RCI fan wants to try P&O

[daiB]

Thanks everyone your responses have been really useful.

 

At the end of the day we love cruising and I am sure we would love P&O just as much. Cost is the number one factor for us and P&O is nearly £2000 cheaper for similar dates.

 

 

If you do cruise with P&O it would be very interesting if you could come back and say how you enjoyed it.

 

Whatever you do have a great cruise.

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

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[Jason12]

After 12 cruises on RCI we are now done with them, customer service shocking, disability help onboard shocking, the cuts over the last few years have taken it toll and now it's just bare essentials onboard and in cabins.

 

We have done a few on QM2 and did a PO short cruise a few years ago and really enjoyed the atmosphere onboard, always said we would be back, so after I managed to get my deposits refunded from RCI it was time for change, booked the Oceana for March..:)

 

I personally don't think your kids will like P&O, because when we took our kids on the Spendour of the seas they we're bored, kids like to do kids stuff and just think if they are bored they will be hanging around with you.:eek:

 

All the best with what you choose.

[richleeds]

I'd say go ahead and try a different line, if nothing, just for the experience.

 

 

 

We sailed many times with Royal before trying Celebrity.

 

 

 

Then we just tried NCL last year. That was great!

 

 

 

And now we are going to try MSC later this year.

 

 

 

Overall, I think there are more similarities than differences between the cruise lines, though I guess Royal ships have the most 'wow' factor.

 

 

You'll certainly find MSC to be an experience.

[Clodia]

Though there's no ice rink, flow rider etc the P and O kids' clubs do offer a lot for children up to about 15; after that they tend to use them just to meet up. There will be a full programme of activities including music, swimming, sport, arts, drama, games and movies/late night snacks etc for 13 year olds. My daughter absolutely loved the clubs until she was 16. The twins will have a great time, albeit with some slightly less sophisticated facilities. But there are game machines and high tech games in the teens club.

[daiB]

After 12 cruises on RCI we are now done with them, customer service shocking, disability help onboard shocking, the cuts over the last few years have taken it toll and now it's just bare essentials onboard and in cabins.

 

 

 

We have done a few on QM2 and did a PO short cruise a few years ago and really enjoyed the atmosphere onboard, always said we would be back, so after I managed to get my deposits refunded from RCI it was time for change, booked the Oceana for March..:)

 

 

 

I personally don't think your kids will like P&O, because when we took our kids on the Spendour of the seas they we're bored, kids like to do kids stuff and just think if they are bored they will be hanging around with you.:eek:

 

 

 

All the best with what you choose.

 

 

The one thing I have never heard from parents on P&O is that the children are bored. They often say they never see them and that it is hard to get them out of the kids club.

 

 

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[Pete B]

Really enjoyed this thread. We are also trying P&O after 6 RCI cruises. We are travelling with a chilled out 15 year old who loves the pool and generally lounging about.

We are on Britannia in August. Really looking forward to it.

 

:)

 

Pete

[Presto2]

Thanks everyone your responses have been really useful.

 

At the end of the day we love cruising and I am sure we would love P&O just as much. Cost is the number one factor for us and P&O is nearly £2000 cheaper for similar dates.

.

 

No brainer then ! Go for it!

 

Just do your research so that you know what P&O is about and what to expect. Then you won't spend a cruise expecting the RCI experience and being disappointed.

 

Have a great time. :)

[gregwhates]

We are also trying P and O for the first time this August after 15 cruises with Royal Caribbean. We felt it was time for a change as RCCL prices have started getting really silly. The price for a cruise to the Fjords on Azura is ridiculously low!

 

We are back with RCCL out of Venice in October, though, so will be able to get a good comparison.

[Missus Makkem]

Just done our first P&O cruise after a very large number on RCI and we loved it.

Missed our perk of the Concierge lounges but that was all.

Did a Caribbean cruise on Azura and had a superior balcony, nice to go back to the days of being looked after.

Being able to take booze onboard and having a drink on our great balcony was an added extra.

Too many pluses to mention but we are of the older generation

Nice to see all the glam on the formal nights too.

