Megabear2

If it's on Britannia the Deck 15 deluxe balconies at the front are shaded and also suffer noise (big time) if you are on a cruise where night time activities may take place outside. Been caught out once in the Caribbean and never again. Of course if it's a cruise where nothing much on deck is likely to happen in the evening then noise shouldn't be an issue for you there.

On the days with big clashes Celebrity have been moving Edge to Ibiza as a substitute but she of course is under 3,500 passengers. Will have to wait and see

+1

Currently one of the top destinations in Europe, stunning place. Would really like more ports like this instead of the old repeats. Montenegro is one of the hot to places for young people these days, with Budva being in the top 5 places most visited by under 30's.

Run!!!!!!

May the Duck be with you ...

Did you not complain?

So that's why you need umbrellas on your rear balcony on Iona and Arvia!

Whilst it seems obvious assumedly the port has to cancel first. Unfortunately we have to wait and much as I hate to say it the Balerics are not exactly keen on UK visitors at the moment no matter how they arrive so we could well be bottom of the queue for getting notice. I believe Moley said alternative plans will be in hand behind the scenes.

Is this the 14 May departure due Palma 19th - that's the one I'm on. Port schedule actually shows Seaview, Edge and Arvia in port that day so assumedly we won6 be going.

All of them apart from P&O are presumably classed as boutique or specialty cruise lines though and presumably with higher fares? Researching the subject last year when my friend picked our Celebrity cruise it seemed very much that all the leading mass market cruise lines bar Cunard were moving away from turndown. As I say Princess and Celebrity offered a choice but most now appear to have removed the option.

I have Palma on my Arvia May trip and nothing has happened with that. My August Britannia has had things swapped around and timing changed. I am mainly disgruntled that P&O can't seem to update the itineraries on the websites to reflect where tyecships are actually going. If you go to book you seem to get an errata before finally clicking in to buy the product but that's little consolation if you're in the planning stage, make a decision based on your research and then at the end of it all learn it's not quite what you thought.

I have been researching Iona Norway cruises in the past few days and have noted that on the P&O website they are showing Iona calling at Geiranger on all departures between 27th May 2023 and 2nd September 2023. As I understood it Iona will not be calling there due to a problem with docking so assumedly these cruises are showing incorrect information and a change will be imminent or have I got this completely wrong and the passengers have been notified en bloc earlier on? I can't help but be a bit worried about all this websitecsloppiness on ports changing, some blurb is still waxing lyrical about St Petetsburg! Regarding Palma I have noted that Celebrity Edge has now updated a number of her cruises from calls there to now being Ibiza, but these seem to have been done very quickly as a block. Is there any news yet on Arvia calls - I have notification on the August Britannia one as mentioned above by others.

In fairness the big players have all been tinkering with the turndown service for a while. On Celebrity and Princess last year while it was available you had to opt in rather than opt out, this by way of the Medallion app on Princess and by card or the app on Celebrity. In December 2022 there was a change on Quantum of the Seas in a move many thought was the trial run on RC. Guests recently sailing on Quantum of the Seas have noticed a “Housekeeping Services Update” listed in the daily cruise newsletter on embarkation day, however, that dramatically reduces that service. The notice reads: “In an effort to be more sustainable and to align with global hospitality trends, we will be adjusting our stateroom services to 1 time per day.” I now note NCL have become the latest to change the service. https://www.travelandleisure.com/norwegian-cruise-line-decrease-turndown-service-7091895 Reading further into the NCL changes and update in Crew Centre indicated both crew and passengers were unhappy with the NCL approach but complainants were apparently told all cruise lines intend going to once a day servicing! Unless sailing on a boutique line or high end cabin or suite it looks as turndown will be a thing of the past across the board.

This has been going on since 2015 so not exactly new, 2018 was the start of the big phenomenon based on one little girl's adventure on Carnival Breeze. Carnival actively encourage it on their ships as I understand it: "Others have gone so far as to suggest that rubber ducks should be banned aboard cruise ships, prompting one concerned traveler to ask Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, if this would happen on their ships. He not only assured his FB followers that the ducks were welcome on board (“Hide them. Find them. Have fun with them,” he wrote), but assured would-be hiders that “most” of the crew members knew not to throw them away if they came across them."

