kruzseeka

It would have been so much better had it been true....... I really thought it was and you were highlighting another classic P&O communications blunder! 😂 But the corrected version is helpful, thanks. 😊

carlanthony24 was very helpful when I was looking for times. I think this is the site used. Timings are there - but with the usual caveat - may not be correct and/or may be subject to change due to unforeseen issues. Since there are 3 sea days to follow, it would seem unnecessary to sail much earlier. Hope it helps. 2nd Mar 2024 Southampton, United Kingdom (more information) 18:00 3rd Mar 2024 At Sea 4th Mar 2024 At Sea 5th Mar 2024 Lisbon, Portugal (more information) 08:00 6th Mar 2024 Lisbon, Portugal 15:00 7th Mar 2024 Cadiz (Tours To Seville) 09:00 18:00 8th Mar 2024 At Sea 9th Mar 2024 Arrecife De Lanzarote, Spain (more information) 08:00 19:00 10th Mar 2024 Gran Canaria, Spain (more information) 08:00 19:00 11th Mar 2024 Tenerife, Spain (more information) 08:00 17:00 12th Mar 2024 Madeira, Portugal (more information) 08:30 18:00 13th Mar 2024 At Sea 14th Mar 2024 At Sea 15th Mar 2024 At Sea 16th Mar 2024 Southampton, United Kingdom 06:00

Yes I'm sure some would but you can't legislate for those who can't see that unforeseen events are always a possibility - weather, mechanical issues, emergencies, port movements, local issues. In any event there are always disclaimers in the T&C's. Why worry about narrow minded, egocentric thinkers? Can someone be expected to be taken seriously if you've just travelled through a Force 9 and arrive 3 hours late and complains? Or objects to a Medivac. Such people don't deserve any consideration imo. I'd just be pleased to be safe!

Thanks for that time line. I'll keep on top of it but give them a day or two yet. Actually I paid ahead of the 90 days since it was through an agent who usually request payment a month before P&O so perhaps P&O haven't received the payment yet. But I sent details of the payment receipt - perhaps that is expecting too much! I'll be chasing it up though. Hope you have a great trip too. Take care. 🙂

Hi happy v - hope all is well with you. 🙂 It seems you used the App. Can I assume you just emailed shareholder benefit and were then redirected to the App? I sent my claim on 10th (with up-to-date copy of share holding account with Halifax - don't have a certificate) and got the confirmation it had been received but no indication yet of needing to do anything else. Why don't they alert you on the confirmation to the App link straight away - or does it only apply to some claims and not others? (Rhetorical question - the complications of P&O's admin I sometimes think even they couldn't explain!😁) Oh well, patience - I'll just have to wait and see! 😉

All ships facilities are available for you to use (though some selected eating areas may not be). Our experience has been being taken off the ship at a sensible time to get you to the airport in good time - typically mid afternoon depending on your flight time. That might be about right for your timings. But you won't be taken so that you're sitting around at the airport all day. You can come and go from the ship as you wish. We've usually walked into Bridgetown in the morning, going to the Bridge House by the side of the river just over the bridge for a drink or coffee. It's a pleasant walk along the waterfront. We've gone back for some lunch before our transfer to the airport. It's all very well organised.

Ouch! Hope you got it back - I imagine so - good reason to use a Credit Card.

Yes - important lesson learned for us too. Last year we were in Stavanger on a Sunday and were staggered to discover the place was virtually shut down. Even the waterfront wharf-style cafes were closed - I was really surprised to see this normally buzzing area so lacking in life. So if like us you visit cafes in ports, it may be not just be toilets you can't find open! Apparently true of Norway in general so worth knowing. It may be relevant to how you plan to spend your day on Sundays in Norwegian towns.

