lebreos

No Problem if there are any more specific queries then just ask... The main dining rooms are like dining in nice restaurants and the buffet will be better than his galley on-board. Depending on the ship will depend on the facilities - gyms, spa's, pubs/bars, small pools and theatre's cinema's.. Plenty of room to walk around the ship above or below deck in nice carpeted corridors.... with all the services hidden. I was lucky I was in a 6 man room on my last deployment still it was only 12ft long with 6 bunks and lockers with 3ft between the 2 sets of 3... the cabins on a cruise ship are a lot more comfortable..... :-) and the steward makes your bed every morning while you have breakfast.... whats not to like...

Sorry to correct you but it isn't a "flag" as it isn't made of material.

 

It isn't even a painting of a flag, but is decoration painting based on elements of a Union Jack.

Ahh the great terminology debate.

As a flag - Its the union flag unless flown on the Jackstaff of a Royal Navy ship - then its the Union Jack... Any other flag pole its still the Union Flag.... The stylised ship decoration is just that - i think it looks good thou...

I'm ex Royal Navy, so have a bit of an idea..... sleeping quarters on a cruise ship are basically a small hotel room with normal bed and units upto large rooms(if a suite). so if hes prepared to spend 2 weeks in a small hotel room - mainly sleeping or changing that shouldn't be an issue. The rest will be what sort of holiday does he enjoy, and what sort of facilities and entertainment will he like or does he like to do on holiday. The ships are spacious and you get to get off every few days at a different port... the food is better and he wont have to stand duty watches.... It certainly isnt anything like the ship life I had in the service more like a moving hotel...

Hope this helps...

or shuttle option from around the side of southampton - penguin parking - used them several times also very good...

As an Ex Royal Navy rating i use to take the sea sickness tablet the morning we sailed and then for 2 or so days if normal weather after that only if very rough... not needed it so far on the cruise ships and bay of Biscay has so far been kind to me.... Hope that helps.

I havent im on 21st ish of april...

Had the mail shot and the email - we only book a deluxe cabin as we now have a little one and cant afford even looking at suite's unless I win the lottery... Mind you being quoted £6200 for a 2 wk cruise with a 3 yr old we declined and went cheap instead Brittany ferries to France .... finally bagged a cruise for £3800 and then got quoted £6600 for another one the following year....all same grade of cabin.... so why they think i would book one i have no idea...

Dark trainers or walking style trainer shoes are probably ok - fancy white or neon "nikes" will probably stand out for the wrong reasons....I usually take black shoes, deck shoes for casual nights and trainers/ walking trainers for day wear.

You can use the vouchers anywhere, take the unfinished bottle with you - (i'm not sure they will let you take the bottle but they will put your wine in a normal glass and you can take that out with you - never tried taking the bottle). You can also phone the wine line arrange for the bottle to be at a bar for say pre-dinner drinks ( possibly even your cabin ) and take that into dinner with you. As above the bars dont have the same selection as the restaurants readily available.

I think a lot depends on your waiters and dining companions when dining club. All my dining ha been club with use of the fine dining too... Our first few cruises we had good waiters and good companions who turned up on time or told us if they were dining elsewhere so the waiters knew we were all there and we didn't miss our slot. The quality has been good food-wise but the choices have got a bit more restrictive since 2010. One cruise we had bad table companions who never said they were not coming or turned up late so waiters always served us last... Our last cruise the waiters always seemed to serve us last despite always being on time and together - the food was cold for first three days and despite once having our starter first by the time our main was served other tables were on desert.... We complained to waiters for 3 nights before complaining to the manager - thereafter the meals were microwaved and manager kept an eye on them..... The waiters were either both quite new or one was brand new and other not that experienced or chatty despite us trying for the whole trip and being polite thru out. I had both sets of parents with us - my M in Law was on about her 30th cruise and it was the worst service she had had. Unfortunately it was my parents first and has put my father off completely.... Chatted to others over whist and all their service was great we ended up using the other main dining room for lunch and breakfast their service was far better. I'm hoping on our next cruise we will have an experienced set of waiters...

