Britannia - 1st timer seeking info

[Lintravel]

Hi. Booked a cruise to Norwegian Fjords with P&O Britannia. Had limited info from P&O when booking. Paid a select fare. Looking for advice?

 

Have got a balcony room with sofa on F deck, near the back, away from stairs/launderette. Can you tell me if this is a good deck? Should we have asked for another deck?

 

We were offered 1st or 2nd dining but would getting Freedom dining be better? It wasn’t mentioned to us and not sure why. We are select fare.

 

Could you order a free smoothie and croissant for example, for room service then still go to breakfast?

 

Do you get allocated a dining room? I’ve seen indications you do but this hasn’t been mentioned to us. Should we request a particular one?

 

Is there somewhere to get snacks at other times of the day?

 

Can you get free water at dinner as well as a paid soft drink?

 

Does the alcohol policy enable you to bring several small bottles of wine on board (not exceeding litre)?

 

Can I take water, soft drinks etc on board in my suitcase?

 

Any other useful tips?

 

Thanks in advance!!

[grush240]

hi welcome to the P&O forum.

We prefer to be a little higher up than you have (our preference) but the cabin should be fine if you can let us have the cabin number no doubt someone will be along that can be more specific.

 

Strange that you weren't offered Freedom dining but again this is down to individuals we prefer club as we like to get to know fellow passengers, not as easy in freedom dining times are up to when you prefer to eat.

 

You will be allocated a dining room and table nothing to choose between them to be honest.

 

Breakfast menu will be in your cabin I don't recall smoothies being on it. You can still go to the buffet or MDR for breakfast as well.

 

Snacks are available most of the day in various parts of the ship.

 

You do get water with your meal though it is tap water.

 

The new alcohol policy states 1 bottle of no more than a litre, but as this is a new policy it's a bit wait and see.

 

No restriction on soft drinks/ water being taken aboard.

 

Hope this helps others will be along with more info.

 

Have a great cruise

 

Kev

[Lintravel]

Rooms are F508, 512,514.

 

Thanks.

[grush240]

Rooms are F508, 512,514.

 

Thanks.

 

You'll be fine there, over the lifeboats but they're in board so no problem pretty much midship and low down so less rock n roll, not over anything particularly noisy. not 100 % but they maybe bigger balconies.

[Lintravel]

Should I ask for different rooms? What’s a good area/deck to go for?

[grush240]

I can't really answer that we would stay in the same area but a couple of decks higher but that's us I wouldn't be bothered if I'd got those cabins personaly, you won't have a restricted view and it's not far to the lifts from were you are all good, one thing to remember no stairs midships, so if you decide to go down the stairs you need to walk aft.

[john watson]

Hi. Booked a cruise to Norwegian Fjords with P&O Britannia. Had limited info from P&O when booking. Paid a select fare. Looking for advice?

 

Have got a balcony room with sofa on F deck, near the back, away from stairs/launderette. Can you tell me if this is a good deck? Should we have asked for another deck?

 

We were offered 1st or 2nd dining but would getting Freedom dining be better? It wasn’t mentioned to us and not sure why. We are select fare.

 

Choice of !st and 2nd sitting relates to port day excursions and evening entertainment. Are you coming back from shore excursions late, then getting ready for evening meals in a rush or good time. If you get stressed about this 2nd sitting could be for you. If you like a longer "Evening Out" then 1st sitting is the way to go. Aside from which sitting, do you just want a table exclusively for your cruising party or do you want to share on a big table of the same people every night. This can help if you get allocated with others that have cruised before.

Freedom Dining allows you to dine at a time of your choosing when that MDR is open (and offering same menu as other MDR's). So you can switch between early and late and anytime in between daily and also sharing tables or dining alone. Any permutation any day. If you opt for this dining at a time which gets you out of the dining venue before 2nd sitting people are leaving their MDR you will get a better chance of a good seat in the Theatre etc.

Big groups of people sailing together are more difficult, but not impossible to accommodate on one table on Freedom Dining but it still is possible, you may all have to wait for a big table to be available. Also if the group splits some nights timewise etc Freedom will work better.

Could you order a free smoothie and croissant for example, for room service then still go to breakfast?

 

You can order a shed load of any breakfast items using the overnight order card, eat all or none of it then go on to any breakfast venue for a full breakfast. Breakfast is available, buffet style in the appropriate restaurant or check your daily newsletter to confirm which MDR is doing a full waiter service breakfast. In this latter case you can share a table or breakfast as a private group.

