Age of p&o cruisers

[cruisefan2012]

I`m 35 !! 

 

First cruise was in 2009 on P&O Arcadia 

 

Have sailed on Arcadia, Azura (3x) Ventura, Britannia, Star Princess

 

Next cruise is on P&O Aurora in 2020

[Vampiress88]

2 hours ago, Tom Marton said:

What's the relevance of knowing people's ages, just out of curiosity?  

 

We could make it really interesting (and controversial) by adding academic achievements, income, size of house, favourite newspaper, political allegiance...........

 

.........or maybe not.

 

I wanted to know if the stereotype made by another poster was correct in the assumption of general age for the cruise. 

 

I have no problem adding adding academic achievements, income, size of house, favourite newspaper, political allegiance........... 

 

....... but I am not sure as how that would be relevant to cruises. 

 

Age is relevant as it will show what demographic they are marketing and leaning towards and also as to people’s perception. Had I not have been told by friends years back when we were in early 20s that their cruise was brilliant I would never have tried one and to be honest would have thought it was full of “old folkies” but it was one of my best holidays and it was of an older generation but they definitely acted young. Ones we met were very young at heart. 

 

However to answer your questions I have a levels and nothing more, I earn £13k pa, I have just moved from a 2 bed terrace to a 4 bed detached, do not read newspaper and don’t follow politics. 

[Angel57]

Age is 59. First cruise was in 1992 on Sea Princess (later to become Victoria). Cruised every year since but think the next one will be my last. Aurora by far is my favourite ship having done several world cruises on her.

[AndyMichelle]

8 hours ago, Vampiress88 said:

 

I wanted to know if the stereotype made by another poster was correct in the assumption of general age for the cruise. 

 

I have no problem adding adding academic achievements, income, size of house, favourite newspaper, political allegiance........... 

 

....... but I am not sure as how that would be relevant to cruises. 

 

Age is relevant as it will show what demographic they are marketing and leaning towards and also as to people’s perception. Had I not have been told by friends years back when we were in early 20s that their cruise was brilliant I would never have tried one and to be honest would have thought it was full of “old folkies” but it was one of my best holidays and it was of an older generation but they definitely acted young. Ones we met were very young at heart. 

 

However to answer your questions I have a levels and nothing more, I earn £13k pa, I have just moved from a 2 bed terrace to a 4 bed detached, do not read newspaper and don’t follow politics. 

According to some of the stories I have heard onboard, we are all multi millionaire businessmen or retired brain surgeons.

Although I am sure some are genuine, I think a lot of people live out their fantasies while aboard, no harm in that.

Andy (PHD in quantum physics or 5 O'levels?)

[arendale1]

42 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

Age is 59. First cruise was in 1992 on Sea Princess (later to become Victoria). Cruised every year since but think the next one will be my last. Aurora by far is my favourite ship having done several world cruises on her.

Interested to know why after so many years of cruising, your next cruise may be your last?

 

Vampiress88 - we’re mid 40s, first cruise was early 40s. I do think that on P&O the demographic is made up of more ‘mature’ passengers. 

[Angel57]

1 hour ago, arendale1 said:

Interested to know why after so many years of cruising, your next cruise may be your last?

 

Vampiress88 - we’re mid 40s, first cruise was early 40s. I do think that on P&O the demographic is made up of more ‘mature’ passengers. 

Several reasons - but mostly because although a holiday/cruise is what you make it, it certainly isn't as special as it used to be altho admittedly much more affordable. I personally do not like the larger ships and i fancy giving river cruising a go.

[arendale1]

44 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

Several reasons - but mostly because although a holiday/cruise is what you make it, it certainly isn't as special as it used to be altho admittedly much more affordable. I personally do not like the larger ships and i fancy giving river cruising a go.

I can imagine how it must have changed over the years.

Certainly in the case of P&O, it’s affordable for most who can afford a holiday abroad. In the past, I’m guessing cruising was a little more exclusive?

[Tommart]

1 hour ago, Angel57 said:

Several reasons - but mostly because although a holiday/cruise is what you make it, it certainly isn't as special as it used to be altho admittedly much more affordable. I personally do not like the larger ships and i fancy giving river cruising a go.

With you there. The 'special' has vanished with P&O over recent years, and it's now a shadow of what it used to be.

 

The clientèle has also changed, and not for the better. We used to meet a lot of fellow professionals onboard and enjoyed their company. I think they've either given up cruising or switched to a less downmarket operation. 

Edited April 22, 2019 by Tom Marton

[molecrochip]

I'm 36 and have been Oriana, Ventura x 2, Aurora, Azura x 3, Britannia x 3, Carnival Sunshine and Royal Princess.

 

The clientele really depends upon whether its a cruise within the scope of school holidays or whether its mid term. The atmosphere is really different.