[kevinyork]

Our first cruise was RCI (Indy) and we got addicted. The next cruise was on Azura in her maiden year which we chose because of the lower drinks prices. It didnt quite have the impact of Indy and we thought the service was not as good. However it didnt stop us booking another 4 P&O cruises with Britannia booked for March.

 

Ive heard glowing reports about the kids clubs on P&O but RCI has more physical entertainment for kids (ice skating, climbing walls, golf, bumper cars etc). Given the price difference I would recommend trying them. With the lower costs on-board too you will notice a fair old saving.

[oldcruiser1234]

we have been on 5 p & o cruises and one RCI. RCI drinks prices are very high and we did not like the lack of formality on RCI (about 10% bothered with formal nights) so it's back to p & o, also no sailaway parties on RCI (ok they're tacky but we like them!)

[themanwithahat]

Hi all, I have been on 10 cruises all sailing from Southampton with RCI, however I refuse to pay the over inflated prices for summer 2015.

Many thanks

 

I guess you are British from your moniker (?) - this matters because P&O is very British in style.

 

I've never been on RCI (up front here). I sort of get the impression that the big American lines operated with a "Disney" sort of approach, lots of people, lots going on, lots of spending and younger.

 

Then there are the expensive lines, Regent et al.

 

Then there are the more European lines. Culling from our families experience (P&O, Celebrity, Cunard, Fred Olsen) these seem to be not too dissimilar in quality (and price). Some do some things better than others, but it probably balances out pretty much. Not really much like dodgems, climbing walls, water slides, those sort of things. (I do not know anything about the childrens clubs but they seemed happy !) A bit slower, a bit quieter, a bit more 'old fashioned' cruising for want of a better word. And everyone's enjoyed each one they've been on (there are pathological complainers on boards/reviews who throw a huge strop if their room service is more than 5 minutes, those kind of people ....).

 

We went on a 7 day fly cruise Genoa/Venice on Ventura (2014) and I've uploaded the daily magazines and the menus here http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2025644 so if you have a look through those it will give you some idea of what P&O is like, what happens every day, what the food is like (there are also sample menus from the speciality restaurants). I find the daily magazines far more informative about what happens than the brochures, but you can't tell the 'style' .

 

I'd say, unless you like really all action something happening every minute type holidays, it would be worth a try. Your worst case scenario may be, yeah, it was okay, preferred RCI maybe.

[Cruise_lover11]

We have been on both RCI and P&O and have thoroughly enjoyed both. Our first cruise was our honeymoon on RCI and then we tried P&O. I can't comment on things for children/teens to do but they have the kids' clubs which seemed to go down well and obviously the pools etc. I would definitely go on the larger ships Ventura, Azura or Brittania. We found that most people dressed up for the formal nights on RCI and we can't really fault either company. I think RCI has more activities for children and it has the wow factor for them but I al think P&O is certainly worth a try especially with the money saved. :)

[themanwithahat]

I should look at Ventura, Britannia and Azura in that order. I think one will be med fly cruises which are a bit awkward. You should like these ships and I would say consider inside or deluxe Balcony.

 

Regards John

 

Fly/Cruise may suit celticfc - he may well be Scotland resident :)

[themanwithahat]

I am sure you must know that no Pando ships have an arcade, if you have done your research.

 

Stick to what you know, the kids will be happy.

 

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/life-on-board/kids_prog says that there are games consoles as part of the kids club, which may be better.

[Arrowdaz]

Me and my fiancee are also new to p&o, and we have also sailed 8 times with RCCL.

 

We have just booked our first cruise with P&O on britania, April 25th.

 

Yes royal has all of the WOW's but we very rarely used them, ie we watched the flowrider but only tried it once, we never went on the rock wall, we never went ice skating, we never went on the zip line, we never went on the carosel....

 

We really enjoy RCCL and we do get perks for being crown & anchor diamond members, but there has to be a point where you give another cruise line a try. One cannot make any comparisons until you have something to compare it with.

 

With reference to RCCL pricing;

RCCL have announced to there investors this quater that there new strategy to get people onboard is to offer additional "freebies" and not to reduce prices. I am not entirly sure this is the right way to go, as more and more people will always compare prices with alternative lines. Not everyone wants a "free" drinks package.

