Selbourne ‘Live’ from Ventura

[Selbourne]

19 hours ago, Ukulele girl said:

Thank you Selbourne for your blog of the cruise. My sister and her husband are on board and I only hope she was well equipped with Stugeron and wrist bands as she doesn't travel well. They play table tennis each day and I expect that has been closed to them because of the pitching.

 

We once travelled back from St Petersburg on Azura with a very tricky port/starboard list due to the weather. It lasted almost a day and it was like walking up/downhill. It made eating and service in the cafeteria interesting. We were glad it had settled by bed time!

 

I hope for all of you on board that tomorrow will signal a return to normal weather. I look forward to enjoying the rest of your posts.

Thanks. Yesterday was significantly better. A bit of movement but nothing like the preceding days. We have been in far worse conditions on 2 or 3 previous cruises, but there are quite a few people saying that it was the worst they’d had in X number of cruises and a lot of people had suffered from sickness. My wife was only poorly for one day and I’ve been fine throughout. I don’t think that Ventura and Azura ride rough seas as well as some other ships (the worst we ever experienced was on Azura). 

[Selbourne]

16 hours ago, Peterson78 said:

1pmobile does.

Runs on EE network, 1p per everything (obviously) but requires £10 top up every 4 months.

I’m on GiffGaff and all calls, data, texts etc free everywhere in Europe. 

[Selbourne]

7 hours ago, bbtablet said:

I hope Ventura will be able to get into Madeira - we lost Visby on a flat-looking sea last year due to adverse currents, swell and a lack of tugs - sailed in and immediately turned round and sailed out without docking.

We have arrived in Madeira! Yesterday was a lovely day and today looks the same. 20 degrees and sunny at present with a high of 25 forecast. 

[Selbourne]

DAY 4 - Tuesday 31st October (Sea Day)

 

The sea had calmed down considerably overnight. There was still noticeable movement, but nothing like we’d had the previous few days. Our cabin is still managing to creak and bang so yet another somewhat disturbed nights sleep. 

 

We went directly to the Bay Tree restaurant for breakfast and this time were shown immediately to a nice table for 2. I really like the Bircher Muesli that P&O offer and I added fruit salad, croissants and a smoothie to my order. The smoothies are a lot better on Ventura than on Iona and Britannia. Still a bit watered down compared to pre-Covid, but at least they have some flavour on here! I’ve only had one cooked breakfast to date but I overheard someone ordering an omelette, so I might give that a go tomorrow.

 

I had a brief chat to the ORCA lady on deck 16 after breakfast but, in spite of the much calmer seas, no wildlife sightings whatsoever so far today. There was no entertainment of any interest whatsoever during the morning (as has been the case every day so far), so I used the last few hours of my 24 hour WiFi. As previously reported, it’s worked brilliantly in our cabin and public areas. Emails, internet, What’sApp etc have all worked very well. I’ve managed to post photos, even short videos, as well as a What’sApp video call, all on the Essentials package. I just hope that it’s this good on Aurora as it will help to pass the time on the sea days, especially if the drought on guest speakers is permanent. 

 

Whilst I was using up my last WiFi time, my wife was able to enjoy a few hours reading on our balcony in the sunshine for the first time, which she enjoyed. 

 

Menus for both lunch and dinner look fine again, so we are sticking to the MDR today but, as a point of interest, I checked the availability of the specialty restaurants for the rest of the cruise and there is loads of availability for every day (I only checked tables for 2). 

 

We had another sharing table for lunch and a solo lady traveller told us that she had lost her husband 3 years ago and had finally brought his ashes on this cruise to drop the very small urn (as opposed to scatter them) over the side, as had been his wish. She had gone to reception to inform them and say that she wished to do this alone and did not require any ships crew to be with her. Rather than suggest where the best place and time to do this was, she had been asked if she had a ‘certificate of cremation’ with her. As she didn’t (hardly surprising as it was 3 years ago and, according to her, there is no mention of this being a requirement on the website where this subject is covered), they had told her that this would not be permitted. I encouraged her to ask again as she might have encountered a jobsworth. It’s not as if there’s any question that he’s been cremated! I said that if I’d had that response I would have just done it anyway, and suggested a couple of quiet spots on the promenade deck where there is nothing underneath, but I can understand that she feels uncomfortable about going against ‘the rules’. 

