Arcadia being sold?

[Britboys]

On 1/21/2022 at 12:59 PM, wowzz said:

Not really sure where to post this,  but this seems as good a place as any !

Many of us prefer the smaller ships, and may be considering Saga (we have already booked with them for September)

Fot those of you considering "jumping ship" from P&O, there is a 'live' blog from Spirit of Adventure on the Saga forum, with lots of excellent pictures.  Worth popping over for a read.

For those travelling solo and who normally opt for either an inside or standard outside cabin, Saga prices are pretty prohibitive in comparison to P&O. The ships look lovely but I certainly couldn't consider them at present.

Since they became 'boutique', all inclusive, there have been a few things that niggle pax. Included excursions are sometimes (but not always) a scenic coach-ride. Not all drinks are included and the standard spirits are house brands no-one has ever heard of. Also, just recently, a number of pax have been informed at very short notice that the included insurance will not cover them - when they booked months ago...

Caveat emptor as they say.

[Britboys]

On 1/21/2022 at 4:42 PM, Fionboard said:

Arcadia was on the poster for the original Posaidon Adventure film I believe. Have sailed on her several times and like her.

Certainly not the current Arcadia, as the film came out in the seventies, long before she was built. Might have been one of her predecessors with the same name.

[Britboys]

7 hours ago, paulatsea said:

We liked Oriana - lovely dining room with individual lights on each table - if I am remembering the right ship ! Seem to remember a lot of vibration in the dining room as well - which we didn’t mind somehow.

 

paul

You are indeed remembering correctly. I too loved those lamps on the dining tables and didn't mind the vibrations. My favourite recent P&O ship. Really miss her.

[Denarius]

16 hours ago, Denarius said:

I agree wholeheartedly. Oceana was my favourite P&O ship, followed by Oriana. Never sailed on the present Arcadia and never took to Aurora; always seemed like a second class Oriana!

 

16 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

Strange howwe all have different thoughts about the ships isn't it. Loved Adonia and Oceana. Love Arcadia and Aurora, however we couldn't seem to take to Oriana, although I wouldn't say she seemed like second class ship to Aurora because we couldn't take to her.

Avril

It would be a dull world if we all agreed on everything, but let me explain my previous post.

I first sailed on Oriana, my first P&O ship, in 1997. I took to her straight away. So when Aurora was launched a couple of years later as her "sister ship" I tried her on the assuption that I would like her just as much or more. Sadly that was not the case. In direct comparisons, apart from the buffet restaurant I prefered Oriana virtually every time.

Lords Tavern vs Champions. Harlequins vs Masquerade. The closure of one side of the pool deck on Aurora to accomodate the spa, and the pointless grand staircase entrances to the restaurants from the deck above.

Only my own opinions of course, but to me it made Aurora feel like Oriana gone wrong!

 

 

 

[Britboys]

8 minutes ago, Denarius said:

 

It would be a dull world if we all agreed on everything, but let me explain my previous post.

I first sailed on Oriana, my first P&O ship, in 1997. I took to her straight away. So when Aurora was launched a couple of years later as her "sister ship" I tried her on the assuption that I would like her just as much or more. Sadly that was not the case. In direct comparisons, apart from the buffet restaurant I prefered Oriana virtually every time.

Lords Tavern vs Champions. Harlequins vs Masquerade. The closure of one side of the pool deck on Aurora to accomodate the spa, and the pointless grand staircase entrances to the restaurants from the deck above.

Only my own opinions of course, but to me it made Aurora feel like Oriana gone wrong!

 

 

 

I agree to a certain extent. I do like Aurora but Oriana won for me every time. In addition to Lords Tavern and Harlequins, I also liked Tiffany's Bar at the top of Oriana's atrium. The bars around Aurora's atrium are tiny.

[Fionboard]

48 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Certainly not the current Arcadia, as the film came out in the seventies, long before she was built. Might have been one of her predecessors with the same name.

No, the old Arcadia.

[Fionboard]

Remember the vibration in Oriana dining room and having to bang the table lamps to make them come on! Liked her though

[john watson]

6 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

No, the old Arcadia.

