Itinery Arrival and Departure times

[bee-ess]

We would never take a ships tour unless we absolutely have to, for instance if independent travel to a destination is not practical. The main reason is that we don't want to be herded around with 40 others and we don't want the obligatory shopping stop. The US lines roll calls are definitely more active in this area and their roll-call arranged trips get booked up very early. I'm not sure that British cruisers generally are quite so geared up with sightseeing and excursions as the Americans. We would never just get off the ship and 'walk around' unless it is somewhere we have been before. We would always research a new port and find something interesting or somewhere different to go.

Edited April 17, 2016 by bee-ess

[kruzgal]

I also find the lack of published times by P&O puzzling and irritating. I think the lack of active roll calls is irrelevant. I have used this forum for over 10 years to plan independent travel but I have never joined a roll call trip. However, what I have frequently done is used the ports of call section to research private tour operators to provide a personalised tour for my family. Knowing the exact arrival and departure times has been really helpful when it came to planning our days, although of course we accepted there are no guarantees. The best trips we have had have been with independent guides who have been recommended on this forum. P&O are clearly just trying to discourage this behaviour by keeping times vague.

[lovelyjubbly]

This is our first cruise with P&O and was somewhat surprised to find that no port times were published but that was easily sorted with a quick call to Head Office. They not only gave me all the arrival/departure times but also gave me info regarding formal nights etc. So far so good :)

[peteukmcr]

This is our first cruise with P&O and was somewhat surprised to find that no port times were published but that was easily sorted with a quick call to Head Office. They not only gave me all the arrival/departure times but also gave me info regarding formal nights etc. So far so good :)

Very interesting as I can see you are sailing on Azura too. As I reported earlier, on the phone they could only give me the set sail time for definite. Perhaps the nearer we get to sailing, the more info they are provided.

[bee-ess]

Very interesting as I can see you are sailing on Azura too. As I reported earlier, on the phone they could only give me the set sail time for definite. Perhaps the nearer we get to sailing, the more info they are provided.

 

Probably depends who you talk to - they are not all helpful !!

[jeanlyon]

One of the things I have enjoyed about Celebrity is arranging private tours with others on the roll calls.

None of the P&O cruises I have taken have had active roll calls on this website

 

One of the joys of cruising to me is exploring new destinations. Some days I am happy just to meander in the port, but other days (most days)I want to explore the local area. It seems to me that most ships tours are overpriced and to be avoided if possible - partly because of the rip off factor and also because I don't really want to be on a coach with 50 other people. Smaller bespoke tours with 6-12 people are cheaper and much more flexible. I would also rather put more of my holiday spending in the economy of the place I am visiting rather than in P&O's coffers.

 

Quite agree about the tours. I hate being on a coach with 50 others, waiting for one who is lost in the loo. We travel with a friend and half the fun for me is deciding what we are going to do and planning it. We don't tend to use local firms, we just do it ourselves. Trains, buses etc.

[jeanlyon]

As someone else said, it is also very easy to look up the shore excursions on Cruise Personaliser.

 

So for instance, the longest tour in Cadiz is 8 hours. The tour starts at 0830. So therefore they are back at 16.30. Ship obviously gets in around 8 and leaves around 5. Not difficult.

[RJHNorthyorks]

As someone else said, it is also very easy to look up the shore excursions on Cruise Personaliser.

 

So for instance, the longest tour in Cadiz is 8 hours. The tour starts at 0830. So therefore they are back at 16.30. Ship obviously gets in around 8 and leaves around 5. Not difficult.

 

But why should you have to do this? Sail RCI, Carnival, Celebrity or HAL and arrival and departure times are clearly stated. We have 2 cruises with Celebrity currently booked after our June P and O trip and have had details since booking. We pay a lot of money for these cruises and I don't think I should have to root around for basic information.

[jeanlyon]

Well until you pointed it out, it's never caused me a problem, so I guess I just don't worry about it. I find what I want to do and then I wait until I'm on board to see what time we are docking, or if it really matters, I check the port schedule.

[terrierjohn]

Well until you pointed it out, it's never caused me a problem, so I guess I just don't worry about it. I find what I want to do and then I wait until I'm on board to see what time we are docking, or if it really matters, I check the port schedule.

Jean, I feel sure you did not not mean to appear so selfish but that is the way this post sounds. Port timings are not really relevant to us either, because my wife uses a wheelchair we only ever book ships accessible tours, and then very rarely.

However I accept that a lot of other people do want to book private excursions and therefore want timings to facilitate their arrangements, to this end I find that P&O's reluctance to provide them puzzling.

[annieuk]

Personally I don't think Jean was being selfish - she was just pointing out that it wasn't something that had ever worried her - she was not saying it shouldn't worry other people. Maybe it is something that P&O should pay attention to and see if they can improve their information but at the moment it is what it is. I thought it was a very sensible suggestion that by looking at the times of the excursions it will give a good guide as to the departure and arrival times.

 

The arrival/departure times have never been a problem for us either but I can understand some people need to know if they are booking independent tours. As the exact times are not published then I thought it was helpful that Jean pointed out a way that information could be obtained rather than someone just railing at P&O for not doing it. Maybe it's just that we all read things in a different way and sometimes the way we read it is not the way the poster intended.

[Mysticalmother]

I must admit I didn't find Jean's post selfish at all either. Some of us just prefer to go with the flow and others of us like to plan in more detail. Nothing wrong with either.

