majortom10

At least 3 performances.

We usually stay at Holiday Inn Express just off M271. In September all hotels are very expensive even though it is beginning of month when Boat Show has not started we are going to have to travel down on the day. There are 5 ships in port and it is a Sunday so that will hopefully help with traffic but we always use M3, M27, M271 whether we are using Mayflower or Ocean terminals. Might not be the shortest but simplest and straight forward way.

At a cost.

We were through customs very quickly but we were one of the first off the ship with us only being there for the day. We got off with those self disembarking so no big queue and customs officer checked passport and ESTA and that was it. Very quick and impressive.

Not like ESTA's. We went on roundtrip TA on QM2 in 2019 and when at customs in Brooklyn we handed over Passports and printed copy of ESTA's and he handed back our ESTA's and said he didn't need to see them as it was all on his computer. We went again in May 2023 with new ESTA's and we were asked for our printed copy at check in by staff in Southampton and we were specifically asked by customs officer in Brooklyn for our ESTA's and he took them off us and inspected them.

Sindhu even when it was first introduced under the leadership of Atul Kocchar was never intended to be like a typical Saturday night Indian restaurant in most towns and cities. It has always been classed as fine dining Indian food and is excellent, although not as good as when under the control of Atul Kocchar.

On our return to Southampton on roundtrip TA everyone had to go to customs officer in Britannia restaurant to have your passport checked even if British. Times were announced in daily programme with appropriate times.

I cannot believe that they don't provide any soap whether it be bar or liquid in your bathrooms across the whole ship. With the thought of people using the toilet and not washing their hands is unbelievable and the thought of disease i.e. noro virus spreading doesn't bare thinking about. I can only assume it was an oversight by the cabin steward and not a new practice even by P&O standards that you have to ask for soap of any kind. Let's be honest you even get soap in a Travelodge 😁.

We haven't used bar soap at home for years and very happy for the switch on both Cunard and P&O. By the way on our last cruise in May the hotel we always stay in pre cruise had changed bar soap to Dove liquid soap so it seems it is a change a Ross the hospitality service.

If RCL, Celebrity and MSC are anything like Princess because many passengers have flights to catch they start disembarkation a lot earlier. Therefore because they are off the ship earlier they can start preparing staterooms and then embark next load of cruiser's earlier.

The queue for disembarking QM2 seems to be the norm now. It was exactly the same when we disembarked on 2nd June. It snaked all around the ship and took ages to get off. There were many complaining to staff but all you got was I couldn't care less and not interested smile.

End of the day Cunard need to clean staterooms and prepare the ship for new passengers. People wouldn't be happy being delayed in embarkation at the start of their cruise so disembarking at a reasonable time to give the staff time to clean and prepare the ship for passengers getting on the ship.

Britannia has a capacity of 3647 and Royal Princess 3600 don't think you would notice the difference in crowds onboard.

Just proves what P&O say and actually do is different when there is a chance of making a few extra ££££££s

Think you will find that Princess start their Round British Isles cruises in May and call in Guernsey on every cruise it is the first full day port of call after leaving Southampton.

Britannia could quiet easily visit Guernsey or Dun Laoghaire for Dublin as they are both tender ports.Size of ship doesn't matter and is regularly visited throughout the summer on Princess Round British Isles cruises. They also use ships the equivalent size to Britannia.

We are booked on Arvia in September will see how that goes.

All I can say we have never yet cruised on Arvia so cannot give an opinion. We have cruised on Iona once 14 nts in March, not school holidays, and we pre booked Epicurean and Sindhu pre cruise. We ate in the evening in Keel & Cow on one occasion and Olive Grove 2-3 times both booked on app during cruise with no problems or issues booking. The rest of the time we ate in various MDRs booking on the virtual queue at varying times to suit us. We joined virtual queue on leaving cabin and we were buzzed telling us table on every occasion before we got to restaurant except on one occasion and we went in Anderson's for a pre dinner drink. We was buzzed before we had finished our drink so took it with us to MDR. The only great queue we had during the whole queue was at The Quays for fish and chips for lunch which is very popular and we struggled to find a vacant table. We had a great time on Iona and was impressed with space on the ship and available facilities. We never at any time day or night finding a seat to sit and in bars at night. One thing which has always been a struggle on Aurora/Arcadia is finding a seat in a bar in the evenings. I would book Iona again in a heart beat but unfortunately don't do 7 nt cruises so limited at the moment.

I would never dream of walking in a restaurant whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner within 15 minutes of restaurant closing to new customers.

No it wasn't but to be honest we never encountered any large queues at MDR entrance. There was one person on booking in those that had booked on virtual queue and the other queue for those that had just turned up. Never any queue of great length on any night and what queue there was moved very fast.

I think the main problem which seems to be causing the problem is Arvia only has 2 MDRs serving that particular restaurant. Whereas Iona has 4 MDRs serving the same evening menu so that is what is causing the problem on Arvia. We were very impressed with Iona and the excellent dining choices around the ship.

We never had any issues getting a table for 2 in March on Iona and should imagine a table for more would be even easier. We joined virtual queue whichever MDR had shortest queue as we left our cabin and by the time we had got the lift and walked to the restaurant my my phone buzzed to say a table was ready.

Whilst I agree with most of what you say but nobody can be happy that they replace the 'real' hardworking bell boys who like has been previously said are mainly, if not all Asian, by white models. I find that rather insulting and gives the impression that Cunard are ashamed of them and if not at least use an Asian model.

The only problem I can see is happening what happened to us recently on QM2. We had booked 'open dining' and on embarkation day as soon as we got onboard we booked a time on their website page for every night in MDR. On one evening we arrived at restaurant at 7-30 pm the time we had booked to be told restaurant was full come back in 30 minutes. When I said we had a table booked and asked what was point of booking in advance was given a vacant look and still told to come back in 30 minutes.

Then they wonder why first time cruiser's in the QG are disappointed in the product they actually receive and nothing like the impression given.