Interestedcruisefan

If you are paying inside prices 50 per person Cruising for a month with all your food included is now cheaper than renting a flat and paying energy bills in London!! (If you did £50 per person per night cruises all year and you just drank water and other included soft drinks then you are looking at £36k per year for two people to just live on a cruise ship?) With some launderette costs to add on?

I've cruised on Azura, Britannia and Arvia Arvia significantly the bigger ship with significantly more passengers Yet had the least queues and never any problems at all findings seats Must be design and layout I often see people worried about cruising on bigger ships My take is that although you may be on a bigger ship if the design is well executed and space is well used wherever you are at the time on the ship doesn't need to feel like you are cruising with more passengers than on smaller ships People choose their favourite places to be on a big ship and enjoy them Like I say the buffet and The Quays on Arvia both worked really really well And it appears better than on the smaller ships based on comments above?

100 per cent agree with both those posts above Cut the chat and start singing and dancing sooner Which I think they may have already done with Festival as I say above

Maybe they've cut down the dialogue now? Wasn't much in the Arvia version Not enough to detract from the singing and dancing too much Certainly not compared to the Spaceman show in the skydome that was certainly way too cheesy and too much dialogue still

It's working out to £71 per person per night for us By my reckoning: Breakfast is worth £15 per day Lunch £20 per day Late afternoon snack £12 per day Dinner £30 per day Gym access £5 per day Entertainment £20 per day Total £102 each per day Less £71 each we are paying So by my reckoning P and O are actually paying us £31 EACH per day to travel all the way to Norway and back and sleep in Ionas cabins and use her facilities Lol

I've just finally booked this cruise now 20th May 7 nights from Southampton Iona Booked with a lovely travel agent we met on board our Arvia cruise who was travelling with cruise YouTube vlogger hollydaysatsea She managed to get us an extra discount so my wife and I are getting 7 nights in an inside saver for exactly £500 per person We will be up very early and on the decks every day to ensure we don't miss any of the views by not having a balcony Can't wait I feel another live thread coming on!! Lol Can Iona in the Fjords match her younger sister Arvia in the Caribbean? Great chance to compare the entertainment as well

Yes I didn't really mention the atrium much but there was always a lot happening in there as well (lots of pianist events) also Brodies seemed to have lots of quizzes happening. And there was always entertainment in the Club House and skydome as well in the evenings You certainly won't have any time to get bored! The talks organised by the Art Gallery were also very interesting As was a talk by the fitness instructor that I attended. About improving your health If you enjoy the cruise just half as much as we did it will be great We are re-booking the same cruise on arvia next year I've just this morning confirmed a May cruise on Iona

In February we waited 30 mins on the plane for steps to arrive 5 mins on the tarmac for our coach (lots of coaches were stacked up nearby) Then we waited 30 mins before the coach left the airport (not sure why but it seemed the policy for all the coaches to do that) 20 ish minute drive to the ship Once at the ship we walked straight into the building where you check In and go through security and wasn't much of a queue It took about 10 mins to get through check in and security So 5 minutes in the sun during that time. Never even thought about needing a sun hat tbh

Festival on Arvia is the best show I've seen on numerous cruises on numerous lines by a ships entertainment team Can't be the same show you guys have seen? Maybe the singer's and dancers on Arvia are better?

Maybe they have to make it expensive to keep the numbers down for those who do want to access it? With the ship being so big?

Back on topic To the OP I think you will have a great time with your teenage daughter and her friend on the trip Plenty of things to do on the ship and plenty of food and entertainment options And if you can't book something you want online go and see the restaurant or venue manager and ask if they can help The staff are great and want to impress you if they can

There's a lot thats improved In the world and on cruiselines. Including P and O Old fashioned ways aren't always the best I used to worry about "kids of today" There's bad apples of course like always But kids of today are far brighter and way more enlightened about stuff (in positive ways) than we ever were when we were kids The things some people wish still happened on cruises probably date as far back as to colonial times tbh

Retreat is all day access?? Maybe the spa facilities might be 2 hr access? Perhaps they are 2 different things you must be looking at?

So it's £350 to spend on chips for the casino? Are there any restrictions or rules on what you can do with it? And how long did you have to play each day and how long were you on the cruise for to be entitled to that letter and £350 credit? Sorry for all the questions

So you dont have to book direct with P and O? You could have booked the next cruise with an agent etc?

We've used the retreat on azura (It was cheaper then as well) We felt the same day about the food options. If you only eat what's provided in the retreat then you are missing out on better lunches and snacks outside. IMO. But of course you can go outside as well Something else relevant is that although there should always be space in the retreat and it's certainly way less packed in than the rest of the ship. There are without doubt best places to be. Some places won't be in the sun. Some of the sun loungers are too close to the glass etc. Like everywhere else on the ship. So just like the rest of the ship you still face having to get there as soon as it's open (not sure when that is tbh) to get the best spot to sunbathe We are early risers now. We get up early secure best spaces for us outside of the retreat and spend what we've saved by not using the retreat on frozen cocktails in the swim up bar at the back of Arvia. Which is normally unexpectedly quiet and serene. I assumed there would be lots of people in that swim up bar all of the time

Isn't the British traditional idea of a sail away party not much more than drinking a glass of champagne and waving to people as you leave! (With a brass band playing if there's the budget for one?)

There were no themed nights on my recent Arvia Caribbean 2 week cruise Just 2 celebration nights I noticed Caribbean shirts were worn a lot throughout the cruise though

Lol

And with teenage daughters I'm sure they won't be looking for what could probably be called staid and old fashioned cruising like in the old days. And prefer the energy of a more modern cruise Albeit there is still a place for old fashioned and refined as well I totally understand that. I'm happy to experience that myself at times. But modern cruising offers many advantages as well that should not be looked down on or dismissed The teenage daughters will certainly appreciate the progress cruises have made I'm sure The new P and O has got a long way to go to match the vibe on Carnival ships though

I've cruised Carnival twice. They have a really happy atmosphere on their cruises IMO People who really want to make the most of their holiday and enjoy every minute Very much depends on your mindset and age I believe Ive cruised only for 15 years approx. I believe during that time cruise offerings and options have improved whilst costs have significantly decreased in real terms Facilities and options on ships have significantly improved What some call decline I call progress But everybody is entitled to their own opinion on that of course

What do you play ?

Think the previous poster is suggesting he can't use the letters as it's so hard to book disabled cabins?

So you can't just play for an hour then ask for a letter I guess!

Do they only give you letters if you are losing In the casino with them? Lol