FangedRose

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

And there in a nutshell is my point.    Not many lanyards with cruise cards are like these, which are officially recognised throughout the country. Sadly many say they don't know they exist.  

Trouble is anyone can buy them (or very similar, and us civilians can't tell the difference) from Amazon. We all know, or read, about people using them to dodge mask wearing during the height of covid.

11 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I’m amazed Jean. That’s always been the most challenging time of the whole cruise for us to get lifts! 

Jean Is famous for having different experiences on board ship to everybody else. Examples that spring to mind is despite her self confessed non obsession with hygiene she has never been ill, she has never met anyone who talked about what they paid for their cruise etc etc. 

On 12/15/2023 at 3:11 PM, Fionboard said:

Heard a poorly person being taken off. 

That is usually the reason for a diversion, or the weather.

13 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

So that’s 18 or 19 formal nights for us then 😳 Better hope that I can still get into my dinner suit by the time they are in to double figures 😂 

Yeah. The sea air is not kind to clohes. 😁

3 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Just 19 days until our Aurora 65 nighter and still no details on the Cruise Personaliser about which nights are formal nights (or even how many nights are formal). 

 

Apologies for not wading through 500 posts if this has already been answered, but how far in advance of the cruise is this normally posted?

 

Also, in the past I remember that buried somewhere within the P&O website there was a list that you could look at and it told you, by cruise number, how many formal nights there were and what, if any, theme nights there were. I can’t find it. Does it still exist?

Never seen that, but all ships, except Arvia and Iona have two formal nights a week. 

2 minutes ago, david63 said:

I think that has more to do with the number of passengers between the ship and the baggage hall rather than the number actually in the baggage hall.

Yes, and late self disembarkers add an unknown number.

2 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

The problem was she didn't have Hypothyrodism, she had a benign lump which resulted in part of her thyroid being removed,  the guy I spoke to reeled off the list of condition drop boxes and I wasn't willing to say "yes" to one of them to give them an opportunity to use it against me at a later date if there was a problem.

If her thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroxine, she has hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism literally means "low thyroid". The means by which this occured is not relevant.

They ask the condition because many drugs can be used to treat a number of conditions.

6 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

I have just experienced similar with Nationwide insurance, I have the flex account and wanted to inform them about my new hip and extend the cover from 31 days to 43. When I was going through Mrs YP medication which is Thyroxine as she had a benign tumour removed many years ago. The guy on the phone asked what condition she has so he could tick a box, she doesn't have a condition she just has a 1/3 of her thyroid left that is why she takes thyroxine which occurred over 20 years ago. Eventually after going around in circles I asked him to check or put a supervisor on which he did and we got sorted.

The name of the condition is Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Which is simply an underactive thyroid. It can happen for no particular reason, or can be medically induced as in your wife's case.

It always comes up in travel insurace forms, it asks for name of medication and the condition for which it has been prescribed. Hypothyroidism always comes up in the drop down list.

23 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

They do seem to take the chaos in the baggage hall into account though David.  I remember in the bad old days, when I religiously waited in the assembly (cell) venue, overhearing a radio conversation between the "prison warden" and the baggage hall guy, advising not to release anymore passengers until the chaos subsided.

I agree. Have often overheard conversations via walkie talkies regarding whether or not it was OK to send another cohort of passengers to the baggage hall. Presumably the increasing number of self disembarkers who disregard the instructions to leave before 7.30am and saunter off whenever, can disrupt the system, as the staff cannot judge the numbers as efficiently. 

9 hours ago, john watson said:

If it were me travelling, I should check with reception to see if there is a special coaches group.  If there is not self disembarkation would be prudent  .

 

Regards John

There is special group disembarkation. But don't fret. If your name is on the coach driver's list they won't leave without you. No point in self disembarkation early as you'll be hanging about waiting for the last passengers.

1 minute ago, 9265359 said:

Some, not all. 
 

In my experience most people exercise some variance and would not for example drink a big bold robust red with a delicate dish or a light sensitive delicate white with a big lump of red meat. 

So, if I don't like red wine (which I don't) I'm not allowed to have steak? I thought such silly rules went out with frock coats and corsets.

Just now, 9265359 said:

Fair enough. Your palate your choice, but most people are not like that. 

Not in my experience. On my last cruise people would order a bottle of wine to last at least two nights, with no thoughts on what might be on the second nights menu.

Just now, 9265359 said:

That only works if you eat the same style of thing every night. 

I drink what I like. My dining choice has no impact on my wine choice.

1 minute ago, 9265359 said:

It is if you are sensible!

 

Back in the days of wine waiters a note slipped with the card on day one ensured you never had to wait, and at hotels a tip to the pool staff on day one always gets you loungers in prime positions without needing to disturb yourself from bed. 

I informed the waiter on day one that my wine order would be the same every night. Every night without fail my wine was waiting for me. Only time it wasn't was during a storm and he wasn't sure who was going to show. No bribery needed! It did mean he could organise it in advance of service.

On 12/8/2023 at 4:43 PM, mitooki said:

I tipped cabin steward on day 1 of our cruise last month. Worked out well, room was serviced quickly and always completed before we returned from breakfast. Plenty of smiles and efficient help when required too.

I don't miss the little "reminders" (begging) that occurred when it came to the last few days of a cruise. I also don't miss the in cabin surveys and the hints that "unless you mark this question 5 stars I won't get my tips".

On 11/29/2023 at 11:04 AM, amajaa said:

I have another question please, did I read somewhere that Arcadia also has a USA socket point and only one UK one. Or did I imagine that 

Yes, and it's upside down. If you have a multiplug you can't use the top as it is also close to the top of the dressing table.