 

The old Arcadia was in service from 1888 - 1915.  It was a small ship 6.610 grt and last of the "jubilee class" launched after Victoria, Britannia and Oceana. It took just over four hundred passengers.

 

Regards John

[Fionboard]

13 minutes ago, john watson said:

 

The old Arcadia was in service from 1888 - 1915.  It was a small ship 6.610 grt and last of the "jubilee class" launched after Victoria, Britannia and Oceana. It took just over four hundred passengers.

 

Regards John

Actually it was the 2006 Poseidon film poster, although some say it was the P&O ferry called Arcadia. Will have to look it up!

[Britboys]

42 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Actually it was the 2006 Poseidon film poster, although some say it was the P&O ferry called Arcadia. Will have to look it up!

Just had a look at that 2006 poster and it does certainly seem to look like Arcadia...

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, john watson said:

 

The old Arcadia was in service from 1888 - 1915.  It was a small ship 6.610 grt and last of the "jubilee class" launched after Victoria, Britannia and Oceana. It took just over four hundred passengers.

 

Regards John

And to be followed by two others before the current one bearing that name. One in 1954 and one in 1997.

[Fionboard]

17 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Just had a look at that 2006 poster and it does certainly seem to look like Arcadia...

Looks like it to me. Have been on her many times as she is one of my favourites, although thankfully not upside down!

[majortom10]

It is a good job we are all different cruised on all current ships back to Oriana, except for Iona, our very first P&O cruise was on one of Aurora's maiden voyages to Norwegian Fjords which we thoroughly enjoyed. Had an excellent Cruise Director Phil Raymond and his deputy Neil Oliver who we were lucky to share a table with and have been friends ever since. Our least favourite ship was Oriana never took to her and couldnt wait to get off the ship and our favourite ship is Britannia.

[Britboys]

14 hours ago, majortom10 said:

It is a good job we are all different cruised on all current ships back to Oriana, except for Iona, our very first P&O cruise was on one of Aurora's maiden voyages to Norwegian Fjords which we thoroughly enjoyed. Had an excellent Cruise Director Phil Raymond and his deputy Neil Oliver who we were lucky to share a table with and have been friends ever since. Our least favourite ship was Oriana never took to her and couldnt wait to get off the ship and our favourite ship is Britannia.

Purely out of interest, what was it you didn't like about Oriana?

[jeanlyon]

Obviously didn't like the smaller ships?  I loved Oriana, but I also love Aurora.

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, Britboys said:

Purely out of interest, what was it you didn't like about Oriana?

The layout of the ship, vibration, leaks everywhere, public toilets always out of order and poorest food I have ever had not just with P&O but any cruise ship.

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Obviously didn't like the smaller ships?  I loved Oriana, but I also love Aurora.

Obviously not because I love Aurora and Arcadia so you were wrong there.

[majortom10]

Only time I have left my cabin and had to walk through a polythene sheet tunnel up the walls and across the roof for some distance due to severe water leak and many public rooms had buckets catching water and also in one of corridors had humidifiers trying to dry out the carpet after another sever leak. When we sat down to dinner at rear of ship, especially when leaving port you were lucky if the vibration didnt take everything off the table. Also the only time on a P&O ship where I have had to ask for more meat on my dinner in MDR and waiter said he would have to get permission off Head Waiter. Initially thought they had forgot to put the lamb on my plate and then I moved a potato and there it was hiding. Then to cap it all towards end of cruise wife purchased handbag in shop reduced by half price but P&O tried to charge full price and then tried to blame Harding Bros in the shop for the price. Went to see shop manager and she said no receipt we were given was correct at half price and a copy of that receipt was sent down to P&O for Finance Dept to put on my statement so was P&Os fault. Took days to try sort out and they tried to say sort it out when you get home and phone Southampton. I refused and said if I was charged full amount to my credit card knowing it was wrong it would be fraud and I will contact police when I got home. Finance Manager nearly died and said he would have to contact Southampton to sort out which they finally did at 7pm on last night of cruise because he came to me in MDR during dinner.

