carfla7

38 minutes ago, hen302 said:

I am also interested in this topic. My Az Journey cruise is scheduled to leave at 4:30pm but we can only board from 3pm onwards in our category.  Surely they would want us on and settled and safety drilled before then?

You would think.  It says you must be on within 90 minutes of departure, but some are not scheduled to board till 3.30/4.00. It seems counterintuitive.

We are due to board Pursuit in a week and have the final pre cruise paperwork. The ship sails at 4.30 and the boarding times start at 1.30 and go on till 4.00. As I understand it boarding is now later following COVID and the fact there is a deeper clean between cruises. I know they don’t want you turning up earlier than your scheduled time but can you drop bags at least? We are out of our hotel late morning and don’t really want to hang around with bags for a few hours if it can be avoided. Anyone with experience of this - especially in Southampton?

Thanks for all this. We now have a time of 8.15 at the airport. 
On the basis we will have to be overnight no matter what, we are driving to and from Manchester. That way the luggage can’t be lost by baggage handlers at the airport. 😱 It actually works out significantly cheaper this way and we won’t be stressing if the flight home is delayed.

Yes - it’s just coach down to Southampton and then fly back in to Manchester. It completes the circle as the rep on the phone described it.

I have just booked a transatlantic cruise with P&O in October. Leaves from Southampton on Britannia. Coming from Scotland I assumed we would just fly to Southampton and stay over but I discover that as we fly back to Manchester there is an included coach at the start.

is it from the airport - I’m assuming - and has anyone used this? Any comments for and against would be appreciated. I don’t relish a long coach journey but there is a certain elegance about it.

I don’t have timings for it yet. Do P&O leave that pretty late?

Super excited about the cruise 😎

Not sailed with P&O before but considering a transatlantic on Britannia. Can you eat outside at the stern of the buffet? I’ve looked a lot and it’s not clear. It’s a bit of a deal breaker for me if it’s a warm weather cruise.

Thanks. 😎

I am also really enjoying this. A transatlantic cruise is on my bucket list and I am keen to hear whether it translates into enjoyment in reality. Particularly if you have heavy seas - good luck with that!

I am also following this as a lead in to joining the ship in Miami so I don’t actually mind the rotated pictures 😎

Thanks for keeping at it. 
 

I wonder if there is some way of checking the original price before the "up to" 30% discount has been applied? It would make planning much easier. I have my eye on a Med cruise next summer but if a full 30% has been applied then it will be really expensive after the current offer expires. Any thoughts on this?

 

And it does irritate me when the UK website differs from the USA. Why can they not be brought in line with each other. :((That is rhetorical)

 

As I have just come back from a fabulous cruise on Quest I am keen to get something booked for next year ...:D

Just back from cruise and found that we were off the ship really quickly (we stood for about 15 minutes before the time we thought we could disembark) and as we were quite early the queue at immigration was only about 10 minutes. They were extremely thorough on the first day checking everyone's papers and, as others have said, the second day was very much faster.

 

I was surprised that on the first day there was also a queue to go back to the ship! Worth knowing if you are planning an evening event too. Not helped by the fact that I think all the tours arrived back at the same time.

 

My friend actually got a smile from the immigration lady - I think because her computer system had crashed and she had to do things manually. And our tour guide did comment that Russians are friendly but just do not smile very much! So our preconceived notions need to be set aside I guess.

 

For those who have yet to go the two day tour we did was just amazing. :D

Great to see another review - we go for the identical cruise on Sunday.

 

One question if I may - were there attempts to stop you from getting off the ship promptly in St P? I read RCI claim (wrongly) that Russian immigration only lets off the ship's tours first. Did you encounter that on your first day?

