Incident on Britannia

[jeanlyon]

1 hour ago, netchells said:

I am of the same view Jean. Never attend them but I know a lot of people love them; just not my scene.

I am afraid I just couldn't believe they were still singing WWII songs and waving flags.    More my mother's era than mine and I'm 72!!  They need to get a bit more modern in my opinion.  I find them embarrassing, especially when moored next to another ship!

 

It's been the same with the final Headliners show where they are doing the same thing. I love the Headliners when they do a good show.  Not sure they still do it and hope they don't.  Last couple of shows in April were really excellent.

[Bazrat]

10 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I am afraid I just couldn't believe they were still singing WWII songs and waving flags.    More my mother's era than mine and I'm 72!!  They need to get a bit more modern in my opinion.  I find them embarrassing, especially when moored next to another ship!

 

It's been the same with the final Headliners show where they are doing the same thing. I love the Headliners when they do a good show.  Not sure they still do it and hope they don't.  Last couple of shows in April were really excellent.

Age as nothing to do with it just your dislike of them,but it’s not obligatory to go to them so my view is leave well alone.

[jeanlyon]

yes I agree with you and I do stay away, but tell me why you think they do this?  It's such old hat!

 

My take on the Sailaway is that it is normally around 4-5 pm.  So if you go to that and drink heavily and then go to the bar and then have supper and drink more, you are going to be very well oiled by 1 am.   Just a small point

 

I do agree that I could well be on the ship and not know about violence at any time.  I think there was a fight in the laundry once which has just come back to me!!

[PORT ROYAL]

9 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I am afraid I just couldn't believe they were still singing WWII songs and waving flags.    More my mother's era than mine and I'm 72!!  They need to get a bit more modern in my opinion.  I find them embarrassing, especially when moored next to another ship!

 

Or even more appalling.  

Sailing out of port on the Azura, we passed the MV Europa, the DJ decided to play, on full blast, the Dambuster March, encouraging the ensemble HD to sing along with Da - Da Didi Da Da words, accompanied by vigorous flag waving .  Followed by the loud chant of "Two World Wars and one Wold Cup - Do Da Do Da". 

 

This was the final straw, and never again did we sail P&O.

 

[AndyMichelle]

13 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I am afraid I just couldn't believe they were still singing WWII songs and waving flags.    More my mother's era than mine and I'm 72!!  They need to get a bit more modern in my opinion.  I find them embarrassing, especially when moored next to another ship!

 

It's been the same with the final Headliners show where they are doing the same thing. I love the Headliners when they do a good show.  Not sure they still do it and hope they don't.  Last couple of shows in April were really excellent.

The bits of the sail aways that I have caught recently have been more cheesy pop than World War Two.

Not really my thing, but I do like to see people enjoying themselves, so while people are still attending and waving their flags, long may they continue.

if people didn't attend, they would stop.

Andy

[AndyMichelle]

2 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

 

Or even more appalling.  

Sailing out of port on the Azura, we passed the MV Europa, the DJ decided to play, on full blast, the Dambuster March, encouraging the ensemble HD to sing along with Da - Da Didi Da Da words, accompanied by vigorous flag waving .  Followed by the loud chant of "Two World Wars and one Wold Cup - Do Da Do Da". 

 

This was the final straw, and never again did we sail P&O.

 

Nooh... That's disgusting..

Have never seen anything like that fortunately.

That would put me off too.

Andy

[AndyMichelle]

6 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

yes I agree with you and I do stay away, but tell me why you think they do this?  It's such old hat!

 

My take on the Sailaway is that it is normally around 4-5 pm.  So if you go to that and drink heavily and then go to the bar and then have supper and drink more, you are going to be very well oiled by 1 am.   Just a small point

 

I do agree that I could well be on the ship and not know about violence at any time.  I think there was a fight in the laundry once which has just come back to me!!

Sail away or not Jean, passengers drink at the bingo, quizzes, casino or just by the pool.

If you are that way inclined, you will drink anyway.

Also, they still do it because they are well attended.

Andy

[dgs1956]

4 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

 

Or even more appalling.  

Sailing out of port on the Azura, we passed the MV Europa, the DJ decided to play, on full blast, the Dambuster March, encouraging the ensemble HD to sing along with Da - Da Didi Da Da words, accompanied by vigorous flag waving .  Followed by the loud chant of "Two World Wars and one Wold Cup - Do Da Do Da". 

