of the sea and Caribbean princess.

Are all the tui ones going ok though?

They are 9&8. Furthest they have gone is the length of the ship. So from Brodies to I think it’s called pearl. We did watch them from a distance a few times to make sure they were behaving and being responsible then the last few days let them just do it themselves. (They were good they walked nicely to the dining room, took photos and then walked back- I nearly got caught as I’m bad at being a spy) oh and they went and got photos one deck up but I could see them from the emerald bar. They do have to be careful on the stairs as they aren’t allowed to run, they usually beat the lift though as it takes so long.

I did prefer the atmosphere on Britannia to that of Iona but Iona was ok too. We don’t book for the ship or the atmosphere it’s usually to do with the price and itinerary etc. it wouldn’t bother me which ship I was on. I do think that iona has had younger people on it in the last year. but I do find that there are both adults and children that I think could do with being dragged up better. in terms of letting my kids go around the cruise ship on their own then we kind of do. They are always both together. Always have a time limit and I always know the route. The problem I have is that there feels like there is much more danger now around us and I am far more protective over what they are allowed to do that me or my husband was growing up. I have to give them some independence at some time so try to start off small. so what we do is have a race- kids like to use the stairs to the floor we need and we like to use the lift. Usually see who wins. They will also go to get the menu for the main dining room whilst we are sat in Brodies. They do not deviate (they are not allowed off that floor etc) and if they are not back within a certain time we go find them. If I don’t let them do these small things I will never let go. last cruise we didn’t actually have any issues with parents, other than 8&11 year old in the pool and the parents were sat at the windows with the back to them. My two are just as competent swimmers as they were but I couldn’t leave them in the pool without watching them.

I wouldn’t have actually been bothered if they could have guaranteed that a child or both would be sat next to a parent (not behind, in front or across from) then that wouldn’t have been an issue. Also if they had charged the same as tui that would have been ok as well

I had posted this in the p&o forum and it got moved. carnival is the parent company to p&o

See I understand paying for something, what I don’t understand is not being told at the point of sale. I don’t like people not being upfront, I would have respected p&o more if it’s website/and advisor had said if you want to reserve your seat it’s £45pp each way. Then I can calculate it in the cost. but it’s done now, I’ve paid it and we go in 3 month so probably time to start packing 😂

nope it was economy classic. also not in any loyalty club etc with virgin seat selection was about 6months out I think. I did pay £75 for hubby to sit in an extra leg room seat. me and the girls sat together. but that was a choice to spend money for him to have extra leg room not a price so that we get to sit with the children- which as they are 9&8 takes the choice out of our hands. Short flights I wouldn’t have as being in front or behind wouldn’t have bothered for an hour or so. 9 hours on a flight with strangers and I don’t like that for them. So £360 was the total for return to reserve seats on TUI charter plane. That’s £45per seat. TUI don’t charge that on their normal planes so to me P&O are adding it on. Had when I called up and said “hey Mrs P&O call centre lady I’m thinking of changing my £2600 cruise in the Mediterranean to £7030 Caribbean cruise, how do we reserve seats?” All was said was 14 weeks out. Now technically they haven’t done anything wrong by not offering that information but being in a sales/customer service role all my life I don’t feel this was fair. I think they should be upfront and say look there is gonna be another £360 added on for seat selections or you can take the risk and not sit together. it just irks me. So now I will only go p&o from Southampton.

I do feel though if you speak to an advisor on the phone when booking they should actually tell you. seat reservation isn’t mandatory but depending is sometimes necessary. With young children and being told they could be “infront,behind or at side” with strangers then obviously people will pay. We have paid £360 for 4 of us so that the kids are with us rather than taking the risk. If it was just me and hubby I probably wouldn’t bother. the charges are also not in line with the industry. Virgin is free. BA I believe was £200 TUI who we are actually flying with for the day before charge a total of £128 to serve seating. So I don’t really understand where the difference is in price if it’s not coming from P&O themselves, it’s actually really put me off p&o and I have now chose to go with royal Caribbean instead when I was looking for a new cruise and I would not do a fly cruise with P&O again and I haven’t even been yet!!!

gotta have steak there. The fajitas are so small compared to how they used to be. Can’t remember what the beer draft used to be- not been since April. But I’m glad that it’s an old menu. Was panicking cos I’d already paid (couldn’t use the obc) it’s youngests birthday so had to make sure it was booked up. also didn’t know that there is a panto on there. hoping there are some good Christmas films too

Tiger. Any idea if the beach house had the lava block on. The sample menu online when I’ve just booked our table is completely different to what we had in April. No mention of the lava block.

anthem of the sea. Going from Southampton. I was warned not to get anymore holidays but somehow he agreed. we have iona in dec, arvia Caribbean in feb, rc fjords in May, back to iona in dec, the Arvia med in March. Booked quite up for the next 18months. although how I’ll survive between May and December I don’t know. but in my defence the cruise wasn’t much more than a caravan in Newquay