daiB

Personally I am not keen on drinks packages of any kind. I certainly do not want to go back to paying for tips at the end of a cruise. As long as there’s is not a massive price hike to accommodate drinks, tips, wifi, cabin choice and dining choice I am happy to stay as we are.

I am interested in how you come to the conclusion that P&O have lost control of freedom dining? That was not the case on Iona. The photos of long queues on Arvia from what I have gleaned are all the same photo. It is the queue for the MDR before it opens at 5.30. We have seen these on other ships at the start of the evening meal in freedom. The reason. Many people want fixed dining and first sitting therefore they turn early dining on freedom into first sitting. Resulting in no spaces in the dining room until they have been served. So no freedom if you go at 6.30 to 7.00. So should they go back to club dining in at least one restaurant? Certainly we went to the MDR about 7 times on Iona in our 3 weeks and apart from the first night it worked well

Did you book on day one or sometime later?

If P&O are putting on a bus they will advertise it in the Horizon

Friends have applied on line and got their new passport back inside 1 week. I am sure that the time needed on your passport is 6 months extra.

Well on Aurora at Christmas there was a member of staff at breakfast going round with a trolly serving hot drinks. Don’t know about afternoon tea as we never went to the buffet then. Never saw them on Iona but we tended not to go to the buffet as there were other places to go.

My experience of buffets on Ventura, Aurora and Iona has been far from that described above. In each case there have been the staff withe the yellow aprons helping. Usually I only have to appear in the servers and they come and help.They did not have them in the quays, but a simple please brought someone out to help. In all cases the would also go and get a drink for me, In my experience the help I have received has been exceptional. For those who do not know I am a scooter user.

Well I must be now in the older group now after cruising 22 years and we both simply loved Iona, all aspects. Arvia is for everyone. If it were not P&O would go out of business as the younger element do not have the time or money to cruise in the winter months.

I can confirm after being on Iona for 2 cruises last month, this is not our experience at all. You say the queue was before the doors opened at 5.30. This is not due to the booking system it is due to passengers wanting first sitting, which of course they can’t have. It has been happening on all cruises we have been on since “Freedom Dining” started. Staff I find to be very polite and helpful especially when you treat them with respect.

Given up cruises going on cruises of less than 15 nights so all of ours are either long ie 35 nights on Ventura or back to backs. Just means less traveling to Southampton and less hotels needed.

Not your lucky day either as we are doing a back to back. 🙂 Gan Canny Dai

Might have done a few years ago, however they are cracking down on people arriving very early for their boarding time. People are reporting having to queue standing outside for a long time. Therefore I would say unlikely. If you ask P&O the standard reply is all board at the later time. It is different I think with people in the same cabin.

Just a thought I could help you there, I could drink it for Dave. 😇

Oopps

Andy No but it is the one we are on 🙂 See you on board Gan Canny Dai

In that case you are saved we are on the 30th.

Em she is not 30 years old she is about 15 years old came into service around 2008/9. If you line wines then just buy as you go. Glass house has a good selection.

Dave I think your luck has just ran out again, we are on this cruise. 🙂 We may bump into each other. Gan Canny Dai

John the comment started with a review of a 35 night cruise and as I said before on the first night you do not know but after the 3/4th night you can do something about it. Being on a 35 night cruise and complaining when you get home just sounds daft to me. A constant theme with me is if you have a problem on a ship get it sorted on t he ship.

I am with you 100%. Sometimes even the standard portions are too much. As I said, I have asked before but not recently. I made the comment to help others who read the thread in case they thought that they had to take what was put in front of them.

Yes 10437. Excellent cabin very good bathroom and good balcony with the easiest access I have ever seen automatic door and smooth threshold. Plenty wardrobes but no draws however plenty shelves. We invested in some collapsible boxes which worked a treat. Very cheap. Very good size not far short of a suite. The TV looks in the wrong place but it swivels away from the wall and can be seen in the whole cabin. We have the same cabin or the one next door for Oct and on Arvia in 24 and 25 Dai

There are not as many suites on Iona as on Britannia or even Arcadia because there are none amidships which pushes up the price I am not using suites as much as I used to. However I end up with more cruises.

Well the Ligurian and suite passengers are together and board at the same time and have for years. Baltic are next then Caribbean. This has been the case on all our cruises since COVID (11) and before Covid. On the last cruise assistance passengers and scooter passengers with priority were boarded in the area and the far end of the building where the suite and Ligurian passengers wait. They had all gone when went through.

Please read what has been writen. Not what you thinl is written Embarrassment would not happen as any request would be given at the time of ordrring the meal.

You ask when you give your order. Not in the middle. No need for embarrassment. Now clearly you can’t do this at you first meal but as I have said this is a 35 night cruise. As it happens I rarely do this only on the rare occasions i fancy one of the meals on offer.99% of the time I am very happy with what I am given.