The Return of Arcadia

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, arlowood said:

Great news - hopefully we can get confirmation from @Fionboard. Would be a big step forward to have at least one specialty restaurant open on our J216 cruise on 30th August. We have a chunk of OBC to use up ( due to our 1st May cancelled cruise) over a 7 night itinerary and I can't think of a better way to spend that than having a few visits to Sindhu

Purely a personal opinion,  but now that Sindhu has gone down the road where dishes are individually priced, we felt that the food was not as good as previously.  

[Peppers mum]

2 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

At one point, I was booked on this cruise, so I’ll be interested to hear about it.

 

Hope you have a good time  - with only 1100 pax, you should have some space! 

Yes we were booked on this cruise too but got let down by our dog sitter just before balance payment date so moved it to Britannia in September. 

 

Friends of ours are on it and missing us already although no where near as much as we wish we were on board!

 

A certain Poppy Patterdale doesn't know or care bless her!!! 💕 

[gsmt47471015]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Purely a personal opinion,  but now that Sindhu has gone down the road where dishes are individually priced, we felt that the food was not as good as previously.  

That's total agreement regarding Sindhu from us, and the last time we were in, there was just the two of us eating. we felt we had paid more for less, if that makes sense?

[wowzz]

45 minutes ago, gsmt47471015 said:

we felt we had paid more for less, if that makes sense?

Makes perfect sense. In fact, I wish I had thought of it first !

[Britboys]

2 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

That doesn’t follow.  A waiter told me that 70% capacity means sold out because certain Med ports have restrictions on numbers, plus cabins set aside for COVID isolation.  True or false I don’t know!

Although it is sold out. It isn't necessarily full. It could be that they've sold all the available cabins. If Aurora is 70% full on my cruise, I'll be quite happy with that... 😀. 

[Britboys]

Nice weather for her sail-out this afternoon. Lots of folk out on the open decks as she departed.

[Fionboard]

Will report back

.

[FangedRose]

Just read a post on fb. They were complaining that people wearing masks 'claiming' to have covid wouldn't let them in a lift when trying to disembark this morning. They obviously hadn't read the disembarkation instructions which gave everyone specific timings to avoid covid/non covid passengers mixing. And rather than thanking the covid passengers for trying to keep them safe they are complaining! 

[Bin man]

Arcadia todays passenger no 1164 crew 868 so that is fully maned but low 9n passengers 

[yorkshirephil]

5 hours ago, arlowood said:

Great news - hopefully we can get confirmation from @Fionboard. Would be a big step forward to have at least one specialty restaurant open on our J216 cruise on 30th August. We have a chunk of OBC to use up ( due to our 1st May cancelled cruise) over a 7 night itinerary and I can't think of a better way to spend that than having a few visits to Sindhu

Someone on fb reported they have booked for tonight in Sindhu

[Dermotsgirl]

3 hours ago, Britboys said:

Nice weather for her sail-out this afternoon. Lots of folk out on the open decks as she departed.

We watched it on the webcam.

 

Although we cancelled this cruise ages ago, there was part of me wishing I was on board. Looked like perfect weather for a sail away. 

[chiusi]

Be wary also of your fellow passengers.  Just back from j213. By the end covid was rife, attributable to the lack of enforced maskwearing in my opinion and no passenger limitations in lifts. Shamelessly cramming into lifts minus a mask. Those who wore masks were looked down upon those who did.  3 days before the end the captain had to enforce it after  asking nicely  a few days prior.

Coughing, sneezing guests continued to attend lectures, trips ect at will throughout. Stayed in cabin last 2 days and tested positive on arrival home.  Fake fire alarm at 2 am of disembarcation. For lower prices read lower passenger standards.

Disability is not adequately catered for. Charge your buggy in a kettle socket after doing a 3 point turn to reach it and your partner sits in a child size seat in theatre.Wheelchair space is simply said seats not turned down.

No flannels, body lotion, tv schedule, sink soaps, cotton buds, no turn down and cleaning evening service or port information and maps. No port lectures. Much of this had begun before covid.

Some administative staff are totally without empathy or knowledge of their own ship

The food has improved even if confidence in P&O of old has not.

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

Someone on fb reported they have booked for tonight in Sindhu

Yes, already reported, by me !!

