Winter 23/24

[yorkshirephil]

7 hours ago, Mysticalmother said:

Yes, we have booked for Oct 23. Couldn't get our choice of cabin, or anywhere near it, but haver accepted what is on offer. It seems this particular cruise was VERY popular with higher tier passengers, and the range of cabins left to us lowly folk was very limited on day 2!

We are on this cruise, we were lucky we got what we wanted.

[Astrajet]

42 minutes ago, Mysticalmother said:

R319 on Aurora…to the Med & Greece. October 

We are booked on this one too. It will make up for the cancelled Aurora Greek Island cruise we were due to be on last month. 

[Son of Anarchy]

Friends of ours were interested in doing the Panama Canal leg of a cruise, ie just joining the ship in eastern caribbean and getting off on the pacific side before Hawaii/NZ.  Sold out/not available.

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Friends of ours were interested in doing the Panama Canal leg of a cruise, ie just joining the ship in eastern caribbean and getting off on the pacific side before Hawaii/NZ.  Sold out/not available.

Many years ago we did Fort Lauderdale to San Diego with Celebrity. I would think something similar would be available with some of the American Lines. Don't think P&O have ever done that. They have previously done Southampton to San Francisco.

[Host Sharon]

2 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

We are on this cruise, we were lucky we got what we wanted.

Booked on this cruise too as should have been doing it this year, or was it last year - I can't keep up!  Also got first choice of cabin on 65 nighter on Aurora to Central America 2024.

 

[Host Sharon]

17 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Many years ago we did Fort Lauderdale to San Diego with Celebrity. I would think something similar would be available with some of the American Lines. Don't think P&O have ever done that. They have previously done Southampton to San Francisco.

Just once P&O did a Southampton to Alaska via Panama on Arcadia a few years back but I gather US immigration and supply issues put them off ever offering it again.

 

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Friends of ours were interested in doing the Panama Canal leg of a cruise, ie just joining the ship in eastern caribbean and getting off on the pacific side before Hawaii/NZ.  Sold out/not available.

As Britboys said, there are plenty of other cruise lines out there that offer this itinerary.  We did  it  on Princess.

Why do your friends not consider other options ? 

[Son of Anarchy]

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

As Britboys said, there are plenty of other cruise lines out there that offer this itinerary.  We did  it  on Princess.

Why do your friends not consider other options ? 

They've got an FCC burning a hole in their pocket.

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

They've got an FCC burning a hole in their pocket.

Ah, that makes sense.

[gsmt47471015]

Host Sharon, that might explain the reluctance by P and O to cruise out of/into a host of American ports and also Alaska? and possibly why San Francisco has been taken off the world cruise for the last two years.  We too have had to use other lines to sail down the west coast which has the disadvantage of a long flight both ways and also had to book with another line for the Rocky mountaineer and Alaska cruise for next year. It surprises me that American companies manage to sail from Southampton to compete with P and O yet the reverse is not an option .Judging by the comments about bookings filling up quickly on the longer cruises it would appear that the demand for these sailings is there so why not try breaking into some different areas ,even as a one off to test the waters,  no pun intended. 

[Britboys]

Cunard Queen Elizabeth is doing an Alaska run next May. Various itineraries from 13 to 46 nights. Includes 16 night fly-cruise Port Everglades to Los Angeles or 18 to San Francisco.

[Britboys]

4 hours ago, gsmt47471015 said:

...that might explain the reluctance by P and O to cruise out of/into a host of American ports and also Alaska? and possibly why San Francisco has been taken off the world cruise for the last two years....

Difficult to know really as they are still using other USA ports such as New Orleans, Key West, Miami and Port Everglades.