 

Looking forward to reading what I am about to do ..!:)

Spbstan - thank you so much for this. Very helpful!:)

This is all interesting - I see from another post that RCI ( Serenade of the Seas) have a leaflet saying that if you have booked a private tour you must wait in the lounge till the ship's tours have left. They even claim that "Russian immigration officials have advised that priority is given to those with RCI tour booked"

 

This seems to be extraordinary disinformation coming from the company. Does anyone have experience of this? Needless to say we will now just ignore this instruction! ;)

I am really enjoying your videos. Am on Serenade in four weeks so the info is really useful. Thanks!

Also - the buffet is very good. Especially when they have a theme - eg Indian/Italian etc. A minor point but I found that the bread was to die for! The waist might suffer on a TA voyage. You have no need to worry. Enjoy :)

This lady has been in training for the cruise so happy to be "guided" by anyone especially if a bar might be involved!

Thanks for all that Nordski. I seem to spend spare moments in my almost OCD looking over info for the cruise next week. Should be in Nice next Saturday. You have confirmed what I suspected about the category N2 but it is still going to be an amazing treat.

I have seen (and suffered from) many chesty type infections this autumn. I hope you didn't catch anything.

Glad your experience was mostly good and hope you have another one to look forward to soon.

Nordski - many thanks. And good idea to have a new thread. Hope you are not too "down" on your return.

 

And if I told you we had a handsome allotment of internet minutes because of our N2 upgrade, you'll know that both you and uktog were very wise in another thread in suggesting patience re: said upgrade. Thanks to both of you for the wise counsel.

 

I'll have a few more comments to make concerning our experience.

 

Have also secured upgrade to N2 - how was it for you? Did the internet actually work away from shore? And how did the butler work?

 

Am on Journey in ONE WEEK and am more excited than describe!!:D

 

I would very much like to hear any comments you have re the cruise as a whole.

It does seem petty.

 

But in the meantime the idea of even more gin is likely to put the excitement levels over the top! :o

 

If I remember anything of the cruise I will try and post a review.

Procter

 

Your imagery at the start is assuredly worrying - though I think I will avoid the need for therapy!

Enjoyed the review and as our cruise stops in Cannes next month I should be able to comment on how she is looking.

 

I was moved to check the info on the website as we have bagged an upgrade to a CC suite (smug face) and see this about the alcohol:

 

One 375 mL bottle each of Stolichnaya Vodka, Bacardi Gold Rum, Bombay Sapphire Gin, and Johnnie Walker Red Label Scotch, plus cranberry and orange juice

 

The gin is probably the one that interests me and I am v happy with Bombay Sapphire. What were the offerings previously? Is there a marked difference?

I am on Journey on 1st November. Ordered luggage tags several weeks ago when the link was there and was a bit surprised they had not arrived so re-ordered a couple of days ago. I now find this in place of the link:-

"[I]We regret that luggage tag mailers are no longer available because the number of requested mailers has exceeded our permissible limits. You may secure your luggage tags from our porters once you arrive at the pier.[/I]" :mad:

Now on RCI I expect to print off paper tags, but come on Azamara - you are selling yourselves as a bit of luxury and although this will in no way spoil my cruise it is extremely irritating. Having had experience of papers tags falling off at the last minute I will probably invest in some laminate tags. The really disappointing thing is that if I did not follow this forum I would have been none the wiser and would have been waiting anxiously for Mr Postman up to the morning of the cruise!

And btw - what on earth are "mailers"??:confused:

I do also agree that you take "softly, softly" approach on first place. On the plus side you will spend so little time in your cabin and will have enjoyed the included drinks so hopefully not a problem anyway. Good luck!!

Did you book that specific cabin? If so you might use the argument that you have a contract for that cabin and if it is not supplied they would be in breach of contract ... Worth a try. Hope you have a fab cruise either way. [emoji3][emoji485]

That is disappointing - we have now received our cruise booklet which appears to suggest that there is always a White Night. But I do understand that we do not want to be little huddled freezing things just for the sake of it and having one indoors would really not be the same thing at all.

Will take white clothes just in case!!:cool::cool:

I have just booked the same itinerary for next July too - 17th. Would love any photos or Cruise Compass pictures that you might be able to share. Sounds great!:):)