Cruising doing well.

[Megabear2]

1 minute ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I feel like I'm just replying to others comments. 

 

I can stop adding question marks to my replies if that's considered bulldozing

 

I darent put one above now!

 

Lol

That's just my opinion and two pennuth!  Others might like it, I can't speak for them.  Seriously I just don't see the need to challenge each other.  This who like something aren't going to change to dissenters just because someone else pushes their point, and basically that's all I meant by "bulldozing".

[Interestedcruisefan]

16 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

That's just my opinion and two pennuth!  Others might like it, I can't speak for them.  Seriously I just don't see the need to challenge each other.  This who like something aren't going to change to dissenters just because someone else pushes their point, and basically that's all I meant by "bulldozing".

I understand

 

I do feel I'm replying to multiple different points above though

 

Price

Balconies

Entertainment

Itineraries

Specialty food 

Passengers who just drink and sunbathe

Will they repeat

Comparison to other lines 

What attracts new cruisers 

School holidays v non school holiday cruises

Etc etc

 

It's not just one point being made by others above but a series of points where one answer deals with one point  and then a new one develops

 

To me it's debate. But I really try to not get personal and I'm careful what I say where is I'm not sure that always applies the other way round. I appreciate choices for everyone

 

Should I feel bad about booking inside savers, going to bed at 10pm or not having done 60 cruises yet. Does it make what I have experienced any less relevant. Because we are actually talking about current cruising  choices above not about the past.

 

I'm also closer to the average age  of current P and O cruisers who are making choices themselves than some (not all) on here. So there's a relevance there as well

 

(No question marks. Nobody need reply unless they want to)

 

 

Nobody get upset by anything I say either. I'm at nice person in real life. I promise!!

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Should I feel bad about booking inside savers, going to bed at 10pm or not having done 60 cruises yet. Does it make what I have experienced any less relevant. Because we are actually talking about current cruising  choices above not about the past.

No one should feel bad about anything, that's the whole idea and you are entitled to record your experience along with everyone else. If, however someone has a different experience they won't welcome being constantly told it didn't happen to you so their opinion is of less value. That's not debate, that's saying it didn’t happen to me so what's wrong with you.

 

A lot of the people you are "debating" with over Arvia are actually talking about far more recent cruises on her than yours and also in a completely different environment with a totally different set of cruisers.  These really "cheap" ex Southampton cruises will have totally different clientèle to the Caribbean fly cruises with the inevitable consequence they are in no way comparable.

[Interestedcruisefan]

47 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

 

 

 

47 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

 

 

Just seen this I'm tempted but I wonder if price will drop 

 

What do you guys think

 

It's perfect dates for us after busy Xmas and new year

 

• Iona will set sail for a new 35-night holiday to the Caribbean on January 11, 2025. It will be Iona’s first time to the Caribbean and will include two full days in Tenerife and Barbados with visits to many maiden ports. Departing from and returning to Southampton, ports of call include Tenerife, Tortola, Barbados, St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten and La Coruna. Prices start from £2,579 per person (G501).

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[JeanieC,Aston]

Hi ICF

I don’t really care that your opinions differ from mine,,,we all have different opinions about numerous things,,but like I said last week in a reply you made to me…

You keep saying ‘That’s the truth’ at the end of your opinion,,,that intimates that everyone else is lying or as it was a reply to me,that I was lying.

That was personal.

There is a true saying ‘You are entitled to your own opinion but you are not entitled to your own facts’.

 

Now like you I’ll take a break.

Edited October 2, 2023 by JeanieC,Aston

[Interestedcruisefan]

Meanwhile they are saying arvia 14 nights in Caribbean will start from 1749 per person in winter 24/25  which seems much higher than this year?

[Interestedcruisefan]

1 minute ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi ICF

I don’t really care that your opinions differ from mine,,,we all have different opinions about numerous things,,but like I said last week in a reply you made to me…

You keep saying ‘That’s the truth’ at the end of your opinion,,,that intimates that everyone else is lying or as it was a reply to me,that I was lying.

That was personal.

 

Now like you I’ll take a break.

Sorry then if you took that personal

[Megabear2]

1 minute ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

 

 

 

Just seen this I'm tempted but I wonder if price will drop 

 

What do you guys think

 

It's perfect dates for us after busy Xmas and new year

 

• Iona will set sail for a new 35-night holiday to the Caribbean on January 11, 2025. It will be Iona’s first time to the Caribbean and will include two full days in Tenerife and Barbados with visits to many maiden ports. Departing from and returning to Southampton, ports of call include Tenerife, Tortola, Barbados, St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten and La Coruna. Prices start from £2,579 per person (G501).