 

We are really looking forward to our cruise on Britannia with P&O, i think the ship looks amazing and i am looking forward to something different to RCCL.

 

:D

Edited February 5, 2015 by Arrowdaz

[richleeds]

I think you will enjoy the change and P&O's newest addition, then when you do go back to RCCL you will appreciate the benefits of both lines more.

 

I do think Britannia will be more like a RCCL cruise than any other ship in the P&O fleet.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

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[Arrowdaz]

I think you will enjoy the change and P&O's newest addition, then when you do go back to RCCL you will appreciate the benefits of both lines more.

 

I do think Britannia will be more like a RCCL cruise than any other ship in the P&O fleet.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

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I think the Britannia looks better than a lot of RCCL ships. the CGI images really do it justice...

[richleeds]

I think the Britannia looks better than a lot of RCCL ships. the CGI images really do it justice...

 

A lot of the RCCL fleet is getting on a bit bar the new flagships such as Allure and Oasis.

 

I guess you would need to compare Britannia to Quantum to have a level playing field.

 

The old ones are probably due to become Thomson's "new" ships soon.

 

BTW - is there still a Haribo factory shop in Ponty?

Edited February 5, 2015 by richleeds
Haribo

[CRUISIN LINDA]

A lot of the RCCL fleet is getting on a bit bar the new flagships such as Allure and Oasis.

 

The old ones are probably due to become Thomson's "new" ships soon.

Ha ha Richard, like the "new" Dream which was actually 25 years old and had just been repaired after hitting the dock at Sharm el Sheikh:rolleyes:

[richleeds]

Ha ha Richard, like the "new" Dream which was actually 25 years old and had just been repaired after hitting the dock at Sharm el Sheikh:rolleyes:

 

That's the one!

[cynicalscotsman]

Hi.. We normally sail RCI but got a cheap (very cheap) last minute deal last year on Azura.

 

Had we paid more than we did we would have been absolutely fuming!

 

The ship was difficult to navigate, the food was like being in butlins (the speciality restaurants were good), the entertainment was below average but the worst thing was the queues!

 

You would wait 15 mins to get near the buffet, wait for upwards of 30 min for a drink and even over an hour to get off the boat!

 

I would say avoid P&O unless the price is less than what you would spend on a package to a cheap resort in Spain - then it is at least decent value.

 

If you do go you will realise why RCI is a bit more expensive.

Edited February 5, 2015 by cynicalscotsman

[richleeds]

Hi.. We normally sail RCI but got a cheap (very cheap) last minute deal last year on Azura.

 

Had we paid more than we did we would have been absolutely fuming!

 

The ship was difficult to navigate, the food was like being in butlins (the speciality restaurants were good), the entertainment was below average but the worst thing was the queues!

 

You would wait 15 mins to get near the buffet, wait for upwards of 30 min for a drink and even over an hour to get off the boat![ATTACH]339254[/ATTACH]

 

I would say avoid P&O unless the price is less than what you would spend on a package to a cheap resort in Spain - then it is at least decent value.

 

If you do go you will realise why RCI is a bit more expensive.

 

As you say the food is very Butlins, we find the entertainment average among cruise ship offerings but maybe a point or 2 in P&O's favour for angling it towards a British audience - not that we have ever felt alienated with the offerings from RCCL and others.

[Arrowdaz]

A lot of the RCCL fleet is getting on a bit bar the new flagships such as Allure and Oasis.

 

I guess you would need to compare Britannia to Quantum to have a level playing field.

 

The old ones are probably due to become Thomson's "new" ships soon.

 

BTW - is there still a Haribo factory shop in Ponty?

 

Royal would struggle to get me onboard the Quantum class ships, i dont buy into the Dynamic Dining crap... Ship looks tacky in my opinion...

 

Yes, Haribo shop is still attached to the factory, and still open. They are currently building a huge new factory on M62 @ Normanton. Not sure what will happen to shop and factory in Ponty when this is complete though.

[kevinyork]

I think the Britannia looks better than a lot of RCCL ships. the CGI images really do it justice...

 

 

I think she does as well. The designers are luxury hotel designers and the photos do look very contemporary and luxurious. RCI can be a

Iittle glitzy and Vegas.

 

 

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