[arendale1]

58 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I'm 36 and have been Oriana, Ventura x 2, Aurora, Azura x 3, Britannia x 3, Carnival Sunshine and Royal Princess.

 

The clientele really depends upon whether its a cruise within the scope of school holidays or whether its mid term. The atmosphere is really different.

Surely that’s just down to families of school age children or not, rather than clientele as in (at the risk of sounding snobby) class?

We’ve only cruised with RC and P&O both in school holiday time. Totally different clientele on each. Maybe that’s down to itinerary? But the Fjords aren’t that different a destination as Netherlands/Bruges (or so we thought). The price difference may have had an impact though 🤔

 

[molecrochip]

I would say that shorter cruises (7 days and less) attract a more rowdy crowd an 14 day cruises tend to attract a more refined passenger. Cruises of 21 days plus tend to be a floating care home. Having been on a 4 day cruise to Amsterdam recently, I fully understand the Butlin's references.

 

School holidays then magnify this difference as there is a limit on those who can meet the price point of a 14 day cruise for a family.

[Tommart]

8 minutes ago, arendale1 said:

Surely that’s just down to families of school age children or not, rather than clientele as in (at the risk of sounding snobby) class?

We’ve only cruised with RC and P&O both in school holiday time. Totally different clientele on each. Maybe that’s down to itinerary? But the Fjords aren’t that different a destination as Netherlands/Bruges (or so we thought). The price difference may have had an impact though 🤔

 

Goodness........the C word (and I don't mean clientèle!). 

 

You've probably hit the nail on the head there though, and as P&O has become relatively cheaper it's appealed more an more to people who wouldn't have been cruising at all a few years ago. Back then it was largely professional people (doctors, accountants, lawyers etc etc) simply because of prices and income levels. Now it's not - those people have mostly gone elsewhere. Not all, obviously, but a substantial number.

 

A cruise was once something you aspired to, and it had a certain cachet. Not any longer - the chatterati very much look down their noses at the idea, at least with companies like P&O.

 

No value judgements........just a few observations.

[molecrochip]

And that's exactly what was desired. P&O chose to move towards the mainstream holiday market through their pricing and general proposition. Yes it offended those who saw P&O as closer to Cunard than Royal Caribbean however when you have as many brands as Carnival Corp. you can afford to adjust your market proposition to take account of changing tastes and maximise your share of the market.

[Monorail Orange]

^Excellent point. You can't blame Carnival for doing it. Not that I'm saying all the decisions have been right.

 

 

[Tommart]

So we've cracked it then. The problem with P&O for some is that it's too downmarket, but the majority of its customers think it's middle market and are quite happy with it the way it is.

 

What used to be the line of choice for the ABC1s of this world has now been taken over by the C2DEs. And it shows.

 

Where do the ABC1s go now then?  Is Cunard really that much better?

 

[AndyMichelle]

4 minutes ago, Tom Marton said:

So we've cracked it then. The problem with P&O for some is that it's too downmarket, but the majority of its customers think it's middle market and are quite happy with it the way it is.

 

What used to be the line of choice for the ABC1s of this world has now been taken over by the C2DEs. And it shows.

 

Where do the ABC1s go now then?  Is Cunard really that much better?

 

Middle market suits me.

If you want to step up and avoid working class people like me, pay more and go to the premium brands.

I would rather spend my time on a ship full of people who have worked hard and saved for their cruise than amongst people who think they are better than us, although reality is we all rub along nicely on board.

P&O is an affordable brand, don't make us feel like we are not deserving...

Andy

[Jennizor]

Andy, at last a sensible response to all the comments that seem to imply that if you are not a professional you are dragging down the quality of cruises. We have cruised with loads of wonderful people from all walks of life. Long may it last.

[molecrochip]

Actually, I think that P&O have aimed to attract ABC1 and C2DE whereas previously they were aiming for upper class and ABC1. Although upper class accounts for only 2% of the population, it would have been a disproportionately high percentage of P&O clientele.

 

Cunard were previously focused (in the UK) on upper class and have moved towards upper class and ABC1. This probably makes sense since Seabourn now occupies the upper class (super luxury) end of the market.

 

This refocusing makes commercial sense as markets evolve. What you have not seen is an Ocean/Marella type brand focused on C2DE. This is not Carnival UK's focus.

 

You also see it in the US. Princess is predominantly ABC1, Carnival C2DE (equivalents).

[molecrochip]

1 minute ago, Jennizor said:

Andy, at last a sensible response to all the comments that seem to imply that if you are not a professional you are dragging down the quality of cruises. We have cruised with loads of wonderful people from all walks of life. Long may it last.

You have to remember that whilst still heavily used today, these ABC1, C2DE demographics are 50 years old and the world is changing. 

 

I generally find that the passengers all can get along quite nicely.