 

With absolutely zero entertainment of interest, I resorted to watching Dominic Cummings give evidence at the Covid enquiry on Sky News. Yes it really has been that bad 😂.  He’s certainly a man on a mission 🫣. I got irritated with Sky News constantly interrupting the coverage to make lengthy apologies for the bad language, so we gave up and went for an afternoon coffee in Tazzine. Max the busker was performing in the atrium, and this constituted the first live entertainment that we had seen since we boarded in Southampton on Saturday!

 

It’s been years since we’ve had a Superior Deluxe cabin, so I’d forgotten that they provide seagull food (sorry, canapés) once a week. We also now have a bottle and a half of champagne (one for the cabin grade and a half for our loyalty tier) plus a box of chocolates still untouched. They wouldn’t have lasted this long at home, but we never feel peckish on a cruise 😂

 

As today was the postponed first formal night, we had the Captain’s welcome aboard drinks and address, prior to dinner. There are 3044 passengers on this cruise, which is 99% of the lower berth capacity. This compares to 5750 passengers (111% lower berth capacity) when we were on Iona. We can certainly feel the positive difference on this ship. With a fair few kids on board, many in upper berths, there must be a fair number of empty cabins on this cruise. We still have only 13 diners in our 28 section of the MDR. We have 1192 crew (13 below the stated normal number). We certainly haven’t experienced any of the staff shortages that we felt were noticeable in places on Iona. Service has been excellent everywhere. 

 

843 passengers (or 28%) are either first time cruisers or first time on P&O. This compares to one-third of passengers being new on Britannia in July and two-thirds being new on Iona in August. It’s also worth stating that we continue to be able to move around the ship without any of the difficulties and poor passenger behaviours that we had to endure at the lifts on Iona in August. Our faith in human nature is well and truly restored. 

 

Another enjoyable dinner in the MDR. OK, it’s still early days on this cruise, but this is now our third P&O cruise this year, on 3 different ships, and in spite of reading countless critical comments about P&Os MDR food post Covid, we have been impressed on all 3 cruises. I don’t believe that we have low standards or low expectations either. One thing I have noticed is that the restaurant managers don’t seem to wander around and check if people are happy with everything on this ship. All they seem focussed on is talking to those with specialist dietary requirements and taking their orders for the next day. It’s a shame as my feedback on the food and our waiters would be excellent. 

 

Talking of feedback, P&O are clearly a bit spooked by Cruise Critic. This is now the 3rd cruise in a row where the captain, in his welcome address, has said that if anyone has any problems to please report them on board and not just raise it on Cruise critic when they get home! I have mixed views on this comment. If we experience a problem that can be fixed then I report it on board. If it’s something that can’t be fixed on board (such as creaking cabins and the lack of guest speakers) then I feel that it’s better to raise it in a review (or via a P&O feedback questionnaire). Interestingly, there has been no ‘first impressions’ feedback form on this cruise, which I think is a shame. Finally, and being quite blunt about it, if people are feeding back on similar things after the cruise then it’s P&Os fault and not the passengers. Don’t shoot the messengers, fix the problems. Whether these comments have been a swipe at me (having done ‘live froms’ on all these cruises) I know not (although I don’t wait until I get home to comment) but I will not be stopped from giving an honest appraisal of a cruise - good and bad. I stand by everything I have said and believe that my reviews are balanced. 

 

Wednesday is our first of five consecutive port days, so the next report will cover our stop in Funchal, Madeira. Much as we really like Ventura, we shall be glad to get off for a few hours and have a walk around.  

