Cruisemeister2002

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 do agree, it's not compulsory and I feel sure that one day as with what they now call Club Dining will completely disappear as it has on Iona and Arvia. But whilst I am not in any regards a high roller I do like Formal evenings. Not too many as sometimes P&O do tend to pack them in on some cruises. Each to their own as they say.

Sorry, my mistake. Meant Ventura.

It all harks back to the time of the White Star Line and the Titanic and Britannic. The rush to produce bigger and bigger ships. I understand from a profit point of view that you have far more balcony cabins and enlarged over all capacity and possibly the ratio of staff to passengers isn't the 50% you get on smaller ships and due to the restrictions and costs of heavy fuel oil it all makes these larger more efficient ships better for the environment in one respect, but sadly not in another where ports like Barcelona and Cozumel take many large ships which means tens of thousands possibly arriving at a port all at the same time. I prefer ships the size of Aurora, Oceana etc. But fear the days of sailing on that size of ship beyond many as the cost of cruising on a smaller ship is restrictive.

I don't know whether all cruise lines have Formal nights. But it sometimes amazes me how many people go on cruises that involve Formal nights and then don't want to dress up. I appreciate that some people that cruise don't have tuxedo's or gown's to wear. Quite a lot of men don't have patent shoes. Which is fair enough. But really there's little excuse for not having any of these items. Examples are that I got one of my tux's from a charity shop for £15. I also got patent shoes and a cummerbund on online market place sites. My wife has also bought some wonderful shoes, dresses and handbags via facebook and vintage sites and also online market sites the same as myself. In fact a lady who my wife converses with advertised a beautiful dress. My wife contacted her and she kindly sent the dress free and paid the postage as well . Can't get cheaper than that, unless someone pays you to take it away I suppose.

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

A) It depends on whose holding it for 15 minutes ? B) Not sure the wife would be too happy whoever it was.

Agree. We have only on one P&O cruise used Freedom Dining and that was on Oceana and was forced on us due to booking last minute. We prefer to dine at 8.30 p.m. that gives us time to either get back from an excursion then shower and get ready or leisurely go back to our cabin have a cuppa, then shower, get dressed whilst downing a G&T, go to a bar for a drink, then to the dining room and then at around 10.15 go to the theatre for a show.

Unfortunately a few passengers should wash their hands before they go to the toilet and you wipe your feet after going out of their front door. So I suppose anything that means you are not handling something that someone else has used makes sense.

Not sure you could call them budget, although I suppose it depends on what your personal budget is. If you compare say P&O against Saga and I am aware that Saga provides some excursions included, pick up from home to port and drinks inclusive and it would largely depend on whether you purchased things like a drinks package, used speciality restaurants regularly and took a lot of excursions with P&O prices may be slightly lower on P&O. Not really sure to be honest. But an example of how prices change I am very soon going on a 35 night cruise with P&O on an inside cabin. The cost just for the cruise is just over £6,000 for the two of us. In 2024 there is a cruise up the East Coast of America for 30 nights. The cost cruise only around £8,500 again a inside cabin.

I must admit due to having a cruise in the very near future I find getting all documentation, apps and everything else associated with having a cruise these days more of a chore than a pleasure. It used to be that tickets and labels were sent to you. Now you have to print them off. Covid passes need endless proof of identity. You need a lateral flow test 3 days before the cruise with proof of who you are and the date visible. We used to receive information on excursions in a brochure, now it's online. Where some excursions such as DisneyWorld included tickets to the park only a coach to and from the park is provided, but of course charged for. Therefore unless you want to queue to get in you have to go online and obtain tickets where a day pass for The Magic Kingdom is in excess of £150 per person. You need to take masks and hand sanitiser with you. How long before they switch the engines off and send passengers to the depths of the ship where you are invited to place an oar through holes in the hull and row yourself to a destination. Don't forget to pack clothing suitable for this task.

