Interestedcruisefan

Ive booked standard But have bid 880 each to upgrade to upper class We've got an overnight flight so would like some sleep on a flat bed after having some nice food and drinks. And would like a special flight out as we've worked really hard the last few weeks and done well with our business. We set ourselves a target for sales and beat it. And the reward was to at least try and get upper class But if we lose that's 1760 pounds extra to spend on stuff in Capetown and beyond So I'm happy either way

I only eat fillet steak not sirloin Might occasionally have a ribeye!! Lol I'm only half joking. I'm willing to at least attempt asking for 3 sirloin on Arvia though on behalf of the forum when I'm there in Feb!! Just to see what they say!!

Won't be long til you are above your Christmas weight then We go to Cape Town and South Africa for a month on Thursday!! Waiting to find out if I've won my upper class seats auction bid on Virgin!! Should find out soon!!!

We've been to St Lawrence Gap during the day but not at night. Lots of bars and restaurants - great place and would go back. It's a lively marina type place. Also been to Oistens Fish Fry on Friday night. Here its busier, loud music, market stalls and streetfood type stalls with lots of sit down tables near the street food. One big party. Would go back as well. Both great but the bucket list one for me has to be the fish fry. It's unique and almost magical I would say. As long as you don't mind some hustle and bustle at certain times. Felt perfectly safe at both places. But obviously keep your wallet/bag safe like any busy place. If you go to the fish fry the ship do trips but also towards the end of Friday as you head back on board it easy to ask the taxi drivers for a price. Takes 45 mins ish I seem to remember to get there. Can't remember what we paid. But we shared with another couple. Loads of people from the cruise ships head there.

Zap should ask for three then and see if any eyelids get batted then? In fact which of us wants to be the first to try that??

Would be doing buffet lunch today. Fish pie or curry lunch isn't for me Dinner looks ok though

Fair enough But I'm not sure how having to get to a theatre 30 mins plus before a shows starts to queue for seats that aren't pre-booked does anything but make lack of time even worse for you John?

With pre theatre booking we've never encountered the only seats being left in the middle of the rows and having to cross people The opposite in fact We used to encounter that without pre-booking I remember I think the margin for error plus maybe some not making it allows for plenty of seats to choose from 90 per cent of the time even for 5 mins before and they fill from both sides Rarely gaps in the middle ?

Now that's a different matter entirely though John? We dine with more than enough time for making the theatre Sometimes (rarely) it might be a long meal and we might forego cocktails on the way But never missed a show yet We dine early though and don't share tables so we don't have issues having to watch the clock nowadays Even dining early we did have to watch the clock in the past as we knew we had to head to the theatre 30 mins plus in advance to be sure of a seat And that could impact even a 6.30pm meal

Those pics look great I think some restaurant and hotel booking systems can prompt waiting staff for returning clients with reminders etc But also some waiting staff can remember without Also I stayed in a medium sized 5 star hotel once and had just checked in and was walking down the corridor to find my room and the general manager was walking the other way He asked me what room number I was looking for and when I told him he immediately knew my name and addressed me by it (I had never stayed there before) The most impressive thing I've known in a hotel ever! So either he takes time every day to match names to room numbers or someone played a magic trick on me that day The Hotel was Tylney Hall in Hampshire. Not sure if its now 4 star? It was 15 years ago ish

Ps I'm more than happy to sign a petition asking for the above not to happen on Maleth

Things would have to be super bad on one cruise ship or spectacular on another for me to prefer one week on one cruise ship over 2 weeks on another Having said that - when I spend big money on a Michelin meal I justify it by saying I would rather eat that meal once than 3 or 4 average meals elsewhere But I've never not really enjoyed a cruise yet tbh whoever we've sailed with and wherever we've sailed Then again we try to find and use all the best places on all the ships we go on So we always enjoy them So far!!! Azamara 12 nights from Cape Town coming later this month

It's also why I would be devastated if they ever take theatre pre-booking away from Arvia and Iona I love my calm and nicely planned organised nights on those ships with time for cocktails, a nice meal without rushing and a leisurely walk to the theatre Followed by a short wait for the show to start A perfect night on a cruise ship for us. Without any stress Only possible due to pre-booking theatre Don't ever take us back into the dark ages on the big ships please P and O!! And maybe it's time to look at what's happening on the older ships I expect they have to weigh up how many complain about having to use an app compared to how many complain about the theatres being full so early and it's who shouts the loudest wins!! I bet they would even have some complain about both without realising not having the app causes the shutouts so early!! Lol A real downside of cruising that shouldn't still be happening IMO