There's a lot of CC members booked on this one.  The price has just been dropped considerably if you read some of the other threads.

 

I'm actually sailing for 35 nights the same day on QM2.  I booked some time ago, but there was at that time only £500 difference in a sheltered balcony on QM2 and a normal balcony on Iona.  The recent price cuts make a Iona more interesting although the Ventura cruise around the same time is the one holding its price.

 

By it's nature this one off will be an interesting experiment.

[Interestedcruisefan]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

There's a lot of CC members booked on this one.  The price has just been dropped considerably if you read some of the other threads.

 

I'm actually sailing for 35 nights the same day on QM2.  I booked some time ago, but there was at that time only £500 difference in a sheltered balcony on QM2 and a normal balcony on Iona.  The recent price cuts make a Iona more interesting although the Ventura cruise around the same time is the one holding its price.

 

By it's nature this one off will be an interesting experiment.

Will take a look what the  prices are now

 

In addition this can't really be a busy cruise can it as people can't take children away for 35 nights by and large?

 

I can see it being sold out due to no flights needed and the pricepoint 

 

Ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of people for sure

 

 

[Megabear2]

3 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Meanwhile they are saying arvia 14 nights in Caribbean will start from 1749 per person in winter 24/25  which seems much higher than this year?

Yes, that is inevitable as the figures are now back up.  If you read Moley's post on the first page of this thread you will see the mention of now being able to make subtle price increases.  The last couple of years fares have been artificially low on purpose, other cruise lines (notably NCL) refused to cut prices after coming  out of the pandemic. P&O has to raise prices, that's always been inevitable and exactly what others have been pointing out about bargain basement prices not being the norm.

[bobstheboy]

6 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Will take a look what the  prices are now

 

In addition this can't really be a busy cruise can it as people can't take children away for 35 nights by and large?

 

I can see it being sold out due to no flights needed and the pricepoint 

 

Ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of people for sure

 

 

Onboard Arvia last week it was discounted by 10% and either £1100 OBC or car parking and £850 OBC. Cancelled original booking and rebooked. Very happy.

 

Balcony cabin.

Edited October 2, 2023 by bobstheboy
Additional text.

[Interestedcruisefan]

Just now, bobstheboy said:

Onboard Arvia last week it was discounted by 10% and either £1100 OBC or car parking and £850 OBC. Cancelled original booking and rebooked. Very happy.

Online cheapest inside saver is 1979 per person now

 

So that price is 200 pounds higher than advertised 

 

Does that suggest the cheapest cabins have been taken  first?

 

Maybe I should see what's on offer on board (if anything)  when I'm on Arvia in Feb

[Megabear2]

3 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Will take a look what the  prices are now

 

In addition this can't really be a busy cruise can it as people can't take children away for 35 nights by and large?

 

I can see it being sold out due to no flights needed and the pricepoint 

 

Ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of people for sure

 

 

You'll be surprised.  This cruise is what the Americans call a "snowbird" cruise will be very near full with mainly older demographic escaping the winter.

 

This one is apparently a one off due to Iona having to complete some certification etc, it will be interesting to see what people make of it - there aren't many ports and it goes in and out via Tenerife rather than the normal out one way Tenerife and back via Madeira the other.  It is on the "warm weather" route which will attract.

[Interestedcruisefan]

5 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Yes, that is inevitable as the figures are now back up.  If you read Moley's post on the first page of this thread you will see the mention of now being able to make subtle price increases.  The last couple of years fares have been artificially low on purpose, other cruise lines (notably NCL) refused to cut prices after coming  out of the pandemic. P&O has to raise prices, that's always been inevitable and exactly what others have been pointing out about bargain basement prices not being the norm.

If they can successfully jump from 1300 to 1749 in the space of 12 months I would be very surprised

 

But will keep my eye on that as well

[Interestedcruisefan]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

You'll be surprised.  This cruise is what the Americans call a "snowbird" cruise will be very near full with mainly older demographic escaping the winter.

 

This one is apparently a one off due to Iona having to complete some certification etc, it will be interesting to see what people make of it - there aren't many ports and it goes in and out via Tenerife rather than the normal out one way Tenerife and back via Madeira the other.  It is on the "warm weather" route which will attract.

I could really enjoy the cruise. Would need to sell the idea to my wife though!

 

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

4 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

You'll be surprised.  This cruise is what the Americans call a "snowbird" cruise will be very near full with mainly older demographic escaping the winter.

 

This one is apparently a one off due to Iona having to complete some certification etc, it will be interesting to see what people make of it - there aren't many ports and it goes in and out via Tenerife rather than the normal out one way Tenerife and back via Madeira the other.  It is on the "warm weather" route which will attract.