[Son of Anarchy]

4 hours ago, gsmt47471015 said:

Host Sharon, that might explain the reluctance by P and O to cruise out of/into a host of American ports and also Alaska? and possibly why San Francisco has been taken off the world cruise for the last two years.  We too have had to use other lines to sail down the west coast which has the disadvantage of a long flight both ways and also had to book with another line for the Rocky mountaineer and Alaska cruise for next year. It surprises me that American companies manage to sail from Southampton to compete with P and O yet the reverse is not an option .Judging by the comments about bookings filling up quickly on the longer cruises it would appear that the demand for these sailings is there so why not try breaking into some different areas ,even as a one off to test the waters,  no pun intended. 

I was a bit disappointed that San Francisco had been taken off those itineries.  Wanted to go over to Alameda to go on the aircraft carrier.  Looking further ahead, will probably looking for itineries that include either Japan or Alaska (or both), and hopefully get to include SF along the way at some point.  Might even try for San Diego, another aircraft carrier!

[Gettingwarmer]

16 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

I was a bit disappointed that San Francisco had been taken off those itineries.  Wanted to go over to Alameda to go on the aircraft carrier.  Looking further ahead, will probably looking for itineries that include either Japan or Alaska (or both), and hopefully get to include SF along the way at some point.  Might even try for San Diego, another aircraft carrier!

In 2017 we visited San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco before onward to Honolulu on Arcadia.

San Diego

[gsmt47471015]

42 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Cunard Queen Elizabeth is doing an Alaska run next May. Various itineraries from 13 to 46 nights. Includes 16 night fly-cruise Port Everglades to Los Angeles or 18 to San Francisco.

Much as we enjoyed the Queen Elizabeth, the 15 % on everything is very annoying ,especially as we still cant work out what we got for it, have seen these itineraries but put off by the on board pricing. Already booked for Alaska next year so that's taken care of 😄  

[tring]

30 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Difficult to know really as they are still using other USA ports such as New Orleans, Key West, Miami and Port Everglades.

 

I would suspect a port of call is very different to change over days, regards US Immigration though.  I seem to remember incredibly long queues for the necessary process in one of the US Caribbean Islands (St Thomas I think), but in that case the people who had been cleared to leave the ship could go ashore (basically people booked on earlier tours were given priority), whilst others were waiting to be "processed".  We were in no rush to go ashore so went up for breakfast after getting up fairly late and found we were just ready to almost go straight in for "processing" after that as the queue had almost gone.  I would not fancy having to go through that if needed to leave the ship and fly home that morning and I am wondering if the US would let anyone leave the ship to disembark if others were still waiting to be cleared.

 

From a Carnival Corporation stance, I would also not see an advantage in a cheaper UK based line being set up to compete against their more lucrative brands.

[daiB]

22 hours ago, tring said:

 

Must be good runs then if you are going back for a forth one.  Do you find the sun decks get very busy on good days or would it be reasonably easy to find a sun bed somewhere without having to get up very early?  We are hoping that the likely lack of children will make sun beds slightly less in demand, though I am getting a bit old and stiff to get onto and off a sun bed if the adjacent bed is very near to it 🙂

 

Hope to meet up with you on the ship.  I have not checked the roll section yet, but will do so in a couple of days, or start one myself if need be,

 

Barbara

Not a good person to ask as we do not use sun beds at all. The good thing about a long cruise they put on better speakers and more daytime stuff. Proper bridge play and lessons. Classes in handicrafts etc.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, gsmt47471015 said:

Much as we enjoyed the Queen Elizabeth, the 15 % on everything is very annoying ,especially as we still cant work out what we got for it, have seen these itineraries but put off by the on board pricing. Already booked for Alaska next year so that's taken care of 😄  

What do you mean by 15% on top of everything.

[gsmt47471015]

1 hour ago, tring said:

 

I would suspect a port of call is very different to change over days, regards US Immigration though.  I seem to remember incredibly long queues for the necessary process in one of the US Caribbean Islands (St Thomas I think), but in that case the people who had been cleared to leave the ship could go ashore (basically people booked on earlier tours were given priority), whilst others were waiting to be "processed".  We were in no rush to go ashore so went up for breakfast after getting up fairly late and found we were just ready to almost go straight in for "processing" after that as the queue had almost gone.  I would not fancy having to go through that if needed to leave the ship and fly home that morning and I am wondering if the US would let anyone leave the ship to disembark if others were still waiting to be cleared.

