StLucia

We embarked at Vancouver and it was a nightmare. We were sent from one holding area to another. It was not until I advised a member of staff that we had requested assisted boarding that things improved. Never know anything like it!

Southampton is easy by comparison well organised according to letter card issued when you arrive.

We are planning to go to Alaska again but will avoid Vancouver this time.

Could you tell me if they sell wine and Champagne in the airport duty free also, and if so, in your opinion, would the duty free price make it worthwhile to buy it there rather than carrying it from Australia with me?

We have been to Dubai a number of times and find the prices of wine in the airport duty free on the high side compared with home. Though they do have reasonable selection. Th eye also have champagne and spirits.

Freedom dining is being able to go down to dinner when you would like. It is not set dining times. And you can't book in advance. If you want to eat either 6.30 or 8.30 pm, try and change it when on board. I did freedom dining on Azura, and didn't have to wait many times to eat at the time, I chose to go and eat. You have a different table each night, and different waiters. You might be lucky and be seated on the same table a few times, but I always had different table every night. Always met different people each night.

 

 

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We did freedom dining for the first time we n our last cruise, worked well for us and we have got freedom on our upcoming celebrity cruise. You just go to eat when you are ready saves hanging around until you dining ti. We always got a table straight away though different diining companions every night.

Hi all, sorry if this has been answered a million times over. I wasn't wondering in anyone could tell me if there is a FREE shuttle from Zeebrugge (cruise port) to Blankenberge train station? Or likewise free shuttle into Bruges itself?

This is on the Ventura in August 2017. Thanks for any help provided :)

Yes there is a shuttle to the train station, used it many times and just a short walk to the station, never had a problem getting on a train straight away. We always pay select fare so don't know if shuttle is free for everyone. It's a nice walk through the lake of love into the centre of Bruges from the train station.

This cracked me up! I Iike my G&Ts but, being a Yank, have never heard of Fevertree tonic. Think I'll request it on my Princess cruise to the British Isles come September.

 

 

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We always use fevertree tonic naturally light. It is really good makes a great g&t. Contains natural quinine.

We have done three maiden transatlantics, the first on Ventura was the best calm days at sea and excellent entertainment as it was a Tate Modern cruise.

The second on Azura was rough as we were late leaving Southampton to avoid the remains of a hurricane. We also changed port from Madeira to the Azures. It did improve later in the crossing but it was never like the Ventura crossing with long calm and sunny days.

Our worse crossing was on Britannia, little entertainment and Madeira was once again dropped in favour of Tenerife. We normally love sea days but I have never been so bored at sea.

The crossing is what you make it, the weather gets warmer each day and you gain an hour in time each day during the night.

At least when you get to Barbados you know it is going to be hot and the sun will shine.

We had nine days of rough weather when we went to Hawaii and I would not want to repeat that.

It is what you make it.

No problem to upgrade just do it on the ship or when you check in at the port, we have done both options.

We liked the P I. Car parking is not brilliant so better if you fly or go by train. Food was good when we were there.

 

 

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The PI is good value and the car park convenient. We have stayed the last couple of times at the city PI with parking outside the main entrance.

Husband and I are trying to find a cruise we like from the UK atm and can't decide...we keep umming and arring about P&O due to good prices but keep stopping ourselves from booking.

 

The reason?

 

We adore US style lines and do like a mixed passenger set up....although our Indy cruise was 89% British and we loved that. We feel like these lines have really spoiled us and although we like elegance of X on a cruise we like the hype and sensationalism of Royal/Carnival.

 

We would probably sail one of the 3 big ships in August from Southampton as they seem to have the cruises we are interested in. Worried it might be like butlins or be less luxurious with lacklustre entertainment.

 

It seems most of the reviews that are good are from die hard P&O cruisers/new cruisers and the negative are ones from cruisers who went elsewhere first.

 

We are a 30/29 aged married couple...no kids but have to sail in summer. :)

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks

Our favourite cruise line is Celebrity, high crew to pax makes for really good service.

We have cruised many times with P&O but are doubtful we will cruise with them again. Our last cruise on Britannia was dreadful we have never before been so bored on a cruise. We have since been on QE2 and loved her the food and service was outstanding as was the entertainment. Our next cruise is on celebrity Solstice to Australia and New Zealand. There is a good mix of people on the roll call and it looks like being a great trip.

I booked the Britannia yesterday for the TA in October.

Anything I have looked at suggests that the weather should fine but who knows but excited all the same:cool:

We have done three maiden transatlantics, the first on Ventura was lovely weather the second on Azura we were delayed a day leaving Southampton as the weather was really bad, our third on Britannia was ok weather. But we have never made it to Madeira. Twice diverted to Tenerife and once diverted to Azures as we were skirting round a hurricane, that crossing was very rough, but got some great pics of the sea crashing over the bow!

