Roll Call: Oriana 13th May Weekender & 15th May Venetian Romance

[graham uk]

Myself and partner booked on these two cruises. Anyone else from this site / forum? Four weeks to go.

[Rotterdam]

Graham -

 

Could you share some details of these sailings...also compare the P&O experience to other cruises you have taken.

 

P&O has some interesting cruises...I believe they even do a San Francisco to Southampton voyage as part of a world cruise....hmmmmm next year perhaps!!!!

[Oslo Dutch]

Enjoy it!

 

 

I was on Oriana in 1999 for an 18 day Eastern Mediteranean and it's still one of my best trips ever. Love the ship, very stylish with superfacial Vegas kitch left to an acceptable minumum.

 

We loved having drinks at Anderson's before dinner. A very relaxed nice place. The ship has got lots of deck space. Service was very very good!

 

Reint

[graham uk]

Hi Rotterdam and Oslo Dutch

 

Oriana remains one of my favourite ships if not the favourite. Not easy to say why as I think these things are influenced by personal preferences and what people like to do on board. However, P&O to date have provided a product that myself and my partner are very happy with. Namely, good standards on the ships, excellent food, convenient sailing from Southampton, being able to take your own drinks on board for use in cabin, fridge in cabins, good entertainment, etc etc etc.

 

The cruise in May is a 'back to back' one, hence the two cruise numbers. First 2 nights are Southampton to Bruges back to Southampton and then go on 17 nights to Venice and back. Calling, Spain (Malaga & Palma Majorca), Sicily, Greece (Zakinthos and Corfu), Dalmatia (Dubrovnik & Spilt), Venice.

 

We try and enjoy each ship and cruise for what it offers and have cruised with a range of companies at a range of prices. What some of the smaller ships lack in facilities and sometimes 'finesse' they seem to make up for in good company and excellent itineraries. Of late, however, we seem to have settled with mainly P&0 although I have just done a Caribbean Cruise with MSC.

 

Happy cruising all! J

 

[Rotterdam]

Graham -

 

Thanks - at some point we'll try P&O - as I said one of the world cruises has a segment from San Francisco to Southampton.

 

We are looking at MSC next winter for carib - hopefully do a b2b for 21 days.

 

I agree with you about appreciating the ships - I am trying to sail some of teh older ones before they retire. I sail 9 May on Prinsemdam transatlantic NYC - Barcelona.

[graham uk]

Have fun - have done transatlantic three times now. UK - New York Return (was on Oriana when she got hit by the 50' Wave) and then on Braemar to Canada (flew home from Montreal). We'll be on Oriana from May 13th for 19 nights - so we could pass somewehre in West Med.

 

1973, School Cruise, Uganda, Med. ~ 1991, Costa, Costa Eugenia, Med.

 

1998, Airtours, Seawing, Canaries. ~ 1998, (Royal Olympic), Apollo, Canaries

 

1999, (Royal Olympic), UK/Nice, MTS Jason~ 2000, P&O, Oriana, Canaries

 

2000, P&O, Oriana, UK New York rtn ~ 2001, P&O, Aurora, West Med

 

2001, P&O, Aurora, Dubrovnik ~ 2002, P&O, Oriana, Canaries

 

2002, Travelscope, Van Gogh, UK -Tangier ~ 2002, Fred Olsen, Braemar, UK - Canada

 

2003, Ocean Village, Med (May) ~ 2003, Ocean Village, Med (Sept)

 

2004, P&O, Adonia, Canaries ~ 2004, P&O, Adonia, Amster. Guernsey

 

2004, P&O, Aurora, Party Night & Canaries ~ 2005, MSC, MSC Opera, Caribbean (March)

 

2005, P&O, Oriana, Bruges (Weekender) & Venice (May)

 

2005, P&O, Arcadia, Bruges (July)

 

2005, P&O, Oceana, Bruges/Guernsey & Canaries (Sept)

 

2005, P&O, Artemis, Amsterdam & Bruges (Oct)

 

[Rotterdam]

Thats quite a sailing hostory Graham......

 

I'm hoping to do more crssongs in the future now that there are more ships to Europe. My prior crossings were To / from Southampton / Cherbourg.

 

Next spring I see a ship that goes from Ft Lauderdale to Venice. I like to do Roundtrip by ship if possible.....

 

Full moon , smoothe seas.

[graham uk]

2 weeks today and we will be off. No other cruisers from this site as yet on same trips. Dissapointing as enjoyed meeting up with people on MSC Opera having made contact on here prior to departure. :)

[graham uk]

One week today and we be on deck listening to the brass band as we depart from Southampton. Fantastic! :-)

[Rotterdam]

Graham - I'll raise a glass to you when I sail Monday on the Prinsemdam.....heading across the pond!

[graham uk]

Have a good trip! Enjoy - mind you, how can you not? :-)

[philipb]

Graham - there won't be many people on this message board who - like you and I - travelled on board ss UGANDA. I did four cruises - 1978/79/80/81 - and would have carried on and on, had it not been for the Falklands War! It was like traelling in a timewarp!

[graham uk]

Hi Philip - ss Uganda was my first cruise ever - was still at school so went with about 40 other teenagers with two teachers (one of them Auntie Mary). Can you imagine two teachers taking 40 kids away for two weeks on a cruise today? It was all very exciting as first time abroad, first time on a aircraft (Dan Air Comet). It was a great trip and the memory has never left me.

 

P&O's Aurora has a 'Uganda Room' with a model of Uganda in it. Always have a look when I'm on Aurora - very nostalgic.

 

Happy cruising! Graham