J110

Replying to host Sharon

Hi Sharon thank you for post.

we are on Aurora first time soon for med. cruise so really good to know 😀

Hi There I’m really sorry to hear you didn’t have a good cruise. Please do report through the usual channels though as there is no excuse for rudeness and we have never experienced anything like that.

I have not had the same experience as the last 2 posts though.

We have been twice now since lockdown ended but not on Iona. Cruises before we really enjoyed. Plenty of staff and any issues re cabin promptly dealt with by steward who was brilliant.

Reception staff can be a different matter though.

Since lockdown have been on  Sky Princess with a new crew. Ship no way full which probably helped.Cabin steward appeared and did say he was covering many floors - we had treated ourselves to a suite this time as so cheap but we really didn’t need him much. MDR had some very rude waiters though which we did complain about as did others.

App to register to board was a pain but did work eventually and on board Princess it was great for us .Worked brilliantly on deck and by pool area.

— However Waiters weren’t sure if we’d ordered drinks via app or wanted serving so sometimes it seemed like it was a lot longer to wait than usual. Everything was with a smile though.

Brittania in Oct was just about ok but a lot of crew were waiting to go home as contracts were ending after the upcoming transatlantic.

We always book direct with select fare and choose cabin. Usually by phone — Just our preference and we don’t select upgrade as we prefer to be just either side of mid and between passenger decks.

Crows nest staff were brilliant and plenty of them. Many had been with p and o some time. Brodies bar had a lot less staff than usual . Crystal room bar was often closed early. Main complaint was how cold the theatre was.
Ship though was not quite full but about 80% as they had picked up some passengers who had been cancelled from Ventura.

Plenty of staff on duty in buffet but Epicurean service was slow and Glass house food a bit disappointing.

One main restaurant was still closed which caused chaos but staff did say if app wasn’t working properly just to pop down and they would sort for us.

—- sorry this is a bit longer than planned but— 

I do wonder though if as the ships are getting busier the new staff are struggling to cope and there are still not enough to cover. I believe they still quarantine for a period once they get on board. It was 2 weeks.
Many would have had the luxury of working on only part filled ships for some time. I have seen other reports where people thought there were a lot of staff on Iona so it is odd unless they have been transferred elsewhere or are ill.

We have 2 cruises booked this year with P and O due mainly to cruise credit from cancellations so we will see what happens but none on Iona as it is too big for what we need but should have been great for families.

One is very soon and other early September so will post findings.
 

Hi Camilla 

Unfortunately even saga won’t cover until diagnosis.-it is in questions and answers on their website—  if they won’t cover then I don’t think anyone will.

as said already it is approx £25k to evacuate someone from ship then medical bills on top.

Really not cheap and it does happen.

We are going 5th May

have just booked appointments at local Lloyds chemist after 3pm day before as a back up in case problems re below tests. Really easy to follow on website. Results and cert. will be issued in 20 mins. Make sure you search and follow the link to fit to fly lateral flow test In store - £29.99 each otherwise it takes you to the normal ones.

you book appointment at nearest store but don’t pay until you arrive.

you will get an email confirmation of appointment with details.
 

I have also ordered through Medicspot tests to home as website says results in  20 mins and our local chemist who use medicspot re appointments say they work well. Option of Royal Mail delivery within 2 days for £2 extra or free for 3-5 working days. Tests cost £11.99 each and you can order a spare in case of an inconclusive result for an extra £6.99.

Email conf. has already come through with details and both myself and my husband will use same email and phone re results just like we did when we last flew.

Hope this helps.

Hi Molecrochip

the confusion is that 1 part of p and o’ s website has changed to the day before as others have stated but tucked away in another part is this which they have forgotten to update.

if you follow the wrong link on the details of testing pages it can be confusing.

if anyone knows anyone at p and o please can they update this as well then confusion may be over😊

I am due to sail on Aurora early May and glad topic has been raised. 

What I need  p and o to clarify - and have sent them a DM - is should test be within 24 hours I.e. 1day or anytime the day prior to sailing . It makes a huge difference.

hope they clarify soon.

Thank you - we are forward of mid ship lifts and nothing changed in booking so 🤞for another 3+ weeks . First time on Aurora - booked for itinerary so long ago 😊

Spain is an awkward one still and needs constant checking.Another cruise line from the uk disembarked positive cases to a hotel just last week. They did actually post it on social media themselves with full details amazingly.

at least it stops speculation.

Hi Gizmo

do you know what deck on Aurora. We are on in 3 weeks - so far no cabin change .🤞.  Mid ship sup.deluxe balcony booked deck 10.

Replying to molecrochip

The other reason given  is that they are also having trouble getting replacement crew to ships re airline cancellations and disruptions . 
not just staff covid absences . 

Hi Sharon 

on Brittania in Oct the quarantine zone was definitely  aft on deck 14 as we couldn’t use aft stairs or lifts. Whole section closed off.

not sure if they used 1 other deck though as well.

sorry can’t be more helpful

Hi Jeanlyon

we are on the Aurora 19 days in May and as of today  it is still going. Unless this has happened in the last few hours.
they have cancelled June cruises

Hi all

yesterday Dave Monk - blogger and journalist posted on twitter that the cruises cancelled were

J205 J 206 J 207 J208 J209 J210 and J 211 due to staff shortages re Covid.

No mention of the legionnaires issue anywhere except Arcadia Jottings.

Aurora  cancellations so far in June are due to a delayed regular inspection in dry dock.

it was originally supposed to happen in JanFeb.

I believe most cruise lines are trying to cut back on plastic bottles toiletries and  are using refillable bottles - cuts back on plastic and waste. We didn’t miss the turndown or lack of chocs. on Brittania in Oct as happy to have fewer visits to cabin. No problem re towel changes - just asked housekeeping and left used ones in bath.

Our main gripe was they still had one of the MDR closed yet ship was fairly full as they had accommodated some passengers who had cabins cancelled on Ventura the week before. It made booking early dining times very difficult.

I am sure some things will return - we still had bottle of bubbly - and I believe they will still vary as to cabin grade and loyalty tier but these things are also the same at the moment in some 4 and 5 star hotels for now.

For example in Madeira in feb. 5* hotel less tea etc.put in room and no turndown.

they said again it was to keep visits to room to as few as possible and they want less waste . Plus they weren’t fully stocked yet as still waiting for orders to arrive so no nuts out on tables in the bar - weird but true as mostly everything imported from the mainland.

Weather was fab that week though so we were mostly out.

Like  cruise companies many hotels have suffered badly from Covid and are still not back to normal.

We have 2 cruises booked this year - our first Aurora cruise as Iona and Arvia are far too big for what we want and then 3 more so will see what happens after last cruise this year.

Really wish p and o would do a fare like princess plus though as that worked so well on our cruise. A real mix of ages on Sky Princess too plus the app worked really well.

We had to moved a Baltic cruise and noticed that Aurora does Tangier and Casablanca April 24- chose that -  so far away but at least some new ports.

Hi There 

l know this is the p and o board but Princess are doing a really good itinerary to the fjords and north  cape this spring also from Southampton.