Oh dear, Iona disappointment, Again!

[Megabear2]

20 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

That what I like about this site the way the regular posters always say it's better on such and such cruise line than P&O, we have a P&O cruise booked this year, one on Princess next year plus Marella and a TA on Arvia, I'm just waiting for some of the posters on here to start sending out other cruise lines brochures

I am actually a Diamond Cunarder and my association with these boards is mainly because of that.  I have been and remain extremely loyal to both P&O and Cunard.  However the latter started cruises very late in the pandemic and as a result I took my first ever Princess cruise last year and to be honest found it pleasant but unexciting.  I have never sailed Celebrity but my friend who I am travelling with has.  I presented the four options for the dates to her and asked advice on here. To a man everyone says Celebrity was the best option and my friend chose it too.  The NCL cruise was chosen by my husband due to its itinerary and the date coinciding with our wedding anniversary.  I would suggest this isnt "handing out brochures territory" on my part more looking at different things.  

 

The P&O Christmas cruise rankles with me enormously due to the huge mark up on something I've done 6 years in a row. 2023 is even more highly priced. Of course I'm going to consider alternatives and I believe you would too if the transatlantic cruises you favour rose by over 60%.

 

I've never sailed Marella but notice some good itineraries. Perhaps you would be able to offer a comparison with P&O for me?

[Eglesbrech]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

That what I like about this site the way the regular posters always say it's better on such and such cruise line than P&O, we have a P&O cruise booked this year, one on Princess next year plus Marella and a TA on Arvia, I'm just waiting for some of the posters on here to start sending out other cruise lines brochures

But they are actually all the same company. P&O, Princess, Cunard etc are all just one commercial entity. Just a different offering and price point but the profit goes to one end point. The brochures are probably also printed by the same company so 😀.

 

Marella is different, I’ll give you that.

 

[Britboys]

55 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I am actually a Diamond Cunarder and my association with these boards is mainly because of that.  I have been and remain extremely loyal to both P&O and Cunard.  However the latter started cruises very late in the pandemic and as a result I took my first ever Princess cruise last year and to be honest found it pleasant but unexciting.  I have never sailed Celebrity but my friend who I am travelling with has.  I presented the four options for the dates to her and asked advice on here. To a man everyone says Celebrity was the best option and my friend chose it too.  The NCL cruise was chosen by my husband due to its itinerary and the date coinciding with our wedding anniversary.  I would suggest this isnt "handing out brochures territory" on my part more looking at different things.  

 

The P&O Christmas cruise rankles with me enormously due to the huge mark up on something I've done 6 years in a row. 2023 is even more highly priced. Of course I'm going to consider alternatives and I believe you would too if the transatlantic cruises you favour rose by over 60%.

 

I've never sailed Marella but notice some good itineraries. Perhaps you would be able to offer a comparison with P&O for me?

In my experience, Marella are very Marmite. I have had one 7-night cruise with them and purely on that basis feel they are more like a floating 3 star Spanish holiday hotel than a cruise. Others however, I know feel they offer a similar product to P&O...

[Eglesbrech]

16 minutes ago, Britboys said:

In my experience, Marella are very Marmite. I have had one 7-night cruise with them and purely on that basis feel they are more like a floating 3 star Spanish holiday hotel than a cruise. Others however, I know feel they offer a similar product to P&O...

I like Marella but then I like the line I am on at the time.
 

I think every cruise line has something positive to offer and it’s personal taste if that meets what you like - as you say Marmite.

[Bazrat]

For me a cruise should have a good itinerary good food yes I know I’m not a food connoisseur like some on here good entertainment and a clean safe environment, no cruise line I have been on as failed on any point.

Marella is not like a 3 star Spanish hotel the poster who wrote that must have very superior standards to the many thousands who use that line, as for being like P&O your correct they are because guess what they are a cruise line but aiming for a different section of the market.

 

[Britboys]

5 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

For me a cruise should have a good itinerary good food yes I know I’m not a food connoisseur like some on here good entertainment and a clean safe environment, no cruise line I have been on as failed on any point.

