Cruisemeister2002

Would have thought a Donkey Jacket was a bit warm in the Caribbean for hubbie ?

It is sad to read some of the comments regarding P&O as most of our cruises have taken place with them. 15 out of 16 cruises in fact and our next two God willing are with P&O. The first one on Ventura and while it must be admitted that compared to Saga P&O prices are roughly half the price for the same length cruise. This doesn't take into account the drinks and excursions that Saga provide with their cruises. Having cruised on both Ventura and Azura I prefer Azura, but then haven't been on either for some time. But it does concern me that reviews of staffing and availability of Specialist restaurants seem to point to a downgrading of availability of both. Are the same problems evident with Cunard or Royal Caribbean? If so are P&O becoming the dregs of Carnival .

Haven't been on Iona so can't comment on layout. Did however notice Royal Caribbean are launching a new ship next year with 7,600 passenger capacity. Imagine disembarkation on that thing. It's bad enough on smaller vessels and in my humble opinion and not because it's the end of your cruise, is the worst part of a cruise. From what I have read on this forum disembarkation isn't getting better either with people on the same coach getting a difference of two hours to remove themselves from the ship. I suppose when it comes to it they have had your readies, you have hopefully had a decent cruise. So it's good bye and looking forward to relieving you of another few grand in the future. Or is this me just being cynical ?

Our first cruise was on Victoria in 2002. Her last season. Lovely ship and great memories. It was to Madeira and the Canaries. I'm a bit averse to Canaries as I am an Ipswich fan. Believe it or not Las Palmas was closed as they had a strike on. We went for a wander but decided when confronted by a group of protesters to go back to the ship. Apparently if shop owners didn't close for the day their windows would be smashed.

Can't really see any problem with smart shorts if in a hot country. But I do feel a line should be drawn where people are just wearing shorts they come in from the pool wearing. They need to be a chino style short. I enjoy the odd formal night, but have been annoyed on occasions where they have had two in three or four nights. Once a week is sufficient. With regards to people moaning about formal nights I suggest they cruise on more informal type cruises. It's a bit like all those that moan about a tv programme. Why watch it. You have several other channels or an on/off switch. It will be a sad day if all formal nights are dispensed with and I also like my evening meal at the 8.30 sitting. But this seems to be disappearing with Freedom Dining as the newer ships only have this option available.

Spiked red shoes. Probably better than acupuncture.

Yes, but I'd be concerned with " The Air that I Breathe"

Obviously a couple of Mavericks ?

This all reminds me of witches and the ducking stools. Drown and you were not a witch, survive and you were and you were then burnt at the stake. Come clean on you have had a cough, lose your cruise and maybe all your money. Lie and pass something on to fellow passengers who are then isolated and have a ruined cruise. Seriously this situation needs sorting between cruise lines and insurance companies. But it won't be as with the wishy washy terms and conditions laid out by the Insurance companies and the shameful way people who pay Select Prices which state they can choose a cabin are being shuffled to other parts of the ship because P&O can't decide which cabins they want to use for isolation and keep chopping and changing.

Going back a few years and I expect others remember it well P&O decided to go the route of selected times for embarkation. We travelled down by coach which always stops at South Mims for about an hour we made our way down to Southampton but due to being early we had another stop at a service station just outside Southampton. By the time we had checked in and got to our cabin they were calling for passengers to go to Muster Stations. Suffice to say we didn't go. Surely despite the huge numbers of passengers they can organise things a bit better than they do. They have had years to put together something that means coach passengers all arrive at their coach within a half hour timescale.

I wish I had a solution to your problem but sadly I don't. I do however believe that as we know insurance companies will try to wriggle out of paying if they can. I over the last two years have paid out £1300 in insurance policies to cover cruises I booked. The loss of the first £650 was an error on my behalf as I couldn't see the cruise going ahead. Changed the cruise to one going early this year and then the cruise didn't happen anyway, that was last year. Then the one I booked for February this year P&O changed the itinerary, missing all US ports and offered a total refund, extra onboard or to transfer to another cruise, which is what we did. However due to the ship sailing we were not entitled to compensation from the Insurance Company even though it didn't go to where we originally had booked.

Can you not access the P&O website ? . Originally I always booked via a travel agent or on certain days of the week our newspapers have various companies that advertise P&O cruises. I would imagine many of them are quoting Early Saver fares rather than Select fares. The difference being Early Saver means you don't get onboard credit, free coach travel or parking at the port (One of not all). Choice of cabin number and priority dining along with shuttle buses at selected ports which you do get with Select price although this can be several hundreds of pounds more. I now tend to book via the P&O website or phone the number supplied on P&O brochures.

It genuinely depends on what you are looking for with regards to price. You get transfers to places like Disney World for £40 per person, but you also get those that include a snack and a drink, a meal, private tours and you can get some that are the same with no meal. Prices vary from £36 per person up to several hundred pounds. I would say that in general between £60-£70 for tour type excursions. Maybe £20 cheaper for conch train and as I say transfers. I remember our first venture to Disney World Florida was £100 per person inclusive of transfer and entry. We were due to go earlier this year and it was £40 transfer to Disney World and you were advised to purchase tickets separately which were about £125 per person. I know I have only really covered the US. But tours in other countries are a similar prices from £36 up to £100 each.

