Is P & O for me??

[Korimako]

Advice needed please. I am considering a cruise from NZ to the South Pacific with P&O. I will be travelling solo, elderly female, and just want a relaxing, away-from-it-all break. I'll probably book a balcony cabin to have some private outdoor space.

I have looked at other cruise lines e.g Princess and Carnival and they would be far too "busy" for me. Will P & O suit me, or is it going to be too "busy" too??

I have looked at smaller ships like Ponant and Paul Gauguin, but have not found an itinerary I like, because I would prefer to leave from NZ.

Thanks

[dazadelaide]

What do you mean by "busy" ?

No one says you have to do any activities.

During the day on sea days my wife and I take a book and find a spot to sit and read all day and just look out at the sea.

We always find a spot that where no one else seems to be because most people find that these areas are too quiet but that is just how we like it.

At meal times just avoid the pantry and eat at the main restaurants that way you can book a table at whatever time you want.

On port days if you don't want to get off the ship just stay onboard.

If you want to get off the ship just leave later.

The Explorer is the largest ship we have ever been on in our 15 cruises to date and the only times we found it to be "busy" was when we got off in ports as we wanted to see as much as possible in the time allocated and on the few times we had breakfast in the pantry.

P & O are not a luxury line but they offer a good product for a good price.

Daz

 

[Zetta83]

I have only done P&O Aus and Carnival. These are all during school holidays as I have kids. The ship can get quite busy, borderline crazy at times. 

 

So my advice is to avoid those periods. These are more expensive anyway. To avoid kids, you can stay in the Oasis. To avoid crowds, get access to byron club by booking a suite product.

[ceeceeDee]

We've always been happy with P&O and the foregoing advice is spot on.

 

Even on the mega ships it is possible to find an out of the way spot. (We sailed on Symphony of the Seas with 6000+ passengers and were amazed that there were areas where we were virtually alone. Just a matter of exploring). Obviously the pool decks are busy/crowded (unless you opt for a Byron room on Encounter or Adventure on P&O. You don't need to book a full suite to gain access. A cheaper alternative is an M1 mini suite). Have a look at the deck plans for P&O, there are open deck areas with loungers where you can spend a quiet time with a book. If you book with a travel agent they will be able to give you more information.

[charliedalrymple]

We booked our first P&O cruise a year before COVID with some trepidation, because we had the impression it was a notch below most of the larger mainstream companies.  Even our travel agent warned us against it.  However, the itinerary and timing suited us perfectly and we went ahead.

 

Long story short, it was a lovely cruise, on par with Princess and Royal Caribbean cruises we have taken out of Sydney (including the "busy" factor).  We liked it so much that we have booked again next year for my 65th birthday, this time in an aft-facing suite.  Really looking forward to it!

[ceeceeDee]

Yes, P&O tends to get a bad rap, but we have had several cruises with them over the years (the latest in late May this year) and honestly we have never had a bad experience. The ships are older (Princess 'cast offs' 😁) but that has never bothered us. We have also sailed on the mega, 'floating resorts' but we are still more than happy with little ole P&O. We have already booked our next cruise on Encounter and can't wait to get on board. Haven't sailed in an aft facing room yet, but it is on our 'to do' list. Just love watching the wake.

[SinbadThePorter]

On 4/21/2023 at 6:57 AM, Korimako said:

Princess and Carnival and they would be far too "busy" for me.

 

I can understand Carnival being too busy, but Princess? The only major cruise line I can think of that would be less busy than Princess would be Holland America. I believe that they have some cruises departing from Auckland.

 

P&O is fine as long as you have realistic expectations, but it isn't quiet. Keep an eye out for their Flash Sales.