P&O Cruise with Confidence

[terrierjohn]

48 minutes ago, wowzz said:

John, you have more experience than me, but most of the cabins don't appear to me to have seats and tables conducive to in-cabin dining. I don't eat off my lap at home - I'm not going to start on holiday. 

 

There is generally a round table in the cabin,  the one that used to house the sweeties and the little flower vase, but the only dining style chair is the one by the dressing table, unless you were to use the balcony chairs, but I have no idea what the inside and OV cabins possess.

 

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

There is generally a round table in the cabin,  the one that used to house the sweeties and the little flower vase, but the only dining style chair is the one by the dressing table, unless you were to use the balcony chairs, but I have no idea what the inside and OV cabins possess.

 

That was my impression as well. although the balcony cabins on Arcadia are roomier and do have a sofa. I can't imagine the inside and OV cabins being any better.

So, even if the room service menu is improved, it's going to be a pretty miserable affair eating your dinner in your cabin. 

You might as well stay at home and get a "meal deal" from M&S!  

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

That was my impression as well. although the balcony cabins on Arcadia are roomier and do have a sofa. I can't imagine the inside and OV cabins being any better.

So, even if the room service menu is improved, it's going to be a pretty miserable affair eating your dinner in your cabin. 

You might as well stay at home and get a "meal deal" from M&S!  

We do have the advantage of a bigger cabin wowzz, but that little table would be a tad small, and not really high enough, I am hoping they might put a bigger table on the balcony, but our next 2 cruises are on Britannia which only has Juliet sized balconies.

[jh1809]

4 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

They could use the buffet as well, they won't be using it for it's original purpose.

Avril

Yes, the piece says that there will be waiter service rather than self-service in the buffet, which to my mind makes it no longer a buffet but simply another MDR (though maybe with a different range of dishes from the traditional MDR).

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, jh1809 said:

Yes, the piece says that there will be waiter service rather than self-service in the buffet, which to my mind makes it no longer a buffet but simply another MDR (though maybe with a different range of dishes from the traditional MDR).

I was of the opinion that it would still be the traditional buffet menu, but without the self service option. ie  you still walked past the various food options, but staff would give you want you required, rather than you taking  it yourself.

[terrierjohn]

22 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I was of the opinion that it would still be the traditional buffet menu, but without the self service option. ie  you still walked past the various food options, but staff would give you want you required, rather than you taking  it yourself.

I thought the protocols said that the buffet would have table service?

[wowzz]

16 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I thought the protocols said that the buffet would have table service?

In that case I am mistaken. Protocols from other lines have said the buffet will remain as is, but without self service.

I can see breakfast being problematic.

Edited October 15, 2020 by wowzz

[jeanlyon]

that's no different from what they do if they have Norovirus on board.  Gloved waiters served you as you line up.  Can you imagine standing there in a mask and doing that.  It sounds awful.  Even then you can only eat with your own family or bubble.  almost no point in going.

[wowzz]

54 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

that's no different from what they do if they have Norovirus on board.  Gloved waiters served you as you line up.  Can you imagine standing there in a mask and doing that.  It sounds awful.  Even then you can only eat with your own family or bubble.  almost no point in going.

I agree. Doesn't seem like much fun to me.

[terrierjohn]

8 hours ago, wowzz said:

I agree. Doesn't seem like much fun to me.

You're not going on THIS cruise for fun wowzz, it's to provide finance to the stricken cruise industry so they dont go under.

Do you think Carnival should appoint me as CEO?????😇

Edited October 16, 2020 by terrierjohn

[Dermotsgirl]

Fred Olsen appear to be making an effort, lots more flexibility and refundable deposits.

 

https://www.fredolsencruises.com/travel-confidence

 

They also changed the final balance date to 28 days before the cruise almost at the start of the pandemic.

 

I had a Fred cruise cancelled in March and they refunded me within 7 weeks, with communication along the way.

 

Adding all these factors together, they have handled this a lot better than P&O.

 

When the time eventually comes to think about cruising again, I will remember all this, and Fred will be the first company that I’ll look at 

 

 

[kalos]

5 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

You're not going on THIS cruise for fun wowzz, it's to provide finance to the stricken cruise industry so they dont go under.