3 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

We went on a cruise in March this year on Ventura. Can honestly say out of the 17 cruises we have taken this was by far the worst. It would take me an age to tell you everything that was not good. I agree P&O prices are very reasonable but when I started cruising with them back in 2002 everything was amazing. All those little things that really make you feel special. Little P&O bags with toiletries, a small bowl of boiled sweets, bed turndown and a chocolate on your pillow, a bottle of water in the fridge, chocoholics and sandwiches and drinking chocolate after the late show. Steak as a choice if you didn't like anything else on the menu and silver service with plenty of veg and a truckle of stilton with your biscuits, not like it is now. Sadly for P&O after the disaster of a cruise in March we are giving Princess a go next year and may never go back to P&O.

Glad to see the back of the boiled sweets, I would never eat anything left uncovered in bowl in my cabin. Never knew how long they had been there! Steak is still always available (at least in September). Also glad to see the end of the non Silver Service. Proper fed up of having to wait for fellow diners to acknowledge that the waiter was there then dithering over their choice. I've never had a cold meal since that palaver was got rid of. A vast improvement. If you want more veg just ask for extra veg when ordering. I'm sure the buffet is still open after the show (never needed (or wanted) to go myself), but tablemates were saying they had been.

4 hours ago, Snow Hill said:

Which gel is that, as most healthcare experts say gel is ineffective against Norovirus and only effective hand washing with soap & water is effective against the virus

Yes, but noro is not the only "bug" that can make you ill. The more generic gels will protect against a lot of sickness bugs. Every little helps.

3 hours ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

Not all that long ago we joined a ship and were asked to wash our hands as we entered. We were very happy to do so as we'd been touching handrails and all sorts of things.., it was nice to.feel that our hands were clean again.

 

However, the woman in front of us treated the whole exercise with total disdain. She spent about 5 seconds rinsing the tips of three finger on each hand... and turned away looking at others washing with what seemed to be total contempt.

 

That cruise ended up with a lot of people restricted to their cabins. We spent some time with a couple while we were waiting to leave at the end of the cruise. They were both shattered and had missed almost their entire holiday. 

 

Personal hygiene is a matter of self-respect. Personal hygiene, where there is a potential health problem, is surely a matter of respect for other cruisers.

It's almost like the last three years had taught us nothing.

45 minutes ago, Clodia said:

Yes the drinks service works VERY much better this way. I've  been served promptly and efficiently every day this cruise. 

By the way, the goat curry (yes) in the Beach House on Iona is one of the best curries I've ever had!

I had the goat curry in the mdr on Aurora pre covid. It was very tasty. Reminded me of mutton which shouldn't have been a surprise. I did have to keep quiet about it though because one of my table mates was disgusted by the thought of it.

2 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

To a degree that was one of the problems with covid, we will never know how many people had it and never knew, when we got it our symptoms were very mild and if we were not testing to see my MiL who was in a home we would never have known. I have had much worse summer colds.

 

In 30 years of cruising neither of us have had noro even though it has been rife on some of our cruises. I think it helped that I worked in the pharma industry and had a grasp of how these things work and took the best precautions we could. However basic hygiene is a good starting point. In some respects we were lucky as we didn't need to use lifts, hardly ever used the buffet and could walk up and down the stairs without needing to hold on, however we are getting to the age where we now need to consider these things and have a plan b for dealing with it as best we can.

I too have never had noro (though only 20 years). Very few, mild 'gastro-intestinal symptoms' occasionally and, nothing I couldn't blame on myself anyway! Use knuckles instead of fingertips on lifts, handwashing, gel etc.

3 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

I don’t believe P&O has ever used Eavesway since they fell out years ago,,,P&O played silly beggars with Eavesway giving passengers the last departure times from the ship whilst Cruise Connect/Intercruises passengers where off first.

 

Thats all changed now both Intercruises and Eavesway are now given the early disembark times,,,,on my last cruise using Eavesway this year it was 07:45 and we where on the road by 08:15.

 

From the North West P&O usually use Ellisons of St Helens,,,lovely coaches.

Yes, I agree lovely coaches. But, last time they used Leon's coaches, equally nice.

I have travelled with Eavesway twice. Once with Celebrity, once with P&O just prior to the falling out. Both times were problematic for varying reasons, trying to persuade passengers to agree to a different pick up point (weeks before sailing date when overnight hotel bookings had been made), breakdowns, being decanted into different minibuses, coffee and tea being promised but not available once on board, same with WiFi. The P&O transfer was just prior to Eavesway being dumped (declining to renew contract) and was harangued both ways by the driver telling us to book direct with Eavesway next time.

I could go on but I'm boring myself now.

11 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

That may be how it was reported but I would be amazed if that is what the health officer said, if the 8 people had covid like symptoms they would have been tested and it would have been confirmed or not as covid.

There was a nasty cough on Aurora towards the end of our Aurora cruise, all six of us had it on our dinner table, that was clearly a covid- like infection, none of us tested positive for covid.

I came back from a cruise in September 2019 "proper poorly". Six months later when they were listing symptoms of covid I was ticking each one of them off on my fingers. Going by that I had Covid months before most people had even heard of it. Two years later when I had confirmed covid I barely noticed.

13 hours ago, Fionboard said:

Think the medics on board know the difference between the two. 

The people who confused covid and noro didn't contact the medics on board.  Instead they came on here to complain that they contracted noro from seafood served in the mdr, and then came down with covid.