Live from Iona Norwegian Fjords 20th May 7 Nights

[Selbourne]

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I honestly like the buffet and quays quality on Arvia and Iona.  The choice is huge and there's always more things in there every day I would eat but cant possibly even try

 

MDRs I mistakenly under valued previously and after a good experience on Iona halfway through the cruise we went back every night and again I couldn't fault the quality. Otherwise we wouldn't have gone back 

 

We started having breakfast in MDRs as well after that and loved them as well. We were disappointed you couldn't do that on dlsembrakation day as well!!

 

Conf duck was the  only questionable course I had. The rest were great. And the confit duck perfectly ok. Just not as nice as I hoped it would be

 

Honestly our meals in MDR we really enjoyed more than we had expected

 

And we eat out loads in the normal world 

 

Epicurean a level above of course. But MDR way better than we imagined it was going to be having read comments on here and not  tried since pre covid cruising days

You couldn’t use the MDR on disembarkation day? Is that a new thing? You always could. 

[Megabear2]

27 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Even when MB lists lots of things she's enjoyed on the bigger ship the conversation seems to focus on the things  that weren't positive

MB believes very much on balance but finds herself being forced to defend herself on negative bits!  Nothing in this world is perfect ICF, you know I booked on Arvia due to your enthusiasm for it although I wasn't sure it was for me.  Lots of it I liked but the known issues others are now highlighting need addressing or reports like mine will keep coming.

 

In these recent discussions you've told us you did have a few problems like the noise in your original cabin and your internet not working.  While it didn't worry you and was a minor blip to you, to me trapped in a noisy cabin alone with a hearing problem and anxiety it was a disaster.  If I'd known of that issue you'd had I might have pushed harder against my upgrade for instance.  It's not being negative or anti the big ships, it's a bad thing that might happen to someone else like me and I do feel that it's correct to draw attention to the issue no matter how small your chances of getting one of those 100 cabins on Arvia are.

 

Yes, I did actively encourage people to report their issues because otherwise they won't get dealt with and 2 hour plus queues for shuttle buses is by anyone's standards just wrong.

 

I admire your enthusiasm and positivity but nothing can be right all the time.  You're not attacked as such but reading back through posts - which I do all the time because it's in my nature - you like to question in depth anyone that states a different opinion to yours. Nothing seriously wrong in that but some on here have years and years of cruising under their belts (I'm an amateur compared with many!) and they simply don't like being constantly told their opinions are always wrong.

 

Personally I walk a tightrope hoping I don't cause offence or upset but a hasty reply can lead to misunderstandings so I try to temper my response even when i totally disagree.  Sometimes I fail and regret what I've written without thinking and perhaps because you seem a nice guy you will understand no one is against you.  I see lots on here who really appreciate your enthusiasm.

[Dermotsgirl]

25 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

You are right I dont need to keep responding

 

I honestly dont think it's balanced enough on here and it is too negative but I do think I'm also worrying too much like you say

 

So I'm going to have a break at least until I book my next cruise 

 

And get some work done without distraction to pay for it!

 

Lol

 

Speak soon guys!!

 

Ps - Honestly Iona outside of school holidays for sure you would be fine. You don't need to be a born planner. You are an experienced cruiser. It would be easy for you. You would enjoy far more than you dislike on her I'm sure. And at the very least have a good holiday if not a great one

 

 

Sometimes it helps to step back for a while

 

But don’t be a stranger! 

 

I’m booked for holidays up until next May, but a week on Iona is one of a range of things I’m thinking about after that. From what I’ve read, there’s a lot to like on Iona, so I would like to try her at some point 

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

Roulette has 0 & 00, the chips are £1 and the minimum per spin is £5

Blackjack is 8 decks hand shuffle with £5 minimum bet and a 3:2 blackjack payout. European style so the dealer does not check for blackjack. Also a lucky pairs side bet

3 card poker is not my game but it was popular but the amount bet per hand was outside my limits.

Lots of modern machines and the cruise before mine someone won over £10,000. Don't know how much they put in though!

Someone won £16,000 on a machine last week.  First time on Arvia apparently, bells whistles the lot!

[CarlaMarie]

51 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Duelling pianos I certainly want to try

 

The onboard gin distillery experience they offered seemed steep in price I thought plus my wife doesnt like gin

 

But think there might have been a FOC  talk on gins we missed? Not sure

 

I sometimes honestly  get the  impression some posters pick a favourite ship or ships and then just find fault on any other ships 

 

I've enjoyed all of my cruises on all the ships I've been on. So I don't need to pick fault with any ships I've been on

 

I'm sure I would enjoy cruises on all the smaller ships even now and even without apps and having  to share tables. We would just adapt and enjoy. Make the absolute most of what's available to us on board. 

