Booked P&O

[CRUISIN LINDA]

As no-one has noticed my new countdown clock :rolleyes: I thought I would tell you we have decided, due to dwindling finances :rolleyes: not to go to the Caribbean this year. We got a guaranteed balcony cabin on P&O Oceana in March for a repo cruise from Southampton to Genoa, calling at Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Barcelona, Cannes and Livorno and flying back to Gatwick, for £839 each, which we thought was pretty good :)

[SheilaA]

Very nice Linda !!

[kruzseeka]

Wow! Missed that altogether Linda! :eek:

 

What a surprise - felt sure you would end up on Celebration - but what a good deal - you do right to grab it! ;) And something different to look forward to. Not been on Oceana so will be very interested to know what you think - there will no doubt be pluses and minuses as with most ships. Does that one still have a Café Jardin? We loved that as an alternative for breakfasts and light lunches on Aurora but I understand it's changed in the refit on her for a payable eating place all day not just at night. Shame. If it's still on Oceana check it out Linda, you may like it too. At least drink prices on P&O are in line with Thomson so that's a bonus! Well done - a new experience. Enjoy! :D

[Jakanne1]

Well done, Linda! An interesting itinerary, balcony and a bargain price. Just the thing to start the new year. :). I need to get my instructions out and update my countdown but got nothing it add yet.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Jakanne1

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Hi Kruzseeka - I have just looked at the deck plans in the brochure and the Cafe Jardin is on there on D deck :)

 

Hi Jackie - According to the brochure, a basic balcony should be £1,299. Of course you cannot choose your cabin or dinner sitting, but not really worried about the cabin and apparently first sitting is most popular and we like second or freedom dining :)

[gillhalfpint]

Well done Linda. We may be trying Pando or Fred ourselves.

[Norwich Cruiser]

I think you have made a good choice.

 

Booked the Majesty but serious thinking of jumping ship with the recent reviews looks cheap to only lose deposit

[Julessmiles]

Well done Linda - great news; Oceana was my first cruising experience - loved it & it sounds like a lovely itinerary. Will look forward to hearing your thoughts about Lisbon as we will be calling there with Fred in the summer. We enjoyed Barcelona & Gibraltar & loved Cadiz this year.

 

Will look forward to hearing about it.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Julessmiles

[Little Nell]

Well done, Linda :) Enjoy ;)

[Sheila49]

Well done Linda. Will be interested to hear what you think of Oceana as my son and DIL are on her just after you and we were waiting to see what they thought of it before maybe trying PandO next year.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Thanks all :) A Happy New Year to all my lovely friends on here :)

 

Just watching Jules Holland with glass of bubbly :D

[Julessmiles]

Thanks all :) A Happy New Year to all my lovely friends on here :)

 

Just watching Jules Holland with glass of bubbly :D

 

Happy New Year Linda & everyone else on here. :)

[jenny wren]

Hi Linda...Happy new year! we will be on Oceana in February to Caribbean....lovely ship...am sure you will like it....the entertainment set up is good with theatre one end and show lounge the other so two choices of. 'shows' each night.....we had five weeks on her in 2012 and loved it!

We're currently looking at Celebration going out of Dubrovnik in June....lots of interesting ports to see.:)

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Hi Linda...Happy new year! we will be on Oceana in February to Caribbean....lovely ship...am sure you will like it....the entertainment set up is good with theatre one end and show lounge the other so two choices of. 'shows' each night.....we had five weeks on her in 2012 and loved it!

We're currently looking at Celebration going out of Dubrovnik in June....lots of interesting ports to see.:)

 

Hi Jenny, Happy New Year to you too. Have heard really good reports of the Oceana. I like the sound of two entertainment venues, that is what I like about the Braemar. We have been on Sea Princess, which is her twin, so shouldn't get too lost ;) Hope you enjoy your Caribbean cruise :)

 

The Adriatic is fabulous, we did that on the Spirit a few years ago.

[shot2bits]

Well done Linda. We may be trying Pando or Fred ourselves.

 

 

Yea, good decision. We booked Celebrity Eclipse, Concierge balcony, less than 4k for two weeks, all inclusive, gratuities paid too. If thomson became realistic and admitted they are charging a premium price for a second rate product, and altered their prices to suit, there wouldn't be so many of us jumping ship! Happy New Year everyone.

 

 

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[stevedeccaman]

Agree with comments, me also jumpin ship

:cool:

Stevie

[stevedeccaman]

perhaps we should start a Jumpin Ship forum ?:D

[CRUISIN LINDA]

I am going on Thomson as well (in June :)) Just want to try P&O.

[Julessmiles]

Agree with comments, me also jumpin ship

:cool:

Stevie

 

Where are you jumping Stevie?

[ormy]

It would appear a few of us are jumping ship this year, not sure if Thomson will fret very much though. A few post ' New to Thomson ' will no doubt fill our 'deck' shoes. Wait to see what Linda thinks of P&O with interest.

[jenny wren]

We have sailed with P And O and Thomson several times and it easier for us to sail from Southampton than fly.....but[/u] Thomson win hands down with their superb itineraries...so we do fly sometimes, but only from Exeter or Bristol rather than the long round trips to Gatwick...

 

Not much to choose between them really...

Edited January 3, 2015 by jenny wren

[Little Nell]

Yea, good decision. We booked Celebrity Eclipse, Concierge balcony, less than 4k for two weeks, all inclusive, gratuities paid too. If thomson became realistic and admitted they are charging a premium price for a second rate product, and altered their prices to suit, there wouldn't be so many of us jumping ship! Happy New Year everyone.

 

 

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This is my dilemma, shot2bits.

 

I really fancy a Dream itinerary to the Med but the Eclipse to the Baltic is the same price for a balcony cabin as opposed to an outside on Dream. There really is no comparison in terms of value for money.

[Jakanne1]

This is my dilemma, shot2bits.

 

I really fancy a Dream itinerary to the Med but the Eclipse to the Baltic is the same price for a balcony cabin as opposed to an outside on Dream. There really is no comparison in terms of value for money.

 

Just finished booking a Baltic cruise on Fred Olsen's Boudicca leaving Newcastle port. Would have loved to try Eclipse but DH refused to travel to Southampton from the north east. FO is not cheap either.

 

Sorry Linda, I'll change my Countdown eventually! ;)

[Little Nell]

Good for you, Jackie.

 

Flybe go from Edinburgh to Southampton.

[Jakanne1]

Good for you, Jackie.

 

Flybe go from Edinburgh to Southampton.

 

I am sure one air line will go from Newcastle....just didn't look as most people I have spoken to get the coach from Scotch Corner or drive. Or maybe BA to Heathrow and then a coach to Southampton.

 

Just checked and Fly Be do go from Newcastle. One to think about for the future.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Jakanne1