Not having Port times in advance does not concern me unduly, and on the odd occasion I have wanted to know, like Jean I look it up elsewhere.

The last couple of cruises I have been on, there have been port arrival and departure times published in the daily rag - sorry Horizon :D, which have then changed again on the day because of "weather" or other operational reasons - some giving us longer, and some less time in port.

[peteukmcr]

Well our e-tickets have been issued and check in time of 14:30, but still no departure or arrival times! Confirmed as Mayflower terminal though.

 

Most amazing thing is that we have been given an upgrade! Now A deck, midship, no change in cabin type, still a balcony but now category HA instead of HB.

[tillybilly321]

Well our e-tickets have been issued and check in time of 14:30, but still no departure or arrival times! Confirmed as Mayflower terminal though.

 

Most amazing thing is that we have been given an upgrade! Now A deck, midship, no change in cabin type, still a balcony but now category HA instead of HB.

 

 

Hi, I see you only have one port on your cruise which is Zebrugge. The usual arrival time is around 8am and departure at 5pm.

To be honest these are pretty much standard times for P&O. Ports which are a fair distance from the main attraction eg Rome have a slightly later departure time but in general the above times are usual for a days stay.

[jeanlyon]

No I didn't meant to sound selfish at all. Just saying what we do. As I said before, it's not onlyP&O, it's Fred and Cunard as well. And if I want to find out something, I usually find a way :-)

Edited April 19, 2016 by jeanlyon

[Whitechapel girl]

How long before a cruise do you get your time to board? Thanks

[peteukmcr]

How long before a cruise do you get your time to board? Thanks

For us it is 40 days from sailing.

[jeanlyon]

Yes, but you might need to keep checking. On our last cruise on Oriana, we had a time of 1430 to board, but about 2 days before it changed to 1330.

[Mysticalmother]

How long before a cruise do you get your time to board? Thanks

It is usually about 5 weeks before..it will be on your e-ticket.

[RJHNorthyorks]

Well until you pointed it out, it's never caused me a problem, so I guess I just don't worry about it. I find what I want to do and then I wait until I'm on board to see what time we are docking, or if it really matters, I check the port schedule.

 

Certainly not intending to imply you are selfish. You have found a way to get around P and Os lack of communication so well done.

We like to book shore excursions with local providers in port - not just because they are often cheaper but also because using local tour operators often means that the money is going more directly into the local economy and not corporate pockets.

[CCFC]

Princess manage it, I don't see what the big secret is. This is my cruise in a few weeks:

 

BOOKING ITINERARY

Date Description Arrive Depart

May 14 No Transfer To Ship

May 14 London (Southampton) 4:00PM

May 15 At Sea

May 16 At Sea

May 17 At Sea

May 18 Barcelona 9:00AM 6:00PM

May 19 Corsica (Ajaccio)

Tender Required

Wheelchair Access Limited

12:00PM 7:00PM

May 20 Rome (Civitavecchia) 7:00AM 7:00PM

Date Description Arrive Depart

May 21 Florence/Pisa (Livor 7:00AM 7:00PM

May 22 Genoa 7:00AM 5:00PM

May 23 Marseille 8:00AM 5:00PM

May 24 At Sea

May 25 Gibraltar 9:00AM 4:00PM

May 26 At Sea

May 27 At Sea

May 28 London (Southampton) 7:00AM

May 28 No Transfer From Ship

[gadabout60]

Princess manage it, I don't see what the big secret is. This is my cruise in a few weeks:

 

BOOKING ITINERARY

Date Description Arrive Depart

May 14 No Transfer To Ship

May 14 London (Southampton) 4:00PM

May 15 At Sea

May 16 At Sea

May 17 At Sea

May 18 Barcelona 9:00AM 6:00PM

May 19 Corsica (Ajaccio)

Tender Required

Wheelchair Access Limited

12:00PM 7:00PM

May 20 Rome (Civitavecchia) 7:00AM 7:00PM

Date Description Arrive Depart

May 21 Florence/Pisa (Livor 7:00AM 7:00PM

May 22 Genoa 7:00AM 5:00PM

May 23 Marseille 8:00AM 5:00PM

May 24 At Sea

May 25 Gibraltar 9:00AM 4:00PM

May 26 At Sea

May 27 At Sea

May 28 London (Southampton) 7:00AM

May 28 No Transfer From Ship

 

And a full day in Gibraltar - why do we never get more than a few hours with P& O?

[peteukmcr]

And a full day in Gibraltar - why do we never get more than a few hours with P& O?

 

 

Port charges for time in port. Less time less charges?

[the english lady]

And a full day in Gibraltar - why do we never get more than a few hours with P& O?

 

I think they used to refuel there, but how should one put it....slight short changing going on, so P and O do not refuel there any more.

So I guess its more of a quick stock up of drink, tour around the island, and homeward bound.

The number of times we have been there now, we don't really need a full day there, I would guess that may apply to quite a few people.

[gadabout60]

I think they used to refuel there, but how should one put it....slight short changing going on, so P and O do not refuel there any more.

So I guess its more of a quick stock up of drink, tour around the island, and homeward bound.

The number of times we have been there now, we don't really need a full day there, I would guess that may apply to quite a few people.

 

Possibly true but I like to meander round the shops, have lunch and I would like to see the beaches and go up on the rock again so a full day would be nice.