Who has decided to take a summer staycation cruise?

[Selbourne]

We have no intention of booking as cruises to nowhere, which won’t be scenic, in potentially poor weather and choppy seas has no appeal to us whatsoever, even if they were good value (which, in our view, they aren’t). Although a little harsh, I can relate to the wisecrack comment that Simon Calder made, that what P&O is offering is like swapping one form of lockdown for another!
 

Like others, we have booked holiday cottages where we can go out and about, visit different places, take in scenery and not have to wear masks, other than for a few seconds as we walk in or out of pubs or restaurants. However, I imagine that these cruises will sell well as other UK options have all but sold out now and it’s being widely reported today that overseas holidays are now looking highly unlikely. 
 

However, if we were minded to do these cruises I wouldn’t be worrying about Coronovirus (as the controls that P&O are proposing seem to be very good) and nor would I be worried about FCO advice, as these are UK holidays and the roadmap clearly allows for those. 

[teabear]

40 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Although I've previously said that I wouldn't be interested in these cruises due to pricing, I'm increasingly thinking we might just take it on the chin and give it a go.  It's increasingly looking like Europe is going to remain off limits for some time, and something like one of these cruises is going to be the only way forward to get off this sceptered isle.

 

Have been looking at Princess' offerings as well, especially with the All Incl deal.  Created an on-line account with them and was pleasantly surprised at the Captain's Circle level they've put us into.

Interesting - I did the same thing and was also very surprised when all my P&O history popped up as I have never been on their ships - thought it was another Carnival systems admin mistake since I had spent literally hours on the phone last week with P&O trying to find one of my 3 cancelled cruise FCC records - turns out I had multiple accounts (not a clue how that occurred) and they are trying to merge them all together - will wait and see and once P&O is fixed, will ask the tough question of how Princess was able to show me my entire history going back years on some other cruise line but the actual cruise line couldnt!!

[Bazrat]

52 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

They aren't going abroad.  They are floating around the English channel?  No different from a hotel on the south coast.

We haven’t got a problem with bobbing about at sea, we have done all the uk holidays we ever want to do, and it will be something different for us rather than the norm.

[davecttr]

I will be trying to book tomorrow and not worried about the price since my bank account has increased a lot since January 2020. Too late to contact my TA so I will just have to be lucky as I am only interested in the two Iona Scottish cruises

[Bazrat]

Really think there should be two threads those who do not wish to take the uk cruises and those that wish to, saves having to skim through the threads to read the posts that interest us.

[jake 26]

Not for us. We've been cruising for 25 years and one of the main delights is that sense of anticipation when you sail into a port in the morning. We always research what's on offer at each port and try to make the most of it. Sea days are welcome as a relaxing recharge break. After a day ashore it's nice to 'return home' to the ship and look forward to drinks, dinner and a show etc.

So just meandering through UK waters with no ports to look forward to is no go for us.

I think P&O are doing the right thing with small steps back to normality and hopefully it will be successful.

 

 

[Snow Hill]

4 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

I can think of so many things I would rather do in the UK than float around on a ship in the Channel for 7 days.  That;s like being in a hotel where you are not allowed out of the grounds.  To me - pointless.  We will explore some more of the UK.  I have places booked in Wales for June.

We are looking forward to visiting family in Wales at some point in late spring, apart from in the park meeting halfway last summer we haven’t been to their home since Christmas 2019, we usually visit at least 6 times a year.

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

We are not planning anything for the moment.  We are thinking that we may go to Devon early September when the schools have gone back. We are going to wait to see how things progress before we actually book.

Best of luck with booking somewhere in Devon in September. We were thinking of booking a hotel in Torquay for a week, we picked 2 hotels one is sold out and the other wants £945pp for BB&EM in classic room so the same price virtually for 1 week all inclusive including drinks package on Princess looks good value.

[P&O SUE]

2 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

We are not planning anything for the moment.  We are thinking that we may go to Devon early September when the schools have gone back. We are going to wait to see how things progress before we actually book.

The only problem leaving it late to book is the UK prices are rising fast! I’ve been looking at an apartment in the Lakes for a while, after Boris announced the road map the price went up by £100 for the week. I decided to book it. I looked at the site again yesterday and two weeks after mine (so late July so would be school holidays) it had gone up by £300!!

Out of interest I looked at some other cottages and quite a few were booked up all summer.

[shopaholic6]

Good luck to everyone booking P&O tomorrow - I definitely want to go on one of these UK cruises, however it’s not really financially viable for me to book at the moment and I think once I’m ready to, they will be booked up - but please please come back and let us know how you got on and what you have booked! 😀😀

[Cathygh]

2 hours ago, lindylooellalouise said:

Will do hoping to book Iona August 21st Scottish Isles cruise🤞🏻We’ve cruised round British Isles last year and absolutely loved it.

I hope to book that one too, its our wedding anniversary on 21st and my birthday on 25th so I'll be celebrating my 60th birthday a year late

[seapals2]

7 hours ago, shopaholic6 said:

Isn’t the assumption (and I agree, it is ONLY an assumption) that the advice will change as from 17th May as per the road out of lockdown? All these cruises would be after that, so would be covered? 🤔

Certainly but doesn’t change the fact that if  we made the booking knowing that the advice right now is not to cruise so insurance would be not valid.  
Our insurance clearly states we are not covered for any known event and right now we know what the advice is. 
we would just hope that by the time of the balance payment this advice is updated.  

[P&O SUE]

2 hours ago, lindylooellalouise said:

Definitely will book tomorrow if we can, weather doesn’t bother me after living in Spain for 20 years I just love the English weather rain snow and all, 

and being onboard a brand new ship will be lovely fingers crossed we will be waiting for a call from a TA  beast we haven’t used before but have heard some good reviews.

