Megabear2

1 hour ago, brian1 said:

You were right ,it is closed,couldn't see the sign on the door unless you walk right up to it.At the end of our road there is the Railway hotel,a Innkeepers lodge pub/hotel.Probably not as quiet as the Devonshire though and no pets or racehorses cos the stairs are too narrow.

Thank you.  I'll have a look at that one.  It's okay I'm leaving Dutch Decoy at home. He's busy preparing for his next race. 

Strange what you find on a sunny afternoon in London ....

Not quite a sea cruise, but great to be on the water again!!  O2 here I come ...

Just now, brian1 said:

LOL,I realised that too late last week,didn't even bother to research trains from Liverpool st.Plus we only pay from zone 6 having a London freedom pass.We live 2 stops from Upminster in Hornchurch.My OH took her brother to Reading yesterday, just changing at Whitechapel, for a day out.That journey didn't cost a penny.

It's Hornchurch we are going to next month for my SIL's birthday.  Staying in Brentwood so trying Elizabeth Line. On the morning intend EL to Romford and use our bus passes on the old 370 to Hornchurch. I used to use the Devonshire Hotel there but it seems to have shut.  We're going Uber back but that's apparently about £29!

43 minutes ago, JessicaB97 said:

Haha yes have tried and as always no appointments available, don’t really think it’s deemed urgent as it’s just a cold at the moment. I will also phone again tomorrow at 8am to see if I can talk to the GP. I’ve also contacted the health visitor (registered children’s nurses) and again have to wait upto 48 hours to discuss but they will phone me before we go.
 

I have insurance in place but I don’t care about what’s it’s going to cost to see a doctor. It’s just more to the fact I want piece of mind that they would prescribe me children’s antibiotics if I do need them. 
 

Thanks

 

If as others mention it did develop and need shoreside intervention you would be facing a bill of thousands of pounds which may well not be covered by insurance as you travelled knowing the little one may not be fit to do so.  It's easy to say no matter what it costs but in December it was £100 to walk in the door before any medication.

7 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

On another forum already seen someone post that they will decant the spirit they enjoy into a screw top wine bottle to disguise it. 
 

As I said previously doesn’t affect us as we rarely drink spirits, however the short notice given by P&O of the changes to what you can take onboard and what they are planning to charge is the bigger issue. Another PR fail by P&O?

P&O are no doubt thinking their customers are honest individuals rather than cunning looking for ways round it.  I'd guess that if too many aren't honest they'll start to get draconian and say if you're caught deliberately trying to smuggle drink onboard you'll be denied boarding at own cost or worse asked to leave at the next port unassisted.

34 minutes ago, brian1 said:

I see your point,we're new at this game,lol.We're going to Northampton next thursday to see my new found aunt again.Only 50 mins and cheaper than the coach.When NE have to change coaches it works out dearer quite often.We learnt that last week going to Cambridge changing at STN.

If you go to Cambridge again the Anglian trains although slower are really cheap if you pick carefully.  I often do Cambridge to Chelmsford and can get a £7.00 single advance purchase- it probably went up a bit in March.  I then go on my next bit Chelmsford to Romford, and depending where I'm headed either Romford to Upminster and up to West Ham for jubilee to Waterloo or Upminster to Leigh on Sea.  Never paid more than £17 for the whole lot.

Trying the Elizabeth Line to Brentwood next month but that's going to be £8.00 from Reading.

14 minutes ago, lincslady said:

Don't want to be a harbinger of doom - or whatever it is - but let's hope the drivers etc. are not on strike.

Luckily(!) the strikes are this week. Our no trains day was Tuesday, we are on overtime ban until the 11th. Next week should be clear for Brian's trip as there won't be time to ballot a new strike.

Incidentally this is the 3rd summer of this dispute!

13 minutes ago, lincslady said:

I thought green beans were the curse of P and O cruises, did not realise it was infectious.

Perhaps Carnival own a bean field.

24 minutes ago, brian1 said:

We've just got a travel together rail card 30% off all journeys in UK for 30 quid.Individual cards are 30 quid each.We intend to use trains and coaches a lot more nowdays.Especially after just driving a "trans Atlantic" in 8 days.

I have a senior railcard and the National Express card too, they are great.  If you can buy singles on fixed services they are a great help.  Unfortunately I can't do that for all things because I'm connecting through several services which may or may not run to time and connect. A lot of my journeys involve crossing through London so I have to add in the perils of LU as well.  Going north it's much cheaper to go into London for the m mainline services than it is to use Crosscountry which can be extortionate.  The perils of living west I suppose!

3 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

So how does it work? Do they frisk everyone at the end of the airbridge or rifle through people’s cabins or what?

