Cloudyrain

I think compared to 4* hotels in Europe that P&O are more like a 5* when considering the food and entertainment options. We recently did a 4* Lanzarote that was very highly rated but the evening entertainment was the choice of two venues, most meals were buffet service, and the hours of available food were very limited in comparison. Also catering for additional needs and food/medical requirements was massively lacking. There may be better cruise options (MSC Yacht Club for example) but for the price I think P&O exceed the quality and service of 4* hotel options (in Western Med Europe, I can’t comment on other areas).

It is a select price. We don’t really drink much, so AI is not really an issue. Plus we have a selection of entertainment and childcare facilities. The drive including the petrol and parking is about £100, which admittedly is double the cost of a taxi to and from the airport, but we would also spend on food for 3 in the airport and on the plane and have to contend with a flight at often awkward times and deal with airports/airplanes (yuck). plus our price is for 3, not 2; and AI in a 4* hotel is no way comparable to the options on a cruise.

Lanzarote, 4* Full Board hotel: £2000 7 nights Iona in a balcony on the Fjords: £1700 (plus £240 OBC, so effectively £1460). No comparison. Although I’m one of the rare bread who cruised P&O 10 years ago and vowed never to return, and actually one trip just pre-Covid, and a couple post-Covid, they have won me around to the point that we will have done 4 in just over 12 months because of how much better they are now than then. For us everything has improved about P&O over that time. I’m not a cheerleader, I still think the buffet is the worst at sea and the hot tubs should be renamed cold-tubs, but it makes up such a small part of the overall holiday that it doesn’t really matter.

I knew I liked you ICF: You Reds!!! What a great way to celebrate too 😊

This is great to hear - thank you for sharing 😊

Totally agree. 2018 we went on a Marella cruise and I came home with the most awful cough that lasted months and I ended up on an inhaler. Most of the ship was coughing through the week. Ah the pre-Covid joys when you could cough in peace (or not!)

The toddler splash area is pretty quiet and covered so we changed our son there when we were using it: it’s not overlooked and we were usually the only one using it. In other locations there are baby change areas (disabled toilets it I recall). For nappies we just took our own bags and they went in the bin for us, or the bin in the toilet it we were out. We never had any special red bags in 3 P&O cruises with our baby.

We did the Iona in kids holidays and really formal night was more 50/50 - it wasn’t particularly awash with tuxedos and gowns, and plenty of people didn’t dress up. My husband wore a polo T-shirt and dark jeans and dark “fashion” trainers and no one gave him any looks for not dressing up . The Britannia in school holidays was more formal, more 75%, and seemed to be a lot more “traditional P&O cruising”.

They are being removed. From the fleet. They were there, and soon they won’t be there. unless everyone complains and stops cruising, in which case P&O may retract their plans.

This thread feels like the tray-version of the Monty Python dead parrot sketch 😂

Yes, they were on the Iona and Ventura last time we went, but they are slowly removing them from the fleet. They were there, but the plan is that they won’t be in future.

Not for much longer, the tray monster is heading the Arvia’s way soon - unless a hoard of tray-wielding Iona passengers destroy it first 😉 In all seriousness it’s going to be a buffet-disaster zone in the Summer holidays when there are hundreds of parents trying to get food and drink for their children in one trip. There will be water, beans and hot coffee obstacle courses in the morning 😬 If anyone sees me and my son trying to navigate it all I recommend you avoid us: we are clumsy enough even with a tray, never mind child, bag, plate, cup and mug juggling… 😂

I think “sitting in the cabin being bored” is a tad extreme because there wasn’t a headliners show you can go and see: but each to their own. A smaller ship, maybe adult only, would maybe be better if you want a more intimate/older style. I cannot imagine why you would pick the Arvia if that’s what you want. Plus the newer “family” ships have lots of facilities to target even young-oldies: just because someone is over 50 doesn’t mean they don’t want to listen to modern music. Having said that I’ve heard oldies complain that music from the 80s was “modern rubbish” on a previous P&O cruise - so I suppose perspective and personal taste comes in to it a lot 😂

P&O are phasing out trays: they are advising customers who need to use trays to ask for assistance in the buffet and staff will carry things. As it was explained to us they don’t have trays available to borrow, just staff to carry things. It’s to reduce food waste apparently.

