New Drinks Menus and Prices

[terrierjohn]

57 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

You could probably say that about several cruise lines for one reason or another. We used to cruise quite a bit with Thompsons and enjoyed the experience. Since we retired we basically stopped drinking, we still don't really know how that happened, we still like a drink when it suits us and a glass of wine with dinner but don't see any point paying for all inclusive when we won't use it. 

We are a bit similar, Pauline only has alcoholic drinks occasionally although she does enjoy a mocktail, I do enjoy a drink but limit them as I dont want to be drunk in charge of a wheelchair. But Marella's newest ships would be OK for us, although only if they sailed South to warmer seas from the UK.

[Britboys]

7 hours ago, Bazrat said:

You seam to excluded marella from your choices they run smaller ships

Only sailed with Marella once (on Discovery 2) but sadly it didn't make me want to book with them again. Never say never but it would have to be a great itinerary at a very good price to tempt me to try them again.

[wowzz]

12 minutes ago, Denarius said:

Sadly, so do I. P&O obviously see their future as being in ever larger ships. I suspect (pulls out crystal ball) that we will see these ships leave the fleet within the next few years, with their place as adult only ships being taken by Azura and Ventura. Britannia, Iona and Arvia will remain family ships, perhaps joined by another possibly even larger ship.

Is there sufficient demand to fill both Azura and Ventura as adult only ships?

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

As do NCL and RC.

True. I'm not remotely interested in the style of cruise NCL provide. With RCL, it would depend on where their small ships are sailing from and of course, how long they keep them.

Whilst P&O still have Aurora, I will be happy to stick with them. Once she's gone however, I would be very reluctant to book a cruise on Arcadia 2 years ahead as I would not feel confident that they wouldn't sell her before it sailed...

[Britboys]

20 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

...But Marella's newest ships would be OK for us, although only if they sailed South to warmer seas from the UK.

Unlikely I suspect. Marella is very much based on the package holiday style fly-cruise or fly-cruise-stay package.

[Britboys]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Is there sufficient demand to fill both Azura and Ventura as adult only ships?

Questionable I think. They could try one as adult-only all the time and the other as adult-only outside school holiday times but P&O are not usually open to trying out new ideas except with the new ships.

[Bazrat]

2 hours ago, zap99 said:

As do NCL and RC.

At a much higher price

[Bazrat]

5 hours ago, wowzz said:

Marella seem to be a  Marmite cruise line for many people.  

True but luckily everyone is different our cruise with them was very enjoyable, admittedly fly/cruises are not really our thing but if the itinerary is good we’re prepared to do it.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

Questionable I think. They could try one as adult-only all the time and the other as adult-only outside school holiday times but P&O are not usually open to trying out new ideas except with the new ships.

I'm somewhat surprised that P&O have not gone down the "ship within a ship" route with Iona and Vera, like the Yacht Club on MSC. OK, it's not the same as a small ship, but you would get the ambience of a smaller ship whilst on board.

[Britboys]

14 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I'm somewhat surprised that P&O have not gone down the "ship within a ship" route with Iona and Vera, like the Yacht Club on MSC. OK, it's not the same as a small ship, but you would get the ambience of a smaller ship whilst on board.

Wouldn't appeal to me even if I had the budget for it.

[LifeonMars]

57 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I'm somewhat surprised that P&O have not gone down the "ship within a ship" route with Iona and Vera, like the Yacht Club on MSC. OK, it's not the same as a small ship, but you would get the ambience of a smaller ship whilst on board.

The problem with the MSC Concept of a ship within a ship, is that it segregates the ship, With usually no forward views for those not in Yacht Club.

Unlike the 3 Queens whereby all passengers have access to Bow views and Bars.

Edited June 26, 2021 by LifeonMars

[davecttr]

2 hours ago, Britboys said:

Only sailed with Marella once (on Discovery 2) but sadly it didn't make me want to book with them again. Never say never but it would have to be a great itinerary at a very good price to tempt me to try them again.

I have given up on Marella for the moment. Nothing to do with the onboard experience but I had decided before the pandemic to avoid flying for a few years. Then as a solo cruiser who now insists on a balcony cabin there is the problem of getting Marella to sell you a balcony, they really don't want to 😟

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

At a much higher price

Not always. We got good deals on 2 RC cruises in 2019. Pretty much the same as, or a bit less than P&O. One was a Southampton to Canaries and the other a Rome-Rome.

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Not always. We got good deals on 2 RC cruises in 2019. Pretty much the same as, or a bit less than P&O. One was a Southampton to Canaries and the other a Rome-Rome.

