P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[grapau27]

 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by grapau27

[Dermotsgirl]

4 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

They really were😊 And this was the view from our table 

 

 

I always like Broadstairs and Ramsgate. In the sunshine the harbour area can look quite continental 

[P&O SUE]

8 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I always like Broadstairs and Ramsgate. In the sunshine the harbour area can look quite continental 

Yes, we were so lucky with the weather ☺️

[wowzz]

7 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Good afternoon.

We have just got home after 1 night pre-cruise stay in Southampton and a 1 night post cruise stay in York.

We were on a 3 night cruise on MSC Virtuoso.

The highlight of the cruise was by far meeting and

Having lunch with the lovely 

Sandra @Purdey16 and her husband in the Minuet restaurant.

We had a 10am check in and were on the ship by 10.45am but our cabins were not ready until 14.15pm.

The ship was lovely but a typical 3 night booze cruise.

We had a large aft balcony cabin.

I booked a 2 night speciality restaurant on line.

I did a status match with our Princess Elite loyalty and got their top Diamond loyalty status.

The benefits of Diamond:-

Bottle of prosecco and canapes in our cabin on embarkation.

1 free night speciality restaurant meal for 2 worth £90.

We had our cabin till 09.30am on disembarkation day while everyone else had to be out of their cabins by 07.30am.

 

 

 

 

 

Graham - looked like you had a great time.

I'm now being a little impertinent, and am going to ask a question that you don't need to answer if you do not want to.

What makes you want to drive all the way to Southampton and back (and I know you are an experienced driver) just for a three day cruise, even with a night added on pre and post the cruise? 

Could you not get the same level of service and food in a five star hotel in Berwick, Edinburgh Glasgow etc for the same cost?

 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by wowzz

[Josy1953]

4 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Graham - looked like you had a great time.

I'm now being a little impertinent, and am going to ask a question that you don't need to answer if you do not want to.

What makes you want to drive all the way to Southampton and back just for a three day cruise, even with a night added on pre and post the cruise? 

I was wondering the same thing.  The journey  from Southampton after our April cruise was so bad that when we got home last month we made a decision to cancel our Southampton hotel and parking for our next cruise and have now booked with Eavesway for our next cruise.

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

I was wondering the same thing.  The journey  from Southampton after our April cruise was so bad that when we got home last month we made a decision to cancel our Southampton hotel and parking for our next cruise and have now booked with Eavesway for our next cruise.

It takes me about 4 hours to drive to Southampton with no stops. I'm not doing that for a three day cruise. It must take Graham over six hours,  assuming there are no hold ups. 

[Josy1953]

My sister-in-law called me earlier to check when DH and I would be available to go out for a family meal, we have 2 70th birthdays and 1 60th birthday this year.  It started with my March birthday, other s-i-l will be 70 in July  and DH's cousin will be 60 in August.  We will be going to Knutsford because there is a restaurant that we all like there.

[AndyMichelle]

6 hours ago, wowzz said:

It takes me about 4 hours to drive to Southampton with no stops. I'm not doing that for a three day cruise. It must take Graham over six hours,  assuming there are no hold ups. 

It takes me about 20 minutes, but I still ain't doing no 3 night cruise... 😂

Andy 

[grapau27]

7 hours ago, wowzz said:

Graham - looked like you had a great time.

I'm now being a little impertinent, and am going to ask a question that you don't need to answer if you do not want to.

What makes you want to drive all the way to Southampton and back (and I know you are an experienced driver) just for a three day cruise, even with a night added on pre and post the cruise? 

Could you not get the same level of service and food in a five star hotel in Berwick, Edinburgh Glasgow etc for the same cost?

 

 

We used to fly from Newcastle to Southampton on Flybe but they went bust.

The trains are too crowded.

I often feel motion sickness on a long distance coach tour so coach travel is a no.

When driving we can bring lots of luggage and I have driven up to 50,000 miles a year for over 35 years so not a problem for me.

