Selbourne ‘Live’ from Aurora’s 2024 Grand Tour

[Sonyar]

6 hours ago, Eddie99 said:

Does P&O no longer offer the separate vegetarian menu?  Seems like that kept everyone happy?

 

Thanks again Selbourne.  How’s the throat?

We're Vegan, on our first cruise (January 20) there was a separate Veg/Vegan menu. Post Covid that has gone.

The Vegan dishes have not changed in that time and some are very poor with virtually no protein.

Carnival have introduced a new Vegan menu which has been very well received, if only P&O would do the same.

 

 

Edited February 20 by Sonyar

[Sonyar]

6 hours ago, zap99 said:

We're the vegans happy with the dinner menu ?. Probably not. They never are.🤣

Would you be happy with a choice of one lighter option or one small plate? One suitable starter, usually a salad, main and desert for dinner?

The Vegan provision is very poor, though better on Arvia.

It seems at the moment no one is happy with the menu, if only P&O would introduce an actual Vegan menu as Carnival have recently done.

 

Edited February 20 by Sonyar

[david63]

41 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

passengers have to rely purely on whether or not they have missed port cover to get any compensation for missed ports and cruise companies have no liability.

That's not 100% true. Last year on a Princess cruise (same parent company) when we missed three ports due to bad weather we received a hefty FCC.

[happy v]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

Apologies, I can't remember them doing that. Was it in the magazine then like they tell you who the captain's are?

Yes "moments", I found one in the cupboard. The captains of all the upcoming cruises are listed the in the back. It used to also list the head chefs 

[Selbourne]

Just now, david63 said:

That's not 100% true. Last year on a Princess cruise (same parent company) when we missed three ports due to bad weather we received a hefty FCC.

That’s very interesting. I’ve lost count of how many missed ports we’ve had with P&O over the years and we’ve never had a bean from them (not even a green one 😂). This is the first cruise where we’ve ever had missed port cover and the payouts so far will be 50% more than the entire annual insurance policy cost but, of course, none of that is from P&O. 

[Mollag]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

Apologies if you've told us, but am wondering if you have a new Captain - I remember that you weren't too impressed with the one you had when you boarded.

Still the same one at the moment Simon Love is supposed to be taking over in Antigua. I’m with Selbourne no idea why we couldn’t get in this morning and after the Captain making out he was a hero in Belize by waiting an hour to see what the weather was going to do why the rush to get away from here if I wasn’t suspicious of anything I’d say they’ve got some kind of issues with the ship especially after missing Key West as well in light to moderate winds but we’ll never be told the truth

[Angel57]

18 minutes ago, Mollag said:

Still the same one at the moment Simon Love is supposed to be taking over in Antigua. I’m with Selbourne no idea why we couldn’t get in this morning and after the Captain making out he was a hero in Belize by waiting an hour to see what the weather was going to do why the rush to get away from here if I wasn’t suspicious of anything I’d say they’ve got some kind of issues with the ship especially after missing Key West as well in light to moderate winds but we’ll never be told the truth

I imagine the launderette is buzzing with all the theories…..🤣🤣🤣

[Selbourne]

Just now, Angel57 said:

I imagine the launderette is buzzing with all the theories…..🤣🤣🤣

The trouble when you are given such scant official information is that theories fill the void that’s been created!

[Selbourne]

[jh1809]

3 hours ago, Selbourne said:

That’s very interesting. I’ve lost count of how many missed ports we’ve had with P&O over the years and we’ve never had a bean from them (not even a green one 😂). This is the first cruise where we’ve ever had missed port cover and the payouts so far will be 50% more than the entire annual insurance policy cost but, of course, none of that is from P&O. 

From what david63 said, maybe you have to miss three or more ports on your cruise to get compensation from P&O. IIRC, you've missed two ports so far, so maybe if you miss one more you'll have hit the jackpot. But if so, will it be as much as you'll be getting from your insurance, and if P&O do give you something will your insurance still pay out the full amount of £300 per port?

[jh1809]

21 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Maybe the local pilot that Aurora got was more cautious than those pilots allocated to the other ships that did make it into port? But if the pilot didn't think that it was safe, then it would be a brave (or foolhardy?) captain who went against his advice.

[Selbourne]

Just now, jh1809 said:

From what david63 said, maybe you have to miss three or more ports on your cruise to get compensation from P&O. IIRC, you've missed two ports so far, so maybe if you miss one more you'll have hit the jackpot. But if so, will it be as much as you'll be getting from your insurance, and if P&O do give you something will your insurance still pay out the full amount of £300 per port?

No idea. I’m happy with the compensation we will get from our insurers, but feel sorry for those who don’t have missed port cover or those for whom Cozumel was a highlight of the itinerary (in all honesty, it wasn’t for us, although, as with Key West, I’d much rather have called there than have another sea day). 