The fact Limelight pretty much sells out every cruise now from very early on shows how much people enjoy both the food and the shows and either book early and/or recommend to friends Any negative reports we see are far far outweighed by positive ones And by and large the staff clearly know how to manage things well in there now after so much practise Many of the acts are tried and tested. Not only good but good enough for people to want to go and see them again and again

This doesn't surprise me at all It's what I've always NOT enjoyed about cruising prior to app booking for the theatre on all cruise lines we've used It's a vicious circle as well - as now that's happening people will just arrive earlier and earlier to secure seats So next time anyone tells me on here that theatre seating on cruise ships works perfectly well without pre-booking I can refer them to your experience and don't have to tell them it just happened to me all the time before app booking was introduced It's a real shame it's like that With pre-booking once that show was full people could have planned their nights much more nicely to either watch the later performance or not at all - rather than find themselves shut out with late notice And the guests filling the theatre by 30 mins before the show starts needn't have got there so early. I wonder what time they started to arrive? Most have them will have rushed other things to do that as well It's a totally uncivilized way of doing things in this day and age IMO And so unnecessary Plus for those who like "spontaneity" who cares - clearly anyone choosing to go last minute wouldn't have been spontaneously getting in anyway!! It's outdated and would be very offputting to new cruisers let alone experienced cruisers It's kind of unacceptable in this day and age to allow mini chaos like that (which it undoubtedly is) to happen So predictable Lol - reading that has got me all stressed and I'm not even impacted by it!!

Quick start a petition for P and O to not use Virgin either Or 737 Max Or give anyone seat 26a on any type of plane With or without exit plugs. Just in case 26a is an unlucky seat

Lol Some people have nothing better to do I guess

Wow that's more than 6k more than we are planning to pay for our inside saver for the same cruise However, I totally understand you will have cabin requirements to help your wife

It's just general seating you can pre-book which works for us as we like to arrive as late as poss. It's not designed seats just availability you are pre-booking Passengers who need accessible seats on here will advise to just arrive earlier (they open the doors 30 mins before) to ensure you get a space Shame they can't yet let people reserve disabled seats like the rest of us can reserve seats IMO

Is that 300 pounds per person compensation? The worst ones are the ones that allow you to arrive with just less than 3 hours delay aren't they. And no compensation It's based on landing time I think. Some can take off 4 hrs late but land less than 3 hrs late and catch you out Am I correct above? 600 pounds per couple compensation they can claim ? To help make up for 4.5 hrs hanging around? Providing they claim it? Edit ive just checked and due to the flight being over 3,500kms if it lands 4 hrs or more late (which will be possible) then they can claim 520 pounds each 1040 pounds compensation per couple!! That's a lot of cocktails!! If 3 to 4 hours late its 260 each for that distance flight If it's the airlines fault which it appears to be and not weather related delay

They've made some effort there And I've paid not much less than that for a bottle of water in the motorway services!!

2 of the 4oz ones for you then zap?? I'm sure they would

Looking again it does look ok Asparagus soup Steak pie and mash Rhubarb and ginger crumble with vanilla ice cream I'm initially thinking that's a lot of calories. But I no doubt eat far more in the buffet The MDR lunches actually do make sense on sea days when there's plenty of time to enjoy them

I guess everyone knows this already but when you can't decide on what to have we've never been refused 2 starters and 2 desserts. When I say we - I mean me most of the time!! Lol Albeit my wife sometimes asks for a dessert and cheese and again we've never been turned down Makes MDR even better when that's possible More like a tasting menu. Don't think I've ever asked for 2 mains but maybe I have at some stage?? Lol And of course they will always add ice cream to another dessert if you ask

It strikes me that lunch in MDR on P and O is purely for the calm experience of being served at the table Which does appeal to many I guess. Albeit lunch in the buffet would provide more choices. We may try though. We really enjoyed the MDR evening calmness on our last cruise. On a warm cruise sea day is it ok for shorts and t-shirt for MDR lunch selbourne?