Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

ceeceeDee

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    838

  • Joined

 Content Type 

Posts posted by ceeceeDee

    Now for something completely different

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    2 hours ago, possum52 said:

    I received my manual licence back in 1970. There weren't many automatics around back then. Other than family size cars while our children were growing up, I've always had a small car. My previous one was a Mitsubishi Mirage sedan which is slightly bigger than the hatchback version. 

    When I have a choice, I always buy a manual. Have had a couple of used cars that were auto, but I always go back to manual when I buy new. Current car is a manual Mazda 3 and I'm very happy with it. In some ways manual cars deter thieves. I read a lot of news stories where low lives have tried to steal/hijack a car only to discover it was a manual and they had no idea how to drive it.😆

    • Like 3

    Invisible Bed Bugs?!

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    17 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

    Firstly welcome to Cruise Critic.

    Secondly, I am not sure people are slating you, and while I have been lucky enough to have never encountered them, they do exist. People have been relating their experiences and I suppose speculating on if they were bed bugs or lice.

    Thirdly, I am sorry for your ordeal and subsequent humiliation.

    Well put, Mic. I agree with your comments and am certainly sorry for this lady's experience.

    • Like 6

    P&O to the rescue again.

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    22 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

    I don’t care if the media are calling them a luxury cruise line.  Just nice to read something positive about cruising in the media for once.

     

    I haven’t cruised with p & o and I am unlikely to but big kudos to them.  Rotary do great work in their communities and this group would have been in a very stressful situation.  Wonderful that p & o stepped up and is bringing them home.  

    AND it's excellent PR

    • Like 3

    P&O to the rescue again.

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    53 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

    If you ever cruise with a butler service, the main thing I have found is that they look for a tip, this is why suites with butler are not my style.

    Well, give them a tip. 'Wear clean undies every day in case you can hit by a bus' or 'Lightening Flash in the third at Randwick'. 😂

    Sorry, couldn't resist!

    • Haha 2

    Will I ever wear a suit on P&O AU?

    in P&O Cruises ( Australia )

    Posted

    The formal and theme nights are there for people to enjoy them. They are completely optional, no one is forced to participate. We love dressing for the occasion, but totally get it if it's  not someone else's cup of tea. Having said that, however, there are certain standards particularly in the evenings where shorts, thongs, tank tops and caps are really not 'smart casual' whatever definition you care to apply to the term.  

    P&O to the rescue again.

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    No, I'm not disparaging P&O either. They have their market niche and we've cruised with them often. However, they shouldn't be described in the media as a 'luxury cruise ship'. Everyone has their own ideas of course, but I envision 'luxury' as butler service, outstanding suites, huge balconies etc. (not that I've experienced - or necessarily want - any of those, it's just a perception of what 'luxury' would suggest to me) with a price tag to match. On a side note, I wouldn't have a clue what to do with a butler anyway!🤣

    • Like 2
    • Haha 1

    P&O to the rescue again.

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

    I suppose it depends on a person's version of luxury. To most of us cruisers, it isn't a luxury cruise line but for someone used to a dinghy, dugout canoe, or ferry it is.

    Actually, I nearly made mention that 'compared to a ferry................' 😂

    • Haha 1

    P&O to the rescue again.

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Aus Traveller said:

    It's great that the P&O ship has empty cabins to accommodate the group, but I wouldn't describe a P&O ship as 'luxury'.

     

    Although maybe it would be luxurious compared with the accommodation this group would have had on Tanna.

    Yes, the media always seems to refer to a 'luxury cruise ship'. (Headline for that tragic occurrence on Pacific Adventure with the a man overboard after running up a big gambling debt). I agree, AT, P&O isn't a luxury line and although facilities are reasonably comfortable it ain't exactly Viking or Silver Seas!

    • Like 1

    P&O to the rescue again.

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    16 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

    Agreed. P&O may not be my first choice, and may not be up to the same standards that other lines here can, but it still offers a good cruise experience and serves it's demographic well. Perhaps expectations just need to be adjusted.