Oh yes when I meant busy I meant without kids it can't be so busy

 

Do lots of older people put more adults in the cabins with them?

 

In the cabins normally used by families?

 

Never thought of that prospect?

Edited October 2, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Megabear2]

1 minute ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Oh yes when I meant busy I meant without kids it can't be so busy

 

Do lots of older people put more adults in the cabins with them?

 

Never thought of that prospect?

As this is a one off it will be difficult to say. Certainly the Ventura and Aurora versions of this long cruise are usually sell outs.  The thing of interest with this one is how long it will take to sell out, if at all.  Price cuts indicate that although demand is reasonable they are giving it a push by cutting the prices.

 

[lancashire_cruisers]

7 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I could really enjoy the cruise. Would need to sell the idea to my wife though!

 

 

We did a 35 nighter a while ago with our then 10 year old daughter on Oriana. There were around 10 other children also on board so not very many at all but it was an amazing cruise. Even better if you go via Tenerife rather than the Azores which is what we did.

 

Watching the colour of the sea change as the days get warmer and you head towards the Caribbean was fabulous and we’d do it again in a heartbeat.

[Interestedcruisefan]

3 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

As this is a one off it will be difficult to say. Certainly the Ventura and Aurora versions of this long cruise are usually sell outs.  The thing of interest with this one is how long it will take to sell out, if at all.  Price cuts indicate that although demand is reasonable they are giving it a push by cutting the prices.

 

Price cuts must be the balcony cabins ?

 

The inside ones have gone up in price?

 

I'm definitely expecting it to sell out

 

My question was do older cruisers go for 3 or 4 in the cabins compared to families who obviously do do that?

 

Ie 3 or 4 ladies together or is that rare (do they get cheaper deals like families would in the same cabin etc?)

 

I'm just thinking of overall numbers on the ship when there's no kids on board hardly

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, Chrish2 said:

 

The quote seems a little unclear. Does P&O Cruises have the highest occupancy it has had over the last 10 years for its entire fleet or just for European sailings? Also what time frame is it? Just August? Well that would be easy due to the shift to support more families, it's pure focus on the UK market and school holidays all come into it.

 

To me it sounds a big positive sound bite but when you dig into it there does not seem to be much substance to understand if this is long term (what about the other 11 months, what if you look at all geo locations.

Only time will tell whether P&O are able to fill the new ships, and at affordable prices that generate a reasonable profit. Personally I believe they will, because as in all the many other financial and economic crises that I have witnessed over the years, they  only seiously affect less than 20% of the population, while the rest still seem to be able to afford holidays.

[majortom10]

4 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

I'm happy to say some book on price but your constant bulldozing of alternative opinions to yours - and I don't mean me before anyone screams at me - is at serious risk of undermining any alternative opinion and as a result people will just stop posting and leave the conversation.  

Or block the person.

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Price cuts must be the balcony cabins ?

 

The inside ones have gone up in price?

 

The start price for inside saver was originally around £2,500, it's now £1,999 isn't that a price cut? Balconies start at £6798a couple and that's much cheaper than the original start price.  Select is now £8198 for a couple and that is more expensive than I'm paying on QM2.

[Interestedcruisefan]

5 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

The start price for inside saver was originally around £2,500, it's now £1,999 isn't that a price cut? Balconies start at £6798a couple and that's much cheaper than the original start price.  Select is now £8198 for a couple and that is more expensive than I'm paying on QM2.

Wow you are right. Im comparing  it to Arvia for 14 nights in 2025 at 1749 

 

You need to be my personal travel agent MB

 

That's a truly incredible price

 

35 days 1999 Caribbean - I'm gobsmacked

 

57 pounds each per day!!

 

I checked and if 3 ladies shared an inside saver together it's 1400 each

 

Or 4 ladies (they would need to be incredibly close friends of course) it's 1100 each

 

Inside cabins

Edited October 2, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Wow you are right. Im comparing  it to Arvia for 14 nights in 2025 at 1749 

 

You need to be my personal travel agent MB

 

That's a truly incredible price

 

35 days 1999 I'm gobsmacked

 

I checked and if 3 ladies shared an inside saver together it's 1400 each

 

Or 4 ladies (they would need to be incredibly close friends of course) it's 1100 each

 

Inside cabins

To quote the Fox's glacier polar bear "The bear is always right" .....

[Eglesbrech]

To take this back to the OP @daiB original comments, personally I am glad to see that cruising is picking up.

 

The pandemic hit the industry hard so it is gratifying to see it recovering.

 

While many of the recent changes to the P&O product don’t entirely suit me, I can see it makes business sense for their survival.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Eglesbrech
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