 

We just happen to think the newer bigger ships are better than the older smaller ships for what we want.

 

And back up why we think so. 

 

I often feel outnumbered and overwhelmed on here doing so though. 

 

I'm not anti smaller ship cruising I'm just pro bigger ship cruising 

 

I think there's a few on here decidedly anti bigger ship cruising 

 

Possibly because they fear bigger ships will replace the smaller ships in  time?

 

I think that's a long way off and I hope everyone who prefers the smaller ships and smaller ship benefits can enjoy them as long as they want

 

I just feel I want to defend the bigger ships from the constant complaints on| here

 

Even when MB lists lots of things she's enjoyed on the bigger ship the conversation seems to focus on the things  that weren't positive

 

I actually get moaned at for being  so positive. But it's how my cruises make me feel

 

 

 

 

 

I think you have made quite a few assumptions about the posters on this forum which are actually wrong.  If posters were anti big ships then they certainly would not be sailing on them. 

 

Instead, like I have said before, the regular cruisers have an open mind and will go and try a new ship for themselves to make their own opinion. If they definitely know it won't be for them, then they simply avoid those ships. Nobody goes on a ship simply to moan about it, I cannot fathom thinking they even would. 

 

Most of the posters on these forums have cruised on the ships across the fleet. So they have a firm basis to compare any cruise and ship to, and the standards that they may find. If they encounter any issues or find that the standards are not as expected, then understandably so they are allowed to share them with us. We already know that the regular cruisers, the loyal, are knowingly sailing with reduced expectations - which I think is sad for cruising in general.

 

Nobody has to defend a big ship or a small ship, the ships themselves are more than capable of doing that if they are providing a cruise experience that is sold and expected in the very least by her passengers. Simple as that. 

 

 

Edited May 30, 2023 by CarlaMarie

[RA10]

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

My enjoyment of 710  club is the atmosphere of watching 4 quality musicians play, sing and enjoy themselves with an intimate crowd 

 

And when I saw a show with a female guitarist I also really enjoyed it

 

It's the whole feel of 710 club  I liked. And I know others love as well. Never experienced it on another cruise ship. 

 

I have realised that I have had 710 and Limelight Club mixed up in my mind.  I have now worked out that Limelight Club is the one with named artists such as Gareth Gates etc.  It is a paid venue, includes dinner and can be booked.  Can someone please remind me what 710 club is like.  Is it bookable?  Chargeable? Do we have to queue up? Are the acts the ones that also perform elsewhere on the ship?

[Britboys]

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

What are you seeing in terms or reduction in MDR food quality Britboys?

 

 

The whole mdr experience is now of a lower quality. In my experience, food seems of a lower quality - less taste, tougher meats, more fat etc. Desserts have become devoid of any taste in many cases. A choice of decent cheeses has become a few slivers of poor quality cheese - offered on a take it or leave it basis. Wine waiters have gone, leaving your two table waiters to have to take orders and chase up when drinks not received. Waiters generally seem rushed off their feet in comparison to previous years.

The dishes in the buffet seem fewer and generally don't look very tasty. Can be lukewarm too. On Aurora last summer there was a lot of repetition. Very limited selection of cakes at afternoon tea and what was there was again pretty tasteless.

I can only judge based on my experience last summer. With any luck, maybe things will be better this summer. I'll certainly report back on it later this year.

[CarlaMarie]

21 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

You couldn’t use the MDR on disembarkation day? Is that a new thing? You always could. 

 

I've used the MDR on Arcadia pre covid on disembarkation day.  It must be a new thing if you cannot anymore. 

[Son of Anarchy]

22 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

You couldn’t use the MDR on disembarkation day? Is that a new thing? You always could. 

We used the MDR on Arvia on disembarkation day last month.  And on Iona in December.

[JeanieC,Aston]

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Not on Iona from the part I sat in. And went in and out of for the football  Which backed into Headliners.

 

Must be the other half of Brodies then. That explains it. 

 

 

If you sat at the bar in Brodies you can’t miss the Casino.

[JeanieC,Aston]

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

If I stop posting for a while again (I have to due to work) do you not think the  balance will go too much to people just complaining about stuff ?

 

And new  posters becoming too  worried about their upcoming cruises? When they might appreciate some positive stuff?

 

Be honest?

 

It seems like the Alamo on here to me sometimes responding to all the negative stuff with positives when I can?

 

And I genuinely get concerned when I see people on here that I believe  are actually getting  scared or anxious  about their future cruises ?

 

When they actually should be excited and looking forward to them?