We had an aft balcony on Arcadia and were unable to use the balcony as it was always covered in soot. The cabin was lovely but soot stains clothes.

I wonder if this a recent change as we certainly got OBC for our voyage when we booked last year???

 

 

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So do did we, not much but better than nothing.

You used to get four times the value of the vouchers but now you only get three times the value.

We have used the vouchers on our transatlantic cruises but found you had to have a lot of vouchers for it to be worthwhile. We always have select fare so we can make our own choices.

The only way you will fînd if it is right for you is by doing a test booking by ringing the Tesco P and O line and getting a quote and compare it with what price you can get from a TA.

We get a lot of vouchers because we have a Tesc credit card, but are now looking at other ways of using them.

Good luck if you manage to get all the discounts and benefits but I will be surprised if you do. We sometimes get a bit of OBC, but never parking.

We are staying at the Park Royal Darling Harbour which is one of the hotel Celebrity use for their one night pre cruise.

Janet and David

There are hundreds of threads about excursions in SPB on the Northern Europe Ports of Call.

 

We did the Comfort Tour with Alla Tours and it was excellent. There were only two other passengers from our ship booked on it, so it was like doing a private tour.

 

We weren't interested in the evening tours and felt it would have made the day too long.

We also did a tour in St Petersburg with Alla tours we did a two day tour, it was wonderful and visited every where including the leterhof by boat.

We also did the evening ballet though it was a rush to get on the ship change and off again to meet th taxi taking us there.

The tour was in a small mini bus with a few overs off the ship, it's very personal and the. Tour guide jumped all the queues at the various palaces getting us inside very quickly.

Janet and David

Unfortunately we did not make it to the meet. But we thoroughly enjoyed our first experience of Cunard. I'm sure we will book again if the price is right. Had a great time and met some lovely people on board.

Janet and David

We were on celebrity century in Hawaii and one of the cables broke when the tender was being launched from the ship. Only crew were on board but the front of the tender was smashed and it was abandoned Hawaii.

I notice that P&O are one of the things we can redeem our Tesco points for. Has anyone done this ? Is it possible to redeem against a cruise we already have booked - we are due to pay the balance in a couple of weeks and would like to use our Tesco points to reduce the balance if that is possible or is it for new bookings only.

We've used out Clubcard vouchers many times. It used to be a good deal but now you are very restricted on the amount you can use. You can only use them at the time of booking. Check the extra information by following the link on the P&O Clubcard section. It gives all the details about how to use and the amount you can use. We no longer use them this way as the price you pay is higher then you can get without using them. Combined with the restrictions it's no longer as good a deal as it used to be.

We now them to book our pre cruise hotel with Novotel. If you are a member of Accors you get the same member price as you would if you were not using the vouchers, overall a much better option.

Hiltons is another option but only on limited dates, we have never managed to get a booking when we wanted to travel.

We have done a couple of bridge tours with our roll call shipmates. But on our last cruise I asked at the meet and mingle and was told they are no longer allowed to do them because of what happened to the costa Concordia.

I might be wrong - bit is Nicosia not the only capital city in the world which is still divided politically, as a result of the Turkish invasion in the 1970s ?

The island is no longer divided.

I always get a cough when on a ship, caused by the air conditioning every where. Always goes as soon as I get home.

We have been with Cosul twice and had great tours both times. The first was straight after a hurricane had desimated the island but they still did there best to show us round. The second time we had the full advertised tour, cannot recommend more highly. Hopefully they are stil in business.

Starting think that way now , little difficult as wife doesn't finish school till 3.30pm , still going to look at that option .

We are not that far from Sheffield just over the Snake Pass .

 

Regards

We always travel down the day before and get a good deal on an hotel in Southampton. We would never risk travelling on the same day as the cruise departs to many possible traffic issues when you have a way to come. Normally takes us about 3 Hours. We check into our hotel park the car and then find somewhere for a meal. Makes for a relaxing start to to the holiday.

I was in Dubai last week :)

 

I don't drink myself, but there is certainly plenty of alcohol in the duty free shops........though I wouldn't know specifically about wine I'm afraid

 

As the previous poster said, Dubai airport is massive and there are shops everywhere :D

 

Amazingly clean and efficient airport, with friendly and helpful staff :)

Dubai airport has an excellent wine selection in the arrivals hall which doubles for departures. We have bought wine there many times to take with us when staying at an hotel in Dubai.

We went to Granville market and had a fabulous display of flowers made up for our anniiversary on Infinity. We put them in the cabin and the whole room smelt wonderful. No comment was made when we brought them on board and it was a very big display, a number of our friends commented on them when we did the cabin crawl.