ceeceeDee

Good old P&O, you see it all.😂

I'm sure a lot of people would be very happy if you do.🙂 Enjoy your cruise.

As far as I am aware, as from May 3 the drinks prices are going up (at least the drinks package prices are) on P&O, so I don't think anyone will have an up to the minute price list yet. However, judging by what is listed on the new drinks packages and the 'up to' limit of the basic alcohol package (which is fairly indicative of average prices of cocktails etc, though some cocktails for instance are several dollars dearer than the majority in our experience) the following will give you at least an indication: P&O Drinks Package This package includes selected 425ml draft, bottled and canned beer and cider, wine by the glass up to the value of $13, spirits up to the value of $14, and cocktails up to the value of $17. So, on our last cruise (on Encounter, but the prices are the same across the three ships to my knowledge) a year ago with P&O, the price of most cocktails was $16 (which was the 'up to' limit on the basic alcohol package. Dearer ones were around $18). So I guess, the 'up to' limit on the new package is an indicator of what you will be up for. Just for reference, below are the prices for the new 'plus' drinks package: P&O Plus Drinks Package This package includes our full range of 425ml draft, bottled and canned beer and cider, wine and Champagne by the glass up to the value of $19, spirits up to the value of $18 and cocktails up to the value of $20. Sorry I can't be more specific, but hope this helps.

Ouch!!!

We haven't quite made it to trying 8 cruise lines, but as you say, Gwendy, P&O is close to home and cheap. Also very convenient for a quick getaway if one feels inclined. Cunard is much more formal and 'traditional' so of course it attracts a totally different demographic to P&O (or RCL and Carnival, etc for that matter). Absolutely nothing wrong with that, it is just a case of 'horses for courses'. Families looking for a cheap holiday with the kids generally gravitate to P&O for its water slides and flying fox, kids' clubs et al (if they want to spend a bit more it's RCL and Carnival). You don't usually find 'party animals' on Cunard or Viking for instance, though they're often found on P&O (not necessarily knocking the partying crowd, just making an observation). The demographic on Viking is worlds away with no one under 18 and no Casino. I mention that as an illustration that there are alternative choices when it comes to cruise lines. The point is, if some cruise lines don't align with what one is looking for in a cruise, chalk it up to experience and choose others that will provide the demographic and experience you seek. Sorry Encounter (not Endeavour, btw) didn't meet your expectations, Baz. It's always disappointing not to enjoy your experience. P&O is obviously not your cup of tea. Everyone has their own requirements and expectations and that's the way it should be. It would be a very boring world if we were all the same.

Absolutely, but also a HUGE difference in the cruise fare! You really can't compare a budget cruise line to Cunard. It's like comparing first class to bottom of the line economy on an aircraft.😂 Even with nickel and diming (and let's face it most cruise lines are doing it), P&O is probably the cheapest option out there. When we choose to sail with them we set the bar for our expectations fairly low and the experience is usually above our expectations - so far. 'Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances'.🙂

The sofas on P&O and RCL aren't bad either, though RCL's are a little firmer. Have been known to take a nap on both whilst allegedly reading a book.😴

Being hunted down and killed off by the Almighty Dollar! 😟

We did Brisbane to Houston in economy. Not ideal, but bearable and we very quickly recovered in a good hotel with minimum jet lag. We tried to time sleeping on the plane to Houston local time and it seemed to work. With delays and plane changes we were 27 hours start to finish. 😒

I dare say Gwendy had her tongue implanted in cheek with her comment. Either way, she has a point, there are some cruisers who would feel 'cheated' if they didn't down the limit of their drink package. I'm fairly certain there were a lot of pax 'going for gold' on our last P&O cruise who were six deep at the bar on the Lido deck when the State of Origin was on the big screen (and I'm NOT saying that footy fans necessarily drink more than other people). One of the reasons we avoided the the Lido on that occasion. We did see a few tired and emotional pax on our way elsewhere and there were some obviously seriously hung over people expiring on the pool loungers the next morning. Providing they don't impact my enjoyment of the cruise, I'm not really bothered. Honestly, there are heaps of other types of cruisers who are a pain the the whatsit. Those who are incredibly entitled and rude to crew, those who complain about every little thing, those who spend the entire cruise informing anyone within earshot that such and such a cruise line is better than P&O (why sail with P&O then??!! Takes me all my time not to say exactly that to them), the list goes on. As I said in a previous post, I usually don't go within a bull's roar of 15 alcoholic drinks a day, but still get my money's worth out of a drink package with barista coffees (I'm a big coffee drinker), bottles of water and drinking the more expensive cocktails and glasses of wine.