Yepp had a very drunk guy on Ventura TA - apparently scuttlebutt said local police had delivered him back on board at Madeira our first stop, then he got very drunk halfway across to the BVI's when he was refused service in the nightclub - serve me or I'll jump he said - no they said - so he jumped.... they gt him 2.5 hrs later alive.... he got thrown off at Tortola after being in sick bay and cabin arrest for 3 days.....

quicker and hotter??? first 3 nights on our last cruise all plates to our table were barely warm - had to speak to restaurant manager then they were obviously microwaved before they got to us....we had asked each time for the waiters to provide "hot" food for the main dish... They had to put backup wine waiter into our area as 2 tables were ordering bar drinks all the time so the waiter was delayed getting them served so other tables suffered - not just us.. lets just say it didn't impress my MIL who had done 30 odd cruises or my parents on their first... Needless to say when we went to the payed dining venues a couple of times I'm sure we and the waiters were both happy...

From my limited time cruising with P&O compared to some, I've never had a really cheap deal bar inside on a TA and even then peeps booking last minute paid the same for balconies so i'm told... tended to pay 76 to 115pp per night (2 people) depending on grade of cabin and I've definitely noticed cuts in the food, less cheese ( port soaked Stilton very rarely available on formal nights) compared to every formal night first cruise. Change from silver service to plated food - so you end up with barely warm food sometimes. less wine waiters so serving far more tables, several nights of wine arriving after food on last cruise. I still had chocolates on pillow last cruise... On fixed dining they seem to put the new waiters or i have just been unlucky last 2 cruises to have new waiters so service not as good as previously. The buffet not quite as good or variation as much as first 2 cruises.

Day activities seem to have been cut down a lot at sea - no staff at whist drive at sea anymore - lack of cards available ....

However I find the staff ( barring my evening meal service as mentioned ) to be friendly, try their best as always, the nursery staff to be brilliant (last cruise we had our 9 m old son with us - he never made it to evening meal table ) , the entertainment generally good or excellent, facilities on the ships generally in good order and clean. So overall it doesn't seem to have got any cheaper for me but standards not quite as good... Finding the pricing for a cabin capable of taking 3 people very variable over £6k fr 3 people in one cabin seems to be offered on occasions when Advertised price is supposed to be £1500pp sharing or £4800 another time??? The price's of the drinks is reasonable and remained so, although i wish the soft drinks were a bit cheaper for the "pump" soda, costs them pennies... The gym facilities can be variable with worn out or broken machines - less prizes available for the free spa draw...same amount of health talks trying to flog you stuff, treatments or paid classes.

Overall I've enjoyed every cruise so not felt ripped off at the price

Hi Tom, P&O - part of carnival - for its British customers definitely offer serving and ex with proof of service - OBC - I've had it before an its still advertised now - cruise doing next year i managed a 5% off but it was only marginally cheaper than a TA quoted me - they must have used some of their discount beforehand then removed it hen i provided code to them. This has been changed so thou that avenue its also OBC as well. Princess i believe we can also get the same although it is some time since i checked. Carnival don't sail from UK so you have to book via a TA or direct as as far as I'm aware they don't have a UK sales office.... I'm sure someone will correct me...

https://www.defencediscountservice.co.uk/newsout.php?mid=49178&nid=243&lid=190

dont know if that would link

Depends how adventurous you are and what sort of hotel budget you want to set - cheap travellodge - small clean rooms ideal for a few days stay no frills £50 a night - expect to eat out for all meals bar breakfast ( cheaper to eat out for that too ) stayed at 3 in london - near waterloo - marlybone and old street tube station. use the tube to get around then a train down to Southampton or a car as above...Hiltons are great (more room for cases) - i have stayed at paddington and metropol both next to tubes - around £150 a night can pay less or more - better rooms and concierge etc. The tube is great to use an either buy a day ticket zone one or an oyster card from newsagents and just tap in and out at contact-less pads on barriers - capped to £7.60 a day so you can just use em all day and not worry. Far cheaper than uber plenty of good maps can be printed out - tube - street etc and if you know what you want to see then it will be easy to work out nearest tube station and lines to use. google maps is pretty good for working it out for you print em before travel or use on phone.... Hope that helps you make your choices.pm me if you have further questions... day trips from southampton to london are not impossible but you will spend far longer on the train than you really want too...