Marella is not like a 3 star Spanish hotel the poster who wrote that must have very superior standards to the many thousands who use that line, as for being like P&O your correct they are because guess what they are a cruise line but aiming for a different section of the market.

 

I respect your view and I ask you to respect mine. I pointed out that I have only sailed with Marella once and that I am aware others have different views to mine. On that one cruise with them, I experienced the lowest standards I have had on a cruise in several aspects - and no, I don't have superior standards and have cruised on at least two other 'budget' cruise lines where in my experience the standards were higher.

That is my experience. As I said earlier, I respect yours, please respect mine.

[Megabear2]

7 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I respect your view and I ask you to respect mine. I pointed out that I have only sailed with Marella once and that I am aware others have different views to mine. On that one cruise with them, I experienced the lowest standards I have had on a cruise in several aspects - and no, I don't have superior standards and have cruised on at least two other 'budget' cruise lines where in my experience the standards were higher.

That is my experience. As I said earlier, I respect yours, please respect mine.

I sailed MSC in the Caribbean a number of years back on the Divina when she was brand new. At the time everyone told me I'd hate it because MSC were so far removed from my usual Cunard voyages.  In the event I absolutely loved that ship!  Yes the food wasn't as good but the total glamour of the Swarovski staircase combined with Italian style and pizzazz throughout and the European style evening entertainment was something I was fascinated by. So far removed from my beloved Queens and yet one of my most enjoyable cruises.

 

As a result I never judge a ship by its cover.  If the itinerary is something I like the look of I'd consider a tug boat!!

[Britboys]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

I sailed MSC in the Caribbean a number of years back on the Divina when she was brand new. At the time everyone told me I'd hate it because MSC were so far removed from my usual Cunard voyages.  In the event I absolutely loved that ship!  Yes the food wasn't as good but the total glamour of the Swarovski staircase combined with Italian style and pizzazz throughout and the European style evening entertainment was something I was fascinated by. So far removed from my beloved Queens and yet one of my most enjoyable cruises.

 

As a result I never judge a ship by its cover.  If the itinerary is something I like the look of I'd consider a tug boat!!

Indeed. I have friends who said CMV was a dreadful cruise line. I sailed aboard Marco Polo, a ship which was over 50 years old at the time and had a fabulous cruise in all respects.

[Ardennais]

16 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Indeed. I have friends who said CMV was a dreadful cruise line. I sailed aboard Marco Polo, a ship which was over 50 years old at the time and had a fabulous cruise in all respects.

Our Marco Polo cruise is also high on our list of most enjoyable cruises. 2 single beds low down with tiny portholes, but such fun. 

[Bazrat]

2 hours ago, Britboys said:

In my experience, Marella are very Marmite. I have had one 7-night cruise with them and purely on that basis feel they are more like a floating 3 star Spanish holiday hotel than a cruise. Others however, I know feel they offer a similar product to P&O...

I respect your views but totally disagree that Marella offers a similar product to P&O but that’s your view

[Britboys]

2 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

I respect your views but totally disagree that Marella offers a similar product to P&O but that’s your view

I didn't say that Marella was similar to P&O - I said (post #78 above) that others have that view. I have seen people express that view on these boards and elsewhere. My own view is that Marella is very different to P&O.

[Bazrat]

2 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I didn't say that Marella was similar to P&O - I said (post #78 above) that others have that view. I have seen people express that view on these boards and elsewhere. My own view is that Marella is very different to P&O.

Ok I get it now you posted other people’s views that you didn’t agree with but failed to express that fact.

[Britboys]

Just now, Bazrat said:

Ok I get it now you posted other people’s views that you didn’t agree with but failed to express that fact.

I am sorry that you appear to have misunderstood my fairly clear post... 

[Ardennais]

2 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I am sorry that you appear to have misunderstood my fairly clear post... 

Your post was very clear indeed!

[wowzz]

Peeps - please!