[AndyMichelle]

12 minutes ago, Jennizor said:

Andy, at last a sensible response to all the comments that seem to imply that if you are not a professional you are dragging down the quality of cruises. We have cruised with loads of wonderful people from all walks of life. Long may it last.

On our last cruise, our table for dinner included a retired  City banker and senior police officer.

On the first night, a few eyebrows were raised at my pint of Peroni at the dining table while they were discussing fine wines and art.

A couple of nights in and strong friendships had been formed.

We all had a fantastic time and some great laughs and remain friends.

No real class gap here.

Andy

[Tommart]

13 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

You have to remember that whilst still heavily used today, these ABC1, C2DE demographics are 50 years old and the world is changing. 

 

I generally find that the passengers all can get along quite nicely.

In most cases, yes - and I'm certainly not trying to start a war between different socio-economic groups.

 

However, when a holiday company like P&O changes its strategy and aims at a different market from the one it used to target (and that's a direct result of the Carnival takeover, because prior to that it wasn't possible or necessary) there are bound to be people who aren't happy with the change - and maybe that's at the core of all the frequent gripes about P&O.

 

A bit of an exaggeration, but it would be like the Savoy targeting Travelodge customers - bound to cause some upset.

 

I'll happily mix with anyone, always have done, but if you're aiming at a different market you cut out things like guest speakers (P&O was no Swan Hellenic, but it did provide far more interesting speakers, and more of them, than it does now). 

 

The old mix would most likely have produced a very different stance on Brexit from the new mix too - P&O is now a very 'Brexity' place to be, and most professional people abhor that. Makes for some uncomfortable discussions too!

 

P&O was always adored by like minded people. It still is. But it's a totally different set of people now, and it's led to the well documented Butlinisation of what was once a very different product.

 

Again, no value judgements - just the observations of someone with a specific interest in sociology.

[Tommart]

30 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

This refocusing makes commercial sense as markets evolve. What you have not seen is an Ocean/Marella type brand focused on C2DE. This is not Carnival UK's focus.

I'd disagree with you there. I think P&O is now essentially targeting C2DE - and the others are gradually deserting it.

[Vampiress88]

I don’t get this whole class thing. What does it matter if you a professional or not. A cruise is a holiday. You go on holiday to get away from your life basically so can’t see how jobs make any difference. 

 

Unfortunately my husband is an engineer. Doesn’t wear suits. Gets his hands dirty. Worked in a steel works for 12 years and we from Yorkshire. We are not “refined” in the least. 

 

So glad that others on the cruise we were on before didn’t look down on us cos I doubt that would go down well. 

 

Seriously with everything going on in the world “class” is nothing really. 

 

Glad p&o is reasonably priced. Means I can show my kids some of the world.  

[AndyMichelle]

21 minutes ago, Tom Marton said:

In most cases, yes - and I'm certainly not trying to start a war between different socio-economic groups.

 

However, when a holiday company like P&O changes its strategy and aims at a different market from the one it used to target (and that's a direct result of the Carnival takeover, because prior to that it wasn't possible or necessary) there are bound to be people who aren't happy with the change - and maybe that's at the core of all the frequent gripes about P&O.

 

A bit of an exaggeration, but it would be like the Savoy targeting Travelodge customers - bound to cause some upset.

 

I'll happily mix with anyone, always have done, but if you're aiming at a different market you cut out things like guest speakers (P&O was no Swan Hellenic, but it did provide far more interesting speakers, and more of them, than it does now). 

 

The old mix would most likely have produced a very different stance on Brexit from the new mix too - P&O is now a very 'Brexity' place to be, and most professional people abhor that. Makes for some uncomfortable discussions too!

 

P&O was always adored by like minded people. It still is. But it's a totally different set of people now, and it's led to the well documented Butlinisation of what was once a very different product.

 

Again, no value judgements - just the observations of someone with a specific interest in sociology.

Me being working class does not mean you know my political views and doesn't mean I enjoy Butlins.

All classes can rub along nicely, thank you and only becomes an issue when people stir the pot.

As said before, if you don't like the mix of passengers on P&O, use another company, as I would.

Andy

[Les_ldh]

5 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

I don’t get this whole class thing. What does it matter if you a professional or not. A cruise is a holiday. You go on holiday to get away from your life basically so can’t see how jobs make any difference. 

 

Unfortunately my husband is an engineer. Doesn’t wear suits. Gets his hands dirty. Worked in a steel works for 12 years and we from Yorkshire. We are not “refined” in the least. 

 

So glad that others on the cruise we were on before didn’t look down on us cos I doubt that would go down well. 

 

Seriously with everything going on in the world “class” is nothing really. 

 

Glad p&o is reasonably priced. Means I can show my kids some of the world.  

 

‘Well said, I totally agree.