Thank you all for your suggestions. I've gone with Iona based on all your suggestions and news from my family who are currently onboard.

I currently have four family members onboard and they are loving it. No problems to date and reporting their smoothest ever crossing to arrive in Stavanger this morning on a glorious sunny morning. I asked about queues etc and they have had no problem on their first two nights. They report there are family groups but no problems with children misbehaving to date nor with the infinity pool which they have used daily (three of them are open water swimmers so I can't say if it's warm or not). Had these pictures this morning (note the return of green beans in the MDR and something suspiciously like a prawn).

Thank you, think I'm a bit old to cycle down. How is the capacity on other excursions looking, having been to Flam a long time ago I recall nothing actually there if you don't go on an excursion. Thank you.

Same with Iona yesterday apparently. My BIL had an early check in but his son and daughter in law had to wait for 1 1/2 hours.

Currently my BIL and his family are on Iona, sailing yesterday. Looking at the photos which are already arriving thick and fast my husband has offered to send me on one of these two now very cheap last minute deals. I've only been to Norway once and that was in Juiy on Queen Victoria in 2016 so have no idea what to expect. Obviously I know Britannia very well and looking at her itinerary it does look the better of the two. However I'm not a big cold weather person and think that Iona might offer more for me as there are more indoor options. As a result I'm leaning towards that but have some concerns and wonder if anyone on here is booked on either of these cruises. 1. I assume that reservations for the shows and restaurants are already open so wonder if I'd actually be able to get in anywhere on Iona? 2. Would there be excursion availability or nothing available of any interest? I note Britannia goes to Flam but assumedly railway etc wouldn't be an option as so popular. 3. How wet/cold would it be normally? 4. What are the chances either ship will actually get to visit the ports on the itineraries? The cruises are extremely cheap so not much to lose. Would you risk it and if so which would you choose? Any thoughts/information greatly received.

Ahh, the article was on cocktails on RC .... I

I was astonished how many calories there are in a cocktail. Found this information on another forum after being prompted there by my surgery nurse before my world cruise on QM2. Mai Tai – a typical one can ‘cost’ as much as 620 calories as it is made from white rum, dark rum, orange curacao, lime juice and orange syrup! Frozen Margarita – anything from 500-700 calories! Piña colada – that evocative drink reminiscent of balmy nights is surely delicious. Its calorie count depends on size but could get close to 600 calories! Mud Slide – a slippery 556 calories! Long Island Iced Tea – (the classic demonstration of how multiple spirits adds up to a calorie-rich drink) 430 calories at least! Bahama Mama – tastes like it sounds but you’ll drink 350 calories! Sex on the Beach – (go on, you’ve always wanted to try it but never dared to ask) … will tot up to 330 calories! Vodka & Tonic or Gin & Tonic quite ‘cheap’ at about 150 calories a time The same place offered some swaps to cut the calories. Instead of a Mai Tai… Have a Mojito! A Mojito weighs in at around 200 calories depending on what it’s made with and it’s a deliciously fresh low calorie alternative. Swap your Mudslide… For a Chocolate Martini. The martini only contains vodka and crème de cacao instead of the two types of ice cream found in the mudslide and is still an enjoyable chocolate treat that comes in at 438 calories. Say goodbye to your Pina Colada… For a White Russian. Whilst still creamy and delicious it is slightly less calories than its pineapple flavoured friend. At 257 calories you can enjoy your dessert in a glass in peace! Ditch the Long Island Iced Tea… For a Cosmo! Whilst still fairly alcoholic the Cosmo is less potent than the Long Island Iced Tea and has 213 calories. Change your Margarita… For a tequila sunrise. You’ll still enjoy that distinctive tequila kick but lose the extra calories of the triple sec. You waistline will thank you as the Sunrise only has 170 calories! Even the "skinny" options looked pretty calorie laden to me!

Have I missed something? At least the last Canaries cruise on Iona was full. Not sure which one Majortom was on though but as far as I know Iona has been sailing pretty full until she started the Norway route.

Yes, I've eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner there.

You can dine outside at the rear of the restaurant on Britannia, I've enjoyed many a tea and cake out there.