No idea, I assume they will be thinking it over with the port authorities.  The first cruises under the policy have just sailed but as no one knew about it bar a few travel agents I'm guessing it wasn't enforced.  Most of the trade and cruise press were carrying the news on 3/4 May but I think it hit the mainstream of FB etc on Sunday/Monday.

9 hours ago, NE John said:

A Cunard rep, via phone two Fridays ago, said there are no limits of beverages one can bring on board. He volunteered that info - I didn’t ask. 

That's exactly as P&O were replying to guests up until 7 May as well, even emailing.  Turned out it was total baloney there is now an embargo on spirits as Tacticalbanjo said.  There are A LOT of very unhappy campers about this change but the reason given is for Carnival to be uniform across their brands as "responsible sellers of alcohol".  They are quoting HESS guidelines.

It seems the Cunard UK website is now reflecting the no spirits ruling too.  A new debate has just opened over there.

Sending best wishes for a speedy recovery from sickness and pain to all affected. 

Another warm sunny day, whisper it!  Catching the 9.50 train to London due to the fare difference.  £105.00 return on the o.20 or £47.50 on the 9.50! Goodness knows how much my old season ticket would cost now!

Hope everyone has a Beautiful Day!!!

52 minutes ago, S1971 said:

Just got to get a Marella one done first in August with friends, hopefully they will hit the right spot, ironically all inclusive with no carry on restrictions to the best of my knowledge!!

I hope you have a great cruise. Just to say events such as those I have experienced are very rare and P&O are still a good line to sail with. I've just been unlucky.

5 minutes ago, TRLD said:

While there are certainly a mix of nationalities on Cunard, passengers from the UK still tend to make up the largest block of passengers. The culture on board still tends to have a UK focus compared to other mass market lines.

 

By focus i mean their marketing and passenger concentrations, more so then the home porting of their itineraries.

I have sailed Cunard for very many years and am Diamond and on most of the sailings I make around 50% are international. That to me is actually the attraction of sailing Cunard, I like the mix. The "culture" seems to be very much the drawing for those international guests along with those who prefer the traditional approach.  I guess we will have to disagree on this one.

17 minutes ago, TRLD said:

As far as UK focused mass market cruise lines you basically have P&O and Cunard. Though Cunard tends to have a bit wider audience and a bit higher price point, where as P&O UK has a pretty concentrated customer base.

 

The other UK focused lines tend to fall more into the premium  price range. Though not totally sure about the price point of Marella (TUI UK) these days

 

MSC, TUI (German), AiDA, Costa tend to be more EU focused mass market

 

Princess, Celebrity, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Carnival are North American focused mass market lines.

In my humble opinion Cunard are now a very long way from being a UK focused cruise line.  Queen Anne appears to have been brought in to try to remedy the situation, however the fact is if you take out the transatlantic crossings of QM2 in recent years they have offered very few ex UK sailings with a huge focus on servicing European fly cruises with QV, Japan, Alaska and Australia with QE with the odd handful of ex Southampton "real" cruises on QM2.

The mix of international guests on any Cunard ship is very high even on ex UK sailings. Also the pricing structure is very geared to the US market being is US$ and culturally aligned with tipping etc.  

All of the marketing for QA has stated she is a ship for the UK market and clearly the intention is for her to become the predominant Queen ex UK. Despite "abandoning" the Asian and Australian markets in 2025/6 Cunard are still basing QE in Alaska and Miami, she's still going to be internationa.

Realistically P&O will remain the standout UK company with people tinkering as they've always done with others.

13 minutes ago, S1971 said:

So yet another policy P&O have no intention of enforcing.

 

Let face it, if they are not going remove passengers for some of the behaviours witnessed as described on this thread, then I'm of the opinion anything now goes on P&O.

 

Shame really as they used to be such a reputable cruiseline.

The fact its difficult to enforce may mean that rather than it being a money driven plan as some are suggesting, the real purpose is indeed to exercise a modicum of control over those passengers who are stepping over the mark.  For instance the parents of obviously drunken teenagers such as those I encountered would be far easier to confront and challenge if the crew know with certainty the alcohol could not have been sourced "legally" onboard.  It could under the current system be very difficult as the offenders are able to make excuses.

I am a great cynic when it comes to huge corporations. Banning the liquer being brought onboard will be a win win for Carnival. They can ride the moral ground, we have to be responsible sellers of booze, H&S etc etc whilst not admitting they also have a problem bubbling up caused by some of their new audience which has to be dealt with.  And of course they will increase profits to boot because the majority of the good guys will still want their drink on the balcony and consequently will buy the bottle from the cruise line for their room.

3 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Just remember that, if your husband and you are sharing a cabin, you both have to purchase the package.