[davecttr]

18 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

It’s an odd one, as the port side exits to the promenade deck (forward and midships) have been closed most of the cruise so far, BUT most other exits were open and you could walk around the entire promenade deck other than the raised forward section, so the door closures were completely pointless! There are a lot of smokers on this cruise, so I suspect that they felt that they had to allow access to the starboard (smoking) side to avoid civil war 😂 

It is not just Ventura, both Aurora and Arcadia had similar issues recently. Crew members will not react to changing circumstances unless told to do so, it has to be this way. Those doors remain closed until an 'ossifer' says open them. Passengers started using their own initiative which could be dangerous.

[bbtablet]

20 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

We have arrived in Madeira! Yesterday was a lovely day and today looks the same. 20 degrees and sunny at present with a high of 25 forecast. 

Great news!

[davecttr]

Good to read that ORCA are on this cruise but of course it might mean they won't be on the late November one. There was a young lady on the Arcadia cruise and her talks were well attended, as were the watching sessions. We saw several species including my first view of a Sperm Whale. I think she must have been a Whale magnet 😀

 

I now really like sea days and spend several hours daily scanning the waters

[Snow Hill]

30 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I’m on GiffGaff and all calls, data, texts etc free everywhere in Europe. 

Everywhere in the EU, but not everywhere in Europe, not available in Switzerland for example. Watch your data doesn’t go over 5GB or you will be charged, one of my volunteer colleagues just got caught out by that, he didn’t see the warning text.

[Selbourne]

2 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Everywhere in the EU, but not everywhere in Europe, not available in Switzerland for example. Watch your data doesn’t go over 5GB or you will be charged, one of my volunteer colleagues just got caught out by that, he didn’t see the warning text.

We can’t cruise to Switzerland so won’t get caught out by that thankfully 😉 I only use the data for emails, internet and What’sApp etc so should be fine. 

[Selbourne]

View from our balcony this morning

[Leomins]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

It’s an odd one, as the port side exits to the promenade deck (forward and midships) have been closed most of the cruise so far, BUT most other exits were open and you could walk around the entire promenade deck other than the raised forward section, so the door closures were completely pointless! There are a lot of smokers on this cruise, so I suspect that they felt that they had to allow access to the starboard (smoking) side to avoid civil war 😂 

I thought they shut the doors on one side in high winds to prevent the really strong wind which could rush across the ship if the corresponding doors were open on both sides at the same time?

I’ve been on ships before where the decks have been closed. As a non-smoker I didn’t think about the smokers so not sure if a small area was open for them.

[Selbourne]

27 minutes ago, Leomins said:

I thought they shut the doors on one side in high winds to prevent the really strong wind which could rush across the ship if the corresponding doors were open on both sides at the same time?

I’ve been on ships before where the decks have been closed. As a non-smoker I didn’t think about the smokers so not sure if a small area was open for them.

It could well be for that reason but, as I say, once you got outside all areas of the promenade deck were accessible, both sides, bar the raised front section! 

[Selbourne]

Last nights MDR menu for those who like to see them

[CarlaMarie]

Regarding the scattering of ashes at sea, I just had a quick search as I didn't know what the procedures actually were and although I couldn't seem to find anything on the P&O website, I did come across an article in the Times newspaper from 2019: 

 

"A ship must be in international waters for anything to be thrown overboard, which means at least 12 miles from shore — and there are many parts of the world where nothing is allowed overboard, including Antarctica and Alaska.

So which lines have these ceremonies? Cunard, Princess and P&O Cruises, all part of the giant Carnival Corporation, allow ashes to be dispersed if the request is made in advance and the itinerary includes a day at sea. You’ll need to bring a cremation certificate, too.

Carnival Cruise Line has a similar policy, although a death certificate is also required. Royal Caribbean requires both death and cremation certificates and a third one confirming that the urn is biodegradable. Other lines include Norwegian and Celebrity. Star Clippers will, depending on the route, allow ashes to be disposed of under officer supervision, if you ask in advance. Fred Olsen, touchingly, says it may even alter a vessel’s speed and course to help ensure an appropriate send-off."