A couple of years ago I went on a 4 night Oceana cruise in February to Bruges and Amsterdam. I told myself I would treat it as a nice hotel break if the weather was bad. I hate January but I was fine that year as I had the cruise to look forward to. My only worry was if it snowed and we couldn’t get to Southampton. We booked a hotel in Southampton the night before but weather was fine. 
We had the most fabulous time and although it was really cold in Amsterdam and it snowed once we got back to the ship I loved it. (At Zeebrugge we went to Ypres and had stunning blue skies)

[seapals2]

52 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

The only problem leaving it late to book is the UK prices are rising fast! I’ve been looking at an apartment in the Lakes for a while, after Boris announced the road map the price went up by £100 for the week. I decided to book it. I looked at the site again yesterday and two weeks after mine (so late July so would be school holidays) it had gone up by £300!!

Out of interest I looked at some other cottages and quite a few were booked up all summer.

Yes we looked to compare with Hoseasons lodges.  Prices are higher than ever for the summer months.  We are sitting on the fence right now but guess by the time we make up our minds it might well be too late.  Looks like a tent ⛺️ .. 😂😂.   

[Selbourne]

17 minutes ago, seapals2 said:

Certainly but doesn’t change the fact that if  we made the booking knowing that the advice right now is not to cruise so insurance would be not valid.  
Our insurance clearly states we are not covered for any known event and right now we know what the advice is. 
we would just hope that by the time of the balance payment this advice is updated.  

I think that you are misunderstanding the rules. These are UK only cruises that are permitted under law from 17th May (unless that date changes, which I should think is unlikely), so nobody booking them is travelling against government advice. 

[Selbourne]

59 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

The only problem leaving it late to book is the UK prices are rising fast! I’ve been looking at an apartment in the Lakes for a while, after Boris announced the road map the price went up by £100 for the week. I decided to book it. I looked at the site again yesterday and two weeks after mine (so late July so would be school holidays) it had gone up by £300!!

Out of interest I looked at some other cottages and quite a few were booked up all summer.

Seems as though the basic laws of supply and demand are kicking in. Also, hotels / holiday companies & holiday cottage owners seem to be catching up on lost income, or in some cases just downright profiteering! We booked several 2022 UK breaks last year and they are now, on average, around 50% more than the prices we paid. Hence why, even though these cruises don’t interest us, I can see them selling well as other options are fast running out or becoming ludicrously expensive. I guess it helps explain why P&O are charging more for Saver fares on a cruise to nowhere than we have paid for Select fares on normal cruises!

[lindylooellalouise]

55 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

I hope to book that one too, its our wedding anniversary on 21st and my birthday on 25th so I'll be celebrating my 60th birthday a year late

Oh wow congratulations let’s hope we both get what we’re wishing for will let you know tomorrow fingers crossed 🤞🏻

[lindylooellalouise]

47 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

A couple of years ago I went on a 4 night Oceana cruise in February to Bruges and Amsterdam. I told myself I would treat it as a nice hotel break if the weather was bad. I hate January but I was fine that year as I had the cruise to look forward to. My only worry was if it snowed and we couldn’t get to Southampton. We booked a hotel in Southampton the night before but weather was fine. 
We had the most fabulous time and although it was really cold in Amsterdam and it snowed once we got back to the ship I loved it. (At Zeebrugge we went to Ypres and had stunning blue skies)

Winter holidays and cruises are the best time for us and when you’ve  had a day sightseeing to get back on the ship and looking forward to your evening meal and entertainment is wonderful, if your fortunate  to have good weather that’s a bonus.

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, P&O SUE said:

A couple of years ago I went on a 4 night Oceana cruise in February to Bruges and Amsterdam. I told myself I would treat it as a nice hotel break if the weather was bad. I hate January but I was fine that year as I had the cruise to look forward to. My only worry was if it snowed and we couldn’t get to Southampton. We booked a hotel in Southampton the night before but weather was fine. 
We had the most fabulous time and although it was really cold in Amsterdam and it snowed once we got back to the ship I loved it. (At Zeebrugge we went to Ypres and had stunning blue skies)

Yes, great when you can get off the ship and do things. With most of these though, all pax will just be on-board for the duration. If the weather is rubbish, everyone will be sitting around indoors. I just hope for everyone that P&O really up the ante on the daytime entertainment front...

[P&O SUE]

18 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Yes, great when you can get off the ship and do things. With most of these though, all pax will just be on-board for the duration. If the weather is rubbish, everyone will be sitting around indoors. I just hope for everyone that P&O really up the ante on the daytime entertainment front...

I think they will- surely?!

[jeanlyon]

If the normal daytime entertainment is anything to go by, I would be bored stiff.  That's why we always go with the weather.  2 days at sea getting there is fine, but after that I want to be out on deck.

[majortom10]

Everybody is different thankfully or else it would be a funny old world sitting/lying on deck on a sunbed for more than an hour bores me to tears where some love it. Horses for courses.

[jeanlyon]

Only for 2 days Major and even then, I am reading a book.  What do you like in the daytime entertainment?  I like to play quoits outside, but bingo and quizzes leave me cold.  I like the odd lecture, but not many of them.

[grapau27]

4 hours ago, davecttr said:

I will be trying to book tomorrow and not worried about the price since my bank account has increased a lot since January 2020. Too late to contact my TA so I will just have to be lucky as I am only interested in the two Iona Scottish cruises

Good luck.

 

[grapau27]

4 hours ago, lindylooellalouise said:

Will do hoping to book Iona August 21st Scottish Isles cruise🤞🏻We’ve cruised round British Isles last year and absolutely loved it.

Hope you get what you want Lindy.

Graham.