Strict arrival times

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, Ardennais said:

Why is it inconvenient? We go to Ikea or M&S/Sainsburys. No problem. 

We stop 1 or 2 nights in Southampton pre-cruise and walking around without cases is fine and we see what we want.

After my heart attack 3 and a half years ago and awaiting hip replacement it is inconvenient pulling cases around.

Before my heart attack I worked out regularly in the gym and at home and lifting most things was no problem.

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, daiB said:

No hotels do not want you out  in the morning they want you out of your room. I am sure they are all delighted to have you waait with them and spend money. The hotel we use will keep our luggage until we want to leave.

 @daiB

Of course they don't if you are spending money.

I believe it was our Iona cruise in March 2022 that was late arriving due to a medical stop in Lisbon.

We sat around our hotel for 9 hours and our ship left at midnight.

We had stayed in the hotel for 2 nights pre- cruise and shopped and seen everything we wanted.

 

[Dermotsgirl]

1 hour ago, Scorpio41 said:

I suggest you book them the day you board, especially if you want a particular restaurant on a set day. The Nepalese restaurant is fabulous. I can highly recommend it. The food in MDR is very good and don’t forget to try the cooked to order fish and chips on the veranda. 🙂

We intend the booking of the restaurant to be our priority when we board.

 

I’m already hoping that my car time is not too late, so that I can get the booking done asap, but i think I’m catching the P&O anxiety about ‘there’s nothing left for late boarders’

 

in reality, we can go any night, so it doesn’t matter if we don’t go on our anniversary.

 

(I’ve heard good things about the Veranda fish and chips) 

[Dermotsgirl]

2 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

Drop your luggage off at the port... 

There’s still the issue of hand luggage.

 

We try to keep our hand luggage as light as possible, but we don’t particularly want to be lugging it round Southampton. Also, not happy to leave it in the boot of the car, as it includes our Kindles. iPads and my jewellery 

[9265359]

Boarding times - if I am driving I will aim to arrive vaguely at the appropriate time, but if I am arriving by train - nope, I get there when I get there.

 

With trains I am not going to suffer the early morning commuter services, nor am I going to risk a late train that arrives just before departure.

 

And bookings for trains usually need to be made before you know the boarding time if you have booked late but still want to buy an Advance ticket.

 

If that means being early and waiting, then so be it. Similarly if it means being late, well I am here now.

[Scorpio41]

32 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

We intend the booking of the restaurant to be our priority when we board.

 

I’m already hoping that my car time is not too late, so that I can get the booking done asap, but i think I’m catching the P&O anxiety about ‘there’s nothing left for late boarders’

 

in reality, we can go any night, so it doesn’t matter if we don’t go on our anniversary.

 

(I’ve heard good things about the Veranda fish and chips) 

Nothing like P&O for booking speciality restaurants. Let the anxiety go.😂 

The whole experience is nothing like P&O. Hop over to CC Saga site, not a busy as here but plenty of info.

[9265359]

8 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

The speciality restaurants food and service is excellent but expensive when we have already paid for food but it is what makes our cruise extra special.

My perception based on what land based restaurants charge is the fee charged by the  specialty restaurants is a surcharge, not the value of the MDR food being ‘lost’ and a full charge for the specialty restaurant.

Edited June 14, 2023 by 9265359

[Bill Y]

53 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I’m already hoping that my car time is not too late, so that I can get the booking done asap, but i think I’m catching the P&O anxiety about ‘there’s nothing left for late boarders’

I think that's a major cause of the problem. One can be forgiven after reading threads on CC and thinking that the included fare is sub par and to have an enjoyable experience that specially dinning and performances needs to be booked. Some can be pre booked but some only once on board, hence the scramble to get on and bag the bookings. P&O may be laughing all the way to the bank by creating this panic. But the dissatisfaction of the boarding and booking processes may come back to bite them on the posterior

Edited June 14, 2023 by Bill Y

[Babybooface]

3 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

Drop your luggage off at the port... 

When you don’t drive and aren’t able bodied it isn’t as simple as that. Even more difficult being a solo traveller . Having to carry all the hand luggage myself .

[zap99]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

I agree John.

I never say no to my D+ Royal Caribbean benefits.

I booked another cruise today.

Hope I don't appear selfish 😇😂😋

We need 12 more nights to get to D on RCL.I hope they have a double points promotion soon. We need 6 more on NCL and 5 more on P&O. Selfishly loyal to everybody we are. We are Platinum on Warners.🤣

[zap99]

2 hours ago, david63 said:

There is a subtle difference between booking a seat on a plane and booking a venue on a ship in that you are guaranteed a seat on the plane but that does not apply with the ship's venue

One seat in row 12 and another in row 26 doesn't appeal.

[grapau27]

Just now, zap99 said:

We need 12 more nights to get to D on RCL.I hope they have a double points promotion soon. We need 6 more on NCL and 5 more on P&O. Selfishly loyal to everybody we are. We are Platinum on Warners.🤣

Why not book a Junior suite for a 6 or 7 night's cruise John.

You get double points for that.

I did that in 2011 to make diamond.

We have been Diamond plus for several years now.

We would be Pinnacle now if we hadn't sailed on Princess,P&O,NCL and MSC.

[kalos]

2 minutes ago, zap99 said:

One seat in row 12 and another in row 26 doesn't appeal.