[wowzz]

25 minutes ago, chiusi said:

Be wary also of your fellow passengers.  Just back from j213. By the end covid was rife, attributable to the lack of enforced maskwearing in my opinion and no passenger limitations in lifts. Shamelessly cramming into lifts minus a mask. Those who wore masks were looked down upon those who did.  3 days before the end the captain had to enforce it after  asking nicely  a few days prior.

Coughing, sneezing guests continued to attend lectures, trips ect at will throughout. Stayed in cabin last 2 days and tested positive on arrival home.  Fake fire alarm at 2 am of disembarcation. For lower prices read lower passenger standards.

Disability is not adequately catered for. Charge your buggy in a kettle socket after doing a 3 point turn to reach it and your partner sits in a child size seat in theatre.Wheelchair space is simply said seats not turned down.

No flannels, body lotion, tv schedule, sink soaps, cotton buds, no turn down and cleaning evening service or port information and maps. No port lectures. Much of this had begun before covid.

Some administative staff are totally without empathy or knowledge of their own ship

The food has improved even if confidence in P&O of old has not.

I'm guessing that you won't be cruising again !

[terrierjohn]

7 hours ago, wowzz said:

Purely a personal opinion,  but now that Sindhu has gone down the road where dishes are individually priced, we felt that the food was not as good as previously.  

On Britannia we thought both Sindhu and Epicurean food was not as good as pre covid. We also thought the service was below the previous standard as well.

[wowzz]

Just now, terrierjohn said:

On Britannia we thought both Sindhu and Epicurean food was not as good as pre covid. We also thought the service was below the previous standard as well.

I would say that the food and service in the Ocean Grill on Arcadia was excellent. 

But, we will probably never be on Arcadia again.  

[gsmt47471015]

11 hours ago, chiusi said:

Be wary also of your fellow passengers.  Just back from j213. By the end covid was rife, attributable to the lack of enforced maskwearing in my opinion and no passenger limitations in lifts. Shamelessly cramming into lifts minus a mask. Those who wore masks were looked down upon those who did.  3 days before the end the captain had to enforce it after  asking nicely  a few days prior.

Coughing, sneezing guests continued to attend lectures, trips ect at will throughout. Stayed in cabin last 2 days and tested positive on arrival home.  Fake fire alarm at 2 am of disembarcation. For lower prices read lower passenger standards.

Disability is not adequately catered for. Charge your buggy in a kettle socket after doing a 3 point turn to reach it and your partner sits in a child size seat in theatre.Wheelchair space is simply said seats not turned down.

No flannels, body lotion, tv schedule, sink soaps, cotton buds, no turn down and cleaning evening service or port information and maps. No port lectures. Much of this had begun before covid.

Some administative staff are totally without empathy or knowledge of their own ship

The food has improved even if confidence in P&O of old has not.

Lifts are a massive problem on cruise ships from what we have witnessed, too many able bodied people using them ,in some cases to go down one floor, and cramming in like sardines, a true breeding ground for any kind of infection . We avoid them like the plague, even on Iona when  our cabin was on top deck we used the stairs sometimes from deck four after going ashore, our travelling companions are more elderly and need to use the lifts but thankfully they returned home without contracting the virus , but suspect this was more by luck than anything else. As for face cloths if you ask your cabin steward they will provide them ,same with shower caps and has been mentioned elsewhere the turndown service has been suspended and not sure when, or if it will be reinstated , never had problems with soap , shower and shampoo in cabins, all paper information sheets ,with the exception of the Horizon appear to have been removed  since covid , do agree that if the Tv doesn't work correctly the information can be difficult to obtain (that's all we use it for).We have found the food to be more than adequate for what we want , Sindhu been the exception. 

[zap99]

29 minutes ago, gsmt47471015 said:

Lifts are a massive problem on cruise ships from what we have witnessed, too many able bodied people using them ,in some cases to go down one floor, and cramming in like sardines, a true breeding ground for any kind of infection . We avoid them like the plague, even on Iona when  our cabin was on top deck we used the stairs sometimes from deck four after going ashore, our travelling companions are more elderly and need to use the lifts but thankfully they returned home without contracting the virus , but suspect this was more by luck than anything else. As for face cloths if you ask your cabin steward they will provide them ,same with shower caps and has been mentioned elsewhere the turndown service has been suspended and not sure when, or if it will be reinstated , never had problems with soap , shower and shampoo in cabins, all paper information sheets ,with the exception of the Horizon appear to have been removed  since covid , do agree that if the Tv doesn't work correctly the information can be difficult to obtain (that's all we use it for).We have found the food to be more than adequate for what we want , Sindhu been the exception. 