 

I've also found a thread on here that posters have said you must have the cremation certificate:

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2233107-scattering-of-ashes-at-sea/

 

I do hope that lady is able to speak to somebody else and be able to help her. 

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

DAY 4 - Tuesday 31st October (Sea Day)

 

The sea had calmed down considerably overnight. There was still noticeable movement, but nothing like we’d had the previous few days. Our cabin is still managing to creak and bang so yet another somewhat disturbed nights sleep. 

 

We went directly to the Bay Tree restaurant for breakfast and this time were shown immediately to a nice table for 2. I really like the Bircher Muesli that P&O offer and I added fruit salad, croissants and a smoothie to my order. The smoothies are a lot better on Ventura than on Iona and Britannia. Still a bit watered down compared to pre-Covid, but at least they have some flavour on here! I’ve only had one cooked breakfast to date but I overheard someone ordering an omelette, so I might give that a go tomorrow.

 

I had a brief chat to the ORCA lady on deck 16 after breakfast but, in spite of the much calmer seas, no wildlife sightings whatsoever so far today. There was no entertainment of any interest whatsoever during the morning (as has been the case every day so far), so I used the last few hours of my 24 hour WiFi. As previously reported, it’s worked brilliantly in our cabin and public areas. Emails, internet, What’sApp etc have all worked very well. I’ve managed to post photos, even short videos, as well as a What’sApp video call, all on the Essentials package. I just hope that it’s this good on Aurora as it will help to pass the time on the sea days, especially if the drought on guest speakers is permanent. 

 

Whilst I was using up my last WiFi time, my wife was able to enjoy a few hours reading on our balcony in the sunshine for the first time, which she enjoyed. 

 

Menus for both lunch and dinner look fine again, so we are sticking to the MDR today but, as a point of interest, I checked the availability of the specialty restaurants for the rest of the cruise and there is loads of availability for every day (I only checked tables for 2). 

 

We had another sharing table for lunch and a solo lady traveller told us that she had lost her husband 3 years ago and had finally brought his ashes on this cruise to drop the very small urn (as opposed to scatter them) over the side, as had been his wish. She had gone to reception to inform them and say that she wished to do this alone and did not require any ships crew to be with her. Rather than suggest where the best place and time to do this was, she had been asked if she had a ‘certificate of cremation’ with her. As she didn’t (hardly surprising as it was 3 years ago and, according to her, there is no mention of this being a requirement on the website where this subject is covered), they had told her that this would not be permitted. I encouraged her to ask again as she might have encountered a jobsworth. It’s not as if there’s any question that he’s been cremated! I said that if I’d had that response I would have just done it anyway, and suggested a couple of quiet spots on the promenade deck where there is nothing underneath, but I can understand that she feels uncomfortable about going against ‘the rules’. 

 

With absolutely zero entertainment of interest, I resorted to watching Dominic Cummings give evidence at the Covid enquiry on Sky News. Yes it really has been that bad 😂.  He’s certainly a man on a mission 🫣. I got irritated with Sky News constantly interrupting the coverage to make lengthy apologies for the bad language, so we gave up and went for an afternoon coffee in Tazzine. Max the busker was performing in the atrium, and this constituted the first live entertainment that we had seen since we boarded in Southampton on Saturday!

 

It’s been years since we’ve had a Superior Deluxe cabin, so I’d forgotten that they provide seagull food (sorry, canapés) once a week. We also now have a bottle and a half of champagne (one for the cabin grade and a half for our loyalty tier) plus a box of chocolates still untouched. They wouldn’t have lasted this long at home, but we never feel peckish on a cruise 😂

 

As today was the postponed first formal night, we had the Captain’s welcome aboard drinks and address, prior to dinner. There are 3044 passengers on this cruise, which is 99% of the lower berth capacity. This compares to 5750 passengers (111% lower berth capacity) when we were on Iona. We can certainly feel the positive difference on this ship. With a fair few kids on board, many in upper berths, there must be a fair number of empty cabins on this cruise. We still have only 13 diners in our 28 section of the MDR. We have 1192 crew (13 below the stated normal number). We certainly haven’t experienced any of the staff shortages that we felt were noticeable in places on Iona. Service has been excellent everywhere. 