    I've heard first hand how supportive P&O has been (Pacific Partnership programme, etc). A few years back we were on a South Pacific cruise and got chatting to a young lady working in one of the bars. She was a lovely Ni Vanuatu lass who had family living in Port Vila which had experienced a fairly bad cyclone a few months earlier. Apparently P&O not only supported staff whose families had been affected, but also the islanders with supplies and assistance. Yes, P&O needs the islands as much as the islands need the cruise ships, but P&O doesn't seem to hesitate when assistance is needed and has ongoing programmes to help the islands. P&O passengers have a bit to do with it also. Apparently $1 per passenger per cruise fare is a donation to the Pacific Partnership. I believe this has now increased to $2 per passenger (it's voluntary, you can have it removed).

    • Like 6

    Invisible Bed Bugs?!

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    We've never encountered them on any cruise (including Pacific Dawn) or hotel we have stayed in.

    Like Jean, we don't put our suitcases on the bed.

    I've read some reports where people routinely pull back the bedding and inspect the mattress when they first enter their hotel room. Probably not a bad idea.

    • Like 2

    Any one doing any Winter Cruises?

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    1 hour ago, dazadelaide said:

    Hi,

    P&O are what you make of them.

    We find them suitable for a nice easy holiday.

    The food for us is ok, really love Dragon lady would eat every item on the menu but on most cruises you can only eat there twice.

    We love decor and intimacy of Dragon lady it's dim and atmospheric in my opinion.

    Angelos is ok we usually only go there once a cruise as Italian is not our fave but the food there is tasty and worth a visit.

    The MDR in my opinion is just like having a meal at our local pub. About the same size and quality and we are always able to find a decent meal there.

    The Pantry is hit and miss. Really like The Indian and Mexican but to me the rest are so-so.

    Over the years we have cruised on Princess, Hal, a few adventure cruises and last Nov we were on Virgin from India to Singapore and all lines have their good and not so good points.

    So enjoy your cruise on P&O and just take it for what it is, a nice break away from home.

    Daz

    Agree with what you had to say re the restaurants, Daz. We avoid the Pantry as much as possible and only go there if the MDR is not open for lunch (port days usually). Having said that, the baked ham last cruise was really nice. The rest of the offerings looked a bit 'blah' to me and I avoid the salad bar because you never know who has sneezed on it or stuck their fingers in (particularly kids. Don't get me wrong, I have got nothing against kids but a lot of the time they have their minds on things other than hygiene). There was no limit on how many times we could go to Dragon Lady and Angelos on our cruise. From memory we only dined once in the MDR for dinner. Had no trouble going to Angelos multiple nights.

    • Like 1

    Any one doing any Winter Cruises?

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    16 hours ago, Cruisers47 said:

    Hi Neil,

     

    Thanks for your thoughts.   I appreciate it.   We are really RC now.  We have done over 40 cruises on various cruise lines.  We had to cancel a group of cruises we had booked because my husband got very ill and only now has he had the ok to go on one.  But the specialist said do not go overseas.   Hence P and O  this time of year.  Melbourne is cold in the winter and we so miss cruising but we will make the best of it and appreciate getting away.

     

    thanks again.

     

    eileen

    Sorry to hear your husband has been ill, Eileen. I hope you are not too disappointed with P&O. Not much choice this time of the year. As for the food ...... We did the Queensland coast on Encounter last June. Whilst I wouldn't rave about the food (except in Luke's specialty restaurant - outstanding), we didn't find it as bad as some people have reported. It's not 5 star but then P&O isn't a 5 star line. I guess it depends on your expectations. We tend to accept P&O for what it is - a budget line. Having said that, we managed to find dishes we liked (and some we didn't) over the seven days. The fact that I didn't have to cook it or clean the kitchen and the food was served by excellent wait staff went a long way to making it more enjoyable.😂 Just expect pub food and you may be pleasantly surprised.

    • Like 3
×
×
  • Create New...