 

This was the final straw, and never again did we sail P&O.

 

I can't say I'm against the Sailaway as it is more like a bit of a sing song but sadly I have experienced the same situation as we passed a predominantly "German" ship. What I found hilarious was the Germans stood on deck waving sun towels. Next came an "Italian" ship where they were playing "Shut uppa your face". The HD (as you call them) just didn't get their sense of humour. Funny at the time but cringeworthy and embarrassing to say the least.

[annieuk]

On one of our cruises about 4 or 5 years ago we had an elderly Australian couple on our table.  They had flown to the UK from Australia, had some time there, then flew out to Genoa to join Oceana.  After the cruise they were going back to the UK, then to Paris where they were taking a river cruise before flying home.  They had brought Australian flags specifically to wave at the Great British Sailaway.  They said they much preferred P&O UK as P&O Australia was much too informal for them.  They went to the Sailaway, waved their flags and the DJ or whoever was doing the music must have seen them because 'Waltzing Matilda' was played - they loved it, waved their flags enthusiastically and had a great time.  We have been on nearly 30 P&O cruises and sometimes we go to the Sailaway and sometimes we don't.  The only time we've heard of any bad behaviour, not linked to a Sailway, was on Oriana a good few years ago when Neil Turnbull was Deputy Captain and on our table and he told us two young men were on their last chance warning and if there was any bad behaviour from then on they would be leaving the ship!

[daiB]

28 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

yes I agree with you and I do stay away, but tell me why you think they do this?  It's such old hat!

 

My take on the Sailaway is that it is normally around 4-5 pm.  So if you go to that and drink heavily and then go to the bar and then have supper and drink more, you are going to be very well oiled by 1 am.   Just a small point

 

I do agree that I could well be on the ship and not know about violence at any time.  I think there was a fight in the laundry once which has just come back to me!!

Sorry Jean but to link a sailaway which lasts 45 minutes with heavy drinking is way over the top. People are generally lying on sunbeds or looking down from the deck above. It is no where near the drunken orgy you think. 

 

Why do they keep doing them .... because people enjoy them and join in with the singing. Especially when they play old WW1 songs. People enjoy different things and the GBS is enjoyed by many. Which is why Princess have been their version with cruises out of Southampton. Which I did find a little odd. 

 

BTW I have cruised with a few people from other parts of Europe who think the GBS is great.

[Tillylovesseabourn]

53 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

 

Or even more appalling.  

Sailing out of port on the Azura, we passed the MV Europa, the DJ decided to play, on full blast, the Dambuster March, encouraging the ensemble HD to sing along with Da - Da Didi Da Da words, accompanied by vigorous flag waving .  Followed by the loud chant of "Two World Wars and one Wold Cup - Do Da Do Da". 

 

This was the final straw, and never again did we sail P&O.

 

How classy!  I can imagine the passengers on Europa, rated one of the finest luxury ships at sea, being really perturbed by such behaviour! Im imagining their thoughts and eye rolls now. 

[jeanlyon]

yes Dai, I wasn't trying to link it really, just saying.

[netchells]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

I am afraid I just couldn't believe they were still singing WWII songs and waving flags.    More my mother's era than mine and I'm 72!!  They need to get a bit more modern in my opinion.  I find them embarrassing, especially when moored next to another ship!

 

It's been the same with the final Headliners show where they are doing the same thing. I love the Headliners when they do a good show.  Not sure they still do it and hope they don't.  Last couple of shows in April were really excellent.

I agree Jean. We're happy to sit on our balcony until it's over. We had the best Headliners we've ever had in April on Ventura. Hoping for the same on the "ferry" on the transatlantic in October :). Booked a guaranteed suite (on select fare) and have been reading your posts on the forward facing one's. We had an aft last year and loved it so wondering if we'll get a forward one this year 🙂

[jeanlyon]

No, you haven't been reading my posts.  We always have an inside!  And not on Ventura. I can't remember the name of the Headliners show back in April, but my friend who travels with us and she is an ex professional singer/dancer, said it was West End level.  It was superb.  That was on Aurora.

[Bazrat]

1 hour ago, PORT ROYAL said:

 

Or even more appalling.  

Sailing out of port on the Azura, we passed the MV Europa, the DJ decided to play, on full blast, the Dambuster March, encouraging the ensemble HD to sing along with Da - Da Didi Da Da words, accompanied by vigorous flag waving .  Followed by the loud chant of "Two World Wars and one Wold Cup - Do Da Do Da". 