I paid £480 on the Navigator of the Seas (post Multi million $ refit) in 2019, for a 7 night Western Caribbean out of Miami. With a premium drinks package included! Deals are to be had! 

[Bazrat]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

Not always. We got good deals on 2 RC cruises in 2019. Pretty much the same as, or a bit less than P&O. One was a Southampton to Canaries and the other a Rome-Rome.

Ok I should have said there more expensive most of the time and exclude special offers just to cover all eventualities 

Edited June 26, 2021 by Bazrat

[terrierjohn]

6 hours ago, zap99 said:

Not always. We got good deals on 2 RC cruises in 2019. Pretty much the same as, or a bit less than P&O. One was a Southampton to Canaries and the other a Rome-Rome.

We also booked an RC 2019 cruise on launch at way below P&O prices, mainly because we had 2 grandchildren on our booking with very good discounts.

[Adawn47]

23 hours ago, Britboys said:

True. I'm not remotely interested in the style of cruise NCL provide. With RCL, it would depend on where their small ships are sailing from and of course, how long they keep them.

Whilst P&O still have Aurora, I will be happy to stick with them. Once she's gone however, I would be very reluctant to book a cruise on Arcadia 2 years ahead as I would not feel confident that they wouldn't sell her before it sailed...

We've booked Aurora for October 2021 and hope she isn't sold. Like you Andrew, we only like Aurora but will also sail on Arcadia too, she has her good points. When/if they leave the P&O fleet then unfortunately, so do we.

Avril

[besberry]

On 6/25/2021 at 11:43 PM, Britboys said:

I agree with you about the likely demise of Aurora and Arcadia. I'm booked on Aurora next Summer and not entirely convinced she will still be in the fleet then. My de facto choice will in fact be Fred Olsen or, if successful, the newly launched Ambassador Cruises (CMV rising from its ashes). Saga will be too expensive for me as they only have balcony cabins. I accept it will cost me more but I have no desire to sail on the bigger ships, especially on my solo cruises.

I think Arcadia may be next for the chop.  I have 2 cruises on Iona this year and they appear to still be going ahead.  However, my March cruise on Arcadia has just been assassinated and I still can't fugure out why.  Maybe she won't be in the fleet then?

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, besberry said:

I think Arcadia may be next for the chop.  I have 2 cruises on Iona this year and they appear to still be going ahead.  However, my March cruise on Arcadia has just been assassinated and I still can't fugure out why.  Maybe she won't be in the fleet then?

Our March 27th Arcadia cruise is now the first cruise going ahead post lockdown. I'm not sure either why the two previous Norway cruises were cancelled.

[bobstheboy]

I do wish these threads would stay on topic. 

[rattla]

6 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

I do wish these threads would stay on topic. 

Maybe someone will post the drinks menus from Brittania and get it back on track. 😁. From what if seen a lot of cocktails have now gone up over £6.95 so makes the drinks package pointless if you like cocktails.

Edited June 27, 2021 by rattla

[Adawn47]

6 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

I do wish these threads would stay on topic. 

Apologies Bob🤐

Avril

[Denarius]

4 hours ago, Couple-Somerset said:

....and bringing things slowly back on topic re Drinks Menus & Prices.

 

Not many have looked to the Terms of their Travel Insurance to find that many of the features we pay for (especially those with medical conditions paying a premium) - is that your insurance is invalid if your blood/alcohol level is above that of a English drink driving level.

 

That equates to approx 4 glasses of wine or 4 pints of Carling in your system.

 

I will go out on a limb and suggest that 95% of people who do drink alcohol will be over that limit by 8pm each day of a cruise.

Not so under my insurance. It merely states that "We do not expect you to avoid alcohol consumption on your trips or holidays but we will not cover any claims arising because you had drunk so much alcohol that your judgement is seriously affected and you need to make a claim as a result..."

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, Denarius said:

Not so under my insurance. It merely states that "We do not expect you to avoid alcohol consumption on your trips or holidays but we will not cover any claims arising because you had drunk so much alcohol that your judgement is seriously affected and you need to make a claim as a result..."

Seems fair - falling over and injuring yourself after a few too many is one thing, trying to leap down a flight of stairs with a single jump is another matter ! (And, no, I haven't tried to do it!) 

[Britboys]

6 hours ago, besberry said:

I think Arcadia may be next for the chop.  I have 2 cruises on Iona this year and they appear to still be going ahead.  However, my March cruise on Arcadia has just been assassinated and I still can't fugure out why.  Maybe she won't be in the fleet then?

I would be surprised if Arcadia went before Aurora as she is younger with a lot more balcony cabins.