I agree that it's worth having a relatively small amount of cash especially for toilets! Interestingly though, the toilets next to the Tourist Office on the Harbour in Bergen would only take cards - at that time 5Kr iirc. I stood there and couldn't work out what was going on (it was some years ago and i'd never come across the idea before!) until a local explained you couldnt use cash! I was once told Norway is rapidly becoming cash free and have just found this: Norway has the one of the lowest physical cash rates in the world, with only 3-5% of point of sale transactions paid for by cash. In 2021, Norway's central bank announced that it was exploring digital currency options to help facilitate the switch to a cash-free society. We use a Halifax CC which has free transactions abroad and in our experience has a near perfect exchange rate which is much better than the High Street rates. But for the amount you need, it's hardly a big deal.

Did you get the ceremony too of putting some cold water down the back of your neck???? Brrrr.....

Yes you're right about the cruising in Romsdalfjord - it will almost certainly follow your departure from a port (Andalsnes?) and will be logged as the same day on the itinerary. Tromso is great! Get the shuttle into town - if you want to explore further then catch the local bus across the ridge to the base of the cable car and go up to the top for the classic view overlooking the Arctic Cathedral, the town, bridge and river/fjord. There's a cafe on top. If it's summer across from the berth is the University Botanical Gardens which were free when we went and a revelation! Alpine plants I thought would be rock-hugging and a bit uninteresting, but it was a riot of colour (it was summer). It figures in Monty Don's Around the World in 80 Gardens. Worth a visit. Andalsnes is easy DIY - the new Gondola is great. Very close to the berth, fantastic views, cafe on top and some trails if you want to go further. Stavanger is different - much bigger but easy to see on foot. There's the old town with clap-board houses often with flowers around the doors. This is where you get off the ship. Further round the harbour to the left is the Cathedral with the small lake behind which you a walk round. Further round - left again - are old warehouses now waterfront cafes (although these were shut on our last visit which was a Sunday - most things were). On this side of the harbour are some colourful wooden buildings - very picturesque. If it's raining the Petroleum Museum is surprisingly interesting! The sail-in and sail-outs are like excursions in themselves - definitely worth spending time in the Crows Nest or equivalent. It's not a destination if you are looking for quaranteed warmth but the scenery is absolutely spectacular and awe-inspiring. We never tire of it.

Perhaps worth checking out - it may work out cheaper than the £600 you quoted earlier.

Gosh - didn't realise that - that's good. Having said that we only run the account for the Travel Insurance 😊 so it might as well be in both names. In my defence though we do have other accounts with N/W 😁

Yes that is certainly true. I guess it will also hinge on how quotes from other providers compare and whether taking a punt on missed ports/cabin confinement is something which would be important and therefore what the cost would be per cruise. We'd never heard of cruise extension cover a few years ago, weren't covered and never gave it a thought, though we've missed many a port in the past! But good to weigh up the options - the value for individual circumstances vary greatly (number of cruises, cost, add-ons, medical screen, level of cover etc). Bit of a minefield but important to get it right for yourself.

No, I dont think they have declared that yet. Ours is renewed in May but have had no 'official' personal infomyet. However that is only the add-on cruise cover element for missed ports or cabin confinement. Cruise cover is included (critically medical, repatriation etc). We would benefit from the removal of the £69 age extension and currently we pay £40 p.a. for cruise extension cover. So depending on what their charge is per cruise for cruise extension (and how many cruises you take each year) we will have to see whether it is better or worse. Given that N/W cover both parties if you have a joint account those cost are then less per person.

Age: You will no longer need to buy a separate upgrade to be covered beyond your 70th birthday. You will be covered automatically. (Whole policy) Above is quote from N/W notification of change. https://www.nationwide.co.uk/current-accounts/flexplus/travel-insurance-changes/ From the first link document re changes with new insurer See reference under Upgrades on Page 2. As already described there is a traffic light system to categorise changes as improved/neutral/less cover or costs more