We did have a bit of a giggle after we boarded the cruise in Miami. We were talking to a few Americans and they were lamenting that they had to get up at some ungodly hour and drive 3 hours to the port. In our best laid back Aussie manner we casually remarked 'We're hearing you. We were 27 hours getting here'. The look on their faces was priceless! 😂 Never say 'never again', Gwendy! The overseas travel siren of the seas will get you every time!🤣

We love the convenience of driving to the port. Saves air fares and accommodation at either end of the cruise. Our last overseas cruise was out of Miami and it was 27 hours between boarding the flight in Brisbane and landing in Miami. Exhausting. Fortunately we had 4 days in Miami before boarding the cruise so we had time to recover.

Well, that would be irritating to say the very least! We've been fortunate enough not to come across overly inebriated yobs on any of our P&O cruises. (Mind you, we steer clear of the Lido deck at peak times). There was one cruise where we came across one of the overly lubricated who seemed to want to attach himself to us but we escaped fairly rapidly the first time and went into stealth mode when we saw him coming on subsequent occasions. 😂 Just as a matter of interest, were you on short cruises? The 3 and 4 day ones seem to attract the party animals. We tend to take longer cruises (7-12 days) which in our experience appears to attract a different demographic or maybe we are just lucky. Mind you, if there are wall to wall (rail to rail?) drunks, what happened to the responsible service of alcohol? 🙄

Definitely sounds like a plan!😉

Woah, Gwendy, that's a bit harsh!😂 (Probably true in some quarters, however 🙄). I manage to get my money's worth on a drinks package without drinking anywhere near 15 alcoholic drinks a day. Several barista coffees (I like to stay well caffeinated), the higher end cocktails and higher end wines by the glass and several bottles of water easily surpasses the daily cost of the package.

The pill or the cruise or both?!🤭

You'll be fine Julie. After all, it's not your first rodeo!😉 Wishing you an absolutely wonderful trip and I'm sure everyone here will be looking forward to hearing all about it!

We don't bother with slippers. Our rubber thongs just do double duty - slippers and poolside footwear. And we're cheapos - the thongs are P&O (alleged) 'freebies' from a past cruise. 😉🤭

Yuck. It's not THAT difficult to wash a few things in the cabin bathroom! I always take a bar of Sunlight laundry soap in a zip lock bag. Takes up no room in the suitcase. I've found that light clothing in particular (undies and cotton shirts and dresses, etc) dry overnight hung up in the bathroom. I remember when we had an ocean view cabin on one cruise I actually draped undies on the flat window sill. OK, it looked like a Chinese laundry 😂 but everything dried quite rapidly in the sunlight coming in through the window. Don't know what the cabin attendants thought, but I would venture to guess they've seen worse than my bikini briefs.🤣

Well, all I can say is we wish we were going on it. What an awesome cruise!

Busman's holiday or Networking?????????????

Those collapsible laundry hampers are a great idea. However, I just take along a pillowcase and hang it from a trouser hanger in the cabin wardrobe and put soiled clothes in that. Find it works a treat and if I don't get around to washing everything for disembarkation, I have something to segregate the soiled clothes from the clean ones in the suitcase.

What a wonderful idea!

Especially if you have the misfortune to be a crew member on a cruise ship😟

At most I take evening shoes (dance pumps, so light and comfortable), 1 pair of joggers, 1 pair of wedge sandals,1 pair of thongs and on occasion 1 pair of ballet flats (sometimes I don't bother with these, depends on the time of year) regardless of the length of the cruise.