majortom10

19 hours ago, Ilovemygarden said:

I have spent a fair bit of this endless journey home reading this 23 page thread.  Does anyone know of a cruise line who actually allow any alcohol to be brought onboard for personal consumption?  I have to say I can’t recall one. 

Cunard

15 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

That doesn't normally happen with a credit card, only a debit card.

When I contacted P&O was told it can happen on credit card and debit card. The charges appeared on my credit card I have never used a debit card on a cruise

3 minutes ago, Neecy1 said:

I don't think I'd call P&O's food dodgy? Never had anything we couldn't eat. Can be a little samey, especially the green beans, but not dodgy. 

It varies on our last cruise on Arvia the theme for every meal seemed to broccoli.

Having done a quick Google it seems in general that Hake is cheaper than Cod or Haddock so perhaps that is the reason for the change another cost cutting exercise.

3 hours ago, Pine Man said:

P&O, in my opinion, have gone downhill since covid. I would suggest that most other cruise lines are not a sideways move but forward of P&O in most respects. The only saving grace for P&O is the price as far as I'm concerned.

I have cruised with 3 cruise lines since COVID and they have all gone downhill to some extent. Think many cruise lines are cutting back or cutting corners to save money and boost profits to replace money lost during COVID.

Just now, exlondoner said:

And less endangered.

Don't care if you don't like it you don't eat it.

9 hours ago, buchanan101 said:

Fish n Chips is still there and is inclusive

Yes but Hake and don't like or eat Hake. Don't know what is wrong with good old cod or haddock. My only thoughts is perhaps Hake is cheaper.

5 hours ago, lambinator1982 said:

did you make any purchases on disembarkation day? P&O would charge it separately as it is after the final bill has been created I believe. 

No nothing at all definitely not a purchase on my part.

1 hour ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Lots of people walk around with bottles of wine,,,I always buy the DP now but used to buy the Wine package for my wife,,,I drink Guinness and Jameson’s.

Most night she would take the opened bottle out of the restaurant to finish in the bar…….maybe this is what others do.

I did read one cruise line has stopped storing wine after diner to be drank the next night,,,can’t remember which.

If you purchase bottles of wine in MDR for dinner on Arvia/Iona and you don't finish it in the past on other ships they would store it for you until next night. But on Arvia/Iona you have to take it with you and either drink it one of the bars or store it in your cabin and bring it back with you for dinner the next night.

5 hours ago, Peter Lanky said:

The solution is simple:

In a pub I drink ale, the wine is usually mediocre anyway.

When at home I drink wine; all sorts of it.

On a P&O Cruise I just have a Scotch nightcap in the cabin, but looks like it's teetotal if I ever go on another, which is unlikely.

On an Azamara/Silversea/Oceania cruise I drink to my heart's content.

All options covered. 😀

But you cannot compare P&O with Azamara/Silversea/Oceania as they are different standard and far higher cruise prices. You could drink a considerable amount on P&O and still be paying a lot less.

4 hours ago, molecrochip said:

This doesn’t sound like a hold. Suggest you call P&O and ask them to check. They will contact the ship for the receipt and then come back to you.

Have already done that and waited nearly an hour for an answer. Hung up rang the same number but pushed the option to book a new cruise and was answered in 1 minute 34 seconds. There is a surprise. Was lucky enough to be speaking to somebody who had an awful attitude, very rude and wasn't interested and said it was my credit card company fault and nothing to do with P&O. Then she politely said (NOT) there is nothing more I can say with regards to this matter and hung up. Awful customer service and P&O are very near to the bottom of the barrel in how they treat their customers. Certainly think they should look at attitude of some of the staff they are employing. But no doubt if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

Returned from cruise on Arvia on 28th April and my final bill received on last day was correct. This was charged correctly to my credit card. Suddenly on 4th May a £60 amount has been charged to my account and no idea what for.

4 hours ago, BandBlady said:

I reckon it’s a scam as P&O website alcohol policy hasn’t changed .The corkage fee has been reduced too on this new policy .

Isnt a scam and P&O are famous for being slow at updating their website.

31 minutes ago, purplesea said:

Three weeks ago disembarkation from Arvia was completed quicker than expected.

At about 10 o'clock it was announced that all remaining passengers didn't need to make their way to their allocated venue and could proceed to the gangway.

Surprisingly the disembarkation on Arvia on 28th April was shambolic. Late arrival didn't help due to medical emergency and strong head winds across BoB. One thing clearly stated on letter sent to your cabin is that you are expected to vacate cabin by 8am. Your dedicated departure lounge time is given but you cannot go there until 10 minutes prior to stated time. So where do you go for what could be 90+ minutes. People were wandering around aimlessly, sitting on floors in corridors and on stairs so blocking stairway. Spoke to officer at my departure lounge and was not interested at all. When asked where we were supposed to go she said it was not her problem and just shrugged her shoulders with a don't care attitude. I have written to P&O a out this issue which is an H&S issue but had auto reply saying received but not yet had a response.

The one positive 

1 minute ago, JT1101 said:

I strongly suspect this changed menu exists only on Queen Anne. As noted above the website lists Golden Lion for Queen Anne separately from the rest and classifies it as additional charge. Meanwhile the Golden Lion on the rest of the fleet is still categorized as included. 

For the time being how long a period will it be before it is spread across the fleet.

2 minutes ago, DreamingOfSunnyDays said:

Are you not even tempted a little bit by the ploughman’s and small plates?

In a word NO

1 minute ago, DreamingOfSunnyDays said:

….or you could give this new one a go with an open mind?

Always have an open mind but have no interest in paying extra supplements and not liking  Hake doesn't leave a lot of options. Does not matter how open mind you have if you don't like something you don't like it.

As previous thought and said "if it is not broken do not try and fix it" and Cunard and Mr Roux have certainly done that and IMO the .emu is a awful and will not attract me to frequent it in July. Pity as always loved fish and chips, curry and ploughman's in its original form. So it's a big NO from me.

We embarked Arvia on 14th April and are Caribbean and we had a boarding time of midday.

2 menus on At is last week the one we chose was excellent and very good value at £17-50pp.

1 hour ago, Mollag said:

Can’t beat a medical cruise

Predictive text I am afraid. 😁

33 minutes ago, Bin man said:

Thanks for reply Majortom 10 just the normal. At least that's a bit more if prices hold for the next  4 weeks fingers crossed .Did you have a good cruise?

Yes it was a lot better than when we went on Arvia last September.

We disembarked this morning off Arvia and as we were walking across to CPS car park noticed a queue outside of terminal waiting to embark and there was also a queue of cats waiting  to be checked in by CPS. The time was 1010am and you can understand P&O making strict rules about boarding when people are arriving this early. To be honest cannot understand the logic of people arriving that early or the benefit. Having said that seeing the queue at 1645pm of people waiting outside MDR last week for a restaurant that doesn't open until 1730pm beggars belief.

3 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Interesting. Nationwide didn’t even require the missed port letters, let alone the invoice, as they’d already had a claim from another passenger. Took the claim in complete trust. Very impressive. 

Yes same thing happened to us with Nationwide was very impressed. Will be interesting to see how things will be different when Aviva take over travel insurance.

On 4/23/2024 at 4:02 PM, Bin man said:

Hi Majortom 10 did you get anything extra and what deposit was it ?On her in 4 weeks holding on for anything extra hopefully 

Sorry have not responded but had no internet onboard only in ports. No great deal just £100 per cabin and free parking for a 14nt Medical Cruise on Arvia. Think you get more OBC if you don't have parking and deposit was £100pp.