I thought you once said that was Mrs Zapps idea of perfect seating 😉🤣

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Why not book a Junior suite for a 6 or 7 night's cruise John.

You get double points for that.

I did that in 2011 to make diamond.

We have been Diamond plus for several years now.

We would be Pinnacle now if we hadn't sailed on Princess,P&O,NCL and MSC.

We need to look into things a bit more. Perhaps a binge year and book them all, or is that being a bit to selfish?.🤣

[zap99]

4 minutes ago, kalos said:

I thought you once said that was Mrs Zapps idea of perfect seating 😉🤣

That's on long haul, She can put up with me for a couple of hours, but not 10. On the way out here she was next to a young lad in his 20's...I got to look out of the window the whole way. Her first words were...are we nearly.....Oh, we are !.🤣

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

I hope you continue to enjoy all your cruises on all lines. On the MDR issue I agree it has deteriorated and I found it quite refreshing on Arvia to be able to use Olive Grove, the Diner etc as alternatives.

 

As I'm often alone MDR gives me the opportunity to eat with and talk to other people.  I quite like the freedom dining arrangement on Britannia for that as it's nice to meet different people every day.  

 

My husband and I do not eat out at home, very rarely maybe two or three times a year.  My husband is a fabulous cook, he enjoys making special meals and so we dine and entertain at home instead.  We therefore when sailing together treat Epicurean or its like as a special treat rather than the norm.  Sadly since online booking for that restaurant on Britannia was stopped we often fail to get even one reservation there as when we approach the restaurant or reception we are informed that it is fully booked.  

 

I have sailed MSC, RC and Celebrity and their ships are much more geared to accommodating people who want to pay extra for their dining.  After cancelling our Arvia Christmas cruise we have moved to Celebrity over this year's holidays.  I shall be interested to see how my husband likes that as his only cruising experience has been on P&O and one Cunard cruise.

 

Enjoy your newly booked cruise - probably wasting my time saying that as clearly you enjoy them all.

Thank you.

We like cruising.

We have stayed in hotels in this country and Tenerife, Benalmadena,Miami and Orlando this past year.

[grapau27]

17 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We need to look into things a bit more. Perhaps a binge year and book them all, or is that being a bit to selfish?.🤣

It was lovely meeting you both on Anthem of the seas.

We also had a lovely chat with Sandra and her husband on MSC Virtuoso in April.

[zap99]

15 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

It was lovely meeting you both on Anthem of the seas.

We also had a lovely chat with Sandra and her husband on MSC Virtuoso in April.

Thanks Graham. The pleasure was ours. At the moment I am sitting on the balcony, trying to figure out if that is a Virgin ship, or a ferry. We enjoy every holiday and just let any minor hiccups pass by. I suspect Pauline and yourself are the same.

Ps. Valiant Lady. Arrival time was 18.00 local time, so on topic🤣

Edited June 14, 2023 by zap99

[zap99]

45 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Thank you.

We like cruising.

We have stayed in hotels in this country and Tenerife, Benalmadena,Miami and Orlando this past year.

We don't really enjoy holidays. 3 cruises this year. Been to Majorca, will squeeze something in late September. Devon next month, Dorset last, South of France in September and Caribbean in December. Of coarse we love all holidays. I was just being Ironic.🤣

 

[AndyMichelle]

3 hours ago, Babybooface said:

When you don’t drive and aren’t able bodied it isn’t as simple as that. Even more difficult being a solo traveller . Having to carry all the hand luggage myself .

If you are not able bodied, request assistance. 

I doubt they would leave you standing in a queue. 

Unfortunately, P&Os stance is arrive on time or be prepared to queue, we all just have to work within the rules the best way that suits us. 

Andy 

 

 

 

[Cloudyrain]

On 6/13/2023 at 12:39 PM, david63 said:

What when you have two, or more, suitcases?

You can drop your suitcase from 11am regardless of boarding time: drop cases and go back in to town for lunch. 

Edited June 14, 2023 by Cloudyrain

[majortom10]

7 minutes ago, Cloudyrain said:

You can drop your suitcase from 11am regardless of boarding time: drop cases and go back in to town for lunch. 

Not easy for many if old or disabled.

[cruising.mark.uk]

16 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Not easy for many if old or disabled.

I'd be fascinated to know why not.  If it is possible for people to get to the terminal, drop their luggage and check-in, why is it not possible for those same people to get to the terminal, drop their luggage and then go into town for a couple of hours and return?  I understand that the arrival of coaches is timed to allow passengers to board straight away.  So, all other passengers must have got to the terminal under their own steam or been brought by others.  So, why can't they drop their luggage and then use their own steam or that of others (or, worst case, a taxi) to take them into town and then bring them back again?

[grapau27]

4 hours ago, Babybooface said:

When you don’t drive and aren’t able bodied it isn’t as simple as that. Even more difficult being a solo traveller . Having to carry all the hand luggage myself .

Ocean terminal crew are very helpful if you tell them you have any disability.

[Cloudyrain]

44 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Not easy for many if old or disabled.

We are a family with disabled members. 
 

P&O provide an inside seated waiting area with accessible toilets and water for those who have booked accessible boarding. The team are great and will get people checked in and onboard earlier if they have the capacity to do so.

 

My disabled friends who didn’t want to wait at their hotel in the morning, or wait in the accessible waiting area, got their taxi driver to drop the cases at the port and then take them to a restaurant for lunch, and agreed a pick up time for 2pm to take them back to Port.