 

I honestly think if I'm not posting the balance will fall away?

I wish I would have listened to the negative comments re Iona before I wasted a lot of cash.

I have this theory when reading reviews of cruises,,,,I ignore the perfect and ignore the worst.

This one time I ignored my own advice,,,,,,it won’t happen again.

[Megabear2]

58 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

You couldn’t use the MDR on disembarkation day? Is that a new thing? You always could. 

We did on Sunday. I think ICF was needing to get off very sharpish on Saturday for an appointment and just meant they didn't have time with their walk off.

[Interestedcruisefan]

9 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

We did on Sunday. I think ICF was needing to get off very sharpish on Saturday for an appointment and just meant they didn't have time with their walk off.

No our appointment got cancelled.

 

I went to pre-book and there weren't any active queues anywhere for MDR I could join so I assumed they weren't open on disembarkation day. Mistakenly it now appears. 

 

So we went to quays instead

Edited May 30, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[lancashire_cruisers]

ICF I for one have really enjoyed your live from and hope to see more of them in the future. For what it's worth the newer and bigger ships always get a pasting on here. You should have seen the furore when Ventura and Azura were launched! 😄

[jaydee6969]

Just now, lancashire_cruisers said:

ICF I for one have really enjoyed your live from and hope to see more of them in the future. For what it's worth the newer and bigger ships always get a pasting on here. You should have seen the furore when Ventura and Azura were launched! 😄

 

I can not imagine the state of this forum when Britannia was launched!!🤣

[AndyMichelle]

Just now, jaydee6969 said:

 

I can not imagine the state of this forum when Britannia was launched!!🤣

I always smile when Britannia gets referred to as a small ship... 

It's not that long ago we had the cries of 'not for me, she is far too big'... 

Andy 

[lancashire_cruisers]

Just now, jaydee6969 said:

 

I can not imagine the state of this forum when Britannia was launched!!🤣

 

I think I'd stopped posting then so can't remember it but it was probably as brutal as all of the others 😂. At least people have stopped going on about Canberra!

[ParisHilton]

Size matters.

[Dermotsgirl]

5 minutes ago, jaydee6969 said:

 

I can not imagine the state of this forum when Britannia was launched!!🤣

You should have seen it when Arcadia was launched, lol 

[Dermotsgirl]

4 minutes ago, lancashire_cruisers said:

 

I think I'd stopped posting then so can't remember it but it was probably as brutal as all of the others 😂. At least people have stopped going on about Canberra!

My first cruise was on Aurora in 2001, and the 'It's not like Canberra' brigade' were in full swing.

 

At the time I thought that, in 20 years time, the words 'It's not like Aurora' would never pass my lips .... and if they did, I should be thrown overboard, lol 

[ParisHilton]

Oh, those were the days. And who remembers the Titanic when she first set sail.....

 

Incidentally, I think there's a museum dedicated to the Titanic in Southampton that's well worth a visit. if you have time to kill. Not 100% sure. I do know, wherever it is,  the chuckle brothers were in panto nearby and I didn't go.  Gutted I missed my chance to see them. Comedy legends.

[Megabear2]

22 minutes ago, lancashire_cruisers said:

ICF I for one have really enjoyed your live from and hope to see more of them in the future. For what it's worth the newer and bigger ships always get a pasting on here. You should have seen the furore when Ventura and Azura were launched! 😄

And Britannia, especially the no stairs ... 

[SeaJane]

3 hours ago, ParisHilton said:

How would you rate MDR? 

Pizza hut , Pizza express, local italian?

Have to factor in who little you've paid for it for a fair comparison obviously.

On Ventura last week I wouldn’t rate the food in the MDR as highly as any of the above. Unfortunately we didn’t take any photos, but it didn’t look anything like the photos posted by ICF of his Iona experience. 
i can cope with the reduced choice and ask for extra to mitigate the tiny portions, but the food was tepid, poorly presented and definitely not freshly prepared or cooked. A particular low point was the beer battered fish and chips! 

[CarlaMarie]

2 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

And Britannia, especially the no stairs ... 

 

Who can forget that one 😂

[alpha whiskey]

5 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Now the test for us will be when we try MDRs on Arvia I guess

Not quite as slick as Iona,  (great restaurant manager in Coral as you have previously pointed out 👍)

Never a major problem on Arvia that I can remember.

We probably used the MDR about 50%. Preferred Zenith over Meridian. 

Certainly never went hungry or had to change any plans.

Always got a table for 2. Dined at about 6.15 (give or take) 

If asked to choose my favourite ship out of the 2, my vote would go to Iona, but would also jump back on Arvia in a heartbeat! 🤣😉