 

843 passengers (or 28%) are either first time cruisers or first time on P&O. This compares to one-third of passengers being new on Britannia in July and two-thirds being new on Iona in August. It’s also worth stating that we continue to be able to move around the ship without any of the difficulties and poor passenger behaviours that we had to endure at the lifts on Iona in August. Our faith in human nature is well and truly restored. 

 

Another enjoyable dinner in the MDR. OK, it’s still early days on this cruise, but this is now our third P&O cruise this year, on 3 different ships, and in spite of reading countless critical comments about P&Os MDR food post Covid, we have been impressed on all 3 cruises. I don’t believe that we have low standards or low expectations either. One thing I have noticed is that the restaurant managers don’t seem to wander around and check if people are happy with everything on this ship. All they seem focussed on is talking to those with specialist dietary requirements and taking their orders for the next day. It’s a shame as my feedback on the food and our waiters would be excellent. 

 

Talking of feedback, P&O are clearly a bit spooked by Cruise Critic. This is now the 3rd cruise in a row where the captain, in his welcome address, has said that if anyone has any problems to please report them on board and not just raise it on Cruise critic when they get home! I have mixed views on this comment. If we experience a problem that can be fixed then I report it on board. If it’s something that can’t be fixed on board (such as creaking cabins and the lack of guest speakers) then I feel that it’s better to raise it in a review (or via a P&O feedback questionnaire). Interestingly, there has been no ‘first impressions’ feedback form on this cruise, which I think is a shame. Finally, and being quite blunt about it, if people are feeding back on similar things after the cruise then it’s P&Os fault and not the passengers. Don’t shoot the messengers, fix the problems. Whether these comments have been a swipe at me (having done ‘live froms’ on all these cruises) I know not (although I don’t wait until I get home to comment) but I will not be stopped from giving an honest appraisal of a cruise - good and bad. I stand by everything I have said and believe that my reviews are balanced. 

 

Wednesday is our first of five consecutive port days, so the next report will cover our stop in Funchal, Madeira. Much as we really like Ventura, we shall be glad to get off for a few hours and have a walk around.  

I'm enjoying reading your Live From @Selbourne.

It is interesting the captain mentioned Cruise critic as it shows we are being listened to plus our regulars like yourself give excellent truthful reviews for them to read and hopefully they will take action where needed.

As we sail regularly in aft cabins I hope they solve the overflowing onto aft balconies from the infinity pool on Iona and Arvia.

[Selbourne]

20 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

Regarding the scattering of ashes at sea, I just had a quick search as I didn't know what the procedures actually were and although I couldn't seem to find anything on the P&O website, I did come across an article in the Times newspaper from 2019: 

 

"A ship must be in international waters for anything to be thrown overboard, which means at least 12 miles from shore — and there are many parts of the world where nothing is allowed overboard, including Antarctica and Alaska.

So which lines have these ceremonies? Cunard, Princess and P&O Cruises, all part of the giant Carnival Corporation, allow ashes to be dispersed if the request is made in advance and the itinerary includes a day at sea. You’ll need to bring a cremation certificate, too.

Carnival Cruise Line has a similar policy, although a death certificate is also required. Royal Caribbean requires both death and cremation certificates and a third one confirming that the urn is biodegradable. Other lines include Norwegian and Celebrity. Star Clippers will, depending on the route, allow ashes to be disposed of under officer supervision, if you ask in advance. Fred Olsen, touchingly, says it may even alter a vessel’s speed and course to help ensure an appropriate send-off."