[Selbourne]

Today’s MDR menus. They obviously didn’t get rid of all the summer puddings at dinner last night as the leftover ones are on todays lunch menu (this happens a lot)!

 

Edited February 20 by Selbourne

[Slugsta]

I notice that the mezze appeared both at lunch and dinner!

[Selbourne]

Just now, Slugsta said:

I notice that the mezze appeared both at lunch and dinner!

Yes, there’s a lot of that. The same item appears in identical, or very similar form, across lunch and dinner within a 24 hour period. As menus are planned in advance, they obviously allow for that to be the case. Never noticed it before this cruise. Perhaps it’s to do with this new trial that a few have mentioned is happening on Aurora?

[david63]

2 hours ago, jh1809 said:

if P&O do give you something will your insurance still pay out the full amount of £300 per port?

Mine did.

 

The insurance policy says "missed ports" - nothing about any other compensation. And another interesting point - if you miss a port and it is replaced by another port does that count as a missed port? The answer is yes as you were scheduled to go to ports A, B, C and not A, D, C. Just as long as you have it in writing from the ship/cruise line then it is a valid claim.

[david63]

3 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I like the fact that the ship is now considered more important than the "guests"

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, jh1809 said:

Maybe the local pilot that Aurora got was more cautious than those pilots allocated to the other ships that did make it into port? But if the pilot didn't think that it was safe, then it would be a brave (or foolhardy?) captain who went against his advice.

Since many US Caribbean cruises are only short 5 or 7 day ones with only 2 or 3 ports, then I imagine missing a port would be a major event.  So maybe the cruise line Captains are much more motivated to make them than on a 64 day cruise.

[Presto2]

Were the other ships newer so may have been able to handle the sea and winds? Just thinking ..

[zap99]

8 hours ago, Sonyar said:

Would you be happy with a choice of one lighter option or one small plate? One suitable starter, usually a salad, main and desert for dinner?

The Vegan provision is very poor, though better on Arvia.

It seems at the moment no one is happy with the menu, if only P&O would introduce an actual Vegan menu as Carnival have recently done.

 

I agree. Vegans and veggies should have their own menu. The normal menu should not be culled to cater for those folk.

[Selbourne]

Just now, Presto2 said:

Were the other ships newer so may have been able to handle the sea and winds? Just thinking ..

Apparently yes. There’s just one flaw in that argument though in terms of how it relates to today. The sea was extremely calm and there was no discernible wind (and we were in sight of the terminal). I can’t help but think that a different captain might have made a different decision. Same with Key West. Pilots advise but Captains decide (except in the Panama Canal, as we learned last week). Of course, the expression ‘in agreement with the local pilot and consultation with shoreside colleagues’ may simply mean that the Captain made the decision as the others can’t overrule him 🤔

[zap99]

13 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I have had gravalax, on P&O I think, from memory it is very similar to smoked salmon,  but not quite as tasty.

Either will do for me.🤣

[Presto2]

1 minute ago, Selbourne said:

Apparently yes. There’s just one flaw in that argument though in terms of how it relates to today. The sea was extremely calm and there was no discernible wind (and we were in sight of the terminal). I can’t help but think that a different captain might have made a different decision. Same with Key West. Pilots advise but Captains decide (except in the Panama Canal, as we learned last week). Of course, the expression ‘in agreement with the local pilot and consultation with shoreside colleagues’ may simply mean that the Captain made the decision as the others can’t overrule him 🤔

Or perhaps made more of an effort on a shorter cruise if you get me. Hopefully that's your last cancellation. I am not a sea day fan so any cancellation like really impacts.on my enjoyment of the days cruising. Nothing worse than killing time at such a slow speed you feel like you are actually floating about a bit to kill.time.

[Selbourne]

Just now, Presto2 said:

Or perhaps made more of an effort on a shorter cruise if you get me. Hopefully that's your last cancellation. I am not a sea day fan so any cancellation like really impacts.on my enjoyment of the days cruising. Nothing worse than killing time at such a slow speed you feel like you are actually floating about a bit to kill.time.

Exactly. Even if we are to take what we were told as gospel (which, BTW, nobody that we’ve spoken to today does), then it doesn’t say much for Aurora that she cannot cope in such mild conditions.
 

Everyone understands that these issues can happen if the weather is really bad but today, as with Key West, it’s been a glorious day with calm seas. The sea state picked up a bit this afternoon but of course we are now well away from Cozumel. 

[zap99]

3 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Today’s MDR menus. They obviously didn’t get rid of all the summer puddings at dinner last night as the leftover ones are on todays lunch menu (this happens a lot)!

 

I'll go with the chef's recommendation tonight please.