Stavanger: loads of museums. The Petrol museum is close by and well worth a visit (more interesting than it sounds), plus the Viking VR, canning and maritime museum are close too. Also it’s relatively flat. There is also a HOHO bus. Alesund: the HOHO bus takes you to the top look out and the aquarium. Olden: the self-arranged trip on the sky lift is possible with the bus being outside the ship and is ok for mobility issues. There is also a little land train.

You need to call them and they will do it over the phone: it’s because the website doesn’t (currently) let you check in with less than 6 months validity regardless of destination requirements that are on their website. If you call them though they can do it for you very easily and it will save you any headache at the port!

1. Use one device or buy a multi-device package for one person and then log the multiple devices under one persons name, rather than buying several single Wi-Fi packages. 2. Take your drinks in with you. 3. There is unlimited food, 4/5/6 courses if you want to add extra courses in. People don’t starve on a cruise. 4. No problems with the app/website. 5. Muster is great! No crush on the stairs or lifts, no standing around for half an hour squashed in a small area with a bunch of strangers. It’s so much better than the old style drills. 6. Pre-cruise stuff was no worse than any other pre-cruise prep with any other line. It’s sometimes great, sometimes a faff, but really it’s not that much of a problem. 7. Lots of lines charge extra for shows: every line I have been on has had upgraded options. The reviews of the upgrade shows are very good. We never bother as the included entertainment is adequate for our needs. 8. The theatre is a 40 minutes show isn’t it? Thankfully we can manage 40 minutes without a drink.

Penninsular club level also affects things: we had 1.30 for a balcony and an inside (separate bookings) and our neighbour had 3.30 for a balcony. We are level 1 loyalty, and they didn’t have any loyalty.

We were on the Iona the other week with different boarding times as a group, but they allowed us all to board at the same (earlier) time: there was never any suggestion of those who were early waiting. I also didn’t see any passengers get their times checked, or see them send anyone off to a naughty corner to wait who had arrived early. However this was around 2pm so I think they just wanted everyone on and out of the way by that point 😂 I would recommend anyone with standing issues on the Iona book assistance so they can have a chair while they wait to get off as the queues to leave can be long!

I don’t think that P&O is stricter, and I think much of it depends on who is on the door on the day. We went on a Marella the other year and my Dad was refused entry twice on the same night for his attire not meeting standards: he was furious and barely spoke all night, we were trying not to laugh. Then we went on P&O and he purposely wore a full suit, shirt and tie and on the table next to us sat a couple both wearing hoodies, trainers and jeans. After that he stuck to the buffet 😂😂

Log out, clear your cookies and log back in. Alternatively log in with a different device. lastly, call them and do it over the telephone.

I love a good show, but now we cruise with our son I prefer a more relaxed atmosphere where we can’t get tutted at for him asking a question: so Skydome rather than Headliners. I think there needs to be a good mix of evening entertainment to spread people out a bit and also to allow people to go to things they like, rather than sitting in shows moaning about it. I always remember our first Ventura trip when a group of 4 women sat behind us and complained about “all this modern rubbish” for the whole 45 minutes of the performance - which considering it was 70s and 80s pop I would hardly think it classed as “modern” 😂

There was at Southampton last year but not the previous year during the Covid-cruises (due to Covid probably).

Getting off the ship to get the buses to the Glacier/Skylift, after the first hour or so they passed.

There aren’t lockers, we just take a back pack and put electronics in them and leave them on a chair with the towels if we are all in the pool. Yes you can download books. You can also download certain games that don’t need the internet to work: don’t discount the use of electronics on a cruise, especially in the dining room - the meals can be long (especially if you do the full 3 or 4 courses, and have coffee etc after) and it’s a long time for children to be sat. We take all the electronics and it allows our son time to chill out and relax while we enjoy our meal after a busy day.