Tiredness might be a problem driving and my sense of direction is not the best. We have tried National Express, but that means changing in London (Not us, the coach) and then getting a taxi to the port in Southampton. We have tried the train and staying in an hotel the previous night. Neither times a very good experience as one hotel we didn't arrive at until early hours of the morning and the other hotel, unknown to us, was on a very busy road where police cars with sirens wailing regularly passed during the night. That's without the general traffic.

If I have and gripes about a cruise I have had I write to P&O Carnival House Southampton. I have never as yet had anything negative about the response I get. It has either been in the form of a refund, OBC or a hamper. I am not one of the "Big Hitters" who takes a cruise. If it was the Titanic I'd be Steerage class so therefore there's no ulterior motive for P&O to satisfy my complaint.

I love going to the US, but being a bit of a restless human being I do get bored, not so much the sailing across the pond, more the journey back as I really wish once the ports of call are over that I was home. Unfortunately the wife can't fly otherwise I think I would consider flying back. Not only that but once we had gone through the rigmarole of disembarking we then have to get a coach, sometimes waiting for late returners and then a five hour journey followed by a further 40 minute car ride. We have tried all manner of making both the journey to and from Southampton easier. But there really isn't an easier way. Part of the reason we never do a cruise of less than 14 days.

I suppose it's either a case of larger ships or more expensive cruises and seeing as P&O don't seem intent on competing with the like of Saga or other more upmarket cruise lines smaller ships especially those 20 years or more old will disappear. The likes of Aurora , Oriana and Oceana will sadly no longer have cruise ships modelled on them, both from a aesthetically and size wise design.

Yes, but only if the nurse comes with you.

Staysure is who I have been with the last couple of years. Well years not as in January to December as we were due to go on a cruise in February this year and were covered through from last year. Due to P&O changing the itinerary but allowing us to either have extra OBC, a complete refund or to take a different cruise we went for the same cruise but next year. Sadly lost out insurance wise though as they deem the fact that the ship sailed as not being a cancellation. Have now paid £650 two years running and got nothing for it so Staysure is on the backburner.

Do you know if it includes ex Civil Servants who worked for the MOD ?

I am not a legal eagle or anything like that. But I would think that if you could prove your cabin was resold then there is absolutely no reason why P&O or any cruise line can deny a person deemed unable to travel by them at least a partial refund. Since we have had to endure Corona Virus it has been both stressful and lifechanging not only for passengers, but also cruise lines and whilst I can see that the fallout has been devastating for cruise companies. Carnival Share prices down from around £40 to as low as just over £5. It has been equally hard for passengers. Now we return to something bordering normal. But there are still big problems. Lack of staff, corona virus still with us and this huge problem which rolls on in one form or another. Firstly we had passengers put ashore with no real idea as to who would cover their costs and added to this we now have these instances where passengers are being denied their cruise for being truthful and subsequently losing out big time because neither the cruise company or the insurance companies will take responsibility. It really is time something was sorted. We seem to be in an age where everyone passes the buck.

Hi everyone. I realise that sometimes I'm a bit of a devil at being a bit cheeky quite often and hope that everyone takes it in the manner it's supposed to be. A bit of fun. But I do have a serious question and that is "Does anyone know the best insurance cover for underlying health conditions" as both myself, prostate cancer . high blood pressure and high cholesterol and my wife has fibro myalgia, type 2 diabetes, irregular heart beat. Therefore it would be good to know which is the best and least expensive cover. The last two times I have taken out insurance it came to £650 each time and for one reason or another we never got to cruise.

I do that on most of our cruises. I usually wear a dress shirt twice and as I only have three that's six nights. Then get them all laundered If as I believe our 35 night cruise next year will have around 7 or possible 8 formals that leaves one for the extra one or two nights and two to pack clean. Bet you look great in those black silk pants and sequinned top. Surprised they allowed you in the MDR like that though. I went in my boxer shorts and they turned me away.

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.