 

This was the final straw, and never again did we sail P&O.

 

hopefully you took the name of the dj and complained because it was obviously preplanned,than you told us on here how upset you were.

[Josy1953]

I am confused about why someone was wandering around the ship dressed as a clown when P&O dress code says :

 

We don’t want to dampen anyone’s fun, but fancy dress and novelty items or clothing are not permitted on our ships; the only exceptions to this are clothing for official P&O Cruises theme nights and seasonal events such as Halloween and Christmas.

 

The only explanation I can think of is that they now have a circus theme night 😂😂

Edited July 28, 2019 by Josy1953

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, Josy1953 said:

I am confused about why someone was wandering around the ship dressed as a clown when P&O dress code says :

 

We don’t want to dampen anyone’s fun, but fancy dress and novelty items or clothing are not permitted on our ships; the only exceptions to this are clothing for official P&O Cruises theme nights and seasonal events such as Halloween and Christmas.

 

The only explanation I can think of is that they now have a circus theme night 😂😂

I think that is what started the fight.

Another passenger was vocal about the dress code and the clown didn't like it, doesn't seem like the crew stopped him.

Surely a word with a manager asking for some action to be taken might have been the way to go rather than kick off.

Andy

[Rupert2251]

5 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I think that is what started the fight.

Another passenger was vocal about the dress code and the clown didn't like it, doesn't seem like the crew stopped him.

Surely a word with a manager asking for some action to be taken might have been the way to go rather than kick off.

Andy

But why didn’t a member of the crew step in beforehand? Someone must have seen him/her before it got to this stage. If it’s against their policy then P&O should have done something about it sooner.

[Josy1953]

2 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I think that is what started the fight.

Another passenger was vocal about the dress code and the clown didn't like it, doesn't seem like the crew stopped him.

Surely a word with a manager asking for some action to be taken might have been the way to go rather than kick off.

Andy

I realise that this was what caused the problem but I really don't understand why someone would take a clown suit with them and why a member of crew did not stop him walking around in it. 

 

Having done over 40 cruises it astounds me that P&O have dress code rules and then don't enforce them, all other lines that I have sailed with seem to albeit that most lines are moving away from formal nights.

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, daiB said:

You are joking of course. So there was no bad behaviour before. What a ridiculous statement. There were stories of fights and people being put off ships when I started cruising in 2001.

And fights in night clubs in the 1930s and 40s my late parents told me,only those days there weren't any camera phones and social media to highlight it 

[Harry Peterson]

I strongly suspect that the real story hasn't yet emerged.  An awful lot of speculation, and probably exaggeration, but very few people, if any, will know what actually happened - and why.

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, daiB said:

Sorry Jean but to link a sailaway which lasts 45 minutes with heavy drinking is way over the top. People are generally lying on sunbeds or looking down from the deck above. It is no where near the drunken orgy you think. 

 

Why do they keep doing them .... because people enjoy them and join in with the singing. Especially when they play old WW1 songs. People enjoy different things and the GBS is enjoyed by many. Which is why Princess have been their version with cruises out of Southampton. Which I did find a little odd. 

 

BTW I have cruised with a few people from other parts of Europe who think the GBS is great.

I agree daiB.

These events are usually well attended around a pool area and everyone seems to be having a great time including us.

 

[daiB]

7 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

I realise that this was what caused the problem but I really don't understand why someone would take a clown suit with them and why a member of crew did not stop him walking around in it. 

 

Having done over 40 cruises it astounds me that P&O have dress code rules and then don't enforce them, all other lines that I have sailed with seem to albeit that most lines are moving away from formal nights.

Well

1 it was not a clown suit.

2 it was not in the buffet at all. 

3. The reporter got it wrong.

4 The costume was a Beetlejuice costume for the 80’s night fancy dress the night before. It was completely within P&O guidelines.

 

An eyewitness says the reporter managed 10 to 20% accuracy. The fight happened. It was 02.00 on Friday morning so not sure how many families were there to flee the scene.

[Luckiestmanonearth]

8 minutes ago, daiB said:

 

4 The costume was a Beetlejuice costume for the 80’s night fancy dress the night before. 

 

Beetlejuice is a clown so I think on a higher level, the reporter got it right

[brian1]

They should name it bunfight at horizon ct.The clown obviously ran up there cos he had an arsenal of ammo at the dessert station.