 

I've also found a thread on here that posters have said you must have the cremation certificate:

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2233107-scattering-of-ashes-at-sea/

 

I do hope that lady is able to speak to somebody else and be able to help her. 

Thanks. Interesting. The lady was clear that she didn’t want to actually scatter them and didn’t want a ceremony, but as that’s probably unusual they just applied the normal rules. She had mentioned that she hadn’t read about the certificate requirement on the P&O website, but I haven’t looked myself. 

[Selbourne]

…..and tonight’s MDR menu. The first one that hasn’t appealed to either of us but, thankfully, we are booked in to Epicurean tonight. 
 

Am tempted to just walk into town in Funchal, but there’s an accessible shuttle and the walk includes a tunnel to get off the pier, so maybe that’s best?

[Gettingwarmer]

20 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

…..and tonight’s MDR menu. The first one that hasn’t appealed to either of us but, thankfully, we are booked in to Epicurean tonight. 
 

Am tempted to just walk into town in Funchal, but there’s an accessible shuttle and the walk includes a tunnel to get off the pier, so maybe that’s best?

It a long walk off the pier, but the tunnel is ok. You cross over the road back and forth. If the shuttle is there I would take it. 
Taxis are available as well and we have taken one to the market for 15 Euro. 

[Megabear2]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Thanks. Interesting. The lady was clear that she didn’t want to actually scatter them and didn’t want a ceremony, but as that’s probably unusual they just applied the normal rules. She had mentioned that she hadn’t read about the certificate requirement on the P&O website, but I haven’t looked myself. 

P&O stopped allowing it some time ago - my aunt was refused for our uncle.  It is due to strict pollution rules (the container).

 

My mother was scattered from Queen Elizabeth in 2015.  We did have a ceremony which was beautiful. It was organised by Cunard, we had the rear closed on the promenade deck for our personal use.  A table was set up covered with the ensign. The captain, hotel manager and our personal assistant attended and we had a reading and prayers followed by me dropping the box into the water and the officers saluted while my OH and Tommi our assistant dropped in flowers.  We were then left for some quiet time of contemplation.

 

It was truly very moving.  Cunard organised everything, it cost nothing and they provided the flowers, box and ribbons.

 

I had to produce the death certificate on boarding - mum was scanned at Southampton.

 

I have it in my will to go in the same area - we have a location certificate.

[Selbourne]

6 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

P&O stopped allowing it some time ago - my aunt was refused for our uncle.  It is due to strict pollution rules (the container).

 

My mother was scattered from Queen Elizabeth in 2015.  We did have a ceremony which was beautiful. It was organised by Cunard, we had the rear closed on the promenade deck for our personal use.  A table was set up covered with the ensign. The captain, hotel manager and our personal assistant attended and we had a reading and prayers followed by me dropping the box into the water and the officers saluted while my OH and Tommi our assistant dropped in flowers.  We were then left for some quiet time of contemplation.

 

It was truly very moving.  Cunard organised everything, it cost nothing and they provided the flowers, box and ribbons.

 

I had to produce the death certificate on boarding - mum was scanned at Southampton.

 

I have it in my will to go in the same area - we have a location certificate.

What a lovely send off for your Mum and how nice that Cunard handled it beautifully. My dads ashes were in a bio-degradable container, so no environmental issues there. 

[pete14]

4 hours ago, davecttr said:

Good to read that ORCA are on this cruise but of course it might mean they won't be on the late November one. There was a young lady on the Arcadia cruise and her talks were well attended, as were the watching sessions. We saw several species including my first view of a Sperm Whale. I think she must have been a Whale magnet 😀

 

I now really like sea days and spend several hours daily scanning the waters

Selbourne,

 

Thanks for your report so far. I wonder whether next time you see an ORCA person, could you please ask them if they know whether there will be somebody from ORCA on our upcoming Northern Lights cruise on Aurora which leaves Southampton on November 15th. Hopefully there will be, but maybe with the shortage of daylight in Norway at this time of year, it might be a waste of their time. 
Thanks

 

[Son of Anarchy]

Thank you Selbourne for another great update to your current cruise.