Have you looked at Nationwide FlexPlus? It is changing its insurers from UK Insurance to Aviva in May but with the bank account a £13 p.m. charge gives you annual world wide insurance. There is an age extension which covers 70+ and a medical screen which may incur additional charge but as you say you have no serious medical conditions there may be no or little extra to pay. It includes cruise cover too (and AA Breakdown cover) though to be eligible to claim for a missed ports/cabin confinement is extra. (And with the new insurer apparently payable per trip but no indication of additional premium yet - the current insurers charged £40 p.a.with no limit on number of cruises.) You can also get an extension for cruises longer than 30/31(?) days. You don't need to have FlexPlus as your primary bank account ie no minimum monthly payment in or need for direct debits being paid out. If you have a joint account it covers both parties. Might be worth a look - if it's suitable for you there could be considerable savings on £600.

And there's always the possibility that something could occur (accident, illness, family emergency etc) which prevent you from travelling at all. P&O won't refund your cruise cost so insurance is essential. Friends have twice had to claim on their travel insurance when at the minute they were unable to travel.

You remind me of an occasion sailing out of Geiranger Fjord when a classical duo were on the top deck and sang 'Time to Say Goodbye'. Their soaring voices in such an awe-inspiring setting was truly unforgettable and very, very emotional. Alongside some of the most magical views like from the top of the cable car at Andalsnes or Tromso make Norway a fabulous destination . Many wonderful memories. (But I will listen out for the drone when we're next there! 😉)

You're obviously based a long way from here - and you may have travelled extensively in the Northern Hemisphere - I don't want to make assumptions or be insensitive - you may be very well informed about of the geography of Norway, but if you haven't visited the Fjords before there are some itineraries which imo are more rewarding than others based on the ports of call. Some have more 'coastal' ports in proportion to what I think of as 'true' Fjord destinatons. Whilst these coastla towns are often interesting and lovely places to visit, the destinations down the bottom of sometimes a 100+ mile Fjord are something else. Sailing for hours in and out of Fjords are like an excursion in themselves and are truly magical so please check out your destinations carefully as it would be such a pity to miss out on this stunning scenery. whatever you decide I hope you have a wonderful cruise.🙂

I like Aurora too - it has a variety of lounges and performance areas which we find very good for a 'small' ship. The ratio of public space:passengers seems quite generous - there's never a problem finding somewhere to relax (unlike our experience of Azura). It also has a lovely tiered stern which I think is a real plus. We do like Arcadia too - we have cruises booked on both. The itinerary dictates our choice but these two are our preferred ships as adults only ships but all things being equal (good itinerary and comparative prices) Aurora would be our preference.

Don't want to start a new thread as I may have missed this and it's already been flagged up ........ but has anyone had information about Nationwide Flexplus Insurance changing from UK Insurance to Aviva? The T&Cs are slightly different. Just hope it's going to be as good! https://www.nationwide.co.uk/-/assets/nationwidecouk/documents/current-accounts/insurances/flexplus/smd797-flexplus-travel-insurance-provider-changes.pdf?rev=a9777b0dafbd4079912169fb1868949b#:~:text=Our FlexPlus Travel Insurance provider,provider until your upgrade expires. P.S Should have added cruise cover is included but additional cruise cover (missed ports etc) is available but has to be paid per cruise - no details I could see on cost.

Thank you Avril. So kind of you to include the occasional posters and lurkers - of which i am one. 😊 I don't post often these days though do keep following the threads and know how much it means to so many to have the support and friendship of members of this community. I appreciate the good wishes as a 'fringe' member and am grateful for the replies and responses when I do contribute. Wishing everyone a Very Happy Christmas, Best Wishes and Good Health for 2024 and happy cruising (or other holidays) you have planned for the coming year.🤗

That's great. Thank you so much!

Thank you that's very kind of you. It's J408 9th June 24. Predominantly Iceland - could of course change given the current situation although it's gone a bit quiet on that score. I believe we have two full days in Reykjavik (had thought of going to the Blue Pool on one day - but my plans are nothing compared with the poor folk living in the area and the implications of waiting for a potentially devastating event!)