Do you think Carnival should appoint me as CEO?????😇

 

No but you can be in charge of the Happy Hour 

[Britboys]

3 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Fred Olsen appear to be making an effort, lots more flexibility and refundable deposits.

 

https://www.fredolsencruises.com/travel-confidence

 

They also changed the final balance date to 28 days before the cruise almost at the start of the pandemic.

 

I had a Fred cruise cancelled in March and they refunded me within 7 weeks, with communication along the way.

 

Adding all these factors together, they have handled this a lot better than P&O.

 

When the time eventually comes to think about cruising again, I will remember all this, and Fred will be the first company that I’ll look at 

 

 

Yes, I agree that they have handled the Covid situation much better than P&O. I just wish they had handled the changeovers to the new ships better than they did. I am starting to feel more affinity to Fred than P&O, the only problem being their launch prices - especially for solo travellers!

[Chrisdriving]

I think its all futile, testing before being allowed to embark stops the virus getting onboard how exactly?

[safathome]

BBC news @ 1843 today -

Passengers have been stopped from disembarking a cruise ship in Malta due to a suspected case of Covid-19.

The MSC Grandiosa cruise ship was allowed into Valetta harbour but left the port after collecting supplies.

During the beginning of the pandemic, cruise ships were involved in a large number of cases.

Malta allowed cruise ships into its harbours on the condition that passengers did not mix with locals.

[jaydee6969]

6 minutes ago, safathome said:

BBC news @ 1843 today -

Passengers have been stopped from disembarking a cruise ship in Malta due to a suspected case of Covid-19.

The MSC Grandiosa cruise ship was allowed into Valetta harbour but left the port after collecting supplies.

During the beginning of the pandemic, cruise ships were involved in a large number of cases.

Malta allowed cruise ships into its harbours on the condition that passengers did not mix with locals.

 

Also on the MSC thread.

 

 

[zap99]

6 minutes ago, safathome said:

BBC news @ 1843 today -

Passengers have been stopped from disembarking a cruise ship in Malta due to a suspected case of Covid-19.

The MSC Grandiosa cruise ship was allowed into Valetta harbour but left the port after collecting supplies.

During the beginning of the pandemic, cruise ships were involved in a large number of cases.

Malta allowed cruise ships into its harbours on the condition that passengers did not mix with locals.

1 crew member tested positive. She later tested negative. They are awaiting the results of another test. Best of 3 is standard procedure.,😁

[Bazrat]

4 hours ago, Britboys said:

Yes, I agree that they have handled the Covid situation much better than P&O. I just wish they had handled the changeovers to the new ships better than they did. I am starting to feel more affinity to Fred than P&O, the only problem being their launch prices - especially for solo travellers!

Not really comparing like with like, but we only ever book cruises on itinerary and price so have no real affinity with any cruise line just particular ships.

[Captain_Morgan]

As has been mentioned (by @molecrochip I believe) the issue and focus at this point should be less about whether or not COVID shows up onboard as its seemingly inevitable, and more about how the issue/outbreak is dealt with.

As has been seen with Noro, there is no way to 100% prevent it from appearing onboard although something as simple as washing your hands would typically prevent most cases which is apparently too difficult for so many.

 

We had friends on the Xmas cruise onboard Oceana last year when they had an outbreak of Noro and from what they were told from reliable sources, it is believed that 'patient zero' came onboard with Noro, lied on the declaration stating they felt fine and waited until after Xmas day to declare symptoms.  So they were roaming the ship, spreading the Noro-joy for several days before deciding to report because they didn't want to be isolated over Xmas and in doing so managed to elevate the ship into an outbreak which essentially ruined the holidays for everyone.  

 

Now just imagine what will happen if the same patient comes onboard with COVID, lies on their declaration, passes the temperature check and is subjected to a less than reliable instant test at the time of check-in.  Clearly this is an extreme situation, but its safe to say someone could be feeling unwell but not being completely symptomatic on the day and still pass the checks in place only to become a 'super spreader' so the question comes back to, "how will the cruise line handle this?"

 

 

 

[davecttr]

14 minutes ago, Captain_Morgan said:

As has been mentioned (by @molecrochip I believe) the issue and focus at this point should be less about whether or not COVID shows up onboard as its seemingly nevitable, and more about how the issue/outbreak is dealt with.

As has been seen with Noro, there is no way to 100% prevent it from appearing onboard although something as simple as washing your hands would typically prevent most cases which is apparently too difficult for so many.

