majortom10

People that have complicated travel plans perhaps have to drive many hours and cannot judge exactly what time they will arrive in Southampton. They have to allow for traffic or accidents on motorways and if lucky can have a straightforward drive and therefore arrivep earlier. Perhaps a little more thought for those in that situation especially as you love nearby and have less chance of travel complications. Also those travelling down to Southampton by public transport don't control the times so have to go to terminal as soon as they arrive whatever the time.

Seeing menus isnt a problem knowing what menu is on what night prior to the cruise is the problem when you book pre cruise

If you book with P&O and get free parking as a package or pay to use the recommended company then your car is taken off you and parked in a secure compound within the port area. Your car is then returned ready for your disembarkation at the terminal. There is no car parking within the port where you can park yourself and keep your keys. There is one company at Ocean Terminal where you park yourself and keep keys but is not alongside the ship but is only a short walk.

Only been on Iona in March first time with P&O since 2019 and they never served drinks in buffet. It was hard enough to get a waiter to serve you with purchased alcohol/soft drinks. With reference to Princess they have always served tea/coffee and lemonade in the buffet at lunch time and I have been cruising with them for many years.

Not closed shop but why browse when you are not going to cruise again. Only 40 so you are a newcomer then 😂

Not at all as he is not cruising anymore.

And then leave most of it. They did the same at dinner in MDR where it used to be common to choose 2-3 main courses and pick at all and leave most. That is why they bought in the $10 extra charge.

Very rarely use buffet but when we have never even looked or considered a sweet until I have finished my main course. Then I will make another journey to look and decide which to have if any or go for cheese and biscuits. Think it is a good idea as seen people returning with trays with main course and 2 or 3 deserts and then leave most of it. Amount of food wasted in buffet must be horrendous.

Problem is Ocean and Mayflower Terminals are not used on a daily basis especially when P&O have 2 ships in Carribbean for 3 months of the year and Cunard 2 on a world cruise. No businesses would want to open shops/restaurants that would be open only for 4hrs a day and not every day. Unlike airports where terminals are open to loads of airlines on a daily basis for most of the day it is financially advantageous to open shops/restaurants. Unfortunately cruise terminals in Southampton are only open to one ship at a time per day.

Dock Gate 10 is the best one to use for access to Mayflower Terminal it is straightforward where if you ever via Dock Gate 20 it is a lot further in the docks and can be confusing if never done it before

We had no complaints at all on our recent cruise on Iona and the only real queue we encountered was for fish and chips at The Quays and was worth the wait.

I think the problems you had and was one of your complaints about luggage tags. If you had stapled them yourselves prior to arriving as requested then all of that hassle would have been avoided. You would have dropped suitcases of at specified luggage point and proceeded straight to terminal in matter of a few minutes.

The difference with Princess cruising from Southampton due to being mainly UK cruiser's is a lot more formal. If you go on a Princess cruise that sails not from Southampton but other ports with a more American/International mix then is a lot less formal and very few dinner suits and evena y don't even wear a jacket on formal nights.

Sorry misprint due to thick fingers and little smartphone keyboard. Of course I meant 2025 🤣 now corrected.

Reduced prices does not matter as long as currently on sale, a Select fare of 8 days or more and in a seaview cabin or higher.

The rule is all cruises currently on sale. When you received your e mail the only cruises currently on sale were up until April 2025. Since then they have released summer 2025 so it supposed to be applicable to them as long as you book before expiry date.

Early self disembarkation is for those that can carry all luggage off the ship without any help. If you put your suitcases out the night before then you will be assigned a time of disembarkation. This time is after all those have self disembarked with all their luggage. If what you suggest was possible we would all be doing it. The reasoning is those that self disembark have to take all your own luggage is because those that put suitcases out night before might not be ready for collection in luggage hall.

It states on the paper mailshot I have received that as long as a Select booking, over 8 days and seaview cabin or higher and can be used as many times as you want as long as they are all new bookings and booked before expiry date. My cruise adhered to all these conditions but was refused.

No because I didn't receive the mailshot by e mail it was physically sent through the post. Does not mention anything about it being automatically applied just quote a number which was my Peninsular Club number. When there was no information on my confirmation for the cruise I contacted my TA. They contacted P&O and they confirmed it had not been added but did not give a reason why.

She was lucky to get a card from the Captain on P&O it was my birthday in March on Iona and I got zilch.

There was some publicity a few years ago that all meats on P&O were halal and caused a lot of discussion. But in true P&O style never made public whether the meat onboard their ships was halal or not.

P&O confirmed that if I booked a 2025 Select holiday after they went on sale and before 31st May that the £100 OBC would be applicable. I then went ahead and booked via my TA when they went on sale and now P&O have refused to add it and giving no reason other than its not applicable.

Or that is what it supposed to be but what is point of sending them out if P&O refuse to give the £100 OBC even when booking a 14 nt Select holiday in a balcony before the expiry date.

I cannot speak to them only my TA and up to now they have been useless.

It states on mailshot it has to be Select and over 8 days in seaview or a over cabin. P&O have refused to add it to my holiday.