We have just spent a week on a cruise ship. We had no problems with lifts. Got in pressed the button and got out. They were quite fast, so in and out quickly. We are able bodied and don't feel guilty at all. Not one jot. We let the wheelchairs through first, but for reasons of courtesy, not guilt.

Edited August 3, 2022 by zap99

[gsmt47471015]

34 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We have just spent a week on a cruise ship. We had no problems with lifts. Got in pressed the button and got out. They were quite fast, so in and out quickly. We are able bodied and don't feel guilty at all. Not one jot. We let the wheelchairs through first, but for reasons of courtesy, not guilt.

I think the main point regarding lifts is the fact that people with mobility problems rely on them to get around and we have witnessed them waiting for a long time trying to get in one , only to find them full of people who could use the stairs, Can only guess at their frustration

[Snow Hill]

1 hour ago, gsmt47471015 said:

Lifts are a massive problem on cruise ships from what we have witnessed, too many able bodied people using them ,in some cases to go down one floor, and cramming in like sardines, a true breeding ground for any kind of infection . We avoid them like the plague, even on Iona when  our cabin was on top deck we used the stairs sometimes from deck four after going ashore, our travelling companions are more elderly and need to use the lifts but thankfully they returned home without contracting the virus , but suspect this was more by luck than anything else. As for face cloths if you ask your cabin steward they will provide them ,same with shower caps and has been mentioned elsewhere the turndown service has been suspended and not sure when, or if it will be reinstated , never had problems with soap , shower and shampoo in cabins, all paper information sheets ,with the exception of the Horizon appear to have been removed  since covid , do agree that if the Tv doesn't work correctly the information can be difficult to obtain (that's all we use it for).We have found the food to be more than adequate for what we want , Sindhu been the exception. 

Wherever possible we use the stairs especially going down, lift only tends to be used for going up 4 or more levels, we use it as a form of exercise. That leaves space in lift for those who really need it.

Edited August 3, 2022 by Snow Hill

[zap99]

54 minutes ago, gsmt47471015 said:

I think the main point regarding lifts is the fact that people with mobility problems rely on them to get around and we have witnessed them waiting for a long time trying to get in one , only to find them full of people who could use the stairs, Can only guess at their frustration

Yes, that is wrong. Priority should be given to wheelchairs. Some folk who may look able bodied may have '  hidden ' reasons, but my point is that there is room in the lift for both.

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, gsmt47471015 said:

I think the main point regarding lifts is the fact that people with mobility problems rely on them to get around and we have witnessed them waiting for a long time trying to get in one , only to find them full of people who could use the stairs, Can only guess at their frustration

Unfortunately people have hidden disabilities. Someone looking able bodied to you may have serious problems you can't see. It's very discriminatory to judge just by looks.  And before you mention it, yes there are lanyards but why should those with hidden problems have to wear that label all the time, you wouldn't expect me at 66 to walk around with a label saying I'm old.

[gsmt47471015]

19 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Yes, that is wrong. Priority should be given to wheelchairs. Some folk who may look able bodied may have '  hidden ' reasons, but my point is that there is room in the lift for both.

Not always from what we have seen , do you ever see able bodied people get out and let the less mobile take their place?  And that does not just mean people with wheelchairs

[zap99]

1 minute ago, gsmt47471015 said:

Not always from what we have seen , do you ever see able bodied people get out and let the less mobile take their place?  And that does not just mean people with wheelchairs

Yes I have seen that, many times and do it myself. Just as I have seen folk in mobility scooters expecting folk to jump out of their way, . Tolerance both ways.

[Megabear2]

I might also mention that often the middle lifts are the ones where the problems seem to occur.  We always have a mid forward cabin on Britannia for instance and I can only recall crowding at the front lifts immediately after theatre turnout or on disembarkation day.

 

My husband has several quite severe hidden disabilities (fibromyalgia, ME, myocardial bridging) and on good days walks down the stairs. However it is virtually impossible for him to climb even one flight of stairs without severe pain and yet anyone who sees him in the swimming pool may well think he's extremely able bodied.  Despite all these problems he still gives way to people in wheelchairs as he says but for the grace of God that could be him.