Looks like blue light card has changed its 5% of discount - Ex armed forces were eligible for it too - to OBC for P&O now

as above

Yepp we did this- on ventura with three adjoining cabins - MIL on each side of ours.... my 9 month old boy was well spoilt... we found it worked well for us. dont forget you can ring next door to check they are decent too - lol

As said ask the cabin steward as soon as you see them - they can get them unlocked

Large Sports direct carrier/ ikea bag etc great for putting your dirty washing in and using to from free laundrette's on every deck...Try to use them early and plan to go back when your washing or drying is done - about 1 hr later to free up move washing from machine to machine...as above take your own all in one pods for machines.

Have used night nursery onboard with my boy who was 9 months intend using it next year when hes 3... the staff were excellent - drop off from 6ish pick up after you've seen the shows ( they give you a pager for any problems) Make sure you sign u when you get onboard for the kids club during the first day or next morning to use them.

Ask for you kids food as soon as you sit down for breakfast if using MDR and ask them to bring it immediately, gives you a chance to feed them before your breakfast arrives..if you wish to do i that way. All dining rooms and buffet have high chairs if needed. Afternoon tea for kids is great in buffet - see horizon for times. The waiters/staff generally love the kids and make a fuss of them. If using their cot they don't provide a mattress for it - think about taking a cheap one - its the fold out rectangular type P&O use - to put under the bedding.

they have tightened up a bit - you used to be able to combine blue light card - which ex military are eligible for 5% off with the OBC for the DDC but you cant now. So you have to work out if the £125 per eligible person ( you might be lucky they may apply to both...) is worth more or less than the 5% upfront discount

The free onboard launderettes are good you just need to be organised - so all your casual stuff and underwear can be washed multiple times for the cost of buying some tablets onboard or taking some with you for the machines. Posh stuff you can use the laundry service if needed. I have washed my formal shirts and ironed them to wear them twice no issues. I was usually the only bloke in the launderettes thou.... use a local shop on your first port of call to top any toiletries you miss if you dont have time in southhampton or the onboard shop isnt too expensive.

thanks for the info on penguin i used alternative CP before good price and mini bus transfer was good as well. I drive back to souh wales 200 miles and found it fine.. Also used CPS and found the difference to be about 20-30 min from stepping off ship to driving off in my car..

3 of us stayed in e723 - 725 - 727. No issues with noise mine was young enough to need a cot last time... this time we are staying in e725 again and he will be in a fold down this time....

Night nursery will also be open first night if you intend to use it - drop off from 1800 ( i think ) Last pick up 2am.... I found it great with my 9 month old. They should be sleepy before you take them up especially the older ones. ask about it when you sign up. We then picked him up usually between 11pm and 1pm depending if we saw a show and or had a drink after the show. the older kids sleep on mattresses on the floor.

Loved our TA from Southampton to Barbados on ventura a few years back. We gained the hour overnight which helped the sleep but the flight back day was a long one as I cant sleep on planes very well, just don't get comfortable... The weather is always unpredictable all times of the year ( was in the royal navy based in Plymouth ) so experienced good and bad from sept to april in the channel. On out cruise it was slightly lumpy and windy first 2 days but glorious after that all trip. Our jumper mid atlantic was lucky to be far enough south to survive 3 hrs in the water before the crew fished him out... would recommend the trip but thanks for the info about clocks changing at midday might consider the other way as well now...

All very helpful replies, so thanks folks. I think it's clear that I don't want to be booking the 'Farewell' tour....

We did a 4x4 tour on the first day in port - enjoyed that. There is a concord "museum" at the airport which is well worth a visit best to get another couple to join you in a taxi ride up and back to keep the cost down thou. Our taxi driver actually came in and did the tour too - hed never been on a plane before or left the island... If you can go from there into the airport then that would be ok...