 

From a Carnival Corporation stance, I would also not see an advantage in a cheaper UK based line being set up to compete against their more lucrative brands.

Not sure about the immigration issue in the USA, we have encountered delays of various timescales on numerous visits however the worst was in New Orleans when visiting on Ventura ,almost four hours to get ashore as it was the first American port of call🥱

[wowzz]

12 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

What do you mean by 15% on top of everything.

15% service charge on the price of all drinks for a start !

[gsmt47471015]

9 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

What do you mean by 15% on top of everything.

A 15% surcharge was applied to everything purchased onboard including drinks above and beyond the advertised prices. And because we were in British waters 20% vat was added to anything in the onboard shops 

[majortom10]

1 minute ago, gsmt47471015 said:

A 15% surcharge was applied to everything purchased onboard including drinks above and beyond the advertised prices. And because we were in British waters 20% vat was added to anything in the onboard shops 

With regards to 20% VAT in the onboard shops that was applicable to all cruise lines during their Staycations in the Summer around British Waters and not exclusive to Cunard as P&O charged the 20% VAT because of government rules. There is no extra charge of 15% of anything purchased in the onboard shops and never has been on all their ships. The only time 15% is charged is as a service charge on drinks, bottles of wine and Princess/Celebrity charge 18% service charge if you do not have their drinks packages. 

[tring]

15 minutes ago, gsmt47471015 said:

Not sure about the immigration issue in the USA, we have encountered delays of various timescales on numerous visits however the worst was in New Orleans when visiting on Ventura ,almost four hours to get ashore as it was the first American port of call🥱

 

Could not have been much less than 4 hours from what I remember as they started early and must have been late morning by the time we were cleared.  There were a couple of US ports including Cape Canaveral (or whatever the port is called), in Florida.  Hence I suspect St Thomas was put in as the first US port as not likely to need a long day ashore.  Was a few years ago now, about eight I suspect, but not sure if there have been improvements since then.

[Bill Y]

2 hours ago, tring said:

 

I would suspect a port of call is very different to change over days, regards US Immigration though.  I seem to remember incredibly long queues for the necessary process in one of the US Caribbean Islands (St Thomas I think), but in that case the people who had been cleared to leave the ship could go ashore (basically people booked on earlier tours were given priority), whilst others were waiting to be "processed".  We were in no rush to go ashore so went up for breakfast after getting up fairly late and found we were just ready to almost go straight in for "processing" after that as the queue had almost gone.  I would not fancy having to go through that if needed to leave the ship and fly home that morning and I am wondering if the US would let anyone leave the ship to disembark if others were still waiting to be cleared.

 

From a Carnival Corporation stance, I would also not see an advantage in a cheaper UK based line being set up to compete against their more lucrative brands.

The only time I have heard that P&O were reluctant to use USA ports was in the USA Virgin Islands a few years ago due to the immigration hassle. Having said that it's always potential hassle and delays when going though immigration at the first USA port of call. but we did not have a long delay at New Orleans that others have mentioned but then we were on a smaller boat.

 

Regarding San Francisco we have not hand any problems embarking or disembarking on change over days, its normally an overnight stay with flight home in the afternoon of the second day, but we did not need to go though immigration when disembarking as we had already cleared immigration in Honolulu. The dropping of San Francisco is probably as its been a port of call for a few year and they're  trying to attract repeat booking with changed itineraries. It is becoming a problem finding appealing segments if you do not wish to repeat ports

[terrierjohn]

I booked for a Canaries cruise on Iona (G406), but as well as getting the usual looking forward to seeing you on board e-mail, I also got one for a reservation on K406A as well.

Fortunately I just forwarded it to my TA for them to sort out P&O's ***** up.