I'm travelling solo this time as a last minute booking which is why he's offered to buy me it.  I've never had one on Cunard (or P&O for that matter) which are my favoured lines but I did have a package on Celebrity last year and it made my life very simple which is why we have discussed it.  I'm just not sure on the machinations of how Cunard's one works.

2 hours ago, bluemarble said:

 

Right. The last price changes went into effect this past December. Before then, these were the prices.

 

Beers, Wines and Spirits Option

$70 for voyages of 5 nights or more in advance, $75 on board

$85 for voyages of less than 5 nights in advance, $90 on board

 

Premium Soft Drinks Option

$30 in advance, $35 on board

 

Speciality Hot Drinks Option

$12.50 in advance, $15 on board

 

Soft Drinks Option

$10 in advance, $12 on board

 

So yes indeed, this is the second price increase for the non-alcoholic drinks packages since last December. For the Beers, Wines and Spirits Option, the new (and current) pricing structure that went into effect last December represented a price increase for shorter voyages, but a price decrease for longer voyages.

I'm very intrigued. I'm not a drinks package person normally but have just looked at my personaliser for the 24 May British Isles cruise as my husband has offered to purchase the package for me if I think it's worthwhile.  I am seeing $72 per day for this cruise for the alcoholic package.  At today's exchange rate that will cost me around £807 for the 14 nights.  Silly question time now:

1. Am I allowed any drink on any menu under a certain price - I've seen contradictory amounts of $12.50 and $13.50, which is it please?

2. Are there small bottles of water available not just a discount on large ones?

3. I'm familiar with P&O's drink package system which marks each drink as included, I assume if it's drinks up to a certain limit this wouldn't apply on my QA voyage, but could someone kindly provide more details.

4. I drink copious amounts of teas, both fruit and normal plus a glass or two of wine at dinner.  Other drinks are generally gin and tonic, and possibly a cocktail or two.  Looking at a recent price list it seems borderline on benefit but the convenience is appealing plus of as I understand it no 15% if I take the drinks?

I'm sailing in the cheap seats, not quite the bilges after a kind free upgrade from Cunard but not far off.  Does that affect me?

Thank you for any views or help. 

16 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

We are having friends for tea

Crikey, I know there's a north south divide on food but that sounds a bit extreme!  Are you roasting them or is it a barbie day?

15 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

I do a lot of cruises South Africa to UK,  perhaps I'm unlucky but never found them much cheaper per night than normal. 

 

Going back to general  discussion.  P&O prices from what is said and cursory examination are much more expensive on older Adult only ships.  Almost two different companies. To my mind once to start paying  smaller (P&O)  ship prices, might as well pay that extra for next level up.

 

Mega ships are the bargains. But they are marmite ships 

ICF uses inside savers so you probably would not pay the same.  His South African Azamara cruise was about half full and cost if I recall correctly around £1700pp for 12 nights or thereabouts. He didn't sail to the UK, he was staying in an Airbnb in Capetown and flew out for a month.

Moley has mentioned that the break even price on the two small ships is far higher and as a result so are the fares.  Those that choose the ships seem to do so regardless of the cost. Whilst saying that there are a couple of Ventura Canaries cruises with extremely high lead balcony cabins as well.  The real pushing up for prices apart from Iona/Arvia is the difference to choose a select fare. If a solo cruiser takes that option it really can be eye watering.

3 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

ICF has not been around much recently, unless I have missed posts.

Yes, nothing since he came back from South Africa apart from a couple of photos from his Maleth flight in February. Shame really, he gives a very positive spin to things.

6 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Quoting one specific cruise as a general price comparison is extremely faulty. I would guess that this cruise was selling very badly for whatever reason, and your price was not truly comparable to the normal pricing of Azamara cruises.

In fact you state that you do a lot of homework to find special offers, which is admirable but not very prevalent among the general cruising public. 

 

I'd agree.  I remember ICF getting a really good deal on his South African cruise early this year and a look at the Azamara site shows all the South African cruises are generally considerably lower cost than their other offerings. The cruise quoted was also a repositioning cruise and like most lines these are generally cheaper anyway.

2 minutes ago, Lee Jones Jnr said:

 

Ah, well in that case 'its a scandal that this is the policy when cabins are £999.60pppn' (the cost of a solo suite on the first Aurora cruise that I clicked on).

 

I dunno, I suppose the whole concept is difficult for me to empathise with because it would never occur to me to take bottles of spirits onboard or to a hotel or take popcorn from home to the cinema etc.

I'm confused now! The lady in question didn't mention anything other than the cost of her cabin as far as I am aware.

On the subject of taking drinks to hotels, I've encountered some pretty stringent rules on only drinks anc food purchased in house can be consumed, particularly in Cornwall.  During the pandemic I saw a really interesting debate about a bag of crisps being consumed by a child beside a pool at a Lostwithiel hotel.  The customer was most put out.