doog442

Did you do this tour with P&O ? I'm reading some reviews on TA where people are complaining about a $50 entrance fee and was wondering if this was included in the cost of the tour (I presume it is but it doesn't make it clear on the site)

Well done. It appears to be swings and roundabouts, either get a separate discount through a TA or book direct and get BLC. Getting both with a TA appears to be a no no.

I think they did, it's pretty damned obvious actually. In my sailing days, with modern technology its pretty easy for small craft to get the heads up and move well out of the way of incoming storms and depressions even at 5 knots. They knew exactly what they were sailing into. The fact they didn't risk assess port closures (weather or strike action) is also down to them and a decision to get home by hook or crook for the next sailing, which is of course a commercial decision.

How long after roughly ? I booked our Jan 24 caribbean last Feb, in March our TA said P&O don't do blue light card yet it was staring me in the face. They wouldn't budge, the problem was I had no idea if they were doing it at the time of booking (Feb 2023) I also thought I had to book direct with P&O.

Agree. I've just had a peek at a 2025 BC quote on our Arvia aft cabin we've booked for Caribbean 2024 (not long after launch) and its £1698 more with £410 less OBC, so a 35% increase. There appears to be plenty of availability. I know these are launch prices but frankly they're taking the mick -P&O are firmly into(and beyond) very well regarded land based all inclusive Caribbean prices there (top shelf drinks/ dreamy beach etc) the very market they're trying to win over. I expect to see a fair bit of softening on these prices in due course.

£1200 each used to be 2 weeks all inclusive sit round a pool in Mexico / Dominica Republic territory. Post Covid current flight prices have put and end to that so P&O are clearly taking up the slack. Without doubt that's the market P&O are targeting.

I know plenty of people who are trying a cruise for the first time, it does seem to be taking off and yes P&O is the cruise line of choice.

We had the same on Princess last year. I heard a guy getting the heads up at 11am he was 8 drinks into the 15 on the drinks package. Easy to avoid though just like the buffet scrum on most ships. Anyone who can afford a drinks package (two for a couple) on top of the cruise price can probably afford it. I'm not sure why it's pinned as a certain demographic.

I recall reading on here about many issues last Dec/ Jan across the fleet and elsewhere. We are booked for next January and on my casual musings of the forum things appear to have improved dramatically. That said we're simply doing it for the itinerary which I think is excellent. We are regulars in the Caribbean on land based holidays (go next week to Antigua) yet the value this cruise offers is exceptional compared to land based offerings in January. It will basically be all inclusive for us with the OBC covering alcohol, aft cabin booked, shareholder credit covering restaurant upgrades, nothing can touch it really Like you however if expectations don't meet our needs and they consider us not the target audience we'll vote with our feet simply because we can.

Short haul no issue. We flew Finnair on a BA flight last week from Naples and it was fine. Long haul is a different story. We fly to Mauritius and Maldives on a regular basis. I pick my flights / package based on the airline. I avoid Air Mauritius like the plague even though they fly direct. By the way it was impossible to get through to P&O and my TA today as they were obviously dealing with unhappy customers. All I wanted to do was pick my TUI seats.

With TUI I don't feel I need PE as the dreamliners have a decent seat pitch as standard. However with Virgin and BA I think it's worth the upgrade. Last year we flew on "Little miss Sunshine" a VA airbus A330, never again with Virgin economy, I'm getting too old to go through that. I'm tall with a dodgy back so value any extra room, I actually value that over the service side of things. We fly with BA to Antigua next week for a land based holiday and have upgraded to PE. We've also booked a nice hotel for the night before, something we do more often nowadays. In my mind it's the holiday starting a day or two earlier and if I can make the flight experience more comfortable then I think its worth it. Happy to do short haul economy, no issues.

If you don't mind me asking but how did you manage to book seats / PE. We're flying to the Caribbean in January and are told we can't book seats until 14 weeks before departure on the flight seat booker. Flights showing as TUI as post above.

I've just seen this thread and am only on page 3. In answer to your question (which may have been answered in the following pages) we're on Arvia on 20/1/24 and our flight details are showing as TUI flight 10 LGW to BGI and 11 home. TUI dreamliners have a decent seat pitch so would be gutted if these were changed. Oh hang on just seen post #197. No e mail as yet so hope its still TUI.

As far as Antigua goes its still a main attraction for such a small island and in a lovely setting. As you suggest don't take 'dockyard' literally. We felt the exhibition gave us enough information as necessary .If you combine it with Shirley heights, the old forts and the stunning views you'll get more than enough history about the place and have a great day out.

We've booked an aft cabin on Arvia but made sure it was out of the line of fire. That said with a breeze there will come a risk. P&O appear to have successfully replaced a soot risk with an unexpected showers from above risk.

I'd avoid deck 8 for the lack of privacy plus anywhere close to a hot tub. People in hot tubs tend to talk loudly to each other due to the noise of the pump / bubbles and you get to hear all sorts of stuff.

Many thanks, Just looked and its TUI 1005hrs from Gatwick for our Jan cruise to Barbados. I don't mind TUI economy, I can cope with the 33" leg room, 2" more than our last Virgin flight to the Caribbean.

Who do P&O use for Caribbean flights from LGW ? When are these flights 'released'. What happens if you book through someone other than P&O. Are they available on manage my booking on the P&O site ? We've previously booked last minute from brum (TUI) and just go with the flow, however If its Virgin from LGW they run flying sheds and seat choice is important. Cheers.

I thought as much 🙂

I live near Southampton with plenty of flexibility, who do I contact for these last minute bargains and why does it matter if I live next to a port? I mean I could live 2 hours up the trainline.

For us their Caribbean itinerary is second to none hence we've booked for next January. The flights, package - straight to ship, OBC, shareholder discount makes it extremely attractive price wise compared to any competition or even land based Caribbean all inclusive holidays of which we've done many. We did Princess last year (my wife also did a cruise in May this year with her mother) and weren't impressed enough to ignore P&O again for future cruises dependent on itinerary. However we're not loyal to any brand / ship so will simply go where it flows. That flow will see NZ in due course, Hawaii, Panama Canal, so Princess again and almost certainly Celebrity again who are a notch above but you pay for it.

I booked a saver BC on Arvia for a two week Caribbean last Jan. We were given the cabin in the pic. I tried to be all brave and even posted a gung ho thread on here. However the more I looked I could see everyone walking in an anti clockwise direction around that wind break would be facing directly into our cabin. It started to grate me. I contacted P&0 and said it obstructed by the glass and should be advertised as such - no joy. I even argued the meaning of the world balcony - no joy. As it happened we both caught covid and had to cancel with a full refund from our insurance. I'll never book a balcony saver on Arvia or Iona again - the risk is too high. . I rebooked a select for next Jan and with the OBC there's no price difference between that horrendous saver and an aft cabin with a larger balcony plus a tremendous unobstructed private view . Lesson learnt. On a balcony I want to look out to sea not a load of bald heads from Yorkshire (stick relevant county in here..)

I don't think it's that bad but have to profess that on our visit last July, we stayed onboard, had the run of the ship /sunbeds and got blotto on a Princess drinks package so perhaps that says something. I think we've done the Western Med to death now.

Just booked this for our Arvia Caribbean next January..thanks for the heads up👍 A £25 saving and £100 over booking it onboard. Just for the better half mind, I'll borrow her phone if she'll let me 🙂

Isn't the water in the buffet the same as the cabin bathroom tap ? Some say stick it in the fridge for a better taste.