Edited January 24, 2022 by majortom10

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Only time I have left my cabin and had to walk through a polythene sheet tunnel up the walls and across the roof for some distance due to severe water leak and many public rooms had buckets catching water and also in one of corridors had humidifiers trying to dry out the carpet after another sever leak. When we sat down to dinner at rear of ship, especially when leaving port you were lucky if the vibration didnt take everything off the table. Also the only time on a P&O ship where I have had to ask for more meat on my dinner in MDR and waiter said he would have to get permission off Head Waiter. Initially thought they had forgot to put the lamb on my plate and then I moved a potato and there it was hiding. Then to cap it all towards end of cruise wife purchased handbag in shop reduced by half price but P&O tried to charge full price and then tried to blame Harding Bros in the shop for the price. Went to see shop manager and she said no receipt we were given was correct at half price and a copy of that receipt was sent down to P&O for Finance Dept to put on my statement so was P&Os fault. Took days to try sort out and they tried to say sort it out when you get home and phone Southampton. I refused and said if I was charged full amount to my credit card knowing it was wrong it would be fraud and I will contact police when I got home. Finance Manager nearly died and said he would have to contact Southampton to sort out which they finally did at 7pm on last night of cruise because he came to me in MDR during dinner.

I can understand that would put you off her! Fortunately, I only had one significant problem aboard her, which strangely enough was in one of the newly created cabins when they took away the children's facilities. That was resolved by changing cabin.

Certainly experienced vibration in the Oriental Restaurant but never too bad.

[Fitzplumbago]

I am due on Arcadia in the summer to the Fjords, so I hope she is still in service by then. Last year’s voyage to the Fjords on Aurora was cancelled, so hopefully second time lucky as have never visited there… Arcadia is also the only ship in the current fleet I haven’t stepped foot on. 

 

As for the other ships in the fleet, I feel lucky that I’ve enjoyed every ship I’ve sailed on so far, including Aurora,  Oriana, and also the bigger ships  including Iona. There are pros and cons to every ship and I honestly couldn’t chose a favourite or least enjoyed vessel. 

[majortom10]

Common sense would be to keep a variety of ships i.e. large, small and adults only for varying tastes to suit all but unfortunately the bean counters at Carnival will just see ££££ signs and will want to keep ships that make more profit per person which is obviously larger ships.

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Common sense would be to keep a variety of ships i.e. large, small and adults only for varying tastes to suit all but unfortunately the bean counters at Carnival will just see ££££ signs and will want to keep ships that make more profit per person which is obviously larger ships.

As a shareholder I suppose I ought to be grateful that the bean counters are looking after my investment, and since I prefer newer and bigger ships, with more eating, entertainment and drinking venues I should be happy, but I do feel for those of you who prefer the smaller ships.

[john watson]

In terms of business opportunity and how to run cruise lines I tink the lockdown and people not working, travelling and cruising has not been all bad for cruise lines.  They have all been forced across the board to scrap and get rid of their oldest ships.  I have been thinking for years that with all the huge new ships arriving how will they sell all the berths.  Whether the lines have disposed of the correct ships is in some cases questionable. I still feel that have a range of sizes of ships is going to attract a much wider audience.

[wowzz]

34 minutes ago, john watson said:

travelling and cruising has not been all bad for cruise lines. 

Carnival, for one,  has had to borrow billions of dollars at eyewatering interest rates. Not quite sure that their accountants  or us shareholders would agree with your assessment. 

[john watson]

32 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Carnival, for one,  has had to borrow billions of dollars at eyewatering interest rates. Not quite sure that their accountants  or us shareholders would agree with your assessment. 

 

I think the bubble would have burst eventually with the overcapacity if the pandemic had not occurred and lockdowns had not been needed.  The accountants and shareholders are not the cruise line.  All shareholders will have done very badly over last year especially cruise and leisure industry stock holders. Then this is the purpose of limited companies and shareholder investment.  Generally everybody has less disposable income for the foreseeable future as they will not have been working to the extent of previous years. It is now a question of resuming as best we can.

 

Regards John