 

We had friends on the Xmas cruise onboard Oceana last year when they had an outbreak of Noro and from what they were told from reliable sources, it is believed that 'patient zero' came onboard with Noro, lied on the declaration stating they felt fine and waited until after Xmas day to declare symptoms.  So they were roaming the ship, spreading the Noro-joy for several days before deciding to report because they didn't want to be isolated over Xmas and in doing so managed to elevate the ship into an outbreak which essentially ruined the holidays for everyone.  

 

Now just imagine what will happen if the same patient comes onboard with COVID, lies on their declaration, passes the temperature check and is subjected to a less than reliable instant test at the time of check-in.  Clearly this is an extreme situation, but its safe to say someone could be feeling unwell but not being completely symptomatic on the day and still pass the checks in place only to become a 'super spreader' so the question comes back to, "how will the cruise line handle this?"

 

 

 

This is the critical question for many of us. There may be two possible reasons for P&O not telling us, either they don't actually know or the procedures needing to be invoked would put us off cruising even more than many of us are already. Look at what happened at Malta, one person tested positive and nobody got off the ship.

 

Possible example - a cruise to the Canaries, a couple of people test positive. The port authorities say no disembarking, just sail back to Southampton, fun cruise eh!

[cruisenewbie1976]

48 minutes ago, davecttr said:

This is the critical question for many of us. There may be two possible reasons for P&O not telling us, either they don't actually know or the procedures needing to be invoked would put us off cruising even more than many of us are already. Look at what happened at Malta, one person tested positive and nobody got off the ship.

 

Possible example - a cruise to the Canaries, a couple of people test positive. The port authorities say no disembarking, just sail back to Southampton, fun cruise eh!

Or it could be that so much changes, on a daily basis, with regards to how to deal with this virus and the rules and regulations, that there's simply no point trying to tell us in October how they might deal with the situation if it happens in March. 

[Captain_Morgan]

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

This is the critical question for many of us. There may be two possible reasons for P&O not telling us, either they don't actually know or the procedures needing to be invoked would put us off cruising even more than many of us are already. Look at what happened at Malta, one person tested positive and nobody got off the ship.

 

Possible example - a cruise to the Canaries, a couple of people test positive. The port authorities say no disembarking, just sail back to Southampton, fun cruise eh!

 

I agree, but this is based on an example of cruises going anywhere outside of the UK, which at this point I think is less likely than cruises to nowhere on short, 3-5 day trips to test the procedures.

I can't help but wonder how the ships are going to cope at their current positions anchored off the south coast over the winter months....talk about 'cold layup'.....brrrrrr!!!

 

[Dermotsgirl]

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

This is the critical question for many of us. There may be two possible reasons for P&O not telling us, either they don't actually know or the procedures needing to be invoked would put us off cruising even more than many of us are already. Look at what happened at Malta, one person tested positive and nobody got off the ship.

 

Possible example - a cruise to the Canaries, a couple of people test positive. The port authorities say no disembarking, just sail back to Southampton, fun cruise eh!

This is the problem - it could take one case of Covid, or even one suspected case of Covid for the cruise to effectively be over 

[Dermotsgirl]

43 minutes ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

Or it could be that so much changes, on a daily basis, with regards to how to deal with this virus and the rules and regulations, that there's simply no point trying to tell us in October how they might deal with the situation if it happens in March. 

However, they still expect to be paid three months in advance! 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

This is the critical question for many of us. There may be two possible reasons for P&O not telling us, either they don't actually know or the procedures needing to be invoked would put us off cruising even more than many of us are already. Look at what happened at Malta, one person tested positive and nobody got off the ship.

 

Possible example - a cruise to the Canaries, a couple of people test positive. The port authorities say no disembarking, just sail back to Southampton, fun cruise eh!

I thought they had answered it, the setting aside of an area that can used as quarantine for anyone who displays the symptoms or fails any covid test during the cruise. 

Most cruises are 14 days or less, so if the embarkation procedures are robust, it should prevent anyone infectious boarding, and hopefully limit the number of passengers likely to be incubating the virus as they board, such that the outbreak can be contained.

There are a lot of unknown factors that could affect things, but presumably the medical team onboard will know if or when they need additional interventions in any outbreak, and as always at sea the Captain has the last word.