I actually value the thoughts and opinions of everyone about different cruise lines.

One of the great things about this particular forum is that many on here have experience of numerous cruise lines and are not die hard P&O fanatics. 

All lines have strengths and weaknesses,  and what appears to be good value to some  can appear expensive/cheap to others.

So, personally,  I welcome comparisons to other cruise lines,  as long as pricing is taken into  account when the comparison is being made.

[zap99]

3 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

I like Marella but then I like the line I am on at the time.
 

I think every cruise line has something positive to offer and it’s personal taste if that meets what you like - as you say Marmite.

We have had 30+ cruises on 6 different companies. The one we didn't enjoy was...........second thoughts🛳️👏

[Britboys]

16 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We have had 30+ cruises on 6 different companies. The one we didn't enjoy was...........second thoughts🛳️👏

Out of my 20-something, I've only had one where I was ready to get off the ship and one where I was pleased to get off....

[grapau27]

On 3/8/2022 at 11:48 PM, devonuk said:

The kids clubs were well and truly open last week, what’s changed?

I understand there are hardly any kids on the current cruise.

[grapau27]

7 hours ago, Britboys said:

Out of my 20-something, I've only had one where I was ready to get off the ship and one where I was pleased to get off....

56 cruises on small,medium and large ships and I have never wanted to get off any ship.

[Bazrat]

8 hours ago, Ardennais said:

Your post was very clear indeed!

To me it wasn't

[Eglesbrech]

11 hours ago, Britboys said:

Indeed. I have friends who said CMV was a dreadful cruise line. I sailed aboard Marco Polo, a ship which was over 50 years old at the time and had a fabulous cruise in all respects.

Absolutely. Old is not necessarily bad, the QE2 was one of my favourites ships.
 

While the new ones have much better facilities the older ships have a bit of style.

 

As long as a ship offers a clean environment, good food, good entertainment, an interesting itinerary etc then they can come in any shape, size or age.

[Eglesbrech]

9 hours ago, Britboys said:

Out of my 20-something, I've only had one where I was ready to get off the ship and one where I was pleased to get off....

I have had one as well. It was crawling with norovirus and I felt we were sitting ducks just waiting to catch it. The dining room got quieter and quieter every night.

 

First time I have smiled going down a walkway.

[Presto2]

On 3/9/2022 at 11:10 PM, wowzz said:

Peeps - please!

 

 

 

So, personally,  I welcome comparisons to other cruise lines,  as long as pricing is taken into  account when the comparison is being made.

We had an amazing fly cruise cruise on Celebrity Edge - 3 days in Rome and then 11 days in a sunset veranda cabin in 2019. We could probably have had 2 P&O cruises for the cost of that experience and it really is not fair to compare.

 

To be honest, we have had some cheaper cruises that we loved and would say that Celebrity is good but not massively all of the time. Their ships, too are different and the experience is not always amazing. (If this makes sense) There have been times on Celebrity when we would have swapped for our Oceana experience ..... honest

 

Celebrity really is not as amazing as some folk make you believe ... NO cruise line is perfect and one size doesn't fit all.

 

[Megabear2]

42 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Celebrity really is not as amazing as some folk make you believe ... NO cruise line is perfect and one size doesn't fit all.

 

Well I'll find out in June!  Three nights in Rome, 7 nights on Edge in sunset veranda cabin and two nights in Barcelona at the end.  Certainly think it's going to be something totally different to my previous cruising as will NCL on Norwegian Prima in September. A change is as good as a rest they say.

[Presto2]

45 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Well I'll find out in June!  Three nights in Rome, 7 nights on Edge in sunset veranda cabin and two nights in Barcelona at the end.  Certainly think it's going to be something totally different to my previous cruising as will NCL on Norwegian Prima in September. A change is as good as a rest they say.

Now we are jealous You WILL have an amazing time. WOW

Where are you staying in Rome?

Which aft cabin do you have?

Say hello to Mr Ed for me --- the horse sculpture as was nicknamed by a number of us when Edge was being build 😉