Pauline is part retired and we can fit in a few short cruises which don't use up her holiday allowance and have 1 or 2 week cruises with her work holiday allowance.

5 night hotel stays in our favoured Lake District can easily cost up to £1000 bed, breakfast,lunch and evening meal plus drinks.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by grapau27

[grapau27]

7 hours ago, wowzz said:

It takes me about 4 hours to drive to Southampton with no stops. I'm not doing that for a three day cruise. It must take Graham over six hours,  assuming there are no hold ups. 

6 hours plus a 20 minute coffee break and post on cc.

On a working day I could easily drive 200 miles and do a dozen sales calls.

Pauline does all the packing etc and I drive.

We love cruising even a 3 night cruise.

Speciality restaurant meal,bottle of wine then sit on the balcony with tea or coffee for an hour or 2 is heaven.

[P&O SUE]

15 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

We used to fly from Newcastle to Southampton on Flybe but they went bust.

The trains are too crowded.

I often feel motion sickness on a long distance coach tour so coach travel is a no.

When driving we can bring lots of luggage and I have driven up to 50,000 miles a year for over 35 years so not a problem for me.

Pauline is part retired and we can fit in a few short cruises which don't use up her holiday allowance and have 1 or 2 week cruises with her work holiday allowance.

5 night hotel stays in our favoured Lake District can easily cost up to £1000 bed, breakfast,lunch and evening meal plus drinks.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s mad how much good hotels in this country are.

You do what you like Graham, we’ve done a few 3 and 4 night cruises and it makes us feel we’ve been away for longer ☺️

[Beckett]

Good Morning Everyone

 

I just want to say Bon Voyage to everyone sailing on QM2 today. I am Kermit-coloured with envy!

I hope you all have a wonderful celebration cruise and very much look forward to hearing all about it.

 

@grapau27. Graham, that your enthusiasm for cruising is still so infectious after all your voyages is a tribute to two people making the very best of what they love doing - and good on you. 

 

Have a good day all. Best wishes. Jane xxx

[zap99]

3 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

It takes me about 20 minutes, but I still ain't doing no 3 night cruise... 😂

Andy 

When lockdown finished , we drove to Southampton for 3 ,4, and 7 night stay cation cruises and It takes us over an hour to get to Southampton.🤣

[zap99]

2 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

It’s mad how much good hotels in this country are.

You do what you like Graham, we’ve done a few 3 and 4 night cruises and it makes us feel we’ve been away for longer ☺️

We are off to that Dorset soon. About two hours. A very nice hotel, but we have found they don't move about as much as a ship.🤣

[yorkshirephil]

23 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We are off to that Dorset soon. About two hours. A very nice hotel, but we have found they don't move about as much as a ship.🤣

Its the moving about we go for.

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, Beckett said:

Good Morning Everyone

 

I just want to say Bon Voyage to everyone sailing on QM2 today. I am Kermit-coloured with envy!

I hope you all have a wonderful celebration cruise and very much look forward to hearing all about it.

 

@grapau27. Graham, that your enthusiasm for cruising is still so infectious after all your voyages is a tribute to two people making the very best of what they love doing - and good on you. 

 

Have a good day all. Best wishes. Jane xxx

Thank you Jane.

Because of the thought of motion sickness which I sometimes feel as a car,train or coach passenger we didn't start cruising until I was 44.

A couple of DFDS cruise ferries from Newcastle to Amsterdam and Norway proved sailing was okay and we have done 63 cruises since  2003.

We love holidays and had 5 nights hotel in Tenerife in March.

My late mam and dad took us to Spain when I was 12 over 54 years ago and I have been smitten ever since.

Graham x.

[zap99]

4 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

Its the moving about we go for.

We split our holidays about 50/50 ,cruises to flyaway, or land based UK holidays. Most short breaks are UK hotels. We like them all, but it's fair to say that when we go to bed in a Cornish hotel, we wake up ,open the curtains....Still in Cornwall.

