Cruisemeister2002

In all honesty I personally don't notice the difference whether I am forward, Aft or mid. Although many will say mid is where you should aim for if you are a bit queezy if it's rough. Funnily enough me and the wife go on a cruise shortly and I booked a forward cabin. But due to what I believe to be in the event of covid cases and isolation we have been moved down a couple of decks to a mid location cabin.

Thanks Jane. Bit strange that. My wife's name is Jane and my ex wife was Jane also. I must be the man working on the Jane gang ? When we do the pick up at Newmarket as I say usually about 8.45 to 9 a.m. we don't normally get to Southampton until 3 ish.

We are shortly going on a cruise on Ventura and our check in time is12.15. This is our first cruise since 2018 and obviously many things have changed. We pick up a coach at 8.15 from Newmarket. Normal times in the past have been 8.45 to 9 a.m. so a bit earlier than usual. But don't see in view of the number of pick ups enroute and a usual 1 hr stop at South Mimms how we could possibly be at Southampton docks by 12.15. Any ideas anyone as to whether the check in time is the earliest time of embarkation ? Obviously it cannot be a fixed time as P&O wouldn't be aware of road works, traffic etc.

Never had a drinks package and probably never will. Not that I have anything against those that do. But my wife and I (Sounds posh, but I'm not) aren't big drinkers. I am considering a wine package ( which incidentally contradicts what I have previously said) of 12 Bottles of Captains choice. For a forthcoming cruise. But rather than pre-book will decide when getting on board and seeing the prices of wine on the menu. If anyone has a copy of current prices would be grateful. When I say I wouldn't buy a drinks package it would be the one that's just under £40 per day. I will be taking the allowance of a 1 litre bottle of spirits onboard as will the wife. Our usual drinking habits would be a beer/G&T afternoon, maybe two if watching a football match, back to the cabin late afternoon and after a shower and in the process of getting dressed for the evening a G&T or Vodka and Tonic. Then to a bar about an hour before our evening meal and then either take a drink through to our table or a drink at the table with an occasional bottle of wine every few nights with our meal. From the MDR or speciality dining venue to the theatre show, then on most evenings back to our cabin. But occasionally if a cabaret artist we like we would go from the show to that venue. Sometimes having another drink, sometimes not.

Did you by any chance sail on Oriana the year it came out of Miami and shortly after the Captain announced that they had a fire onboard, which apparently was quickly extinguished but they had to inform the coastguard whereupon we had to return to Miami. We shunted down somewhere where we docked and were met by quite a few police cars and had to remain overnight, missing Key West. Which didn't go down particularly well with some passenger. Mind you missing Key West seems a regular occurrence as we missed it again another time due to the weather as it's a tender job and a cruise we go on soon has already taken Key West off the itinerary for what reason I don't now. It's now become a sea day.

You mentioning Caf'e Bordeaux reminds of a cruise we took several years ago. We were in the MDR at a table of 8, a lovely Scottish couple, and two other couples who's only intent seemed to be to outdo each other by using the Caf'e Bordeaux as some sort of oneupmanship status symbol. I found it quite funny and I believe the Scottish couple were on the same wavelength as we were. Don't get me wrong we like to now and again go to Sindu or wherever. But I really don't consider that I am special in any way because I go to those venues. We also had a lady and gent who was given a couple of sachet's of drinking chocolate and my wife explained to her how to use them. The lady was very critical of the fare served up in the Main Dining Room and insisted that they go to one of the restaurants where you pay an extra cover fee as in her opinion the MDR fare was way below Cunard.

I totally agree, My wife often come's out with the comment "He must be mad" when seeing someone walking about in shorts in the middle of winter. I wear shorts and hope to in a week or so's time when we'll be in the Caribbean and on deck get a bit of much needed sun. But I won't and don't expect other passengers to be wearing shorts in the MDR. But then I am at the old fart time of life and if you don't have the crotch of your trousers near your knees and your usual attire isn't tracky bottoms then I suppose in the words of my yoof I'm not groovy man.

Don't get me wrong. I am certainly not a snob. But to me formal nights, whilst I don't want too many are part of the enjoyment. I am aware that to many it's perhaps old hat and they prefer a more casual type holiday. I think companies like P&O needs to decide which way they are going and stick to it. Inevitably it will alienate some whilst others will jump onboard. Perhaps an idea would be to have a ship or ships dependant on demand with formal evenings and make it clear that dressing up will need to be adhered to except in a couple of venues. Then the remainder of the fleet does away with them entirely. The only problem with this suggestion is the itinerary's may or may not be what the individual wants.

And a tee shirt with dickie bow tie and black patent shoes.

Believe me you don't end up looking like the Artful Dodger buying charity shop clothes. Only a few months ago I bought a pair of jeans for £6.99 they still had the original £30 price tag on them. By the way, not all my clothes come from charity shops. Just the odd new and generally unworn stuff.

Glad I can answer this as I have been on this type of cruise you talk about. Three times in fact and we are due on another shortly. Due to the pandemic our 35 nighter was cancelled in 2021, then in 2022 due to changes made by P&O to the itinerary meaning all US destinations were eliminated we were given the option to have £400 extra onboard, cancel and get our money back or change to a future cruise which is why we go next month. In answer to your question my wife doesn't mind the sea days whereas I get a bit bored. Not so much on the way out, more the way home as it's six days to Ponta Del Garda from Port Canaveral and a further three days to Southampton. The wife reads, whereas I just look at the pictures. I can read newspapers and magazines from cover to cover, but fictional books are completely out for me. Sea days are spent in the crows nest, cinema, watching football, listening to speakers, having a snoozing, getting ready for the evening whilst having and G&T, go to a bar for another drink, then to dinner and a show or club afterwards. It really depends on how restless you are. If I could I would sail out and fly back. It really is a personal thing.

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.