Cruising without P&O Australia App - any foreseeable problems?

[Tripmode33]

We are boarding our very first P&O cruise in a week (Encounter 7 Nights), and yesterday attempted to download the P&O App. My phone is barely 2 years old but doesn't support the App.

 

So, a few questions to experienced P&O cruisers as to whether we'll have problems without the App.

 

On Princess and Carnival we mainly use App for checking onboard account and dining room menus and reservations.

I guess we can ask for account printouts at guest service desk or are there machines?

As to dinner reservations: Are menus posted outside restaurant like on Princess?  I have read Waterfront rotate their menu every three days. Do the other two included dining restaurants stay the same or also rotate menus?

From other posts, it seems we will be allocated dining reservations across the three as per a notice that will be in our cabin?  After trying one or two, I assume we can change bookings if availability. Without an App, is there a phone line or do we go to an individual restaurant and request in person?

 

Finally, is there a way to request a Table for Two prior to arrival at dinner?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Aus Traveller]

With our P&O cruises, I up-loaded everything that was required onto the VeriFly app (after a lot of difficulty I might add!). At check-in we had to show paper copies of our vaccination status. Apparently the check-in staff do not have access to the VeriFly information.

 

On board we never use our phone so we did not use the app at all. When you get to your cabin there will be a letter that lists the dining bookings that they have (kindly) made for you. You can change these, but it is better to do it as soon as you get to your cabin, otherwise the time slot you want in your preferred restaurant might not be available.

 

Forget what happened last year - menus rotating every three days in the Waterfront. We were on a ten-night cruise in April/May. The menus (breakfast, lunch and dinner) stayed the same, but with one item changed in what was listed as "Crew Favourites". I think the menus were shown outside the restaurant, but if you want a popular time, you wouldn't be able to get in without having a booking. If you want to dine late (around 8pm) you shouldn't have any problem.

 

We didn't go to Dragon Lady, but in Angelos, the menu stayed the same from what I could see with our three visits.

 

I don't think you would have a problem requesting a table for two most of the time.

[ceeceeDee]

Hey Tripmode33! We are on the same cruise! Whoo hoo!🙂

 

In another thread entitled Verifly and the P&O App I listed in detail the trials and tribulations of loading the P&O app. May be useful if you take a look at that if you haven't already done so.

 

Aus Traveller has more or less covered your other questions. I can't give you up to date information as we haven't sailed with P&O since 2018 (darn Covid). However at that time you could request a table for two. We actually quite enjoy sharing a table and meeting new people so we opted for that.

 

From what I have read, there are machines on board where you can access your account if you don't get the app up and running. Saves lining up at Guest Services (btw if you want to avoid queues at GS, go early in the morning or latish at night).

 

We have successfully uploaded our information on Verifly, but as Aus Traveller said it is definitely a good move to have ALL your documentation in hard copies to avoid any difficulties at the Terminal. The last thing you want is to get stressed out before you even board!

 

Wishing you a great cruise and maybe we'll run into you on board!

 

Cheers

Cee

[arxcards]

P&O announced a few weeks back that they no longer require you to have verifly, and they will rely on your vaxx status declaration on Cruise Control. You still need to prove your status via your E or printed certificate when you check-in, whether you have verifly or not.

 

We uploaded the P&O app and it worked fine, but it gave us very little benefit. Nice to know what is on, but nicer to read it on something larger like a printed Pacific Daily. Nice to book dinner, but easier to just plan before you board, head to your room to drop your bags and call the reservations number to lock-in your first few days. At the time we used the app, you couldn't book your dining prior to boarding, and maybe that has changed to be more like Princess?

 

P&O does have those kiosks for checking your folio, and you can also go to the desk. You will not suffer without the app.

[ceeceeDee]

Hi Geoff

I don't doubt you for a minute, but I haven't seen any announcement from P&O regarding Verifly being no longer needed. Do you mind telling me where you saw it?

Strictly speaking, it doesn't bother me one way or the other as I am carrying hard copies of all documents so it is a bit of a moot point. I'm just curious since the P&O FAQs still mention Verifly.

 

Cheers

Cee

[arxcards]

4 hours ago, ceeceeDee said:

Hi Geoff

I don't doubt you for a minute, but I haven't seen any announcement from P&O regarding Verifly being no longer needed. Do you mind telling me where you saw it?

Strictly speaking, it doesn't bother me one way or the other as I am carrying hard copies of all documents so it is a bit of a moot point. I'm just curious since the P&O FAQs still mention Verifly.

 

Cheers

Cee

They do and they don't. Their main health FAQ page - https://www.pocruises.com.au/plan/know-before-you-go/healthy-cruising#faq no longer references VeriFLY at all, yet it is still referenced elsewhere on their site. So many cruisers over the past year didn't have smartphones, so making the app a key component of identifying vaxx status was falling short. That said, I can't find any link to P&O ditching it. Maybe I got my wires crossed with Carnival, who also used VeriFLY, but I do have some recollection that it was applying to P&O as well, especially considering you can do your vaxx attest on their cruise control. If you have the APP, great, you will not be disadvantaged. It should also give you peace of mind that your vaxx status has been proven & accepted. 

 

This was Carnival's message from late January:

UPDATE REGARDING VERIFLY

CARNIVAL LUMINOSA & CARNIVAL SPLENDOR

27 January 2023

Dear Carnival Guest,

As you prepare for your cruise, we have an important update regarding VeriFLY and pre-cruise requirements.

Effective 13 February, guests will no longer be able to utilize VeriFLY to complete pre-cruise requirements. Instead, all guests will be required to visit Carnival.com.au (click on “Manage My Booking” and then access “My To-do List”) to complete their vaccine attestation and health assessment. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and declaration of a negative test result will be required at embarkation.

As a reminder, all guests aged two years and above, regardless of vaccination status, are required to take a self-administered Rapid-Antigen Test (RAT) within 24 hours of boarding or a PCR test within 48 hours prior to boarding.

Guests aged 12 and older who requested a medical exemption will need to present evidence of a medical need at time of check-in and carry it with them on the cruise.

For more information, please visit our Have Fun. Be Safe. page.

We greatly appreciate your cooperation and look forward to welcoming you aboard soon.

[ceeceeDee]

Thanks for that detailed response, Geoff. Much appreciated. We are due to embark on our next cruise in five and a half days. Haven't heard a squeak out of P&O regarding Verifly no longer being required. One would think if they have ditched it they would send out a system generated email. Then again, one thinks a lot of things and one is often wrong. 🤣

As I said, I don't really care as we are prepared either way.

[Tripmode33]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Much appreciated. We now feel confident we'll be fine without App.

Very much looking forward to our first P&O cruise. It would be great to find a line that operates through our winter from our homeport in Queensland.  Most of our cruises post covid have been from Melbourne or Sydney on Princess, with a couple from Brisbane on Coral Princess. We're now trying out different lines, including a few on Carnival Luminosa which we enjoyed. Have booked Carnival Splendor for later this year. 

[ceeceeDee]

Hey Tripmode33, we're looking forward to it too! Happy sailing and at the very least we'll be in for some warmer weather!