[Harry Peterson]

29 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

Its the moving about we go for.

 

Nemesis at Alton Towers, perhaps?

 

 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, yorkshirephil said:

Its the moving about we go for.

The gentle rolling that helps you to have a really good sleep.

[P&O SUE]

Morning all, well I’ve just finally got round to phoning P&O to cancel our 13 night cruise on Britannia. I wanted to change it to one on Arvia in 2025. Basically I want to move it as far as possible because of the worry of leaving my parents for that long.

 

I got through straight away and she was happy I met all the conditions- except one. She went to check it with her supervisor but it has to set sail within the year, so I can’t do it. I’ve told her I’ll have to look into it and phone again but what a pain! This is John’s 60th that we’ve moved twice and I originally paid £130 back in 2018! I was prepared to accept the loss but I also had FFC that meant I had £272 deposit, I didn’t want to lose that FFC as a point of principle! Sigh…

[Gettingwarmer]

1 minute ago, P&O SUE said:

Morning all, well I’ve just finally got round to phoning P&O to cancel our 13 night cruise on Britannia. I wanted to change it to one on Arvia in 2025. Basically I want to move it as far as possible because of the worry of leaving my parents for that long.

 

I got through straight away and she was happy I met all the conditions- except one. She went to check it with her supervisor but it has to set sail within the year, so I can’t do it. I’ve told her I’ll have to look into it and phone again but what a pain! This is John’s 60th that we’ve moved twice and I originally paid £130 back in 2018! I was prepared to accept the loss but I also had FFC that meant I had £272 deposit, I didn’t want to lose that FFC as a point of principle! Sigh…

Maybe go for a shorter cruise earlier but upgrade the cabin, that way you could still meet all the criteria. 

[P&O SUE]

14 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Maybe go for a shorter cruise earlier but upgrade the cabin, that way you could still meet all the criteria. 

That’s what I was wondering, I will consult with the hubby when he gets home later.

[Eglesbrech]

Aberdeen South harbour (cost 400 million) can now take larger ships.. They put on a full pipe band and dancers for Aida coming in today.
 

The guests are in the city or going on tours to Balmoral, whisky tastings, Glams castle etc.

 

The are 25 bookings for the port already this year.

 

Nice to see ports opening up to ships rather than restricting them.

[Adawn47]

2 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

Morning all, well I’ve just finally got round to phoning P&O to cancel our 13 night cruise on Britannia. I wanted to change it to one on Arvia in 2025. Basically I want to move it as far as possible because of the worry of leaving my parents for that long.

 

I got through straight away and she was happy I met all the conditions- except one. She went to check it with her supervisor but it has to set sail within the year, so I can’t do it. I’ve told her I’ll have to look into it and phone again but what a pain! This is John’s 60th that we’ve moved twice and I originally paid £130 back in 2018! I was prepared to accept the loss but I also had FFC that meant I had £272 deposit, I didn’t want to lose that FFC as a point of principle! Sigh…

After three months of continual back and forth I have reluctantly had to cancel our December,18 night cruise. It was hard, but Frank's back and walking problems have been slowly getting worse and is now waiting for a hospital appointment, which will probably be later than sooner. We already know what the problem is, but it's to see if anything more can be done to help. I was on hold for 40 mins this morning, but surprisingly I got a refund on some of the deposit. Something to do with an overpayment of deposit🤔 Confused, but I won't argue.

I hope everyone is well. x

Avril

[Beckett]

4 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Thank you Jane.

Because of the thought of motion sickness which I sometimes feel as a car,train or coach passenger we didn't start cruising until I was 44.

A couple of DFDS cruise ferries from Newcastle to Amsterdam and Norway proved sailing was okay and we have done 63 cruises since  2003.

We love holidays and had 5 nights hotel in Tenerife in March.

My late mam and dad took us to Spain when I was 12 over 54 years ago and I have been smitten ever since.

Graham x.

Wow! You must have some wonderful memories Graham - to treasure forever.  Jane xxx