 

Also, thanks for the info posted regarding scattering/dropping loved ones ashes at sea.

 

It's something I've been mulling over to do with my Mum's ashes.

[daveoc]

Selbourne, I know you will be visiting Epicurean on your cruise. My wife and I are on for two weeks in a few weeks time and I'm trying to find out if, on an Iona 2 week cruise, they have one or two menus that they use. The P&O site only shows one menu but I'm sure I've heard in the past that they have two that they alternate. If it is 2 different menus presumably there is no way of knowing beforehand if you want to book before you board. Thank You

[Son of Anarchy]

Just found this regarding scattering/lowering of ashes:

 

It is possible to scatter ashes from our ships at sea but is dependent on certain factors and requires approval from the Captain in advance of the start of the cruise. In order for the scattering of ashes to take place, the ashes must be stored within a biodegradable container, with certificate or equivalent proof that this is a bio-degradable container also carried onboard, as the ashes will be lowered in to the water and not physically scattered. The Certificate of Cremation will also need to be brought on board. The Captain or a Senior Officer will accompany you to an outside area, typically a lower deck and if requested they will say a prayer. Please note, the ceremony is not formal or religious and there is no charge to arrange a scattering of ashes.

Flowers for the occasion can be purchased from the on board florist or brought on board from ashore as long as they are completely biodegradable. Once the scattering has taken place, the Captain will normally provide you with location details from the entry in ship's log.
 
Please speak to our Customer Contact Centre between 3 - 6 months prior to sailing (please visit our website for contact details).

Once confirmed, you will receive details via email / post. Times and dates may be restricted due to weather conditions and are finalised once on board. Scattering of ashes approval is always subject to change. Please note that the scattering of ashes cannot be performed on cruises of 5 nights duration or less. The scattering needs to be performed on a sea day and must be at least 12 nautical miles away from land.

Please note:

• For Iona's for G333 – G406, we can only accept one scattering per 7 days. The scattering of ashes must not be confirmed on the call, as Events will need to ensure there's availability. 
• We are not permitted to scatter the ashes of pets.
• We will not be able to take requests for cruises G308 – G323 inclusive.
• Scattering of ashes cannot be performed on cruises of 5 nights or less. The scattering needs to be performed on a sea day and must be at least 12 nautical miles away from land, according to maritime law.
• The person wishing to scatter the ashes must be booked on the cruise.
• When we send confirmation to the guest, we will also advise that the ashes have to be carried as part of the hand luggage in a biodegradable container along with the Certificate of Cremation.
• It is not possible to arrange if a short cruise or if a busy itinerary due to environmental restrictions.
• Scatterings are not always possible in areas with protected bodies of water – example, the Fjords.
• As with other events, scatterings cannot be confirmed if over 6 months in advance of the sail date. In addition, requests should not be sent later than 3 months prior to sailing.

The full article can be found at: 

 

Life on board - Can we scatter ashes at sea / can I carry ashes on board?| Frequently Asked Questions | P&O Cruises | Complete Cruise Solution

 

It's a pity that this information doesn't appear to be readily accessible on P&O's main site. 

 

[Selbourne]

22 minutes ago, daveoc said:

Selbourne, I know you will be visiting Epicurean on your cruise. My wife and I are on for two weeks in a few weeks time and I'm trying to find out if, on an Iona 2 week cruise, they have one or two menus that they use. The P&O site only shows one menu but I'm sure I've heard in the past that they have two that they alternate. If it is 2 different menus presumably there is no way of knowing beforehand if you want to book before you board. Thank You

I think we had two different menus on Iona and that was just over 1 week. There’s definitely two different menus on here, because it’s a different menu for each of our two remaining visits. I’ve never been able to work out when they change though!