Victoria was our first cruise back in 2002 her last season. Lovely ship with wood panelling and etched glass in the MDR. The cruise took in Madeira and the Canaries and as we sailed towards Madeira a guy called David gave us a commentary over the tannoy. If my memory serves me correctly we had a buffet outside towards the forward of the ship. She was a lovely vessel and we bought an album which I had photo's plus postcards of the ship inside and out and one of the labels I printed for the album said " Victoria, a true Queen"

We did have an Atlantic cruise a few years ago and they changed the clocks midday. Which to me is far more sensible. I suppose it affects lunch time dining but staff don't lose an hours sleep. Was thinking of the Arcadia September 2024. But prices have increase substantially. An example is a 35 nighter, inside cabin cost me £6,200 whereas a 30 night cruise on Arcadia same grade cabin is the best part of £8,500. Not being a mathematic genius, but that's £2,300 more and five nights less.

I seemed to remember the last cruise we did the wine didn't flow so much as previously. It seemed to be available one minute and gone the next. I know cruise lines make a majority of their money by sales onboard via outlets and drinks, along with I dare say excursions. Seeing as you don't have a choice, apart from whether you buy drinks or not, if you drink then you have to pay according to your choice. But I do feel that paying £20 for a bottle of wine that is £7 in Asda is a bit over the top. If for instance they charged £12-£14 they would sell much more. I know not everyone watches what they spend. But under the current situation where they need to entice as many as possible to cruise they should consider what they charge.

We were lucky enough to do a cruise on Artemis a few years ago and had a member of staff on our table every night. He was the Chief Engineer and moved to Adonia after Artemis went. We had wine every night paid by P&O and a Captains cocktail party. Not the usual one where you get G&T without the G and wine more attuned to cleaning out the sink. But one with very good wine and canapes and you didn't have to catch the eye of the waiter/waitress in order to be served. Don't know whether the Cocktail Party has been reintroduced or if you are still getting a voucher for a drink ?

Must say it hasn't come across to me that they don't wish to be dining with passengers. But of course they won't get on with some the same as I wouldn't. I think in the main I have been fortunate to meat many other passengers who we got on well with and kept in touch. Just like the waiters and cabin staff they have a duty to promote the Company by their presence. It doesn't matter whether they like it or not. Some will some won't. By the way my comment " Not paying all that money to sit with the crew" was tongue in cheek and not meant to offend.

Obviously someone who's opinion is " I don't pay all that money to sit with the crew"

But my dear (Hope I am not being too familiar) it is what you must expect dining with others (In the words of ghastly Virgin) sailors. It's like when you chat someone up and say words like "Do you come here often?" You have to expect the traditional how many cruises have you done ? We (not the Royal), but me and the wife, or more correctly the wife and I have had the privilege of many of the who's life revolves around outdoing fellow passengers at the table. Isn't it just spiffing, don't ya know. I take great glee in listening to people rabbit on about their dining habits. Can't recall which ship, but a lady insisted on telling us she was dining at Cafe Bordeaux. We even had a Gentleman who wore a large bib, invited one of the receptionist to diner one evening and apparently was a dab hand at telling the Captain how to dock the ship. My advice, go to the luncheon. Have fun and listen tongue in cheek to those who are "Experts" at cruising. Safe voyage and have a lovely cruise.

My point is that yes I appreciate that passengers going down with Covid need isolating. But why oh why does P&O or any other cruise line need to move the area of isolation. All they need to do is compile some sort of statistical chart based on number of passengers and ship size. Set aside x amount of cabins plus 5 or 10% on top of that and allocate a section of whatever ship suitable for accessibility by staff deemed necessary to control and serve those with covid. Instead of disrupting passengers that have chosen a cabin to suit their needs only to find that at last minute . com these requirements have been shattered and whilst not completely ruining their cruise doesn't exactly enhance it. One last thing, before I bore you all to death. I wonder what the situation is on cruise ships frequented by American passengers. Do they have to put up with this situation ? As I have always been of the opinion regardless to pricing etc that they are better looked after than the Brits.

Sounds like your friends had a Johnny Rotten bathroom ?

Adding to the debate on embarkation I always feel that this part of the cruise is the worst. Not only is your lovely holiday over (we hope it is) but you have this hanging about on the ship and when called it's worse than Jumanji with the charge to the gangway. Then there's the long and winding road that leads you, not to your door, but to an escalator or lift down to the luggage hall and then the cresta run to get a trolley and the find my luggage somewhere, anywhere before sneaking through the "Nothing to declare" section and finally onto the path and roads leading to our coach all the time hoping half the cases don't fall off the overloaded trolley. If only all cruise lines could just try to make this part of a cruise a bit more enjoyable rather than feeling " Well, that's that lot out of the way"

Is it just me not noticing, but as far as I am aware cases of Covid ashore are either not being reported or are on the wain. Whereas those onboard seem just a prevalent as they always were. Is it the "Floating petri dish" syndrome. As for passengers paying a "Select price" which states choice of cabin. Then surely it becomes P&O's choice of cabin. If the one selected is then not given. I know certain circumstance are beyond P&O's ability to do anything about it. Such as where the safety of passengers is paramount. Like docking under stormy conditions or as with the pandemic certain ports of call installing such harsh conditions that it would make a call at that port untenable. Where cabins are being used for those going down with covid whilst it may in the earlier days be advisable to change the location of said cabins due to access and control P&O have had plenty of time, more than 3 years, to decide where isolation cabins should be on their fleet. It is beyond comprehension that after all this time that someone books a cabin and is told they have to now move. P&O needs to get their act together.

Items such as steak were as you say available as an alternative. I remember our first cruise in 2002 onboard Victoria, for those not familiar it was a small ocean going ship, formerly the Kungsholm. We had separate beds and a port hole in our cabin which was closed going through the Bay of Biscay. An elegant ship with lots of wood and etched glass in the MDR. We had a table of six and our fellow diners were lovely people. One Gentleman told me of the fact that steaks were available if you didn't like what was on the menu. I do believe they were then of a better quality than those available in the MDR's now. But of course, you are now expected to fork out extra if you want something a bit better now.