 

Do you get allocated a dining room? I’ve seen indications you do but this hasn’t been mentioned to us. Should we request a particular one?

 

Specific tables in a specific restaurant are allocated for 1st and 2nd sitting, you have no choice on which one but you do have a choice of choosing a table size by number of diners. Freedom dining, it will vary day by day, you may of course ask for a window or whatever but they allocate what they have available and at peak times requests are less likely to be successful.

 

Is there somewhere to get snacks at other times of the day?

 

You can eat almost 24 hours a day. Check the daily news sheet delivered to your cabin for the places open at that time.

 

Can you get free water at dinner as well as a paid soft drink?

 

They always pour out iced water for evening meals. You can walk in MDR with a drink in hand or order from the waiters at the table. If you go down the "I'll have a bottle of wine" route, unconsumed wine will retained for you to have located at your next sitting even at Freedom where you move about.

 

Does the alcohol policy enable you to bring several small bottles of wine on board (not exceeding litre)?

 

I believe you can for cabin consumption corkage applies if you take them into MDR.

 

Can I take water, soft drinks etc on board in my suitcase?

 

You may but bottles of Pepsi are 99p and you can have them from the bars opened or unopened and use your opener which is in the cabin.

 

Any other useful tips?

 

You can take drinks on board at ports. They are currently tightened up on the drinks rules and I am not very knowledgeable on this topic as I am teetotal.

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

Regards John

Edited February 25, 2018 by john watson

[sammybonny]

I would stay where you are a good position mid aft with cabins above and below you so less chance of noise. Being a lower deck and near midship you should feel less movement than higher up. All the same type cabins look the same inside no matter what deck you are on but you usually pay more for a higher deck.

 

The central lifts can get busy at dinner times because there are no stairs there so you can always walk to the aft lifts/stairs and then its only a couple of decks down to bars restaurants etc and straight up in lift to the buffet on Lido deck.

 

Sent from my SM-T580 using Forums mobile app

[john watson]

Rooms are F508, 512,514.

 

Thanks.

 

These cabins are called "Balcony with Shower and Sofa". The cabins called "Balcony with Shower (without Sofa)" obviously do not have a sofa but the main difference is the cabins you have booked are actually about 2 or 3 feet longer room space. According to my brochure, your cabin grades are all "GA" this is the top and most expensive version of the "Balcony with Shower and Sofa" cabin. All your cabins are situated next to each other on the same deck with one cabin in between. The Obstructed View Balconies are one deck below you deck so you are a low as you can get down towards the sea level without obstruction. You have other cabins above and below your cabins which is a classic quiet location, as opposed to being directly above or below noise sources such as Gym, Night Club, Theatre etc.

 

One thing to think about is: Complimentary Upgrades. Have you opted in or out? If you are in a top "A" grade cabin such as "GA" if any one of your cabins were upgraded free of charge it would have to go up a group. Assuming I am correct on the grade is "A", (you can confirm the grade on booking documentation) then the next higher grade is "Superior Deluxe Balcony with BATH and shower". It is feasible that one cabin might be upgraded if you are lucky. This will split your accommodation location to two sites, so it is worth checking whether you have opted in or out of free upgrades and go for the option that suits your requirements. It may not suit to be in different locations but then it might be good if you get upgraded facilities.

 

Regards John

[Dorset cruise fan]

You should be able to change your Dining Option on your Cruise Personaliser to Freedom Dining. When you arrive in your cabin there will be a card telling you what restaurant you have been allocated but remember that is only for Evening meal, there will be a restaurant open for breakfast and lunch which may not be yours but you can just show up. As for Breakfast room service, no one is counting how many breakfasts you have. I really enjoy a hot chocolate and croissant from room service first thing but it doesn't stop us going to the buffet or restaurant as well.

[Selbourne]

Should I ask for different rooms? What’s a good area/deck to go for?

 

I would also stick with the cabins you have chosen. You are not above or below any potential source of noise from public areas. The midships smoking area is on the starboard side and the port smoking area is well aft of you. As Britannia is such a large ship, a midships location will minimise walking distances. If you get any motion at sea, you are in an excellent position (not that it’s much different anywhere else) and you are well forward of the cabins that are blighted with soot. Britannia is a lovely ship with the Select Dining Restaurants being a highlight IMO. If you are in a large group, I would be inclined to go Club Dining and, as long as you don’t have young children, 2nd sitting but we always use Freedom Dining and, as long as you don’t mind taking a pager and waiting, it gives you ultimate flexibility.

[Lintravel]

This is all very useful and informative, and I’m very grateful for you all taking the time to respond!